Who's he playing for this season?
ESPNcricinfo staff06-Apr-2018
ESPNcricinfo staff06-Apr-2018
In the 11 years that Tamim has taken to reach the milestone, he has gone through many changes in his technique and become a more mature cricketer
Mohammad Isam23-Jan-2018Tamim Iqbal celebrates his ninth ODI hundred•Getty Images0 to 1000 runs: The baby steps
Tamim’s introduction to international cricket essentially came through his half-century against India in the 2007 World Cup. Some saw it as a seminal moment for him and Bangladesh cricket. The win effectively got Bangladesh past the group stage for the first time in a World Cup, but for Tamim it turned out to be his only thrilling outing. He averaged only 15.12 in the other eight World Cup games that year.By his own admission, Tamim got figured out by bowlers because he had only a couple of shots in his arsenal. For instance, he was not good at timing balls off his pads. Exactly a year after his debut, Tamim made his maiden ODI hundred and later in 2008, he would reach 1000 ODI runs in 37 innings.1000 to 2000: Jamie Siddons’ project
In 2008, Bangladesh’s coach Jamie Siddons took Tamim under his wing. Hours in the nets with Siddons helped Tamim learn how to play on the leg side, leaving deliveries that weren’t worth chasing, and how to build an innings. That, however, took time: Tamim went six series without making 100 runs in any of them.Finally, against Zimbabwe in August 2009, Tamim broke free. He made over 300 runs in five ODIs, including 154 in Bulawayo that helped Bangladesh chase down 313. That 154 is still Bangladesh’s highest ODI score.2000 to 3000: The first hot streak
Between January 2010 and August 2011, Tamim found rhythm. He not only made 1000-plus runs in ODIs, he made 895 Test runs at an average of 55.93. He took advantage of field restrictions and found ways to settle down on most days. Still, Tamim was unable to convert his fifties into hundreds. Technique wise, Tamim drove more freely and started to develop the Calypso-style pull shot. But there remained holes in his game, especially after he passed the 50-run mark.This period was also memorable for his Test hundreds against India and England, and also for his swift elevation to the vice-captaincy.Tamim Iqbal swivels on the back foot and pulls•AFP3000 to 4000: Slim pickings
The three and a half years that Tamim took for these 1000 runs came with many lessons on and off the field. It started with him losing the vice-captaincy after a dismal tour of Zimbabwe in 2011.And then, after a poor spell against West Indies and Pakistan at home, Tamim was dropped for the 2012 Asia Cup, only to be reinstated after the Prime Minister’s intervention. He responded with four fifties, but there was no ground-breaking performance in ODIs or Tests between 2012 and 2014.Out of form, Tamim became agitated on and off the field. He was impatient as an opener, often throwing away starts. He also took internet trolls far too seriously. The pressure grew on him during the 2015 World Cup, where he scored an important 95 against Scotland in a big chase.4000 to 5000: Man on a mission
After the 2015 World Cup, there were noticeable changes in Tamim’s physique and attitude. He became fitter and, according to many who dealt with him in the team, had cleared his hurdles. He struck twin hundreds against Pakistan, as well as a maiden Test double-hundred, and became a more consistent batsman. By October 2016, Tamim became the first Bangladesh batsman to score 5000 ODI runs.5000 to 6000: Rapid consolidation
A fitter Tamim took it up a notch in both Tests and ODIs. He slammed a match-winning hundred in Sri Lanka, which came after a match-winning effort in the fourth innings, in Bangladesh’s 100th Test.The 2017 Champions Trophy was Tamim’s first successful ICC event – 293 runs in four innings. He also made match-winning contributions in Tests against England and Australia during this period. He missed the ODIs in South Africa but in the 2018 tri-series, he made a resounding start with two scores of 84.Tamim has evolved into a batsman who strives to give his team stability in the first Powerplay, and then looking to play the long innings. He lets those around him score at a rapid pace, and accelerates only after passing 50.In the process of becoming the first Bangladesh batsman to 6000 runs, in Mirpur, Tamim also became the highest ODI run-scorer at a single venue. He went past Sanath Jayasuriya’s tally of 2514 runs at the Premadasa.
All the news you missed in June, and some stuff you wished you’d forgotten – it’s all in the Briefing
Andrew Fidel Fernando02-Jul-2018The football World Cup might have the planet giddy at the moment, but these uncouth football folks should honestly start watching their backs. Ever since the ICC announced it would like cricket to be the most popular sport in the world, in 2015, its officials have been working tirelessly. They have done things like confirm the cricket World Cup will be shrunk to ten elite teams, while football has plans to expand to 48 nations. Who wants to give pleb underdogs the chance to upset the natural order of things, or turn no-name players into heroes on the biggest stage the sport has to offer? Officials have also gone out of their way to stop and steel bands playing in venues in Sri Lanka and South Africa, because what kind of moron commoner needs an atmosphere to distract from the high art of a stonewalling batting day? What else is cricket doing on this unstoppable march to global domination? The Briefing takes a look.Cricket’s actual best chance of becoming the world’s favourite game
Is there any way we can get the football World Cup, as well as major events in all other competing sports, to be administered by the ICC?Turning over a new leaf
While diving is the bane of football, cricket has been dealing with its own player-behaviour issues this year, with verbal aggression towards opponents coming under the microscope in the aftermath of Australia’s tour of South Africa. Under new coach Justin Langer, Australia arrived in England vowing to do away with “abusing” the opposition, while sticking instead to mere “banter”. Langer even used the example of the words he exchanges with his daughter while playing the Uno card game, to lay out the boundaries of what was acceptable.Perhaps, thanks to this new Australian philosophy, we will not see the kinds of classic sledges that Ashes series in past decades have been known for.But whatever the case, Langer’s men did emphatically deliver on the promise that there would be a fresh start, in the sense that no Australia side in living memory has been thrashed as extravagantly in England, as this team. They lost the limited-overs encounters 6-0.Ishita Mazumder/ESPNcricinfo LtdThe series enliveners
One outfit that did their best to keep cricket in the news in June was Sri Lanka, who upon seeing largely empty stands in their Test series in the Caribbean, took it upon themselves to make the tour interesting. In the second Test, their captain, Dinesh Chandimal, was charged with ball-tampering, to which the defence was that he did not remember exactly which of the objects in his pocket he had put in his mouth before using saliva on the ball. (Maybe what he swallowed was one of those memory-loss drugs.) He was eventually suspended after being found guilty.In the next Test, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 154 in the first innings, conceding a significant first-innings lead. Then their own quicks knocked West Indies over for 93, swinging the match dramatically, like it was under the influence of so much Chandimal saliva.Mr Sharma goes to Washington
The USA is one of the key markets the ICC wishes to crack – a market Rohit Sharma was last month given a chance to impress, when he was invited to throw the ceremonial first pitch at a Seattle Mariners baseball game. He could have showed the Americans just how superior cricket was compared to their puny baseball. He could have loaded up, taken aim, and sent a laser beam right into the middle of the catcher’s mitt, from which smoke would immediately pour due to the heat on that ball.But instead Rohit ambled casually up to the mound, and fired in a throw so wayward it sent spectators ducking for cover at a separate baseball game two states over, setting cricket back several decades in North America.1:08
WATCH – Rohit Sharma at a baseball game
Steven Smith’s rough day
Spare a thought for Steven Smith, who according to a news story originating in Australia, cut a “sad and lonely” figure in New York, on a day in which he visited global superstar Hugh Jackman to talk about charity, supposedly looked at property in swanky neighbourhoods, and in the evening, visited a bar for a few quiet beers. Going by the tone of this coverage, Smith then presumably retired to his hotel room to weep loudly about the state of his life, while a homeless person played violin outside his window.MC Shastreezy
From the mouth that brought us “tracer bullet”, “what the doctor ordered”, as well as “flashing and flashing hard”, a new cricketing witticism comes. Maybe it was hearing the word “yo” so many times in the dressing room that inspired India coach Ravi Shastri to try his hand at a little rap, when he announced at a press conference about India’s yo-yo tests, that “If you pass, you play / If you fail, you sail.” Now, to the layman, this doesn’t seem to make sense – isn’t sailing generally thought of as a pleasant, even pleasurable activity? But Shastri isn’t speaking to the layman. If you don’t get it, it’s because you are too stupid. The word “sail” obviously harks back to the time in which India players had to travel by boat to England, and Shastri is making the point that if you fail a yo-yo Test, you are clearly obsolete. Give the man his Nobel.Fawad Alam Sadness Corner
He scored tons of domestic runs, like he does every year. He was overlooked again for Pakistan’s Test team, like he is every year. This time went to England to try and bat away the pain at club level, which is clearly beneath a man of his talents. Then, Fawad is done the ultimate cricketing indignity – he gets out in the lamest way possible when he is timed out for failing to show at the batting crease within three minutes of his Clitheroe CC team-mate’s dismissal. Worse, he angrily throws his bat in the dressing room and “accidentally” breaks a window (no cricketer in history, from Matt Prior to Ricky Ponting to Shakib Al Hasan, has broken dressing-room glass), and gets a load of negative media coverage.Next month on The Briefing- A week after suggesting having a quiet beer was an unsuitable solo activity, Australia media outlet does follow-up story on Steve Smith. Headline: “Disgraced cricket cheat forlornly poops all alone in Toronto toilet.”- Fawad Alam’s taxi falls into lake on way to match; Fawad kicked out of Clitheroe CC side for turning up late.- Dinesh Chandimal kicks himself for not having thought to tell the match referee that what he swallowed in the tampering clip was actually truth serum.
A dream come true for Bangladeshi fans in the USA
Sheikh Minhaj Hossain07-Aug-2018Choice of game
For cricket-crazy Bangladeshi fans living in the United States, this match was a dream come true! I live in Arizona, and I booked my ticket to Florida to watch these two games on the weekend. People from all over the USA, from different states, came to Florida to cheer the Tigers. After the first T20I in St Kitts, captain Shakib Al Hasan, said he was looking forward to the support in Lauderhill, and the Bangladesh fans in the USA didn’t disappoint him. It’s like a World Cup or an Olympics for us, which comes every four years; our chance to chant for Bangladesh live.Key performer(s)
In the first game, it was Tamim Iqbal’s blistering 22-run over against Andre Russell . Bangladesh were 116 for 3 from 15 overs, and then Tamim scored 22 off the next five deliveries. Though he got out trying to hit the fourth one, his three sixes left the fans spellbound. Tamim got the fans dancing. Tamim was named Man of the Match, but Shakib Al Hasan was the people’s Man of the Match (we were happy when he won the Man of the Series), for his 60 off 38 and his magnificent bowling effort of 4-0-19-2.In the second game, it was the innings of Liton Das, which was an exhibition in batting as an art. His innings, which relied on timing and use of wrists, left spectators rapt by its beauty and grace. It reminded us of the days of Mark Waugh, Saeed Anwar, Mohammad Azharuddin, Damien Martyn and Mohammad Yousuf – the flag-bearers of stylish batting in the 1990s and early 2000s. In the present age of power cricket, you don’t see that style of batting often. Liton is of that rare kind who will make you go “whoa” when he times the ball, and as a Bangladeshi fan, it’s disappointing to see him get out in the 20s and 30s after playing three-four delightful shots. But in the third T20I, he scored a mouth-watering 61 runs off 32 balls, which made the crowd happy and made him the performer of the day. However, we were expecting a century from him, and both Liton and the team management need to work on his temperament. Liton is a great asset for Bangladesh and for world cricket. He shouldn’t be wasted.In the chase, Russell was taking the game away from Bangladesh. In no time, he hit five sixes, and the Bangladeshi crowd was trying its best to get him out. One group was using “Chhu mantar” (magic words), while others stuck to prayers – a very typical subcontinental way. When Russell finally got out, the crowd was in jubilation, knowing for sure that match and series had been won.Things I’d have changed about the match
It would have been better if the second game wasn’t shortened, since the excitement would have been more. Bangladesh would’ve easily pulled it off because Russell was out and West Indies didn’t have much of a chance. The rain came and stopped in a few minutes, but the outfield was not ready to play. It’s only when the announcement happened we realised that Bangladesh had won the game and the series. We missed the adrenaline rush of watching the victory being clinched.Close encounter
In both the matches it was Ariful Haque who got targeted by the crowd. In the first match, he dropped a sitter at deep midwicket and West Indies hit two consecutive sixes in that same over. A few spectators started to abuse Ariful, while others stopped them saying that missing a catch is a part of the game. But in the second match when Ariful failed to connect the ball in the 19th and 20th overs, and faced four dot balls, the crowd was angry. “Why can’t he take singles and give the strike to Mahmudullah, who is striking the ball well.” And that’s avoiding the words that I can’t put here.Peter Della PennaAn interesting thing happened when Mosaddek Hossain, the substitute fielder, was walking along the boundary line, with a water bottle in his hand. Spectators on the mound called out his name and asked for the water. And surprisingly, Mosaddek threw his bottle of water to the crowd. A few minutes later Mosaddek was back again and he did the same thing. It seemed like that group of Bangladesh fans was eager to have some drops of the national team’s water, as if it were holy.Crowd meter
As Shakib expected, Bangladeshis came out in full support. It was like a Dhaka traffic jam outside the stadium and it took more than half an hour to park our car.Banner of the Day
Talking about the Dhaka traffic, a lot of people had placards showing their support to the ongoing student movement about “Safe Road, Safe Traffic” happening in Bangladesh. Banners like “We want safe roads, We want safe Bangladesh” were most common.Entertainment
I have always heard that West Indians are the most entertaining cricket crowd ever. We have seen that on TV. But this time we experienced it. They were only few of them, but they were very jolly and were dancing. Both Bangla and West Indian songs were played. A Bangladeshi spectator and a West Indian spectator exchanged their flags and kept chanting for both the teams together. That friendship and alliance was the highlight of the match for me. We play sport for that, not to make enemies.Overall
It was a 9/10 performance from Bangladesh because we won both games. We, the non-resident Bangladeshis who went to watch the team play, were happy and satisfied with their performance. Yes, people were concerned about what’s happening back in the country, the team brought back smiles to our faces. The person who wrote the placard, “Tigers, you are our last hope of happiness” was completely right. The dedication from fans to make it to Florida was rewarded with two wins. After the third T20I, the whole Bangladesh side did a victory lap thanking the supporters.
A dream come true for Bangladeshi fans in the USA
Sheikh Minhaj Hossain07-Aug-2018Choice of game
For cricket-crazy Bangladeshi fans living in the United States, this match was a dream come true! I live in Arizona, and I booked my ticket to Florida to watch these two games on the weekend. People from all over the USA, from different states, came to Florida to cheer the Tigers. After the first T20I in St Kitts, captain Shakib Al Hasan, said he was looking forward to the support in Lauderhill, and the Bangladesh fans in the USA didn’t disappoint him. It’s like a World Cup or an Olympics for us, which comes every four years; our chance to chant for Bangladesh live.Key performer(s)
In the first game, it was Tamim Iqbal’s blistering 22-run over against Andre Russell . Bangladesh were 116 for 3 from 15 overs, and then Tamim scored 22 off the next five deliveries. Though he got out trying to hit the fourth one, his three sixes left the fans spellbound. Tamim got the fans dancing. Tamim was named Man of the Match, but Shakib Al Hasan was the people’s Man of the Match (we were happy when he won the Man of the Series), for his 60 off 38 and his magnificent bowling effort of 4-0-19-2.In the second game, it was the innings of Liton Das, which was an exhibition in batting as an art. His innings, which relied on timing and use of wrists, left spectators rapt by its beauty and grace. It reminded us of the days of Mark Waugh, Saeed Anwar, Mohammad Azharuddin, Damien Martyn and Mohammad Yousuf – the flag-bearers of stylish batting in the 1990s and early 2000s. In the present age of power cricket, you don’t see that style of batting often. Liton is of that rare kind who will make you go “whoa” when he times the ball, and as a Bangladeshi fan, it’s disappointing to see him get out in the 20s and 30s after playing three-four delightful shots. But in the third T20I, he scored a mouth-watering 61 runs off 32 balls, which made the crowd happy and made him the performer of the day. However, we were expecting a century from him, and both Liton and the team management need to work on his temperament. Liton is a great asset for Bangladesh and for world cricket. He shouldn’t be wasted.In the chase, Russell was taking the game away from Bangladesh. In no time, he hit five sixes, and the Bangladeshi crowd was trying its best to get him out. One group was using “Chhu mantar” (magic words), while others stuck to prayers – a very typical subcontinental way. When Russell finally got out, the crowd was in jubilation, knowing for sure that match and series had been won.Things I’d have changed about the match
It would have been better if the second game wasn’t shortened, since the excitement would have been more. Bangladesh would’ve easily pulled it off because Russell was out and West Indies didn’t have much of a chance. The rain came and stopped in a few minutes, but the outfield was not ready to play. It’s only when the announcement happened we realised that Bangladesh had won the game and the series. We missed the adrenaline rush of watching the victory being clinched.Close encounter
In both the matches it was Ariful Haque who got targeted by the crowd. In the first match, he dropped a sitter at deep midwicket and West Indies hit two consecutive sixes in that same over. A few spectators started to abuse Ariful, while others stopped them saying that missing a catch is a part of the game. But in the second match when Ariful failed to connect the ball in the 19th and 20th overs, and faced four dot balls, the crowd was angry. “Why can’t he take singles and give the strike to Mahmudullah, who is striking the ball well.” And that’s avoiding the words that I can’t put here.Peter Della PennaAn interesting thing happened when Mosaddek Hossain, the substitute fielder, was walking along the boundary line, with a water bottle in his hand. Spectators on the mound called out his name and asked for the water. And surprisingly, Mosaddek threw his bottle of water to the crowd. A few minutes later Mosaddek was back again and he did the same thing. It seemed like that group of Bangladesh fans was eager to have some drops of the national team’s water, as if it were holy.Crowd meter
As Shakib expected, Bangladeshis came out in full support. It was like a Dhaka traffic jam outside the stadium and it took more than half an hour to park our car.Banner of the Day
Talking about the Dhaka traffic, a lot of people had placards showing their support to the ongoing student movement about “Safe Road, Safe Traffic” happening in Bangladesh. Banners like “We want safe roads, We want safe Bangladesh” were most common.Entertainment
I have always heard that West Indians are the most entertaining cricket crowd ever. We have seen that on TV. But this time we experienced it. They were only few of them, but they were very jolly and were dancing. Both Bangla and West Indian songs were played. A Bangladeshi spectator and a West Indian spectator exchanged their flags and kept chanting for both the teams together. That friendship and alliance was the highlight of the match for me. We play sport for that, not to make enemies.Overall
It was a 9/10 performance from Bangladesh because we won both games. We, the non-resident Bangladeshis who went to watch the team play, were happy and satisfied with their performance. Yes, people were concerned about what’s happening back in the country, the team brought back smiles to our faces. The person who wrote the placard, “Tigers, you are our last hope of happiness” was completely right. The dedication from fans to make it to Florida was rewarded with two wins. After the third T20I, the whole Bangladesh side did a victory lap thanking the supporters.
Ireland’s hugely experienced debutants played a canny game, but the limits of their abilities had been revealed by the close
Jarrod Kimber at Malahide12-May-2018Tim Murtagh looked every inch the experienced pro at the top of his mark. Fit and trim, it was clear that this was a man who had delivered tens of thousands of balls in first-class cricket. His robot run-up is that of a man who had been coached to be the most efficient bowler he can be. And then at the crease he delivered medium-fast pace, the first ball, floated away from the bat on a yorker length. Azhar Ali seemed shocked by the full length and just clamped down on it, getting enough to squirt it to the onside.Then madness. Imam-ul-Haq, who was yet to face a ball in Test cricket, took off on a run that never seemed necessary, or safe. It was the wild panic run of a debutant. And against one of the best-drilled fielding teams in world cricket. Two Irish players – Niall O’Brien from behind the stumps and Tyrone Kane from square leg – flew in with intent for the run-out. And somehow, because of the ball placement and Imam’s running, all three found themselves occupying the same space. Imam’s head and neck became the sandwich between Kane’s torso and O’Brien’s hip.It was a crazy run; it ended up with a near-loss of consciousness for the man who called it. And yet by the end of it, Ireland were the composed ones, and Pakistan looked like the team of debutants.For the best part of the next eight overs, nothing happened other than Pakistani batsmen trying to run themselves – or knock themselves – out. And then, in the space of eight balls, Ireland suddenly looked like a Test team.Up until that point, they looked like a well-disciplined first-class side, and so they should, as they have 1254 first-class caps to Pakistan’s 816. This is an old new side. Murtagh’s mechanical mediums and Boyd Rankin’s decent pace looked okay, but there was no real explosion. It was polite.But then for eight balls it looked different. Rankin’s angle into the body upset Azhar, and from the very next delivery, Murtagh got one to straighten on Imam. For the team hat-trick delivery, Haris Sohail found himself standing mid-pitch, pondering philosophical issues when he should have been worried about Stuart Thompson running around and firing the ball at the stumps. A few deliveries later, Asad Shafiq edged just short of slip. And the first ball of Tyrone Kane’s debut over was a no-ball, but Pakistan still threatened to contrive a run-out from it.Imam-ul-Haq got into a horrid tangle before even facing a ball•Getty ImagesIt was Irish cricket at its stereotypical best; backing their seamers, using the facilities well, backed up by switched-on fielders. Like Voltron – defender of the universe – they are a better team when they act as one unit and not the sum of their parts. Rankin aside, there are no stone-cold killers in the side, they have to come together. Murtagh’s canny sideways movement needs real support from the other end to be truly effective.That is what they did all day, and for most of the day, Pakistan helped them. Shafiq was in complete control until he fell for a fairly obvious leg-side trap that we can now call ‘Boydy’-line. Haris Sohail’s shot to be dismissed by Stuart Thompson was incredibly poor. Sarfraz Ahmed was just as ordinary in his departure, and there were many other limp risky shots – especially off the bowling of Thompson.It was Thompson who gave us the best glimpse of how Ireland might prosper, but also how they might fail, at this level. Thompson is a friendly bowler; he’s a small step-up on club cricket, a No.8 who gets you a few overs. He’s far from rubbish, he moves the ball, is very competitive, and looks smart, but you can also see why he came into the game with a bowling average a touch under 40.But it was also Thompson who took the critical wickets of Sohail and Sarfraz, perhaps because of the pressure created by a tight bowling unit, and because they saw him as a weak link. No one has nightmares about Thompson’s bowling – at least not before you go out to face it – but it was Thompson through the middle of the game with his wobbling dobbers that caused the problems.And here is something else that is interesting about Ireland, all their bowlers moved the ball all day. Tyrone Kane, whose figures look far worse than he did early on, swung the ball massively early on, and a should have taken a wicket. Murtagh kept coming back and moving it.That they swung the ball all day was great, that they had five right-arm seam options, four of which had medium as the first designator, was the problem.Once Pakistan stopped donating wickets and flirting with run-outs, and pinched the luck that had run Ireland’s way earlier, they revealed their opponents’ attack as one that had been set up to contain, not dismiss. For almost 30 overs they went wicketless, and that was against Shadab Khan, with one Test to his name, and Faheem Ashraf, on debut. And while they never lost their way, they also never looked all that capable of changing their direction either. And they did not have the luck of the Irish either: balls flew over slips, through gaps and the best edge of the day flicked just enough of O’Brien’s glove to deflect it out of Gary Wilson’s grasp at first slip.When asked if he was happy with the close-of-play score, Wilson said they would have taken it, and then he said he wasn’t sure. It was that kind of day, six wickets on day one was a great achievement, but because they took them up front, it felt like a lost opportunity. Asad Shafiq, meanwhile, seemed surprised at the quality of Ireland’s bowling.Ireland looked every inch the professional team throughout most of the day. At times they hinted at something more, but today it was two men with one Test who might have taken the game away from eleven men with one Test.Ireland were the composed ones, but Pakistan just looked a bit better.
Abhishek Nayar is set to play his 100th first-class match – and first for Puducherry – Vinay Kumar is gearing up for his 100th Ranji Trophy match
Saurabh Somani and Deivarayan Muthu12-Nov-2018Abhishek Nayar and Vinay Kumar, two domestic stalwarts who have played with and against each other, are on the cusp of milestones in the second round of the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy. While Nayar is set to play his 100th first-class match – and first for Puducherry – Vinay is gearing up for his 100th Ranji Trophy match. ESPNcricinfo spoke to both about their journeys, and what they thought of each other.
How special has this journey and landmark been?
Nayar: When I started my career, I never thought that far, or that I will play so long. It was all about contributing how much I could to Mumbai cricket and hopefully go on to play for India. So for me to be around having gone through all the injuries I’ve had over the years, battle it out – I’ve missed a couple of seasons, played a couple of half-seasons because of injury. And then to turn out as an allrounder and play 100 games, it’s satisfying because I have been able to keep myself fit enough that I could deliver with bat and ball for so long.The first 99 were easy – I was playing for Mumbai! This 100th game has taken me a year. I’ve had a couple of back issues since last year with my disc. When I was playing for Mumbai, you knew you were still playing for the Ranji Trophy championship. Now when I’ve come here to Puducherry, the reasons are slightly different. It’s a different sense of motivation. There is a sense of happiness to see a lot of guys get their first cap, to make a debut while I play my 100th game.Abhishek Nayar and Vinay Kumar are marking significant career milestones•ESPNcricinfo LtdVinay: When I was in Davanagere, I did not think I will make it big. I came to Bangalore when I was 16 years old and Brijesh (Patel) sir’s brother YB Patel and B Siddaramu, who were the selectors for Tumkur zone, encouraged me to come and play cricket in Bangalore. They were the ones who helped me get into Neptune Cricket Club in the fifth division, where I was the top wicket-taker and batting also I performed – I was initially an allrounder. We won the fifth division and we were immediately promoted to fourth division. Then soon, I got the chance to play for first division – Swastik (run by Brijesh Patel) – and Ranji happened. Playing in [rural area] and coming to Bangalore was a little difficult.But I had the chance to share the dressing room with legends like Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, [Javagal] Srinath and [Sunil] Joshi. Arunkumar was my first captain and later became my coach. A lot of them were my bowling partners, in fact. I remember my first Ranji match in 2004 against Bengal in Kolkata. In the first innings, I got three wickets and second innings two wickets. I dismissed [Rohan] Gavaskar and [Sourav] Ganguly. I bowled from round the wicket to Gavaskar, he thought the ball will move away and just left the ball but it swung in and I got him lbw. Then I got Ganguly caught at first slip.From there, leading Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy, playing for India and IPL, the journey has been special.The proudest moment of your career?
Nayar: When I won my first Ranji Trophy championship. It was very satisfying also because when I came in the season, Mumbai were going to get relegated. We didn’t get a point from three games and there were three games left. And from three we qualified and I played a big role in terms of performance, doing well in the semi-finals and then the final. I felt that, ‘Yes I belong here. Yes, I can make a difference, I can do something special to win a Ranji Trophy’. It was more special because when I played that final there was Sachin, Zaheer Khan, Ajit Agarkar, Sourav Ganguly – there were a lot of big players in that match.
Vinay: Winning Ranji Trophy back-to-back. When we won Ranji Trophy in 2013-14, it was after 14 years the state won. We reached the final in 2009-10 but narrowly lost, and Mumbai won by just six runs . After that we kept coming to the quarter-finals and semis, but unfortunately we could not win until 2013-14. So, winning the trophy was the most memorable moment for me. We also won the Irani Trophy and the Vijay Hazare and repeating it next year was the icing on the cake. No team has done that.The most memorable Ranji match you’ve been part of?
Nayar: One is the Ranji Trophy final where Rohit and I had a partnership against Uttar Pradesh in Hyderabad. We lost four early wickets, Sachin got out in that game, Wasim [Jaffer] was out. Bhuvi [Bhuvneshwar Kumar] and RP [Singh] had picked up wickets. Then Rohit and I had a partnership, and I got out on 99. Rohit scored a hundred in both innings. That was a very memorable game because we were under the pump against a very strong side, and then two youngsters in Rohit and me did really well and helped the team win.The other game that stands out a lot is against Tamil Nadu, that we played two years ago in Lahli. I was coming back from injury, hadn’t played cricket for six months. I remember there was some talk about whether or I should play in that game or not. In those conditions, I thought I played a very special knock. I scored only 45 not out, but for me that was critical. I’ve helped win a lot of games, but that was a game I really stood out. In terms of character, playing in such tough conditions, and coming back after such a long time. Being able to prove the faith that Chandu sir [Chandrakant Pandit] and Milind Rege put in me, was very satisfying.
Vinay: The semi-final against Mumbai in 2015. We were all out for 200-something [202] and then bowled Mumbai out for 44; I took six wickets in the first innings. That was a high point and against Tamil Nadu in the final, I took five wickets and also hit a hundred. I became the second player in Ranji (finals) and first captain to do that, which was also memorable.Vinay Kumar raises his second first-class hundred•PTI Which domestic player has been your inspiration?
Nayar: When I first started off I was a huge fan of Wasim Jaffer. I used to love watching him play. But to be honest, I’ve never really been ‘inspired’ by someone, or looked at someone and said, ‘Oh I want to be like him’. I’ve liked a lot of players, but I’d be lying if I say I was inspired by one.
Vinay: I was not following any one player and wanting to be like him, but I really liked Venkatesh Prasad. I did not quite play with him, I had replaced him. I am also a swing bowler like him and I can also bowl legcutters. So, because of the similarity I like him and he has been a legend for Karnataka.Abhishek Nayar is set to play his 100th first-class match in this round. What do you hate to love about him?
Vinay: Abhishek is a great competitor and an allrounder. Whenever we came up against him, he performed against Karnataka and he was one of those players who took his wicket very seriously and he could change the game at any moment. Last IPL season, he was there with me at KKR and he is a good friend, and I wish him all the best. His service to Mumbai cricket is great and hope he does the same for Puducherry. He is helping young cricketers and contributing to the game.Vinay Kumar is set to play his 100th Ranji Trophy match. What do you hate to love about him?
Nayar: Well I think his ability to get five wickets against Mumbai! If you go back and check his stats out about how well he’s done, it’s incredible. Although I have always done well against him – I’m not one of his five victims in Ranji Trophy! He stands out with bat and ball, he’s been a fighter for Karnataka. He’s someone who, as a leader, always stood up. He changed the mindset and how the team played.One change that needs to be made in the Ranji Trophy?
Nayar: One thing I’d like to see is to have a five-day game for league matches too. Because now that we have pitches with some grass, we have places where spinners don’t come into the game as much. Spinners generally come into play on the fourth or fifth day. In a four-day game, a lot of times it’s a dead rubber by the time the last day comes. The fifth day would make it really exciting. I feel it also trains a cricketer to know what it is like when he goes and plays a Test match.
Fawad Ahmed and Oshane Thomas also surprise weapons amid proven performers
Sreshth Shah18-Sep-2018CPL 2018 team of the season•ESPNcricinfo Ltd1. Glenn Phillips (wk) (Jamaica Tallawahs)The New Zealand wicketkeeper’s landmark performance of the season – a 63-ball 109 with nine fours and six sixes – unfortunately came in a losing cause in the eliminator against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, but he finished as the season’s second-highest run-scorer with 457 runs at 41.54 with a strike rate of 146.94.The opener struck two more half-centuries and a couple of 40s to pilot Tallawahs through the season. He led the six-hitters chart with 29. His hundred, incidentally, was only the second by an overseas player in the CPL, and his performances through the season would surely pique the interest of scouts and franchises from around the world.2. Chris Gayle (capt) (St Kitts and Nevis Patriots)In a weak field of opening batsmen apart from Phillips, Gayle slots in as the second opener with 283 runs at a strike rate of 120.42 in ten innings.With his partner Evin Lewis misfiring, Gayle had the burden of helping Patriots rebuild through the season. Gayle’s 65-ball 86 against Guyana Amazon Warriors was the highlight of his season. He was Patriots’ highest run-scorer, and his astute captaincy in a team of young cricketers also makes him the captain of our CPL all-star XI.3. Colin Munro (Trinbago Knight Riders)No batsman had ever gone past 500 runs in a CPL season before. Colin Munro’s 567 runs at an average of 51.54 and a strike rate of 140.34 for the three-time champions shattered all CPL records. His 54 fours were the season’s highest and his six half-centuries in 13 innings helped Knight Riders storm through the league-phase as table toppers. Munro’s own batting position varied this season as Knight Riders used as many as six opening combinations.Munro’s 56-ball 90 against Amazon Warriors in the league stage was his most exciting performance of the season, but he’ll be most remembered for an unbeaten 68 off 39 balls in the final, also against Amazon Warriors, in a tricky chase.4. Shimron Hetmyer (Guyana Amazon Warriors)The exciting left-hand batsman was one of two players who made “Warrior Nation” proud, finishing as the season’s third-highest run-scorer with 440 runs at a strike rate of 148.14. He batted at No. 3 for his team, and followed up a promising show for West Indies last month with a hundred and two half-centuries in the CPL.His unorthodox batsmanship floored pacers and spinners alike, and Amazon Warriors benefited with his consistent scores in the second half of the league phase and eventually finished as runners-up. Hetmyer’s 49-ball 100 against Tallawahs was the only time Amazon Warriors went past 200.5. Rovman Powell (Jamaica Tallawahs)The allrounder’s hard-hitting abilities were underutilised by Tallawahs, as they preferred to slot Powell in as a lower-order batsman, below more traditional batsmen like Ross Taylor and Andre McCarthy, but he still finished with 329 runs at an average of 54.83.The big turnaround for the Tallawahs came midway through the season when they failed to chase 157 despite losing only three wickets against Barbados Tridents. That forced the management to push Powell up at No. 4 and he delivered with 64, 35*, 84 and 55* in four consecutive innings to take the Tallawahs into the playoffs. He finished with a strike rate of 162.06, second only to Knight Riders’ Dwayne Bravo’s 188.28 (minimum six innings).
Evin Lewis, Brendon McCullum, Chadwick Walton, Kumar Sangakkara, Andre McCarthy, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Sohail Tanvir, Sunil Narine, Shadab Khan, Kesrick Williams
6. Darren Bravo (Trinbago Knight Riders)In past seasons, Darren Bravo teased everyone with glimpses of his breathtaking knocks, but it was in CPL 2018 that the swashbuckling left-hand batsman actually came to the fore as a backbone of Knight Riders’ batting in their season-winning campaign.He lifted Knight Riders from 71 for 3 by smashing an unbeaten 36-ball 94 to chase down St Lucia Stars’ 212 for 2 early in the season, and followed it up with another match-winning 35-ball 50 against Tallawahs. Bravo efficiently played the role of finisher, ending with 353 runs and four not-outs. He was the only player among the top five run-scorers who struck more sixes (24) than fours (17).7. Andre Russell (Jamaica Tallawahs)Nobody, apart from Andre Russell of course, can claim the record of taking a hat-trick smashing a ton in the same T20 match.Much like Powell, Russell was slotted in much lower than where he should’ve batted, and finished with a season tally of 163 runs. But his 14 wickets, third-highest among pacers, at a strike rate of 13.7 comfortably makes him the best option as the team’s leading allrounder. He did well as captain too, particularly when the Tallawahs were on the field.8. Oshane Thomas (Jamaica Tallawahs)Only 21, right-arm pacer Oshane Thomas lit up the tournament in his maiden CPL appearance, taking 18 wickets at an average of 17.66.Thomas was Tallawahs’ primary wicket-taking weapon, collecting at least one scalp in each of his ten matches. He consistently clocked upwards of 145, and took a wicket every 12.6 balls. Thomas’ 3 for 39 in his very first CPL match and 3 for 43 in his last game summed up the youngster’s debut season.9. Fawad Ahmed (Trinbago Knight Riders)In a season where there was no Rashid Khan or Shadab Khan, there were question marks on whether legspinners would make a mark this time, but Fawad Ahmed crushed all doubters with 22 wickets to top the wicket-takers tally.He was the main wicket-taker for Knight Riders in the middle overs, and did not concede more than 29 runs except in the one game. In a crunch match against Barbados Tridents, Fawad’s 3 for 28 ensured Knight Riders finished in the top two of the league table, after which he produced a breathtaking spell of 3 for 13 in the second qualifier to take his side into the final. Fawad varied his speeds and lengths, and was one of the few bowlers to achieve continuous success with the wrong ‘un this season.10. Ali Khan (Trinbago Knight Riders)Ali Khan, the Pakistani-origin fast bowler who now represents USA, is the only player from an Associate country to make our all-star XI. Chosen as a gamble by Knight Riders in a squad that possessed more experienced bowlers, Ali led the champions’ pace attack, often finding the early breakthrough to set up their slower-ball specialists.He was a crowd favourite, and while Ali did not produce any Man-of-the-Match performance, his wicket-taking abilities helped Knight Riders defend their title. His 3 for 22 against Warriors may be Ali’s best performance of the season, but it was his first-ball wicket against the same opponents in the CPL final – he finished with figures of 1 for 20 from four overs – that set the tone for his team’s triumph. Originally though it was a slice of luck that allowed Ali to participate in the tournament; he was initially ignored in the draft but was brought in as an overseas player to replace Ronsford Beaton, who withdrew while working to remodel a suspect action reported in December 2017. He finished with 16 wickets, the second-most among fast bowlers.11. Imran Tahir (Guyana Amazon Warriors)Imran Tahir’s experience of representing various franchises all over the world came into play this season as he single-handedly carried Amazon Warriors into the final. His 16 wickets, the second-highest among spinners, came at an economy of 5.91.It was his bowling effort that more often than not decided whether Amazon Warriors won a game or not. The two times he went wicketless, Amazon Warriors failed to win the match. Tahir’s best performance was his 4 for 22 against Patriots in Basseterre, and a surge in his form in the second half of the season helped Amazon Warriors produce a late charge in the league phase and sneak in with a top-two finish on the points table.
Knight Riders, meanwhile, will want to boost their overseas player stocks and Rajasthan Royals will be looking for an Indian fast bowler
Gaurav Sundararaman16-Dec-2018ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Squad: MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Faf du Plessis, M Vijay, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Billings, Mitchell Santner, David Willey, Dwayne Bravo, Shane Watson, Lungi Ngidi, Imran Tahir, Kedar Jadhav, Ambati Rayudu, Harbhajan Singh, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Karn Sharma, Dhruv Shorey, N Jagadeesan, Shardul Thakur, Monu Kumar, Chaitanya BishnoiPlaying XI (probable): Shane Watson*, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Kedar Jadhav, Dwayne Bravo*, Mitchell Santner* , Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Harbhajan Singh, Lungi Ngidi*If it ain’t broke, why fix it? This has been CSK’s mantra since the first season. The defending champions, led by MS Dhoni, have chosen not to upset the applecart and have retained 23 players. They still have 8.4 crores with which to pick up two Indian players, and in all likelihood will want a left-arm fast bowler and probably a back-up spinner for the ageing Harbhajan Singh.What they need: Back-up Indian spinner and a left-arm fast bowlerPotential targets: Jaydev Unadkat, Mohit Sharma, Varun Chakravarthy
Squad: Basil Thampi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Hooda, Manish Pandey, T Natarajan, Ricky Bhui, Sandeep Sharma, Siddarth Kaul, Shreevats Goswami (wk), Khaleel Ahmed, Yusuf Pathan, Billy Stanlake, David Warner, Kane Williamson, Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Shakib Al Hasan, Abhishek Sharma, Vijay Shankar, Shahbaz NadeemPlaying XI (probable): Sreevats Goswami, David Warner*, Kane Williamson*, Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda/Yusuf Pathan, Shakib Al Hasan*, Vijay Shankar/Abhishek Sharma, Rashid Khan*, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Khaleel AhmedThe best bowling team of IPL 2018 sold Shikhar Dhawan to Delhi Capitals (formerly Daredevils) in exchange for three players – Vijay Shankar, Abhishek Sharma and Shahbaz Nadeem – during the trade window. Although it seems like a good trade on paper, it would be interesting to see how these three players actually make their way into the playing XI. The bowling unit looks well-balanced, but the challenge would be to find a replacement for Dhawan and a domestic wicketkeeper to stand by for Goswami. With Warner, still finding his way in to international cricket and not available likely for 4 weeks, Sunrisers could benefit by picking an overseas wicketkeeper who can bat at the top of the order to keep the successful combination intact.What they need: Indian wicketkeeper, overseas opener (back-up for Warner), wicketkeeper-batsman, an overseas quick as back-up for the injury-prone Billy StanlakePotential targets: Wriddhiman Saha, Nicholas Pooran, Heinrich Klaasen or Luke Ronchi (wicketkeeper-batsmen), Lockie Ferguson, Lasith Malinga, Oshane Thomas, Dale Steyn or Ali Khan (fast bowlers)
Squad: Dinesh Karthik, Robin Uthappa, Chris Lynn, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shubman Gill, Piyush Chawla, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Shivam Mavi, Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh, Kamlesh NagarkotiPlaying XI (probable): Chris Lynn*, Sunil Narine*, Shubman Gill, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik, Andre Russell*, Piyush Chawla, Kuldeep Yadav, Shivam Mavi/ Prasidh Krishna/ Kamlesh Nagarkoti, an overseas fast bowlerKolkata Knight Riders lost a number of players to injury last season. Finishing third on the table,few of their wins depended on the performances of the three foreign players – Sunil Narine, Chris Lynn and Andre Russell. This time, keeping players’ availability in mind, they would want sufficient back-ups for overseas slots across skillsets.What they need: Back-up overseas options (all slots)Potential targets: Colin Ingram, Corey Anderson, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran, Joe Denly, Jonny Bairstow, Ali Khan, Lockie Ferguson, Oshane Thomas, Dale Steyn, Lasith Malinga, Sam Curran, Mohammed Shami
Squad: Ajinkya Rahane, K Gowtham, Sanju Samson, Shreyas Gopal, Aryaman Birla, S Midhun, Prashant Chopra, Stuart Binny, Rahul Tripathi, Ben Stokes, Steven Smith, Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer, Ish Sodhi, Dhawal Kulkarni, Mahipal LomrorPlaying XI (probable): Ajinkya Rahane, Jos Buttler*, Sanju Samson, Steven Smith*, Rahul Tripathi, Ben Stokes*, K Gowtham, Shreyas Gopal, Jofra Archer*, Dhawal Kulkarni, Indian spinner/fast bowlerA number of tactical errors hurt them last season, but Rajasthan Royals managed to make the playoffs. One of the biggest challenges that awaits Royals is the availability of their players. The core of their team is built around Steven Smith, Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes, who may not be available for almost two to four weeks (if Archer makes the England World Cup squad). With overseas talent available in the auction pool, Royals have their task cut out and would hope to unearth a few Moneyball picks.What they need: Like-for-like back-ups for Smith, Buttler and Stokes, an Indian fast bowler to fill Unadkat’s spot (if they are not buying him back at a lower price), an extra spinnerTarget players: Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran, Luke Ronchi, Colin Ingram (top-order batsman slot), Corey Anderson, Sam Curran, James Faulkner, James Neesham (back-up allrounders). Unadkat, Mohit Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Atish Seth (bowling options)
The trio of Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali and Sarfraz Ahmed has been parched for substantial runs since MisYou, collectively managing 1838 runs at 31.15 in the period
