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Basit Ali’s comments about Bangladesh come back to bite badly

Charbel Coorey
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Basit Ali’s comments about Bangladesh come back to bite badly

Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali made a bold prediction ahead of Pakistan’s two-match Test series against Bangladesh. Speaking on his YouTube channel on August 13, Basit said that only rain can save Bangladesh from defeat as they are no match for Pakistan.

Fast forward less than two weeks later, and Bangladesh humbled Pakistan in Rawalpindi. After scoring 448/6d on a flat surface, Pakistan then toiled for over 167 overs as the visitors piled up 565 with Mushfiqur Rahim hitting 191. Their decision to not play a specialist spinner was in the spotlight, and that spotlight shone even brighter as Mehidy Hasan Miraz (4/21) and Shakib Al Hasan (3/44) blew Pakistan away on a pitch that offered spin on the final day.

Basit Ali’s comments about Bangladesh don’t age well after first Test defeat

“Only rain can save Bangladesh,” Basit Ali said. “Otherwise, there is no comparison. Pakistan will have a big advantage in the home conditions.”

Such comments came as a surprise even before the Test. Pakistan have not won a home Test since August 2021, with their winless run now extending to nine matches. In this period, they have drawn four and lost five.

Fans on social media were quick to pounce after Bangladesh sealed a historic ten-wicket win.

The second Test begins at Rawalpindi on Friday, August 30. How the pitch plays will be of huge interest after Pakistan got their bowling combination terribly wrong in the first Test, opting to pick four fast bowlers on the docile surface.

Naseem Shah was particularly frustrated. Speaking after the fourth day’s play, Shah said “It’s been too many series where we get these types of pitches. We need to think about how to extract home advantage, because you have to find a way to produce results from these games, otherwise you’re not utilising home advantage.”

In terms of the World Test Championship 2023-25 scenarios, Pakistan must win the second Test to have any hope of reaching the final. Bangladesh, on the other hand, will feel confident of leaving Pakistan with a series win.

Pakistan’s horror record in Test cricket at home since start of 2022

Charbel Coorey
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Pakistan’s horror record in Test cricket at home since start of 2022

Pakistan have not won a single Test at home since the start of 2022. In this period, they have played ten matches on home soil, with four resulting draws and six others ending in defeat.

Playing at home is meant to be a big advantage in Test cricket. The likes of Australia and India have made it their mission to ensure their home patch is a fortress. Other nations including South Africa and New Zealand also pride themselves on performing as best they can at home, coinciding with the difficulty most touring teams face in recent years.

The same can’t be said of Pakistan. The return of international cricket to the country was meant to help drive their performance forward. However, it has done anything but. Flat, lifeless surfaces across the country have made the going tough for their bowlers, and the batting lineup has been unable to compensate.

Sadly, even when the pitches have had life in them, i.e. second Test vs. Bangladesh, the result remained the same.

Pakistan at home in Tests since start of 2022: A sorry story

OpponentLocationResultYear
AustraliaRawalpindiDraw2022
AustraliaKarachiDraw2022
AustraliaLahoreLoss2022
EnglandRawalpindiLoss2022
EnglandMultanLoss2022
EnglandKarachiLoss2022
New ZealandKarachiDraw2022
New ZealandKarachiDraw2022
BangladeshRawalpindiLoss2024
BangladeshRawalpindiLoss2024

Pakistan’s last Test win at home came way back in February 2021 against South Africa on pitches that aided seam bowling. In fact, their first five home Tests back after a ten-year hiatus saw them win four and draw one.

However, it has been a huge struggle since. Very batting-friendly pitches have been their nemesis. In the nine Tests in Pakistan since the start of 2022, the average first innings score is 427.4 at 48.02 runs per wicket. This includes a game in Rawalpindi where 14 wickets fell across five days against Australia. Later that same year, England had to score a record number of runs in one day just to give themselves a chance of forcing a very late win.

There are other scores of 400+ throughout the Tests as well. It led to frustrations seeping through during their first Test against Bangladesh at Rawalpindi, where the Tigers amassed 565 in response to Pakistan’s 448/6 declared.

