How England might counter India’s skipper, run-machine and genius Virat Kohli January 18, 2017 India skipper Virat Kohli’s averages over the past year or so are just ridiculous and he’s so consistent that you almost expect him to score a century every time he’s at the crease. The expectation to deliver which he carries on his shoulders each time he bats is phenomenal, just like it was for Sachin [...]
It’s a massive series for England one-day captain Eoin Morgan where only runs will silence critics and banish scrutiny January 11, 2017 It's a big series for England’s limited-overs skipper Eoin Morgan and only scoring runs will silence those who have criticised him for pulling out of the tour of Bangladesh in October because of security fears. There will undoubtedly be increased scrutiny of Morgan during the three one-day tussles with India, which start on Sunday in [...]
One-day success, Ashes revenge and Alastair Cook: My 2017 predictions January 4, 2017 ICC Champions Trophy June’s tournament is being staged in this country and England and have been drawn in Group A alongside Australia, Bangladesh and New Zealand. The hosts are a strong side in their own conditions and have been playing some really impressive one-day cricket over the past 18 months or so, scoring in excess [...]
Jonny Bairstow, that World Twenty20 final and Virat Kohli: Chris Tremlett’s guide to the best of 2016 December 21, 2016 England player of the year It took Jonny Bairstow a while to find his feet in Test cricket but he has dug England out of trouble on many occasions this year. The 27-year-old didn’t score a century in his first 21 Tests but racked up three during 2016 as well as eight half centuries. He [...]
The doom-mongers are wrong, it’s not all gloomy for England December 14, 2016 There seems to be quite a lot of negativity being written and spoken about English cricket at the moment and quite honestly a lot of it is a load of rubbish. Yes, England have been hammered by India and defeat in Mumbai was their seventh Test loss of 2016. A further setback during the fifth [...]
It’s premature to talk about the end of Alastair Cook’s England captaincy – bowing out after revenge Down Under and reaching No1 Test ranking would be a more fitting farewell December 7, 2016 It would be fitting for Alastair Cook to continue as Test skipper, lead England to Australia next winter and right the wrongs of the previous tour Down Under, when we were mercilessly whitewashed. I have seen it argued that if England lose the fourth Test against India, which starts on Thursday, then Cook should relinquish [...]
India is proving tough, but some tours are brutal – try the 2013-14 Ashes series in Australia November 30, 2016 The tour of India is not going the way England would have hoped – 2-0 down with two Tests to play doesn’t make for pleasant reading, while injuries have also struck. It’s important that spirits are kept high and skipper Alastair Cook, together with the management and coaching staff, has an important job to make [...]
Faf du Plessis ball-tampering saga is ridiculous. It’s nothing new, England have been doing it for years November 23, 2016 The ball-tampering saga which has engulfed South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis is all a bit ridiculous and something which has been blown way out of proportion. Chewing sweets and shining the ball, with the theory being that the polish is kept on the ball better with sweet saliva, is something which has been done [...]
It may very well spin more in Visakhapatnam but it’s a chance for England to prove their credentials to be world No1 November 16, 2016 When England reached No1 in the Test world rankings in 2011 there were questions from subcontinent nations about whether we deserved that billing as we’d only really won in our own conditions and in Australia. The ultimate test of being the top team on the planet is to perform in any given circumstance as the [...]
If Alastair Cook feels he needs to ditch the England captaincy then he should November 8, 2016 It's critical for England that Alastair Cook is in the side and scoring runs for years to come so if he feels he needs or wants to give up the captaincy to be able to do that then everyone should respect that. Cook has played a lot of cricket. He’s clocked up more Test appearances [...]
