It’s not good for the health of the game that India, England and Australia have comprehensively pulled away from the rest

Andrew Fidel Fernando25-Jan-2024Is men’s Test cricket finally on its deathbed? Has England’s pounding away at its chest with Bazball defibrillators not been enough to rouse it? Is Gen Z too obsessed with Instagram reels and Tiktok to understand the beauty of a Test match session in which runs are scored at 1.34 per over, one wicket has fallen, and even the old guys in the stands have slumped into beer comas?We do not have the answers to much of this. But we do have statistics.Test cricket’s demise has long been expected, but to many, Cricket South Africa’s naming of a squad mostly comprising newbies for a Test series in New Zealand seemed like a line in the sand, given one of South Africa’s great Test achievements was their incredible away record between 2007 and 2014.Is serious Test cricket doomed to be played between only India, England, and Australia ten years from now, as many claim?Let’s look at the numbers.The most obvious sign of ill health is probably a drop in the number of Tests played. The ICC has helped create context and a structure for Test cricket in the last five years with the World Test Championship (WTC). But even before the WTC, the “Big Three” teams – India, Australia and England – were playing more Tests than everyone else. And the “Next Six” teams – South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, West Indies – were roughly as active as they are now. (Zimbabwe have not been included in this analysis as they have only haphazardly been active in Tests over the last 15 years. Afghanistan and Ireland have not been included because they are not established Test nations yet.)While England, Australia and India have over the last 15 years played roughly 12 Tests a year, which is about 50% higher than the number the Next Six play, there hasn’t been a massive drop-off in the numbers for the Next Six. In the 2018-23 period, they each played a little over eight Tests a year on average. Compared to the previous five-year periods, teams such as South Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka might have seen a very modest decline in the number of Tests they played in the 2018-23 period, but this has been offset by the increasing number of Test matches Bangladesh have begun to play in the same period.So for starters while it’s clear that there is more appetite for Test cricket among the Big Three sides, it is difficult to argue that there is declining appetite among the Next Six teams, as far as scheduling goes at least.This is not the case with results, however, as the next graphs will show.When it comes to away Test matches where Big Three sides play Next Six sides, the Big Three have always won considerably more often. That gap has only grown over the past ten years. South Africa’s immense away record against Australia and England propped up the Next Six’s away stats in the 2008-12 period. But their falling away since has been reflected in the collective numbers of the Next Six.The most recent great Next Six team – New Zealand – have only won one series away against the Big Three this century, when they beat England 1-0 in 2021.(Since these stats are based on win-loss ratios, Tests in January 2024 until the 18th have been included in the figures for the 2018-23 period.)At home, though, is where the differences between the two levels are really stark. Since the start of 2013, which is to say the last ten years roughly, Australia have lost just two Tests out of 29 at home to a Next Six side. India have zero losses out of 24. England are not quite as formidable at home, but have improved substantially away, thanks partly to their better handling of spin, which is reflected in the previous graph. (Bazball might have played a role too.)So essentially we have arrived in a Test cricket world in which some Next Six sides are capable of winning matches away from home against other Next Six opponents, but appear unlikely to ever challenge the Big Three sides at the Big Three’s home venues. This is also a world in which Big Three teams tend to win Tests in Next Six home nations, even if they don’t always clinch the series. But the only serious challenges to Big Three nations at home are from other Big Three teams.In fact, India and Australia dispatch Next Six teams so swiftly in their home series, there is a serious argument for them hosting four-day Tests for all Next Six sides, which would free up valuable days in the calendar. India, for example, needed four days or fewer (emphasis on “fewer”) to trounce most of their Next Six opponents since 2018.Australia weren’t quite so rapid with their hammerings, even if the South Africa side that lost to them inside two days at the Gabba disagree. But getting to day five was a serious achievement for Next Six sides in Australia too.Increasingly, only other Big Three teams can even challenge the Big Three teams at home, and the Next Six sides are increasingly defeated at home by Big Three teams. Perhaps the WTC has been one of the few things levelling the field over the past few years, but even on the WTC table, India, England and Australia have been in the top four in both tournament cycles so far.Many have suggested that only these three teams will still be playing Test cricket ten years from now. Perhaps it is unwise to predict the death of a format that has defied many premature obituaries. Yet statistics seem to point to the emergence to two classes of Test nations.Test cricket needs to ask itself if it is a better, more profitable product when more teams can meaningfully compete. This is a foundational tenet of many sports leagues around the world, who either through draft-pick placements or salary caps, or both, attempt to impose on their leagues a semblance of egalitarianism.England’s newfound attacking philosophy has helped them improve their record away from home•Getty ImagesCricket West Indies CEO Johnny Grave recently put it this way to colleague Firdose Moonda, after West Indies named what seemed to be a modest outfit to play Tests in Australia: “In percentage terms [of board expenditure], we will spend more than anyone on red-ball cricket,” he said. “So I would argue against any narrative that the West Indies aren’t interested in Test cricket.” West Indies playing an average of 8.5 Tests a year between 2013 and the end of 2023 would suggest CWI has indeed shown some commitment to Test cricket.Increasingly, though, cricket broadcasts in India increasingly dominate the market. The SA20, which has prevented South Africa’s top Test players from travelling to New Zealand, is contested solely by franchises that have roots in India, and has scheduled matches at times that work better for the Indian viewership than for South Africa’s local fans.And if Test cricket can be so besieged by these voracious market forces, what happens to the international versions of the limited-overs formats? Seven of the last 11 ICC men’s trophies have been won by either Australia, England or India. Only once in that period did a Big Three side not compete in a final, in the 2012 T20 World Cup final in Colombo. Are T20Is not going to succumb to pure economics eventually too?There are always miracles in sport, but better-resourced teams tend to outperform the rest. And as the economic chasm grows in cricket, Test cricket is where this disparity is most evident. Pakistan’s Tests in the UAE were counted as home Tests for them, but other neutral Tests weren’t part of the home/away analyses