Danyal Rasool in Centurion27-Dec-2018It was perhaps fitting the final unmasking came after tea. The wake up call Pakistan have long needed to heed regarding the malaise of their middle order was, one can only hope, delivered with everyone concerned fully alert following the afternoon cuppa. The layers of cotton wool Pakistan have so carefully wrapped around the middle order must surely begin to wear thin now.The tale of Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq’s coming of age following MisYou’s retirement is as hackneyed as it has so far proved wholly unfounded. Just as in the recent series against New Zealand, at Leeds against England and at Abu Dhabi versus Sri Lanka last year, the pair, along with the dismally out of form Sarfraz Ahmed, have given away wickets when players of their experience needed to hang tough. Today, they even had the excuse of added pressure owing to a misfiring top order stripped away from them. Pakistan walked in at tea with the score 100 for 1; the three hadn’t even come out to bat yet. Having faced a combined 25 balls and added six measly runs to the total, they were back in the hut, the supposed maturation delayed for yet one more Test.All three have seen their averages drop following MisYou’s retirement, dramatically so in Azhar and Sarfraz’s case. Azhar’s career average stands at 44.88; it is 32.28 since the pair retired. Sarfraz has seen his own plummet from 37.98 to 25.33. Shafiq has endured the smallest dip (39.40 to 35.95), but he has for years been the caterpillar who will one day blossom into butterfly. It is safe to say he is very much still a caterpillar, yet to even sprout wings, let alone take flight.Mickey Arthur has long been a staunch defender of Shafiq’s, only recently pointing to the fact he got a century in Abu Dhabi just last month. What the scorecard won’t tell you is, for the second time in three Tests, he was dismissed just when Pakistan needed to bat New Zealand out of the game, with the predictable collapse that followed encumbering efforts to do just that. In the second innings, he was dismissed first ball by Will Somerville as Pakistan crumbled inside 56.1 overs to lose the series.Today, his dismissal was close to unforgivable. With Pakistan looking to steady the ship after the quick wickets of Imam-ul-Haq and Azhar had put them under pressure, he swung lavishly at Dale Steyn; it was the widest ball he had faced all innings, and he nicked to Quinton de Kock. Just one delivery earlier, he had had an lbw call overturned in his favour by a hair’s breadth. You would think it might have given him cause to refocus.Azhar’s own dismissal was a tawdry way to get out for such a quality batsman. He had come in after Imam was dismissed in the first over after tea, and, in theory, was just the man for the consolidation job. Perhaps the bounce of Duanne Olivier – which had ensnared him in the first innings – was playing tricks with his mind, but a short ball he could comfortably have ducked under was jabbed aimlessly to the onside. It caught the top edge, with Rabada completing a smart diving catch. Far from steadying the ship, Pakistan’s best batsman had left it rocking ominously.Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq run between the wickets•AFPSarfraz is, paradoxically, the one you could at once take the greatest and the least issue with. His plight is the greatest because he is in the most wretched rut of his career – one Test match accounts for over 38% of his runs since MisYou departed. As captain of a side that has seen its Test performances and rankings drop like a stone in that period, the pressure on him has been intense and the scrutiny unrelenting. That he edged to the slips off the second ball was among the lesser surprising spectacles Test cricket will throw up, but Pakistan still had to watch their captain depart for a pair for just the fourth time in their history (and one of them was Waqar Younis). But at the same time, he has looked so helpless at the crease – for all six balls across two innings he has been out there – it is perhaps easier to feel sorry for him than anything else.You could damn them by statistics; you won’t exactly be short of material. For one, the trio has managed 1838 runs in the time since MisYou at 31.15. The rest of the top seven (nightwatchmen excluded) have, in that same period, scored 2607 runs at 36.2. The idea that this middle order has been, or will become, the rock of the batting line-up is beginning to wear thin.But it is what you don’t get from scorecards that is most jarring. Sarfraz was, in the years before he became captain, a free-flowing strokemaker who could manipulate any cricket ball to a part of the ground where a gap might exist. Now, he barely seems to know how to keep the ball far enough away from the edge of his bat, or the middle of the stumps. With his captaincy at the same time not exactly earning him accolade after accolade, the gaze on him is so intense you would be permitted to feel a bit sorry for him.Azhar and Asad are simply batsmen who could have done so much more with the ability at their disposal, the princes in waiting of the batting line-up, readying themselves for a smooth transition to a leadership role after the abdication of MisYou. That it hasn’t panned out that way casts an unfavourable light, undeniably, on them, but also on the support staff around them whose job it is to help them take the next step. It is a job in which they have, so far, decidedly failed to live up to expectations.They have got themselves out at the wrong times, often in ways unbecoming of batsmen of their class, and cost their side heavily as a result. Azhar’s drop in form is more marked, but it has perhaps been Shafiq more guilty of that description. Today, however, both of them wilted under a blazing evening sun at Centurion, along with Sarfraz, rehoused in the dugout when batsmen with realised potentials might have been out there winning a rare Test match against South Africa away. Even Shan Masood, one of just two who emerged from the Pakistan camp with any credit, couldn’t stop himself when asked how he felt watching the collapse from the other end.”There was a bit of frustration. You wish that one of your partners and they were all good enough to get stuck in and get runs on this wicket.”That castigation by a junior who hasn’t played in over a year is about as stinging a rebuke as anyone can deliver. For the spine of the Pakistan batting lineup, the time to stand up straight is long overdue.