The franchise, no-hopers until not so long ago, are now aiming for the top. Their owner talks about how things have changed

Interview by Nagraj Gollapudi19-Sep-20205:07

Ganguly played a huge role in Ashwin, Rahane trades – Delhi Capitals owner

At 30, Parth Jindal is one of the youngest franchise owners in the IPL. In 2018, Indian business conglomerate Jindal South West (JSW), of which he is a senior director, bought a 50% stake in the Delhi franchise, paying Rs 550 crore (about US$85 million) to hold joint ownership with the GMR Group. The deal involves JSW and GMR swapping roles to lead the team management every two years. The 2020 IPL is the last of JSW’s first cycle as lead managers. Jindal tells ESPNcricinfo why he is confident the Capitals are capable of making the playoffs for the second straight year, having finished third in the 2019 IPL.Tell us about your IPL journey so far.
It has been incredible. I took over as chairman after the 2018 season, and that’s when we rebranded Delhi Daredevils to Delhi Capitals, brought in Sourav Ganguly as mentor. Ricky Ponting continued as head coach, we brought in Mohammad Kaif [as assistant coach], got in Dhiraj Malhotra as the new CEO. Then we changed the team colours and went in with a very clear auction strategy on what we need and don’t need.Last year was just an amazing year. It was so incredible to see the Kotla packed to the rafters and all supporting Delhi. In 2018, when I was at the ground and Delhi Daredevils were playing CSK in Kotla, half of the stadium was supporting CSK – and Dhoni obviously. When [Virat] Kohli came, half the stadium or even more were supporting RCB.It was only in 2019, once Delhi started doing well, once the people of Delhi started really feeling that the franchise has real hope and real possibilities of doing well [that they started to support the Capitals]. I remember the turning point was the Super Over against KKR, when [Kagiso] Rabada got Andre Russell clean bowled, middle stump cartwheeling, and that’s when Delhi really came alive. It was just so nice to see the amount of blue. We started [the season] with a few people wearing blue. Midway through, more people started wearing blue, and by the end of the tournament, everyone was wearing blue.Parth Jindal: “Two years ago we were not even contenders. Now most are saying that Delhi Capitals is a favourite for the playoffs”•Vishal Bhatnagar/Getty ImagesBack in 2018, when you took charge, you said you were looking to refresh and reboot the franchise. How far have you achieved the targets you set yourself for the first cycle of ownership?
I’d like to give a lot of credit to the GMR Group and to Kiran [Grandhi, of GMR, co-owner] because a lot of the players that they entrusted or they took deep bets on, like Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Sandeep Lamichhane – all these young players, they backed them before they became big names. They were backing them since 2015. And when we took over the Delhi Capitals’ management from GMR, the core of the team was very well set. It made my job a lot easier, knowing that we had such phenomenal talent.So it became more about balancing the squad and adding more experience, and we brought in the likes of Shikhar Dhawan and Ishant Sharma. Last year in the auction, one of our top picks was Axar Patel – he brings a lot of balance as well. From a team point of view and from a squad point of view, we have achieved our goal.For me, the biggest thing was when R Ashwin and Ajinkya Rahane wanted to come to Delhi Capitals. They put in a request to Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals and said very clearly to their owners that they wanted to play for Delhi Capitals. That’s a huge testament to our franchise.We have a fantastic team this year. We are, on paper, a really strong squad. Ricky’s gonna have to pull his hair out deciding the XI. That’s all that an owner and management team can do: give the head coach the best possible squad for him to choose from. Very, very excited.