You don’t have to ignore the stereotypes, but you can see how South Africa have done things differently this time, and that brings with it hope of a plot twist

Firdose Moonda26-Jun-20241:08

Morkel: ‘Nervy finishes building nice character for South Africa’

If you’re a discerning follower of South African cricket, you’re either frustrated or bored with the narrative that your team can’t or won’t win a World Cup, because they don’t know how to deal with the pressure. You may recognise that even though it’s a stereotype that’s stuck for a reason, it’s also too easy to haul out for mass-readership, and lacks in critical analysis. And you will know, and even admit, that although there has definitely been some choking in the past, there have also been times when they have just been outplayed, or erred in selection, or failed to adapt to conditions, or just had rotten luck.You would have hoped – no, you would have believed – each time would be different. And you have reason to, because South Africa’s tournament-play record is excellent. They have won 75 out of 111 matches in group stages or preliminary rounds, which equates to just more than two-thirds of the matches they have played. India, who have two ODIs and one T20 World Cup to their name, have won 85 out of 124 matches, which is roughly the same victory percentage. Only Australia, with 90 out of 126 wins (71%) have done better.While you already know South Africa fall short in knockouts, but just in case you need a reminder of how short: they have won one of ten – the 2015 ODI World Cup quarterfinal. That record is worse than any team that has played more than one knockout match. And South Africa, the men, have never got to a World Cup final.Related

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If World Cups were played like leagues – competitions without finals – South Africa might have won many. But they are not. So they are about consistency, but equally about an alchemical combination of form meeting fortune.Which is what seems to be happening to South Africa at this event.They have got a perfect record – seven out of seven – but could have lost six of those.Netherlands, Bangladesh, Nepal, USA, England and West Indies all pushed South Africa to breaking point, and each time they found a way. David Miller carried the chase against Netherlands, Ottneil Baartman bowled a clutch penultimate over against Bangladesh, Quinton de Kock’s game awareness and a random deflection provided victory via a run-out against Nepal, Kagiso Rabada’s death-bowling maturity kept USA at bay, and Marco Jansen held his nerve with ball against England and bat against West Indies. There have been different match-winners in different match situations and, seemingly, a sprinkling of magic that has never before scattered itself so generously on South Africa.Seven times now, a cricket-loving nation has collectively held its breath, expecting the worst. And all seven times, they have been able to exhale and celebrate. This is uncharted territory, and who knows where it may lead?2:10

Shamsi hits back at ‘ridiculous’ critics

Those who ascribe sentiment to superstition will look at things like the fact that Aiden Markram captained the South Africa men’s Under-19 side to the World Cup win ten years ago – which was also the last time South Africa made a T20 World Cup semi-final – and see some element of destiny in the fact that it’s Markram again. Others will view the win over Netherlands after two losses to them in the last two global tournaments as the sign that things will change. Or that the rain delay that lasted 75 minutes in what was a virtual quarter-final against West Indies earlier this week was a case of weather gods aligning on South Africa’s side.All that adds to the flavour and folklore of our sport, but none of it is fact.What is, is that South Africa have done things their own way this time. From coach Rob Walter selecting a squad by himself – his prerogative as the only selector – to Markram making left-field decisions that surprised even Walter.Walter has walked a tightrope, between angering politicians with a squad that only included one black African player and embarrassing his employers by forcing them to admit transformation had not worked as hoped, and trusting his gut. Essentially, all of that was down to one decision: the inclusion of Anrich Nortje ahead of Lungi Ngidi despite his long absence through injury and expensive returns at the IPL. Walter backed Nortje’s pace and has been proved right, mainly because of Nortje’s ability to change that pace.Aiden Markram is an understated captain off the field and an alpha competitor on it•ICC via Getty ImagesMarkram is an understated captain off the field and an alpha competitor on it. His catches to dismiss Mahmudullah and Harry Brook, both at stages where the game was about to be taken away from South Africa, gave no numerical value on the scoreboard but are worth their weight in wins. And they were no flukes. Markram has been taking stunners all year. In the SA20, Markram has 14 catches, the joint-highest across two tournaments, which includes a one-handed wonder in the qualifier to dismiss JJ Smuts this year.Though he is not scoring the runs he would want, his captaincy has made up for that. His tactics in the West Indies game was one of the best examples of flexible thinking displayed by a South African leader because: he bowled 12 overs of spin (never done before at a T20 World Cup by a South African team), and he did that before he introduced Kagiso Rabada, in the 18th over, the latest Rabada has ever bowled his first over in a T20 game.Those two examples show that Markram is willing to do what South Africans have historically not been able to, and move away from a bull-headed belief in pace despite conditions. Of course, he is only able to do that because of the quality of the spinners at his disposal and, in particular, the reliability of Keshav Maharaj. Though Maharaj doesn’t have South Africa’s best economy rate or their most wickets, it is difficult to think of an XI without him because of his ability to control stages of the game. Maharaj seldom makes the headlines but he is always part of the story and allows the rest of the attack to play around him.If there is an area where South Africa could come undone, it’s in the batting. Their top three have been inconsistent and the middle order has only shown glimpses of the reputation they came into the tournament with. But all that has to be caveated. South Africa played three of their four group matches in New York, where batting was so difficult that Walter is willing to discard those returns when he assesses his players and chooses his semi-final team. Walter said that specifically in reference to the form of Reeza Hendricks, the lowest run-scorer in the top six. Which indicates he will keep his place. “Reeza has been one of the standout T20 batters in our line-up for a while now. And he deserves the opportunity to make a few errors, but still feel trusted in our line-up.”2:02

