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At the start of 2023, we, including Rishabh Pant, wondered if he would be on a cricket field again, leave alone be the same flamboyant Pant the world fell in love with. A road accident on the way to surprising his mother in Uttarakhand left his car in flames; most would take coming out alive of it as a blessing let alone compete in elite sport again. Less than two years later, he has beaten every recovery timeline given to him, and even though he missed the home ODI World Cup, he is a T20I world champion, and more importantly now back as a Test jack in the box.On his comeback Test, Pant equalled MS Dhoni on most centuries as an India wicketkeeper, and then confirmed what observers have long believed: even though he entered our consciousness as a T20 player, Test cricket is where he is most at home.”Definitely, it was emotional because coming back I wanted to score in each and every match, which I couldn’t do [in the first innings, where he was part of a recovery but made a mental error],” Pant told the broadcasters after India’s 280-run win against Bangladesh in Chennai. “But coming back to Test cricket, where I belong most is great. I enjoyed batting out there and just got a little bit emotional. But at end of the day, just being on the field gives me more pleasure than doing anything else.”Related

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Pant equalled Dhoni in terms of centuries at Dhoni’s quasi home ground. Pant said he, too, loves the vibes there. “A lot special because I love playing in Chennai, first of all,” Pant said. “And secondly, after injury, I think I wanted to play all three formats and this was my first Test match after coming back. Just loving it every day.”Pant might not have made a big score in the first innings (39), but he walked in ahead of KL Rahul at 34 for 3 and added 62 with his friend Shubman Gill. “I try to read the situation in my own way,” Pant said. “And when you’re 30 for 3, I think you need to switch a partnership. And that’s what exactly me and Gill did out there. Especially, I feel like when you are chatting with someone who you have a great relationship outside the field, it really helps.”Captain Rohit Sharma was full of praise for Pant’s comeback. “He has been through some really tough times, and the way he has managed himself through those tough times was superb to watch,” Rohit said. “He came back in the IPL then followed by the World Cup, a very successful World Cup, and then obviously this is the format he loves the most.”For us it was never about what is he going to do with the bat. We always knew what he had with the bat and with the gloves as well. It was just about getting him back in the game and giving him that game time. Credit to him as well. He went on to play the Duleep Trophy and got ready for this Test match and had an impact straightaway in the game.”

The allrounder is currently taking part in the Hundred having come close to suffering a very nasty injury earlier in the season

Andrew McGlashan13-Aug-2024As the third-highest wicket-taker among overseas bowlers in the BBL, and the best among quicks, Tom Curran has had plenty of good times in the competition, but last season did not bring too many as most of his headlines came when he was suspended for intimidating an umpire.He was handed a four-game sanction after running towards fourth umpire Muhammad Qureshi during warm-ups before Sydney Sixers’ game against Hobart Hurricanes. He took 3 for 19 in that game, including his 50th wicket in the tournament, but only appeared in two more matches after his ban, which Sixers unsuccessfully appealed, before a knee injury ended his campaign.Related

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Curran will be back in the BBL for the 2024-25 season with a new team, having signed a two-year pre-draft deal with Melbourne Stars and he is available for the entirety of the competition. Sixers have been reassessing their overseas options for this season ahead of the draft on September 1, with a spinner understood to be high on their list after Steve O’Keefe’s retirement, but Curran believes he has left on good terms.”Obviously, the way that whole situation panned out last year wasn’t how anyone wanted it to happen,” Curran told ESPNcricinfo. “I don’t feel like it was an issue with the Sixers. We fought the case together and they backed me which I really appreciated. Whenever I represented the Sixers I felt like I did them proud, not just on the field, felt like I gave it my all, immersed myself in the culture and made some amazing friends.”I got a decent idea that they were looking at other [overseas] options and they couldn’t commit at the same sort of [level] that the Stars were showing. It just felt [like] the right decision, a good time for a change. And with the multi-year contracts, I feel like a person who wants to be loyal to teams, you don’t want to be chopping and changing.””Absolutely it didn’t end the way I wanted it to…but the decisions that were made and the way it panned out was not anything to do with the people I actually dealt with and where my loyalties were.”Curran is currently playing for Oval Invincibles in their Hundred title defence having recovered from what was close to being a season-ending injury. He was bowling for Surrey in the T20 Blast against Middlesex when Luke Hollman crunched a slower ball back at him in his follow through, breaking his left forearm just above the wrist.Curran underwent surgery to have a plate inserted, which aided a quicker recovery time, and was able to get back on the field after six weeks although is currently using a protective carbon fiber guard. It was another reminder of the dangers bowlers face, particularly in T20 cricket.Tom Curran is currently wearing a protection on his arm when he bowls•Getty Images”It was nasty,” he said. “I’m sure you’ve seen a few things over the years of bowlers getting it smacked back. It could have been so much worse if it had got me in the face that could have done some serious damage, or even the right arm or hand.”In 2017, Otago pace bowler Warren Barnes caught attention when he used protective headwear in a Super Smash game and in 2019 former New Zealand seamer Andrew Ellis wore a baseball catcher’s helmet having previously been struck, but protective equipment for bowlers is challenging.”It’s super dangerous, particularly for some guys,” Curran said. “I probably feel like I’m a standard bowler, but there’s a lot that when they follow through they get right down, their heads are down, and by the time they look up they won’t have had the time to move. I’m surprised there haven’t been more [injuries], especially the way guys are hitting them now. Maybe guys could start wearing some form of masks. It’s a tough one because you need to be mobile when you are bowling.”Curran had previously fought back from two stress fractures of the back during 2022 and 2023, between which he had opted to step away from red-ball cricket. He made the last of his T20I appearances in 2021 and while the prospect of an England recall does not consume him he is confident he could make a success of it. Since returning to bowling last July, he has 33 wickets at 16.21 and an economy of 7.88 alongside a batting strike rate of 160.61 which includes his staring role in last year’s Hundred final.”The roles I’m playing, feel like it’s quite a niche and the hardest thing about them is the consistency which I feel like I’ve done well,” he said. “But it’s not eating up my mental headspace, it’s not what’s motivating me every day and I feel that’s a good place to be.”I’ve had a fair few years to reflect on not playing and what I did when I did play. I feel like I’m a better all-round player than I was then. A bit older and feel like I know my value now. Whether I do get that opportunity or not, I’m just looking forward to contributing to teams that I do play for and keep winning some titles.”

