The Smashes and WI v India T20s

[00:00:00] Welcome to episode 70 of the Edges and Sledges Cricket Podcast. I can't believe we've hit 70. It just felt like a few weeks ago, we were on 50 but it just shows you that time really

[00:00:21] does fly. I've got DJ with me in the UK, Ashwin in US and I'm Varun in Singapore. So this week we have a lot of interesting topics for you and we're going to start of course

[00:00:31] with the ashes but we have also got the India West Indies series going on and Ashwin let me ask you first, have you been watching the smashes and any guesses why I'm calling it smashes? Something to do with Steve Smith. It's basically Steve Smith's ashes right?

[00:00:44] It's the smith ashes. Nice. That's it. That's yeah that's a pretty shady line but I like I'll allow it. That's good. You're getting known for just saying whatever DJ I sing on this podcast is terrible or shady. Does that give you any sort of

[00:00:58] an inkling as to the fact that maybe the content needs to improve a little or? No because DJ and I encourage him. I think we should just replace him man. Let's replace this guy. Yeah DJ and I encourage each other so.

[00:01:07] Yeah we should analyze the episodes where one of you is missing and see the quality how it increases. But anyway so we've got the first test of the ashes going on. It's a cracker of a game right now at recording and it's tea time on day four. Australia

[00:01:24] made 284 in the first innings. Of course Steve Smith had an excellent 144 of 219 balls and kind of held that innings together. Very well supported by Peter Siddl actually. 44 England then came out and put on a total of 300 plus so they made 374. They did get

[00:01:44] all out and we'll go a little bit deeper into that but Burns scored 133 which was a really good knock after a lot of you know playing and missing. And now as we as the game

[00:01:54] stands right now Australia is 356 for five Steve Smith again is it 142 and Australia lead by 266 with five wickets remaining. So I should first let me ask you a little bit about Steve Smith right. I can't help but think about you know 17 months ago when he went through that

[00:02:11] ban. This is his first test match since for 17 months as you're sitting and thinking will I play will I not play and if I play what is the best outcome for me. And that has to be hit

[00:02:21] two centuries in two innings. Yeah unbelievable. I mean this is something he would have dreamed of. He would have dreamed of and been thrilled with one century and the ashes in the opener.

[00:02:31] And honestly the way it's looking now Australia lead by 266 on day four at tea as you said it looks like they're going to win. And so to hit two centuries in a winning cause for your side in the first ashes test match at Birmingham which is considered England's

[00:02:45] fortress just absolutely unbelievable. It's worth mentioning you said he was out of the game for a while but he stayed in the top five of Test Batman ranking even while he was not

[00:02:55] playing at all and that just shows you how incredible a run he's had. I mean he averages over 60 it just absolutely outstanding. Yeah in fact that ranking thing you said really

[00:03:04] made us made me realize that he is just very far ahead of the rest if in test cricket for him to be so highly ranked. DJ any thoughts on Smith and equally on Warner? Yeah I mean Steve

[00:03:15] Smith what a test match he's had 144 and 142. I mean the emotion the pent up emotion that he let go after getting to that hundred it was just incredible and I found it a bit annoying

[00:03:27] and a bit shocking actually that the crowd at Edgeberstyn booed him. It was pretty poor from them I thought it wasn't a good look on the Edgeberstyn crowd. Of course you can understand them supporting the English team but I thought it was it was poor. It's somebody who

[00:03:41] doesn't understand cricket who actually booed him for that innings from a hundred and twenty two for eight to bring your team back into the game incredible innings I think one of the greatest innings ever played. I was at the time saying that I mean Coley scored a hundred

[00:03:54] and forty nine here I think last year at Edgeberstyn in the first innings also a marquee innings for him first test match of the series but Steve Smith I mean he's pulled his

[00:04:04] team out from nowhere also worth mentioning the umpiring and the DRS review that he took right. He was given out actually and that England would have been all out for like a hundred and thirty if