‘SA’s batters need to take more responsibility’

The turn of phrase is both cute and crucial. T20 cricket is about allowing players the freedom to take risks without constantly being in fear of losing their place. That is not typically the South African way. This is a country where taking a chance, in life and in sport, can have serious consequences. Walter’s challenge has been to create a space for creativity while building a scaffolding of support so his players can try things and sometimes fail while still being part of his plans. So far, he has succeeded. His next challenge is to replicate that in an environment of expectation that has usually suffocated South Africa: a semi-final.What may work for him is that Afghanistan are a team they would have been happy to play if offered the choice. South Africa will see Afghanistan as a less intimidating prospect than Australia, for example. But they will also need to guard against that kind of thinking.Though Afghanistan’s batting may not seem like they can stand up to express pace and bounce, South Africa have done so much work to show that they are about more than that that they shouldn’t fall into the trap of playing to stereotypes. That also means their batting should not be spooked by Afghanistan’s spin. That would be too convenient a way to end a tournament that seems filled with new beginnings. South Africa will have to remind themselves that they have played in a most un-South African of ways and could script perhaps the most un-South African of endings. And that is the kind of plot twist their discerning fans want.

Their unexpected union took KKR from 57 for 5 to a score they could defend despite dew setting in

S Sudarshanan04-May-20242:02

Was sending Pandey as impact sub the right call?

Thursday evening, Wankhede Stadium. The harsh afternoon heat was giving way to a pleasant evening when Kolkata Knight Riders’ practice session got fully underway. Manish Pandey was among the first to take guard in the second of the two nets. Seeing him time some of the shots, one wondered why he had not played a match this IPL.Pandey faced all types of bowling plus throwdowns at his disposal. Between the deliveries, he even had a banter with some of the bowlers, and by the end of his nearly 30-minute stint, he walked out of the nets all drenched in sweat.Friday evening, Wankhede Stadium. Left-arm seamer Chetan Sakariya marked his run-up on either end. A one-match suspension for fast bowler Harshit Rana had meant KKR had a slot in the XI for an Indian seamer. Even though Pandey was among five potential Impact Players for a sixth successive game, all indicators pointed towards Sakariya making his KKR debut.Related

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But when Nuwan Thushara’s triple strike had KKR reeling at 57 for 5 in the seventh over, they had to change their plan. So out walked Pandey as Impact Player, replacing an already dismissed Angkrish Raghuvanshi.KKR had never beaten MI at the Wankhede since 2012, so you wouldn’t blame MI for thinking they had things in control, especially on a slightly two-paced surface. Venkatesh Iyer, who hit a century against MI at this venue last year, had started with two fours in his first four balls and was on 13 off 8 when Pandey joined him. But the next four overs produced just one boundary.In the 11th over, Iyer flicked Piyush Chawla through fine leg for four and then smacked Gerald Coetzee for a four and a six to signal a move-on.Manish Pandey and Venkatesh Iyer’s 83-run stand rescued KKR•AFP/Getty ImagesPandey took the cue and capitalised on his favourable match-up against Jasprit Bumrah in the 14th over by taking 12 runs off him. It included a flicked four – replays indicated it went off Pandey’s thigh pad and Bumrah wasn’t happy about it the entire over – through fine leg and a ramped six over deep third to leave their head-to-head reading thus: 80 runs, 42 balls, no dismissals.Pandey fell for 42 off 31 when he miscued one to cover but Iyer carried on. At the death, he pre-empted what the bowlers were attempting and hit crucial boundaries to bring up his second half-century of the season. He deposited Hardik Pandya over wide long-on before hitting a six and a four via reverse shot off Thushara in the 19th over.In a bid to scoop Bumrah on the penultimate ball of the innings, Iyer lost his balance, and middle stump, and was the last batter dismissed for 70 off 52 balls. But despite KKR losing their last five wickets in 29 runs, his 83-run partnership with Pandey, off 62 balls, had steered them to 169.Heading into the game, KKR were the most expensive side in the powerplay this season, and had conceded the second-most sixes at the death. Given Mitchell Starc’s poor form, MI’s long batting line-up, and the dew, a target of 170 did not look challenging.But Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine derailed their chase, with identical figures of 2 for 22 off four overs. Starc, who came into the match with seven wickets from eight games at an economy of 11.78, also picked up 4 for 33, including three in the 19th over to seal KKR’s seventh win in ten outings.”Venky’s been fantastic for us,” Starc said at the post-match press conference. “He has certainly not been out of touch, he has been hitting the ball nicely through the games and certainly at training. Tonight was the night he got the runs to reward that hard work. Not our best start with the bat but the way he went about his innings to absorb some pressure, still keep the scoring rate pretty healthy and build a fantastic innings for us alongside Manish Pandey, that was a really key partnership.”They showed their experience. Obviously, Venky has got good memories here from last year, scoring a hundred. That partnership tonight was what got us to a total we thought we could defend. He used all parts of the ground pretty well, he fought his way through the innings.”

