In today’s cricket sports news, learn more about the end of England’s 3-0 series win over Pakistan on Tuesday was the latest step in a remarkable comeback, made even more amazing by the terrible run of red-ball results that came before the ‘Bazball’ era. Meanwhile, George Bailey, chair of selectors, has placed doubt on Travis Head’s position in the Australian Test squad ahead of next year’s tour of India. Lastly, David Warner has no plans to retire from Test cricket, according to his representation, despite demands from several former players for him to reconsider his position.
Pakistan Whitewash Revives England Cap
Original Source: England Cap Revival Year With Pakistan Whitewash
England’s 3-0 series win over Pakistan on Tuesday was the latest chapter in a remarkable resurgence, made more amazing by the catastrophic red-ball outcomes that preceded the “Bazball” era. An eight-wicket win in Karachi on Tuesday inflicted Pakistan’s first home whitewash in Test history. It was England’s eighth win in 10 matches at this level since captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum took over in May, defeating Test world champions New Zealand, India, and South Africa.
However, England had won only one of their 17 Tests before joining forces.
So what caused the amazing turnaround?
Rob Key, a former England batsman with a middling Test record, became the ECB’s new director of cricket in April.
The 43-year-old TV expert has been proven right several times.
England’s 50-over comeback, which culminated in their 2019 World Cup final win, was modeled after McCullum’s New Zealand captaincy.
After Chris Silverwood was fired after England’s 4-0 loss in Australia, Key chose him as a permanent replacement as coach.
Stokes, 31, succeeded close friend Joe Root as England captain after the excellent batsman was exhausted by guiding a losing side under tight Covid restrictions.
“Prepare for the ride.”
England all-rounders Ian Botham and Andrew Flintoff’s form declined during their unsuccessful Test captaincies.
However, Key stated: “Ben Stokes and Brendon inspire me. It’s time to buckle up.”
Stokes and McCullum have capitalized on the demise of “bubble” life’s feel-good atmosphere.
In the new environment, players are encouraged to enjoy cricket and not fear failure.
England’s attacking strategy, termed “Bazball” after McCullum’s nickname, has relied on aggressive run-scoring to provide bowlers time to take the 20 wickets needed to win a Test.
England’s recent T20 World Cup success under white-ball coach Matthew Mott showed McCullum that limited overs run-scoring can be adapted to Test cricket.
In the Pakistan series opener in Rawalpindi, Zak Crawley, Harry Brook, Ollie Pope, and Ben Duckett all scored hundreds, helping England become the first side to amass 500 runs on the first day of a Test.
Stokes’ willingness to risk losing a match to win shows England’s new approach.
In Rawalpindi, Stokes’ brave declaration, which left Pakistan requiring 343 to win in four sessions, was rewarded with victory shortly before terrible light threatened to halt the match.
England’s desire to flout their conventional conservatism was evident when 18-year-old leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed became the youngest Test debutant to grab five wickets in an innings during the Karachi finale.
Stokes has also been a good man-manager, rejuvenating veteran quicks James Anderson and Stuart Broad and boosting left-arm spinner Jack Leach’s confidence.
Test cricket in England: changed? On Tuesday, former captain Michael Atherton wrote in The Times that Stokes’ men had triumphed in Pakistan by “playing with more vim and offensive intent than any England team, surely, has ever done.”
The Ashes series against Australia next year will be the litmus test for some.
Stokes agrees that victory helps England “enjoy” themselves and is trying to dispel naysayers.
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He stated, “The real test will be when things go wrong.” “That will be the time to increase our enjoyment. I hope we don’t go there.”
George Bailey, National Selector, Questions Travis Head’s Role in India
Original Source: ‘Very, very adaptable’: National selector George Bailey casts doubt over Travis Head’s role in India
George Bailey, chair of selectors, has hinted that Travis Head may play a “different role” in India next year.
The 28-year-old was named Player of the Match in Adelaide and Perth after hitting 175 against the West Indies and 92 against South Africa in challenging batting conditions.
He’s becoming one of cricket’s most feared middle-order batsmen.
Head’s aggressive batting approach suits Australian wickets, where he can trust the bounce and play freely, but his recent record in the subcontinent is concerning.
On home soil, the left-hander hits 57.17, but abroad, he hits 23.76, and in Asia, he hits even worse.
Head has the third-lowest Test batting average in the subcontinent, 21.30. In Asia, he scored 14, 36, 8, 23, 26, 11*, 6, 12, and 5.
In recent Test tours of Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the Australian was vulnerable to spin early in his innings, exiting for fewer than 25 five times.
Australia scored more runs through extras (26) than Head’s bat in this year’s Warne–Muralitharan Trophy in Sri Lanka (23).
