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The last time India played at this venue, they pulled off one of the greatest wins in Test cricket

Alagappan Muthu13-Dec-20241:52

How can India bounce back in Brisbane?

Big picture: A banger for the holiday season

We’re back where we started with the series level and two teams with both promise and flaws squaring off again on fabled turf. The cricket has been compelling, at times unpredictable. There’s even been a little heat between the players. The 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy is veering dangerously close to classic territory. Imagine if it’s 2-2 going into Sydney.Some of the bowling that’s been on show – Harshit Rana taking out Travis Head’s off stump in Perth, Pat Cummins returning the favour against Rohit Sharma in Adelaide, Jasprit Bumrah every single time he runs in – has been dreamy. So the Gabba can’t be blamed for making eyes at them. One day out, the pitch still retains a tinge of green.A first-innings average of 18.65 runs per wicket – a figure so rare it’s only been bettered once in the last 10 years, and that was in a one-off Test between England and Ireland – reflects not just the class of both teams’ bowling attacks, but a little bit about the conditions and the frailty of the batting as well.Australia are blooding in a new opener and their two most reliable run-scorers aren’t operating at the levels they’re used to. India will be able to sympathise because like Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma (who could be returning as opener) have been more down than up. The last three are in their mid to late 30s, so their form comes with added scrutiny, on top of the surprise that these high-profile players are yet to really influence this high-profile series. (Kohli has a century but the match-winning innings there came from Yashasvi Jaiswal)Related

• Gill toasts old Gabba memories as he prepares to make new ones

• Can Smith break out of his slump?

• McSweeney hopes to 'throw a few more punches' at Bumrah

• Rohit is used to leaving a mark, but not like this

• Past and present weigh on India, and Australia

Of course it isn’t a surprise that there are surprises when these two teams go at each other. In 2017, Australia took the lead and India hit back. Ditto in 2021. In 2018 and 2023, India took the lead and Australia hit back. This tells you there isn’t a lot separating these sides. Australia’s win in Indore last year and India’s in Perth two weeks ago bucked expectation and there are bound to be more thrills and spills as these two ring in the holiday season.

Form guide

Australia: WLWWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
India: LWLLL

In the spotlight

Steven Smith has 19 runs in two Tests. His last hundred was 24 innings ago. But there was a 91 not out in there, at the Gabba, which he put forward as proof that his opening the batting for Australia was not really the worst idea. Back at No. 4, due to popular demand, he has had a little trouble starting his innings, trouble that he used to avoid, like getting lbw.Rishabh Pant continues to do Rishabh Pant things. In Adelaide, with India three down in the 15th over, he charged out of the crease and flayed Scott Boland over cover. He was also seen at Rundle mall, putting his shopping on hold to play peek-a-boo with a little kid. Now he’s at the scene of his greatest triumph as a cricketer after his greatest triumph as a person.6:02

Cummins on Gabba: Not a ‘fortress’, just another venue for us

Team news: Will Rohit move back up the order?

India might be pondering changes, particularly around the make-up of their top order. Does Rohit come back up to open again? Is he feeling like his old self again? There were positive signs in the nets on Thursday, where almost all the batters, Kohli and Shubman Gill especially, were upping their back-foot game.Akash Deep was India’s third fast bowler during the home season and he made way in Perth for a better batter. The team does not consider their depth to be a big concern anymore so Harshit Rana might find his way back on the bench. Washington Sundar might be pushing R Ashwin for a place in the XI as well.India (probable): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Rohit Sharma (capt)/ KL Rahul, 3 Shubman Gill, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 KL Rahul/Rohit Sharma (capt), 7 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 8 Washington Sundar/R Ashwin, 9 Akash Deep, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Jasprit BumrahAustralia’s first-choice pace attack will reassemble at the Gabba with Josh Hazelwood rejoining Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.Australia: 1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Nathan McSweeney, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Josh Hazlewood

Pitch and conditions: Some wet weather around

Australia have lost two of their last four Tests here, after losing nothing in 32 years. There was a pattern to those two defeats though. Both took place at the end of the season, in January. In between, there was a Test against South Africa in December 2022, which ended in two days and was a party for the fast bowlers. And also one against England in December 2021 that ended in a nine-wicket win for Australia. Early-season cricket here is fast-bowler friendly, a likelihood further increased by rain forecast through the course of the Test.”[Yesterday it] looked like a good wicket, like it has the last few years,” Cummins said. “Bit of sun baking on it the last couple of days, don’t think it’s as green and leafy as it was against South Africa.”

Stats and trivia

• Jasprit Bumrah is averaging 11.25 runs per wicket this series. The next best for India is Mohammed Siraj with 19.77 but then the gulf widens.
• Travis Head is averaging 80 and striking at 94 in this series. The next best for Australia is Alex Carey with 24 and 59.5. There’s a bit of catching up to do there for the hosts.
• Pat Cummins has an outstanding record at the Gabba: in seven Tests he has taken 40 wickets at 18.22
• India could have just four players from the famous 2020-21 victory at the Gabba: Rohit, Gill, Pant and Siraj. It could be five if Washington plays.