“Ricky’s gonna have to pull his hair out deciding the XI. That’s all that an owner and management team can do: give the head coach the best possible squad for him to choose from”

Our aim is, both on the field and off the field we want to cement ourselves as one of the top three IPL franchises, behind MI and CSK. Slowly try and break into that top two as well – and that can only happen if we win an IPL or two. Without that, tough to dislodge those two great IPL franchises, but that’s our ambition.You spoke about Ashwin and Rahane putting in a request to come to DC. How did all that come about?
Sourav Ganguly had a huge role to play in both those trades. While the IPL was going on [last year] he and Ricky had a lot of discussions on what kind of players we need to further strengthen Delhi Capitals. Dada mentioned Rahane and Ashwin to Ricky and Ricky was very keen on both those players. All of us discussed it.Based on the slow nature of the wicket at the Kotla, based on the fact that the ball spins a lot, stays low, we felt Rahane could play a very vital role for the team. And, obviously, Ashwin with his experience and his variety will play a great role. Dada pitched the idea to both Ashwin and Rahane. Ashwin was the captain of Kings XI and Rahane was the captain of Rajasthan Royals but he had just been removed and Steve Smith had been reinstated.Both of them [Ashwin and Rahane] felt that if they join Delhi it would strengthen our squad to such a degree that it would give our squad a great chance of winning the IPL.

“We started 2019 with a few people in the stands wearing blue. Midway through, more people started wearing blue, and by the end of the tournament, everyone was wearing blue”

You own Bengaluru FC in the Indian Super League. BFC have been very successful in the seven years of their existence. Will JSW be aiming for a similar success rate for the Delhi Capitals over the next five-year cycle?
Our experience with Bengaluru FC has really helped us in shaking things up at the Delhi franchise. At the core of our success at BFC have been two very simple facets: one has been treating players and support staff in the utmost professional way possible.JSW and GMR would love to emulate the success of Bengaluru FC and win the IPL as often as we can, but having said that, we are very cognisant of the immense competition in the IPL, the sheer professionalism in it, and I have deep admiration for the way some of the IPL franchises are run. So it’s a tall order, but we’ve set ourselves up as contenders.Two years ago we were not even contenders. Now every website and every pundit is saying that Delhi Capitals is a contender, and most are saying that Delhi Capitals is a favourite for the playoffs. That’s a big change, and we need to keep building on it.The players have to do the job on the field. We have to create the best atmosphere around them to make them successful. That’s all we can do. The rest is up to the players and the support staff, and we as owners have to support them to the hilt. Every player will have a bad run – it doesn’t mean you just drop them. You have to back them, you have to make them feel like they are part of your family, and only then will they perform.That’s been the beauty of the success of Bengaluru FC and Mumbai Indians, CSK and KKR. The way the players feel like they are part of the Mumbai Indians or the CSK or the KKR family is a feeling that we are working very hard to create at the Delhi Capitals.3:24

Will Delhi Capitals win the IPL this year?

That the Capitals are being talked about as playoff contenders even before the tournament starts – does that tell you that you’re achieving the target you’ve set yourself?
Absolutely. It is very gratifying. Last year we went in with no expectations and we came third. It was a really amazing season with a young captain. This year the expectations are very high. So the pressure is higher on me, higher on the coach, higher on the players. We have to respond to this pressure and we have to live up to our billing.You are only as good as how high you finish in the league stage of the IPL. That is the real barometer of success, according to me at least. Because in a semi-final or a playoff game, it is about how good you are on the day. But across 14 matches, that’s where consistency and depth of squad really comes across in a league format. So, yes, the pressure is higher, and the fact that people are talking about us as a playoff contender is gratifying feeling, but it will only have meaning if we actually achieve the results we’ve set out to do.What is it about Shreyas Iyer that makes you believe that he is a good leader?
Shreyas exudes confidence and calm. That is a phenomenal combination to have as a leader. He does not get bogged down by pressure, he thrives on it. I’ve seen him be extremely open to suggestions. Last year we had a lot of senior players in the team: Shikhi [Dhawan] was there, Ishant [Ishant Sharma] was there, Amit was there [Amit Mishra]. The way Shreyas took all of their feedback in while taking decisions was really great to see. He was also captaining international stalwarts like Rabada and Trent Boult.Ricky and Sourav were very impressed with him as a captain. Between last year and this year, Shreyas has had a lot of international cricket under his belt. He has cemented his place in the [Indian] limited-overs team. And that has given him an another degree of confidence. Now he’s knocking on the door of a Test call-up. He told me before they left for Dubai that his target for this season is to get a call-up to the Test squad. He’s an ambitious person by nature. Everyone really likes him. He’s very popular with the whole team, and he’s willing to learn and willing to hear everyone out.

