It’s been a while since this blockbuster came round to the MA Chidambaram stadium and here are all the reasons why you should go gaga over it

Varun Shetty in Chennai23-Mar-20192:44

CSK, RCB hit the nets ahead of IPL season-opener

It didn’t happen in Chennai last yearOr the year before that. Or the year before that, as a Royal Challengers fan is wont to keep reminding a Super Kings fan. First it was Super Kings’ suspension that kept this scrumptious fixture away from locals. Then, last year, an issue that’s older than the two franchises – the Cauvery water dispute. On that front, it was a rivalry so old that Royal Challengers’ merely being in Chennai might have been more dangerous than Royal Challengers attempting to play in Chennai.Not that Pune was all puppies and rainbows, though, or Bengaluru for that matter. Royal Challengers lost both derby games last year. And the year before that. And the year before that…Kohli v Dhoni up a notchGautam Gambhir doesn’t think Virat Kohli is on the same level as Rohit Sharma or MS Dhoni when it comes to IPL captaincy, and that is just one of the things that increases the attention on him when he goes up against Dhoni in Chennai, which is not an easy task.”Every team that comes to Chennai has to be considered underdogs because CSK have done so well at home. MS knows exactly what he wants from his team in these conditions. We all have seen that and are aware of it. It’s very easy to be overawed by the support that CSK are going to get. In the IPL, people can get carried away by the support that a team like CSK gets at home but we have to focus on our basics,” Kohli said on the eve of the match.MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli in Chennai before the IPL 2019 opening game•PTI The southern monopolyChennai and Bengaluru have always been massive sporting centres in India, and at the moment are experiencing some shared joy.Over the last year, the Bengaluru teams won in the premier badminton, kabbadi, and football leagues, while the Chennai teams won the volleyball league and the other football league. Fans, and some non-fans from both cities would be terribly disappointed if this pattern were to break.The southern scarcityBut for all the storied history and legacies of legendary sportsmen, local players find little representation in franchise-based sports.Royal Challengers have been notoriously short on Karnataka players for a long time, and no matter how many times you hear RCB chants during Bengaluru Tests, it’s not a popular policy among their fans. This year, they’ve dipped below their average and have only a solitary local player – 18-year-old Devdutt Padikkal.Virat Kohli with his fans during an RCB training session in Chennai ahead of the IPL 2019 opener•PTI Super Kings aren’t exactly brimming with local talent either. Like last year, they have only two Tamil Nadu players on their roster, and are possibly only getting away without too much trouble because home fans have long since adopted many players as sons of the soil.

Remember that Kohli over to Albie? RP Singh's epic no-ball to elicited 'Sir Jadeja' memes, Dhoni's stunning carve for six in a brutal takedown last year? Don't believe what @mipaltan says. CSK v RCB is a different rivalry. https://t.co/VgJxaYlGuB #IPL2019

— Shashank Kishore (@captainshanky) March 22, 2019

‘We’re not old, we’re experienced’Stephen Fleming’s brand new Super Kings side last year was the subject of much trolling because of how old they were. They started the tournament with a last-ditch win, and followed it up by chasing a gigantic total. Most of the trolling began to subside, and by the end of the tournament, Super Kings had out-trolled everybody. Before the start of the new season, Fleming reminded everyone.”We bought, as you guys said last year, an old side. But we prefer to look it as an experienced side because recall does count. Being able to stand up to pressure situations and recall how you dealt with them in the past is a key component in a fast-moving game.”For Royal Challengers, whose captain has constantly cited poor decision-making under pressure to explain their below par recent form, there could be a slight hint in Fleming’s statements.Ee sala whistle poduKohli publicly disowned Royal Challenger’s infamous “Ee sala cup namde” chant, both for this season, and retroactively for the last one. Not that they would have been heard over all the whistles anyway.

The opener has endured a rocky history at the tournament, studded with injury and off-field controversy, but now he has a chance to put all that behind him

Mohammad Isam07-Feb-2019Tamim Iqbal watched most of the 2017 BPL final from the Mirpur press box. It was the day after the Comilla Victorians had lost to the Rangpur Riders in a controversial second qualifier which had to go into a second day due to rain and confusion with the tournament rules.Tamim was left wondering when he would play in the BPL final and emulate some of his celebrated contemporaries. That wish has come true this season, with the Victorians reaching the final after beating the Riders in the first qualifier.”I haven’t done all that bad, despite scoring three ducks in this tournament,” Tamim told ESPNcricinfo. “But considering my expectations, I think I could have done a lot better. I should have scored at least 400 runs by now. I have failed to take off from good starts.”Mashrafe [Mortaza] has won the BPL four times, Shakib [Al Hasan] twice and Riyad [Mahmudullah] has played the final on two occasions. Like them, I have always wanted to play in the final of the biggest domestic tournament in Bangladesh.”It’s finally happening for Tamim, after multiple seasons of disappointment, both on and off the field.In the inaugural edition, a groin injury only allowed him to play two matches. Months after the tournament was over, Tamim revealed that he had not been paid by the Chittagong Kings. He also divulged details of a bust-up with Kings’ technical director Dean Jones who denied abusing him verbally.In the 2013 edition, Tamim made three fifties for Duronto Rajshahi, another franchise where players endured payment delays. So much so, that before their game against Khulna Royal Bengals, Tamim was about to lead out a side without any overseas players – they were all protesting the delayed payments. A last-minute deal was struck between the players and BCB officials, which avoided any further embarrassment.Tamim Iqbal and Tillakaratne Dilshan have a chat with the umpire•Daily Kaler KanthoIn 2015, Tamim got tangled in another mess at another franchise. As he walked out to bat for Chittagong Vikings, Tamim noticed that Josh Cobb and Ravi Bopara, whose names hadn’t been part of the team sheet at the toss, had taken the field for Sylhet Superstars. He pointed it out to the umpires and went back to the dressing room with opening partner Tillakaratne Dilshan. This was after the toss had been delayed, since the NOCs of Cobb and Bopara hadn’t arrived on time. Their names hadn’t been part of the Vikings team sheet distributed to broadcasters and the press box either.Tamim pointed out the two players who had, technically, taken the field illegally. In the argument that played out near the boundary line, BCB officials tried to convince Tamim to let Sylhet play with Cobb and Bopara. In the argument that followed, the Sylhet franchise owner, Tamim alleged, abused him, and “said something very unpleasant about my family”.The following season, 2016, was an excellent one for Tamim personally, as he topped the run charts with 476 runs at an average of 43.27, but his team, the Vikings, went out in the Eliminator.Off-field controversy returned in 2017, when Tamim called the Mirpur pitches “horrible” after they kept producing low-scoring totals even after the venue took a 10-day break. The BCB took exception to Tamim’s expression of frustration, although other players including Mashrafe had made similar comments. In the following days he would face an inquiry for his outburst in the media.Compared to all that, this season has been a time of peace and quiet for Tamim in the BPL. He has stayed away from captaincy in the Vikings setup and, although he is heavily involved in planning, prefers being surrounded by cricket rather than anything else. And if he can get his hands on the trophy, he can finally put behind him his fractious history with the tournament.