Quotes

“Worked out in the Adelaide Test. It’s always in the back of your mind as a Plan B, or if it’s looking really uncomfortable or likely to take wickets maybe it becomes a Plan A to some of the batters. I’m sure we’ll give it a shot at some point this Test.”
“The mood of the team is very good. We had a team dinner yesterday, we had a lot of fun in the team dinner. I think it is very important to know that we didn’t play well in the Test match in Adelaide, but still the series is one-all. We have a series of three matches, and if we win this match, then in Melbourne and Sydney, I think we will have an upper hand there.”

Despite Corbin Bosch’s best efforts, South Africa fell short of the 350-run target by 17 runs

Sidharth Monga30-Nov-20254:46

Takeaways – Kohli in comfort zone; Jansen, Kuldeep and Rana sparkle

Virat Kohli added to his world record of most ODI hundreds, Rohit Sharma brought up the world record for most ODI sixes, and a Sunday full house on a pleasant evening in Ranchi enjoyed watching India beat South Africa in a close first ODI of the three-match series. Kohli and Rohit turned back the clock in a 136-run partnership, Kohli went on long enough to hit seven sixes, and the fast bowlers inflicted just enough damage before the pitch eased out in the dew under the lights.The toss disadvantage that India had to overcome – having lost a 19th consecutive one in ODIs – was huge. During the afternoon, the old ball proved to be difficult to hit, resulting in a slowdown after the start Kohli and Rohit gave India. In the night, the pitch became dramatically easier to bat on.Related

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In the end, India needed every last bit of that start of 161 in 21.2 overs and the two wickets in the first over that Harshit Rana bowled with the new ball. Even after being 11 for 3, this is how South Africa’s next three partnerships went: 66 in 10.2 overs, 60 in 6.4 and 97 in 11.1. Marco Jansen and Matthew Breetzke scored 70s, Dewald Brevis and Tony de Zorzi 30s, and the target came down to 123 from 17 overs when Kuldeep Yadav got the wickets of Jansen and Bretzkee in the same over to ease India’s breath.South Africa still refused to go away with Corbin Bosch’s 67 bringing them to needing 19 off 10, but with only the last man for company, Borch found himself handcuffed against Arshdeep Singh’s yorkers. It was especially heartbreaking for Bosch after he had bowled overs 46, 48 and 50 for just 21 runs to keep India down to 349.This ODI followed the grammar of ODI cricket in recent years in India. The new ball does nothing in the afternoon, but you can cleverly offset it with the pitch’s slowness when the balls go soft. Under lights there is a small window of movement with the new ball, which you need to maximise, because once the dew sets in, batting gets easier on every count.Kuldeep Yadav celebrates after getting rid of Tony de Zorzi•BCCI

Kohli and Rohit respected the need to maximise the new ball themselves when the early wicket of Yashasvi Jaiswal brought them together. For the first time when batting first in his career, Kohli hit two sixes in the first 10 overs, both off-drives that not long ago he might have kept down. Rohit, who is generally used to quicker starts, hit successive slog-swept sixes off offspinner Pernemal Subrayen to catch up with Kohli in no time.Rohit’s third six, a pull off Jansen moments after bringing up his fifty, took him past Shahid Afridi’s world-record tally of 351. It was also India’s eighth, the most they have hit in the first 20 overs of an innings. The next short ball from Jansen stayed low, trapping Rohit in front.Kohli, now 72 off 61, five sixes to his name, was deprived of strike as the next two batters struggled to come to terms with the slowness of the pitch. Ruturaj Gaikwad scored 8 off 14, Washington Sundar 13 off 19, and they also dominated the strike. Kohli had to grit his teeth and get through this period. He kept picking up singles with ease, but the period from Rohit’s dismissal to Kohli’s hundred brought India just 72 runs in 16.3 overs.When he brought up the hundred, Kohli broke into an emotional celebration. This was his first hundred since February; while he plays only one format, there is scrutiny around his and Rohit’s future. And now, Kohli went into a renewed assault, hitting two more sixes and scoring 35 off the next 17 balls. KL Rahul, who fought through the initial period, took India’s six tally to 16 and the score to 349.Rana immediately showed why the selectors and the team management show so much faith in him. In the second over of the innings, he swung the ball both ways and also found seam both ways to take the wickets of Ryan Rickelton and Quinton de Kock for ducks. Rickelton lost the top of middle with the ball swinging away and nipping back. Away swing and away seam were enough to take de Kock’s outside edge. Aiden Markram, captaining in the absence of the resting Temba Bavuma, looked to manufacture a cut off Arshdeep at the start of the fifth over but edged through to Rahul.Marco Jansen struck several meaty blows•Associated Press