Liverpool’s defence played a huge role in their ability to claim the Premier League title this season, offering Arne Slot a strong foundation to build his side off.

The Reds conceded just 41 times in their 38 outings, with only runners-up Arsenal conceding fewer goals, with their impressive tally of 34, highlighting how impressive Slot’s backline were in 2024/25.

They also kept 14 clean sheets – the most of any side in the division – with the ability to keep the ball out of the net playing a massive role in their success within England’s top flight.

Such a department has been boosted massively over the past few months, after club captain Virgil van Dijk signed a new two-year deal at Anfield, extending his stint on Merseyside to just under a decade.

Despite the Dutchman signing a new deal, the hierarchy have wasted no time in targeting other players in such an area to help the side in their quest to retain their title.

The latest on Liverpool’s hunt for new defenders this summer

With Jeremie Frimpong already agreeing a move to join Liverpool this summer, the club have wasted no time in landing a replacement for the outgoing Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Milos Kerkez is another name who looks set to make the switch to Merseyside this summer, with the Hungarian in advanced talks over a switch to Anfield – potentially costing a fee in the region of £45m.

The pair could be joined by another defensive reinforcement, in the form of Rennes centre-back Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal, according to Moroccan outlet Le360 Sport.

They claim that the Reds have already made a concrete offer to sign the 19-year-old, who spent the 2024/25 season on loan at Ligue 2 outfit Amiens.

It also states that Newcastle are also interested in the teenage star, with Slot’s men the only side to present a bid for his signature, but doesn’t reveal how much the proposal is for the youngster.

Why Liverpool’s latest target would be Slot’s own Huijsen

Over the last couple of months, Liverpool have been keeping a close eye on the progress of Spanish centre-back Dean Huijsen after his impressive stint at Bournemouth this season.

The 20-year-old featured in 32 league games for the Cherries in the Premier League, scoring on three occasions, even winning their Player of the Year award.

Such form led to the Reds’ hierarchy meeting with the defender’s representatives a couple of weeks ago, but he rejected a stay in England to return to Spain in favour of a £50m move to Real Madrid.

Undoubtedly, his decision to move to the LaLiga outfit has been a blow for Slot’s side, but they could land their own version of Huijsen this summer, in the form of current target Ait Boudlal.

The Moroccan could follow suit of the Spaniard, who achieved his move to the Premier League after spending a stint on loan at Roma from Juventus, plying his trade for another team in Italy before getting his chance to shine.

The Rennes ace has done the same this campaign in France, moving to Amiens and gaining valuable minutes to aid his progression at the top end of the professional game.

Should he move to Liverpool this summer, Ait Boudlal would have the potential to emulate Huijsen’s levels in the Premier League, offering needed depth to Slot at the heart of the defence.

Games played

9

Goals & assists

1

Pass accuracy

83%

Dribble success

60%

Tackles won

47%

Aerials won

2.3

Total duels won

4.9

His stats this season highlight the talent he possesses, having the ability to improve massively under his guidance in the years ahead, especially considering his tender age.

Ait Boudlal, who’s been labelled “complete” by talent scout Antonio Mango, has already been a regular at multiple levels of the internal setup within his country – having a huge part to play in their future success at competitions such as AFCON.

It would certainly be a signing for the future, but the signs are there for the teenager to follow suit of Huijsen and make a sensational switch to England from Rennes this summer.

It’s unclear how much a deal would set the hierarchy back in the coming months, but if he manages to get anywhere close to the levels produced by the Spaniard, it would be a bargain and one that could hand the club a huge talent in their quest for title glory.

Their own Mbappe: Liverpool make £150m star their dream target after Wirtz

Liverpool could be about to make another huge move for a player during this summer’s transfer window.

ByEthan Lamb Jun 4, 2025

Liverpool step into the summer as Premier League champions and could now be in the process of enticing a potential replacement for Luis Diaz to Anfield, per a report.

Liverpool ready to send shockwaves in the transfer market

The Reds have emerged as a dangerous force in the transfer market this summer, and Arne Slot doesn’t appear to have any designs on slowing down in his hunt for premium talent.

Jeremie Frimpong has been confirmed as a Liverpool player, and Florian Wirtz may soon join him, signalling that the reigning Premier League champions intend to fight tooth and nail to defend their title next term.

Now, the intention at Anfield is to build a squad worthy of balancing a gruelling domestic schedule with their endeavours in the Champions League come 2025/26.

Reports suggest Valencia centre-back Cristhian Mosquera is on the Reds’ radar, and they may be aided by the fact Giorgi Mamardashvili holds a pre-existing relationship with the £25 million-rated defender.

Paris Saint-Germain striker Goncalo Ramos is another target for Liverpool. However, it remains to be seen whether he will be allowed to leave the Champions League holders as they prepare to compete in the Club World Cup.

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Nevertheless, there has arguably never been a better time to support the Reds. Further silverware is on their mind, including an elusive 21st top-flight title that would put them ahead of Manchester United’s shared record in that regard.

Clever additions are needed to ensure Liverpool stay ahead of the chasing pack and avoid succumbing to second-season syndrome. Determined to adhere to those standards, FSG and company are now pursuing an exciting Premier League star who could be available, amid rumours of an exit for Diaz who has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia or Barcelona this summer.

Liverpool enter race to sign £35m Yankuba Minteh

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool have been closely monitoring Yankuba Minteh’s progress at Brighton & Hove Albion and could make a £35 million move for the winger.

The Gambia international has been an important asset under Fabian Hurzeler since joining from Newcastle United last summer, registering seven goals and five assists in 37 appearances across all competitions.

Yankuba Minteh’s excellent campaign at Brighton & Hove Albion – Premier League (FBRef)

Shot-creating actions

64

Goal-creating actions

13

Expected goals total

4.1

Expected assist total

5.0

Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are also keeping tabs on his situation, and the Seagulls know that it will be hard to refuse a sizeable offer for their star man should appropriate interest emerge for his signature.

His camp isn’t in a rush to make a decision over his future, but Minteh’s tally of 29 chances fashioned on Premier League duty is bound to attract attention. He is also deemed to be faster than any player Slot has at his disposal after hitting a top speed of 36.4 k/hm in the top flight last term.

Liverpool’s position as top-flight champions offers Slot a great chance to land his man, though this story may be worth keeping an eye on as the Reds’ transfer business begins to take shape on Merseyside.

Diaz has been linked with a £68 million move to the Saudi Pro League this summer, so it could make a degree of sense if the Colombia international were to make way for Minteh’s arrival.

Arsenal’s summer spending spree is seemingly set to commence.

On Saturday morning, Fabrizio Romano reported that Martín Zubimendi “has now verbally agreed” to join Arsenal, claiming that the Gunners intend to trigger his release clause, which stands at €60m (£51m).

This deal has been in the pipeline for a while, with David Ornstein of The Athletic reporting back in January that they were “pursuing a deal” to sign the Spanish international, describing him as a “long-term target”.

Nevertheless, this is set to be just the start of Mikel Arteta’s mass summer squad rebuild, so are the Gunners also close to signing another La Liga star, who’d be the club’s best value-for-money signing since Jurriën Timber?

Latest on Arsenal's transfer search

According to a report by Miguel Delaney of the Independent, Arsenal are ‘close to signing’ Espanyol goalkeeper Joan García.

As noted by James McNicholas and David Ornstein of The Athletic, Arsenal spent all of last summer pursuing the 24-year-old, having “identified” the Spaniard as the perfect player to provide competition for his compatriot David Raya, but Espanyol were unwilling to negotiate any lower than his €30m (£25m) release clause.

The bad news for Arsenal is that the Blanquiazules are on course to avoid relegation, García’s release clause would reportedly have dropped to just £12.6m had the Catalan club finished in the bottom three, but Tom Allnutt of the Times still believes the Gunners plan to finalise this deal.

So, how will García improve Arteta’s squad, and will he be their latest bargain signing?

Arsenal's best value-for-money signings

Analyst Ben Mattinson labels García an “exciting goalkeeper”, praising his “cross claiming” and “composure on the ball”.

Meantime, Sive Vishwa of Breaking the Lines describes him as “dependable and aggressive”, forecasting that he will become “one of the best goalkeepers” of his generation.

Thus, at just £25m, García looks set to prove an absolute bargain, but who are some of Arsenal’s best value-for-money signings of the Arteta-era?

