On this week’s episode we discuss the going #SAvInd T20 series and India’s preparations before the first #AusvInd test at Perth
[00:00:08] Hello and welcome to this week's episode of The Edges & Sledges Cricket Podcast. I'm your host Ashwin, I'm joined by DJ. DJ's in London by the time T20 matches end, it's late night in Singapore so Varun's not joining us today. DJ, how are you doing man? We had the crushing loss of 0-3 against New Zealand and now we're kinda back to playing meaningless T20s, scratch the word meaningless. Exciting T20s, India vs South Africa. I mean it has been fun, but it's so crazy that we're just
[00:00:38] this small window we got between two important test series, we're now squeezed in some T20s with a completely different side. How are you doing? Have you been watching much? Have you been excited about it?
[00:00:47] I mean we totally forgot to preview the T20 series which was actually played between the finalists of the last T20 World Cup.
[00:00:54] That's true.
[00:00:55] So we should have thought about like doing that but I think we were a little bit depressed after India got clean swept in the test series against New Zealand.
[00:01:03] All of a sudden I have a lot of clients and colleagues that have come out of the like woodwork claiming to have some kind of Kiwi heritage or Kiwi blood which has been pretty amusing actually.
[00:01:17] I mean of all, and I was thinking about this, all the teams to lose to like if we lost to Australia, we lost to England, it would be like really bad.
[00:01:25] But losing to New Zealand because they have that reputation of being nice guys and their fans are nice and basically rugby is their main sport and cricket is just like summer pastime.
[00:01:35] So they don't really take it all that seriously. Also they have more sheep in their country than like people.
[00:01:41] Yeah, they have more sheep in their country than people but their population of the whole country that just beat India in a test series is less than that of Pune.
[00:01:53] Yeah.
[00:01:54] Yeah, but also…
[00:01:55] It's not even a top five city in India and it's more people than all of New Zealand.
[00:01:59] And it hasn't actually created that many ripples. I mean, the point is that this, I was thinking if this had happened against England or Australia, there would be carnage right now.
[00:02:08] The Indian cricket establishment would have gone into meltdown. But somehow India has lost against New Zealand. So we're kind of okay with that, which is weird, right? I don't know. It's still a week. It's sinking in still, I feel a little bit.
[00:02:21] I'm trying to think about how I asked you a question to open this series about, or this episode about the T20 series, India-South Africa, and somehow it became about losing 0-3 to New Zealand. So clearly it's caused a little more carnage than New Zealand.
[00:02:33] I haven't got over it, man. It's been hard.
[00:02:37] No, back to the T20 series. I watched a bit of it. I watched the good bits of it. And I almost thought India was going to pull off another blind against South Africa, which seemed like a bit of another South African meltdown, to be honest.
[00:02:49] But no, it's been, it's kind of nice to try and move on a little bit from what happened in the test arena. But I've also been following the India-A tour. So there's lots to talk about this week.
[00:03:02] All right. Well, why don't we start with the T20? This will be a shorter episode than the last few because it hasn't been all that much. But why don't we talk about the T20s first?
[00:03:08] And then we'll talk a little bit about India-A and some of the drama that's been happening in the world of cricket, because there's always something about the Champions Trophy, etc.
[00:03:17] DJ, let me start by asking you the XI. We played the same XI, both matches, right? Is this our first post-World Cup series?
[00:03:25] No, we played Sri Lanka, right? 3-0.
[00:03:27] We played Sri Lanka, right.
[00:03:28] And Sky took it, etc.
[00:03:29] And Bangladesh.
[00:03:30] Yes. So is this kind of becoming the new core, if you will? Because in a post-Rohit Kohli Jadeja, all who've retired world, Wumra, of course, will play for the big tournament, but it's not playing here.
[00:03:43] Samson and Abhishek opening Sky, Telak Hardik, Rinku as your kind of next four core players. Does that feel like the direction we're going?
[00:03:51] I think the guys that are missing out, Jaiswal and Gil, who were part of the Test Series squad.
[00:03:56] So they will have a say in the T20 arena, no doubt.
[00:04:02] Particularly Jaiswal, he's been magnificent for the Royals over the years, right?
[00:04:07] Like he's been great and he's scored runs at a fast clip.
[00:04:13] But Samson and Sharma, right?
[00:04:17] I think he scored 100 against Zimbabwe in the second T20 or something of that five-man Test Series.
[00:04:22] Not Test Series, T20 Series.
[00:04:26] He hasn't really done much since then.
[00:04:28] So he had a great IPL.
[00:04:31] He had him and Travis Head combined to score lots and lots of runs.
[00:04:35] But other than that 100, he hasn't really done anything of note in the international arena.
[00:04:39] So I'm a little bit worried about his spot.
[00:04:41] But Sanju Samson, I mean, I guess it was the first game of the series.
[00:04:47] I was going to say, Sanju Samson just doing Sanju Samson things consistent, exactly what we've come to expect from him, which was show up early, make a brilliant century.
[00:04:58] And then was it a first baller today?
[00:04:59] It was an early, right?
[00:05:00] He got his stump, knockback, leg stump.
[00:05:03] He got bowled.
[00:05:04] I'm trying to see if it was a third baller.
[00:05:06] Third ball of the innings, third ball of his innings.