By now the ball had stopped moving, the pitch had begun to skid, and the outfield had become moist only to become damp pretty soon. Everything played into the batters’ hands, leaving you wondering what a massacre it would have been but for those three early wickets.Kuldeep got de Zorzi lbw for 39 off 35, clever bowling from Rana contained a marauding Brevis for 39 off 28, and still Jansen and Breetzke proceeded to give India a right scare. After de Zorzi’s dismissal, Breetzke took upon the role of taking singles and watching the damage other batters did. What damage Jansen did in his 39-ball 70, the fastest fifty by a South Africa batter in India and the second-fastest against India.The dew got so heavy India had to forget about spinners for a while. Washington bowled only three overs. It was after having run through the fast bowlers that Rahul went back to Kuldeep, who, as wristspinners can sometimes do, drew the toe end from Jansen on a long hop. In the same over, Breetzke holed out to long-on, perhaps having got too close to the pitch of the ball.Incredibly, South Africa still refused to go away. Bosch kept South Africa interested with his maiden fifty, but never had the support left to pull off this heist. Arshdeep’s wicket-maiden in the 47th over seemed to have sealed the game, but Bosch still kept gasping. In the end, it probably came down to the two full tosses he missed from Prasidh Krishna in the 46th over.

Table-toppers maintain unbeaten start to Blast campaign with five-wicket win at Grace Road

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay19-Jun-2025Nottingham-based The Blaze maintained their unbeaten record in the Vitality Blast women’s competition with a five-wicket victory over Lancashire Thunder at the Uptonsteel County Ground in Leicester.England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, making her first appearance in English domestic cricket for almost two years, made 31 from 25 balls with former England international all-rounder Georgia Elwiss top-scoring with an unbeaten 43 off 30 as The Blaze won with 10 balls to spare.Scotland international Ailsa Lister rescued an otherwise sub-par effort from Lancashire, thundering nine fours and three sixes in a 38-ball 79 – the highest individual score for Thunder in this year’s women’s Blast, helping her side from 47 for three after 10 overs to 150 for nine, regaining second place in the points table.Australia all-rounder Heather Graham took three for 36, Blaze skipper Kirstie Gordon picking up two for 24.The scheduling had been tough on Thunder, who were in action at The Kia Oval only 24 hours earlier; the Blaze, by contrast, had enjoyed a six-day hiatus between fixtures, although the break had allowed both Surrey Women and Bears Women to overtake them in the Blast table.Put in, Thunder struggled to 29 for two in the powerplay. Emma Lamb was run out at the non-striker’s end when bowler Sarah Glenn deflected Eve Jones’s drive into the stumps, Jones falling to the last ball of the sixth, well taken by Gordon at mid-on. Lister had an escape when she was dropped at mid-wicket on three but Thunder still faced a big task to post a meaningful score at 41 for three after Elwiss had Ellie Threlkeld caught behind for six.They were four down for 65 in the 12th, but the fifth-wicket pair almost doubled the total before Morris hit Graham straight to backward point, sparking a rush of wickets. King holed out to mid-on next ball before Gordon took two in two deliveries at the end of the 19th as Kate Cross was stumped and Tara Norris found long-on.Lister – dropped again on 62 – could not be shifted until slicing Graham to third man off the last ball, having cleared the rope off the Australian for the second time at the start of the final over.The Blaze lost Tammy Beaumont, leg before playing across the line to Kate Cross, and Kathryn Bryce yorked by Tara Norris, but were 48 for two from six thanks mainly to Sciver-Brunt hitting four of her first 10 balls to the boundary. Marie Kelly stepped right across her stumps to be bowled by Australian leg-spinner Alana King at 55 for three. Nonetheless, the home side looked comfortable at the halfway point, needing 78 to win.They would have felt less so eight balls later when Sciver-Brunt missed a straight ball from Grace Potts that hit the top of off-stump. The departure of one England player ushered in another in Amy Jones but after adding 29 in 19 balls with Elwiss, Jones miscued to mid-on for 16.The departure of the in-form Jones gave Thunder brief hope but three fours from Graham regained momentum for the home side, Elwiss thumping her seventh four down the ground off King to win the contest.

