It happened with surprising speed, and the new BCB president Aminul Islam has plenty to do to improve the state and image of Bangladesh cricket

Mohammad Isam02-Jun-2025The change in the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) presidency unfolded at an unusual and dizzying pace over the weekend.The country’s sports ministry stripped Faruque Ahmed of his BCB directorship on Thursday following a no-confidence motion tabled by his fellow directors, precipitating his exit as board president after just nine months. Aminul Islam was then appointed as the ministry’s next man on the board and the BCB directors elected him the next president by Friday afternoon.The speed with which the sports ministry completed the process was impressive. It isn’t often that a government body sends out a notice – removing Faruque as its board representative – at 10pm on a Thursday night (Friday and Saturday are the weekend days in Bangladesh).It isn’t common for the BCB directors to act with such initiative either. They submitted a no-confidence motion against Faruque to the ministry on Thursday evening, held video conferences to approve the ministry’s notices regarding Faruque and Aminul later that night, and called an emergency meeting for Friday. Seven of the eight BCB directors who signed the no-confidence motion weren’t this active during Nazmul Hassan’s 15-year presidency.What was in the letter of no-confidence against Faruque?There is no provision for a no-confidence motion in the BCB constitution, but the sports ministry took the letter into consideration when removing Faruque. The three-page letter was released on social media on Thursday evening, hours after Faruque had refused to resign as president.Related

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Aminul Islam elected new BCB president

Faruque Ahmed removed as BCB president

From the beginning of his presidency, however, Faruque had reportedly been told not to engage with BCB directors who were seen as Hassan loyalists. This left Faruque with only one or two directors to work with, causing problems among the board initially.In the no-confidence letter, Faruque was portrayed as an authoritarian, with Chandika Hathurusinghe’s sacking as Bangladesh’s head coach used as an example. Faruque was criticised for questioning Hathurusinghe’s position in his first press conference as BCB president. Bangladesh were playing a Test series in Pakistan at the time, but Faruque had brought up Hathurusinghe’s future at a board meeting on October 17, attended by the nine other board directors and CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury. This is when the decision to sack Hathurusinghe was made.The same directors were known for their complicity in Hassan’s unilateral decision-making during his long term as BCB president. There were numerous instances of Hassan’s loyalists instructing other directors to approve certain decisions instantly at the time. Occasionally, a board director would question Hassan and was usually admonished. Whether it was the umpiring and corruption scandal in 2016, the clipping of selectorial independence, or Hassan’s direct interference in team matters, no director spoke against him.The BCB directors also accused Faruque of “exercising his power” to bring teams like Durbar Rajshahi and Chittagong Kings into last season’s BPL. Rajshahi’s player payment issues are well documented, with the government having to intervene. However, there was no mention of Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, another board director, and his role in the decision-making during last season’s BPL in the no-confidence letter.The BPL fiasco dented Faruque’s reputation. Rajshahi’s local players skipped a practice session and their overseas players missed a match over the issue of unpaid wages. The BCB couldn’t convince the Rajshahi owners to make payments for weeks and government intervention was needed to help the overseas players get out of the country after they were locked into their Dhaka hotel for days.Faruque Ahmed (second from left) was the BCB president for nine months•Tahmid Amit/Jamuna TVAnother major issue was Faruque’s alleged interference in the men’s team. Whenever he was asked about the team, he referred questions to the captain and the coach. The directors accused him of interference, but they hadn’t raised this issue during his presidency. Faruque, interestingly, is widely regarded as Bangladesh’s best chief selector of all time.It is also important to note that after August 5, when the Awami League-led government fell and fled the country, the BCB became a weaker body than it was. It was seen as one of the flagships of the Awami League, with innumerable links to the party. So, when the protests against Shakib Al Hasan having a farewell Test in Dhaka began last October, the BCB couldn’t do much. Shakib, a former Awami League MP, had become a villain of sorts, and the student protests were firm on not letting him play in Dhaka. The usually powerful and influential BCB couldn’t guarantee his entry and exit through their government connections.Why was Faruque made president?During his press briefing on Saturday, sports adviser Asif Mahmud said Faruque had been recommended to him by those he had consulted last August after the protests had brought down the Awami League government. ESPNcricinfo understands Faruque was one of several candidates for the BCB presidency at the time but the interim government wanted someone with a clean image. Faruque’s reputation had grown when he resigned in protest over BCB’s changed selection policy in 2016.That was after he was reappointed chief selector in 2013 following his success in the role from 2004 to 2007, when he brought in the likes of Tamim Iqbal, Shakib and Mushfiqur Rahim to the national team. Faruque had a short international career, even leading Bangladesh in the 1994 ICC Trophy. He was a prolific run-getter in domestic cricket, before taking on the selection role in the early 2000s.Aminul Islam, BCB’s new president, may have to clean up the board’s image first•BCBWhat next for the BCB?Faruque’s successor Aminul could use his experience to stabilise the BCB. He is an administrative stalwart, having worked in the ICC as a development manager for the last eight years. He also worked at the ACC for many years. Aminul has played a developmental role in numerous Asian nations: he was one of the first coaches to take cricket to China. He has worked in professional set-ups in both Kuala Lumpur and Melbourne, where he now resides.Leading a cricket board, though, will be more complicated especially when the organisation is going through turbulence. Bangladesh’s problems on and off the field mean morale is at an all-time low. The men’s national team has slipped to No. 10 in ODIs and have been struggling in T20Is. They won three overseas Tests last year but drew 1-1 against Zimbabwe last month. There are two ongoing investigations into the BPL and the Dhaka Premier League. On top of that, the BCB directors are restive.Aminul has already impressed many in the board with a presentation on his first day in office. He said he had come to play a “memorable T20 innings”, suggesting he would not be in the position for too long but wanted to make an impact.His focus could also swing back to cricket, as he’s known as a pure cricketing man in Bangladesh. There’s a lot depending on him in the coming months. Many may think the board elections will be his priority, but with Bangladesh cricket lurching from one scandal to another, Aminul may have to clean up the board’s image first.