Despite the evidence of history, we continue to pin our hopes on teams chasing 300-plus in the fourth innings in Tests

Jarrod Kimber12-Jan-2019Something doesn’t feel right. The ball thumps into Roshen Silva’s pads and England go up, but it feels like a theatre appeal. No one truly believes it. Sri Lanka started their chase needing over 300 runs and they still need over 150. Their top four are gone, but luck, fate, momentum, or whatever made-up thing you hold dear, is on their side.The partnership has gone past 50, which is over 16% of the chase, and these two now appear permanent at the crease. Despite the early wickets, the tough pitch and England having a plethora of bowlers, you can see how Sri Lanka will win the second Test.There’s a noise that cricket fans make in chases like this, as if cricket’s global consciousness tightens at once, and it squeaks. In a Test chase, partnerships bring this extra sense of assurance. Fans of the chasing side dare to dream, bowling fans panic, and cricket seems to be on the verge of making something magical happen. A lucky swipe that lands in a gap is no longer seen as a sign a wicket is coming; it’s proof the game has changed. Oh, look, now crows are on the outfield; clearly they signify the death of this bowling attack.All rational thinking suggests that the chasing side almost never wins when they chase big totals. We’ve seen them fail to do so our entire cricketing lives. Depending on your age, you’ve seen this in our incredible current batting era, the great Test years from the ’70s to the ’90s, or before that, in the days of uncovered pitches. And yet here you are, with all that cricket-watching knowledge and plenty of stories from your grandparents. You’ve read the books, swiped the notifications, listened to the wireless and sat in front of countless illegal streams, and yet you still believe.We don’t behave rationally in chases. In the history of Tests, a target of 300-plus has been set 666 times; only 30 times has the chase been successful. No matter how much this partnership feels like an indestructible force because of whatever cricket god you pray to, or what your cricket senses are telling you, the bowling team almost always wins with runs on the board. Despite your raised heart rate, in 300-plus chases, only 4.5% of the times do the batsmen win. It’s less than a one-in-20 shot.England win by 57 runs.***This decade, teams have won 3.2% of chases over 300. It’s the lowest – by a distance – since the 1960s, when pitches were still uncovered. This decade also has the highest percentage of 300-plus chases set – 53% of all chases. So batsmen have never had to chase this many big totals before, and they’ve rarely been worse at it.Fourth-innings batting has been a struggle this decade, as you can see from the runs-per-wicket average, which has dropped 15.4% from the last decade. It’s the lowest average decades-wise since the 1910s. It’s a batsman’s game for three innings, then the bowlers take charge. (The 1940s looks like nothing else in fourth-innings history because it only had 27 fourth innings, which included a couple of big drawn scores, and a world-record chase.)

England struck Afghanistan where it would hurt them most – by ruthlessly attacking the man who represents their cricket.