The New Zealander has hit form for Perth Scorchers as they hunt for a place in the finals

AAP05-Jan-2025Perth Scorchers import Finn Allen says it was fair for fans to doubt him following four consecutive failures, and he hopes he’s now won them back over.Allen, a devastating top-order batter for New Zealand, started the BBL season with scores of 6, 4, 0 and 0. But a rollicking 50 off 23 balls against Adelaide Strikers on New Year’s Eve and 68 off 31 in Friday night’s four-wicket loss to Sydney Thunder have Allen back in the groove.Allen’s fireworks against Thunder set the 46,471 Optus Stadium crowd alight, with one fan even holding up a sign saying “sorry I doubted you”. The 25-year-old could see the funny side.Related

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“I scored 10 runs in four games. I probably should have been doubted,” Allen said. “It’s nice, a few less people hate me [now]. T20 is pretty fickle. You’ve got to laugh, otherwise you’ll cry.”It is what it is, you know. People are going to get upset when you don’t do well, and they’re going to love you when you do well.”Allen said the backing from the team’s coaching staff, including head coach Adam Voges, was crucial for him rediscovering his mojo.”V was just saying he backs me in to just keep playing my natural game,” Allen said. “I think for me, it was just being brave.  It’s always easy to go into your shell after four failures, but that’s not what’s going to bring out the best of me and the best of my game.”It’s almost harder, but I had to be brave, and I guess go out there and play the way I play.”Allen looms as a key cog for the Scorchers (3-3) as they attempt to snare a finals berth. They will be back in action on Tuesday night when they host Melbourne Renegades.Spinner Ashton Agar (back spasms) is a chance to return for that match, but there are doubts over allrounder Aaron Hardie after he appeared to injure his side while batting on Friday night.Hardie winced in pain and grabbed his side/rib region after attempting a reverse sweep, and he didn’t make it out on the field for the Thunder’s innings.He missed the start of the season with a quad injury, and he has been scratchy upon his return with scores of 24, 2 and 10.Scorchers will have to wait to see whether Mitchell Marsh, who was axed from the Test team, and Jhye Richardson will be given clearance by Cricket Australia to play against Renegades.

O’Rourke took four wickets, while Santner and Bracewell got two each, just days before teams meet in Champions Trophy opener

Deivarayan Muthu14-Feb-2025Despite injuries to Lockie Ferguson, Ben Sears, Matt Henry and Rachin Ravindra, New Zealand clinched the tri-series title in Karachi and sounded out a warning to the hosts, five days before they meet again in the Champions Trophy opener at the same venue. In the absence of the senior quicks, Will O’Rourke stepped up admirably with a four-wicket haul, while the spinners, led by Mitchell Santner, straightjacketed Pakistan in the middle overs, limiting them to 242.The batters then completed the demolition job on a two-paced surface, chasing the target with 28 balls and five wickets to spare. After Devon Conway and Kane Williamson set the platform with a 71-run partnership for the second wicket, Daryl Mitchell launched from there in the middle overs, befuddling Pakistan’s spinners with his variety of sweeps, including the reverse. He struck up an 87-run stand with Tom Latham, which highlighted New Zealand’s dominance in the middle overs, before Michael Bracewell and Glenn Phillips sealed the deal.It was Phillips who had kicked off the tri-series with an unbeaten 106 off 74 balls, his maiden ODI century, against Pakistan, before Williamson reminded the world of his genius with an unbeaten century of his own in New Zealand’s second game of the tri-series against South Africa. Having bagged ducks in those two games – and also against Sri Lanka in Auckland last month – Latham made a timely return to form, and re-established himself as New Zealand’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batter with his 56 off 64 balls.Related

• Sears out of Champions Trophy with hamstring tear; Duffy brought in

• Stats – Babar joins Amla as fastest to 6000 ODI runs

Latham had benefitted from multiple reprieves – he was dropped by Shaheen Shah Afridi off his own bowling on 15, and then by Saud Shakeel at square leg on 29. Earlier, when he was on 13, legspinner Abrar Ahmed pinged him on his pad and wasn’t given out lbw. Pakistan missed a trick by not going for a review, with ball-tracking indicating that it had pitched in line and would have crashed into the stumps.Abrar, Pakistan’s specialist spinner, lacked penetration, and was taken for 67 in his ten overs. In stark contrast, New Zealand’s premier spinner Santner was unhittable, coming away with his most economical ten-over spell in ODI cricket. Forty of his 60 balls were dots as Santner varied his pace from the mid-70s kph range to mid-90s kph with remarkable control. Bracewell also kept things tight, finishing with 2 for 38 in his ten overs.The first powerplay was a portent for Pakistan’s go-slow. The hosts played out 48 dots in the powerplay, in which they managed 48 for 2, and failed to hit a high tempo through the innings. After taking a sequence of short balls away from Fakhar Zaman with his sharp angle from over the wicket, including two off-side wides, O’Rourke brought a fuller one back into the opener and had him chipping a catch to square leg for 10 off 15 balls.Babar Azam then brought the Karachi crowd alive when he laced Jacob Duffy through the covers for four, and became the joint fastest to 6000 ODI runs in his 123rd innings, alongside Hashim Amla. Nathan Smith, the seam-bowling allrounder, though spoiled the party when he had Babar spooning a return catch for 29 off 34 balls in his first over.Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan needed 13 balls to get off the mark, and then four more balls to find the boundary. Salman Agha was more fluent at the other end, wedging the ball into the gaps as the pair forged an 88-run partnership for the fourth wicket.Will O’Rourke claimed career-best ODI figures of 4 for 43•Getty Images