The tale of a Goliath-slaying by two dozen Davids of Castlemaine, Victoria, in 1862

Geoff Lemon and Adam Collins16-Nov-2025We tell a lot of Ashes stories. But Australia and England faced each other on five Test tours before the Ashes legend was created, and earlier still, before the Test era, three other teams from England visited the colonies. Let’s go back to the first of these, and one of the biggest upsets of them all.Cricket in the 1800s was mostly public entertainment offered by private operators. The modern spectator might not part with their cash to watch a few gents batting with twigs scoring one run per over on a rural shitheap, but in that era there was rarely much to do except catch the plague and talk to sheep. So teams travelled all over, partly made up of working-class professional players, partly of upper-class supposed amateurs, who were usually discreetly paid “expenses” that greatly exceeded their team-mates’ wages. If crowds turned up and paid entry, tours were lucrative. If not, they lost money heavily.Nor was touring specific to cricket. Musicians, actors, sideshows, demonstrations of strength or skill – all sorts of performers traipsed from town to town looking for their next payday. And with international maritime transport having become commonplace, big attractions from England could make big money elsewhere.This earning potential drew the interest of two Melbourne restaurant owners, Mr Spiers and Mr Pond. It was 1862, the gold rush was ending and a depression was on the way. These two wanted to diversify. Originally they invited novelist Charles Dickens for a speaking and reading tour. He was interested but the plan fell through. As they cast around for alternatives, they heard a story from 1859, when cricket touring had first gone international. An All-England team went to North America, including a chap whose name offered classic English floridity: Heathfield Harman Stephenson. The tour had made bank. Spiers and Pond were down. They offered Stevo a gig.Our bloke had a long all-round career bowling what was recorded as “round-arm fast”. Make of that what you will: we guess that his pace was pedestrian at best, but the ratty pitches of the day made it do all sorts. He played for nearly 20 years, a lot for Surrey with a bunch of other sides thrown in, including England representative teams against county opponents. With international cricket not yet born, that was the highest you could go: an England player without a Test cap. He did allegedly get bought a fancy hat once, by crowd donation, after taking three wickets in three balls, which is one of the unproven theories about why we call it a “hat-trick”. And he definitely umpired the first Test ever played in England.Spiers and Pond made a good bet. When Stevo’s team of Englishmen arrived, it was huge news. Melbourne’s population was 125,000, and an estimated 10,000 of them came to the docks to greet the team’s ship. For the opening match against a Victorian side, 15,000 showed up, and the estimate over four days was 55,000. That included the governor, the premier, and cabinet ministers. It was a carnival, with one lunch break including the country’s first ascent of a hot-air balloon.Related

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Described by English player William Caffyn, the scene on morning one sounded no different to Boxing Day morning now: “The National Anthem was played as we entered the field, amidst the silence of the vast concourse of spectators. When the band stopped playing a tremendous burst of cheering rent the air. The weather was so hot as to fetch the skin off some of our faces.”The Vics got pumped, their second innings including ten ducks and a nought not out. Does that mean they didn’t make any runs? No, they made 91, because they had 18 players. This was the other factor. The touring team was made of hardened county players, and a money-making trip needed the promise of competitiveness. So teams like these would travel to any town, field their best 11 and let the hosts play 15 or 18 or 22. A sporting handicap let the pros show off their skills without a mismatch ending the game too quickly.The team went all over: Ovens District, Geelong, Bathurst, Hobart, Ballarat, Bendigo, and several bigger games in Melbourne and Sydney. As the far more powerful side, they kept playing against teams with more players and kept beating them, often by an innings. They lost twice all tour. The first took a combined team from the best of Victoria and New South Wales, fielding 22 players to the English 11, that still barely scraped over the line. Ending at 35 for 9 in the chase, with nobody having passed single figures, the colonial team probably would have lost if chasing 30 more.The other loss, though, was right at the other end of the scale for supposed advantage. Yes, it was still to 22 players, but they were 22 farmers and knockabouts, residents of the small Victorian town of Castlemaine, who made their fortress at the local ground named Wattle Flat.Everyone was there. “On the occasion of the grand match yesterday, business was almost entirely suspended in the town, and most of the surrounding districts were similarly affected,” reported the . England got bowled out for 80, but that wasn’t a bad score in that era. A feller from down the road at Fryers Creek named John Webster Amos took 7 for 13.But as soon as England took the ball, Stevo nabbed the first wicket, and boy did it roll on. For a sequence on a scorecard, try reading this aloud. 0, 5, 0, 17, 3, 2, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 10, 1, 0, 1, 0, 2, 3 not out, 1, 0, 1, 0.So that’s ten ducks and five ones, out of 22 batters, in a score of 54. George Griffith for the tourists took 13 wickets for 18 runs, and while the scorer might just have got lazy noting down catches, the card suggests that 12 of them were bowled. It must have been a brutal effort to be subjected to, and on that showing, a deficit of 26 for Castlemaine might as well have been a thousand.