[00:04:15] that DRS review hadn't been around so yeah incredible innings and I just feel good for him I mean absolutely stunned moved by him I was just hoping as I said on Twitter that he

[00:04:27] took out a bit of sandpaper and just showed it on his back after getting that hundred but obviously he was never going to do that. Yeah I think that would have been another his second PR disaster

[00:04:36] of his career if you. Yeah but I mean the greatest in the history of the game almost probably I think this may be edited out. Yeah to come out to come out and hit two back to back

[00:04:47] centuries is amazing and I mean I was reading some stats I think he's got what over 1200 runs in the last 10 Ashes innings in fact his 144 and 142 and I should you may know this better than me but have actually brought down his ashes average over the last 10 to 12 innings.

[00:05:02] So that's how kind of remarkable his form has been against England. Yeah he in the last six years I read he's averaged not just ashes but in the last six years of test cricket he

[00:05:10] averages over a hundred in the first innings of test matches and six over 60 in totality in his whole career but I mean to average over a hundred in the first innings of test matches is just astounding to me. Yeah it's really incredible and I've been equally surprising

[00:05:25] Warner I don't think I remember a time where I've had to look at two Warner scores in a test match both say legit. Yeah absolutely I read some stats somewhere but it's been a

[00:05:34] very very very long time since he had a dual failure in test matches. Look it's not easy right having come from such a long time away not just obviously the lack of big game practice etc as we mentioned but also just the crowd the crowd booing you

[00:05:49] the emotion involved all of that it's not easy so it just honestly Warner's failures almost shed even more of a positive light on how brilliant Steve Smith has been. Absolutely and DJ did you see that on TV when he was playing with the crowd and he emptied his

[00:06:03] pockets to show that there's no sandpaper? Yeah apparently they were singing a song that look he's got sandpaper in his hands and he emptied his pockets I thought that was that was a good look I mean I think now I think I'm done with sandpaper I think

[00:06:17] it's old news I think we've moved on from there Australia have moved on from then Steve Smith and good for him he's moved on for that I think there is a redemption and this is the summer of redemption first we saw Ben Stokes redeem

[00:06:28] himself at the World Cup and now we've seen Steve Smith redeem himself and Warner had already scored under the World Cup so feel good I think for Neutrals watching the ashes. Absolutely summer of redemption that's a

[00:06:40] good name and DJ let's talk a little bit about Gibi Anderson so what happened to him do you think that the fact that he blocked us actually played a role in his calf injury or yeah what really went on he just bowled four

[00:06:52] overs totally unexpected. Yeah I mean I think he's a podcaster as well so maybe they scheduled some show around then like right now I'm playing cricket right but I'm doing the show in the middle of the innings after getting out so

[00:07:04] maybe he said he needed to do a tail ender episode or something and went off and did only feel like coming back on he's 37 years old after all and I mean it didn't help that Steve Smith is in the form of his life and England

[00:07:16] can't find a way to get him out so yeah maybe his podcasting career is coming in the way of his cricketing career are we giving him undue publicity or credit. This is what you call unearned media in the marketing world so I think we are

[00:07:31] but yeah but I mean Jimmy Anderson not being there really kind of put pressure on the England bowlers right and Stuart Broad of course stepped up he took five wickets in the first inning Chris works and I just want to talk about him

[00:07:42] for a second I should I mean I think in the last two days I mean this is going to definitely be the promotional line of the podcast but I think I kind of have

[00:07:50] a man crush on Chris works like he just backs well he bowls well he took three wickets he made what 37 not out of the second innings and I was reading a stat actually by the cricket analyst it's a little bit convoluted

[00:08:03] but it says in test history of all the players to take as many wickets at home as Chris works and to make as many runs at home as Chris works only Imran Khan has a better bowling and batting average than him that's a pretty

[00:08:15] insane stat it is a pretty convoluted stat too though can you imagine pulling that data I had to read it three times to make sure I understood the stat of all the players who made as many runs at home.

[00:08:29] Yeah pretty convoluted no I mean it's fair he's also I mean you mentioned man crush but he's also a fairly good looking dude right that's it that's exactly yeah no I mean we you and I were messaging about this yesterday but can

[00:08:46] you imagine having a batsman like Chris works at number nine I mean England's batting depth is just unreal and that's why they probably went into this ashes at home as favorites and it'll be astounding if Australia wins the first

[00:08:58] match at Birmingham but yeah just having a player of Chris works his caliber at number nine I mean I think it's interesting because my memory of him was he started playing the IPL he I think he played for KKR had a horrible season

[00:09:10] and then didn't have a good limited overs career initially with England and then they sort of kept persisting with him and then in test matches he's just become an exceptional find I mean he's probably one of the guaranteed

[00:09:22] fast-balling slots in England and with somebody like Jofra Archer on the sidelines that's really something so yeah I think as an Indian fan I would kill for any one of our quick bowlers to be able to be a bat like him at number nine

[00:09:34] but we're stuck with Bumrah and Ishaan unfortunately yeah that's right and so DJ let me ask you now as the game stands right now what do you think is going to happen Australia lead by 269 there are still four sessions to go

[00:09:49] what's your take what's going to happen in this game have Australia secured a situation where they can't lose or with the likes of Bearstoke butler Roy is this England side capable of chasing 300 plus I think Australia is definitely in

[00:10:01] the driving seat 260 or ahead five wickets to go I think it's either an Australian win or a draw from here on obviously I could be proved wrong even before this podcast comes out right because it'll come out tomorrow which

[00:10:14] is Monday and the game will be close coming to a close then but I think Australia will then the driving seat they'll get maybe 80 more and 350 I think is they'll be they'll be happy with that and England will struggle to chase that

[00:10:27] on the last day because the ball is turning big and you saw Nathan Lyon he bought beautifully in the first inning yeah absolutely so I think Nathan Lyon will play a huge role tomorrow in the 50 of the test as will probably

[00:10:38] Steve Smith who can turn the ball but DJ let me ask you that there's no stock in this side and I was pretty surprised was it surprising to you because I asked some of my friends and they said that it wasn't as surprising

[00:10:48] to them stock's test record is not that good but to go with Amin's Paterson and Siddle and and Nathan Lyon it's four bowlers no stark I was personally a little surprised at that I think Stark is a fantastic bowler apart from his

[00:11:03] record I think there's a bit of workload management going on and I was reading an article on Crick info which said that the three of them stuck coming in here Hazel would would not and Paterson as well would not play in the

[00:11:15] in the same game to try and prolong their career so I think there's a bit of workload management going on that's a long series right remember that it's five test matches so yeah we'll have to wait and watch but I think Stark will

[00:11:27] play part in this innings in this series sorry but they're managing the workload of their quakes and maybe that's a good thing with the number of injuries they've had over the past few months absolutely yep so I mean it's

[00:11:41] just the first test so far in the first test has proven to be great honestly I didn't even think on day one that it would go into a day five but it has been so it's just gonna be absolutely fantastic to see you know if this is the

[00:11:53] quality of cricket that's going to see over the summer in the ashes it'll be just great right so let's move on a little bit to India West Indies so before we talk about the games are being played Ashwin I want to two comments

[00:12:04] I think I know you had done a social media bit last week but one Ganguly said he wants to be coach in the future and not now and there's too much conflict of interest between TV and other things what are your thoughts it's interesting

[00:12:18] because I was having this discussion with someone but I could actually see him being a decent coach I mean maybe we're influenced by the fact that both Ganguly and Ponting are some sort of advisors or some mentors or whatever

[00:12:30] it's called for Delhi and they had a pretty good season this time around but I could see him bringing a pretty good coach if you think about it he was the first captain who you know sort of after the turn of the century of the turn of

[00:12:40] the century he added that level of aggression and positive mindset to the Indian side and then Tony and Coli since then continued that so I could see him being a pretty good coach I think he could be a solid sort of mental

[00:12:54] conditioning expert for the for the skipper whoever's in charge and just bring a new energy to the team so I could see it you know I think where we are right now it's all the latest rumors are saying Shastri is gonna just

[00:13:06] continue coaching which to me would be disappointing mostly from a process standpoint why would you go through this whole thing if Shastri is just going to continue but I could see Ganguly being a good coach someday

[00:13:15] interesting because my personal view is I thought he at least for now and rightly so he said in the future he must be coached but I actually see Ganguly adding more value at the CAB in the administration maneuvering the

[00:13:27] politics and I see him adding a lot of value there DJ your thoughts on Dadar very interesting I haven't actually thought about this that much but both of you have made some very valid points because navigating the politics

[00:13:40] of domestic cricket right who better than an Indian captain to do that and I think it's a little bit difficult to say as well because dadar is very good at kind of nurturing younger players you've Raj Harbhajan these guys

[00:13:53] came through when under his captaincy so he's very good with someone like Shreyas Ayer in the Delhi Capitals for example who benefits from his guidance but how will he get along with Koli both quite strong personalities

[00:14:04] both have played the game at the highest level both have been very successful at the highest level obviously this assumes Koli will be captain when dadar and if dadar does become coach but I think it'll be a little bit

[00:14:18] difficult for a personality like dadar and Koli to get along if they can get along for Indian cricket nothing like it right but I think you're right that I'd see dadar more in the administration than in the coaching

[00:14:30] staff of the Indian team. Yeah in fact it will be interesting I think yeah that's why I said I think my personal view is the administration I think you've got to draw it at the young talent so it'll be just it'll be interesting

[00:14:41] to see where it goes but definitely that's a long time away in the future for now all signs seem to be pointing towards Shastri but yeah I do need to read up a little bit more about what's the latest update there right and

[00:14:53] DJ I'm gonna ask you also this next one Koli clarifies the rift with Rohit Sharma I think he came out and said you know the media is created this everything is fine in the dressing room you should see the way the boys behave around each

[00:15:06] other so what is your take on that? I think Koli's been listening to Shwin on this podcast far too much it was such a bland answer but he was fairly disgusted with the media right what's basically happened is we've had two

[00:15:18] three weeks between the World Cup and the next series and the media has just cooked all this stuff up and the social media rumors have been going around that this person has unfollowed this I mean it's good fun for us right I mean

[00:15:28] we chat about it on our podcast in a lighthearted way but I mean for him to have to address it in a formal press conference before leaving for an official tour it frankly it's quite ridiculous if you think about it

[00:15:39] that he has to actually address these rumors right I mean he's batted so much with Rohit they both bat very well together they're the biggest former for the Indian team captain and vice captain of the team and I mean as he

[00:15:53] said he's praised Rohit at every opportunity he's got and he actually says Rohit Sharma is a better batsman than I am and he's got more talent than I am I mean and he says as well I think he said in that conference that

[00:16:04] if I don't like someone you'll see it on my face and only wise is hard on his sleeve so if we didn't like Rohit we would have known about it but I mean the media is known for doing this it's all of unconfirmed sources

[00:16:17] social media rumors and stuff I mean they had to fill the time until the western DC restarted and MS Dhoni had gone off the boil at that story it got old so needed something new basically. Yeah I agree and actually there was no good

[00:16:30] Bollywood movies also out in the last two three weeks so imagine for India to not have a good movie out or cricket you have to cook up some story. Do you think they'll make a movie eventually about the Rohit Kohli scandal The Rift? Diwar Part 2

[00:16:48] We are a hook shot driver. You have a hook shot. I have a hook shot. I was going to say I have a hook shot but yeah you are the honest probably you are politically correct.