“Every player will have a bad run – it doesn’t mean you just drop them. You have to back them, you have to make them feel like they are part of your family”

Do you reckon Rishabh Pant has the potential to become the biggest name in Indian cricket and the IPL in future?
That’s a very tough question. It is a lot of lot of pressure, and I don’t want to put any pressure on Rishabh Pant because he’s already under a tremendous amount of pressure, even though he doesn’t show it.The pressure for any Indian wicketkeeper after MS Dhoni is just enormous, and we saw that last year when India was playing and Pant missed a couple of stumpings and the whole crowd started chanting “Dhoni, Dhoni, Dhoni.” I felt it was really unfair for such a young boy to be criticised like that.Dada said he is one of the most talented and gifted cricketers that India has. He is also very hard-working and he needs a little bit of luck and he can be one of the biggest names in the IPL.He has all the potential to be one of the leading run scorers in the IPL. Last year itself he was, I think, No. 2 or No. 3 [Pant was No. 7]. The year before that he was the No. 2 run scorer. He has been performing in and out, and he’s the only Indian wicketkeeper to score a Test hundred in both Australia and England. So he has incredible potential and we are extremely lucky and fortunate to have him in our team.One name has come up a lot during this interview: Ganguly. There was a lot of talk before he became BCCI president about the conflict of interest in his role at the Capitals and the Cricket Association of Bengal at the time.
The day before he was being considered for the post of BCCI president, he [Ganguly] spoke to me and Kiran. He told us that he is in contention and he is not going to be a part of the Delhi Capitals as long as he is involved with the BCCI. I was crestfallen because his involvement was a huge factor last year for the team.”Shreyas exudes confidence and calm. That is a phenomenal combination to have as a leader”•Surjeet Yadav/Associated PressFrom that day onwards he has not spoken to me or anybody about the Delhi Capitals or about anything to do with the player strategy or auction strategy or match strategy. Other than just being a great friend of mine and a mentor to me, he has no involvement with the franchise. We really miss him at the franchise.This year is going to be the last year of your first cycle of ownership, before GMR become lead decision-maker. So how much pressure are you under to win the title?
Ricky and I had a long discussion about three weeks ago about the targets for this season. We have set ourselves the goal of making it to the playoffs. I personally feel that if Delhi Capitals does not make it to the playoffs, then I as an owner and the chairman of the franchise have failed.I’m very clear to everyone about that. I spoke to Kiran about that. I spoke to my father and to Kiran’s father about that, saying that this is the minimum expectation that everyone can have with Delhi Capitals – that we must make it to the playoffs. After that, I’m a firm believer that in a knockout match, you just need one player to make the difference. It’s anybody’s game. I don’t think setting a goal like winning the IPL is a fair goal or a fair ask on anyone, and I would never set that goal going into the season.Yes, the management switches over from JSW to the GMR Group post this season, but that doesn’t really alter our targets because we are one franchise. We are one unit: Kiran and I are like family. Our roles swap, but we’ve set a professional team below us to run the franchise. The goal remains to make it to the playoffs, cement ourselves as a top-three franchise in the IPL, and anything beyond that is obviously welcome and a bonus.Did Ponting agree it’s a realistic goal, making the playoffs?
Absolutely. He said, “Mate, I want to go one step further. I want to make it to the final.” Vivo suspended its sponsorship of the IPL recently and Dream 11 was roped at a discounted price. This week the Capitals announced deals with sponsors. How much of a challenge has it been from the commercial point of view?
If you look at the revenue streams for any IPL franchise, about two-thirds of the revenue comes from your digital and TV media rights. That value has remained unchanged. The balance one-third is split quite evenly for most franchises between sponsorship revenue, which is off jersey partners, and ticket sales.

“My personal belief this year is going to be the most watched IPL ever. The TRPs are going to be off the off the charts”

This year, with the IPL being held in the UAE behind closed doors, no franchise will be earning any ticket revenue. And sponsors are not going to be able to meet and greet players. Usually the brands get free tickets to the IPL games – even that’s not going to be available. So sponsors have been getting about a 15 to 20% discount on last year’s deal values. Overall there is about a 25% revenue drop as compared to a normal IPL year.On the other side, if the IPL didn’t happen, which was a real possibility, then there would be no revenue at all. I’m looking at it as half-full.Six months down the line, there’s going to be another IPL, next April. If things don’t improve in India, there’s every likelihood that the tournament could be played in the UAE again. What kinds of things can the BCCI do to ensure franchises don’t take another hit?
I don’t know if there’s anything the BCCI can do differently. This is a pandemic. Everyone is suffering. You know, global leagues around the world are also undergoing similar losses in revenue.If the IPL moves out of India again in April, to the UAE, we hope that in the UAE, Covid is under control and you can have fans in the stadiums. If that happens, then part of the revenue loss can be mitigated.Delhi Capitals v Kings XI Punjab live scores September 20My personal belief this year is going to be the most watched IPL ever. And the TRPs are going to be off the charts. On the back of the increase in viewership data, I’m sure next year the BCCI and all franchises, including Delhi Capitals, can extract more from sponsors and more from partners. Because it is directly proportional – the more eyeballs at the IPL, the more revenue the BCCI and the franchise owners earn through partnerships and sponsorship deals.

What have the ageing stars who helped the franchise reach two consecutive finals been doing in the last 16 months?

Dustin Silgardo15-Sep-2020For the past two seasons, the Chennai Super Kings have defied the belief that T20 is a young man’s game. They have relied on players in their mid-30s and made it to consecutive finals. But with 16 months gone since the last IPL, can their experienced players still deliver? Perhaps a good way to discern whether they have faded is to look at how they have fared in the meantime.MS Dhoni, 39
After several months of mystery, Dhoni announced his international retirement in August this year. He had endured a difficult 2019 World Cup, in which he struggled to accelerate when the team needed him to, and was not named in any India squad in the months after. He also decided against playing any of India’s domestic tournaments in 2019-20. That means when he leads CSK onto the field on September 19, it will be his first professional cricket match in 437 days. Dhoni did attend Chennai’s training camp back in March, where he was met by hundreds of cheering fans, and has been in camp since August 16, ahead of this season.Shane Watson, 39
Watson announced his retirement from the Big Bash League last year, so with his international career already ended in 2016, he is now only playing the Bangladesh Premier League, the Pakistan Super League and the IPL. He had a poor BPL in 2019, with just one score of more than 10 in seven innings for the Rangpur Rangers, who finished second from bottom. He fared better in the PSL earlier this year, scoring at 27.44 and a strike rate of 157.32 for the Quetta Gladiators. He hit two fifties, the second enough to earn him a Player of the Match, but his performances were not enough to take the Gladiators to the playoffs.Faf du Plessis, 36
du Plessis has had a torrid time since the last IPL. He seemed to spend all his time apologising in press conferences as South Africa had a disastrous 2019 World Cup campaign and then suffered sound defeats in Test series in India and England. He eventually stepped down as captain of the national side in February. His own batting remained excellent in ODIs – he has averaged 64.50 in the 50-over format since the last IPL – but his Test form did dip. Things have gone much better for him in T20 franchise cricket: he led Paarl Rocks to the title in the 2019 Mzansi Super League and averaged 27.37 in the tournament.Imran Tahir was the Purple Cap winner in the 2019 IPL season•BCCIDwayne Bravo, 36
It’s been an eventful year for Bravo. In January he played for West Indies for the first time since 2016. After four years of disagreements with the West Indies board, and actually announcing his international retirement in 2018, Bravo returned and is now seeking a spot in the West Indies squad for the 2021 T20 World Cup. During the recent CPL, he became the first bowler to go past 500 T20 wickets. Still, setting the accolades aside, Bravo’s potency as a T20 bowler seems to have dipped. He took just 11 wickets in 12 games in the 2019 IPL and got just nine in ten games in the 2020 CPL. His economy rate of 7.50 in the CPL was unremarkable, considering the tournament was a slow-scoring one in general, though he was part of the title-winning Trinbago Knight Riders side.Imran Tahir, 41
Tahir has not slowed down one bit since he won the purple cap in the 2019 IPL. He has played a remarkable 52 T20s since and has repeatedly finished near the top of wicket-taker charts in various tournaments around the world. He was second in the 2019 CPL and third in the 2020 season, topped the charts in the 2019 Mzansi Super League, was fifth in the 2020 PSL, and sixth in the 2019 Vitality Blast.Ambati Rayudu, 34
It’s been high drama for Rayudu since the last IPL. After being less than subtle in showing his disappointment at not making the India World Cup squad, he retired from all forms of cricket in July, only to retract the retirement a couple of months later. He was named Hyderabad captain for the 2019-20 domestic season but skipped the Ranji Trophy due to apprehensions about corruption in the state’s cricket board. He was back for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and performed mediocrely, getting just two 20-plus scores in seven innings. He has not played any cricket since November 2019.Kedar Jadhav, 35
When he made his India debut in 2017, Jadhav was renowned for scoring quickly, but his strike rate has dropped since. Last season he struck at less than 100 for CSK, and it was his inability to accelerate that cost him his place in the India ODI team after the World Cup, though he did make a comeback during the tour of New Zealand earlier this year. He had an ordinary Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2019, averaging below 25 and striking at 120.65, and a poor Vijay Hazare Trophy, in which he averaged less than 20.