Our research might be faulty, but apparently teams of 22 players didn’t just have a longer batting order; they were allowed to have them all fielding at the same time. These English pros would have been trying to work the ball into the smallest gaps or hit over thickets of fielders

But the local lads were not discouraged. Our friend Amos only added one wicket in the third innings, but his team-mate John Brooker cleaned up with 6 for 6. That kept the English to a manageable 68, and Stevo was pissed. The skipper, reported the local paper, spouted off at the lunch break: “in explanation of the bad fortune that had attended the Englishmen in that day’s play, [Stephenson] said that he attributed it entirely to the bad ground”. Sure, classic – blame the facilities.Picture the chaos of this match. Our research might be faulty, but apparently teams of 22 players didn’t just have a longer batting order; they were allowed to have them all fielding at the same time. These English pros would have been trying to work the ball into the smallest gaps or hit over thickets of fielders. In the meantime, the whole third innings happened on the Saturday, so the entire town and district would have been down there cheering every wicket. The home team would have merged into the home supporters near the boundary line, an indistinguishable and claustrophobic mass of humanity surrounding them.Even so, when normal service resumed in the fourth innings with the regulation 13 players on the pitch, the scores in the match and Castlemaine’s first showing with the bat suggested that 95 was too many to chase. But by stumps on Saturday, they were still in the game at 40 for 4. In the circumstances, first drop Robert Manning making 11 was a significant score. More importantly, Charles Makinson – who would later play twice for Victoria – was 19 not out. The town sat through church on Sunday daring to hope.On Monday, Makinson went on to 36, including the only boundary of the innings, before being bowled. The card proceeded much like the first innings: 4, 0, 3, 2, 3, 1, 1, 2, 0, 0, 1, 3. But, crucially, there were fewer ducks. Each tiny score brought the target closer. Between times they kept hustling, taking byes and leg-byes, the extras total mounting past 10, past 15, up towards 20. But the wicket column was doing the same. Castlemaine had already been hurt up top by Griffith again, then saw a run of wickets through the middle for Charles Lawrence, who went on to emigrate to Australia and would later captain the Aboriginal XI tour to England of 1868.Lawrence bagged the 14th wicket, the 15th, the 16th. Nerves jangled. A tiny partnership of 6 or 7 saw the score creep within a few runs of the target. Then another wicket for Lawrence, dismissing the player for 3, and another for Griffith, a duck.Castlemaine had their No. 20 at the crease, with two left in the sheds. Being carded at 21 or 22 would not do wonders for the confidence. Those three players collectively had scored one run in the first innings. But out there with them was the fabulously named Joseph Dolphin, ready to launch a Flipper rescue. Sure, his innings totalled 6 not out, but it was a 6 not out that would reverberate through the life of the town. With the winning strike, Dolphin carried Castlemaine past their target, not to 95 runs but to 96. Like Forrest Gump, he just kept on running.Affirm PressSo the boys from Castlemaine won the match at Wattle Flat, defeating England’s finest by making 150 runs across two innings. Griffith added 9 for 28 in the second dig, another seven of them bowled, so had match figures of 22 wickets for 46, but the locals were still the ones who got to celebrate.”It has been reserved for the Castlemaine district to achieve a victory which other much more pretentious districts failed to win,” crowed the . They were less happy about the English blaming the deck. “It strikes us that this mode of accounting for the victory of the Castlemaine men sounds very like twaddle,” the paper continued. “No doubt it is annoying to be defeated by a number of amateur cricketers, but… whatever might have been the demerits of the ground, it was played on by both sides.”Ding ding ding, cricket cliché jar. A hundred years later, the people of Castlemaine were still sufficiently pleased with themselves to put up a plaque commemorating the win, which England’s then-captain Colin Cowdrey agreed to unveil. He was the fifth touring skipper to visit Castlemaine, because such was the respect given to Wattle Flat following Stevo’s trip that three later touring sides also played matches there, the little ground hosting some of the greatest to play the game.WG Grace took his team there in 1874, and his key bowler was England’s first Test captain, James Lillywhite, who took ten wickets in each innings. Ivo Bligh’s team played Castlemaine during the first Ashes tour in 1882, and in 1887, cricket’s great party boy AE Stoddart walked away with 8 for 27, and we can only hope that Castlemaine then gave him a good night on the tiles.The team continued to hold its own, with Grace’s team winning narrowly and the other two matches drawn. Eventually, Wattle Flat cricket ground became a pony club and a recreation area, and there is no longer an oval where those games were played. But they say that some ghosts may be heard when you pass by the cricket ground: mostly Heathfield Harman Stephenson complaining about the pitch.