Batting in the subcontinent takes patience and discipline, which Head will acquire over his career, but it remains to be seen if he’s done enough to secure the No. 5 spot for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
After the Gabba Test, Bailey praised the Australian team’s adaptability to international conditions, stressing Head’s lack of Asian wicket experience.
“I think you have to play different conditions, at different times,” Bailey said Sunday.
“I think he (Head) has referred about the fact he hasn’t been exposed to those settings a great bit. You can talk about it and attempt to mimic it, but unless you’ve played on such wickets, that’s the only way to improve in those situations.
This team is versatile because of Pat. So I think the XI can play different roles at different times. “We’ll see if Travis does the same in subcontinent tours.”
Meanwhile, Head has emerged as a surprising possibility to replace David Warner at the top of the order if the experienced opener retires or gets a tap on the shoulder before the India tour.
According to News Corp, Head’s aggressive batting approach is similar to Warner’s, who is under pressure to score runs.
Shifting Heading up the order would open up the middle order, allowing Australia to add an all-rounder like Mitchell Marsh or Glenn Maxwell for team balance.
Bailey stated, “The way Davey plays, I don’t think that’s going to be replaced.”
“The way he’s taken the game on, advanced the game forward, the record he has, that’s a challenge that every club has when you remove someone who in many respects has altered the game.
David Warner won’t be replaced. But I think we’ve got some great prospects waiting in the wings to bat at the top of the order for Australia.”
Head can take comfort in Usman Khawaja’s Asian success. The Queenslander was erroneously labeled a home-track bully after making just 117 runs in his first five Tests in the subcontinent, averaging 14.62.
Despite a great 2016/17 home summer, Khawaja was ruthlessly dropped ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Mitchell Marsh was recalled.
Khawaja has scored 862 runs in Asia at 95.77, including three hundreds, since 2018.
His Agent Insists Warner Won’t Retire From Test Cricket
Original Source: Warner has no plans to retire from Test cricket, says his agent
David Warner’s agent has denied requests from former players to retire from Test cricket.
Warner scored three runs and was out for duck in the first Test against South Africa at Brisbane, which the hosts won by six wickets in two days. Before the first Test against the Proteas, he had scores of 5, 48, 21 and 28 in four innings.
Warner’s agent, James Erskine, said he didn’t think the opener would retire after the three-Test series against the Proteas in Sydney.
It won’t be his last Test, I don’t think. “It’s news to me if that’s the case,” Erskine told Sydney Morning Herald on Tuesday.
Warner wanted to play in India and the 2023 Ashes, Erskine said.
In the Boxing Day Test, Warner will become the 14th Australian to play 100 Tests. The 36-year-average in 10 Tests this year is less than 21, but Erskine thought runs were coming.
“I believe he has runs ahead. We’ll see. Warner’s (Davey) three little children are the most important thing.
“If your basic circumstance is you have to be away for nine months or eight months of the year, that is horrible. Depending on his outcome, I think that will be the decision.
“He has loads of other interests other than cricket – but there has been no talk about that (retirement),” Erskine said.
Erskine thought Kagiso Rabada’s two brilliant deliveries in the first Test in Brisbane did Warner in.
“He had a couple of terrible balls (from Rabada). At the end of the day, everyone has quiet periods. “You have to assess his career across the board,” Erskine remarked.
He’s a fantastic player, according to all the great players. In Melbourne, we’ll see if he recovers. David’s a rough guy. “I don’t think that (run drought) worries him,” Erskine remarked.
Former Australian all-rounder Simon O’Donnell recently suggested that Warner should retire after the Sydney Test since he isn’t the Test player he was two years ago.
Summary of today’s Cricket/Sports News
Overall, England’s 3-0 series win against Pakistan on Tuesday marked a new high point in a remarkable comeback, made all the more impressive when compared to the team’s dismal performance with the red ball in the years prior to the ‘Bazball’ era. The eight-wicket victory in Karachi on Tuesday marked the first home whitewash suffered by Pakistan in Test history. Since May, when Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum took over as captain and coach, England has won nine of 10 matches at this level. During that time, they have defeated three of the four Test world champions—New Zealand, India, and South Africa.
On the other hand, Australia’s chair of selectors, George Bailey, has expressed concern over South Australian Travis Head’s inclusion in the Test squad for next year’s trip to India, suggesting that Head may play a “different role” in India. The 28-year-old batted 175 against the West Indies and 92 against South Africa, the latter in challenging batting circumstances, earning him Player of the Match honors in both Adelaide and Perth.
Finally, Following appeals from several former players for him to reconsider his attitude, Australian batting mainstay David Warner has no plans to retire from Test cricket, according to his agent. “No, it won’t be his last Test, I don’t think. It’s news to me if that’s the case,” Erskine was quoted as saying by Sydney Morning Herald on Tuesday. Erskine also said that Warner has the India tour and the Ashes in England in 2023 in his sights.