Long Innings - Season 1

Batting in cricket is about building partnerships. The surest way of getting a big score is by stringing together a few big partnerships. That’s what coaches want from the batters. Some batters seem to play well together and help each other to score big runs. They usually form big partnerships and put their team in a strong position in the process. Let us look at a few batting pairs who formed ...

The Sri Lanka cricket team has not being playing at it’s best for some time now. Coming into the test match against South Africa in Durban in Feb 2019, the team had lost 16 of its last 18 international matches, which included a drubbing away at Australia preceded by a thrashing at home by England in both the Tests and ODIs.

Ben Stokes is currently counted amongst the best all rounders in the world. A player who is just as capable of taking 5 wickets or scoring a hundred every time he plays. He is the most expensive overseas player ever sold at an IPL auction. At 27 years old, he has potentially many years of cricket ahead of him and has a chance to go down as one of the all time best to ever play and most certainl...

Shane Keith Warne was born on 13th September 1969 and at the time of his retirement in January 2007 was the highest wicket taker in Tests. He made his Test debut against India in 1991-92 at Sydney and had a pretty ordinary debut taking just 1 wicket and conceding 150 runs in his 45 overs. At that time even the most gifted fortune teller would not have been able to look into his crystal ball and...

There may be some doubt as to whom the greatest fast bowler of all-time is. There may be some doubt as to whom the greatest spinner of all-time is. There may be some doubt as to whom the greatest wicket-keeper of all-time is. However, there is no doubt as to who the greatest batsman of all-time is. Which yardstick or parameter you use to judge greatness, no matter how skewed or biased you may b...

The Stock of Women’s cricket is on the rise and its about time. There are more and more sound bites available in the media, on social media, in the news papers and this is only good news. Like their male counterparts, women cricketers deserve their time in the sun and 2017 and now 2018 were years when women’s cricket took all the right steps. As we take a look back at the year 2018, we will foc...

2018 was an eventful year for cricket. A look back will show just why. It helped that the cricket played on the field certainly kept things interesting and some events on and off the field got a lot of attention. Listen on...

When India stepped down on Australian shores in November 2018, there was an air of expectation that something special could happen. There was genuine hope that this Indian side could do something no side before it had done - which was to win a test series in Australia for the first time ever. Listen on...

Rahul Dravid made his Test debut for India along with Sourav Ganguly in the 2nd Test versus England at Lords during India’s tour of England in 1996. He made a solid and composed 95 which did not get the due credit that it deserved because it was overshadowed by Ganguly’s 131 in the same Test. That was the story of Dravid’s career. He did not get the due credit that he deserved because his caree...

Sourav Ganguly made his international debut for India as a precocious 19-year-old in an ODI against the West Indies at the Gabba in Brisbane in January 1992. He had a pretty unremarkable debut scoring just 3 runs and that coupled with supposed rumors about his attitude led to him being consigned to the cricketing wilderness for more than 4 years. He made a dream debut to his Test career, scorin...

Another year in the cricketing calendar is firmly in the rear-view mirror and there were a lot of phenomenal feats in 2018. Some players enhanced their already stupendous achievements while others addressed the gaps in their CV. Some young players put their hand up to show that they had it in them to become the greats of the game, while there were some whose performances turned out to be a damp...

The late Richie Benaud, who was considered the doyen of cricket commentary, once called cricket the most controversial game of all. Over the years, cricket has been involved in a lot of controversies like gambling, match-fixing, spot-fixing, sledging, disrespect towards umpires, dalliances of a non-platonic nature, verbal tirades and even the odd physical skirmish. Ball-tampering can also be ad...

The calendar year 2018 has been a fantastic one for Indian cricket. They were unstoppable in the shorter formats of the game and in Test cricket they won their first ever Test series in Australia. They learnt from their mistakes in selection and execution in South Africa and England and put that to use in Australia where the team jelled as a cohesive unit and emerged 2-1 victors. In T20Is, they...