Having played in the shadow of Shakib Al Hasan for a long time, he has now surpassed his hero’s wickets tally

Mohammad Isam22-Nov-2025To grasp Taijul Islam’s big moment, you have to get as close to the pitch as possible. You can’t sit in a cushy, soundproof press box to get a feeling of the height he has scaled. As a Bangladesh fan, the best you can do is witness the moment at the Shere Bangla National Stadium’s grandstand. A seat in the lower part of the grandstand could be useful, given how close it is to the action. It is a side view, though, so you might miss the nuances of Taijul’s bowling, but it is about moment.Bangladesh declared their second innings shortly after the lunch break on the fourth day in the Dhaka Test. Taijul broke Shakib Al Hasan’s record of most Test wickets for Bangladesh in the sixth over of Ireland’s chase. The Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie, trying to work the ball away towards square leg, was undone by a slightly quicker delivery. The huge appeal was followed by the raised finger, before Balbirnie called for the review.The small crowd cheered. Taijul ran a little bit with his clenched fist. Mushfiqur Rahim, the man of the moment in Dhaka, tried to pick him up to take the celebration to the next level. Taijul would have none of it, as he politely asked to be let down. After the TV umpire confirmed the three reds, Taijul calmly walked back to his mark. If you blinked, you would have missed his smile.Related

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In terms of Test wickets, Taijul has now surpassed the man who has practically built Bangladesh cricket. Shakib is someone he looked up to before he made his Test debut, and in whose shadow he became a top-class operator. If you peel back another layer, Taijul now rightfully wears the crown of the best Bangladesh bowler – the one that has come down from Mohammad Rafique, the first bowler to take 100 Test wickets for the country, and, of course, Shakib, the first to 200 Test wickets.According to Taijul, though, he never really targeted records but wanted to play for Bangladesh for a long time. He said that he understands what he needs to do at the highest level, although he doesn’t enjoy the “underrated” tag. “I always wanted to have a long career,” he said. “I never really thought that I would be on top of the wicket-takers’ list. You just don’t plan that way, especially when you are starting a Test career.”I think around the time [I got to 200 wickets], I probably had the consistency and experience to convince myself that I can serve Bangladesh cricket for a longer time. I think it was around this time that I considered that I might get a few more wickets. It is not about proving myself to anyone. I think performance is the most important aspect at the highest level. I am always tagged as an underrated bowler, but I think it’s only the media that considers me as underrated.”Seven of Taijul’s 17 five-fors have come in wins•Associated PressTaijul was Shakib’s understudy and played second fiddle to him for a long time. He wasn’t always an automatic choice outside the subcontinent. And if you consider his celebration on Saturday, he is an unassuming person who doesn’t have glamour or a glitzy social-media following.But he is reliable, and bowls tirelessly. He has made contributions, big and small and mostly impactful, in his 11 years at the highest level. Seven of his 17 five-wicket hauls and one of his two ten-wicket hauls have come in Bangladesh’s wins.His 10 for 184 in Bangladesh’s 150-run win against New Zealand in Sylhet in 2023 is probably his greatest moment. He took Kane Williamson’s wicket in both innings. When the chips were down, as was the case in Bangladesh’s first day-night Test in Kolkata in 2019, Taijul was the 12th man who had to step up as a batter as Nayeem Hasan’s concussion substitute. He took Ajinkya Rahane’s wicket and took a splendid catch of Virat Kohli. He batted bravely too.There were numerous times when Taijul stepped up when Bangladesh ran into trouble. Still, he is the one who has to prove his worth to the selectors often.Taijul took on the mantle of being the lead spinner in the attack in 2017, since Shakib became irregular in Tests. Ten of his 17 five-fors have come in the last five years, a period in which Bangladesh have increasingly played more Tests, and mostly without Shakib.”The national team is where you have to keep performing,” he said. “Look at Shakib – he was No. 1 in the world for a reason. He was always performing. That was his quality. We remember his suggestions. He would always share his experience with us.”Even in private conversations, Taijul doesn’t really stick out for his big proclamations. He will enjoy a quiet dinner with friends. His dry sense of humour will stick out from time to time. He will make his point, smile and enjoy the conversation. But at the same time, he is serving as a good example of hard work for the next generation. The good news is that finally, many are not only noticing him but also following him.

The three-match ODI series between India and South Africa begins on Sunday in Ranchi and there are a few things to keep your eyes on

