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The former India captain said there had been a lot of “baffling” decisions by the team management, including how Rayudu and Rahane had been handled.

Nagraj Gollapudi11-Jul-2019″Baffling.”That was the word former India captain Sunil Gavaskar used to express his disappointment with the Indian team management’s decisions ahead of, and during, their World Cup 2019 campaign. India had topped the league stage of the tournament, but lost by 18 runs against fourth-placed New Zealand in a thrilling semi-final.Matt Henry and Trent Boult had reduced India to 5 for 3 in their chase of 240, but there was some surprise about MS Dhoni’s batting position, with the most experienced member of the team coming in at No.7, with all of Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik and Hardik Pandya sent in ahead of Dhoni.Dhoni didn’t walk out even when India became 24 for 4 in 10 overs, with Jimmy Neesham taking a spectacular one-handed catch to send back Karthik. The general expectation was that the situation was ideal for Dhoni’s experience and calm, but it was Pandya who came out to join Pant.Both young players put their heads down in a 47-run stand for the fifth wicket, playing with confidence and composure. However, Pant went for the slog-sweep against Mitchell Santner, with the bowler having built up pressure through tight bowling, and was caught at deep midwicket. Pandya was out to a similar shot, as the asking rate mounted.Gavaskar felt that Dhoni should have been the one to join Pant when the fourth wicket fell, since he could have settled any nerves that Pant, as a rookie, might have felt.”At that stage (24 for 4) you did not need two players playing in the same mould,” Gavaskar told on Thursday, the day after India’s defeat. “Both (Pant and Pandya) are attacking players. It could have been an MS Dhoni coming in at this stage and talking to Rishabh every second delivery.”He would have assessed from the non-striker’s end what exactly Rishabh Pant is feeling: is he getting a little impatient? You have sent two people whose natural game is to go bang-bang, and at that stage, with the ball doing all kinds of things and the pressure being there, four wickets gone – you wanted somebody to hang in there. That was baffling.”When India’s captain Virat Kohli was asked why Dhoni walked in at No. 7, the lowest he has batted in the tournament, he said the role Dhoni had been given some games into the tournament was to be there at the end. “Well, he’s been given that role after the first few games of being in a situation where he can, if the situation’s bad, control one end, like he did today,” Kohli said. “Or if there is a scenario where there are six or seven overs left, he can go and strike.”Gavaskar pointed to Ambati Rayudu as one batsman who would have had the ability and experience to handle the situation following the top order collapse. Rayudu had been on the list of standbys for India’s World Cup squad, but wasn’t called up despite two men being rendered unavailable through injuries, following which he announced his retirement from all cricket.Rayudu had batted 14 times at No.4 since his return to the Indian ODI squad last year in the Asia Cup, but he wasn’t called up to the team, with Pant flown in when Shikhar Dhawan was ruled out and Mayank Agarwal included when Vijay Shankar had to exit.”Let’s face, there have been a lot of baffling decisions over the last couple of years. Ambati Rayudu for example – he should have been brought here,” Gavaskar said. “Why and how can you explain to me you bring in a Mayank Agarwal? He hasn’t played a single ODI as yet. He just came before the Sri Lanka game, the last league game, (so) you want to him to make his debut in a semifinals or a final in case a slot was open? Why not bring in an Ambati Rayudu, who is your standby? Very disappointing to see what happened yesterday.”VVS Laxman, too, was critical of the selectors and the Indian team management for preferring Vijay Shankar over Rayudu in the original squad. “Yes, Vijay Shankar can contribute with the ball (too), but what about the experience the Indian middle order required?” Laxman said. “Who is that batsman at No. 4? It has been musical chairs: 13 players have been tried and tested, but they have not been given enough opportunities. In a semi-final ultimately, those kind of decisions will affect the team, which it did.”MS Dhoni smashed a six late into the chase•AFP

Gavaskar said the Indian fans deserved answers to some of the rationale behind the decision-making. “Last year you say we found our No. 4,” he said, referring to when Kohli had anointed Rayudu as the man to fill that spot. “So what happens to that No. 4? He is now left out of the original squad. Then when you have the opportunity when Vijay Shankar gets unfortunately injured, you bring somebody else in. This is something nobody can understand. The Indian public is entitled to answers – what is the thinking behind this (selections).”It is not the selection committee’s decision. It is the team management which has been asking these things. We are not saying you are wrong but at the moment what we are seeing didn’t work out, so we need to know.”Gavaskar said even someone like Ajinkya Rahane could have been an option at No.4, given his sound technique. Rahane had been tried at that position earlier, but was dropped, and Gavaskar felt the batsman was given confusing messages.”You have tried Ajinkya Rahane. He was your middle order batsman for such a long time. Suddenly you are only going to consider him as an opening batsman because in the middle overs he is not a finisher, he does not take runs, whatever, whatever excuses we heard,” Gavaskar said.”In those conditions in Manchester, what did you need? Somebody with technique. Somebody who could have been around to see that period off and then eventually leave the field open for a Hardik Pandya or even a MS Dhoni.”

Denmark will now rely on help from Uganda and Bermuda in matches to be replayed on Sunday in order to keep Jersey or Malaysia from leapfrogging them on the net-run-rate tiebreaker

The Report by Peter Della Penna in Kuala Lumpur05-May-2018Shane Deitz flicks off his pads for runs through the leg side•Peter Della Penna

Vanuatu’s late rally after three consecutive losses at the start of the WCL Division Four has put Denmark’s final-standings fate out of their own hands as the NiVans upended the Danes by five wickets with as many balls to spare at the Kinrara Academy Oval to become the first team all week to successfully chase a target at the ground.Overhauling Denmark’s 234 with half-centuries from the top three – vice-captain Jonathon Dunn (86 off 139 balls), Joshua Rasu (69 off 77), and Patrick Matautaava (53 off 42) – Vanuatu registered their second successful chase in three days. Dunn had scored only 15 runs in Malaysia coming into the match while Matautaava more than doubled his week-long output of 49 runs. Rasu ended three runs short of doubling his group-stage tally.All three were due for a score, particularly Matautaava after his Player-of-the-Tournament performance at Division Five in September, and they came up trumps in style against Denmark. Dunn and Rasu put on 116 for the first wicket before Matautaava took over following the dismissal of Rasu. Matautaava blasted his way to a half-century off 33 balls, putting Denmark in serious jeopardy of not only losing outright, but also losing their net-run-rate tiebreaker advantage over Jersey.Denmark entered the day with a 12.2 over or 54-run net positive differential with Jersey on the net-run-rate tiebreaker. At one stage, thanks to Matautaava’s blitz which took the score to 167 for 1 in 31 overs, most of that differential was on the brink of being wiped out. But the spin troika of Bashir Shah, Nicolaj Laegsgaard and Saif Ahmad dug deep to stretch the game into the final over, with Saif nipping out Matautaava and captain Andrew Mansale to slow Vanuatu’s charge and, in the process, help preserve some of their tiebreak advantage over Jersey in spite of the loss. Shane Deitz, however, whacked a six off the first ball of the final over to seal the chase.Vanuatu’s bowlers set up the win with an excellent display at the death after Denmark had set themselves up for a launch from 182 for 4 at the 40-over mark thanks to half-centuries from Anders Bulow and captain Hamid Shah. But the middle order failed to kick on, adding only 40 through the next eight overs before Nalin Nipiko and Matautaava took two wickets each off four consecutive balls to end the 49th and start the 50th.Denmark will now rely on help from Uganda and Bermuda in matches to be replayed on Sunday in order to keep Jersey or Malaysia from leapfrogging them on the net-run-rate tiebreaker and into the promotion slots to move up to Division Three.

The Mumbai batsman has been asked to appear before the MCA’s managing committee on Tuesday and has also been asked to give a written explanation for his actions

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Feb-2017Suryakumar Yadav has been asked by the Mumbai Cricket Association to show cause for retweeting a post on Twitter that questioned his omission from the team for the Inter-state T20 tournament. The Mumbai batsman has also been asked to appear before the MCA’s managing committee on Tuesday. As a result, Suryakumar’s selection in the Mumbai squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy inter-state one-day tournament has been withheld pending the committee’s decision”Players are not allowed to comment on selection on social media,” MCA joint-secretary Unmesh Khanvilkar told ESPNcricinfo. “We have a managing committee meeting tomorrow where we will discuss what to do. We have called him [to appear before the committee] and have also sought a written explanation. Yesterday, I told him to give the written explanation within 24 hours so he can do that today. The committee will review his written explanation and then we will think what is to be done.”Khanvilkar pointed out that Suryakumar, 26, was let off with a verbal warning last year when he had tweeted expressing his displeasure at opener Jay Bista being dropped for Mumbai’s semi-final game against Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy. “There are only 14 players we have picked [so far],” Khanvilkar said. “Cricket-wise, there is no problem. He is a good player. Just because of the disciplinary issue, we have withheld his selection, so whatever decision is taken in the managing committee, accordingly we will choose the 15.”Suryakumar has been involved in a few controversies over the last few years. He quit as Mumbai captain midway through an underwhelming 2014-15 season. He was also at that point reprimanded by MCA officials after some players complained against him for using abusive language on the field and in the dressing room.

David Leatherdale, the former Worcestershire allrounder who has served the county as its chief executive for the last five years, is to succeed Angus Porter at the helm of the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA)

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jan-2016David Leatherdale, the former Worcestershire allrounder who has served the county as its chief executive for the last five years, is to succeed Angus Porter at the helm of the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA).Porter had been expected to step down after six eventful years as chief executive of the players’ union. He will continue in the role until March, working alongside Leatherdale, who will take on full responsibility from April.Leatherdale has done a much-admired job during his time at Worcestershire, one of the smallest first-class counties. The club has consistently been in profit, despite redeveloping its New Road ground, while at the same time remaining competitive on the field, with three of the last five seasons spent in Division One of the Championship.”I am delighted to be joining the PCA at what is an exciting time for professional cricket on both a domestic and international level and as a member of the PCA for some 30 years, an association which has supported me personally over that time, I look forward to working with and representing our past, present and future professional cricketers as cricket moves forward into a new era,” Leatherdale said.Leatherdale’s departure will leave a significant hole at Worcestershire, where he became commercial director after retiring in 2005. He spent his entire playing career at New Road, scoring more than 15,000 runs to go with 330 wickets across the formats.He has also served on the ECB’s cricket committee, alongside Porter, as representative of the chief executives of the 18 first-class counties.Glamorgan wicketkeeper Mark Wallace, the current PCA chairman, said: “I am delighted that David is joining us as CEO. I am pleased that we have been able to appoint a PCA member to succeed Angus and am confident David will enjoy the same success with the PCA as he has at Worcestershire.”

England secured a 2-0 lead in the Investec Ashes series as they completed an inevitable victory against Australia with draining efficiency at the fag-end of the fourth day at Lord’s

The Report by David Hopps21-Jul-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsJoe Root struck twice before tea adding to his memorable Test after his 180•AFP

England secured a 2-0 lead in the Investec Ashes series as they completed an inevitable victory against Australia with relentless efficiency at the fag-end of the fourth day at Lord’s. Australia were four balls away from taking the match into a fifth day, with England forced to take a second new ball, the extra half-hour and finally resorting to silent prayer before completing a 347-run win in the final over.Before an impatient Lord’s crowd, eager to tick a box marked victory and head home, Australia’s last pair, James Pattinson and Ryan Harris, established Australia’s second highest stand of the innings – 43 runs awash with defiance – before the offspin of Graeme Swann trapped Pattinson lbw.At Trent Bridge, Ashton Agar and Phil Hughes registered the highest last-wicket partnership in Test history, and Australia’s highest of the match. If only the batsmen could bat, they might make a fist of this series.But Australia have lost six Tests in a row. England are vastly superior. It all feels like a reverse of 20 years ago. England are now the side in a golden era, able to relish high-class players and sound planning; Australia are a basket case.Returning on Monday morning might have been a suitable mini-punishment for England after they self-indulgently batted on for 18 minutes on the fourth morning in a failed attempt to present Joe Root with a double century. He fell attempting a ramp shot with nine men on the boundary, leaving Ryan Harris with praiseworthy match figures of 7 for 103. Aside from his wonderful innings, the manner of Root’s dismissal was unique for an Ashes Test and is perhaps worthy of an Honours Board on its own.England have four Ashes victories in a row, the strategy of dry pitches is working like a dream and Root’s 180 emphasised the gulf between the sides. The youngest English player to make a Test hundred at Lord’s, unsurprisingly he took the man-of-the-match award. “I’ve loved every minute of it,” he said.They made skilful use of a wearing Lord’s surface, with Swann predictably to the fore, and with Root also making a cheery guest appearance to break the back of the Australia innings just before tea. Australia will be particularly disturbed that they have completed back-to-back wins without major contributions from the likes of Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen.Australia have only straws to clutch at – Usman Khawaja acquitted himself responsibly at No. 3 to make his second Test half-century and their bowlers are displaying commendable spirit with both bat and ball – but only one side in Ashes history has ever won a series 3-2 after losing the first two Tests. England can surely assume the Ashes are as good as retained.Only one Test side, also, has ever survived for 173 overs or more in the fourth innings to draw a match. That was England against South Africa in Durban in 1939 when a Timeless Test was abandoned after nine days so England could catch a boat home. Australia’s task was to show they were not on a slow boat to nowhere, to transform a humiliation into a defeat respectable enough to keep body and soul together for the rest of the series.That task will be made more difficult while the air remains thick with corporate emails. As Australia’s players sought consolation in another defeat, Cricket Australia and their sacked coach, Micky Arthur, exchanged public statements and David Warner’s manager felt obliged to distance Warner from his own brother after he made venomous comments about Shane Watson. It cannot get much worse.Australia, bundled out for 128 first time around, were in disarray at 48 for 3 at lunch as they faced an entirely notional 583 to win. Swann led England’s victory push. Expectation of turn was enough to befuddle Rogers, who left a straight one, and Hughes, who reviewed his lbw decision, only to be reminded that, in these days of DRS, lbws are possible for offspinners operating around the wicket even if they do not straighten the ball.Before then, Watson fell in accustomed manner, lbw, this time hunted down by James Anderson. It was not the embarrassing exit of the first innings, when he planted his front pad and whipped across one and then compounded the error by wasting a review when stone dead. This time he was more respectably beaten by a ball that nipped back and, aware that there was no chance of a reprieve, shook his head mournfully at his batting partner, Rogers, and walked off.Clarke, coming in at No 5, faced a familiar story: 36 for 3. The cricketing argument for him to bat at No. 4 is offset by the statistical evidence that when he does so it halves his average. He might have departed before lunch, too, when he came down the pitch to Swann, was beaten on the outside edge by one that did not turn, only for Matt Prior, equally deceived, to miss the stumping.Root’s memorable Lord’s Test continued apace when he conjured up the wickets of Clarke and Khawaja shortly before tea, breaking their composed 98-run stand in a spell of 7-3-9-2. Clarke, Khawaja and Steve Smith all fell within the space of 21 deliveries.Root, encouraging hopes that he could develop into the fifth bowler England need on spin-friendly surfaces, found extravagant turn out of the rough to dismiss Clarke, but his dismissal was a soft one as he tickled a ball down the leg side to be caught by Alastair Cook at leg slip. Khawaja put up staunch resistance but followed in Root’s next over when he pushed at a ball that turned and edged gently to James Anderson at gully.Nevertheless, there was enough in Khawaja’s approach to suggest that he intends to battle for the right to become Australia’s long-term No. 3. He carried the fight against some short bowling from Stuart Broad immediately after lunch, in contrast to Clarke, who was struck on the shoulder and helmet in quick succession by the same bowler. He also blocked Swann out of the footholds with determination.Swann was a touch hampered by a lower-back injury, caused when Khawaja accidentally collided with him when dashing a single to the bowler’s end, and although he regularly found pronounced turn out of the footholds, with the ball travelling more than once straight to slip or gully, he required painkillers and after 17 overs eventually gave way to Root.Smith’s departure to the last ball before tea – the batsman unsuccessfully reviewing after he had been caught at the wicket off a thin inside nick against Tim Bresnan – completed a deflating end to the session after Australia’s top-order batsmen had shown as much application as at any time in the series.Australia’s frustrations were compounded by further issues over DRS after tea. Brad Haddin was adjudged lbw to Swann as he padded up to one that turned from around the wicket and then Agar’s brief cut and thrust through point – the area where he lives or dies – was silenced when England successfully turned to the review system to win a catch at the wicket off Bresnan.The TV umpire, Tony Hill, upheld it on noise (and Snicko supported him) but there was no mark on Hot Spot, inviting more grumbles from traditionalists wedded to a simpler time when an on-field umpire’s decision was law. Simpler times have gone for ever. And, in Australian cricket, there are more pressing things to carp about.