No Balls can be costly, just ask a bowler when he gets a wicket only for the delivery to be declared a no ball. It can change the fate of a match, as Jasprit Bumrah found out in the ICC Champions trophy final of 2017. Having said that, a couple of no-balls in a test match between Pakistan and England at Lord’s in 2010 had a sinister hand behind them and far-reaching consequences. They unearthe...

The year 2019 promises an interesting feast of cricket for fans from all over the globe. The ODI World Cup will be held in England from 30th May till 14th July. This year will also feature the inauguration of the World Test Championship, which would include the Ashes in England. So, there is a lot of cricket to look forward to. However, while the established stalwarts in various teams are expec...

There are some cricketers who are prolific run scorers but do so at a snail’s pace and are not particularly appealing to the eye. There are some cricketers who score runs at a brisk pace but do not score enough runs to be called great or even good batsmen. There are some cricketers who excel at a particular format but are found wanting in another. There are some cricketers who score a lot of ru...

As of 1st January 2019, there have been 2956 players who have played Test cricket. So, when pundits of the game sit down and choose an all-time great World XI, there is a plethora of talent to choose from. Since Test cricket began in 1877, there have been a number of great batsmen, bowlers, all-rounders and wicket-keepers to choose from. Therefore, it is only natural that the pundits who choose...

It was an event full of drama, controversy, gossip, a (perceived) pantomime villain, a (perceived) hero of the people. There was infighting, there was a public spat, it was spoken about on all TV channels and discussed ad idem in offices during the water cooler chats. TV commercials were made taking a dig at the entire episode and there was a bittersweet ending. Some may think it was a soap ope...

An India – Pakistan sporting rivalry, there is nothing like it. Any sport – If India is going up against Pakistan there is bound to be massive interest in both countries. Be it Kabaddi, Hockey, Volleyball or football. We don’t like losing to them and vice-versa. Listen on...

In the previous podcast, we had covered cricket since its beginning to the period immediately preceding World War 1. The last Test before the War was played between England and South Africa in February 1914. With the onset of the war, there wasn’t any Test cricket played between the 3 countries as priorities changed. Ironically cricket was played in India, whereas in England, South Africa and W...

In the previous podcast, we had covered cricket since its beginning to the period immediately preceding World War 1. The last Test before the War was played between England and South Africa in February 1914. With the onset of the war, there wasn’t any Test cricket played between the 3 countries as priorities changed. Ironically cricket was played in India, whereas in England, South Africa and W...

In the last podcast, we had traced the evolution of cricket until the early 1980s. The first two ODI World Cups had been held in England, and West Indies had triumphed on both occasions. In the 3rd ODI World Cup, India pulled off a stunning upset over the mighty West Indies in the final winning by 43 runs, ending the hegemony of the West Indians in ODIs. Just to prove that win was no fluke, Ind...

West Indies were once the powerhouse of the game. The all-dominating team that conquered all the teams pitted against them. What was also awe-inspiring about them was the imposing manner in which they demolished teams. Between 1976 and 1995, they played 137 tests, losing only 18 and winning 71. In the 1980s they went through a period when they did not lose a single test for 27 consecutive test ...

Cricket like any sport has its fair share of controversies. Ball tampering, Match fixing, spot fixing, sledging, pitches favouring the home team excessively, bad umpiring decisions affecting the outcome of games etc etc. Every now and then a couple of cricketers have a go at each other, sometimes its harmless or just to get a psychological edge but sometimes it can get quite ugly (Miandad v Lil...

India has never been an easy place to tour for test playing countries. In the past, when the Indian team was not a very good side, the facilities and general infrastructure of the country was such that teams did not relish coming here. Over the decades, as the facilities improved, from the ground conditions to the hotel accommodation and everything else in between, the Indian team started playi...

Sachin Tendulkar can lay claim to being the most talked about, and the most written about cricketer in history. He is still referred to as God by his most ardent fans. They say millions of households just switched their television sets off the moment he got out in a match. He was the man who could do no wrong. He is the first, and only, sportsperson to have received the prestigious Bharat Ratna...