[00:17:01] Oh man talking about that dude I sent you that article remember about how in what is 2013 that Kohli was seen with the unnamed girl called Ritika who's now Rohit's wife. Dude this is just add yeah why are we discussing this why are we part of the

[00:17:22] problem like I said there's been no good Bollywood movie coming out so that's part of the... No but this came out in 2013 the media has been after these guys since 2013 that Kohli was seen with this unnamed girl called Ritika

[00:17:34] and who later obviously became Rohit's wife so I mean shocking it's not an old it's not a new thing it's been going on for a long time man this stuff. She was a sports manager and I'm pretty sure the started in 2013 because in Sachin's farewell dinner

[00:17:48] Sachin said the two future cricketers of India are sitting in this room Kohli and Rohit Sharma so I have a feeling that's why I probably started outdated back till then anyway moving on the last few years I wanted to

[00:18:00] discuss Ashwin I'm going to ask you I'm reading a headline right now that says Prithvisha out in the cold for having cough syrup it's pretty scary man cough syrup I thought is just taken like to make you sleep well it makes me

[00:18:12] very drowsy so I don't know what Prithvisha was doing but inadvertently he ingested Turbutulin if that's how you pronounce it which is a prohibit drug on the world anti-doping agency what are your thoughts? Yeah first of that's a great headline and DJ and I were discussing

[00:18:30] good headlines last week on the show so for all their issues the media has done a pretty good job with some fun catchy headlines I think my favorite one that DJ mentioned on last week's show was AB Delirious as Mrs. Devilleers delivers baby Devilleers or something really okay

[00:18:51] yeah look nothing much to say about show I thought what I thought was interesting is I mean at this level when you're an international cricketer and for somebody like him who we talked about on the show has been

[00:19:00] preparing for this since he was 12 you have to just be more careful and it's not an issue that he actually took that cough syrup it's an issue that he didn't declare it he could have easily just declared that hey

[00:19:11] because of this illness I'm taking this medication and there would have been no problems so it's just it's just silly you know honestly the only plus side to something like this was it took the headlines away from

[00:19:21] Rohit Kohli Drifts and gave the media something else to talk about but disappointing you know what I thought was interesting is if you're giving him an eight month ban it was strange that they chose to backdate it so

[00:19:31] it's we're recording this in August his band is going to be done by November so odd that it's an eight month ban but it was backdated because he hasn't played international cricket for since March but anyway hopefully he learned

[00:19:42] his lesson and it'll be a lesson for future Indian cricketers as well I think it's just incredibly silly yeah agree I think I think the backdated ban helps him a lot because it basically played through that

[00:19:52] time the IPL and and yeah November isn't that far off so I think he's come off this quite lucky but very silly he'll probably have to look at it carefully for the future so moving on to the India West Indies series

[00:20:06] it's going on we've had the first T20 where India won by four wickets it's being held at Fort Lauderdale if I'm not mistaken is that correct Ashwin that's right you planning to and you were planning to fly down

[00:20:17] are you are you glad you didn't I was thinking about it and honestly like the experience of having flown to Nottingham to have flown to London driven to Nottingham and sat there waiting in the rain kind of scarred me a

[00:20:27] little so I decided against it but in hindsight at least after the first match I'm glad I didn't it was a pretty boring sort of one sided match yeah so so let's talk about the game so India's team the top three were

[00:20:39] pretty standard Roy Charman, Thavan and Kohli. Punk of course was expected to play but India seemed to be fixated on playing him at number four whether it's an ODI or a T20 but anyway, Pant was number four

[00:20:51] you then had Manish Pandey who I think was a welcome surprise I was definitely expecting one out of Pandey and I here to play you had Krunal Pandia, Jadeja, Washington Sundar who bowled the first over Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed and Saini right so that was the team

[00:21:07] DJ any surprises in the team for you the playing 11 so I don't know man I mean we've just finished a big world tournament right like the World Cup and planning for that go down for four years

[00:21:17] the world T20 is coming next year I'd be shocked and amazed if this was a team that played the first game of the world T20 got Washington Sundar you've got Krunal Pandia, Jadeja playing in the same team

[00:21:29] Sikhar Dhawan hasn't been a great hasn't been a great T20 player internationally Rohit obviously great I would have thought K.L. Rahul probably makes the cut he's got age I mean he's been one of the top run scorers in the IPL