David Raya

2023

£27m

93

Jurriën Timber

2023

£34m

51

Leandro Trossard

2023

£27m

121

Jorginho

2023

£12m

78

Martin Ødegaard

2021

£30m

195

Gabriel Magalhães

2020

£27m

210

Timber in particular stands out as an excellent value-for-money signing, arriving from Ajax for just £34m two summers ago.

As outlined by Alex Howell of BBC Sport, the Dutchman is in the running to be named Arsenal’s player of the season, a remarkable achievement considering he played just 147 minutes during his first campaign in North London, suffering an ACL rupture on the opening day of the season against Nottingham Forest.

So, will García prove to be the Gunners’ latest bargain?

Well, for him to become that, he’ll need to play matches, and this won’t be easy considering current number one Raya has been “really impressive” according to Arteta, so let’s compare the two Spanish shot-stoppers.

Appearances

34

52

Minutes

3,060

4,710

Cleans sheets

7

18

Goals conceded

44

47

Shots on target faced

176

170

Saves

135

119

Save %

77.3%

74.1%

Post-shot xG – goals conceded

+9.3

+4.1

Crosses stopped %

9.6%

12.1%

Penalties faced

6

12

Penalties saved

2

2

Pass completion %

70.9%

73.9%

Long passes attempted

515

723

% of accurate long passes

39.6%

36.7%

As the table outlines, García’s statistics this season do compare favourably to Raya, made all the more impressive by the fact he is playing for an Espanyol side battling to avoid relegation from La Liga, having been promoted via the Segunda División play-offs last June.

Raya’s statistics are superior when it comes to high claims and passes completed, but García’s post-shot expected goals – goals allowed figure of +9.3, meaning he’s prevented over nine more goals than expected, is certainly eye-catching.

Across Europe’s top-five leagues, of all 204 goalkeepers who have featured this season, García ranks sixth for this metric, behind only Yehvann Diouf (Reims), Yahia Fofana (Angers), Vanja Milinković-Savić (Torino), Đorđe Petrović​​​​​​​ (Strasbourg) and Donovan Léon (Auxerre), with Raya down at 131st, according to FBref.com.

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So, García will arrive in North London confident he can usurp his fellow Spaniard in the pecking order, suggesting he could prove to be fantastic value for money.

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Liverpool are now in a race to sign an “outrageous” attacker, who has been compared to Lionel Messi, but there could be fierce competition from a number of their Premier League rivals, according to a report.

Reds eyeing forwards amid doubts over Salah and Nunez

Mohamed Salah is still yet to commit to a new contract to remain at Anfield, while there is major doubt over Darwin Nunez’s future on Merseyside, with the Reds now happy to sanction the Uruguayan’s departure in the summer transfer window.

Nunez has been very disappointing this season, netting just seven goals in all competitions, and Nottingham Forest are believed to have made a £50m bid.

As such, the Reds have started looking at new forwards, and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha is the latest striker to be linked with a move, with contact being made to gauge whether the Brazilian would be interested in heading to Anfield.

Arne Slot’s side have also approached Brighton & Hove Albion over Joao Pedro, who is viewed as a like-for-like replacement for Nunez, while Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman, who is able to play on both wings and at centre-forward, is another option for the Merseysiders.

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It would be very difficult for any new signing to replicate Salah’s numbers, but Liverpool have now set their sights on another player who has been in incredible form, with a report from The Boot Room revealing they are interested in Lyon’s Rayan Cherki.

Cherki has really kicked on this season, quashing previous concerns that he did not have the correct attitude to make it to the very top, and he has struck an agreement with Lyon to leave for less than £25m this summer.

Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are also interested in the forward, while there are a whole host of other potential suitors from the Premier League, namely Manchester United, Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal.

"Outrageous" Cherki impressing in France and Europe

It is little wonder the Frenchman is starting to attract attention from a number of Europe’s top clubs, given that he has been in fantastic form for Lyon this season, amassing eight goals and 18 assists in all competitions.

Eight of those assists have been in the Europa League, with the 21-year-old leading his side’s charge to the quarter-finals, and journalist Dean Jones has lauded his skill level as “outrageous”.

Not only that, but former Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has compared the playmaker to one of the best players of all-time, saying: “Cherki is comparable to (Lionel) Messi in terms of technical quality.”

As such, £25m could be a bargain price for Cherki, whose performances this season indicate he has developed considerably this season, and at just 21-years-old, he may still be some way off his prime.

It’s not just about the cricket or the money, Cummins explains, but the opportunity to think about his career after cricket

Matt Roller22-Jul-20241:50

Cummins: MLC is giving cricketers a platform in the US

Pat Cummins does not make Major League Cricket sound like a tough sell. “It was like, ‘do you want to come to the US for a few weeks in summer, be around a team where I’m good mates with a few of the guys, play a bit of golf and play a bit of cricket in a new country’,” he tells ESPNcricinfo from Dallas. “I jumped at it.”Yet his lucrative four-year contract with San Francisco Unicorns was a paradigm of change in the cricket world. Cummins had only previously played in one overseas T20 league – the IPL – but his interest was piqued by the identity of the franchise’s owners: Anand Rajaraman and Venky Harinarayan, a pair of India-born venture capitalists based in California.Five injury-ruined years early in his career made Cummins acutely aware that professional sport is transitory. He studied business at Sydney’s University of Technology during his prolonged rehabilitation, sits on the Australian Cricketers’ Association’s board of directors, and has used his platform to advocate for action on climate change.It is why the owners’ Silicon Valley background was the clincher for him. “It’s a space that I find super interesting, particularly the venture-capital world,” Cummins says. “I potentially see that as something I’d like to do more of post-cricket, so [this is] a way to align with a few of those guys, learn off them over the next few years, be around some of those conversations.”The tournament effectively provides him with a chance to network: since arriving in the US, Cummins has already “informally” discussed potential opportunities over coffee. “If it’s something I do enjoy, hopefully I could dive a little bit deeper for the back-end of my career, and then maybe move into that space a bit more professionally after cricket.”

“For the guys that play all three formats, you’re always trying to make sure you’re peaking for those major events – and it feels like there’s been about ten major events in the last 18 months, so I haven’t really taken much time to reinvest back in my body”Pat Cummins

Cummins’ contract with Unicorns runs until 2027. By then, he will be 34 and closer to the end of his international career. “The intention is definitely to make this a long-term partnership,” he says. “Obviously playing for Australia, it’s going to clash at certain times. But outside of that, I want to make sure MLC is a real focus.”MLC remains at a nascent stage, with just 25 matches shared across two venues. But its combination of high salaries, a short window, and the novelty of playing in the US have proved attractive. Its pool of overseas players comfortably outstrips that of rival leagues, including the Hundred in England. “I hadn’t thought of the Hundred,” Cummins admits.Cummins makes it clear that, as Test and ODI captain, “playing for Australia will come first”. Cricket Australia only made him available for five out of seven MLC group games this year to manage his workload after the T20 World Cup, and his availability for the 2025 edition will depend on a potential clash with a two-match Test series in the Caribbean.He has also been rested for Australia’s white-ball tour to Scotland and England in September, giving him a prolonged break ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Tellingly, that decision received minimal pushback.”Everyone’s a little bit more realistic about the schedules nowadays,” Cummins says. “We spend ten-plus months of the year away on the road, so some tours probably carry a little bit more importance than others. For the guys that play all three formats, you’re always trying to make sure you’re peaking for those major events – and it feels like there’s been about ten major events in the last 18 months, so I haven’t really taken much time to reinvest back in my body.”1:38

Cummins explains why he will miss the September tour to England

Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc are part of September’s tour, but Cummins had long planned to miss it. “That window has always been earmarked as a time to really give my body a rest and do close to a full pre-season,” he explains. “I should get six or eight weeks off bowling and then build up again. Once this MLC opportunity came up and we mapped out the plan, it didn’t really change much.”I still get that same amount of break and then just probably start one or two weeks later heading into the summer… I’ll get home, I’ll have a good six or eight weeks off bowling where I’ll get in the gym every day, do some running, and get some strength back into my body. And then we’ve got a big Test match series [against India] for our home summer, so that’ll be the focus.”Cummins has only taken one wicket in three MLC appearances, but has helped Unicorns seal a top-two finish, closing out a win over MI New York on Friday night. “It’s a really high standard,” he says. “The calibre of players is ridiculous and for a competition in its second season, it’s super organised and super competitive… I couldn’t speak highly enough of it.”Australia played exclusively in the Caribbean during the T20 World Cup, but Cummins watched the US leg with interest: “That Pakistan-India game looked insane… everyone talks about baseball, basketball and NFL, but there’s hundreds of thousands of cricketers here going about their work quietly who are now starting to get a platform.”Unicorns’ long-term ambition is to bring MLC to California, with plans to build a stadium in San Jose. “Hopefully that will be ready to go in the next couple of years, and I’ll be coming back to San Fran a lot,” Cummins says. That sentence alone from Australia’s captain is proof that cricket has changed for good.

The Rajasthan Royals’ director of cricket on the making of Jos Buttler’s purple patch this IPL season and the reason he’s found success where other batters haven’t

Interview by Andrew Fidel Fernando05-May-2022A little over halfway in the IPL, Jos Buttler is by a distance the most prolific batter in the competition, having made 588 runs at a strike rate of 151. Rajasthan Royals’ director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara talks about the season his team’s star batter is having.Jos Buttler is no stranger to success at the IPL, but this season he’s been far and away the best of the batters so far. Why do you think that is?
He’s been given a very clear role as an opener, without having to think about batting No. 4 or 3, or his role being questioned in terms of how the team might benefit from his position being changed.The franchise has also recognised that he’s been the best T20 opener in the world for the past few years. We’ve done our data and analytics for seven months. We had a separate analytics team that looked at player valuation quite differently and went into granular detail, and that helped us in terms of retention and in terms of auction strategy, and giving players clarity in their roles, and that’s helped Jos.Related