After a number of years of drought, the promise of renewal has arrived with four centurions on this tour of Bangladesh

Firdose Moonda30-Oct-2024If it feels like it’s taken a long time for South Africa’s batting line-up to find some solidity, that’s because it has. Since May 2018, of teams in the World Test Championship, only West Indies have a lower average runs-per-wicket figure, and South Africa’s batters have scored the fewest hundreds. Over the last two weeks, that seems to be changing.In the Chattogram Test, South Africa have posted their highest away total in 12 years, with three of their batters scoring their maiden Test centuries. Numbers aside, they also appear to have found an opening partner for Aiden Markram who can balance batting time and scoring runs, a No.3 who fits the role, a middle order that does not melt at the sight of spin, and a lower-order allrounder. This seeming overnight success has been about a year in the making.Related

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“It probably started with Shukri [Conrad, South Africa’s Test coach] against India [in the 2023-24 home summer]. That was a tough series against a really good side, and there was a young team as well, and guys put their hands up in different situations. So, I think it’s just been building on that,” Tony de Zorzi, whose career-best 177 is South Africa’s highest individual score away from home since Graeme Smith’s 234 in Dubai in 2013, said after day two in Chattogram.”There’s a few young guys but a lot of them play around the world so guys are coming in with different types of experiences. It might not necessarily be in age, but they’re all pretty mature and clever about how they go about things. And even though we haven’t been playing for a while and we’re maybe not 30 or 40 years old, we have our own experiences which allow us to perform.”Tony de Zorzi’s 177 demonstrated his ability to weather an intense physical toll over a long period•AFP/Getty ImagesLet’s start with de Zorzi’s example. He made a promising start to his career for the then-second-tier Pretoria-based side Northerns in the 2016-17 season but then dropped off the radar once he graduated to their senior side, the Titans, and moved provinces to the Western Cape. There, he flourished with an average of 49.42 in the 2021-22 domestic four-day competition and 101.40 in the 2022-23 season to earn a Test call-up. By then he had also played four first-class games for South Africa A.Then he had to start all over again, but his experience through the domestic system meant his development at the highest level has come quicker. He scored a promising 85 in his second Test, an important half-century in his fifth, and now, in his eighth Test, a daddy hundred that showed what he can offer long-term.Technically, de Zorzi’s ability to adjust to conditions, especially the amount of spin being bowled, stood out. Mentally, his capacity to stay at the crease, even when battling cramps in his hand, forearm, side and legs on the first day, and for a total of seven hours and 12 minutes, was impressive. This can be developed with the practice of time in the middle and de Zorzi has some marathon domestic innings – including a triple-hundred two seasons ago – to draw on. “Once you get in, it becomes pretty much just [about] your decision-making and your ability to stay focused. It’s definitely mental but you also have to be physically fit enough to be able to do it and be able to concentrate for long periods of time; be able to switch on and switch off,” he said. “I’d say to do it for a long time, you’ve got to be 100% present as much as you can and focused.”Wiaan Mulder has had a similar experience in biding his time. He made his Test debut in February 2019, a year-and-a-half after getting his ODI cap. Batting at No. 7 behind the likes of Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock, and bowling second change after Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada and Duanne Olivier may have made it tough for Mulder to fully carve out a role for himself. He didn’t play another Test until that December and then only made sporadic appearances until being recalled for the West Indies tour this winter, as a levelled-up batter in particular.Tristan Stubbs has vindicated Shukri Conrad’s move to promote him to No. 3 after just one Test match•AFP/Getty ImagesIn 2022, Mulder played for Leicestershire, batted at No.6, and made 689 runs at 49.21, scoring two hundreds including a career-best 235 not out. Last summer, he was promoted to No.5 for his South African domestic team, the Lions, and in six matches scored two hundreds and two fifties to average 54.90. The results of the work he has put into his batting over the last two years all showed in his innings today, which was well-paced and purposeful, with plenty of powerful shots. The twin sixes he hit off Mahmudul Hasan to bring up South Africa’s 500 and push himself towards 70 were highlights. “This is the pinnacle for me,” he said afterwards. “That’s why I get up in the morning – to try and score a hundred in a Test match.”Tristan Stubbs, whose century was sandwiched between those of de Zorzi and Mulder, had the same feeling. He called his innings his “favourite hundred”. Before this he had one in ODIs and eight in domestic cricket, including one at first-class level, and he has repaid the faith Conrad showed in him. Conrad gave him a Test debut when he had only played 15 first-class games, and announced he would promote Stubbs to No.3 after one Test. Whatever Conrad saw has come to fruition and the results that are showing in the batting is as much a credit to Stubbs’ work as it is to his selection and the knowledge of the 66-Test-capped Ashwell Prince, who is the batting coach. It helps that Prince also has recent experience of coaching in Bangladesh.It may be premature to suggest South Africa’s batting blues are behind them but the numbers from this series are a move in the right direction. Their 575 in Chattogram is their highest away total since they scored 637 for 2 at The Oval in 2012, where they were on a journey to win the Test mace. The closest they have come to that trophy since then is now. South Africa are four wins away from the WTC final, and while there is still much cricket to be played between now and then, their fate is in their own hands.With de Zorzi, Stubbs and Mulder adding to Kyle Verreynne’s 114 from the first Test in Dhaka, South Africa have, for the first time since 2018, four different centurions in a series. The last time they had more than two hundreds in an away series was in Australia in 2016. Both the 2012 and 2016 teams were built on big stars and enjoyed strong success. South Africa will hope, as Mulder said, that the “stars are aligned,” for the same to happen again.