[00:21:42] over the last two years he's I think the last time they played in Fort Lauderdale in Miami they got a hundred and he got a hundred after coming in after a night out without knowing that he was going to play the next day right

[00:21:54] so I think we need to start planning right we need to start planning now and I don't know how we are seeing these two T20s against the reigning world champions are we seeing them as kind of let's chuck all our players

[00:22:05] in and see whether they come out swimming at the other end or are we actually saying this is going to be our team for next October I don't know and I think again it's some muddle thinking going on there because I don't

[00:22:17] see frankly I don't see Washington Sundar playing in Australia on those big grounds likewise Krunal Pandia and Jadeja are never going to play in the same side they do the same function so I was a little disappointed with the

[00:22:29] team selection so again a little bit of muddle thinking as to what's going on in this series I think that's absolutely right DJ muddle thinking is the word that came to my mind as well it's not good when you're

[00:22:40] what six fifteen months away from the world T20 it feels like India's again throwing everyone into the mix Ashwin what has happened to our two wrist spinners do you think they're just being rested or do you think their magic

[00:22:51] is wearing off a little bit and so you're planning for the for backups yeah I think it's a little bit of both I think the cool deeps magic is wearing off a little bit I think there's no doubt the child still belongs

[00:23:02] in the side and will will be playing next year's world T20 at last obviously he has an absolutely horrendous next 12 months so I think child being rested cool deeps magic is worn off a little I think cool deep needs to get just

[00:23:13] enough game time either with the A side or domestically or with the international team even and just find his his form back so hopefully he does because it's pretty incredible when they're bullying in tandem but I think

[00:23:24] the cool deep needs to find his magic back somehow right yeah and DJ you mentioned a little bit about Kail Rahul so the thing is does Kail Rahul have a spot in this team or is India now just going to do you think make him

[00:23:37] a backup opener I think in the one day game I think he's a backup opener but in the T20 game he's a fantastic T20 player he's got a great T20 record I think he averages over 40 in T20 cricket he's had a great IPL in the last few days

[00:23:51] and it just frees up his mind he just hits the ball doesn't think about technique and stuff you just see that can hit Satan I think he is a better T20 player than Shikhar Dhawan yes there's a left right combination to be

[00:24:02] done but I think the issue becomes where does Koli bat if Rahul's in the team because I would actually have played Rahul maybe at number three but that pushes Koli down to number four and then Punt goes further down so if you want left hand

[00:24:17] right hand put Punt up the order I mean again he got out in the first in the first game hitting it to the outfielder after the power player got done 6.3 overs Punt hits the fielder

[00:24:30] in the outfield I mean I'm just like guys this guy can hit the ball hard give him the opportunity to bat up the order letting me over the top that's his game

[00:24:39] it'll come off five out of ten times but you're going to win each of those five games yeah it was just too frustrating so let me do a quick recap of the match and

[00:24:46] I realized we haven't talked about that India won the toss put West Indies into bat first I think there was a little bit of function of I was reading that there's going to be a lot

[00:24:54] of rain and I think India put them into bat from that perspective West Indies got 95 for nine right so especially when the game started I was personally watching into the friend of mine and I was like

[00:25:07] this is going to be a low quality match and it did turn out to be exactly that Washington Sunder got a wicket in his first over Evan Lewis who I think has scored two centuries in

[00:25:17] the last time last two to T20s he's played against India also got out for zero Nicholas Puran and Paul are kind of steady the ship a little bit with 20 and 49 but after that it was

[00:25:26] just like a phone number everyone was in single digits so they hit 95 for nine in 20 overs standout bowler I think was semi he's done really well I should come on mistaken he plays for

[00:25:37] Bangalore and Koli has come out and said he's raw pace raw talent and we want to kind of watch him over the next few years thoughts on semi yeah it was interesting because

[00:25:46] DJ and I were talking about this just last week saying playing for the national captain in the IPL is an asset like so many Chennai players made it into the Indian side when Tony was captain of both

[00:25:56] Chennai and India and now obviously we've seen Chehel Rahul arguably made it through to the Indian side when he was a Bangalore player as well and now Saini so I think more than Bangalore he's had

[00:26:06] a stellar absolutely stellar run due trophy season for the last two or three years and I think really really really happy for him I think well deserved call up you know watching him play

[00:26:15] the T20 I almost feel like he's at least naturally he's much more of a test match style bowler I could see him bowling long spells just constantly hitting the same spots so it'll be interesting to

[00:26:27] see it look doesn't look like there's a vacancy in the test match quick bowling lineup for the moment but probably not too far from when Ishan Theramesh are ready to hang up their boots

[00:26:38] so I can see him being a great test match bowler I hope we continue to nurture him and under Bharat Arun's guidance he continues to grow yeah I think I think he did really well yesterday

[00:26:48] and Ashurna did you see Khalil Ahmad still giving missed calls no I didn't what does that even mean I don't understand that statement DJ you know what I'm talking about right I have no

[00:26:58] idea what are you talking about missed calls we talked about Shammi and his good afternoon last week but what is what missed calls dude for the last oh you're talking every time celebration

[00:27:09] every time Khalil takes a wicked he seems to be missed calling somebody like he puts his hands in a phone position shakes them as if he's calling somebody so the question is who is he giving these

[00:27:20] missed calls but why is it missed why didn't he just wait why like why don't you just assume he's calling somebody I don't think anyone wants to pick up Khalil's phone I hope no anti-corruption

[00:27:29] officers are watching it man it could like really be taken as a sign to a bookie or something that's a really poor celebration in the context of being a t20 player who plays all these leagues

[00:27:39] but I mean it's also like you watch Khalil take a wicked once in four months so DJ I mean it doesn't stay in the mind DJ on the topic of celebrations you think Dhoni will come

[00:27:48] back and have the Sheldon Cottrell celebration now that he's spent time with the army boss the Sheldon Cottrell celebration was awesome yesterday because he got Kohli and Kohli knew it's coming and Kohli just turned and went yeah I thought but then

[00:28:01] Dhoni should do the same now right because Cottrell does it because it's time in them because of his time in the middle Dhoni salutes but mostly people salute Dhoni that is what he's here to understand

[00:28:12] dude this is like we've he's carrying the burden of the nation on his shoulders now it's time we carry him on our shoulders what a line right so then India came out to bat Rohit Sharma as usual

[00:28:24] got off to good start 24 of 25 I was expecting another 100 from him I just got too used to seeing that and as I'm saying that by the way guys he's just raised his bat for a 50 in the second T20 so

[00:28:35] yeah it's we're getting quite used to see Rohit Sharma score Dhawan disappointing one run of seven balls where Art Kohli came in steady the ship a little bit 19 punth we spoke about DJ mentioned

[00:28:45] hit an absolutely atrocious shot and I think it's really sad because for five six years I haven't felt this kind of frustration and emotion since Viru retired and now watching punth bat again

[00:28:56] it's just comes down to is he going to be zero off one or is he going to be four off one more it's too frustrating to watch I thought your reaction yesterday was absolutely priceless

[00:29:06] I know we can't repeat it on on air but it was the best most frustrated reaction I've seen from anyone for a long time yeah that's that's what I'm talking about man it's just pure frustration

[00:29:20] I literally had my head in my hands my head in my hands I have only one head um yeah that was that was really bad but anyway Manish Pandey came out looked pretty good to me I think he should

[00:29:31] have stayed and finished the job but he got out 19 or 14 Krunal Pandey also was looking good but anyway India ended up winning the match it was a damp match if you ask me I didn't

[00:29:41] I didn't enjoy it at all and I was really looking forward to it after the the break but Ashwin do you think the entire series is going to be like this I mean I know you've watched games

