In Case You Missed It: Action stations in the subcontinent
Our best content from the week gone by
Deepti Unni
06-Feb-2021
It's a hundred in hundred for Joe Root • BCCI
The action has shifted to the subcontinent this week where India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are looking to grind tourists down in home conditions, though currently it's advantage Joe Root in India, where the England captain is celebrating his 100th Test with a hundred. Two days in, Pakistan seem to have the upper hand over South Africa in the second Test, while Bangladesh triggered a spectacular West Indies collapse on the third day of the first Test to claim the lead. It's a good time to catch up on events, so get stuck in.
Australia postpone South Africa tour because of 'unacceptable' Covid-19 risk
Australia's three-Test tour of South Africa scheduled to begin in March has now been postponed by Cricket Australia citing the Covid-19 situation in the country. The decision has left Cricket South Africa "disappointed and frustrated" after they agreed to unprecedented protocols, including longer quarantine periods than South African players ever had to deal with before and sending a second-string squad to Pakistan to play the T20Is so the Test players could return home in time. This now means that New Zealand has become the first team to qualify for the WTC final.
Australia's three-Test tour of South Africa scheduled to begin in March has now been postponed by Cricket Australia citing the Covid-19 situation in the country. The decision has left Cricket South Africa "disappointed and frustrated" after they agreed to unprecedented protocols, including longer quarantine periods than South African players ever had to deal with before and sending a second-string squad to Pakistan to play the T20Is so the Test players could return home in time. This now means that New Zealand has become the first team to qualify for the WTC final.
Joe Root's 100th Test: Standing on the shoulders of giants, his best yet to come
The Chennai Test is the England captain's 100th - he has come full circle after being picked as a spare batsman on the 2012 tour of India - and Andrew Miller says Root seems to have skittered into the upper echelons without breaking a sweat. George Dobell says there was never a doubt that this was a half-century that Root was always going to convert, and another hundred caps isn't a reach either.
The Chennai Test is the England captain's 100th - he has come full circle after being picked as a spare batsman on the 2012 tour of India - and Andrew Miller says Root seems to have skittered into the upper echelons without breaking a sweat. George Dobell says there was never a doubt that this was a half-century that Root was always going to convert, and another hundred caps isn't a reach either.
What will it be like to take on Kohli and Co on their own patch?
Mark Nicholas imagines what it will be like for a new batsman facing up to India at home; Monty Panesar certainly knows what it's like to be a bowler on debut there. Ian Chappell believes the series will come down to which team has the better top order, while Aakash Chopra says it's up to the spinners, Dom Bess and Jack Leach, who have done well in Sri Lanka but will have their work cut out for them in India. England also have James Anderson and Stuart Broad, who have been great in Asia, slightly less so in India. And Alan Gardner tries to unravel all the fuss around this India-England series with the help of a friendly, if reluctant, virtual cricket assistant.
Mark Nicholas imagines what it will be like for a new batsman facing up to India at home; Monty Panesar certainly knows what it's like to be a bowler on debut there. Ian Chappell believes the series will come down to which team has the better top order, while Aakash Chopra says it's up to the spinners, Dom Bess and Jack Leach, who have done well in Sri Lanka but will have their work cut out for them in India. England also have James Anderson and Stuart Broad, who have been great in Asia, slightly less so in India. And Alan Gardner tries to unravel all the fuss around this India-England series with the help of a friendly, if reluctant, virtual cricket assistant.
Cheteshwar Pujara: 'The most important thing is to score runs. How you score hardly matters'
The India No. 3 talks to Nagraj Gollapudi about his partnership with Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant in Brisbane, and looks ahead to the England series.
The India No. 3 talks to Nagraj Gollapudi about his partnership with Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant in Brisbane, and looks ahead to the England series.
'I've thought about it my whole life' - Rassie van der Dussen's itch for a Test hundred
An international century has been elusive for the South Africa batsman in 46 innings - he was out for a duck in the first innings of the second Test - but is still hoping for a change in fortune.
An international century has been elusive for the South Africa batsman in 46 innings - he was out for a duck in the first innings of the second Test - but is still hoping for a change in fortune.
Vikram Rathour: 'Failure teaches you that nothing stops. That liberates you, actually'
The India batting coach looks back at the series against Australia and talks about his approach with individual batsmen, how he worked to get the best out of a player's natural game.
The India batting coach looks back at the series against Australia and talks about his approach with individual batsmen, how he worked to get the best out of a player's natural game.
Kuldeep Yadav: 'I have seen failure. I feel I understand things better now'
The spinner has not had the best time over the last two years, but he's itching to wear his Test jersey again
The spinner has not had the best time over the last two years, but he's itching to wear his Test jersey again
Why Merv Hughes' name has passed into legend
Daniel Brettig has the story of how he fast bowler, who was inducted into the Australian cricket hall of fame this week, declined knee surgery to play through the 1993 Ashes series.
Daniel Brettig has the story of how he fast bowler, who was inducted into the Australian cricket hall of fame this week, declined knee surgery to play through the 1993 Ashes series.
Attention, Tim Paine: Niroshan Dickwella will see you now
Australia's captain really could use some help with his sledging game, says Andrew Fidel Fernando in this month's Briefing.
Australia's captain really could use some help with his sledging game, says Andrew Fidel Fernando in this month's Briefing.
Deepti Unni is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo