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India coach says the importance of World Test Championship points has led to an increase in result-oriented pitches

Karthik Krishnaswamy07-Mar-20234:50

Dravid: Wickets all over the world have got more challenging for batters

On November 29, 2021, New Zealand’s last-wicket pair of Rachin Ravindra and Ajaz Patel hung on for 8.4 overs in fading light to deny India a Test win in Kanpur. That one wicket India failed to take cost them eight World Test Championship points.Had India taken that one wicket – and all other global Test results remained what they were – they would now have 131 WTC points rather than 123. Ahead of the fourth Border-Gavaskar Test match, which begins in Ahmedabad on Thursday, they would only have needed a draw to seal a spot in June’s WTC final at The Oval, rather than a win as they currently do.That Kanpur Test was Rahul Dravid’s first as India head coach. Two days before the Ahmedabad Test, Dravid referenced that Kanpur result while suggesting that the pressure to win World Test Championship points may have contributed to a glut of result-oriented, bowler-friendly pitches not just in India but all over the world.Related

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“It could be one of the reasons, because yes, there is a huge premium on results,” Dravid said on Tuesday. “You draw a game like Kanpur against New Zealand, where you take nine wickets in the second innings, you draw that game and that sets you back, in a home game.”Every team is getting results at home or are putting in really good performances at home, so there is a premium on results. You get four points for a draw and you get 12 for a win, so there is a premium on that, there’s no question about it.”India began the four-Test series against Australia needing three wins to confirm a place in the WTC final. They won the first two Tests and lost the third, and all three were low-scoring matches played on pitches where the ball turned sharply from day one. There have only been three 200-plus totals in 11 innings, and only four batters – two from each side – have averages north of 30.Under such circumstances, Dravid felt it was important for teams to have realistic expectations from their batters and set benchmarks accordingly.”It’s really about being realistic about what is a good performance on some of the challenging wickets we are playing on, not only here,” he said. “If you look at the last three-four years, all over the world I think wickets have got a lot more challenging, not only here. So you have to be realistic about what the benchmarks are now, what the standards are.”Just understanding that in these kinds of games, just one good performance can change the game. We saw that with Rohit [Sharma]’s performance [his century in the first Test in Nagpur], we’ve seen that many times over here. It’s just being realistic in our assessment of our batsmen, their averages and their numbers, and don’t really look so much into it.”Just backing our batsmen to understand that these are challenging conditions and they’re the same for both sides. And for them to be able to use it as a challenge and an opportunity to do something special. It might not necessarily be about scoring big double-hundreds, but you know there might be scores of 50-60 or scores of 60-70 somewhere might be really, really good scores in some conditions.”Sometimes, even a score of 17 can count as a positive effort. KS Bharat made that score in India’s first-innings total of 109 in Indore, and it came in a debut series of low scores for the wicketkeeper-batter. Dravid said India had no concerns over Bharat’s batting, and had words of praise for his keeping.Rahul Dravid is happy with the quality of KS Bharat’s wicketkeeping•Getty Images”I think he [Bharat] has kept beautifully for us,” Dravid said. “Even though it’s not a big contribution he got 17 in the first innings [in Indore], got a nice contribution in the last Test match in Delhi, he played nicely and positively.”So yeah, you need a little bit of luck sometimes in these situations, and he’s probably not had that, but no, I think he’s shaping up really well, he’s been playing really well. He’s keeping really nicely for us which is really important as well. I think you’ve just got to put, sometimes, the batting performances in perspective a little bit, and be a little bit understanding of it.”Given how little work the fast bowlers have got through in the series so far – Mohammed Siraj has bowled just 24 overs across three Tests – there could be a case for India to play an extra batter instead of a second fast bowler. While he didn’t rule out this option, Dravid said the fast bowlers have made an impact even without bowling all that much, citing as examples the wicket of Usman Khawaja that Siraj took with his first ball of the series, and Umesh Yadav’s three-wicket burst on the second morning in Indore. He also felt the batting ability of the three spinners gave India enough depth without needing the extra specialist batter.”We just have to meet every condition separately,” Dravid said. “These conditions might be very different to Indore last week, so I think everything’s on the table. We try and put together what we think is our best side and gives us the best chance to get 20 wickets and the most balanced side.”We’ve seen also at times that [the fast bowlers] haven’t bowled a lot, but the kind of impact even a Siraj can have, picking up that early wicket in Nagpur, Umesh’s spell the other day to pick up three wickets. So even though sometimes you may feel the bowlers are not bowling a lot, just having that balance and that ability at times to go back to a more balanced attack is really important.”The fact that when we are able to play three spinners we bat all the way up to 9, with Axar [Patel] or [R] Ashwin batting at 9 for us depending on left-right, it’s a pretty good depth we’ve got on the batting side of things. We have to weigh everything, weigh all the options and then decide.”

The Mission Impossible star joined CBS Sports for their coverage of the Champions League final, and praised Beckham for his impact

Cruise believes Beckham changed the face of the game in the U.S.He also touched upon how they became friends during Beckham's spell at Old TraffordTwenty-year friendship showcased during rare joint television appearanceWatch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream nowGetty Images EntertainmentWHAT HAPPENED

Tom Cruise made a surprise appearance during CBS Sports' prematch coverage of the 2025 UEFA Champions League final, joining host Kate Abdo and analyst David Beckham. Cruise went on to praise Beckham and believes that the former English international changed the face of football in America with his groundbreaking move to join MLS as a player with the LA Galaxy in 2007. He also admitted how inspiring the former Real Madrid star has been, thriving both on the field and now off the field with Inter Miami.

“You changed the face of the sport in America and for the world, all for the better,” Cruise told CBS Sports. “You single-handedly changed it and enabled others, and the success of that league and where it is today, it started with you, it absolutely did. Your jersey was selling, all the players got more awareness, everybody did, and a rising tide raises all boats, and look where you are now."

He added, “Once David went and he made it OK, and you also won two Championships there, and everywhere you went, you won, everywhere! That was amazing, it was a great time for the sport and how it’s evolved. And now you’re taking it as an owner, with [Lionel] Messi playing for Miami, what you’ve done there with you guys, again taking it to that next level, and that is inspiring. What you’ve done on the field, you’re doing in business.”

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The Mission: Impossible superstar further revealed the origins of his friendship with Beckham, explaining that they first met while the footballer was still representing Manchester United. He mentioned their friendship developed when the actor was filming in England.

“I’ve always watched him play. Manchester United, when he [Beckham] got there in 92 and I was a fan when he was there, and Beckham, that kick you made, the 30-yard one from the halfway line. And I was like ‘this guy has got some skill’ and it was amazing."

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Celebrity friendships like the one between Cruise and Beckham illustrate the increasing intersection between sports, entertainment, and global popular culture. As soccer has grown in international appeal, particularly in the United States, such cross-industry relationships have become more common, but rarely with figures of such stature.

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With the Champions League and the 2024-25 European season now over, Beckham’s focus will turn towards his Inter Miami side, which is preparing for its debut appearance in the Club World Cup. will kick off their tournament with a contest against Al Ahly on June 14, before they face FC Porto on June 19 and then Palmeiras on June 23.

Afghanistan lost 8 for 45 with Dhananjaya and Hasaranga sharing six wickets

Madushka Balasuriya04-Jun-2023Sri Lanka 323 for 6 (Mendis 78, Karunaratne 52) beat Afganistan 191 (Shahidi 57, Zadran 54, Dhananjaya 3-39) by 132 runs
Despite fifties from Ibrahim Zadran and skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afghanistan were rarely in the hunt as Sri Lanka levelled the series, recording a commanding 132-run win in the second ODI.Wanindu Hasaranga and Dhananjaya de Silva picked up three wickets apiece, while Dushmantha Chameera put in a sterling shift at the top of the innings to pick up figures of 2 for 18 on his return the one-day side.Set an imposing target of 324, Afghanistan began sluggishly, much of which was down to the tight lines and lengths of Chameera and Kasun Rajitha. By the 15th over the visitors had crawled to 56 for 1, the required rate already beyond 7.5 an over. The idea presumably was to get set and make up the difference later on – Afghanistan certainly do have the firepower for such a plan. Sri Lanka, however, were equal to it, repeatedly striking at crucial junctures.After Chameera had given the hosts an ideal start in defence of a stiff total, picking up Gurbaz in just the fourth over, Rahmat Shah and Ibrahim put on 51 for the second wicket, only for Shah to be trapped LBW by Dasun Shanaka just as the pair might have been looking to accelerate.This brought Shahidi to the crease, and what followed was a period in which Afghanistan looked the most threatening. The pair put on 84 off just 89 deliveries, and while that was still not enough to keep the required rate from rising, it was setting a platform for a late charge. Sri Lanka, after all, had scored 178 runs in the final 20 overs of their innings.But having done well to bring themselves somewhat back into the chase, the launch that was promised never materialised. Ibrahim was caught behind off Dhananjaya in the 31st over, and then a few overs later he would pick up Shahidi as well, trapping him plumb in front.From that point on it was a veritable procession as the rest of the batting struggled to come to terms with the variation offered by Sri Lanka’s bevy of spinners. Azmatullah Omarzai struck a few lusty blows towards the end, but by then the result was a foregone conclusion.It was a win that would give the Sri Lankan think tank a lot of satisfaction as each player executed their plans to perfection, starting with skipper Shanaka who won the toss and elected to bat on what looked a quality batting track.The game plan leading up to this series had been one of using anchors to lay the platform and explode at the death. In game one, Sri Lanka had done part one well enough but the required explosion never arrived.Ibrahim Zadran brought up a 69-ball half-century•AFP/Getty ImagesHere though cameos from Shanaka, Dhananjaya and Hasaranga pushed Sri Lanka beyond the 300-mark, with Hasaranga in particular relishing the role of late-order destroyer in his 12-ball 29. Having long struggled in the death overs, Sri Lanka plundered 109 runs in the final 10 this time around.Prior to that, steady fifties from Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis had laid the platform. While Karunaratne fell before he was able to accelerate, Mendis hung around long enough to get in a few big blows on his way to a 75-ball 78.It was Mendis’ partnership with Sadeera Samarawickrama – one of four changes from the opening game – though, that would prove to be the defining one of the game. After a circumspect start, having meandered to 145 for 2 by the end of the 30th over, the next seven overs would see 54 runs scored, and the run rate begin to pick up for the first time in the innings.Their partnership, 88 off 86, injected impetus into an innings that been flagging for large parts, mainly due to Sri Lanka’s propensity to rack up dot balls. The Lankan innings would see 133 dots bowled in total – down from 158 in the first game, but still cause for concern.While Mendis and Samarawickrama would fall before the final onslaught, Shanaka, Dhananjaya and Hasaranga would keep the foot on the gas, as Sri Lanka charged towards what would be an ultimately winning total.

The win, Zalmi’s second in four games, lifted them to fourth place on the table

AP26-Feb-2024Rassie van der Dussen’s unbeaten 52-ball 104 went in vain against Peshawar Zalmi as two-time defending champions Lahore Qalandars lost their fifth straight game in the PSL on Sunday. Van der Dussen got to his century in 50 balls, but it wasn’t quite enough as Zalmi won by eight runs with Qalandars chasing for the first time this season.Van der Dussen kept Lahore’s hopes alive in pursuit of Peshawar’s formidable total of 211 for 4 by hitting six sixes and seven fours, but the home team was restricted to 203 for 6.It was the first century in this PSL edition, which van der Dussen reached by pulling Luke Wood for a six over midwicket in the penultimate over. He attacked Zalmi’s quick bowlers, with Naveen-ul-Haq (2 for 50) and Wood (1 for 46) returning expensive figures.Needing 18 off the final over, van der Dussen got the strike for only one ball as Paul Walter kept his nerve and conceded just three runs off the first five balls before Carlos Brathwaite hit a six off the final ball.In the absence of the injured Haris Rauf, Zalmi’s opening pair of Saim Ayub (88) and captain Babar Azam (48) had raised 136 off 86 balls after Qalandars won the toss.Rovman Powell smashed 46 off 20 and hammered young fast bowler Mohammad Imran for 22 in one over. Zalmi’s 211 was the season’s highest total.Qalandars captain Shaheen Shah Afridi chipped in with three late wickets for 33 runs, but got little assistance from Zaman Khan, who ended with none for 48.

Chelsea and Manchester United have reportedly ruled themselves out of the transfer race for Newcastle striker Alexander Isak that Liverpool lead.

Swede has handed in a transfer requestPremier League champions to make a moveHuge sum required to get a deal doneFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Sweden international Isak is said to have informed those at St James’ Park of his desire to move on in a summer window dominated by speculation regarding his future. The 25-year-old has been linked with teams in Europe and the Saudi Pro League.

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He is ready to accelerate the process of leaving Tyneside, with big-money offers being actively encouraged. Premier League champions Liverpool are ready to smash the British transfer record with a raid for the prolific frontman.

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They will have to compete with sides from the Middle East, but the recruitment path has been cleared domestically. That is because the reports on how Chelsea and Manchester United have no intention of making moves.

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The Blues have already added Liam Delap and Joao Pedro to their attacking ranks this summer, alongside Nicolas Jackson, while the Red Devils do not have the funds or European football required in order to lure Isak to Old Trafford.

Lou Vincent and Mark Richardson played the percentages well, while the Indian seamers erred in not making the batsmen play enough

S Rajesh06-Jul-2005The last time India and New Zealand played a Test match here, seven wickets fell in the first session, and 13 by close of play on the first day. The script ran along very different lines today, primarily because of the nature of the pitch, but also because of New Zealand’s discipline with the bat and the Indian bowlers’ inconsistency.Both Lou Vincent and Mark Richardson played the percentages, leaving plenty of deliveries outside off – a strategy which brought them rich rewards against Glenn McGrath in Australia in 2001-02. Among the bowlers on view today, Zaheer Khan was the worst offender at the start: almost 50% of his deliveries (26 out of 54) in the first session did not require the batsmen to play a stroke. L Balaji was more accurate to begin with – 19 out of 49 balls he bowled before lunch were left alone – but by close of play both bowlers had wasted more than 40% of their deliveries. Richardson ended up letting go a quarter of the deliveries he faced – 73 out of 284.Not making the batsmen play enough Balls bowledLeft alone% left aloneZaheer Khan1094440.37L Balaji1034341.75Vincent’s innings was characterised by his excellence off the back foot. The contrast against his front-foot play was especially stark in the first session – 28 from 31 balls when playing back, and 1 from 49 deliveries when playing forward. In his entire innings, Vincent ended up scoring at more than a run a ball off the back foot – 77 off 67 balls. Is there a lesson there for the Indian bowlers when they bowl to him next?How Vincent and Richardson played in the first sessionFront footBack foot RunsBallsStrike RateRunsBallsStrike RateRichardson145625.00153246.88Vincent1492.04283190.32

Andrew McGlashan talks to Mal Loye about his experiences in Australia, being dumped for the World Cup and how he is now focussed purely on Lancashire

Andrew McGlashan11-May-2007

Sweeping statement: Mal Loye refused to change the way he played when his England call came © Getty Images
While England’s top-order floundered in the Caribbean there was one player who would have at least tried to clear the boundaries. But he was splitting his time between a pre-season tour of South Africa and the early throws of a domestic season. With every delivery patted down the pitch or left outside off stump the situation was crying out for Mal Loye’s aggression and innovation.Loye wouldn’t have solved all England’s woes and meant they were the ones lapping up the adulation of an adoring public instead of the Australians. Far from it, the one-day problems run much deeper than the top three but they are symptomatic of the larger malaise. However, Loye would have gone down blazing rather than blocking and England’s total wouldn’t have crept to nine runs in the seventh over of the virtual quarter-final against South Africa.He could certainly be forgiven for feeling a little bitter about the way he was discarded by England following seven matches in the CB Series. “After missing out on the World Cup I had a bit of a sulk,” he admits, “but after that all I have focused on is Lancashire, it’s all I can do. It’s what has made me successful.”Loye’s career record reads more than 13,000 runs in first-class cricket and more than 8000 in limited overs matches. He was on the verge of a Test cap in 1998 when called up to face Sri Lanka after Mike Atherton was injured. But at the last minute the selectors had a change of heart and went for Steve James. “They wanted an opener for an opener and I was told thanks but no thanks.”Loye has had to deal with his fair share of poor communication over the years so, recently, took it as a positive that he received a phone call to tell him he wasn’t in the 25-man development squad. “The selectors let me know that but that’s the only contact I’ve had in my whole career so I’ll take a positive from that. Now it’s about kicking on and getting some scores under my belt.” It’s been a mixed start to the 2007 season for him, a century at Edgbaston and a run of innings in the thirties and forties. “It’s frustrating, I keep giving it away.” The selectors let me know that but that’s the only contact I’ve had in my whole career so I’ll take a positive from that Even if Loye’s international career is done and dusted his brief stint at the top level is still packed with incident, some before he’d actually arrived in Australia. When Kevin Pietersen was hit in the ribs at the MCG, Loye was in New Zealand during a club stint with Auckland. “I was getting text messages and phone calls from people back home who were watching the TV and they were basically telling me I was in. Then Ravi [Bopara] got called up, but I knew I was close so there was still hope.”However, injuries were never far away and it wasn’t long until Michael Vaughan pulled a hamstring at Hobart. “I’d actually just played my first game for Auckland after coming back from an injury,” Loye explains. “Then I came off and noticed that Vaughan needed a runner and I was pretty sure after the feedback earlier that week that I had a good chance.”Two days later he walked out at The Gabba with Andrew Strauss against Australia. Nerves? “I just remember thinking I had nothing to lose. I wanted to make the most of the day because it might have been my one and only chance. If I’d been 24 I would probably have gone in very differently and put extra pressure on myself but as I was 34 I just thought I had nothing to lose.” And just to show he wasn’t going to hold back, the trademark sweep came out, against Brett Lee of all people. “I had a look at it and realised what a good pitch it was. Even though it was a low-scoring game it was a belter, and after watching the Ashes and a disappointing start to the one-dayers I just thought taking them on was the best way to go. Glenn McGrath said a few things but I was just enjoying it so much that I didn’t hear a lot.”

Taking it on the chin: Loye took some battle scars away with him from Australia © Getty Images
The results were mixed – but mainly on the low side – as Loye found out that McGrath, Lee and Co. don’t take kindly to such treatment. But, given his chance again, Loye would do the same despite taking a crack on the chin in the second final at Sydney. “I wanted to do it again next ball,” he said before explaining his variation of getting back on horse. “It’s a bit like when I had a car crash as a kid and later that same day I wanted to drive because the longer you leave it the more you are going to doubt yourself. It’s a shot like a pull or a hook which you can get hit playing and you don’t stop using those.”So, having watched from the sidelines, what did one of the country’s most aggressive one-day batsmen make of England’s efforts in the Caribbean? “As openers now you have to have an all-round game, you can’t just go in and play one way.” But he still offers his support to Vaughan, the man who took his place for the World Cup. “It depends on conditions. Everyone is going on about Vaughan but I think he has the game to smack it around and also the technical ability when it is doing a bit.”Loye certainly hasn’t given up hope of having another taste of the big time and the Twenty20 World Championship in September is giving him a target to focus on. “Ultimately it’s always at the back of your mind and to play in a tournament like that would be amazing but it depends the route the new management wants to take. I don’t know how they are thinking so all I can do is score runs for Lancashire.”For someone who waited so long for an opening it would be easy to feel contented with a handful of one-day caps and playing a helping hand in a rare one-day success. However, for Loye there is certainly not a feeling of fulfillment. “I’m not satisfied at all. To play at the highest level is to play Test cricket and if that never happens I’ll look back and it will be a huge regret. But you can only do so much and the rest is in other people’s hands.”

Stats highlights from the seventh ODI between India and Australia, at Mumbai

S Rajesh and HR Gopalakrishna17-Oct-2007

Brad Hogg was one of Murali Kartik’s six victims, and one of seven batsmen to fall without scoring © AFP
With their two-wicket win, India finally broke their losing streak against Australia when batting second. They had last won in a run-chase way back on April 24, 1998, in the final of the Coca Cola Cup in Sharjah. Since then, they had lost 15 games in a row – interrupted only by a couple of washouts. Murali Kartik became the only the fifth Indian bowler to take six wickets in an ODI innings, while his 6 for 27 is the third-best bowling figures by an Indian in ODIs. Anil Kumble’s 6 for 12 against West Indies in the Hero Cup final in Calcutta in 1993 remains the best, followed by Ashish Nehra’s 6 for 23 in the 2003 World Cup against England. Nehra has another six-for in ODIs – against Sri Lanka in Colombo – while Ajit Agarkar and Sreesanth are the others with a six-wicket haul. Kartik’s haul is also the best by a left-arm spinner in ODIs, bettering Sanath Jayasuriya’s 6 for 29 against England in 1993. These are the only two instances of a left-arm spinner taking six. Kartik’s spell is also the best by an Indian against Australia, bettering Agarkar’s 6 for 42. Australia were dismissed for 193, which is the first time they’ve been all out for less than 200 after choosing to bat in an ODI against India. The three other instances when they made less than 200 batting first were all when India won the toss and put them in. The 41.3 overs they faced is also the least in games when they’ve batted first against India – their earlier lowest was 42.3, way back in 1985 in Sharjah. For the first time in an ODI, left-arm bowlers took all ten wickets in an innings (six for Kartik, two for RP Singh, one each for Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan). The previous record was nine, also in Mumbai, and also in an India-Australia match: the last time the two teams played here, in 2003-04, Michael Clarke and Nathan Bracken took four each, while Brad Hogg chipped in with one. The 16 wickets by left-armers in this match is also a record, going past the previous mark of 11, which had been achieved three times – in the Mumbai game mentioned above, in Dhaka earlier this year when Bangladesh played India, and in an Australia-Sri Lanka game in Sydney in 2005-06. With four catches in this match, Adam Gilchrist achieved two milestones – 450 victims, and 400 catches in ODIs. (Click here for the list of wicketkeepers with highest dismissals.) Zaheer’s unbeaten 31 is the highest ODI score by an Indian No. 9 against Australia. The earlier record belonged to Javagal Srinath, in a game which was also decided by a 52-run stand for the ninth wicket: in Bangalore in 1996. His stand with Anil Kumble took India to their victory target of 216 with two wickets and seven balls to spare. Sachin Tendulkar has fallen to Brett Lee seven times. Only Shaun Pollock and Chaminda Vaas have dismissed him on more occasions (nine each). Seven batsmen fell without scoring in this match, which is only one short of the record: the 1979 World Cup final had eight ducks. Clarke became only the third batsman – after Craig McDermott and Andrew Hudson – to be dismissed for first-ball ducks against India in successive ODIs.

Stats highlights for the third day’s play in Bangalore

Cricinfo staff10-Dec-2007 During their 72-run stand for third wicket, Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan became the most prolific pair for Pakistan in Tests. They have now scored 3080 runs together, surpassing the 3013 runs that Yousuf and Inzamam-ul-Haq made in 57 innings.

Most prolific Pakistan pair in Tests

Batsmen

Innings Runs Average runs per dismissal 100/50

Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan 40 3080 81.059/12 Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf 57 3013 56.8410/13 Majid Khan, Sadiq Mohammad 42 2325 59.616/14 Younis and Yousuf also became the most successful pair against India, beating the 1325 runs scored by Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes. Younis and Yousuf have added 1372 in nine innings against India, at an astounding average of 171.50.

Most prolific pairs in Tests against India

Batsmen

Innings Runs Average runs per dismissal 100/50

Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan 9 1372 171.506/2 Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes 30 1325 45.682/6 Javed Miandad, Zaheer Abbas 13 1137 103.364/3 India conceded 70 extras in the field on Monday, and are two short of beating the record for the most extras conceded in an innings. West Indies currently hold the mark; they conceded 71 extras against Pakistan in Georgetown, Guyana in 1988. Dinesh Karthik had a torrid time behind the stumps for India. Karthik, who played as a specialist wicketkeeper for this Test in Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s absence, gave away 31 byes, the most for an Indian wicketkeeper in an innings. Budhi Kunderan had conceded 29 byes against England in Kanpur in 1964. Pakistan’s chances of avoiding the follow-on were boosted by the unbroken 81-run stand between Kamran Akmal and Misbah-ul-Haq. Their 207-run partnership rescued Pakistan in the first innings in Kolkata, and they have so far added 379 runs in the series, the most by any pair.

The PCA’s chief executive on how England can take advantage of the Twenty20 boom

Sean Morris04-May-2008
Cashing in: Dimitri Mascarenhas gets into IPL’s swing © Getty Images
Since accepting the position of chiefexecutive of the PCA (Professional Cricketers’ Association) in December I have seenthe cricket landscape change more in threemonths than it probably has in the previous 30years. The question that was immediately onmy lips was: can we have increased wealth withoutharming the health of our game?Dressing rooms around the counties are fullof professional cricketers looking forward toanother season, but in every one of them areplayers casting their eyes further afield to theriches of Indian Twenty20 cricket. And who canblame them?In any profession the opportunity to maximiseearning potential is a natural right of theemployee. We have seen sports stars, particularlyin the United States and more recently inEuropean football, behave as “free agents”. This hasrarely applied to cricketers, for whom club loyalty isperhaps stronger, and the most recent rules fromthe ECB ensure that restrictions apply if a playerdecides to play for the Indian Cricket League.The huge investment in Indian Twenty20cricket provides potential benefits for ourplayers. Undoubtedly both their leagues havesignificantly increased the market value of theplayer and for the first time since the 1970s theyprovide alternative employment opportunities forthe leading stars.Importantly, the rapid emergence of theIndian Premier League has challenged the game’sadministrators. This is a good thing. It forces usall to make improvements to our own productsand services that we deliver for the cricketer andfor the game’s followers. All the players I havemet on our pre-season rounds are in favourof the increased investment in the game andthe personal benefits it brings. But before theplayers rush off to India, we must look at thepotential impacts these actions could have onthe health of our domestic game.Some would say the Indian approach tosetting up these leagues has been predatory. Thecountry’s financial control of the international game has just been given a further cashinjection that benefits the Indian board and itsICC-sanctioned IPL. If it was predatory before,how would the Indian board behave if it wantedto pick off England’s leading players?Our domestic game relies on the substantialrevenues of the broadcasting deal. Shouldevents in India threaten this, then our gamehas serious problems that would affect allprofessional cricketers and the investment ingrass-roots programmes. Losing top playersto India would lower the value of any futurebroadcasting agreement.Twenty20 has been a big financialsuccess in England and Wales. It has attracted a new, younger audience to the game,growing our supporter base. If India can createa global Twenty20 extravaganza that increasesthe number of followers, then congratulations to them.But let us take advantage at the same time. Theopportunity lies much closer home thanMumbai and New Delhi – in north London.In May 2007 the PCA released a documentcalled andmany of the recommendations have been adoptedin four-day cricket for 2008. That documentalso contained some interesting ideas for theimprovement of our own Twenty20 competition.These included rescheduling of the tournamentto fit within school holidays, and a mini-breakwithin the season to accommodate the event.Perhaps we should go further, developour own domestic tournament as the world’spremier Twenty20 club event with the finestinternational players participating for our ownclubs and invite the domestic champions fromthe other Test-playing nations to participate in aChampions League-style Twenty20 festival. England (and Wales) has one unique advantage in that it is the only Test-playing nation thatplays from April to September, so our summerdoes not conflict with the others’. This meansthe vast majority of international players fromother countries are potentially available duringour season. If we could use this advantagealongside and create the leading domesticTwenty20 tournament in the world, then we havea commercial opportunity that would enable usto take advantage of the huge appetite for cricketin Asia.In short, this could reduce the threat of losingour top players to India during our season; wecould attract the finest international players toour shores; and we could significantly enhancethe appeal of our broadcasting rights on offer.