Sharda Ugra in Manchester18-Jun-20191:13

Kartik: Stuff of nightmares for Rashid Khan

Two of the three things Afghanistan needed to go right for them on Tuesday did: England batted first and the sun was shining. It was the third element that undid their plans, hopes and confidence. And England did it in a manner no team had in the World Cup so far, despite four defeats. Afghanistan needed their spinners to dominate, led by the man who has been their talisman and their totem in world cricket’s best story in decades. But not only did England dismantle Afghanistan’s bowling, they struck the hardest where it would hurt them most; by ruthlessly attacking the man who represents their cricket, and their standing in world sport.Rashid Khan came into this World Cup ranked second among the highest wicket-takers in the world over the last four years. Enormously deceptive as everyone knew those numbers were (the majority against Zimbabwe and Ireland), Rashid, purveyor of the fine art of leg spin and dispenser of deceptive googlies, was always meant to be Afghanistan’s flag-bearer at this World Cup. England and Old Trafford threw that notion into the wind.At the end of 35th over, England were positioned at 199 for 2 and Eoin Morgan (26 off 24) had made his intentions clear. Rashid had been trying to settle in, having switched ends for the third time (4-0-29-0). Like his team, Rashid had not had the best of World Cups: before Old Trafford he had bowled 22.5 overs in three matches (his team bowled in four, but he didn’t bowl against New Zealand after suffering from a concussion after copping a blow on the helmet off Lockie Ferguson) and taken 3 for 114. It was the time for Rashid to step up, hone in the radar and stamp his presence on the game.Instead, it was to become the place where Rashid was to be schooled by England and their captain. All the bowling horrors of Rashid, (his worst figures, the most expensive figures by a bowler in the World Cup, the most sixes off a bowler in ODIs) were amplified for his team – 198 in the last 15 overs; of which 74 runs came off Rashid. Rather than spotlight one man and his miseries, the spotlight could be turned onto a single event of the day, which marked both Afghanistan’s struggles in the World Cup overall as well as Rashid’s impending doom.In the second ball of his sixth over, Rashid sends one looping across Morgan (on 28) who has good hoick at it, mistimes a slog sweep which heads into deep midwicket’s pocket. Except Dawlat Zadran is too far inside the boundary line, must backpedal and so swats helplessly at the ball. It slaps his fingertips, lobs over his head and bounces over the rope. Morgan lands the next ball into the stands, the first of his seven sixes off Rashid and Rashid the competitor disintegrates. Had the catch been taken – and it was a regulation midwicket skier – who knows what would have transpired; but that is not to deny that this has been a very underwhelming World Cup for Rashid. He is not close to the bowler who beguiled the world through T20 cricket, nor the bowler who has succeeded against far-less threatening opposition and remained a consistent quality performer against the higher-ranked nations.Rashid Khan conceded the second most runs in an innings in ODI history•ESPNcricinfo LtdThe Afghan spinners who have been memorable in this World Cup so far have been Mohammad Nabi, who poleaxed the Sri Lanka middle order in Cardiff, and Mujeeb ur Rahman, who in this boundary-heist in Manchester, conceded 44 off his ten overs. Not Rashid. For a bowler known for his cramping accuracy, hustling pace and illusory angles, Rashid was not allowed to settle by Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root who turned the strike over. Against the left handers, after he had been caned by Morgan, Rashid bowled on both sides of the wicket, unable to hit the perfect length and wavering between too short or too full.At one point, it was like the presence of Rashid Khan itself had evaporated off the field; he is not a large man, in any case, it took a while to single him out on the boundary line or even find him among his teammates as the senior players – Gulbadin Naib, Asghar Afghan and Nabi – confabulated with each other to try and stem the onslaught. There are several reasons for why Rashid’s World Cup has been minus notice. Playing against a higher level of opposition, as opposed to lower ranked nations, in small British grounds could be one of those.Watch on Hotstar (India only) England crack 125 runs from final eight oversYet Rashid’s ODI statistics against the other nine World Cup playing nations coming into this tournament show an average of 13.79 and an economy rate of 3.51. In 683 balls bowled in ODIs to those countries before this tournament, Rashid had conceded only four sixes.Had Afghanistan’s fourth spinner, Rahmat Shah, gone for these figures it would have been more understandable. He would have been quickly taken off the attack; but Afghanistan couldn’t possibly demonstrate such a lack of faith against their highest achiever. Just as much as Rashid has been studied and dissected by the opposition, so has he run into many of these players in the world’s various T20 leagues. On Tuesday, Rashid was asked questions only he can answer: is he suffering from the yips that the World Cup has landed in his lap, one defeat after another, against opponents that throw up far more rounds of give and take than he can take? Or did the concussion have greater after-effects than we were led to believe?What has not changed is how his team sees him: after the England innings ended, the Afghan players gathered towards each other near the crease, soberly clapping, shaking hands and giving each other a pat on the shoulder. The man furthest away from them took the longest time from the long square boundary to get to where they were. When he got closest, Rashid Khan’s team surrounded him, arms around his shoulders, pats on his back heartfelt even from a distance. Afghanistan’s champion had been bruised and beaten but they are willing him to fight another day. Because they are him and he is them. All for one and one for all.

The first concussions substitute in the history of Test cricket did more than his bit to help stave off an Australia defeat

Daniel Brettig at Lord's18-Aug-2019No one in the 142-year history of Test match cricket had done what Marnus Labuschagne managed on day five at Lord’s in 2019.No one previously had ever woken up on the final morning of a game not knowing whether or not he would be part of the playing XI, and by day’s end been the key bulwark against a revved up and desperate bowling attack to help secure a battling draw for his team in fading light. No one had done so to preserve a 1-0 series lead either.No one had ever had to contemplate coming into the crucible of a Test match at such short notice, but Labuschagne was ready for all eventualities. “Earlier is always better because you can actually start training your mind to relax and focus on the game where you are not sitting on the edge,” he has said. “If it is the night before you are still sitting on the edge, but sometimes you don’t get a choice, you just have to deal with it.”ALSO READ: Smith hoping to be fit for Headingley after ‘mild concussion’No one had ever had to deal with being brought into a team for the final day of a Test match as a substitute, having witnessed his team’s batting inspiration Steven Smith be invalided out of the game with a sickening blow from Jofra Archer and delayed-onset concussion. No one had ever come in to bat with 42.3 overs remaining and facing that same bowler, be greeted second ball by a vicious bouncer that clanged into the grille of their helmet.No one had responded to the blow by leaping back up almost immediately, as if spring loaded, waving away England’s players reflexively, then insisting through his on-field concussion test by the team doctor Richard Saw that all was well. No one had held their nerve as Archer sent numerous deliveries with the new ball scorching past the outside edge, playing the line and covering the off stump but not following any of the movement still wrought from the pitch.No one had remained unflustered, finding regular opportunities to score, as England’s spells grew steadily more desperate, the sky grew darker, and the Australia balcony moved from early apprehension to growing confidence in their substitute in the middle. No one had played the ball late, under the eyes, without edging wretchedly like David Warner, statuesquely like Usman Khawaja, or being pinned lbw on the crease like Cameron Bancroft.No one had ever been subbed into a Test match and found himself seeking to calm the nerves of a jittery Travis Head, who might easily have been out three times in the first over he faced from Jack Leach, and should have been out when he edged Ben Stokes to Jason Roy in the slips with 19.5 overs still remaining. No one had kept calm when Leach spun balls wickedly out of the rough, countering him by using a sweep that if it did not make contact, at least presented an impassable barrier to the stumps.Marnus Labuschagne goes down after being hit•Getty ImagesNo one had cleaned up after an increasingly shabby Australian performance, in which at least five catches went down and a succession of decision reviews were either made or not made in error. No one had spared the blushes of the captain Tim Paine after he chose to bowl first, then saw conditions, pitch and opposition leave the tourists well and truly cornered on the final day, as Stokes, Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow found batting rhythm and confidence in ways that will make England’s middle order much more of a formidable adversary in the remainder of the series.No one had come into day five of a Test match in England with more comprehensive preparation, confidence and methodical rigour, honed over several summers playing the game in this part of the world, in between Australian summer assignments for Queensland. “My experiences in England, I was here in 2013 and 2014 playing club cricket, and this year playing county cricket, all my experiences have been great,” Labuschagne said before the series. “I’ve loved the conditions, the challenge of the conditions, the things you need to be better at in England than Australia.”I’ve got individual plans for each bowler, things that you do slightly different to guys that run the ball back in or swing it away and a bit more pace, a bit less pace, there’s small changes but the fundamental side of things doesn’t change. There’s small things you try and do and create to bring things into your favour, I think that’s the art of batting, there’s definitely things you tinker with.”No one had found themselves trying to fill the shoes of Smith, having earned in the earlier days of this tour a similar reputation for obsession with the art of batting, being heard tapping his bat in the dead of night at the team’s hotels in Southampton, Birmingham, Worcester and London. No one had tried to glean more from Smith, about bats, batting or the game as a whole, at every possible moment.”I’ve had a few discussions with Smudge about batting. I think we are both quite cricket nuffs,” Labuschagne said. “I love batting in my room, tapping the ball up, so there’s always questions floating around about whose tapping the bat at 11 o’clock at night … I feel like we are always the ones to blame. It’s great he’s played 70 Tests and he’s averaging 62? 61? Unbelievable player, so as much as I can learn from him as possible and he’s played in these conditions before so we’ve talked a little bit about that.”No one had ever started a Test match as a spectator and ended it as the central player, hustling to a fifty and then accepting the applause of the Lord’s crowd when he walked off, his team all but safe from harm – all but for a late Leach and Archer flurry that gave England fleeting hope. Labuschagne’s score of 59 had matched, almost exactly, the average in England of the man he subbed.No one had used the opportunity thrust upon them on the final day of a match they had not started to make a compelling case for inclusion for the full duration of the next match, at Headingley from Thursday. No one had made Australia’s fragile batting lineup look stronger, surer, braver and safer. No one had ever been a concussion substitute in Test cricket before Marnus Labuschagne. No one, you imagine, will ever do it better.

