Rohit's back, Bihar's a mess, & Brian Lara's funny stories
Best Cricket Stories of the Week, 13th to 19th January 2024
“Any delivery even resembling a short ball was smashed while fuller ones were dealt with, with minimal movement of the feet. This was a settled Rohit rekindling a familiar sense of inevitability to his game”; Cricbuzz’s Prakash Govindasreenivasan details how Rohit Sharma got his T20 mojo back against Afghanistan this week.
“This domestic season, after 16 years in the sport, the boy who "never used to think of playing on a big platform" became the all-time leading wicket-taker in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy”; ESPNcricinfo’s Hemant Brar profiles the interesting career of domestic legend Siddarth Kaul, from winning the U-19 World Cup alongside Kohli & Jadeja to getting overlooked at IPL auctions.
“Some Tests stay with us forever. Some are forgotten the next day. Some Tests are in the middle, bringing warm feelings when recalled. This index is a pointer to the nature of the Test”; ESPNcricinfo’s ever brilliant Anantha Narayanan has tried to quantify the entertainment value of a Test match by creating a new metric for it; the Test Quality Index (TQI)!
“When was the last time the stipulated minimum number of overs were completed in the regular time allocated for a Test day's play? Six hours of cricket is ample - for players, the fans, the viewers and administrators”; ESPNcricinfo’s Ian Chappell doesn’t hold back as he blames the authorities for letting the pace of Test matches get too slow.
“Coaching is a career, not just a whimsical thing where you say ‘I‘ve finished now, and I’ll become a coach.’ You have to invest in that”; Wisden’s Amer Malik has a comprehensive conversation with Mickey Arthur about why Derbyshire was his ‘day job’ even when he was Pakistan Team Director, the PCB’s problems, and what it means to lead a team.
“It's been a challenge to keep to the spirit of our initial partnership with USA Cricket due to the lack of established international venues they currently have… as we sit now, we have exhausted every potential opportunity”; ESPNcricinfo’s Firdose Moonda has an interview with the T20 World Cup CEO about the issues that have plagued the tournament, and why the ICC is keen on getting USA on board.
“Paibhale stated that data is of utmost importance when it comes to the IPL Auction table. He explained that while MI’s strategy to select the right kind of players and CSK’s strategy to get the best out of existing players is widely famous, a third strategy is not followed by any of the franchises”; News18’s Bansal Shah has a fascinating piece on how IPL teams scout the fringe Indian players that make up their squads.
“There is no doubt that there are many talented cricketers in Bihar, and there seems to be a lack of transparency in selection when it comes to these players. They are not getting enough opportunities”; ESPNcricinfo’s Syed Hussain has an investigation into Bihar Cricket’s problems, from pay-to-play allegations to an entire shadow association trying to put out teams for the Ranji Trophy!
“Looking out over the snowy field, it is strange to think that Lowerhouse, and clubs like them in the Lancashire league, were not so long ago the Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings of the world – where top-class overseas professionals rushed to gain rich experience as well as earning a hefty pay cheque”; The Guardian’s Tanya Aldred has a fascinating piece on the cricket clubs that used to hire players like Steve Waugh & Michael Holding and yet retain a sense of community now the star power has faded.
Jarrod Kimber has a fascinating conversation with Rafi Kohan about the science behind trash talking in sport for the his podcast, Red Inker. [Apple Podcasts]
The 81 All Out podcast crew look back at England’s 2001 tour to India during an eventful time for both teams, and in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. [Apple Podcasts]
Club Prairie Fire’s Adam Gilchrist & Michael Vaughn continue their ridiculous run of top-class guests by getting Brian Lara on to preview the Adelaide Test between Australia & West Indies (among other topics!).
Shayan Ahmad, the man behind Pakistan’s popular YouTube channel Shayan Plays Cricket goes on the Backward Point podcast to talk about his journey as a cricket creator. It’s a pretty good talk for anyone who’s interested in becoming a cricket influencer.
Grassroots Cricket’s Eman T and Raiyan Haque discuss the importance of captaincy in cricket, with a special focus on their home team, Pakistan.
Sportstar’s Siva Sankar Arokaran looks back at India’s forgotten cricketing tradition - the Pongal Test in Chennai.
Editor’s Note
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