Tom Maynard’s funeral in Cardiff has been attended by more than 1000 mourners including many figures from the sporting world

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Jul-2012Tom Maynard’s funeral in Cardiff has been attended by more than 1000 mourners including many figures from the sporting world.Maynard, 23, who played for Surrey, was found dead on train tracks near Wimbledon Park tube station in West London on June 18 and the pathologists report said the cause of death was electrocution. An inquest has been opened and adjourned until September 24.Many current and former team-mates from Surrey and Glamorgan were present along with England Test captain Andrew Strauss. Rugby, another major sport in Maynard’s life, was represented by Wales legend Gareth Edwards and England player Danny Cipriani who went to school with Maynard.The Maynard family had decided to keep the funeral service as an open affair to allow as many people as possible to attend and around 100 watched from outside Llandaff Cathedral. Eulogies were given my Hugh Morris, the managing director of England cricket and a former Glamorgan captain who played alongside Tom’s father Matthew, Glamorgan captain Mark Wallace and the player’s uncle Charles MaynardMorris said: “The presence of so many members of the cricket community tells me Tom was not only a player blessed with extraordinary talent, but somebody whose sense of fun and enjoyment made him a hugely popular figure within our game. No-one will feel a greater sense of loss today than Matt, Sue, Ceri and family.”What saddens me so much is that we have not only lost a hugely popular and colourful character, but one of the most exciting and explosive young batsmen.”Strauss added: “I first saw Tom when he was a teenager when Matthew was batting coach of England. He had grown up so well since then and was forging a name for himself in the game of cricket. I suppose that’s part of what makes it so tragic he is no longer with us.”

A solid collective batting effort left Warwickshire well-placed at the halfway stage of their County Championship Division One clash against Sussex at the Arundel festival
at Arundel