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jul-2019Remember when the World Cup started? It feels like a long while ago, when most of the cricketing world was wondering about when the first 500-plus ODI score would be made, Virat Kohli was peering into his crystal ball and declaring 250 would be hard enough to chase, and Sir Viv Richards was smashing it to all parts of the Mall in central London during the opening ceremony.Here’s the story of a long, memorable tournament, told through the eyes of social media.May 29

Captains including @Eoin16 and @imVkohli met Her Majesty and His Royal Highness before joining a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. pic.twitter.com/AjS5eZBrVH

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 29, 2019

May 31
While every other expert was predicting semi-finalists and winners, Brendon McCullum went many steps further and put out his results for every game of the league phase. He even predicted the impact rain would have on the tournament.

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World Cup game by game predictions. 4 teams will fight out the 4th qualifying spot and net run rate will decide who progresses. Rain and luck will likely play a part as well. I hope Nz gets that little bit of luck and can qualify. Enjoy the 6 week celebration of the best players on the planet. #CWC2019

A post shared by Brendon McCullum (@bazmccullum42) on May 31, 2019 at 12:13am PDT

The other Pakistan turned up for their first game against West Indies, for a good reason, as we found out soon enough.

Great bowling against the Pakistani batsmen. This sort of planning is needed every game. Well done!
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@ICC
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.#MenInMaroon #Windies #iccworldcup2019 #Excellent #bowling #WIvsPAK #WorldCup2019 #Pakistan #CricketWorldCup @cricketworldcup pic.twitter.com/v1c0vpIFPm

— Brian Lara (@BrianLara) May 31, 2019

June 1
Ben Stokes and Co finished eighth in the Under-19 World Cup eight years ago. How far could they go this time, at home?

@vincey14 @root66 @josbuttler pic.twitter.com/lmS2vZCQOY

— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) June 1, 2019

June 2
These two were welcomed by fans dressed as sandpaper sheets in Bristol.

Good to see these champions back in green & gold. #WorldCup @davidwarner31 @stevesmith49 pic.twitter.com/KOvgxWXhLY

— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) June 2, 2019

June 3
England were favourites, and they hadn’t lost chasing at home for 20 successive games, but none of that mattered, because they were facing the Pakistan.

Good bounce back from, Pakistan #CWC19

— Chris Gayle (@henrygayle) June 3, 2019

June 4
In one of the lines of the tournament, Pakistan bowling coach Azhar Mahmood had said, “England have to play 300 balls to get to that record, but we have to bowl ten good balls to get ten wickets.” Turns out he was off by a ball.

Congratulations PAKISTAN. I said 10 good balls you guys did it in 9 ! 😉 fantastic from each one of you. Keep the self belief and passion. Guys Keep supporting them – we need the fans to back them ! Eid Mubarak to you all !

— Azhar Mahmood (@AzharMahmood11) June 3, 2019

June 6
AB de Villiers wasn’t even at the World Cup, but news about his near return from retirement sent shock waves through the cricket world.

All that’s important is that we should all focus on supporting the team at the World Cup. There is a long way to go and I believe the boys can still go all the way #ProteaFire

— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) June 6, 2019

June 9
Twitter superstar Jimmy Neesham turned it on with the ball, picking up his first five-wicket haul in international cricket. The self-deprecation that followed was just as good.

I’ve always been a 5 wicket taking bowler, it just usually takes me seven games https://t.co/bLF46bAAbZ

— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) June 9, 2019

June 10
A high-profile retirement came early in the tournament, just as India were finding their range in a World Cup.

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Enjoy retirement Legend @yuvisofficial

A post shared by Stuart Broad (@stuartbroad8) on Jun 10, 2019 at 3:17am PDT

June 14
Everyone said it at the start of the World Cup, but Michael Vaughan served a mid-tournament reminder, in case you’d missed it.

Having seen 15 days of the World Cup I can confidently say the trophy will be lifted by either Kane Williamson,Virat Kohli,Aaron Finch or Eoin Morgan !! #CWC19 #OnOn

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) June 14, 2019

As many as four games were washed out in the space of a week, one of them being the New Zealand-India encounter. Neesham’s gesture to disappointed fans at Trent Bridge came in for praise on social media, before…

They were actually Kane’s gloves pic.twitter.com/hsf5bchwj1

— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) June 14, 2019

June 15
The memes were out in full force. Maybe rain had dropped the World Cup?

New @cricketworldcup pic.twitter.com/70AU1fQhr6

— Herschelle Gibbs (@hershybru)June 15, 2019

India-Pakistan was just around the corner. Not everyone had to pick one side, as Chris Gayle reminded us.