“We need to be honest,” Naseem Shah said after Pakistan toiled for more than 167 overs. “It’s been too many series where we get these types of pitches. The groundstaff tried their best to make this pitch good for bowling, but perhaps because of the heat and sunshine there isn’t much help from the pitch,” he continued.

“We need to think about how to extract home advantage, because you have to find a way to produce results from these games, otherwise you’re not utilising home advantage.”

Shah was left out of Pakistan’s team for the next game, which ended in a historic series loss against the Tigers.

Worse, Pakistan’s batters have crumbled under pressure, with the latest being the capitulations in the two-match series against Bangladesh. Pakistan as a whole seem to be struck down by a conservative mindset of trying to avoid losing rather than trying to win.

Their record will not improve unless this mindset changes. Time will tell, starting with visits from England and West Indies.

Reactions: Bangladesh smash Pakistan by 10 wickets in Rawalpindi

Charbel Coorey
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Reactions: Bangladesh smash Pakistan by 10 wickets in Rawalpindi

Reactions spread far and wide throughout the cricketing world, as Bangladesh created history by beating Pakistan in a Test match for the first time. A draw looked the most likely result right throughout the game even heading into the final day, but a monumental Pakistan collapse against Bangladesh’s disciplined attack spelt curtains.

That Bangladesh put themselves in a position where they could dream of a win was thanks to their batting effort. They took advantage of Pakistan’s baffling call to play without a specialist spinner in such conditions, with Mushfiqur Rahim (191) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (77) combining for a 196-run stand to break the Pakistan’s morale.

The four seamers toiled for 117.3 overs combined. Offspinner Agha Salman sent down 41 without success, although catches were dropped. Bangladesh piled on 565, but anything other than a draw still looked unlikely.

However, enter Pakistan. A mix of timid and reckless batting kept the door ajar early for Bangladesh, and they smashed it open. After the fast bowlers took the first three wickets, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (4/21) and Shakib Al Hasan (3/44) took the rest, taking advantage of the turn on offer on the Rawalpindi surface.

Only Mohammad Rizwan (51) and Abdullah Shafique (37) offered any meaningful resistance. However, Shafique’s dismissal summed up where Pakistan cricket is at right now. They are stuck in cement, and can’t find a way out.

Bangladesh then knocked off the 30 they needed in just 6.3 overs to seal a historic win, which was also the first time they ever won a Test after conceding 400 in an innings.

Reactions: Pakistan slammed for terrible loss as Bangladesh rejoice

Pakistan trolled and criticised following defeat

Fans were quick to pile onto Pakistan in what has been a difficult year for the team. They were eliminated in the first round of the T20 World Cup and their hopes of reaching the WTC 2023-25 Final have taken a hammer blow after yet another home Test match without a win.

Bangladesh celebrate landmark win

The second Test will also be played at Rawalpindi. It begins on August 30. Bangladesh can further boost their WTC Final hopes with a win. For Pakistan – they must win.

Saqib Mahmood interview: Hundred 2024 Final & future goals after recovering from injury

Charbel Coorey
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Saqib Mahmood interview: Hundred 2024 Final & future goals after recovering from injury

In an interview with CricBlog, England bowler Saqib Mahmood spoke of his performance in The Hundred Final. He bowled a magnificent spell, finishing with 3/17 to lead Oval Invincibles to the title. He won player of the match.

Mahmood also spoke of his road to recovery after stress fractures in his back kept him out of action for an extended period of time. He also touched on his goal of returning to the England side.

Here is the full audio of the interview, and you can catch some of the quotes below.

Highlights from Saqib Mahmood interview

You’ve kept a low profile over the last year or two due to your [back stress fracture] injuries. Has it been nice to get your name out there again?

Saqib Mahmood: “Coming into the Hundred, everyone has their own goal and the team goal. The team goal obviously is to win it. But for my personal goals… at the end of the day, cricket is a team sport full of individuals. I wanted to put in performances to knock on the England door again. That was my intention coming into the tournament.”

“I missed out in the middle [of the tournament]. I got dropped because of the balance of the team. It was frustrating because I was bowling well, but I have a lot of respect for Tom Moody. The reason made sense, but I was the fall guy for that.”