The stand, however, ended when O’Rourke returned to the attack and had Rizwan chopping on with a cross-seamer, which stopped on him, for 46 off 76 balls. After hitting hard lengths and the splice of batters with high pace and bounce in the early exchanges, O’Rourke proved that he could be just as effective with the older ball. Almost five overs later, Bracewell had Agha miscuing a reverse sweep to short third to leave Pakistan at 161 for 5 in the 37th over.Tayyab Tahir then gave the innings a leg-up with his 38 off 33 balls, but his innings was cut short by Duffy in the 42nd over. Tahir was the only batter in Pakistan’s top seven to strike at over 100. In the last eight overs, New Zealand conceded just four boundaries, keeping Pakistan to 242.The new ball did a lot more under lights, with Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi using the swing and seam movement on offer to apply pressure on Conway and Williamson. In the first powerplay during the chase, the broadcaster put up a graphic showing the average swing achieved during the two innings. New Zealand’s seamers had generated 1.5 degrees of swing, and Pakistan’s 2.4 degrees.The experienced pair of Conway and Williamson absorbed all of that pressure, and once the ball became older and softer, they picked away Pakistan’s spinners. Williamson carted Agha’s offspin over mid-off while Conway flayed Abrar and Khushdil Shah through the covers. When Williamson tried to pop Agha over the infield once again, he caused the ball to dip and turn to castle him for 34 off 49 balls. Conway then departed two short of his half-century, but the depth in skill in New Zealand’s middle order was too much to overcome for Pakistan.New Zealand will be strengthened further by the potential return of Ravindra and Ferguson for the Champions Trophy opener on Wednesday.

Alana King takes four wickets as struggling Essex slump to another defeat

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay30-Jul-2025A brilliant century from Lancashire and England’s Emma Lamb helped her side ease to their latest Metro Bank One Day Cup victory by 138 runs over struggling Essex at the beautiful surroundings of Sedbergh.Lamb hit a career best 142 and shared a mammoth opening partnership of 162 with Eve Jones (71) as the Red Rose racked up a total of 306 for 4 off their 50 overs after being put into bat by Essex skipper Grace Scrivens.As for Essex there were few highlights with only Jodi Grewcock’s half-century to take back with them on the long journey home from the South Lakelands.Lamb and Jones have proved a hugely effective opening pair this season with three century partnerships before this game and their fourth never really looked in doubt from the moment they began to stroke Essex’s Kate Coppack and Eve Gray around Sedburgh’s lush outfield.44 runs came off the first powerplay but it was after the introduction of Esmae McGregor and Abtaha Maqsood that the openers really got going with the former going for 25 off her four overs.The century partnership was reached in the 20th over with Jones bringing up he half-century soon after with the landmarks coming regularly thereafter with the opening pair reaching 150 in the 30th over.The long-awaited breakthrough for Essex eventually came when Jones mistimed a drive to Coppack off Sophie Smale but the disruption did little to put off Lamb who brought up her century with a huge six off a waist high full toss from the expensive Maqsood.By the time Lamb was out in the 42nd over most of the damage had been done with her superb knock ending off 109 balls with 15 fours and two sixes.Fi Morris quickly followed for five to a caught and bowled from Scrivens but Lancashire powered on through to the end of their innings with some energetic running from Seren Smale and skipper Ellie Threlkeld putting on 38 for the fourth wicket in just under six overs with Smale’s run out in the penultimate over scant consolation for a tired looking Essex.The early departure of opener Scrivens, who edged Mahika Gaur behind for two in the third over, ensured Essex were on the back foot from the off and in truth Lancashire never allowed their innings to gain any momentum.Cordelia Griffith edged Gace Potts’ first delivery to keeper Threlkeld for 13 and Smale, who had battled well for 38, holed out to mid off and a grateful Potts to give Alana King her first wicket.When King bowled Australian Maddie Penna for 15 it looked like the game was up with the visitors 100-4 and over 200 runs still required with the task getting even tricker when Jo Gardner was brilliantly caught by Kate Cross at mid off for eight off left arm spinner Sophie Morris.Meanwhile the stubborn Grewcock was providing the only solace for Essex as she reached her half-century from 54 balls but that would prove as good as it got as she departed hooking a Gaur slower ball straight to Morris for 52.Gaur suddenly found herself on a hat-trick when Amara Carr hit her first ball straight up in the air to Alisa Lister to leave Essex 142-7 and all hope all but gone.Coppack was run out for two and although Gray hit a flurry of fours that was pretty much it with King picking up a third wicket when MacGregor was stumped for one and then repeating the trick the very next ball when Maqsood departed the same way to leave Lancashire challenging at the top of the table going into the break for The Hundred.