[00:05:08] Zero for one.
[00:05:10] Sanju Samson.
[00:05:10] I mean, I love him.
[00:05:12] I love him.
[00:05:12] And I think he's fantastic.
[00:05:13] And he deserves all the opportunity.
[00:05:14] But it is so classic Sanju to come out and make a century.
[00:05:18] Everybody, all the dialogue is, why hasn't he played for India more?
[00:05:21] Why isn't he doing this more?
[00:05:22] And then he gets out for a duck.
[00:05:24] Granted, difficult conditions.
[00:05:26] Nobody did great today.
[00:05:28] But anyway, I think it's interesting.
[00:05:29] But it was great to actually see Sanju score another 100.
[00:05:31] He scored one, remember, in the last game against Bangladesh as well.
[00:05:36] So consecutive 100s for Sanju Samson.
[00:05:38] And also, there was a great article on Crickinfo, I think, which compared him and Rohit Sharma,
[00:05:43] both who were middle order batters that moved up the order and their careers kind of changed.
[00:05:48] So maybe this is his calling.
[00:05:51] And let's just quickly talk about it.
[00:05:52] It was a phenomenal 100.
[00:05:54] I mean, you have good 100s.
[00:05:55] And then you have 100s you will remember.
[00:05:58] And Sanju Samson was just taking the South African bowlers.
[00:06:02] And I'm talking about Gerald Kutseya, Marco Jens.
[00:06:05] And of course, Patrick Kruger, who got left out for the second game.
[00:06:09] Keshav Maharaj.
[00:06:10] This is a good bowling attack.
[00:06:12] And he just took them to the cleaners.
[00:06:14] 10 sixes in a single innings.
[00:06:17] Obviously made a century.
[00:06:18] Got the team to 202, which was actually quite a significant underperformance.
[00:06:22] I think we were 180 with four overs left.
[00:06:26] And made 202.
[00:06:28] 175 with 4.2 overs left.
[00:06:30] So a little bit of a tough finish there.
[00:06:33] Good bowling and poor batting.
[00:06:35] But absolutely blistering century.
[00:06:39] Truly phenomenal.
[00:06:40] And then, yeah, 202 on the board.
[00:06:42] You saw some glimmers of hope for South Africa, but couldn't get it done.
[00:06:46] 141 all out in that match.
[00:06:49] And I want to talk to you about these two spinners.
[00:06:50] So as I come back to the question kind of of team selection, right?
[00:06:54] You have Arshdeep Avesh as your two quicks, if you will.
[00:06:58] Hardik, of course.
[00:06:59] And then you have Akshar playing that all-rounder slot.
[00:07:03] Varun Chakravarti and Ravi Bishnoi.
[00:07:05] Talk to me about these two guys, right?
[00:07:07] No suspense.
[00:07:08] Varun picked up three in the first, but then picked up five.
[00:07:11] I mean, a 5-fer in T20s, you get 24 legal deliveries to do it.
[00:07:17] 5-fer in 60 legal deliveries.
[00:07:19] And Rondi is a phenomenal accomplishment.
[00:07:21] A 5-fer in a test match where you could bowl 40, 50 overs in an innings is a tremendous achievement.
[00:07:26] To do it in a T20 is really something.
[00:07:29] So how do you feel about these two guys?
[00:07:32] How does it...
[00:07:33] Yeah, where did they fit in?
[00:07:35] How does Chahel put Kuldeep?
[00:07:37] How do these guys fit into the setup now with Bishnoi and Varun really showing up?
[00:07:41] Yeah, I mean, Varun Chakravarti has made a comeback after quite a long time out.
[00:07:45] I think he came back in the Sri Lanka series and he said that he felt like he had a second life in the game because he felt he was probably over after that 2020 World Cup.
[00:07:55] No show, basically.
[00:07:56] He came in bold, didn't really do well.
[00:07:59] Of course, Gambhir was...
[00:08:02] I guess Gambhir was T20 coach.
[00:08:04] I didn't see him in the dugout because I saw VVS Laxman there.
[00:08:07] He's probably prepping with the test team.
[00:08:09] I saw VVS Laxman in this dugout.
[00:08:10] But let me pause and go on a bit of a tangent here.
[00:08:13] There's a lot of discussion, probably rumor mills, about do we need different coaches for different formats for India again?
[00:08:19] I mean, you could argue, especially if you're playing different teams for the most part, nine different guys maybe.
[00:08:24] What is your take on it?
[00:08:25] Like, should Gambhir get really focused on getting us back to the level we need to be with the red ball and have somebody different focused on white?
[00:08:31] Do you need three different ones for all the three different formats?
[00:08:34] How do you think about that, DJ?
[00:08:35] I mean, I kind of like, if the teams are quite different, I kind of like the idea of having different coaches.
[00:08:42] You've split the white ball and red ball captaincy before.
[00:08:46] There's no reason why the coaches should be the same across the various formats.
[00:08:50] The skills are actually different.
[00:08:50] And you have now too, right?
[00:08:51] Because Rohit's retired from T20s.
[00:08:53] Yeah.
[00:08:54] And so you've still got a split captaincy situation with Surya captaining the white ball.
[00:09:00] And T20 is a very specialized format because it requires different skills.