“To be honest, I thought my tournament was over especially with the way the guys were going. I tried to keep myself going and keep myself ready in case a chance came, which it did. When I came back, I wanted to prove a point a little bit. Real happy how it went in the final particularly.”

Talk through the spell in the final… 3 wickets in 7 balls getting the ball to reverse at speed. What was your thought going into the final set of 5?

Saqib Mahmood: “Take it back to when I got the new ball, I really wanted to take a wicket or two up top, especially Vincey [James Vince]. Vincey was the leading run-scorer by a long way in the Hundred this season. I really wanted to get him out and leave my mark at the top.”

“There were a few plays and misses, and I couldn’t quite get the wicket, so I was itching to come back and leave my mark in the game.”

“Decided to go a bit fuller. As soon as I saw the ball reverse which got [Leus] du Plooy out… As a bowler, you see movement like that, and it gives you an extra 10%. After that, that was as hard as I’ve run in all season. The adrenaline was going, few play and misses, and felt right on top of Kieron Pollard at the time.”

“The captain [Sam Billings] and coach [Moody] spoke and said we needed to get the wicket of Pollard. ‘Moods’ [Tom Moody] basically said I was the one most likely to get him out. I said ‘I fancy my matchup here’ so we went with that… and to get him out first ball after having that discussion [in the timeout] was a great feeling. I pointed straight over to the dugout.”

Lancashire is your prime base, but talk to us about your relationship with Oval Invincibles. Maybe you might end up at Surrey one day?

Saqib Mahmood: “I really enjoyed my time here. The stadium is unbelievable, the crowd is amazing, just building relationships with all the workers here. It’s been real nice, it definitely feels like home away from home.”

On a future with Surrey… “I don’t want to fuel those rumours. I’m very happy at Lancashire. Lancashire have been really good to me. They’ve looked after me really well after my stress fractures as well. It’s my boyhood club. It’s my tenth season as a pro at the club and hopefully there’s another ten years there. As much as I enjoy The Oval, Lancashire is my home.”

Is your short term goal to break into the red-ball side with Lancs?

Saqib Mahmood: “I wouldn’t say break into the red-ball side. I think what I can do is good enough, it’s just about managing my workloads. It’s about being smart with that.”

“For me, at the moment, white-ball cricket is just ahead of red-ball cricket for me because of what’s happened over the past couple of years with the body. It’s not saying I’m giving up on red-ball cricket or anything like that… it’s more just I have to prioritise white-ball cricket at the moment.

Is the series against Australia in September a target for you?

Saqib Mahmood: “As cricketers and athletes, it’s important to have targets which give you that extra bit of motivation. My individual target coming into The Hundred was to do well and try get back in an England shirt. If it happens, great. If it doesn’t, that’s the game and there will be plenty of opportunities to get back in the side in different ways. The main thing for me is that I’m playing cricket.”

Matthew Hayden provides thoughts on Steve Smith opening in Tests

Charbel Coorey
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Matthew Hayden provides thoughts on Steve Smith opening in Tests

Australia legend Matthew Hayden believes moving Steve Smith to opener is “crazy.” He said Smith should bat where he has scored the bulk of his Test runs at number for Australia’s benefit in a series as big as the Border Gavaskar Trophy.

“I, personally, as I said at the time, was on record saying that I didn’t like changing,” Hayden said at the CEAT cricket rating awards in Mumbai, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

“I think it’s crazy to think that you have the world’s best-in-class batter in a certain position. And then you change to a completely different position. For a few reasons, I think that’s crazy. Firstly, why? Such a gun in that position, such a coveted player,” he said.

Smith has found the going difficult in his time as Test opener. In eight innings, he has scored 171 runs at an average of 28.50, with the highlight his 91* against West Indies at the Gabba.

Cricket News: Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden said the move to have Steve Smith as opener is crazy and that he should be at number 4
Matthew Hayden has called for Steve Smith to be shifted away from opener.