Alagappan Muthu28-Nov-2025Jaiswal’s opportunity…?Yashasvi Jaiswal has played 52 matches for India over the past two years but only one of those has been an ODI. This is because he is a top-order batter, and India are so full-up on those. Easier to trap lightning in a bottle than bumping Virat Kohli or Shubman Gill or Rohit Sharma out of an ODI line-up.Circumstances conspired to hand Jaiswal his ODI debut in February this year – one of the big three was injured, which is the case again now, with Gill out. Do well and he’ll stay in rotation as the reserve opener. Do not so well and who knows. There’s already Ruturaj Gaikwad in this squad nipping at Jaiswal’s heels. It’s a tricky situation for a 23-year-old.Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock have added 1072 runs together as an opening pair•Associated PressBavuma’s returnA full-strength South African ODI squad is teeming with top-order riches too, particularly with Temba Bavuma back among them. Forty-seven of his 51 ODI innings have come in the top three, and it seems likely that he’ll slip into the opening position to play alongside Quinton de Kock.The two work well together, putting on 1072 runs at an average of 56.42 as openers together, which is considerably higher than any other first-wicket partnership for South Africa (minimum five innings) in 50-overs history. They led the line-up the last time South Africa played ODIs in India, during the 2023 World Cup, after which de Kock retired, severely underestimating his FOMO. Now that he is back, prepare yourself for Quimba. Or maybe deVuma? Yeah, we’ll keep workshopping.Arshdeep’s ODI challengeArshdeep Singh has played only 11 ODIs. Six of them were on tours with a second-string side captained by Shikhar Dhawan in 2022, and KL Rahul in 2023. Those 11 games fold into a List A career that has seen just 39 matches.India have had a tough time getting the most out of Arshdeep. But they know they can’t keep sleeping on him, not with an ODI World Cup in pace-friendly African conditions. A battle-hardened left-arm quick who can swing the white ball will come in very handy in 2027.Lungi Ngidi is part of South Africa’s pace attack for the ODIs in India•ECB via Getty ImagesSA quicks to crank it upSouth Africa will be rifling through their own stock of seam bowlers, with Kagiso Rabada and Gerald Coetzee’s bodies rebelling against them for spending all their time hurling small objects at 150kph.The focus shifts from the front men to the rest of the band on this tour, and they’re not short on pulling power. Lungi Ngidi (with his variations), Nandre Burger (with his left-arm angle), and Corbin Bosch (with his raw pace) offer the kind of skills that sets a team up to take wickets at virtually every stage of an ODI.

Their contribution to ODI cricket has been rooted in identity and belief

Greg Chappell23-Oct-2025Author and Philosopher Bo Bennett once said “Success is not what you have but who you are.”
In an era where cricket often bends to the whims of fleeting formats and instant gratification, two Indian giants stood tall, not just for the runs they scored but for the men they became. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, two pillars of modern Indian cricket, carved their legacies through distinct journeys, both marked by immense skill, fierce preparation, and an abiding respect for the 50-over format. Their contribution to ODI cricket wasn’t accidental – it was deeply personal, rooted in identity and belief.Kohli was never just a batter, he was a movement. He arrived on the ODI scene in 2008 with raw promise, and by 2017, when he was full-time captain in the format, he had seized the reins of a side in transition and reshaped it. He brought what few dared to – a warrior’s mindset. He turned India’s ODI side into a sharp, focused and supremely fit unit that played to win, home or away.But what truly set him apart, even from the legends who came before him, was his detachment from personal statistics. While the world raved about centuries and aggregates, Kohli cared only about the outcome. He once said that he played for India, not for records – a statement that defined his leadership. Individual feats were often the focal point of India’s cricketing narrative; Kohli sought something larger. His currency was legacy, not numbers.Related

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Under his watch, India beat Australia 2-1 in an ODI series in 2018-19. They held fort at home like a colossus, dominating bilateral contests and ICC events. Kohli made chasing a priority, fielding a crop of finishers who could rattle teams even in high-pressure chases. He transformed India’s attitude from reactive to relentlessly proactive.Where Kohli’s rise was meteoric and defined by intensity, Rohit’s journey was more about a slow-burn path to greatness. For years he dazzled in limited-overs cricket; his timing, poise and flair made him a household name. But it didn’t come easy: though he made his debut in 2007, inconsistency and middle-order struggles kept him from cementing a place, especially in big tournaments.Then came 2013. Promoted to open during a home series against England, he seized the opportunity with quiet confidence. There was a double-century against Australia. Elegant hundreds, of which the first came also against Australia that year. Sudden comfort against the swinging ball. Something had changed – not just in technique but in belief. What followed was one of the most remarkable second winds in Indian cricket. Rohit didn’t just adapt to ODI cricket, he conquered it.

Where Kohli’s rise was meteoric and defined by intensity, Rohit’s journey was more about a slow-burn path to greatness