Hi this is Malvika and in this series called Dressing Room, we take a look at MS Dhoni’s career. It will be interesting to see what M S Dhoni’s resting heart rate would be. The man never seems to lose his cool. His team mates have said that even when the Indian team was going through its miserable tours of England and Australia in 2011, Dhoni was a picture of cool and never lashed out as capta...

In the earlier podcast, we had discussed how India was introduced to the game of cricket by the British and how the Indian cricket team had fared in the international arena until the late 1960s, briefly touching upon their twin overseas Test series wins in the West Indies and England in 1971. Since the climatic conditions in Asia and the natural build and physique of Indians were not conducive ...

The first definite reference to cricket being played anywhere in the sub-continent is a report of English sailors of the East India Company written in 1737. It refers to cricket being played at Cambay near Baroda in 1721. A match between Madras and Calcutta in 1864 was definitely the 1st First Class match in India. The British played the match to build relationships with the Indians, the reason...

Cricket is the second most watched sport in the world after football. It originated in South-East England in the late 16th century before becoming the national sport of England in the 18th century. However, it started developing globally only in the 19th and 20th centuries. Matches between countries have taken place since 1844 while the first Test match took place between Australia and England ...

All-rounders represent the best of cricket. Adept in more than just one skill, the greatest of them can turn matches with bat or ball. When they’re not excelling in both, they usually end up making up for one with outstanding performances in the other. MS Dhoni’s entire Test career as captain was spent wishing for a genuine all-rounder in the Indian, especially when touring. But he never did fi...

Test cricket is a funny thing. Some consider it the real form of cricket - a five day test of skills that demands the best from players in terms of discipline, fortitude, and fitness. It’s gladiatorial, almost. No protective rules favoring the batsman and few restrictions on bowlers. A cricketer’s skills, his entire childhood’s worth of training, and all of the ink expended in the hype around h...

2019 is almost upon us, bringing with it the anticipation of the World Cup. While Team India is prepping for it, or so one hopes, fans are optimistic about the performance of the men in blue. Can this team match the bravado of Dada’s iconic shirtless moment at Lord’s? I wouldn’t complain if the series also doubled up as the denouement for MS Dhoni’s career. In all this, I, and many like me, hop...

Sporting Rivalries are the very anchor of any sport. Passionate fans, chants, players giving it their all, the odd violent exchange between supporters too comes to mind. Cricket fans the world over savour one such rivalry that has stood the test of time, and riles up fans on both sides. Ashes is the name given to the Test series between England and Australia held every two years, with each cou...

The World Cup. The pinnacle of all limited overs cricket. Despite the endless cricket we see all year round, the World Cup is still one of the prized possessions in the entire game. Win the final and you’re one of the immortals. Like Kirti Azad. (His ODI career spanned just five years.) The next World Cup, the 12th edition, will be held in England, over May, June and July of 2019. The last on...

One Day International cricket is going through an existential crisis. Other than the World Cups, which draw sizeable audiences, most ODI series or tournaments have seen a clear dip in following. That said, one day cricket does churn out some spectacular performances, whether it be 2002 Natwest Final thriller or South Africa chasing down a world record 434. Such glory was achieved due to the s...

Welcome to CricketNext. I’m Brian/Malavika, and today we’re taking a closer look at the inner workings of one of India’s favorite things - the IPL. The Indian Premier League had its 11th season this year. I know, it feels like it began just a few years ago and it is already 11 years old. They grow so fast, don’t they? The IPL has been around for so long that two-time champions Chennai SuperKin...

Ball Tampering Ball tampering. That thing cricketers do to alter the way the cricket ball moves - with dirt, with mints, even with the metal in their pants’ zippers. Some think of it as innovating but the ICC calls it cheating. Some iconic players have been caught messing with the ball while others came clean later that they did so too. Even someone like Imran Khan did it. He admitted in his a...