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Yup! I’m rocking my india Pakistan Suit, all love and respect!… I really love it and this will be one of my outfit at my birthday party September 20th…its lit #FashionOverStyle #UniverseBoss #KingGayle #45 #333 #Suit @sidbafna #Attiitude #CWC19

A post shared by KingGayle (@chrisgayle333) on Jun 15, 2019 at 5:16am PDT

June 16
India v Pakistan at Old Trafford wasn’t entirely one-sided, but it wasn’t quite a treat either. Try telling that to the press pack, though.

Apparently 41 kilos of biscuits were eaten in the media centre yesterday during the India-Pakistan game at Old Trafford. That is a lot of custard creams.

— Nick Hoult (@NHoultCricket) June 17, 2019

While Indian fans were in overdrive, revelling in the victory over their neighbours, Stokes left a note to everyone reminding them he was getting bored.

I may delete Twitter just so I don’t have to see another tweet reading “He’s saying Ben Stokes”(when he’s clearly not)in reply to a video of Virat saying you know what it was funny the first 100,000 times.

— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) June 16, 2019

Three centuries from Rohit Sharma and the recently retired Yuvraj Singh was predicting that his former India and Mumbai Indians team-mate would go all the way, just like he himself had done in 2011.

Chatting to Rohit at ipl time ! Discussion about getting starts but not getting big runs , and I was like you don’t know what lies ahead of you it’s happening for a reason ! Same words told to me by @sachin_rt before 2011 wcup , my mos of 2019 prediction from india @ImRo45

— yuvraj singh (@YUVSTRONG12) June 16, 2019

June 17
Rohit sent a square-cut six flying into the stands. You knew the throwbacks were coming.

We both are from INDIA and in this case, AAMCHI MUMBAI as well….So heads I win, tails you lose! https://t.co/doUMk1QU2b

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) June 17, 2019

His press conference performances were even better. It all started here.

Q: How do you suggest Pakistan batsmen come out of the current crisis?

Rohit: pic.twitter.com/5cPdElM5rA

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) June 17, 2019

Old Trafford cricket ground, Theatre of Dreams. Who knew?

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Old Trafford is really the 'Theatre of Dreams' #CWC19 #INDVSPAK #dreamdebut #gratefulandblessed

A post shared by Vijay shankar (@vijay_41) on Jun 16, 2019 at 2:44pm PDT

Meanwhile, Bangladesh were motoring along, carried largely by one man’s sustained excellence.

Shakib. What a player. Contributes so much in so many areas. Barely even celebrates here because he still has a job to do and brings up his century with so much class. #CWC19 #BANvWI

— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) June 17, 2019

June 18
Pakistan were smarting after another World Cup defeat to India. Their fans weren’t sparing them and players took to social media appealing for calm.

Pls dont use bad words for the players yes u guys can criticise our performance we will bounce back InshAllah we need ur support

— Mohammad Amir (@iamamirofficial) June 17, 2019

June 19
India’s injury scare turned out to be a tournament-ending one. Shikhar Dhawan was on his way home.

I feel emotional to announce that I will no longer be a part of #CWC19. Unfortunately, the thumb won’t recover on time. But the show must go on.. I'm grateful for all the love & support from my team mates, cricket lovers & our entire nation. Jai Hind! pic.twitter.com/zx8Ihm3051

— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) June 19, 2019

Not all great Jofra Archer tweets are from his archives. There was some refreshing candour from him through this tournament as well.

Terrible tweet https://t.co/3ybKo3pKcE

— Jofra Archer (@JofraArcher) June 18, 2019

June 22
As the league phase was in danger of turning into a dead-rubber-filled snoozefest, Sri Lanka woke everyone up with a shocking win.

Wow Wow Wow
Today v England Team Work was the winner … A big salute as well to Angi , Mali, Avishka and Dhana you beauties .. It's starting to happen for Team SL pic.twitter.com/ZVmw5pCO3m

— Dimuth Karunaratne (@IamDimuth) June 21, 2019

June 23
Carlos Brathwaite, remember the name? Ben Stokes sure does. In case you didn’t, he served another reminder.

First it was Virat now it’s @TridentSportsX is clogging up my mentions,I wonder why???that was a unbelievable innings Carlos thought it was going to be a repeat of 2016 in Kolkata…how good was that game by the way

— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) June 22, 2019

But when West Indies fell agonisingly short of winning against New Zealand, it was Brathwaite who had to be consoled.

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What a game! Super hitting @ricky.26 @cricketworldcup #cwc19

A post shared by Ross Taylor (@rossltaylor3) on Jun 22, 2019 at 2:36pm PDT

June 27
Pakistan were back in business and making a late surge for the qualifying spots. Remember when it last happened?

Edgbaston atmosphere, generated by Pakistan's fans, really was electric last night. Incredible atmosphere. Local residents I've spoken to today can't remember a summer evening like it for noise (in a good way)

— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) June 27, 2019

What a great and memorable victory for our entire nation! This is for my #SoniDharti. This is for #Pakistan. #RiseAndRise #WeHaveWeWill #NZvPak #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/4dC3GWR4al

— Babar Azam (@babarazam258) June 26, 2019

June 28
England were on the mat after two successive defeats, to Sri Lanka and Australia, and Jonny Bairstow laid into his “critics”. Fellow Yorkshireman Vaughan wasn’t having any of it.

How wrong can @jbairstow21 be .. Never has England team had so much support but it’s you and your team that has disappointed Jonny .. WIN 2 games and you are in the semis .. With this negative, pathetic mindset I… https://t.co/olrefg6IFP

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) June 28, 2019

June 29
There were plenty of great catches at this World Cup, but it didn’t get better than a full-blooded Steven Smith pull caught at leg gully, and certified by one of the greatest modern-day close-catchers.

Now that is the catch of the tournament from M.Guptill.

— Mark Waugh (@juniorwaugh349) June 29, 2019

By this point, the 1992 parallels were getting more uncanny by the day.

Well, that was never in doubt, was it?https://t.co/XjyxyGJwAO #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/SqW4v8gYLO

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) June 29, 2019

South Africa’s tournament had few silver linings. Imran Tahir’s performance in his final ODI tournament was one of them.