Records tumble at Chelmsford as hosts pile up 417 for 6 in Surrey thrashing

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay15-Aug-2025Essex 417 for 6 (Campher 123*, Benkenstein 83, Harmer 68, Critchley 58) beat Surrey 173 (Steel 49, Bennett 5-36) by 244 runsEssex’s short-term signing Curtis Campher made an instant impression with a whirlwind century amid a multi-record victory over Surrey in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.The 26-year-old Ireland allrounder, who has won more than 100 caps, hit his third List A ton and his highest score in the format, smashing an unbeaten 123 from 68 balls less than 48 hours after flying in for a medical ahead of a three-game stint for an Essex squad down to the bare bones.He thumped six sixes and 12 fours – and his clean hitting meant each one broached no reply – to help Essex to their highest List A total of 417 for 6, and a share in a county record of 175 for the sixth wicket with Simon Harmer. Matt Critchley’s 58 from 50 balls, Luc Benkenstein’s personal-best 83 from 72 and Harmer’s equal-best 68 from 47 were overshadowed by the Irishman’s 109 minutes of mischief and mayhem.To compound the visitors’ misery, seamer Nathan Barnwell, with 2 for 112 in 10 overs, posted the most expensive bowling figures for Surrey in the format. By contrast, rookie Essex bowler Charlie Bennett returned his best figures of 5 for 36 as Surrey were dismissed for 173 to lose by a crushing 244 runs with more than 12 overs unused. It was their heaviest defeat. Only Cameron Steel, with 49, offered resistance, but of a stubborn nature rather than threatening.Critchley had hit the blue touchpaper for Essex’s first win of the campaign, when he finally hit his stride. He scored just one run from his first dozen deliveries before going on the attack against James Taylor, hammering four successive boundaries to all parts off the Surrey pace bowler.By that time he had already lost opening partner Robin Das, playing on to Taylor, and captain Tom Westley, pulling Alex French tamely to square leg.The Essex allrounder reached his own half-century from 40 balls – fifty of them coming in just 28 balls – but a 10th boundary, cut square off Barnwell, was followed by his downfall next ball when he top-edged an attempted pull.Charlie Allison had brought up the fifty stand with Critchley by coming down the wicket and lofting Yousef Majid over long leg for six. His 46 from 47 balls ended with a thin edge for French’s second scalp.For a spell Benkenstein and Campher traded maximums. Benkenstein lofting two over long leg off Steel and another off Thomas, while Campher punished some wayward bowling by Steel with a succession of big hits into and over the well-populated stands. Indeed, he took 19 from one Steel over, including two sixes over midwicket.Benkenstein’s innings came to an end when he was lbw having misjudged a delivery from Thomas that didn’t get up. That brought in Harmer, who kept step with Campher for 16 overs that questioned Surrey’s decision to put Essex in on a worn pitch.The sixth-wicket carnage ended three balls from the end of the innings when Harmer drove Barnwell uppishly to extra cover. That only brought in Simon Fernandes to hammer 12 from those remaining deliveries, including a six second ball over long leg.Surrey’s chase faltered from the start. Thomas was bowled all ends up in Bennett’s second over, Nikhil Gorantla caught at third man in the bowler’s fourth, and Rory Burns snaffled behind in his fifth. Jamie Porter had Ollie Sykes caught on the midwicket boundary before Campher re-entered the arena. With only his third ball, he had Ben Foakes caught behind to underline his all-round ability.Campher should have had a second wicket but Harmer dropped a relatively simple slip chance when Steel had reached 6. The South African offspinner paid the price as Steel launched him over the ropes in the following over.Josh Blake became Harmer’s first wicket on his return from paternity leave when he lofted into the cover before Bennett claimed his fourth by bowling Taylor and a fifth to dismiss Steel. By then the result was long beyond dispute.

With the series already wrapped up, India’s captain will be keen on marking his Mumbai homecoming with a big performance

S Sudarshanan01-Feb-20251:05

Manjrekar: Talents like Samson should be allowed a long patch of failures

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 the IPL, having taken over Mumbai Indians’ captaincy from Rohit Sharma. None of that hostility will be in store for Suryakumar Yadav, who will be captaining India for the first time on his home turf. He has a sound record in T20s at the venue: 1493 runs (second-most for any batter), a strike rate of 156.66, an average of over 38. Even in IPL 2024, when he blew hot and cold, he hit two fifties and a hundred – to go with three ducks – at the venue.Related

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However, the Suryakumar that is coming into the game is in unfamiliar territory by his lofty T20I standards. He has gone seven successive innings without a half-century, the longest such streak for him, and tallies just 26 in four outings in this series with two ducks. The high-intent approach of going hard from ball one is partly a cause, with assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate saying consistency and predictability is not a high marker in T20 cricket.This series for England has been about hit-the-deck bowlers, with each of Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Brydon Carse making use of the hard lengths to undo the India captain. Only in Pune did Suryakumar chip a tame catch off a full ball on his pad.England will once again be looking to hit the right length to spoil Suryakumar’s homecoming, while the hosts will have their sights set on an impressive 4-1 series win.