His batting, so often described as “effortless”, now carried the weight of responsibility. The short-arm pull, the nimble footwork against spin, the patience outside off stump – all made for a batter who could both grind and grace. A blistering 264 against Sri Lanka in 2014 cemented his credentials as a record-breaker, while his measured leadership in the 2023 ODI World Cup showed a cricketer at peace with pressure.When Kohli stepped down as captain in 2021, it was Rohit who inherited the mantle – not by clamour but by quiet readiness. Where Kohli roared, Rohit observed. His captaincy was marked by calm decisions, clear planning, and unwavering support for younger players. He doesn’t chase the camera. He lets his cricket speak – and speak it does, fluently.Their captaincies were a study in contrasts, but both chased one of the same ends – Indian excellence in ODIs. Kohli led in 95 ODIs, winning 65 – among the top two highest by an Indian captain. His win rate of over 68% came against the best teams, in the toughest conditions. Rohit, newer in the role, led in just a little under half as many matches as Kohli and had an even better win percentage – 75%. Together they ensured that India remained an ODI superpower, not just a red-ball giant.Technically, Kohli’s game was forged in fire. His mastery of pace, particularly the searing quicks of Australia, England, and South Africa, made him a modern-day gladiator. His cover-drive became a symbol not just of class but of courage. Off the field, his dedication to fitness, diet and relentless improvement made him a trendsetter.Rohit, on the other hand, thrived on rhythm. His strokeplay is a masterclass in timing. Few play spin better; fewer still can pull like he does. He doesn’t impose himself on bowlers initially – he outsmarts them, and then dismantles them relentlessly. Mentally, both men were titans – Kohli driven by the fire of legacy, Rohit by the calmness of knowing his time would come.There were moments when they didn’t just shine, they paused the game itself. Kohli’s 183 against Pakistan in the 2012 Asia Cup, in a high-pressure chase, showed he wasn’t afraid of the big stage. His leadership in the 2018-19 Australia series win remains a defining Indian cricket moment.It’s one last time into the breach in Australia for the two•ICC/Getty ImagesFor Rohit it was the 264 against Sri Lanka, the innings that declared him an ODI phenomenon. Then the five centuries at the 2019 World Cup, where he tamed global attacks with poise. And more recently, his tactical nous through the 2023 World Cup campaign as captain.But beyond individual brilliance in ODIs lay something rarer: their love of and devotion to Test cricket. Kohli wasn’t shy about it – he spoke often, and passionately, about the purity of the format. He made it cool again to care about playing in whites. Rohit, through his transformation, showed that Test cricket rewards those who respect its tempo.In an age where players often chase leagues, fame, and IPL contracts, Kohli and Rohit were naturals who became the face of their franchises for over a decade. No matter the format, they dominated. They were never trying to be viral. They were trying to be vital.Praise for them came from everywhere. Michael Vaughan was effusive in his admiration of Kohli as an ODI player, and Ravi Shastri lauded his obsession with chasing success. Ben Stokes admired Rohit’s calm control. Steve Smith admired Kohli’s competitiveness. Ajinkya Rahane said once that Rohit always made you feel like the team came first. Their team-mates loved them. Their opponents respected them. Their fans, like us, will remember them as more than just batters, as torchbearers.Now, as the cricketing world moves forward, new names will rise. New captains will lead. But this golden chapter – the Kohli-Rohit era – will remain engraved not just in record books but in the hearts of every fan who understood what they stood for. Kohli’s passion, his refusal to settle, his belief in legacy over statistics. Rohit’s elegance, his humility, and his redemption arc, which reminded us all that timing is everything – in cricket, and in life.What they gave the game can’t be fully measured in runs or centuries or wins. They gave it belief, dignity, and character – which, as Bo Bennett reminded us, is the true measure of success.

Liverpool are now battling Real Madrid for the signature of FC Bayern defender Dayot Upamecano, amid a new update on his future at the Allianz Arena.

The Reds finally managed to get one over on Madrid on Tuesday night, defeating the Spanish side 1-0 at Anfield in the Champions League, courtesy of Alexis Mac Allister’s second-half header, which was the Argentinian’s first goal of the season.

The result was extra sweet, given that it was the first time Trent Alexander-Arnold has returned to Anfield since controversially leaving in the summer, with Arne Slot bringing in Jeremie Frimpong as a replacement.

However, it would be fair to say Frimpong hasn’t made an immediate impact, having only been used sparingly by Slot even prior to his recent injury, which has ruled the right-back out of the last four matches in all competitions.

The manager was also keen to bring in a new centre-back in the summer, narrowly missing out on Marc Guehi on deadline day, given that Crystal Palace were unable to sign a replacement, but a potential alternative has now been identified.

Liverpool battling Real Madrid for Dayot Upamecano

Having gotten the better of Real Madrid on the pitch, Liverpool are now trying to one-up their European foes in the transfer market, with a report from Spain revealing the two clubs are battling it out for Upamecano, although there could be competition from elsewhere.

Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester United are also in the race for the defender, amid uncertainty surrounding his future at Bayern, as he is still yet to put pen to paper on a new contract to extend his stay at the German club beyond the end of the season.

Talks over a new deal have now stalled, which suggests the 27-year-old could be on the move in the summer, but Bayern would be unwilling to sanction a move during the January transfer window.

Slot is personally a fan of the centre-back, with the Dutchman of the belief he could adapt to life in the Premier League swiftly and stabilise his backline, and there are plenty of indications the Liverpool manager could be on the money.

Hailed as “outstanding” by Joshua Kimmich, the Bayern star is vastly experienced at the top level, having made 60 appearances in the Champions League and won 11 trophies, across what has been a very impressive career to date.

Despite the contract uncertainty, the Frenchman also remains a key player for Bayern Munich, most recently starting in the 2-1 victory against Paris Saint-Germain, making six clearances and winning four duels to keep the reigning European champions at bay.

That said, Liverpool haven’t always been successful when recruiting from the Bundesliga, with Florian Wirtz yet to adapt to life in the Premier League, failing to register a goal or an assist.

As such, it would be less risky to simply go back in for Guehi, who has already proven himself in the Premier League.

Upamecano and Guehi have been named among the world's best centre-backs The Best 15 Centre-Backs in World Football Ranked (2025)

Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk is one of the best defenders in the world.