Flowing off drives, crisp back-foot drives, crunching pulls, ramps over third man – Shubman Gill showed his range of strokes in Australia

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Jan-202135* off 36 balls, MCG, 2nd inns
In his first Test innings, at the MCG, Gill had some close calls early but then counterattacked to score 45. In the second innings, with India chasing just 70, Gill took charge from the off. He started with a couple of perfectly timed off drives before showing off his back-foot play, finishing with seven boundaries in 36 balls.50 off 101 balls, SCG, 1st inns
In Sydney, Australia put up 338, and Gill begun India’s response with a half-century that included eight boundaries. His back-foot drive was a thing of beauty, and he timed a couple of pull shots perfectly. Against Nathan Lyon, he was comfortable: he took big front-foot strides to get to the pitch and was not afraid to cover-drive against the turn. His control percentage was 92, remarkable against one of the best attacks in Test cricket.91 off 146 balls, Gabba, 2nd inns
The last day of the series left India with a steep chase of 328. It may have been easier to look at it as three sessions to bat out, but Gill followed his attacking instincts. When Australia tried to bounce him, he played some beautiful hooks and ramps, taking 14 runs off one Mitchell Starc over. His control percentage in this innings, on a fifth-day pitch, was an astounding 95.2 and, though he fell short of a century, his innings set up a famous win.

A look back to 30 years ago, when a handful of world leaders put on whites for charity