Matthew Hayden calls for Steve Smith to move back to number four

“The rationale that George Bailey [national selector] gave was correct in so far as that he was choosing his best top six batsmen,” Hayden said. “Now, you can’t argue with Steven Smith, he is averaging 65 [57] in Test-match cricket…. 32 Test-match hundreds.”

5,966 of Smith’s 9,685 Test runs have come at number four at an average of 61.50. Given India’s strength in bowling, Australia may be tempted to move Smith back to his previous position.

“The role of an opening batsman compared to a middle-order batsman is very different,” said Hayden. “And it didn’t take long to discover that when you get into challenging conditions, like they faced in the first series outside of Australia, which was in New Zealand, that opening the batting is very difficult.”

Cricket News: Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden said the move to have Steve Smith as opener is crazy and that he should be at number 4
Much will be expected of Usman Khawaja.

If Australia shift Smith down the order, they will have to find a new opener to partner Usman Khawaja. Cameron Green, who was originally touted as David Warner’s first replacement, could be the option. But, Hayden believes performers in Sheffield Shield cricket should be rewarded more.

“[Moving Smith to opener] also is not a great nod to the first-class set-up, which is very much in the Australian culture, been driving great results towards key roles, be that any one of the roles – wicketkeeping, batting, spinners, fast bowlers, opening batters,” Hayden said.

“So the [batting positions of] one, two and three is a category which needs to be protected in my opinion. It sets up play.”

However, Hayden believes the opener role is vulnerable, no matter who they pick there given the quality of the bowling to be on show in the Border Gavaskar Trophy.

“We have guys like [Cameron] Bancroft that are always in the pipeline, Matt Renshaw is in the pipeline,” said Hayden.

“Bancroft, when you look at his form in England, has been excellent, but that’s domestic cricket. It’s not the Border-Gavaskar-type cricket so a bit of a few things to really prove from that engine room in Australian cricket, which has been challenged right now with David’s absence.”

Australia are expected to make the call on who opens in the five-match series against India after their white-ball tour of the UK in September. Smith himself said “I’m happy anywhere and I’ll bat wherever for the team.” According to reports, both captain Pat Cummins and selector Bailey have hinted Australia will start with Smith as opener and Green at four following the latter’s brilliant tour of New Zealand.

The Border Gavaskar Trophy is crucial to Australia’s World Test Championship Final hopes. A series win will enable them to take a big step towards a shot at retaining the title they won in 2023.

Manchester pitch slammed after Shoaib Bashir delivery stays extremely low to dismiss Chandimal

Charbel Coorey
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Manchester pitch slammed after Shoaib Bashir delivery stays extremely low to dismiss Chandimal

The Manchester pitch is in the spotlight after day one of the England-Sri Lanka Test. The big moment took place in just the 23rd over where a Shoaib Bashir delivery barely got off the ground to pin Dinesh Chandimal LBW for 17. It was a blow for Sri Lanka as Chandimal was looking solid.

A delivery had also kept low in Bashir’s previous over, raising questions of the surface. Wisden has raised the possibility of the Manchester pitch failing ICC pitch regulations, which can result in a poor rating.

According to the ICC regulations for Tests, “it is acceptable for a pitch to offer some degree of turn on the first day of a match, particularly in the sub-continent, though anything more than occasional unevenness of bounce at this stage of the match is not acceptable. It is to be expected that a pitch will turn steadily more as a match progresses, and it is recognised that a greater degree of unevenness of bounce may develop.”

Manchester pitch criticised after uneven bounce on day one of ENG-SL Test

It will be interesting to see how the pitch – which is quite dry – will play for the remainder of Test. The Cricketer’s George Dobell took to X to rightly ask what the reaction would have been had that delivery taken place on day one of a Test in India.

“So, what would the reaction of that Chandimal wicket be had it been an England player on the first morning of a Test in India?” he wrote.

Earlier, Mark Wood almost ripped Kusal Mendis’s thumb off his hand. However, the surface played pretty well afterwards. Milan Rathnayake achieved the highest score by a number nine on debut in a men’s Test, hitting an excellent 72 to propel Sri Lanka to 236.

Here are some thoughts and reactions from fans on the Manchester pitch.