[00:09:07] It's a very compressed format.
[00:09:08] So I don't mind the idea of having two different coaches at all, like T20 and then maybe Test and ODI or maybe the T20 coach also does ODI.
[00:09:20] Because I think the ODI game is moving more towards the T20 game than the Test game.
[00:09:25] Yeah.
[00:09:26] So probably white ball, red ball coaching should be split because we did the captaincy split a little while ago.
[00:09:32] So again, it got reunited after Kohli got unceremoniously booted out, I would say.
[00:09:39] But yeah, I think I have no issues with that.
[00:09:43] Again, it allows people to focus.
[00:09:44] And if the players are different, if the teams are almost completely different,
[00:09:49] then it allows you to focus and prepare for series as they are played by format.
[00:09:56] So the next T20 series is what that coach and that captain will prepare for rather than worrying about an ODI series that's coming or a Test series that's going to take place in Australia.
[00:10:05] So you can see why that would focus the mind.
[00:10:08] It allows those players to develop those skills, that coach to work with those players to develop those skills further, fitness, whatever else,
[00:10:15] and come up with those plans and strategies.
[00:10:17] Because the T20 World Cups come around quickly.
[00:10:19] They're only two years turnaround, right?
[00:10:21] So we're already into the next cycle.
[00:10:23] Although the last T20 World Cup was only a few months ago, we're already planning for the next one.
[00:10:28] So I can see the argument for having a separate T20 coach, if not a separate ODI coach.
[00:10:35] Yeah, very fair.
[00:10:36] So for now in this series, nothing crazy to write home about in the first game beyond the Samson century, which was outstanding.
[00:10:49] India's record at Durban, by the way, also awesome.
[00:10:51] And so really nice to see yet another great result.
[00:10:55] But then as you go to St. George's Park, and I'm not going to try to pronounce the city because I don't know how to,
[00:10:59] but India put into bat for the second T20.
[00:11:03] Same 11.
[00:11:04] I mentioned this already, but Samson gets out first ball.
[00:11:07] Abhishek gets out in the next over.
[00:11:10] And about two overs later, Sky gets out.
[00:11:13] And the scoreline that Varun was very, very excited about was none other than our beloved 15 for three.
[00:11:23] I mean, DJ, change in conditions.
[00:11:25] Obviously, it ended up, we'll talk through this match, ended up being 124, which looked like it's never enough,
[00:11:31] but looked like it could have been enough for a hot minute there when South Africa was 66 for six.
[00:11:35] But talk me through that innings.
[00:11:37] Telak didn't really, couldn't really get going.
[00:11:39] Akshar played decent.
[00:11:40] And then Hardik actually anchored.
[00:11:43] So you had Hardik and Tristan Stubbs, both players who are not traditional anchors,
[00:11:47] who just like to swing the ball, play completely different types of knocks.
[00:11:52] And South Africa just got over the finish line.
[00:11:54] But talk me through this match a little bit.
[00:11:56] Yeah, I mean, the conditions were obviously different.
[00:11:59] And 15 for three is a familiar scoreline for some of us who followed Indian cricket for a while.
[00:12:05] But there was a bit of a recovery with Telak and Akshar.
[00:12:10] And then there was that brilliant catch.
[00:12:11] I think David Miller took that catch at cover to get rid of Telak, which was...
[00:12:15] I think the South Africans were just up for this.
[00:12:18] They were probably hurting a little bit from the last two 320s,
[00:12:21] one being the World Cup final, which still probably rankles quite a bit with some of them.
[00:12:25] But their fielding was outstanding.
[00:12:27] The bowling was aggressive, good, fast, hit the deck.
[00:12:32] And yeah, the Indian innings never really seemed to get out of second gear early.
[00:12:39] It kind of hobbled along right to the end.
[00:12:42] And 125 on most days is not likely to win you many games.
[00:12:48] I mean, unless it's a turner or a very, very difficult pitch to bat on.
[00:12:55] I think if a team has 10 wickets in hand, they're more than likely to get those runs quite easily.
[00:13:01] That said, the Chakravarti spell...
[00:13:06] Just brilliant.
[00:13:07] It was fantastic.
[00:13:08] There were lots of balls that sneaked between bat and pad.
[00:13:11] They weren't reading him.
[00:13:13] Bishnoye gave him really good support, actually, as well.
[00:13:16] And we should...
[00:13:17] I think you asked me that question before I got distracted, which was...
[00:13:19] He was, at one point, the number one T20 bowler in the world.
[00:13:23] Because he was playing a lot of the T20 cricket that the Kuldeeps and the Bumras weren't playing.
[00:13:28] So I actually think that he's actually probably quite far ahead in the stakes when it comes to being India's top spinners.
[00:13:40] But when the Quicks came back on Avesh...
[00:13:42] I mean, Hardik bowled one over, which was pretty appalling.
[00:13:45] It had like three wights in it.
[00:13:46] It felt like a little bit of the pressure had gone then.
[00:13:48] I was hoping that Tristan Stubbs, being a deli boy...
[00:13:51] I don't know whether he's still a deli boy.
[00:13:53] He's probably been released, hasn't he?
[00:13:54] I don't think he was one of the retentants, but he might get recognized.