Masud Mahdi10-Nov-2020Unique, extraordinary, and surreal – clichéd, but truly the only accurate words to describe an event I was fortunate to witness: leaders from across the world meeting on the cricket pitch in Harare, Zimbabwe.(A disclaimer before I go on – the leaders mentioned in this article may evoke strong opinions among readers. This is not a political article, so please read it only in the spirit in which it is intended – a narration from an apolitical perspective.)My father, Rafat Mahdi, now a retired career diplomat, began his career in 1970, and in January 1990 he took on his first ambassadorial assignment as Pakistan’s high commissioner to Zimbabwe. In the middle of 1991, and his team started preparations for a visit by a Pakistan delegation, led by the prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, to attend a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in October in Harare.The commonwealth is an organisation mainly of former colonies and territories of the British empire. As such, cricket is popular in many commonwealth countries. Sharif, a huge cricket enthusiast and an established club player, sent a peculiar request to a few months before the summit. He wanted my father to organise a cricket match with other world leaders attending the summit. As if the stress of managing a prime minister’s visit was not enough! gauged interest from other commonwealth ambassadors stationed in Harare. There was strong interest from prime ministers John Major (UK), Bob Hawke (Australia) and Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (Maldives) to take part. India would not participate, not for political reasons, but because their prime minister, Narasimha Rao, was skipping the retreat portion of the summit at Victoria Falls. found a strong partner in Mark Williams of the British High Commission in organising the event, and received logistical support from various officials in the Zimbabwe government and the Zimbabwe Cricket Union.Bob Hawke and John Major walk out to bat. Mark Williams of the British High Commission in Harare is right behind them•Masud MahdiThe world leaders were paired: Hawke and Major, Gayoom and Sharif. Each pair would bat for three overs. After the world leaders had played their innings, some famous cricketing names would continue the entertainment, including West Indies legend Clive Lloyd, Zimbabwe’s Dave Houghton, and Zimbabwe-born Graeme Hick, who had qualified and debuted for England earlier that year. Prince Edward School, where the likes of Duncan Fletcher, Hick, Houghton and Eddo Brandes were educated, was chosen over multiple contenders including my school, St John’s College, as the bowling team.The event was confirmed for the afternoon of Friday, October the 18th, and announced to the public. Outlets began hyping the event, adults and schoolchildren alike excitedly talked about it, and sponsors threw in their support for charitable purposes – each six was a Z$1000 donation, and each four a Z$500 donation (keep in mind, this was when US$ 1 was exchanged for around Z$ 4).The CHOGM began the week of October 14. As with any large gathering of world leaders, the week was packed with various events focused on global events, relationships and initiatives. The Friday afternoon match was on a tight schedule because all the leaders were flying in the evening to Victoria Falls.For Sharif, the afternoon began with the Friday prayer at a mosque. From the mosque, he, my father, and the delegation headed to the Pakistan High Commission to meet the officers and staff there. My brother, Asad, and I excitedly hitched a ride in the motorcade as well. After this meeting, Sharif changed into his cricket kit and we all headed to the Harare Sports Club.It was a typical Harare early summer afternoon. The full crowd at the Harare Sports Club was giddy in anticipation. When the motorcade arrived at the venue, led Sharif to the enclosure for dignitaries where the other leaders were waiting. Sharif, though, had other plans. “I need some net practice,” he said. So off we went to the nets!Nawaz Sharif pads up for practice. Behind him (wearing white) is Rafat Mahdi•Masud MahdiThe nets were open to all to watch. A crowd of attendees left their seats to watch Sharif warm up for the main event. After a few of Sharif’s staff took their turn at bowling, my father handed a ball to me. I was definitely not known for my bowling skills (and neither really for batting or fielding), and naturally I was very nervous, given the situation. I threw a beamer straight at Sharif’s head. It was one of the most agonising split seconds of my life. Thankfully Sharif was able to use his skill to comfortably defend it. That was a huge relief for me and for , who politely asked me not to bowl any further.I saw a couple of my school friends and handed them the ball. Random members of the crowd also bowled. Sharif impressed in the nets. My brother was the only one who managed to bowl him out, with a ripper that went around his legs. Word soon came that Major, Hawke and Gayoom were ready to get the show started. Among other political dignitaries in attendance were Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe and Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia.Before I go further, a moment of reflection to capture how surreal the event was. There were no security checks that day. No barricades, no metal detectors, no bag checks, nothing. There was some crowd control where the dignitaries were seated, but people could still move around with ease. Case in point, I wandered into the area and ended up, not out of choice, sitting between Mugabe and Zia for a portion of the match.Back to the main event. Major and Hawke walked towards the pitch amid tremendous applause. The Prince Edward bowlers were instructed to bowl dollies to ensure entertainment. I cannot recall ball by ball what happened, but at least a couple of fours were hit in those three overs. They also managed a few twos and some singles, and neither was dismissed. The crowd applauded them back into the pavilion when their three overs were up.Sharif and Gayoom walked out to even greater applause, as the substantial Pakistani community in attendance cheered for their representative. Sharif confided to before walking in that he was nervous about the first ball. tried to calm him down, and encouraged him to unremarkably defend it, after which he would gain his confidence. Defend the first ball is exactly what Sharif did, a good omen.John Major and Robert Mugabe at the presentation while Nawaz Sharif and Shaharyar Khan, both padded up, look on•Masud MahdiA few balls later, he made great use of his feet, charging down the pitch and launching the ball over the boundary for a huge six, throwing the crowd into a frenzy. A couple of fours soon followed, then another six, and another a few balls later. No one expected this level of entertainment, and it was pure exhilaration for a responsive and supportive crowd. For good measure, there were some singles and doubles too, and Gayoom gave able support for whatever little of the strike he had. The pair walked back in after their three overs to a raucous ovation.There was a presentation ceremony – I do not recall whether it was before the cricket started or after – recognising the participation of the world leaders, thanking the organisers and the sponsors, and reflecting on the purpose of the event. Hands were shaken, pleasantries exchanged, and the leaders headed off to the airport.The on-pitch festivities continued into the evening. Hick walked in and subjected the bowlers – now bowling at full strength – to an endless barrage of fours and sixes. Lloyd, Houghton and others also batted, as well as Pakistani diplomat Shaharyar Khan, who later became the head of the PCB. The participants entertained, the crowd enjoyed themselves, and money was raised for charity.Coverage of the event was, unfortunately, somewhat limited. Pakistan Television (PTV) did capture footage and broadcast it on the news in Pakistan. There must certainly be a VHS tape in some PTV storage room with extended footage. What I have with me from the event are a few photos – memories of that joyous Harare afternoon etched in my mind. And a hope, perhaps too optimistic, that we will see a repeat one day.Want to be featured in Inbox? Send your articles to us here, with “Inbox” in the subject line.