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In terms of his technique, he’s done a lot of work in identifying what his best hitting position is, and how he changes from the first two to three overs in the powerplay to that power-hitting position the moment he feels he’s got rhythm. That’s been really good.He tends to start somewhat slow…
Jos has realised that his strike rate right throughout the innings gets better and better, so he knows not to get fazed when the ball is swinging or seaming – to fight through those periods and give himself the best chance of success. If he’s batting in the 14th or 15th over, he’s well on the way to scoring a hundred. Last season the Sunrisers game was an example. He was about 35 runs off 35 balls and ended up scoring a hundred off 56 deliveries I think. He’s great at understanding what the game is telling him to do and the pitch is telling him to do. And giving himself the best chance of taking his innings deep and scoring the runs for the side. He’s got amazing skills, amazing hands and bat speed, so that does the rest of the job.Against Sunrisers Hyderabad last season, Buttler began with a run-a-ball 35 before accelerating to 50 off 39, then 100 off 56, and finishing with 124 off 64 balls•BCCI/IPLThen he explodes in the next ten balls to the point where balls ten to 20 are one of his most productive periods. Is this a game plan he has?
For him it depends on feel. If you take the first Mumbai game – Bumrah bowled a really good over, Daniel Sams not such a good over, and then Basil Thampi comes on and suddenly, I think he felt that was an over where he could really take him down. I think he took 26 or something in that over. When he gets that feeling, how he arranges his feet in terms of his ready position is really important for him to have that maximum output.He starts off in the normal fashion but changes into his power-hitting position when the moment comes along. When there’s another tough period, he changes back. He’s brilliant at reading the game. He knows how to switch back and forth. That’s been a hallmark of why he’s been so successful this season.No type of bowler seems to have had an advantage over him this season. What’s given him that unique edge?
He’s good against spin and pace, which is not always the case with even the great players. He also has a very good shot repertoire that he’s comfortable with. He paddles, sweeps, reverse sweeps. And he’s got great hand speed and a lot of power. He’s a very, very strong guy. You can see that even off a back-foot punch, how he clears the line. So when you have those shots and that strength in your armoury and those quick hands – it gives you a huge amount of confidence.When I was playing, I had to calculate a six, and reverse sweeps were not something I did naturally. I had certain ways of scoring. But Jos is exceptional because of his range of scoring. He’s all around the wicket. He paddles pace, he hits down the ground, and he hits over extra cover. There’s no real weakness, when he gets going [for you] to tie him down. The only thing that can affect him a little bit is sticky or slow wickets. But then when he fights through those periods, those attributes that he has really help him.He looks at his T20 innings as a long innings. He’s not a guy who’s just satisfied batting in the powerplay. He’ll take it to the 12th, 14th, 15th over, which really helps the side do well. That overall game arrangement that he has makes it tough for bowlers to tie him down.”He is exceptional because of his range of scoring – he paddles pace, he hits down the ground, and he hits over extra cover”•BCCI/IPLAs good as he has been against pace, he’s prospering even more against the spinners – he has faced 103 balls of spin in the tournament, been out just once, and scored at 9.9 runs an over against them, with almost a quarter of the balls he’s faced being boundaries. Could you break down his technique against spin?
It’s risk and reward, and he understands that very well. He will use his feet against certain spinners. He understands which spinners he’s struggling against, so he’s more than happy to take a couple of singles and give the strike over to the other guy. He hits off the back foot really well now over cover, and straight down the ground really well. In the first KKR game, he back-foot-punched Varun Chakravarthy into the sightscreen. The moment they go full, he hits down the ground off the front foot. There’s very little margin in terms of spin unless there’s a lot of purchase on the pitch. As a bowler, when your margins decrease, there’s a lot of pressure to be almost perfect, which, again, can lead to a lot of mistakes, and that again is an advantage to Jos.Spinners – except for a Rashid Khan or a [Sunil] Narine to an extent – have been able to bowl good balls at him, but they’ve not been able to tie him down or get him out. Sometimes we get carried away with the boundaries only, but the way he’s rotated the strike, minimised risk, and really taken down bowlers when he knows he can – that’s the kind of back-and-forth in his batting that’s really helped him against spin.He very famously once had “f**k it” written on the top of his bat handle. As a director of cricket, for you is he the kind of player that you just leave alone to prepare their own way?
Jos is someone who thinks about his technique and his batting quite a lot – much more than I expected he would. He’s always ready to learn. He talks about his batting with a lot of knowledge and authority. He has a very set way of training and keeping his body position. He works very hard at training.My job is really to show him what the results are and why that is happening. And to convince him to keep doing the same thing – not any less or any more. Just to build that tempo into his innings and understand that each day it’ll be different. That tempo could come at different times. It could be the second ten balls, or it could be from balls 30 to 40. Just to fight through the tough parts and give himself the best chance to be impactful for the side. There’s been times when he’s struggled through with a very average strike rate, and ended up with a 150 or 160 strike rate. Sometimes it’s over 200. My job is to get him comfortable in that and give him ownership.The medium is the message: is Buttler’s “f*** it” philosophy the secret to his purple patch?•Getty ImagesAre you finding that because he’s having such an incandescent season, the oppositions’ tendency to prioritise the match-ups against him, or use different bowlers while he’s at the crease, is having knock-on effects for the rest of your batters?
With the new balls they’ll always try to get him out with set ways, which he knows about. There’s yorkers, there’s change of pace, or two fielders on the leg side to stop him from using his paddle against pace. He knows what’s coming at him and he gets prepared for that. When you’re hitting a six, you don’t really care where the field is. You’re just trying to clear the field anyway. He’s got that really clear mindset.With a lot of the sides, if he’s going well, they will have to try and bring their best bowlers back on to try and get him out or to try and get someone else out. And that gives the rest of the batters a little bit of an easier time, facing bowlers that they might manoeuvre or find to their liking or take down. It’s had a positive effect on the side. The others have been able to bat in situations and positions that suit them because Jos has been so effective.Which of his innings have been the most important this season, for you?
That RCB game, he struggled through and managed to accelerate at one particular point. For me that reinforces his actual strength and shows him very clearly that if he fights through periods that are tough, he accelerates so quickly, he gets us to positions from where we should win. Those kinds of innings show him his real ability rather than scoring a hundred at a canter. He organises his game and his mindset in a way that benefits the side when the pressure is on. Innings like that are really crucial.He also hit a fantastic century against KKR, against a very good attack featuring Pat Cummins, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, and Umesh Yadav. Could you break that knock down for us?
We all know his ability against pace – he plays so straight and his commitment to his boundary-hitting. I think the significance was that back-foot punch for six against Chakravarthy. That really put the KKR bowlers under threat, because Chakravarthy, whom we’d spoken so much about, was nullified. And then all the batters started taking runs off him, and Jos was leading that. That particular shot gave not just Jos but everyone else confidence as well.It’s not easy to get to 100 in T20 cricket. You can get to 50 or 60 and feel like you’ve done your job. But Jos is not like that. He’ll push through.

Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler both impress in England’s series win

George Dobell at the Ageas Bowl26-Aug-20209Zak Crawley A breakthrough series. Looked a player of huge potential in compiling a classy 267 in the final Test. Blessed with a wide range of strokes, a decent defence and a calm temperament, Crawley looks comfortable against pace and spin and has the hunger to bat all day. Made 53 in his only other innings. Here to stay.8Stuart Broad Nagging, relentless and as hungry as ever, Broad continued to prove his enduring worth to England. Generally bowling full, straight and gaining just enough lateral movement to threaten both edges, he finished as the leading wicket-taker in this series. His batting looks better than it has for some time, too.7.5Jos Buttler A series that might have saved his Test career. After combining with Woakes in a match-winning partnership in Manchester, where he made an inventive 75, he combined with Crawley in establishing a record fifth-wicket partnership in Southampton. There he played his longest, biggest and perhaps most mature Test innings in making 152. He took a couple of outstanding catches in the final Test, too, and was named England’s player of the series. That said, he did miss five chances, so those worries about his keeping – especially to the spinners – persist.Chris Woakes Produced his best Test innings in several years – an unbeaten 84 – to see England to a memorable victory in Manchester and followed it with 40 in Southampton. He claimed four important wickets in that Manchester Test, too, when he bowled beautifully and was named player of the match. He perhaps wasn’t at his absolute best with the ball in the final two games as the demands of five successive Tests started to show.James Anderson celebrates taking his 600th Test wicket•Getty Images7James Anderson By his high standards, Anderson looked slightly out of sorts in Manchester. And when you’re 38, people sometimes jump to conclusions after a bad game. But he looked better in the rain-ruined second Test and claimed seven wickets in the final match of the series – including the 29th five-wicket haul of his Test career – to prove there’s some life left in him yet. Had England’s catching been better, he’d have reached the 600 milestone much sooner, but he got there in the end and made a pretty persuasive case to suggest there were a few more to come in the process.6Joe Root The figures are underwhelming but Root was dismissed only three times in the series and, on a couple of occasions, was the recipient of excellent deliveries. Yes, England would like more runs from him – his top score in the series was 42 – but he was hardly the only top-order player to struggle. Victory in the first Test made it six in a row for him as captain, while he also retains his record of never having lost a home series as leader. Retains the complete support of his team with Buttler the latest to report how some well-timed words from Root gave him confidence when required.Ben Stokes Limited to a walk-on part by family illness. Received two balls which might be considered close to unplayable to account for his dismissals but still produced a telling contribution with the ball. Despite not being able to bowl in the first innings in Manchester due to a quad injury, he came up with a typically hostile spell to make a key breakthrough in the second.5Jofra Archer He took four wickets in the first Test, was rested from the second and finished wicketless in the last. It seems England still aren’t entirely sure how to use Archer. Relegated to the role of change bowler by the return of Anderson – in last year’s Ashes, Anderson’s absence allowed Archer to take the new ball – he was all too often used in the role of short-ball aggressor. He certainly delivered in terms of pace – in the final Test, he bowled at speeds not seen from him since the Ashes – but the thought persists that he is at his best aiming for the top of off stump and utilising that bouncer as a shock delivery.Dom Bess The figures aren’t especially pretty, but they would have been a fair bit better had Buttler been able to accept any of the three chances he was offered off Bess in Manchester. Bess probably wasn’t helped by the absence of left-handers in the Pakistan top order, either, or the slow pitches and damp conditions that reduced him to a watching role in the second Test. But the series was a reminder that he is very much a player in the development phase of his career.Sam Curran Appeared in just one game in the series as England rested Archer and looked to shore up their middle-order in the absence of Stokes. Bowled nicely enough, too, in a supporting role.Ollie Pope looks on in training•Gareth Copley/Getty ImagesOllie Pope A slightly disappointing series which ended with fears Pope had suffered a recurrence of the fractured shoulder which limited his opportunities in 2019. But he made what proved to be a crucial 62 in Manchester – nobody else in the top five made 15 – and was twice the recipient of balls which reared from a length to take his glove or the shoulder of the bat. He was also twice dismissed, in very similar style, by balls from Yasir Shah that hurried on to him. But when you pick a 22-year-old, it’s surely in expectation that they will be learning on the job.Dom Sibley Made it to 20 three times in four innings – which is no mean feat in the circumstances – but failed to capitalise. He looked admirably solid against the new ball, but twice fell attempting to push on against Yasir and was once caught down the leg side off Mohammad Abbas.2.5Rory Burns A desperately difficult series for top-order batsmen saw Burns receive a couple of brutishly good deliveries including one, in the second Test, that was probably unplayable. But an average of 5 can only be a disappointment and he did look fragile against the moving ball. Crawley’s development might have left him just a little vulnerable.

For a second season in a row, the same contest at the same ground produced the same, pulsating finish

ESPNcricinfo staff03-May-2025It’s Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Yash Dayal has the ball. MS Dhoni is on strike. Ravindra Jadeja is at the other end. A 200-plus chase at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium has come down to the final over. Sounds familiar? For a second season in a row, the same contest at the same ground produced the same, pulsating finish. And yet again, when all the nerves and dust settled, it was the left-arm quick Dayal who held his own.Here’s how Shashwat Kumar called it on ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball commentary:Related

• Dayal trumps CSK in last over again to take RCB to the top

19.1 Yash Dayal to Dhoni, 1 run
low full toss on middle and leg. Dhoni cannot get under this and scuffs it down the ground to long on. Throws his head back in disappointment soon after19.2 Yash Dayal to Jadeja, 1 run
full toss on middle and leg and Jadeja cannot put it away. Drags it towards deep mid wicket and this over has begun with two singles off two balls19.3 Yash Dayal to Dhoni, OUT
massive lbw shout, and the finger goes up! No MS Dhoni magic at the Chinnaswamy tonight! Low full toss slanting into leg stump. Dhoni has a massive swipe at it but does not get any bat on it. Gets rapped on the pads and the finger goes up. Dhoni has reviewed this but it could be more in hope than anything else. The impact is in line and Ball Tracking has the ball crashing into leg stump. A monumental moment in this game, and Dayal has outwitted Dhoni two years in a row at the Chinnaswamy!19.4 Yash Dayal to Dube, (no ball) SIX runs
that is a high full toss and Dube smashes it out of sight! Borderline waist-high full toss outside off and Dube cannot believe what has been dished out. After scratching his eyes, he thumps it over deep mid wicket. No ball not given, and Dube has reviewed this. This could be touch-and-go! Dube’s waist is measured at 1.11m, and Ball Tracking shows the ball to be passing him at 1.14m. That will be a No ball – oh dearie me!19.4 Yash Dayal to Dube, 1 run
full toss just outside off. Dube swings at it with all his might and scuffs it down the ground to long off. Just a single, and the onus shifts back onto Jadeja19.5 Yash Dayal to Jadeja, 1 run
zipped in very full on off. Jadeja looks to go downtown but can only find the inside edge and then the front pad. Rolls away harmlessly into the off side19.6 Yash Dayal to Dube, 1 run
Dayal wins it for RCB again! Up against the five-time champions, Dayal shows that he is a champion to be reckoned with too. Under extreme pressure, and under extreme duress, RCB pull a win out of the fire, and they are going absolutely bonkers. It was proper carnage at the Chinnaswamy and after 40 overs of high-octane cricket, RCB stand atop the team that has caused them so much pain in the past! Full toss just outside off. Dube clears his front leg and swings for the hills. Cannot get under it and cannot find the gap either. Drilled straight to long on and that will be just a single. Spare a thought for CSK. They came so close, but in the end, fell short. A truly remarkable game of cricket, and one that those at the ground will reminisce and rejoice in years to come!