Form guide

India WLWWW
England LWLLLSuryakumar Yadav hasn’t quite been at his explosive best this series•Associated Press

In the spotlight: Abhishek Sharma and Ben Duckett

One of the flagbearers of India’s fearless batting approach has been Abhishek Sharma. In his brief T20I career, only twice has he been dismissed with a sub-100 strike rate. He’s managed to put away the back-of-length deliveries that Archer and Wood often peppered him with by making room and slapping them over point or cover. That he has not batted longer than 19 balls in any of the games after the first one could be held against him, especially if there is a squeeze at the top of the order when the likes of Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal return. A longer, more impactful knock in Mumbai could make it tough for the selectors to leave him out.One of Ben Duckett’s reputations is that of a spin-hitter. But in the first two games he was out before spin came on. Why England rated him high became clear when he scored 51 in Rajkot, when they managed to eke out a win – even though it was down to the last-wicket stand. Duckett put India’s spinners off their lengths by using the sweep and reverse sweeps, much like he did in Pune before falling to spin. It took time for India to plug his preferred spots, deep square leg and deep point, which meant he had to hit spin through the ‘V’. Can he give England a sound start in the final T20I?

Team news: Ramandeep or Rana for Dube?

Shivam Dube’s concussion puts him in doubt for the fifth T20I. And that could mean a look-in either for Ramandeep Singh, a batting allrounder, or another outing for Harshit Rana if India feel they could do with a second seamer at the Wankhede. Mohammed Shami might also return in place of Arshdeep Singh.India (probable XI): 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Sanju Samson (wk), 3 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Ramandeep Singh/Harshit Rana, 9 Arshdeep Singh/Mohammed Shami, 10 Ravi Bishnoi, 11 Varun ChakravarthyAn impressive first outing in the series should see fast bowler Saqib Mahmood hold his place in the XI. England might consider resting Archer, who has played all four T20Is so far, and bringing back Gus Atkinson. Legspinning allrounder Rehan Ahmed could also get a game.England (probable XI): 1 Phil Salt (wk), 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Jos Buttler (capt), 4 Harry Brook, 5 Liam Livingstone, 6 Jamie Smith/Jacob Bethell, 7 Jamie Overton, 8 Brydon Carse, 9 Jofra Archer/Gus Atkinson, 10 Saqib Mahmood, 11 Adil Rashid/Rehan AhmedSaqib Mahmood claimed three wickets in his opening over during the previous game•Associated Press

Pitch and conditions

The weather is expected to be in the mid-20s and dew could play a role at the Wankhede Stadium. Teams batting first have won only three T20Is out of the eight at this venue, but in IPL 2024, teams managed to successfully defend a target in four of the seven matches. Most recently, in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, teams chasing won eight times in 14 matches. The average score in the competition at the venue was 145.

Stats and trivia

• Mahmood has been England’s leading wicket-taker in the powerplay in T20Is since January 2024. He has picked up 12 wickets in just seven innings starting with the Australia series last September. On an average, he strikes every nine balls in the first six overs. Archer is next in the list with 10 scalps from 18 innings.
• India’s captains across men’s formats this season – Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav – average a combined 13.12, the lowest for any team with a minimum of 20 innings batting in the top seven.
• India’s spinners have combined to take 24 wickets in this series, the most they ever have in a bilateral series. Varun Chakravarthy leads the charts with 12 wickets, including a five-wicket haul.

Quotes

“I like the confidence this bowling unit walks onto the field with. The planning we do before games, everybody is contributing in those conversations. The main thing is to go out and execute and even if we are under pressure, like tonight, it was great awareness shown by the group.”

Rahul Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan are also likely to be retained by the franchise

Nagraj Gollapudi30-Oct-20245:23

IPL 2025 retentions: Shami a risky retention for Gujarat Titans?