ByCharlie Smith Nov 20, 2025

Since Breetzke is available for the second ODI, no replacement has been named

Firdose Moonda03-Sep-2025Tony de Zorzi has been ruled out of South Africa’s ODI series against England after sustaining a hamstring injury in the first match in Leeds.De Zorzi was fielding on the boundary when he dived to stop a Jos Buttler shot from going for four. While he was successful in reeling the ball in, he hurt his left hamstring in the process. He left the field for treatment and it was quickly confirmed that he would not return and would only bat if required. South Africa were chasing a modest target of 132 and did not need de Zorzi. He will now return home to undergo scans and determine the extent of the injury.No replacement batter has been named as de Zorzi was the reserve and played in place of Matthew Breetzke, who himself had a left hamstring tweak and missed the last ODI in Australia and the first in England. Breetzke has since recovered and is available for selection for the second match on Thursday. He is likely to slot straight back into the No. 4 spot.There is no further update on the availability of South Africa’s pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada, who missed the ODIs in Australia with ankle inflammation and did not play at Headingley. Codi Yusuf, who has been playing for Durham, was brought into the South African squad, which suggests Rabada may not make an appearance until the T20Is.South Africa’s other concern is captain Temba Bavuma, who is still under a workload-management protocol after hurting his hamstring in the World Test Championship final in June. Bavuma played in two of the three ODIs in Australia and the first match of the England series but is expected to be rested for one of the remaining two.South Africa lead the three-match series 1-0.

Toby Albert gives Hampshire the edge until formidable chase, with Dickson and Gregory key to finale

Alan Gardner13-Sep-2025

Somerset came out on top in a clash of the T20 Blast titans, pulling off the highest successful run-chase in the competition’s final to overcome Hampshire and claim a record-equalling third title under the Edgbaston lights. Will Smeed blazed 94 off 58 to get Somerset most of the way there, before Lewis Gregory obliterated the tension in the stands by hammering a four and two sixes in five balls to seal victory with an over to spare.Hampshire, whose total of 194 for 6 had been underpinned by 85 off 48 balls from young opener Toby Albert, seemed to be in control as the requirement for Somerset ticked beyond two runs per ball just past the halfway mark. But Scott Currie’s drop of Sean Dickson was to prove crucial, as a fourth-wicket partnership of 88 off 51 dragged the contest back Somerset’s way.Having been asked to bat, Albert and James Vince made up for the early of loss of Chris Lynn with a stand of 97 in 59 balls to put Hampshire in a formidable position. Albert, in particular, produced some audacious shot-making – including four reverse-hit boundaries in the space of six balls – as Somerset were asked to make the highest-ever score in the final of the competition.Their start was given the required fizz by Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who hit one enormous six over the roof of the Hollies Stand and out of the ground, and although Hampshire frequently seemed one good over from shutting the chase down, Smeed and then Dickson – the linchpin in Somerset’s 2023 Blast success – kept landing timely blows. With both teams making their 11th Finals Day appearances, it was always likely to be a tussle for the ages.Victory for Somerset ended the hoodoo for winners of the first semi-final, as they became the first team since Worcestershire in 2018 to lift the trophy after kicking their heels during the second game. It also marked a fifth consecutive triumph for the South Group – though that was confirmed earlier in the day by the exits of Lancashire and Northamptonshire.Toby Albert played some audacious reverse-ramps in his 85•Getty Images

TKC lands first blow, Baker hits backBatting second on a surface that was being used for the third time in the day meant Somerset knew they had to get a shuffle on. Smeed picked up boundaries in each of the first two overs – Sonny Baker also contributing with five wides from his first ball – and Kohler-Cadmore then took up the cudgels, hammering his fourth ball, a pull off Chris Wood, over the heads of those in the Hollies and out towards the River Rea.Scott Currie’s first delivery also flew all the way, as Kohler-Cadmore unleashed a scything uppercut over deep third. Baker returned, switching to the Pavilion End, only to be thrashed through the covers. But the Hampshire fast bowler showed why he is on England’s radar by splattering Kohler-Cadmore’s stumps with an 88mph yorker to end the opening stand at 46.Smeed carries the fightSmeed had ticked along to 18 off 15 but responded to the loss of Kohler-Cadmore by twice cracking James Fuller through point at the start of the sixth. Tom Abell departed for a duck in the same over, Somerset finishing the powerplay on 55 for 2, but James Rew picked off early boundaries as Smeed bedded into the middle overs.Currie’s return in the 10th saw the back of Rew, chopping on to his stumps, and Hampshire looked to squeeze through the nous of South Africa spinner Bjorn Fortuin. The required rate was approaching 12 an over, but Smeed kept Somerset in touch with back-to-back fours off Fortuin and then a thump off Howell. Then came the crucial drop of Dickson, with Smeed turning the screw in the following over by taking three more boundaries off Fortuin. That meant Somerset finished the 15th over on 136 for 3 – exactly the same score as Hampshire as the same stage of their innings.Sean Dickson played a key hand for Somerset•Getty Images