Records tumbled in Multan, with Pakistan becoming the first team to score 500 in a Test and lose by an innings

Sampath Bandarupalli11-Oct-20241 Pakistan are now the first team to lose a Test match by an innings margin despite scoring 500-plus runs in an innings. The previous highest total to end up in an innings defeat was 492 by Ireland against Sri Lanka in Galle in 2023.2 Pakistan are only the second team in all first-class cricket to lose by an innings despite a 550-plus total. Leicestershire were the first such team, losing to Glamorgan by an innings and 28 runs despite a first-innings total of 584 in 2022.3 Instances of England conceding 550-plus in a Test innings since Brendon McCullum became their head coach in May 2022. England won all three Tests, with the previous two in 2022 – the Nottingham Test against New Zealand and the Rawalpindi Test against Pakistan.Pakistan’s 556 all out in their first innings in Multan is now the joint-fifth highest total to end up in a losing cause in Test cricket. Two of the top four Test totals in defeats also have been by Pakistan.2 Innings wins for England in Tests in Asia, including this latest win in Multan. The other instance was against India in 1976, when they won by innings and 25 runs in Delhi.6 Consecutive Test defeats for Pakistan, a streak that began in December last year. It is their joint-longest losing streak in Tests, alongside the six consecutive losses they sustained in 2016-17 and 2018-19.ESPNcricinfo Ltd11 Consecutive Test matches at home for Pakistan since their last win in 2021 against South Africa. It is now Pakistan’s joint-longest streak without a win at home, equaling their 11-match streak without a win between 1969 and 1975.6 Test matches as captain for Shan Masood – Pakistan have lost all six. Only four other captains have lost six or more consecutive Test matches from their captaincy debut – Khaled Mashud (12), Khaled Mahmud (9), Mohammad Ashraful (8) and Graeme Cremer (6).2004 Last instance of Pakistan losing a Test by innings margin in Pakistan – against India in Rawalpindi. Pakistan’s last innings defeat at home (in Pakistan or the UAE) came in 2014 against New Zealand in Sharjah.2.87 Partnership average of Abdullah Shafique and Saim Ayub in Test cricket, the lowest for any opening pair in the format with a minimum of eight innings.Four of the eight partnerships between Shafique and Ayub have been nought, the most for an opening pair for Pakistan in Test cricket.41 Babar Azam’s highest score across 17 Test innings since 2023. Babar is the only batter without a score of fifty-plus among the 38 players with 15 or more Test innings while batting in the top six since 2023.1379 Runs scored by Pakistan and England in their respective first-innings in Multan. It is the third-highest first-innings aggregate for a Test match and the highest to have ended with a result.The previous highest first-innings aggregate to produce a result was 1236 runs in the 2016 Chennai Test between India and England, and the 2022 Rawalpindi Test between Pakistan and England.

Everything you need to know about the IPL auction and retention rules

Nagraj Gollapudi and Yash Jha30-Sep-20243:53

IPL auction 2025 retention rules: All the big questions answered

How many retentions have been allowed?
Franchises can retain up to six players from the 2024 squad – including a maximum of five capped players and a maximum of two uncapped Indian players – before the mega auction. This is the highest number of retentions ever allowed by the IPL and the main reason for doing so is to give franchises an opportunity to retain the core set of players.Is there a cap on the number of Indian or overseas players retained before the auction? For the first time, the IPL has imposed no nationality limit on capped players: all five capped retentions can be Indians or overseas exclusively, or a combination of Indians and overseas.Related