Absolute Legend @ImranTahirSA …will gladly be number 2 behind you for another 3 years if need be!

Gonna miss having you around and learning from you all the time https://t.co/43b6gtisSr

— Tabraiz Shamsi (@shamsi90) June 28, 2019

June 30
With one injury after another, some former players wondered if something was afoot in the Indian camp.

If Vijay Shankar has a toe niggle and that's the reason not to play why is he running drinks.. No one else there to do that job…. #CWC19

— Kartik Murali (@kartikmurali) June 30, 2019

July 1
The runs were flowing for David Warner and there was some happy news for him on the personal front too. Newlands seemed a long time ago.

#NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/8m4xK1f9hF

— David Warner (@davidwarner31) July 1, 2019

July 2
Up in Durham, there was a surprise visitor for West Indies’ game against Sri Lanka.

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When Rihanna met the Universe Boss #CWC19 #cricket #lovecricket #MenInMaroon

A post shared by Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) on Jul 1, 2019 at 12:02pm PDT

TV broadcasters spotted 87-year-old Charulata Patel blowing a horn and rooting for India during their game against Bangladesh. Soon enough, she became an internet sensation.

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Also would like to thank all our fans for all the love and support and especially Charulata Patel ji. She's 87 and probably one of the most passionate and dedicated fans I've ever seen. Age is just a number, passion takes you leaps and bounds. There was only love and blessings for the whole team in her eyes. What an inspiration. With her blessings, on to the next one.

A post shared by Virat Kohli (@virat.kohli) on Jul 2, 2019 at 11:13am PDT

July 3
There were only eight league games in the 1992 World Cup. By the time the ninth game came along in this World Cup, Pakistan were in uncharted waters, having left themselves with too much to do.

To qualify, Pakistan must:

Beat Bangladesh by 311 runs after scoring 350
Beat Bangladesh by 316 runs after scoring 400
Beat Bangladesh by 321 runs after scoring 450

Incidentally. The biggest ODI win in history was by 290 runs.

So that's where we are… #CWC19

— Aatif Nawaz (@AatifNawaz) July 3, 2019

July 5
Their campaign was over, and so was one of the last surviving international careers from the 20th century.

Today I retire from One Day International cricket. Huge Thank you to all the players I have played with, coaches I have trained under, family, friends, media, and sponsors. Most importantly my fans, I love you all#PakistanZindabad pic.twitter.com/zlYvhNk8n0

— Shoaib Malik (@realshoaibmalik) July 5, 2019

July 6
Master and protege reunited, less than two months after teaming up to win the IPL.

An honour to play with you and an honour to play against you! LEGEND pic.twitter.com/SMjpeOaziV

— Jasprit Bumrah (@Jaspritbumrah93) July 6, 2019

July 7
Bangladesh’s campaign that had promised so much ended up with an unflattering position on the points table.

Bangladesh definitely didn't deserve to finish eighth on the #CWC19 table

— Alan Gardner (@alanroderick) July 6, 2019

July 11
India bowed out of the World Cup, but not before Ravindra Jadeja had played one the finest knocks in a World Cup semi-final.

Sports has taught me to keep on rising after every fall & never to give up. Can’t thank enough each & every fan who has been my source of inspiration. Thank you for all your support. Keep inspiring & I will give my best till my last breath. Love you all pic.twitter.com/5kRGy6Tc0o

— Ravindrasinh jadeja (@imjadeja) July 11, 2019

In the black corner, the victors were marching on, on and on to Lord’s.

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How good?! Off to the big dance once more! #CWC19 #BACKTHEBLACKCAPS

A post shared by Ross Taylor (@rossltaylor3) on Jul 10, 2019 at 8:45am PDT

Arguably the most memorable New Zealand performance on the day came from the commentary box, from Ian Smith.

Watch , listen and learn if you fancy getting into this business … absolutely nailed it …. and one of the greatest blokes on the planet https://t.co/pHC4ZfTmLL

— David 'Bumble' Lloyd (@BumbleCricket) July 10, 2019

Is this the end for MS Dhoni? We don’t know, but Adam Gilchrist dropped a thank you note in advance.

Not sure if you are playing on but thanks @msdhoni You have given the game so much. Always admired your calmness and self belief. #CWCUP2019 @BCCI

— Adam Gilchrist (@gilly381) July 11, 2019

Only three teams were left in the competition, and pre-match nervousness gave way to full-blown schadenfreude for England fans. Australia’s barefoot-walking routine was an unfortunate victim.

The Aussies should try bowling in Barefoot !!!! #CWC19

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) July 11, 2019

July 12
The AB de Villiers saga wasn’t going away anytime soon.

pic.twitter.com/ahCQBPEo2X

— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) July 12, 2019

July 13

Dear Indian cricket fans. If you don’t want to come to the final anymore then please be kind and resell your tickets via the official platform. I know it’s tempting to try to make a large profit but please give all genuine cricket fans a chance to go, not just the wealthy

— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) July 12, 2019

The stories of elderly Indian fans enjoying the game were among the most heartwarming of the tournament.

Just like the rest of us, the mothership was so impressed with Bumrah's performance in the world cup, that she decided to mimic his run-up. pic.twitter.com/bJYGUqzJvd

— Shanta Sakkubai (@himsini) July 13, 2019

July 14
An epic Wimbledon final. A World Cup final for the ages. It was a day to remember for sports fans.

Impossible to flick between the channels here!!! Sweaty hands

— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) July 14, 2019

Of course, a Jofra tweet had called the ending.

You got your wish Jof https://t.co/IUgygOdkCw

— Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) July 14, 2019

16 from 6

Spooky https://t.co/xiFEegloMT

— Carlos Brathwaite (@TridentSportsX) July 14, 2019

July 15
New Zealand didn’t lose the final, didn’t lose the Super Over, but went home without a trophy yet again.

Cruel!

— Stephen Fleming (@SPFleming7) July 14, 2019

Naturally, there were contrasting emotions from both sides.

That’s a game of cricket!

— Jason Roy (@JasonRoy20) July 14, 2019

Kids, don’t take up sport. Take up baking or something. Die at 60 really fat and happy.

— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) July 15, 2019

The NCA director opens up on the upcoming Under-19 World Cup, new paths Indian cricket must walk, and much more

Saurabh Somani in Lucknow29-Nov-20194:31

India’s fast bowlers are all ‘role models’ – Dravid

India Under-19 and India A have been almost unbeatable since you took charge, winning against all teams everywhere. What do you think has gone right?
I think there’s a lot of talent in this country, for starters. More than winning – which I’ve always said is not a marker by which I honestly judge the success of a programme at this level – for the success of any of these developmental programmes [what matters] is how many of the players can we move on to the next level. The heartening thing for me is that, if you go back over the last three or four years that I’ve been involved in this – it’s not just me, obviously a lot of other coaches and people have been involved – is for us to see how many have gone on to become established players in their Ranji Trophy teams. Some of them have gone on to their teams at 21.I’d like to believe that in this cycle, over the last 14-16 months, nearly 40-45 boys have played for India Under-19. I think that’s the real credit. I’m really hoping that within the next two years, at least 30-35 of them go into first-class teams. If 10-15 of them establish themselves in their first-class teams, that will be a success for us.But the increase in performance and results has been more marked since you’ve taken over. Is there something being done that wasn’t done previously?
We’ve been able to convince the board and ensure the boys are playing more cricket at this level. I definitely feel there needs to be a step-up in level. For our Under-19 boys, there needs to be a step-up from Under-19 domestic tournaments if we want to develop these boys to be able to establish themselves quickly in first-class cricket. To do that we need to give them a slightly higher level of cricket. Same thing with India A. Our domestic cricket is good, but the India A programme is critical.ALSO READ: IPL teams ‘missing a trick’ by not using more Indian coaches – DravidThe good thing for us is that a lot of other countries play a lot of their international players in the ‘A’ teams, whereas we might focus more on younger players. Maybe because their numbers are smaller. I have played against teams like South Africa and Australia A, who had seven or eight of their international players in the team against you. That is really good competition and the standard is definitely higher than the first-class game, the pressure is more. Then that helps build confidence, if you succeed at that level against some of those guys.The other thing is, whenever we’ve been in control of the pitches, one of the things I’ve tried to do is ensure we play on good, sporting pitches. Leave a lot of grass on it, with a view of long-term development of these players. Not necessarily wanting to win that series, but more like saying, ‘Hey, what’s beneficial to these guys in the longer run?’ It’s actually been quite a satisfying three or four years for me personally. I really hope we can keep this going, and keep building, growing and improving these programmes.

What Ishant, Shami, Umesh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Bumrah are doing, is they are actually in a way becoming role models for a lot of younger generation of boys who believe now they can be fast bowlers.Rahul Dravid

How do you rate India’s prospects at the next Under-19 World Cup?
We are very confident with the process and preparation we’ve set up. At the start of the cycle, I tell a lot of these guys who are pushing for spots: ‘We’ll give you enough opportunities to put your hand up and select yourself.’ And honestly, hand on heart, at least 40-45 boys can say, ‘Hey, we got a chance. We got opportunities.’What might happen at this level is that boys miss out in a particular year. They’re all growing still. I see this a lot at this age, that people have bad years. You see them playing very well one year and then suddenly they struggle the next. So they don’t get picked on form. But I always try and tell them, ‘Don’t worry, it’s not about getting selected for the World Cup. In the long run, nobody’s going to remember if you played in the Under-19 World Cup or not.’It’s about: Can I become a successful first-class cricketer and from there, go on to play for India? There will be very good players who are going to miss out on the final 15. But like I always them, ‘Don’t lose heart. It’s just one World Cup. It doesn’t define your career. You will go back and play Under-23, play for your first-class teams, and in one or two years you can easily catch up with some of these boys who have played in the World Cup.’Just because you’ve played a World Cup doesn’t mean you will play for India, and just because you haven’t played a World Cup doesn’t mean you won’t. It’s a nice achievement to have, but it’s not the be-all and end-all of everything. Look at Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devdutt Padikkal – they didn’t make our World Cup squad. And they have started doing really well for their first-class teams.What would you say is India’s strength?
We have got a good balance in the team. We probably had more good allrounders in last year’s team. People like Kamlesh [Nagarkoti] and Shivam [Mavi] could all bat. So last year’s World Cup team could bat all the way to No. 10. But this year too, the selectors have done a pretty good job in picking a good side. Depending on the conditions in South Africa, if they aid fast bowlers, we have got a pretty good attack. We have got batting all the way down to seven-eight-nine. We have got spinners, if conditions suit.India captain Prithvi Shaw and coach Rahul Dravid hold the World Cup trophy•ICC/Getty ImagesThe issue of mental health is in the spotlight at the moment. What would you advise younger players on this so that they can deal with it best?
It is a big challenge. This is a tough game. There is so much competition, a lot of pressure, and kids are playing all year round now. It is a game in which you do sometimes spend a lot of time waiting around, having a lot of time to think.So, you really need to look after yourself on and off the field, and look after stuff like mental health. That’s again something that, as much as we talk to these boys about, it’s really important to maintain a certain level of balance in everything you do. Be able to find that balance between not getting too excited when you succeed and not getting too disappointed when you fail. I just think being able to lead a slightly balanced life potentially helps.We are also putting a few things in place at the NCA wherein we want to be able to give people an opportunity to talk about these things and address some of these things, and have people that they can speak to. So, yes, there has been some work on that as well, wherein eventually we’ll get to a point where hopefully we should have professionals on board. I think sometimes some of these things need to be handled by professionals.I don’t think some of the coaches, or some of us, have the ability to deal with some of the issues. Some things we might be able to, but there may be some things where we might need to look at professional help. It’s one of the things we are definitely keen on doing at the NCA: giving some of these boys access to some level of professional help if they do require it.There’s been a renaissance in Indian fast bowling at the international level. Do you see the same sort of enthusiasm among fast bowlers coming up?
Yes, definitely. Every year now in Under-19 cricket, we’ve had some very good fast bowlers. Last time, we had three of them in Kamlesh, Shivam and Ishan [Porel]. This year also you will see some good fast bowlers in the team.When you have role models and you have heroes like the senior team… I think what Ishant [Sharma], [Mohammed] Shami, Umesh [Yadav], Bhuvneshwar Kumar and [Jasprit] Bumrah are doing, is they are actually in a way becoming role models for a lot of younger generation of boys who believe now they can be fast bowlers. They can bowl fast and be successful in India. It’s great to see that. Obviously we had people like Kapil [Dev], Sri [Javagal Srinath], Zaheer [Khan] and all in the past. But as a group, this is probably one of the best fast-bowling attacks we have ever had. I think that’s a great inspiration for a lot of these young boys.