01-Jul-2011
Scorecard
A solid collective batting effort left Warwickshire well-placed at the halfway stage of their County Championship Division One clash against Sussex at the Arundel festival.After bowling Sussex out for 251 on the opening day, the visitors closed the second on 370 for six, already 119 in front on a wicket starting to offer sharp turn. Warwickshire were given a good foundation by their top three with Varun Chopra (50), Ian Westwood (72) and Will Porterfield (56) all hitting half-centuries.Sussex fought back after lunch when a quick double strike from Luke Wright helped Warwickshire slip from 178 for one to 196 for four but a partnership of 98 in 20 overs between Darren Maddy (76) and Tim Ambrose (38) put the visitors firmly back in control.After Warwickshire resumed the day on 58 without loss, Chopra and Westwood extended their opening stand to 77 before the former, having driven the previous ball for his 10th four to reach 50 from 55 balls, fell lbw to Jimmy Anyon.Sussex soon turned to the tandem spin of Monty Panesar and Ollie Rayner but Porterfield struck the latter for two handsome off-side boundaries to make it clear the slow bowlers would not be allowed to dictate.Westwood reached his half-century from 125 balls with five fours and the Bears were well-set at 155 for one at lunch. Westwood looked on course for a second successive Championship century before, having added 101 in 41 overs with Porterfield, he fell to almost his first false shot. Panesar surprised him with bounce and Ed Joyce took a low catch at slip.Porterfield advanced to his fourth Championship half-century since joining Warwickshire from Gloucestershire last winter, a patient affair from 139 balls, but again failed to build it into a ton, playing on to the first ball of a spell from Wright.Jim Troughton then carelessly drove Wright to short extra-cover as Sussex battled back during a tense afternoon session which brought just 69 runs for three wickets in 30 overs. However, that fightback was halted by Maddy and Ambrose, who had scored 38 against his former county before steering Anyon to gully.Maddy hit 12 fours in his 76 before edging Anyon (three for 69) to Andrew Hodd, but Sussex’s hopes of engineering a late collapse were thwarted by Rikki Clarke (21 not out) and Keith Barker (30 not out), who added an unbroken 41 before stumps.

Ben Hilfenhaus is set for an immediate return to Test cricket after Ryan Harris became the latest Australian fast bowler to be struck down with injury

Brydon Coverdale in Birmingham04-Jul-2010Ben Hilfenhaus is set for an immediate return to Test cricket after Ryan Harris became the latest Australian fast bowler to be struck down with injury. Harris has flown home from England after hurting his right knee during the one-day series against England, leaving the way clear for Hilfenhaus to play the first Test against Pakistan at Lord’s next week.Australia’s pace group has experienced a revolving-door period over the past year; Harris only won his Test opportunity in New Zealand because Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle were both sidelined. Hilfenhaus has now recovered from his knee tendonitis and with Mitchell Johnson and Doug Bollinger both in the Test side, it looked like being a battle between Harris and Hilfenhaus for the third spot.Although one decision has been made for the selectors, they must still work out who to call up to bolster the squad’s bowling depth. Clint McKay and Josh Hazlewood are both still in England after the one-day series and could be added to the Test outfit, while Peter George should be firmly in the mix after strong first-class performances for Australia A over the past couple of weeks.Any temptation to rush Shaun Tait into the Test squad following his excellent one-day series would be premature and potentially damaging to his future prospects, given that he hasn’t played a first-class game since 2008. Siddle remains in the early stages of his comeback from back stress fractures and is not in contention.Regardless of who gets the call-up, Australia’s attack in the first Test is likely to be Johnson, Bollinger, Hilfenhaus and Steven Smith, with Shane Watson as backup. Johnson feels fit and ready to fire after a short lay-off due to an elbow infection and he said while the latest injury was disappointing for Harris, Australia had displayed impressive depth in their bowling stocks recently.”Losing a player, another player can come back in like Ben Hilfenhaus,” Johnson said in Birmingham, where the team is preparing for Monday’s Twenty20 against Pakistan. “Josh Hazlewood had a crack this one-day series and it just shows the depth we have in Australian cricket.”We’ve got a good bunch that have been able to rotate in and out of the side, whether it’s an injury or not, they’ve been able to rotate very well. Maybe it’s taken one game to gel back as a group again, but looking for the future we have a pretty good squad at the moment.”There’s always been talk about the McGrath-Warne era. I think we’ve really started to make a stamp on how we perform as a group. We’re not trying to go out there and be those guys, we’re just trying to do the best we can and play good cricket for Australia and win games. We don’t look to be intimidated by those big names before us. We’ve just got to go out there and make a name for ourselves and I think we’re doing a really good job at the moment.”Harris has been one of the most impressive performers in the attack since his call-up during the one-day series against Pakistan in January, having taken 40 wickets in 16 ODIs since then. He was Australia’s leading wicket taker during the ODI series against England, when he claimed ten victims at 17.10 despite missing the second game with a groin strain, and it is now unclear how long he will be sidelined.”Ryan Harris injured his right knee during the fifth one-day international against England,” Australia’s team physio Alex Kountouris said. “He will take no further part in the Twenty20 or Test matches against Pakistan in England and will return to Australia for further assessment.”The selectors will discuss his replacement in the squad in the coming days. Australia play two Twenty20s in Birmingham on Monday and Tuesday before heading to Derby for a two-day game to help them prepare for the first Test.