England finished the day 22/0. Openers Dan Lawrence and Ben Duckett got through the four overs largely untroubled, but the latter survived a close call against a Dhananjaya de Silva delivery that spun sharply.

Highest scores by a number 9 on Test debut: Where does Milan Rathnayake sit?

Charbel Coorey
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Highest scores by a number 9 on Test debut: Where does Milan Rathnayake sit?

Milan Rathnayake received his Test cap from Sri Lanka legend Kumar Sangakkara. A few hours later, Rathnakaye played an outstanding innings of 72 to rescue his team from a precarious position. At the end of day one, England finished on 22/0 in response to Sri Lanka’s 236 – a score they would have taken with both hands after falling to 6/3, 92/6 and 113/7.

Rathnayake combined with captain Dhananjaya de Silva (74) for a 63-run stand. The debutant wasn’t finished there, lifting the Sri Lankans to a respectable total on a Manchester pitch offering alarming variable bounce at times.

What is the highest score by a number 9 on Test debut? A look at the top 5

Where does Rathnayake’s effort stand among the highest scores by a number 9 batsman on Test debut? Here is a look at the top five such scores in history. 

5. Wilfred Ferguson 56* – WI vs ENG 1948

Way back in January 1948, Wilfred Ferguson struck an unbeaten 56 in the second innings against England. Walking in at 252/7 with the West Indies leading by 295, Ferguson helped lift his team to 351/9d to leave England needing 395 for victory.

The legspin bowler and right-handed batsman went on to take 34 wickets and score 200 runs in eight Tests.

4. Monde Zondeki 59 – SA vs ENG 2003

The talented Monde Zondeki made his first big impression in Tests with the bat. Against England at Headingley in 2003, Zondeki combined with Gary Kirsten to add 150 for the eighth wicket after the Proteas fell to 142/7.

James Anderson, who only retired in the summer of 2024, broke the partnership by dismissing Zondeki. Unfortunately for Zondeki, he picked up a side injury early in his bowling spell and was out for the remainder of the series. However, it did not stop the Proteas from winning the Test with Kirsten (130 and 60) named player of the match.

3. Darren Gough 65 – ENG vs NZ 1994

England were in trouble in the third Test of their 1994 home series against New Zealand. Leading 1-0 heading into the final match, England fell to 235/7 in the face of disciplined bowling by the Black Caps. With Mike Atherton (111) back in the pavilion, New Zealand could sense a quick finish.

However, debutant Darren Gough had other ideas. Gough dug deep for 65 off 126 balls in 157 minutes to keep New Zealand at bay. He combined for a 130-run stand with Phil DeFreitas (69), who also went on to take 3/61 and 3/60 to win player of the match.

The Test ended in a draw and England took the series 1-0.

2. Balwinder Sandhu 71 – IND vs PAK 1983

India were in all sorts of trouble when debutant Balwinder Sandhu walked in to bat on Test debut. Pakistan, led by Imran Khan, ripped through the Indian batting lineup to leave them 72/7 in response to a mammoth 581/3.

After bowling 33 overs in the first innings, Sandhu played an attacking innings with the bat, hitting 71 off just 88 balls. He and Mohinder Amarnath (61) were the only two players to cross 20, and they combined for a 59-run stand.

However, it wasn’t enough to spark a turnaround, with Pakistan going on to win the fourth Test by an innings and 119 runs. The six-match series ended 3-0 in Pakistan’s favour.

1. Milan Rathnayake 72 – SL vs ENG 2024

Sandhu’s record lasted more than 41 years until Milan Rathnayake turned up. The left-hander produced strokeplay any top order player would be proud of in an innings filled with grit and substance.

Along with solid defence, Rathnayake hit six fours and two sixes in his 135-ball stay on a tricky pitch and slow outfield. If that confidence can translate to his pace bowling, Sri Lanka could very well have a fine player on their hands.

World Test Championship WTC 2023-25 scenarios: Who will make the final?

Charbel Coorey
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World Test Championship WTC 2023-25 scenarios: Who will make the final?