[00:13:57] Yeah, he might.
[00:13:58] But I thought him being a deli boy would probably just stick around to the end and then they'd lose.
[00:14:04] Traditional, classic deli.
[00:14:06] But no, Gerald Koetzer came out and man, he clubbed the ball to all parts.
[00:14:11] Unbelievable.
[00:14:12] Yeah, it was a great little...
[00:14:13] In a match where nobody could really score, for him to end up with 19 of 9 with a couple of boundaries and a 6.
[00:14:20] And then obviously Tristan Stubbs at the end almost just fell a little bit short, but didn't.
[00:14:24] I mean, just a tremendous...
[00:14:26] Yeah, you just need that little bit of a knock, right?
[00:14:28] To just push you over the finish line.
[00:14:31] I did.
[00:14:31] It was a...
[00:14:33] Yeah, that 19 of 9 from Koetzer was enough.
[00:14:36] And Avesh Khan and Arshadeep Singh bore the brunt of that, to be honest.
[00:14:40] I think there was one ball that...
[00:14:41] I lied, by the way.
[00:14:42] Tristan Stubbs has been retained by deli.
[00:14:45] So Akshar Patel, Kuldeepi Adav, Tristan Stubbs...
[00:14:47] So they let Rishabh Pant go, but they've kept Tristan.
[00:14:50] I mean, listen, that's a different discussion.
[00:14:52] Let me ask you a really important question.
[00:14:54] From a captaincy standpoint, DJ, you mentioned Varun picked up a 5 for...
[00:14:58] Pishnoy also only got one, but that's because there wasn't that many left to take, but looked outstanding.
[00:15:03] The doustra, he just...
[00:15:04] The one he got was Andile Similane, but just could not pick up the doustra.
[00:15:09] But I'm trying to do...
[00:15:10] I'm sitting here and doing math.
[00:15:13] Nine spin-overs.
[00:15:15] Six for 38.
[00:15:16] Nine overs.
[00:15:18] Okay?
[00:15:19] Ten quick overs.
[00:15:22] One for 85.
[00:15:25] 86.
[00:15:26] You had three overs of Akshar Patel unused.
[00:15:29] What the heck was this guy thinking?
[00:15:30] What happened?
[00:15:31] They couldn't bat against spin.
[00:15:32] Conditions weren't there.
[00:15:34] Avesh was bowling full toss after full toss.
[00:15:35] Hardik bowled three wides.
[00:15:37] Akshar bowled one over for two runs.
[00:15:40] How do you leave...
[00:15:41] In conditions like this, where six for 38 in nine overs.
[00:15:45] In eight overs from the other two guys.
[00:15:47] How do you leave three overs of Akshar unused?
[00:15:50] It just blows my mind.
[00:15:52] Sorry.
[00:15:52] Clearly, I'm very passionate about this.
[00:15:54] But what happened?
[00:15:55] What do we think the decision-making was?
[00:15:56] Slightly odd.
[00:15:57] But, I mean, I don't think there was much thought to it.
[00:16:00] I mean, you're not picking Akshar for his batting only.
[00:16:02] You're picking Akshar as an all-rounder.
[00:16:04] And he bowls one over and gives two runs.
[00:16:05] And he's like, challa, I'm done.
[00:16:06] Yeah.
[00:16:07] But when did he bowl that over as well?
[00:16:08] He bowled it like in the middle overs at some point, right?
[00:16:11] Like he bowled it in the 11th over.
[00:16:12] I mean, even in the death though, if you're bringing it back in very tough conditions.
[00:16:16] And yes, Kutse and Stubbs looked good at the end.
[00:16:20] But if you're bringing...
[00:16:22] Did you just fall prey to the...
[00:16:23] From over 16 to 20, you have to bowl quick.
[00:16:26] I think there was a little bit of that.
[00:16:28] Yeah.
[00:16:28] They just smashed the quick bowlers.
[00:16:31] And of course, again, I have no forgiveness for the full tosses and the wides.
[00:16:35] But I just...
[00:16:36] It blows my mind.
[00:16:37] I just couldn't believe that Akshar had three overs unused.
[00:16:39] Maybe there was a bit of Akshar and Stubbs was familiar with Akshar.
[00:16:43] So they wanted to keep him away.
[00:16:44] But then Avesh Khan played for Delhi as well.
[00:16:47] So maybe there's not...
[00:16:48] Yeah.
[00:16:48] I can't possibly imagine.
[00:16:49] Yeah.
[00:16:51] No.
[00:16:51] No.
[00:16:52] Arshti played pretty well.
[00:16:53] He had one bad over.
[00:16:54] But for me, I've been just disappointed with Avesh.
[00:16:57] It'll be interesting to see what they do in the last game.
[00:16:59] One more match to go in this series.
[00:17:02] DJ, we're going to take a quick break.
[00:17:03] I'm going to ask you for a prediction when we come back.
[00:17:05] And then we're going to talk about some of the other things going on in the world of cricket.
[00:17:08] Don't go anywhere.
[00:17:18] Welcome back to the Edges and Sledges Cricket Podcast.
[00:17:21] If you are on YouTube, hit that like button.
[00:17:23] Hit that subscribe button.
[00:17:25] And on any of the socials, we are at OneTipOneHand.
[00:17:27] That's the number one tip, number one hand.
[00:17:30] DJ, one more T20 to go before we pivot and quickly become Red Ball fans again.
[00:17:36] We're about 11 days from the start of the first Test match at Perth.
[00:17:40] So next week's episode will be the full preview of the India-Australia Test Match Series,
[00:17:44] which I'm not looking forward to because I'm not sure my prediction will be very favorable.
[00:17:48] At least at the current level of emotion.
[00:17:50] How do you think this T20 ends?
[00:17:51] One more match?
[00:17:52] Do you think India pulls it out or South Africa wins it?
[00:17:54] And it is an away series.
[00:17:55] So you'd expect maybe South Africa.
[00:17:57] So what are you thinking?
[00:17:58] I mean, we're the world champions, man.
[00:18:01] India is a world champion team.
[00:18:02] So, but I mean, who's able to predict?
[00:18:06] I'm sorry.
[00:18:06] There's two more.
[00:18:07] This is a format series.
[00:18:08] That's very strange.
[00:18:09] They're playing at the Centurion.
[00:18:10] I don't know why they do format.
[00:18:11] They're playing at the Centurion and then playing at Johannesburg Wednesday and Friday.
[00:18:16] Because the matches will be Wednesday, Friday, and then you have a weekend.
[00:18:20] And then the following Thursday, the Test starts.
[00:18:24] So it makes a ton of sense.
[00:18:26] It's nonstop, though.
[00:18:27] It's actually nonstop.
[00:18:28] It's like...
[00:18:29] Just truly nonstop.
[00:18:29] Yeah.
[00:18:31] I don't want to predict anything in a T20 game.
[00:18:34] I have to say, like, it's very difficult to predict how T20 games go.
[00:18:40] I'm going to say 2-2.
[00:18:41] I think now that it's four games, I'm going to say 2-2.
[00:18:44] We each win one more and we'll call it a day.
[00:18:46] Oh, okay.
[00:18:46] Yeah, you're not sitting on the fence at all.
[00:18:48] So that's good.
[00:18:48] Absolutely not.
[00:18:49] Isn't that great?
[00:18:50] Don't lie.
[00:18:52] All right.
[00:18:53] Enough about the T20s, DJ.
[00:18:54] There's been a few more things happening in the world of cricket.
[00:18:57] So I want to...
[00:18:58] I know you've paid particular attention to the India A versus Australia A series.
[00:19:02] So why don't we start there?
[00:19:04] But what happened?
[00:19:06] I mean, obviously, I know India lost...
[00:19:08] They lost both the unofficial tests.
[00:19:10] Yeah.
[00:19:10] Yeah.
[00:19:11] But there were some highlights and some lowlights from what you saw, right?
[00:19:15] I mean, second unofficial test was in Melbourne.
[00:19:18] Lost by six wickets.
[00:19:19] India didn't bat particularly well.
[00:19:22] Interestingly, made 160 and 220.
[00:19:24] And then South Africa made 220...
[00:19:25] Or Australia made 220 and 160, won the game.
[00:19:28] Michael Nisa picked up four.
[00:19:30] But you had some other highlights you've been enjoying watching on social media, especially
[00:19:34] from one man, right?
[00:19:35] Yeah, from Kishan, right?
[00:19:38] Kishan was the first test.
[00:19:41] Kishan was the first test.
[00:19:42] A couple of interesting things that happened with Kishan.
[00:19:45] Apparently, he escaped a fine for showing dissent because when...
[00:19:50] They changed the ball in this test match.
[00:19:52] Or maybe the first test match.
[00:19:53] I think it was the first test match.
[00:19:54] Okay.
[00:19:54] They changed the ball.
[00:19:56] And the umpires were overheard on stump mic saying, you've tampered with the ball or you've changed the condition of the ball or something.
[00:20:04] They actually said something.
[00:20:05] I can't remember what the exact quote was.
[00:20:07] I'm sure you can look it up.
[00:20:08] But while I try and tell the rest of the story.
[00:20:13] Sure.
[00:20:15] And Kishan got very angry with that and started arguing with the umpires and stuff.
[00:20:22] And at the end of the day's play, they came out and said that, oh, the ball had got damaged.
[00:20:26] So it was changed.
[00:20:27] So Cricket Australia just swept all of this under the carpet.
[00:20:31] David Warner, of all people.
[00:20:32] They're pretty good at trying to do that.
[00:20:33] No, but David Warner, of all people, was like, oh, you should tell us what's happened with this ball change and stuff.
[00:20:40] Like, why are they sweeping this under the carpet?
[00:20:45] So I'm just like, of all the people in the world, talk about ball tampering.
[00:20:51] He should just keep quiet, man.
[00:20:52] Yeah.
[00:20:53] So that was one thing.
[00:20:55] I don't know what the umpires actually said.
[00:20:57] I'm trying to look it up quickly.
[00:21:00] Yeah.
[00:21:00] He said, essentially, he said, no more discussion.
[00:21:03] Let's play.
[00:21:04] And that's Sean Craig, the umpire.
[00:21:06] Kishan said, we have to play with this ball.
[00:21:07] That's a very stupid decision.
[00:21:09] And then he said, I'm going to report you for defense.
[00:21:12] That's inappropriate behavior.
[00:21:13] So I don't think it was anything too bad.
[00:21:14] But he said, if you're going to make us play with it, like you making us play with this ball is a very stupid decision.
[00:21:19] That's what the internet is telling me.
[00:21:22] Yeah, I think that was a bit more.
[00:21:24] I think that was.
[00:21:25] I mean, Craig insinuated that India's players were to blame for the scratched ball.
[00:21:28] However, it did not clarify specifics.
[00:21:31] He said, you scratch it.
[00:21:32] We changed the balls because of your actions.
[00:21:33] We have to do.
[00:21:34] Yeah.
[00:21:34] So I mean, isn't that as clear as it can ever get on ball tempering?
[00:21:38] Oh, absolutely.
[00:21:39] You scratch it and we can change the ball.
[00:21:41] Outrageous.
[00:21:42] But where was the proof?
[00:21:44] There was no proof.
[00:21:44] And that's why they couldn't find them or dock them runs or do any of that.
[00:21:49] So I would, I'm actually on Kishan.
[00:21:50] This is why the Bordogavaskar trophy is so good.
[00:21:53] Yeah.
[00:21:53] Because there's too much animosity.
[00:21:56] There's too much energy.
[00:21:57] Like from the canteen.
[00:21:58] I mean, this is a match.
[00:22:00] Yeah.
[00:22:00] This is not even like.
[00:22:01] This is like the practice match for the sledging.
[00:22:03] No, so that happened.
[00:22:04] And then of course, the social media clip that you sent of all people.
[00:22:08] Oh, did you send it or Varun sent it?
[00:22:12] Varun sent it.
[00:22:13] But I had seen it previously.
[00:22:14] But his caption was also great.
[00:22:15] I mean, oh my God.
[00:22:22] And he's getting bold with the ball going between his legs.
[00:22:26] Of a spinner.
[00:22:27] Well, he left it.
[00:22:28] He left a ball that was on middle step first off.
[00:22:33] And then it clipped his.
[00:22:34] I mean, I feel like I need to watch it again as we go through this.
[00:22:36] It's too good.
[00:22:37] He left the ball.
[00:22:39] But this is what I was telling you last week when we were doing the post-mortem of that series.
[00:22:43] You'd be like, no, Rahul will play in Australia.
[00:22:46] I'm like, they're going to make him open.
[00:22:48] If he's not good enough to play in the middle order in India,
[00:22:52] how are we suddenly going to put this guy into the middle order in Australia?
[00:22:56] And he was not going to play in the middle order because Rohit wasn't going to play.
[00:22:59] He's going to open.
[00:22:59] And what do you see two days later?
[00:23:01] Rahul to open as they test out the opening slot.
[00:23:05] It's so predictable.
[00:23:08] But, but as we talk about the negatives,
[00:23:11] there was a player in the middle order.
[00:23:13] Who looked outstanding.
[00:23:15] Back-to-back half centuries.
[00:23:16] I'm going to give you your moment to get on your soapbox and talk about Dhruv Jarrell.
[00:23:21] Just looked magnificent.
[00:23:22] Talk us through it.
[00:23:23] This is why I was saying this is the guy we need.
[00:23:27] Jarrell is the saviour for this Indian cricket team.
[00:23:30] To have that guy who's got the game to just solidly put together a whole session of batting.
[00:23:36] I can see Dhruv Jarrell.
[00:23:38] Yes, he plays the IPL.
[00:23:39] He can smash it around for the Rajasthan Royals when he needs to.
[00:23:41] I can see him taking those body blows.
[00:23:45] I can see him batting an entire day in just a classic, proper cricketing technique.
[00:23:52] He's just, he looks a class apart, right?
[00:23:55] Like, and you can see those runs.
[00:23:57] He was really disappointed getting out to a spinner.
[00:24:00] I think he had a hundred there for the taking, which he threw away.
[00:24:02] So, again, he'll be hungry for that.
[00:24:04] But, I mean, with, I would almost say he's probably a better candidate to open the batting than KL Rahul is at this point, given the confidence.
[00:24:14] I mean, he, listen, don't play him out of position.
[00:24:18] That's why I only ask for Jarrell.
[00:24:19] If he's a middle to lower order batter, don't play him out of, don't bring him into the side to play his first Australia test match.
[00:24:26] Like, not a match.
[00:24:27] And then play him out of position.
[00:24:29] That's just unfair on the guy.
[00:24:30] But he looks good enough to bat.
[00:24:32] He could bat three.
[00:24:34] If Gil wants to open the batting, which he's done in Australia.
[00:24:36] Like, why do you have to bat?
[00:24:38] This is the bit that I don't understand.
[00:24:41] You've got a guy who scored runs opening the batting in Australia.
[00:24:44] You have a gap for an opener.
[00:24:46] Why do you have to not bat him at three?
[00:24:47] Because he's played a few games.
[00:24:48] No, Gil can open.
[00:24:50] But I'm saying even batting Jarrell at three is just unfair on him.
[00:24:54] He doesn't play the new ball.
[00:24:57] Does he have the ability?
[00:24:58] Sure.
[00:24:58] But it's a different...
[00:24:59] Anyway, different discussion.
[00:25:01] We said we're going to preview the test.