Gujarat Titans are likely to retain Shubman Gill, Rashid Khan, B Sai Sudharsan, Rahul Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan, leaving them with one right-to-match card (RTM) option at the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction.While the amounts for each player are not yet known, GT will have at least INR 51 crore deducted from their purse of INR 120 crore for retaining three international players and two uncapped players. If they pay more than INR 51 crore to retain five players, then the higher amount will be deducted from their purse.October 31 is the deadline by which the ten franchises have to submit their list of retained players to the IPL ahead of the mega auction. The teams have been allowed to retain up to six players ahead of the mega auction before the 2025 season, of which a maximum of five can be capped internationals and two can be uncapped players. While the IPL has set minimum deductions from the auction purse for each player retained – INR 18 crore for the first player, INR 14 crore for the second, INR 11 crore for the third, INR 18 crore for the fourth, INR 14 crore for the fifth, and INR 4 crore for an uncapped player – the franchises are free to pay more or less than those amounts to their retained players.Gill and Rashid were picked by GT before the auction in 2022, when the franchise had just entered the IPL. While Rashid got INR 15 crore (USD 1.807 million approx. then), Gill got INR 8 crore (USD 963,000 approx. then). While Rashid remains their lead bowling allrounder, Gill was given the GT captaincy for IPL 2024 after Hardik Pandya was traded to Mumbai Indians.Related

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While the retention of 23-year-old Sudharsan ahead Mohammed Shami and David Miller might be a surprise, GT believe the left-hand batter from Tamil Nadu is a long-term player who can perform a key role in the top order. Sudharsan, who was bought for INR 20 lakhs in 2022, was sixth highest run-maker in IPL 2024 with 527 runs with an average of nearly 48 and strike rate of 141. He is considered as a potential future Test player too by India’s selectors and the team management lead by Gautam Gambhir. It is learned Sudharsan was discussed as a candidate for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy.Tewatia and Shahrukh, both uncapped allrounders, were among the most expensive buys for GT and have been retained for their power-hitting ability in the lower-middle order. Tewatia, who was bought for INR 9 crore ($1.084 million approx. then) in 2022, has played several impactful knocks as a finisher and has been a key sounding board for GT’s leadership group with his knowledge the domestic Indian players. Shahrukh, who is also a part-time offspinner, is among the strongest hitters in domestic cricket and was bought in 2024 auction for INR 7.4 crore ($891,000 approx. then).

Worcestershire fight back through Taylor, Libby but face uphill struggle to avoid defeat

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay25-Sep-2025Worcestershire 123 and 270 for 6 (Libby 72) lead Sussex 350 (Simpson 129*, Taylor 4-106) by 43 runsJohn Simpson’s unbeaten 129 and six second-innings Worcestershire wickets kept Sussex in command on day two of the Rothesay County Championship clash at Visit Worcestershire New Road.A glistening fourth century of the season from the away side’s skipper saw Sussex add 122 runs to their overnight score, before they were bowled out for 350.With a deficit of 227, Jake Libby and Rehaan Edavalath added a century stand for the first wicket to throw the Pears a lifeline.Six wickets across the second half of the day however saw Worcestershire cling onto a slender lead of 43 runs heading into the third day with just four wickets intact.A resplendent morning at Visit Worcestershire New Road saw the home side land the first blow of the day when Tom Taylor bowled Jack Carson in the first over of the morning.A 53rd wicket of a remarkable season followed soon after for Taylor as Danny Lamb feathered a nick through to Rob Jones at second slip, to check the visitors progress at 245 for 7.Simpson registered his fourth hundred of a memorable Division One campaign, reaching the milestone in 138 balls and scoring 18 boundaries in the process, shortly after Ollie Robinson had departed for a brisk 24.Simpson kicked on as the visitors reached 350 and strengthened their grip on the match, before Matthew Waite’s introduction into the attack saw him take two wickets in four balls as he dismissed both Ari Karvelas and Jayden Unadkat, with Sussex all-out for 350 possessing a healthy lead of 227.Simpson finished unbeaten on 129, with his 19th first-class century the standout innings of the game.Libby surpassed 1000 first class runs for the season in the Rothesay County Championship early into the afternoon session as the Worcestershire reply got off to a cautious start.The shackles were freed by Libby however, as he moved through the gears with some dismissive pull shots through midwicket as Sussex’s opening bowlers grafted to no avail in the sunshine.Libby pressed on in fine style, reaching a third Division One half-century of the season in just 63 deliveries, as he and Edavalath added 113 for the first wicket on a pitch showing signs of flattening.Edavalath made 45 and Libby a superb 72, before the pair were dismissed inside four overs of one another, with Edavalath first lbw off a straightening Unadkat delivery and Libby following soon after having edged a ball behind to James Coles at slip to give the Indian seam bowler his second of the innings.Robinson collected his first wicket of the innings when he hurried Isaac Mohammed with a short ball to dismiss the teenager for 4.First-innings top scorer Dan Lategan and number five Rob Jones came together midway through the afternoon to add 63 for the fourth wicket with the hosts working hard to find a foothold in the game.Despite making it to the tea interval unscathed, Tom Haines ended the partnership in the 46th over of Worcestershire’s reply, as he pinned Lategan lbw for 30, with the hosts still 40 runs in arrears.Jones produced a gritty knock of 46, with Worcestershire heading towards the close at parity, but his wicket and the dismissal of Ethan Brookes handed Sussex back the initiative late on.