Finisher Dickson does it againWith 59 needed from 30 balls, Dickson produced his first flourish by ramping Baker over the keeper for his first boundary. Another driven four followed, and Smeed then crunched Currie into the Hollies to keep Somerset in touch. With dew becoming a factor, the 18th over was to prove decisive as Dickson – who is leaving Somerset for Glamorgan after not being offered a new contract – twice took Benny Howell for sixes, the first an outrageous reverse-swipe that sailed over deep third.Nineteen runs came off the over, leaving Somerset needing 18 from 12, and although Smeed picked out long-off to fall short of becoming the second man on the day to reach three figures, he walked off with the highest individual score in a final. The jig was up for Hampshire, and in came Gregory to ice the chase with a flurry of boundaries and spark a raucous rendition of “Somerset, la-la-la” in the stands.No Lynn-sanity this timeAfter his semi-final heroics, in which he became the first man to score a hundred on Finals Day, Lynn joked that he would be happy to keep batting, with just a 45-minute turnaround to the final: “Got the pads on, let’s go.” He got his wish, with Somerset opting to chase, and duly smoked his fourth ball back down the ground for his 12th six of the day; but he didn’t last much longer, chipping Craig Overton to cover in the third over.But where Lynn’s top-order colleagues had gone missing against Northants, here they stood up. Albert had got going with back-to-back drives for four, in the process overtaking D’Arcy Short at the Blast’s leading run-scorer for the season. After Vince chimed in with whipped sixes off Overton and Jake Ball, Albert signalled the Hampshire charge was well and truly on by taking Migael Pretorius’ only over of the night for 25 with a sequence of 4-6-6-4-4, only interrupted by a wide.Vince then launched Overton for his third six at the start of the sixth over, followed by consecutive fours – which meant eight legitimate deliveries in a row had disappeared to the rope. Even without the Lynn-sanity, Hampshire had piled up 83 for 1 at the end of the powerplay.Albert takes overWith the fielding restrictions relaxed, Hampshire opted for consolidation during the middle of the innings. Albert was the first to fifty, off 29 balls – his sixth of a breakthrough campaign – while Vince also reached the mark in the 12th over, from 32. Three balls later, the partnership was broken when Vince dragged Lewis Goldsworthy to deep midwicket, and Somerset then chipped out another when Ball’s brilliant return catch saw off James Fuller.Hampshire had only scored three boundaries between the start of the seventh over and the midway point of the 16th. Despite the slowdown, Albert decided it was time to jam the gearstick in reverse. Ben Green was twice reverse-swept off the stumps, despite bowling near-yorkers, over and past short third for back-to-back fours, and Albert then did the same to Ball when he went short, slapping another brace of boundaries to move into the 80s.Albert fell at the start of the next over, missing a swipe at Gregory’s change-up to see his off stump rattled. But Howell cleared the ropes twice in a useful cameo at No. 5, as Hampshire equalled Northamptonshire’s total of 194 for 2 (made from 18 overs) in the 2013 final. Somerset needed to set a new benchmark to claim their record-equalling third title. They duly obliged.

England allrounder continues remarkable personal match with Derbyshire on ropes

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay24-Jul-2025Derbyshire 189 and 98 for 4 need another 347 runs to beat Leicestershire 398 and 236 for 9 (Holland 90, Reece 5-64, Thomson 4-81)Leicestershire closed in on another victory with England all-rounder Rehan Ahmed again playing a starring role on day three of the Rothesay County Championship match against Derbyshire at Derby.Ahmed claimed 4 for 41 and 10 wickets in the Division Two match at the Central Co-op County Ground to leave the hosts on 98 for 4 at the close, still 347 runs away from a notional target of 446.Luis Reece celebrated career-best match figures of 11 for 120, taking 5 for 64, before Leicestershire declared on 236 for 9 with Ian Holland scoring 90 from 98 balls and Ben Green 45.Derbyshire chances were always slim at best on a used pitch and despite 41 from opener Caleb Jewell, they were sliding towards defeat when bad light halted play with seven overs still to bowl.Once Leicestershire decided not to enforce the follow-on, it was a question of how quickly they could get to the sort of lead that would put the game beyond Derbyshire.Reece had run through them on the second morning and he threatened to do the same again, removing both openers in his first three overs.Rishi Patel prodded a simple chance to short cover which gave Wayne Madsen his 100th first-class catch at Derby.Madsen held another one to remove Sol Budinger and after some typically flamboyant strokes, Ahmed pulled Reece to deep mid on.When Reece trapped Peter Handscomb lbw, there was still a chance Derbyshire could restrict Leicestershire to a target they had a realistic chance of chasing down but Holland dashed those slim hopes.Although Alex Thomson removed Lewis Hill, Liam Trevaskis and Louis Kimber before lunch, Holland was four short of 50 at the interval with the lead a daunting 345.Holland and Green took that past 400, adding 89 from 85 balls before Green was bowled by Reece who had now taken five wickets in both innings of a match for the first time.The declaration came when Holland drove a return catch to Thomson which left Derbyshire a highly improbable target on a challenging pitch.They made a decent start until Ahmed made his latest mark on the match, taking three wickets either side of tea.David Lloyd pulled a short ball to mid on and Harry Came edged a cut into the gloves of Handscomb in the last over of the afternoon.When Madsen went cheaply for the second time in the match, seeing a defensive shot spin back onto the stumps, his side was in trouble on 52 for 3.Jewell resisted for 110 balls before he was lbw playing back to Ahmed and Leicestershire will be confident of completing a sixth victory on the final day to take another step closer to promotion.