Just because you’ve played a World Cup doesn’t mean you will play for India, and just because you haven’t played a World Cup doesn’t mean you won’t. It’s a nice achievement to have, but it’s not the be all and end all of everything.Rahul Dravid

In the past, crowds in India would come to see batsmen. Do you think in the future they’ll be going to watch fast bowlers intimidating batsmen with pace and bounce?
I hope so. Now that I have retired, I don’t mind the others being intimidated (laughs).A lot of young pace bowlers are coming up, but one of the major concerns are injuries they pick up early in their careers.
It is part and parcel of being a fast bowler. Unfortunately, it’s a very unnatural activity. One of the things that has improved in India is the focus on fitness and physiotherapy, the care that we are able to give. Some of the facilities that our Under-19 boys have today are amazing; access to some of the best physios and trainers at the NCA. Indian teams of the past didn’t have that kind of support. It is there, but you will still have injuries.Fast bowling, especially for young bodies with people still growing up and developing, it’s just going to happen. We have to get better at managing it. But unfortunately, in this sport, there’s no such thing as: ‘I will keep playing, and I will keep bowling fast and not get injured (chuckles).’ Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that, so you have to accept it and work out ways to minimise that – that’s all we can do. Will we ever get to a stage where we will have no injuries? Unfortunately, not.As science develops, as research improves… that’s again an area we need to do a little bit more, in research – on our own bodies, our own bowlers, right from junior and camp level. We are doing a little bit of that now, starting it at the NCA and zonal camps. We are doing more research, collecting more data and information on our cricketers. We are using data and research that has been done on different bodies [than ours]: Caucasians, English and Australian players.We need to do our research, we need to do data collection on our own athletes and that will give us insights. A lot of that process has already started; it’s been going on for about two years now and all that is helping us in a large way. We need to keep doing more of that and improve at that. That’s really one of the things I want to drive forward at the NCA level as well.What are your thoughts on the next generation of spinners?
Spin is a little bit more of a challenge. There are a number of good spinners in the country, don’t get me wrong. But because of the amount of white-ball cricket, which has increased with Twenty20 cricket and there are so many domestic tournaments with the white-ball, it’s a bit tougher for younger spinners to balance that. That’s one of the challenges we face at the Under-19 level: for young spinners to find that balance between white-ball and red-ball cricket.Going ahead, that’s one of our goals. We want to try and work with our spinners, help them improve. How do they make those adjustments? It’s not that easy for spinners to do it. There is a challenge from the ranks coming up. But we are still producing good spinners, don’t get me wrong. Even at Under-19, we have got some good spinners. But this adjustment from Under-19 cricket to first-class cricket has probably been, from my experience, easier for batsmen and fast bowlers. It hasn’t been that easy for spinners. So, we have to keep working on it.Getty ImagesYou’re no longer just the head coach of the Under-19 team or the ‘A’ team, you’re NCA director now. How has your role changed?
It’s changed a little bit in the sense that this time it’s not as much hands-on with a lot of these boys. I have been around with them, I was in England and I came here as well. But it’s also really about working with the coaches we’ve had. We’ve got some really good coaches for these guys at the moment – Paras [Mhambrey], Hrishi [Hrishikesh Kanitkar] and Abhay [Sharma]. Top-class coaches, very experienced, who’ve been in the system.Paras and Abhay have been with me on both the other World Cups. So, this really gives us an opportunity to not only develop players, but also develop our coaches. This is a platform where we should also be developing and growing our coaches, so we’ve tried to do that at the Under-19 and India A level. That’s also part of my role as well now. It’s slightly broader in terms of also helping us identify and develop the next generation of coaches coming through, giving them a lot more responsibility. Yes, I’m involved, and around. I’m here and might probably go to the World Cup for some part, maybe the start or during the preparation phase. But really, I think it’s been about giving them a lot more freedom and allowing them to develop and grow.Through the NCA we’re also going to try and help a lot of our coaches. We’ve hired Sujith [Somasundar] now, who has come on as head of education. A part of our goal is to create a programme for coaches as well, so that we can give them certain skills in which they can develop – and hopefully then get the opportunities to work at a slightly higher level. I think a lot of IPL teams miss a trick by not using more domestic talent in the coaching area and the talent identification area, even if it is as assistants. That’s my personal opinion.Ever since Sourav Ganguly took charge as the president of the BCCI, he has said his priority will be first-class cricket. What are the areas that require changes in first-class cricket?
It’s the small things in the system that Sourav probably was mentioning – like ensuring security for first-class players, the quality of our pitches, the quality of the facilities that first-class and Under-19 cricketers get to train in, practice in. Fitness, physiotherapy… all of these things have improved, but it’s just a constant process. You just have to keep getting better at it..For many, many years now, we’ve got a pretty successful system going. We play a lot of matches, people get opportunities. You just need to keep improving them. Attention to small things, attention to detail, I would say is something we can maybe focus on and do a bit better. There’s no such thing as a perfect system. You always learn, and you always improve. That’s true of players, systems, competitions and everything really.Does the IPL still remain a favourite route to gain attention quicker than other formats?
I wouldn’t say that. In the Twenty20 format, yes, maybe. But I think the selectors have also been very good, in the sense that they are expecting people to do well in the Ranji Trophy as well. So, whether it is a Shubman Gill or a Prithvi Shaw from the last batch who came in, if you look at their performances, they have got into the Indian team not only based on their IPL runs, but really on their Ranji Trophy runs, their India A runs.So, the selectors are not only looking at IPL performances. In the conversations and discussions I have with them, it becomes very clear to me that they have put a lot of value on domestic cricket, they have put a lot of value on domestic runs, India A runs. That is really good to see. If the selectors drive that, then people will understand that it’s important.