England’s new all-format head coach wants white-ball players to feel “bulletproof” again

Vithushan Ehantharajah05-Sep-20241:51

McCullum excited to work with England’s ‘best-ever’ Jos Buttler

Cheering up a “miserable” Jos Buttler is key to revitalising England’s white-ball team. That is according to Brendon McCullum, the man tasked with rebuilding a fallen dynasty in his unified role as all-format head coach.The Test tsar watched on from a distance as a once-trailblazing outfit fell apart, culminating in two failed World Cup defences in the space of nine months. Matthew Mott lost his job as limited-overs coach as men’s managing director Rob Key sought a change of leadership, and Buttler was lucky to stay on as captain.Tactical errors across both 2023’s 50-over World Cup and the T20 edition earlier this summer, combined with undulating form with the bat, wore heavy on Buttler’s shoulders. As such, a once free-spirited cricketer, integral to England holding both ODI (2019) and T20 (2022) titles, adopted a far chippier disposition on the field and with the media.At this stage of Buttler’s career – he turns 34 on Sunday – the end is closer than the beginning, characterised by a setback in his recovery from a third calf injury in the last four years that has ruled him out of the upcoming T20I series against Australia. With Buttler also doubtful for the five-match ODI series, there is a chance he will not be able to fully oversee the initial stages of a much-needed generational shift.Related

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While McCullum will only take the white-ball reins from the start of next year with Marcus Trescothick holding onto them until then, getting Buttler back to his old, relaxed self is top of his priorities. “He’s been a little bit miserable at times,” McCullum said of Buttler. “I think he’s not naturally as expressive as what some may be.”But I think he’s done a great job, right? He won a [T20] World Cup as captain. He’s been part of World Cup-winning teams previously as well. He’s an incredibly gifted player. He’s a fine leader.”My job is to get the best out of him so that all those that sit in the dressing room feel like they can be 10 foot tall and bulletproof when they walk out to play. And they know that the skipper is going to give them that extra pat on the back and enjoy the ride with them. So it’s a great challenge. I’m so excited about it, and I know that Jos is too, which is great.”The confidence McCullum has in lifting Buttler’s spirits comes from their off-field relationship: the pair are good friends despite having never played alongside one another. McCullum believes this pre-existing connection – something he did not have with Test captain Ben Stokes – will be a key pillar for their professional relationship, and hopes he can show Buttler that the final stages of his career can be the most fulfilling.McCullum congratulates Buttler after his century at Edgbaston in 2015•AFP/Getty Images

“When I started the gig with the Test side, Stokesy and I knew each other – we had a natural respect for each other – but I wouldn’t say we were mates,” McCullum said. “What we’ve developed over the last couple of years is a very close friendship, to the point where I call him a very close mate. As much as you do this for cricketing reasons, ultimately you want good friendships and relationships to develop that last far longer than the time you’ve got in the job.”Jos and I actually start from a stronger base. We know each other, we’re mates, we have similar styles of play in our game. What I want from Jos is for him to enjoy the next few years. If he was to retire today, he’d go down as probably the greatest white-ball player England’s ever produced.”So, the opportunity for the next three or four years, however long he plays for, is just to enjoy it. Not to protect anything. Just get the most out of all those guys around him, keep walking towards the danger, play with a smile on his face and try to do something which is really cool. Where you can look back and say: ‘Gee, I really enjoyed those last few years’. I’m sure our relationship will go from mates to very good mates.”As for that friendship with Stokes, McCullum hopes to use it to squeeze more appearances in coloured clothing out of his Test captain.From reversing an ODI retirement to play in the 2023 World Cup to ruling himself out of contention for 2024’s T20 World Cup, Stokes has proved elusive to lock down as a limited-overs cricketer as far as England is concerned. Last week, men’s selector Luke Wright suggested Stokes is still considered available for the upcoming Champions Trophy.Ben Stokes has not played a limited-overs international since November 2023•AFP/Getty Images

With Test captaincy Stokes’ main priority, what itches he has for the white-ball cricket are scratched across the franchise circuit, which will include a maiden stint in the SA20 for MI Cape Town this winter. McCullum expects Stokes to stick around as captain throughout his tenure, which has been extended to 2027. As for his limited-overs future, there is a conversation to be had.”The skipper and I haven’t spoken about that [carrying on in Tests] actually, but I’m assuming he’s all-in,” McCullum said. “He seems like that sort of bloke. He’s been incredible and our relationship is fantastic.”You never know where the game’s going globally and what sort of opportunities will pop up for him which will challenge him, but I know how invested he is in English cricket and how determined he is to drive this team forward. I’d assume that will involve him being in charge for that period of time – even though he’s building a group of leaders around him that are growing and prospering in those leadership roles, too.”In regards to the white-ball – yeah, why not? I guess we’ll see where he sits. He loves big moments and big stages. As we’ll have to do with all our players, there’ll be times when they can’t play everything, so there’ll be some bilateral series where we simply can’t have all of our best players playing at the same time. But when it comes to major events and big series, I think those players are very much in those discussions.”

The country was set to miss out on IPL screening for the first time in the tournament’s history before the agreement happened

Firdose Moonda30-Mar-2023Africa’s biggest sports broadcaster, SuperSport, has cut a last-minute deal to screen the entire IPL, less than three hours before the tournament begins. The agreement comes after South Africans were told they would not be able to watch the competition for the first time since its inaugural season in 2008 because SuperSport had lost the rights.*SuperSport has broadcast all 15 editions of the IPL prior to this year in full but lost the Sub-Saharan African rights to Viacom18 in June.Viacom18 also won the rights to Australia, New Zealand and England. It does not have a presence in any of the countries but viewers in Australia, New Zealand and England can watch the IPL via broadcasters who have subsequently made deals with Viacom18. SuperSport, on the other hand, has not.Related

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“SuperSport previously held broadcast rights to the Indian Premier League,” a SuperSport spokesperson had told ESPNcricinfo Thursday. “Commercial discussions with the rights holder for the next cycle of rights have unfortunately been unsuccessful and SuperSport will therefore not broadcast the IPL as of this year’s edition.”There are 15 South Africans at this year’s IPL and at least one in nine of the ten franchises (Kolkata Knight Riders are the exception), including some of South Africa’s biggest names. Faf du Plessis, Quinton de Kock, Kagiso Rabada, Aiden Markram, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, David Miller, Rilee Rossouw, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Duan Jansen, Donovan Ferreira, Dewald Brevis, Sisanda Magala, and Dwaine Pretorius are spread across the IPL teams with former South African and now Namibian allrounder David Wiese set to play for Knight Riders. There are also several South African coaches at the IPL, including former men’s national team coach Mark Boucher, who will be in his debut season at Mumbai Indians.Cricket South Africa was understood to be disappointed for the country’s fans, especially after the momentum gained this season through the SA20 (where all six teams are owned by IPL owners) but has no involvement with rights deals.SuperSport is the biggest sports broadcaster on the African continent and broadcasts a host of major competitions including all South African tours home and abroad, the home series of England, Australia, New Zealand, India, West Indies, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh as well as several franchise leagues. It most recently broadcast the Women’s Premier League in full.GMT 1145, March 31, 2023 The story was updated after the agreement happened.