WTC 2023-25 scenarios: The race for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final heated up after an action-packed last few months of Test cricket. South Africa confirmed their spot in the final, set to be played in England in mid-2025, after a thrilling two-wicket win over Pakistan in Centurion.

In this article, we’ll look at the scenarios for each team in question, including the maximum percentage they can attain. First, here is the scoring system for the competition:

Points per matchPercentage
Win12100
Tie650
Draw433.33
Loss00
WTC 2023-25 scenarios: The points system.

WTC 2023-25 scenarios: South Africa reach final – who will join them?

Australia and India were considered the favourites to reach the final. However, South Africa’s strong run has sealed their qualification. Now, Australia and India fight it out to join the Proteas at Lord’s.

South Africa

  • QUALIFIED
  • Current points: 88
  • Current percentage: 66.67
  • Remaining fixtures: 1 Test vs Pakistan (H)

Australia

  • Current points: 106
  • Current percentage: 58.89
  • Remaining fixtures: 2 Tests vs India (H), 2 Tests vs Sri Lanka (A)

Australia face a tough fight to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. They also travel to Sri Lanka in January for a tough two-match series in Galle. So, we can certainly expect Pat Cummins’ team to be tested against spin in early 2025.

If Australia win all four remaining Tests, they will finish with a percentage of 67.54. If they beat India 3-1 and draw 1-1 in Sri Lanka, they will end with a percentage of 62.28.

  • If the BGT ends 2-2, Australia’s win percentage will be 57.84 heading into the Sri Lanka series. India’s will finish at 55.26.
  • Afterwards, if Australia beat Sri Lanka 2-0, they will finish with a win percentage of 62.28.
  • A 2-2 draw in the BGT and 1-1 draw in Sri Lanka will see Australia finish with a win percentage of 57.02. This will be enough for qualification ahead of India’s 55.26.

India

  • Current points: 114
  • Current percentage: 55.89
  • Remaining fixtures: 2 Tests vs Australia (A)

India’s shock 3-0 loss to the Black Caps left them in a very difficult position. Victories in the final two Tests in Australia will take them to a win percentage of 60.53.

In such a scenario, Australia’s win percentage would drop to 51.96 before their series in Sri Lanka. A 2-0 win for Australia there will take them to 57.02, which would still see India qualify.

  • If India draw in Melbourne and win at the SCG, their win percentage will finish at 57.02. In that scenario, Australia’s percentage will drop to 53.92 before Sri Lanka and must win 2-0 to take them to a win percentage of 58.77 that will see them qualify ahead of India.
  • If India lose the BGT 3-1, their win percentage will drop to 50. Even if Australia lose 2-0 in Sri Lanka, Pat Cummins’ team will still qualify with 57.02 win percentage.
  • If the BGT ends 2-2, India will qualify if Sri Lanka beats Australia 2-0.

Australia more motivated than ever to regain Border Gavaskar Trophy

Charbel Coorey
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Australia more motivated than ever to regain Border Gavaskar Trophy

Australia captain Pat Cummins, along with Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood, have spoken of the importance of regaining the Border Gavaskar Trophy this upcoming summer. Australia have not held the trophy since 2014/15, where they won the series 2-0 at home. Incredibly, the Australians have won just four of their past 18 bilateral Tests against India, a record the team is desperate to overturn.

“It’s been ten years of unfinished business, it’s been a long time, and I know we’re extremely hungry to turn things around especially here at home,” Lyon said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. “Don’t get me wrong, India is an absolute superstar side and extremely challenging but I’m extremely hungry to turn things around and make sure we get that trophy back.”

Lyon then went on to say the team has come a fair way in the past couple of years. The offspinner believes the team is on the way to greatness, but a series win over India is an important piece of the puzzle.

“Feel like we are a different team to a couple of years ago, we are on a journey of becoming a great Australian cricket team. We’re definitely not there but we are along that journey and have been playing some decent cricket,” he said.

Astounding that quite a few Australia players have never won a Border Gavaskar Trophy series – Josh Hazlewood

Josh Hazlewood echoed Lyon’s thoughts. The pace bowler believes the lack of success against India is something the team needs to get right to confirm their status as one of Australia’s stronger teams.

“There are quite a few players who have never beaten India in a Test series. It’s quite astounding to say that,” Hazlewood said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

Hazlewood also praised India’s depth, especially given how they bounced back after being bowled out for 36 in 2020/21. However, he believes no matter the opposition, Australia should win every series at home.

“It’s been ten years of unfinished business, it’s been a long time, and I know we’re extremely hungry to turn things around especially here at home”

Nathan Lyon.

“That’s [Border Gavaskar Trophy] one we need to tick off, definitely, in particular at home – we should pretty much win every series here at home,” Hazlewood said.

“That last series we obviously bowled them out for 36 in Adelaide and we thought here we go, [we are] back at home [and] confident on these grounds. People say we played India B in that last Test, but they can sometimes be stronger than the best team. They’ve got unbelievable depth in all formats and we are starting to see that now.”

Pat Cummins primed to be rested and ready for 2024/25 Border Gavaskar Trophy

Pat Cummins is just as motivated. The captain will miss the white-ball tour of Scotland and England, and has been given two months off bowling by Cricket Australia to be primed for the five-match series.

“I’m just trying to fill up the bucket again after two years of non-stop bowling. (Hoping) come that first Test in as good of a position as I have been in for a few years,” Cummins said, as quoted by cricket.com.au.

Cummins is expected to feature in the three-match ODI series against Pakistan in November as well as one game for New South Wales.

“I’ve got those ODIs, aiming to absolutely be part of that series,” he said. “I would say at least a NSW one-day game, if not a Shield game, before the ODIs.”

The 2024/25 Border Gavaskar Trophy will begin on 22 November in Perth. Adelaide (D/N), Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney will host the remaining four Tests.

The huge contrast between the home and away averages of Aiden Markram in Tests

Charbel Coorey
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The huge contrast between the home and away averages of Aiden Markram in Tests

Aiden Markram scored an important second innings half-century to help propel South Africa to a series win over West Indies in Guyana. He combined for a 79-run opening stand with Tony de Zorzi, which proved crucial in a low-scoring game along with the contributions of Kyle Verreynne (59) and Wiaan Mulder (34).

Markram’s 51 is one of his standout knocks away from home. Before this knock, he was averaging just 21.8 after 25 innings outside South Africa, with a single century. At home, he averages 43.5 with 1,914 runs and six centuries in 45 innings, including one of the great centuries in the shortest result Test in history against India in Cape Town.

Aiden Markram in Tests: A contrast

HomeAway
45 innings26 innings
1,914 runs596 runs
Average: 43.50Average: 22.92
8 50s/6 100s3 50s/1 100s

Markram, who made his Test debut in 2017, is touted as one of South Africa’s great talents. However, the right-hander runs the risk of not fully realising his potential, particularly if he can’t sort out the numbers away from home to help elevate the Proteas to a more consistent batting lineup.

Out of his 596 runs away from home, 221 came in a single two-match series in Pakistan in 2021. If you remove that, his away average drops down to 14.42.

Of course, there are caveats. Markram alone isn’t responsible for South Africa’s batting performances, which have been inconsistent at best over the past five years. Also, the limited Test cricket South Africa play also makes it a challenge to find consistent form, evident in the fact that Markram has played just 39 Tests in seven years. Couple this with all the white-ball cricket on the calendar, and it’s a challenge for any South Africa player to find the groove.

However, Markram has the talent and still should deliver more than he has. He is a gifted player with a technique that can deliver great success, with refinement. With limited red-ball cricket opportunities, it is training – both physical and mental – that is crucial for a player like Aiden Markram to succeed consistently at Test level.

His half-century in Guyana was one where intent in attack and defence was the cornerstone of his innings. He ended up being dismissed to one that stayed low off the spin of Gudakesh Motie, but the Proteas were playing from in front from that point thanks to both the efforts of their bowlers and the crucial opening stand.

If South Africa are to make a miraculous run to the World Test Championship (WTC) Final – which is possible with Bangladesh (away), Sri Lanka (home) and Pakistan (home) to come – they’ll need runs at the top from Markram. If he delivers, anything is possible.

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