Big picture: Variety the spice of both life and ODI bowling attacks Jos Buttler, all though this ODI series, has been conscious of doing well for longer but also of playing watchable cricket. He picked up Rohit Sharma’s 72-ball hundred as an example of how that is a virtue worth striving for; that being “dynamic” … Read more
Big picture: An air of vulnerability There are two Indias. There’s also, at the same time, another India, an India of an assuredly post-Rohit, post-Kohli era, an India that has flown to dizzying heights over recent months. There are two Indias, but there are three formats. So where exactly do they stand, as the awkward … Read more
Big picture: Homecoming for SKY A new captain, and a homecoming at the Wankhede, was the theme in the build-up to IPL 2024. It is once again a talking point as the India-England T20I series heads for a finale in Mumbai. Hardik Pandya had a long wait to win the crowd over last year in … Read more
Big picture: Series alive, using contrasting methods The five-match series between India and England was expected to be a high-scoring one. A battle of sixes if you will. But three games in, this hasn’t been the case, but the series has by no means been devoid of thrills. It’s 2-1 going into Friday night in … Read more
Big Picture: Fearless India meet wobbly England Fifteen wins and two losses in 17 T20Is since winning the T20 World Cup last June has made India almost impenetrable in the format. This despite having to mix and match their players, owing to the cramped cricket calendar. It’s scary to imagine what they can achieve if … Read more
Big Picture: England vs spin England would have felt a sense of deja vu when they were skittled for 132 in the T20I series opener in Kolkata on Wednesday. In June 2024, in the T20 World Cup semi-final in Providence, they watched Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel return combined figures of 11-0-58-6. At … Read more
Big picture: Teams in transition Gautam Gambhir and Brendon McCullum have many things in common. They were both stellar openers, they were both captain and coach of Kolkata Knight Riders at different times, they’re both known for their “aggressive” mindsets when it comes to approaching the game from the dugout, and, now, they both find … Read more