[00:29:50] in West Indies let's really hope the the quality of games pick up did you call it a damp match dampener right that's that's what I'm doing damp squib yeah damp squib damp squib I don't yeah

[00:30:03] anyway you said the match was a bit damp for me and I was confused where that's taken anyway yeah look I don't I hope not I hope the series is not like this I don't think it will

[00:30:12] be to be honest because West Indies in test matches are absolutely a different level and that's interesting to say because that probably wasn't the case even a year ago but now they're quick bowlers I mean even when Holder comes back he brings something different to the

[00:30:26] to the side so and also what noting they've been using the Duke's ball the Duke's Duke's whatever it's called in the West Indies for a few years now and I think I just think Red Ball cricket in the West Indies will be very very exciting with

[00:30:37] the kind of quick bowlers they have now so and of course with India's quick bowlers too so I'm hopeful that it's better I think the T20s they started with the T20s for a reason just kind of

[00:30:47] warm it up a little bit you know I think it's a good initiative as somebody who lives in North America it's a good initiative that they're bringing cricket to Florida continuously the

[00:30:55] crowds that showed up are pretty good I know people have flown from all over the US and Canada to go watch it so it's good it's but once they get to the to the Caribbean and

[00:31:04] they start playing test cricket that's what I'm excited for I mean honestly watching the ashes had just has just made me start itching for to see India and whites again so looking forward to

[00:31:12] that absolutely and talking of North America and cricket Ashwin any updates on the Canada League I know you're rancing hit 51 for Toronto but it was an elusin cause I haven't followed it to be

[00:31:24] honest yeah I mean I watched the games on and off it's interesting I mean players like Narayan have left their sides now to obviously go play for the country so it continues to be a fun

[00:31:34] tournament I think just by way of quick update the the Brampton Wolves team that's led by Colin Monroe is undefeated so far so eight points from four games while Toronto which again I've claimed is my home

[00:31:46] city led by Yuvraj is languishing at the bottom with just the one win from four games even though I think the highlight for them has been the fact that Yuvraj has found some form he made 51 of

[00:31:55] 22 balls just yesterday and so people are very excited about that some big hitting really big scores continuously seeing scores of 200 plus being posted and chased down so good good tournament good fun and we'll see where it goes from here yeah and are people are people in North America

[00:32:10] talking about cricket there's a lot of cricket happening right now is it is it something you discuss with any of your colleagues anyone you meet outside that does the conversation come

[00:32:20] up at all I think my point of view on this is probably a little biased but just because people just because I keep telling people what the podcast and hopefully having friends and

[00:32:29] colleagues go and rate us five stars and subscribe so if you're listening to this please do make sure you give us five stars on itunes and I tell this nice plug there you go nice plug had to do it but

[00:32:40] yeah so I think my perspective is a little biased to be honest the answer is no I don't think too many people talk about the sport of cricket more there was definitely more coverage internationally

[00:32:49] on given the insane world cup final we had so that day in the office and just generally I had people asking me about it and talking about it but not not really since the GT 20 I think the GT

[00:32:59] 20 is mostly serving the the crowds in and around Toronto and that's a pretty good population to serve awesome okay cool so yeah for for all the North American fans the second T20 is going on as we

[00:33:11] record it's on Sunday night the third is on Tuesday 6th August and then we're going to get straight into the ODI so we're going to cover the last T20 and and the first ODI in our next

[00:33:22] podcast in the meantime keep writing in keep tweeting us we'd love to hear from you and the only way we grow is if you continue to share our podcast with your friends so please keep doing

[00:33:32] that and we'll be back next week with another episode do you wish you were smarter well so do we but the next best thing we could make you sound smarter and to help you with this endeavour

[00:33:48] we are simplified a podcast that attempts to break down the complex world around you with a little knowledge a lot of poor jokes and a ton of random trivia episodes out every Monday

[00:34:00] on the IVM podcast app or wherever you get your podcasts see ya hi my name is Anupam Gupta I'm B-50 on Twitter I am the host of Pesavessa a show that talks money on my show I speak to

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