From Wellington 1978 to Lord’s 2015, we pick some of the most memorable England vs New Zealand encounters

Andrew Miller31-May-2021Trent Bridge, 1973 – Congdon scales the heights
England had won 20 and drawn the rest of their 42 previous encounters with New Zealand going into the 1973 series, so when they rolled their opponents for 97 in the first innings at Trent Bridge, it seemed like business as usual. But then, without warning, the worm began to turn. Despite being hit in the face by a John Snow bouncer, New Zealand’s captain Bev Congdon endured for 377 balls and the best part of seven hours, grinding his way towards a target of 479 so ethereal it felt like “climbing Mount Everest without thinking you’ll need more oxygen”. He was finally prised out by Geoff Arnold for a career-best 176, but Vic Pollard joined forces with the wicketkeeper Ken Wadsworth, whose intermittent swings for the fences encouraged New Zealand’s belief that glory was within their grasp. They carried the chase past the 400 mark, but then dared to look at the scoreboard and lost their footing. The last five wickets tumbled for 38, a figure that matched their eventual margin of defeat. A fortnight later, New Zealand came agonisingly close once again, Congdon making 175 this time, only for Keith Fletcher’s rearguard 178 to spare England’s blushes at Lord’s. Order was restored with an innings win in the third Test at Headingley, but New Zealand had dropped a hint that that elusive win was not far off.Bev Congdon cuts a ball from Geoff Arnold•PA PhotosWellington, 1978 – Hadlee delivers elusive maiden win
That 1973 near-miss had featured a tearaway fast bowler who returned figures of 1 for 143 in his maiden overseas Test. But five years later, Richard Hadlee was a very different beast – a lithe, whippy, channelled operator with effortless pace and a despotic command of seam and swing. His first-innings figures of 4 for 74 eked out a 13-run lead in a low-scoring tussle, and as John Wright and Geoff Howarth dragged that advantage towards three figures with just one wicket down, the Wellington crowd dared to think the unthinkable. Cue an England fightback that ought to have been decisive. Bob Willis harnessed a wind that had swirled all match long to wreck the innings with figures of 5 for 32, as New Zealand lost their nine remaining wickets for 41. On an increasingly uneven surface, however, Richard Collinge made a target of 137 look improbably daunting as he reduced England to 18 for 3, his scalps including the crucial road-block of Geoff Boycott, England’s new and soon-to-be-deposed captain, for 1. Brian Rose then retired hurt with a bruised forearm, whereupon Hadlee rounded up the stragglers with 6 for 26, and match figures of 10 for 100. England had been rolled aside for 64, and after 48 years, and at the 48th time of asking, New Zealand had secured their maiden victory over the Mother Country.Related