[00:25:02] But like, he back-to-back 50s.
[00:25:05] Yeah.
[00:25:06] I mean, if he isn't going to play that first test, I'd be pretty disappointed, actually.
[00:25:11] Because he just looks like a test cricketer.
[00:25:15] You know, there are some cricketers, like even on a Sunday when I walk out to play cricket,
[00:25:18] there are some guys that just walk out with like...
[00:25:23] Ready to play test cricketer.
[00:25:24] They just look like they're going to play it at a different level.
[00:25:28] You can just stand.
[00:25:28] Yeah.
[00:25:29] I mean, you mentioned the body blows.
[00:25:31] And what we were frustrated by against New Zealand, and a little bit honestly in the T20
[00:25:34] kind of approach, is that there's only one way of playing right now.
[00:25:38] And so against New Zealand, everybody said, we're going to hit and counterattack.
[00:25:41] And so everybody did just that.
[00:25:43] And what made the magic of that side, that one, not one, but two series against Australia
[00:25:49] in Australia, was the ability to have that balance.
[00:25:52] And like the best partnerships, I said this before, were Pantjara, as you coined them last
[00:25:56] week, but Pant and Pujara.
[00:25:57] Where Pant was going after it, and Pujara was just grinding it out.
[00:26:01] And you hear back on that series, and all the Aussie quicks are like, Pujara is the reason
[00:26:07] we lost that series, because they made us grind it out.
[00:26:09] So anyway, I don't think Dhruvjara was Pujara.
[00:26:11] I'm not a fan of slotting one-for-ones where it's not needed.
[00:26:15] But yes, maybe you need a guy who's a more classical test batter who can grind it out,
[00:26:20] who can make the boulder seal the pain, and also take the blows when needed, and yet get
[00:26:25] some runs.
[00:26:26] So kudos to him.
[00:26:27] Back to back 50s in Australia, even in an A match, it's not easy, and nobody else did.
[00:26:31] Yeah, and I mean, India got thrashed in both the games, right?
[00:26:35] Pretty easy wins for Australia in both cases.
[00:26:37] And they've got their own opening problems.
[00:26:40] I mean, Warner is now just sitting on the sidelines asking for investigation into ball tampering
[00:26:46] allegations.
[00:26:47] But I mean, I can't get over that, that Warner wants a prove into this.
[00:26:51] It's just, I don't know.
[00:26:52] It seems so.
[00:26:53] It's just joking, right?
[00:26:53] Like surely he's joking.
[00:26:54] I hope so.
[00:26:55] Of all the things to ask what David Warner wants to know about the ball tampering issue.
[00:27:00] You should just focus on his TikTok to Telugu movie music, movie songs, and just call it
[00:27:04] a day, man.
[00:27:06] Right.
[00:27:07] DJ, the last piece of news from the world of cricket that we're going to cover.
[00:27:10] The Champions Trophy is, as of today at the time of recording this, exactly 100 days
[00:27:16] out, I think.
[00:27:17] Is that right?
[00:27:18] Yeah.
[00:27:22] And tomorrow, at the time of recording this, the day you'll listen to this, hopefully,
[00:27:25] exactly 100 days out.
[00:27:26] And there was going to be an announcement and some news and a big deal, et cetera.
[00:27:30] And India has now officially, the BCCI has confirmed, they will not travel to Pakistan.
[00:27:35] And that's causing all sorts of issues.
[00:27:38] The obvious solution is what's happened before.
[00:27:40] India hasn't been to Pakistan since 2008 when the Asia Cup happened.
[00:27:44] And the obvious potential path is a hybrid model.
[00:27:47] India plays their game somewhere else.
[00:27:49] And the PCB has said they're not supportive of that.
[00:27:51] My favorite part of this, though, is the way it was articulated, which is the PCB received
[00:27:56] an email saying India will not play and has forwarded the email to the government of Pakistan
[00:28:00] for guidance.
[00:28:01] I mean, in our world, it sounds like such a big deal, but somebody sent one email, they
[00:28:06] forwarded to government of Pakistan email and said, what should we do?
[00:28:12] But how do you think this plays out?
[00:28:13] What do you think happens from here?
[00:28:15] Was there ever a realistic chance in the current climate India would go?
[00:28:18] And or, yeah, what do you think happened?
[00:28:20] I mean, the chance was realistic that India wouldn't go because they didn't go last year for
[00:28:24] the Asia Cup.
[00:28:25] No, I'm saying that was there ever a chance they would?
[00:28:26] I thought there was never a chance they wouldn't go.
[00:28:28] No.
[00:28:29] But it's interesting because I thought all these boards were supposed to be independent
[00:28:34] of government interference.
[00:28:36] That's why the Sri Lankan board at one point was hauled up for having government officials.
[00:28:42] So it's interesting that both boards are openly saying that we will follow.
[00:28:48] I mean, of course, you follow whatever government guidance.
[00:28:50] I'm not hugely surprised, but yeah.
[00:28:51] But yeah, it's...
[00:28:56] I mean, if Pakistan came to India last year for a World Cup, if it's a security threat,
[00:29:03] a credible security threat, and they can't guarantee the security of the Indian cricketers,
[00:29:08] then that's one thing.