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Will there be a right-to-match (RTM) card option available? Yes, franchises are free to choose their combination of outright retentions and RTM cards to keep hold of up to six players from their 2024 roster. A franchise that retains no players will enter the mega auction with six RTM cards at their disposal; a franchise retaining all six players will have no RTM cards to use at the auction.The RTM card option was introduced at the mega auction ahead of IPL 2014. It was then retained for the next mega auction ahead of IPL 2018 but discarded before the 2022 season. A maximum of three RTM cards were allowed at mega auctions previously.While a few franchises had as many as eight RTM options on their wishlist, the rule has seen a significant modification which could play a massive role this time.What is the modified RTM rule? The RTM card allows the franchise to buy back a player who was part of their squad in the previous season by simply matching the price at which that player is sold at the auction. In previous mega auctions involving the RTM card, once a player was declared sold, the auctioneer asked the franchise the player belonged to the previous season whether they wished to buy him back; if they did, they secured the player for the amount of the final bid made in the auction.However at the upcoming auction, if the previous franchise wants to use the RTM card, the franchise that made the final bid will be given an additional opportunity to raise their bid. In case that happens, the original team would need to match that bid using the RTM card to secure the player.For example, say Venkatesh Iyer isn’t retained by Kolkata Knight Riders. Another team or teams including KKR are engaged in a bidding contest at the auction for Venkatesh, and the bidding stops at INR 6 crore with the winning bid not by KKR but another team – say Mumbai Indians. The auctioneer will check with Knight Riders if they want to use the RTM card. If they do, then Mumbai Indians will be given a one-time chance to raise the bid beyond the INR 6-crore mark. In case MI decide not to raise the bid, KKR can retain Iyer using the RTM option. However, if MI raise the bid, then KKR will need to match that raised bid using the RTM card to secure Iyer. If they decline, Iyer will go to MI.The Chennai Super Kings table at the IPL 2024 auction•BCCIWhat is the auction purse? The IPL has increased the auction purse to INR 120 crore, which is a 20% increase from the INR 100 crore that franchises had at the 2024 auction. The purse available at the last mega auction, in 2022, was INR 90 crore, to which increments of INR 5 crore were made every subsequent year.What are the retention slabs?The IPL has put in salary caps based on the number of retentions. In a marked shift from previous mega auctions, where every subsequent retention could come at a lesser price, franchises will now have to shell out larger amounts to go beyond three retentions.For the first three players retained, the salary cap will be INR 18 crore, INR 14 crore and INR 11 crore. The salary cap for the fourth retention will be INR 18 crore. The salary cap for the fifth retention will be INR 14 crore. Uncapped Indians will have a salary cap of INR 4 crore.So if a franchise retains five capped players before the auction, it will need to spend INR 75 crore – nearly two-thirds of its purse. For context, teams had to shell out just under 47% of their total purse to make the maximum permitted retentions (four) ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction.While the IPL has once again agreed to the wish of several franchises to retain the core group of players, it has posed them a two-part riddle: do you want to spend a massive chunk of purse to retain five players ahead of the auction? Or do you release the player(s) you want to retain into the auction where you can use the RTM card option, but remain vulnerable to bids going above the value at which you wanted to retain the player?Is it true that a former international player can fall in the uncapped category?Yes, the IPL has revived a rule it had scrapped after the 2021 season, which allowed capped Indian players who had retired or not played international cricket in the last five years to be categorised as uncapped players. This means five-time champions Chennai Super Kings can now retain MS Dhoni as an uncapped player. Not just Dhoni, this rule will allow several other India internationals who were part of the IPL in 2024 to be retained as uncapped players, including the likes of Piyush Chawla, Mohit Sharma and Sandeep Sharma among others.While CSK will tell you they are happy to pay any price to retain their former captain, a smarter business move would be for them to retain Dhoni at INR 4 crore, the salary cap IPL has put in place for uncapped retentions before the auction.What is the deadline to finalise retentions?October 31, 2024 is the deadline for teams to finalise their retentions ahead of the IPL 2025 auction.For the purposes of retention, any player who makes his international debut before October 31 will be considered capped. If a player is retained while uncapped, he will remain in the uncapped slab even if he plays an international match before the auction.1:19

Moody: Overseas players need to commit to the IPL ‘through thick and thin’

What is it that we hear about overseas players potentially facing bans for missing the IPL?Overseas players who make themselves unavailable for an IPL season after being signed at an auction without legitimate reasons will be penalised with two-year bans. As reported by ESPNcricinfo earlier, all ten IPL franchises had requested to act against late pullouts by overseas recruits during their meeting with the IPL governing council in July.Additionally, an overseas player who does not register for the mega auction will not be allowed to register for the subsequent mini auction, with exceptions only made in case of injuries and/or medical conditions confirmed by the player’s home board.And there’s a cap on how much overseas players can make at mini auctions?That’s right, the IPL has decided to impose a “maximum fee” for overseas players at mini auctions. Any overseas player’s auction fee at a mini auction will be the lower figure out of the highest retention price [INR 18 crore] and the highest auction price at the mega auction.For example, if the highest auction price at the mega auction for IPL 2025 is INR 20 crore, then the maximum fee allowed for an overseas player at the next mini auction will be INR 18 crore. But if the highest auction price at the mega auction is less than INR 18 crore – say, INR 16 crore – then the cap will be INR 16 crore.How does that affect bidding for overseas players at mini auctions? The auction process for the overseas player(s) will continue as normal until the player is sold, and the final auction amount will be deducted from the team’s auction purse. But the incremental amount over the “maximum fee” will be deposited with the BCCI.For example, let’s say franchises take an overseas player’s bid at the next mini auction beyond INR 16 or 18 crore, eventually stopping at INR 24 crore. The player’s fee in this case will be the “maximum fee” (as explained above) – so, either INR 16 crore or INR 18 crore. The incremental amount above that – in this case, INR 8 crore or INR 6 crore – will be deposited with BCCI and utilised towards players’ welfare.Can the franchises modify the prescribed retention amounts? Yes, franchises can pay more or less but that will impact the auction purse effectively. Both instances happened ahead of the mega auction in 2021. Punjab Kings retained two players: Mayank Agarwal and Arshdeep Singh, who then was uncapped. As per the IPL retention rules, if a franchise retained two players, INR 14 crore would be deducted for the first player, and for an uncapped player it was INR 4 crore. So even though PBKS eventually paid Mayank INR 12 crore and Arshdeep INR 4 crore, their purse going into the auction was 72 crore.In contrast, Delhi Capitals retained four players: Rishabh Pant (12 cr), Axar Patel (9 cr), Prithvi Shaw (7.5 cr) and Anrich Nortje (6.5 cr). The slabs set by the IPL in case of four capped retentions were: 16 cr, 12 cr, 8 cr and 6 cr. Though DC spent INR 39 crore overall, in the case of Nortje they had paid 2.5 crore more than the prescribed limit. Consequently, DC’s purse was deducted by INR 42.5 crore.Can players refuse to be retained?Players have the right to refuse to be retained in case they prefer the auction route.

England bowler not getting carried away despite startling success in first series at No.8

Matt Roller30-Aug-20240:35

Gus Atkinson proud of century after ‘frustrating’ year with the bat

Joe Root’s grin as he sat on the Lord’s outfield made clear that his outlandish comparison between Gus Atkinson and Jacques Kallis was tongue-in-cheek. But while Atkinson is unlikely to graduate to official allrounder status anytime soon, there was no questioning the talent he showed in making his maiden Test – and first-class – hundred.Atkinson has shown glimpses of his batting abilities in his international career, thrashing 35 off 21 balls in England’s heavy defeat to South Africa at last year’s World Cup and twice belting 21 from down the order against West Indies in his maiden Test series this summer. Even still, he looked a spot high at No. 8 when England reshuffled their side to cover Ben Stokes’ absence.Yet at Lord’s, he lived up to his promotion to reach 74 not out on Thursday evening, twice lofting Prabath Jayasuriya over mid-off and pulling Lahiru Kumara’s tired short ball over midwicket. “Being at the other end when he hit those straight sixes, they were unbelievable,” Root said, laughing, at the close of play. “It’s like watching someone like Jacques Kallis play.”It only took him 22 balls to convert his overnight score into a hundred, though not without a scare. After hitting the first two balls of the morning for four – a flick off the pads and a punch through cover – he was given out lbw by Paul Reiffel, only for a review to save him, with the ball shown to be missing leg. Marcus Trescothick, England’s batting coach, punched the air in relief on the balcony.Atkinson showed no such emotion, characteristically unflappable as he cruised to three figures. He has worked hard on his basics with Surrey’s coaches Gareth Batty and Jade Dernbach, trying to stay as still as possible with his eyes level on release. His practice came to fruition with the shots that took him from 95 to 103, crisp drives either side of mid-off.Finally, Atkinson allowed himself to smile, beaming as he charged towards the pavilion with fists clenched. His father, Ed, watched in disbelief from a hospitality suite in the Grandstand, and his team-mates stood to applaud from the balcony, all grinning as they shared in the unlikely success of a man averaging 6.71 in the County Championship this season.Atkinson had dinner with Zak Crawley and Harry Brook on Thursday night, and was gently ribbed by them about the prospect of reaching three figures. “There was a bit of pressure on from them, but thankfully I got there,” he said. “It was just pure elation. I was so happy, so relieved. It was a pretty surreal moment.Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope and Chris Woakes applaud Gus Atkinson’s century•Getty Images”I was pretty happy [last night],” Atkinson added. “I’d scored 70-odd already, so I tried to not put too much pressure on myself: if I got out, I got out. I just wanted to continue to play the way that I played yesterday. Thankfully it came off for me today. I feel like I hit quite a few boundaries today, so it was nice just to get there quite quickly this morning.”The innings put Atkinson in esteemed company, making him one of six men to take both a ten-for and hit a hundred at Lord’s, following his 12-wicket debut haul against West Indies last month. This was also the first century from England’s lower order (No. 8-11) for more than a decade, since Matt Prior in 2013; and, excluding innings which involved nightwatchmen, the first since Stuart Broad’s 169 against Pakistan at Lord’s in 2010.Related

• Root 143 repels Sri Lanka before Atkinson 74* turns screw

• Gus Atkinson profits from Sri Lanka's profligacy to power England towards 400

• Clenched fist in a velvet glove as Joe Root comes good when it matters again

• Kamindu fights for Sri Lanka but England seize control after Atkinson hundred

That Broad averaged 15.64 after that hundred, with eight fifties and no hundreds in his 199 subsequent innings, should be a reminder that Atkinson will not always have things this easy. For all his poise, he was up against a four-man attack with 57 previous Test caps between them: batting may look a little less straightforward next year when he comes up against India and Australia.Atkinson, however, does not seem the type to get ideas above his station, and made clear that he is not looking for a promotion. “I’m happy at eight; eight is good,” he said. “I haven’t thought about it too much… obviously missing Stokesy this series gave me the opportunity to bat No. 8, and thankfully I scored a hundred. Going forward, obviously I’d like to bat as high as possible.”I’ve been frustrated with my batting this year: I haven’t really scored many runs for Surrey at all. But I know how good a player I can be. I feel like I’ve got so much natural ability with the bat and I felt like I was moving really well and hitting the ball really cleanly. It was just one of those days where it comes off for you.”In the long term, his emergence with the bat might enable England to make bold decisions away from home: Atkinson becoming a regular contributor from No. 8 would empower them to leave Chris Woakes out overseas without unduly compromising the balance of their side. More immediately, it has put them on the cusp of a fifth win in a row, and a second series victory of the summer.