[00:29:09] But England have gone there recently.
[00:29:13] I mean, I think it's a little different.
[00:29:14] It is different, of course.
[00:29:15] It is.
[00:29:16] Of course, it's different.
[00:29:16] But Indian teams have had tours of Pakistan in the past.
[00:29:20] It is...
[00:29:21] As a purely cricketing fan, I'm not going to comment on the politics because that's way
[00:29:25] above my opinion.
[00:29:34] Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:29:39] He hasn't played a single test match against Pakistan because the last two months must have been in 2005.
[00:29:45] Yeah.
[00:29:46] Or, yeah.
[00:29:47] I don't know.
[00:29:48] Maybe 2007.
[00:29:48] I don't know.
[00:29:49] And they came here, I think, maybe 2007.
[00:29:54] Okay, here being India.
[00:29:56] Yeah, so an entire generation has just missed out on watching what...
[00:30:02] I mean, one of the greatest memories we have as kids is watching Sachin Battle Saklan,
[00:30:07] Wazeem Wakar in Chennai, right?
[00:30:10] Yeah, 136 losing innings, chasing 272.
[00:30:13] That heartbreak will probably never go away for a entire generation.
[00:30:16] But it was magnificent.
[00:30:19] It's Kumbhle taking 10 for 74 against Pakistan in Delhi to redeem that.
[00:30:23] There are so many kind of memories that come from India, Pakistan.
[00:30:28] Like the Amir Sohail, Benkatesh Prasad moment.
[00:30:33] All of that's just great stuff.
[00:30:35] That's such a good...
[00:30:35] I think I keep that, the video of that on my desktop.
[00:30:39] If I'm ever having a bad day, I'll just watch it.
[00:30:41] Varun has said, if I'm on my deathbed, just bring me a phone and show me that clip
[00:30:45] and I'll die happily.
[00:30:46] And there's Sachin 6 of Shoev at Cape.
[00:30:49] All of that's just, I mean, it's magnificent.
[00:30:52] Listen, I don't actually care where they play, to be honest with you.
[00:30:56] Whether they go to Pakistan or not, that's again not a decision that will be made for cricketing reasons.
[00:31:02] So, that is what it is.
[00:31:04] And there's nothing neither you nor me can do about that.
[00:31:06] I would like India to play Pakistan more, whether that's at a neutral venue or not.
[00:31:11] And hopefully, one day, they'll be able to play each other in a home and away series,
[00:31:16] which would actually be good for fans of both those teams.
[00:31:19] Because there is a lot of love for...
[00:31:21] Like Virat Kohli, he's worshipped in Pakistan.
[00:31:26] I would almost say that there is...
[00:31:28] And it's weird for an Indian fan to think like that.
[00:31:31] Yeah.
[00:31:31] Because you don't expect...
[00:31:33] But they see him and they're like, we want our players to be like him.
[00:31:37] It's incredible.
[00:31:38] Like the respect and the love that they have for someone like Kohli.
[00:31:42] They even got Emma Chaita to look like him.
[00:31:44] But he didn't bat like him.
[00:31:45] That was a problem.
[00:31:46] Anyway, I'll stop.
[00:31:48] Yeah, I mean, fair.
[00:31:49] I think, listen, maybe it's time to bring back the Sahara Cup from Toronto from back in the 90s
[00:31:54] and where India can play Pakistan.
[00:31:55] You can't get Sahara back though.
[00:31:57] Because Shubrotho was, I think, went to jail.
[00:31:59] Yeah, we'll rename that.
[00:32:00] We'll rebrand it.
[00:32:01] Paytm Cup.
[00:32:02] I don't know what I call it.
[00:32:03] And then India will win because it's Paytm.
[00:32:05] That's it.
[00:32:06] That's it.
[00:32:06] I think we lost to Paytm recently, didn't we?
[00:32:08] No, I was rebranded to something else by then.
[00:32:11] There you go.
[00:32:11] So we never lose Paytm.
[00:32:12] Paytm stopped sponsoring.
[00:32:14] If anybody from Paytm listens to this, we would love a sponsorship too.
[00:32:17] How about that?
[00:32:18] All right.
[00:32:19] DJ, that brings us to a wrap.
[00:32:20] A little bit of a weird week.
[00:32:21] 1-1 in the T20 series when it looked like it could have been 2-0.
[00:32:25] Kudos quickly to Pakistan for beating Australia in a T20 series.
[00:32:28] In Australia, that's exciting for them and nice for us to see Australia on the losing side
[00:32:33] right as they go into the test season.
[00:32:35] So that's great.
[00:32:36] And we will be back next week probably to do the wrap-up of the T20.
[00:32:40] The two extra T20s, not the one.
[00:32:42] The two extras that I learned are happening.
[00:32:44] And to talk about the preview for the first test at Perth.
[00:32:48] It's going to be exciting.
[00:32:49] Red Ball season is almost back.
[00:32:51] If you're on YouTube, hit that like button.
[00:32:53] Hit that subscribe button.
[00:32:53] If you're on any of the other social medias, at OneTipOneHand.
[00:32:56] We always love to hear from you and we'll get back to any messages we received.
[00:33:00] This has been the Edges and Sludges Cricket Podcast.
[00:33:02] We will see you next week.