Also: more Pakistani talent, local Under-19s on show, and questions over Shakib and Mashrafe’s participation

Mohammad Isam28-Dec-2024

Who will challenge Barishal for the title?

Fortune Barishal have another strong line-up for 2025. Tamim Iqbal leads a team that is nicknamed the “national team”, for the number of Bangladesh stars in it. Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah continue to be their middle-order mainstays, while Najmul Hossain Shanto and Towhid Hridoy have joined this year.Ariful Islam is their exciting new batting talent. Rishad Hossain and Ebadot Hossain add to their bowling strength. Their overseas firepower includes Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Nabi, Kyle Mayers, Dawid Malan and Pathum Nissanka.Rangpur Riders, meanwhile, are cock-a-hoop after their successful Global Super League (GSL) campaign. Alongside the likes of Nurul Hasan, Soumya Sarkar and Mahedi Hasan, they have enlisted Alex Hales and Saurabh Netravalkar. They also have Pakistani recruits Khushdil Shah and Iftikhar Ahmed, and Afghanistan’s AM Ghazanfar and Sediqullah Atal.Durbar Rajshahi and Dhaka Capitals are new franchises while Chittagong Kings are making a comeback. All three have acquired exciting cricketers from home and abroad. Khulna Tigers and Sylhet Strikers are banking heavily on local talent.

No Comilla this season

The record four-time BPL champions are missing this year because of their political connections. AHM Mustafa Kamal, the former ICC and BCB president who owned Comilla Victorians was also Bangladesh’s finance minister during the Awami League reign. That government has been overthrown and Kamal has been missing from the country since its fall on August 5.Dhaka and Barishal have signed three players each from last season’s Comilla squad. Dhaka took Litton Das, Mustafizur Rahman and Johnson Charles, while Barishal now have Towhid Hridoy, Tanvir Islam and Rishad Hossain.Chittagong have taken Moeen Ali and Aliss Al Islam while Khulna have signed up Mahidul Islam and Imrul Kayes. Jaker Ali, who got into the Bangladesh team last season after his exploits for Comilla, is going to be playing for his native Sylhet this time.

BPL free of PSL schedule clash

The good news for the BPL this year is that the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has shifted from its usual February window to April and May. That frees up the BPL franchises to sign Pakistani cricketers for possibly the entire season. Before the tournament begins, they have signed up 20 Pakistani cricketers including Shaheen Afridi. The BPL however will continue to clash with the ILT20 (January 11 to February 9), SA20 (January 9 to February 8) and Big Bash League (December 15 to January 27).

NCL T20s provide BPL with starlets

The BCB holding the National Cricket League (NCL) T20s just before the BPL has been a blessing for plenty of cricketers and franchises. The tournament was a success in itself as local players finally found a competitive ground to showcase their many skills. The franchises, as a result of the tournament, find most of their players in form – or at least with match time under their belts – going into the BPL.Thanks to the NCL T20s, the franchises were also able to identify and pick up young talent: five Under-19 cricketers including captain Azizul Hakim and pacer Iqbal Hossain Emon were signed. They were part of Bangladesh’s Under-19 Asia Cup winning squad recently and put up eye-catching performances at the NCL T20s.

What about the big five?

At the other end of the age scale is the uncertainty surrounding the participation of the veterans, Shakib Al Hasan and Mashrafe Mortaza. Shakib – also formerly aligned with the Awami League government – couldn’t play his farewell Test in Bangladesh in October after students protested his return. Mashrafe has also not made a public appearance since that day, as he, like Shakib, was a member of parliament with the Awami League. Mashrafe has more substantial political connections, so it remains to be seen if he will turn out for Sylhet Strikers. Shakib is part of the Chittagong Kings squad.Tamim meanwhile continues to lead the Barishal franchise, having led them to their maiden BPL triumph last season. He will have Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur in his team. Tamim credited Mushfiqur for his contributions as a fielding captain last season. Mahmudullah retired from T20Is earlier this year, but is in a rich vein of form in ODIs.

Dunkley was the poor prop in King’s magic trick as Australia went onto whitewash England 16-0 in the Ashes

Alex Malcolm01-Feb-2025Whenever Shane Warne bowled, every bowl felt like an individual event. You couldn’t take your eyes off it because something special might happen.In this series, every ball Alana King bowled felt like an event. At the MCG she delivered an individual “money can’t buy” experience for the lucky fans who were watching. Luckily for those who weren’t, social media will ensure the delivery will live in perpetuity, consumable as a clip at any moment as often as wanted.Sophia Dunkley was the poor prop in King’s magic trick. Unlike Mike Gatting, she knew the moment she heard the death rattle exactly what had happened to her. She dared not look back. But the replay will be kind to her, no matter how deflating it will be to watch.King said after day one she hoped Warne was watching from on high and enjoying her ripping a few legbreaks in front of the MCG’s southern stand that bears his name. Warne would have loved this one.King bounced into Dunkley, and in her words “fizzed” a beautiful legbreak out of her fingers at 72.1kph. It drifted and dropped outside leg stump. Dunkley leaned forward and presented the full face of the bat. From a surface that had 9mm of grass on it, that seamers have dominated on in the men’s game, the pink-ball gripped and spun sharply past Dunkley’s bat at the hit off stump.

Alana King, legspin magic

Shane Warne would've enjoyed that one #Ashes pic.twitter.com/BFjsxo4vG0

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) February 1, 2025