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• Gary Stead excited by New Zealand's depth ahead of Lord's opener

Christchurch, 1984 – England disappear in a puff of smoke
Rumours and innuendo stalked England’s tour of New Zealand in 1983-84, which in a previous era might have been far enough out of sight to be out of mind to the wider British public. But with Ian Botham approaching his mid-1980s zenith of tabloid notoriety, the squad’s burgeoning tendency to generate newspaper headlines meant they were pursued even to the land of the Long White Cloud – a cloud, on this occasion, that was widely reported to include a puff of cannabis smoke. Whatever their off-field recreations, the effect on England’s batting in the Christchurch Test was catatonic. “An exhibition that would have shamed a side in the lower reaches of the County Championship,” harrumphed a nonplussed Wisden, as Hadlee, that man again, claimed match figures of 8 for 44 to rout England for 82 and 93 in consecutive innings. His most telling contribution on this occasion, however, came with the bat – a blistering innings of 99 from 81 balls in New Zealand’s only innings that left the debutant Surrey seamer Tony Pigott wondering exactly why he’d agreed to postpone his wedding to shore up England’s bowling stocks.Christchurch 1997 – Atherton’s redemption seals the spoils
Plenty has been written about the one that got away on England’s 1996-97 campaign – the first Test at Auckland, where New Zealand’s No. 11 Danny Morrison belied his world-record haul of 24 ducks to dig in for 133 balls in the final two sessions to guide his side to a scarcely credible draw. The best contest by far, however, was the third Test at Christchurch – a personal triumph for England’s besieged captain Mike Atherton, who had faced calls for his resignation after a miserable first leg of the winter in Zimbabwe, but whose match tally of 212 runs for once out put a very personal seal on a 2-0 series win. Atherton’s first task was a familiar one: rescue England’s batting from a habitual malfunction, after New Zealand had posed a handy but hardly decisive 346. He duly carried his bat for an unbeaten 94, limiting the deficit to 118, and was soon back at the crease for the run-chase after Phil Tufnell and Darren Gough had combined to limit England’s target to a tantalising 305. Throughout the final day, all four results were distinctly possible, as New Zealand’s teenaged spinner Dan Vettori bowled with precocious discipline to finish with 4 for 97 in 57 overs. He was too young even for Harry Potter jibes (the first book would not be published for another four months), but at 231 for 6, with Atherton finally extracted for 118, he seemed odds-on to deliver a share of the series in only his second Test. John Crawley, however, found typically indomitable support from Dominic Cork at No. 8, as their unbeaten 76-run stand sealed England’s first overseas series win for five years.Mike Atherton carried England’s batting effort at Christchurch in 1997•EMPICS via Getty ImagesThe Oval, 1999 – England hit rock-bottom at long last
The final summer of the 1990s, and the final fiasco from an England team that was about to reach rock-bottom after a decade in which they’d been pummelled by allcomers without ever quite facing up to their structural inadequacies. Intermittent triumphs – a Barbados win here, a Melbourne win there – had masked the team’s overall woefulness, and something similar seemed to be on the cards after the first Test at Edgbaston, when nightwatchman Alex Tudor blasted a matchwinning 99 not out to gloss over the fact that England had been 45 for 7 in their first innings. By the fourth Test at The Oval, however, all the pretence was done. England really were the worst Test team in the world, as a disgruntled crowd confirming by booing the new captain Nasser Hussain during the post-match presentations. The iconic aspect of their 83-run loss was the selection of surely the most inept tail in Test history – a nine, ten, Jack of Alan Mullally, Phil Tufnell and Ed Giddins was bad enough even without Ronnie Irani as a not-very-pivotal No. 7. But the decisive aspect was the flourish of a genuine Test allrounder in New Zealand’s ranks. Faced with a collapse to 39 for 6 on the third afternoon and the potential for another fourth-innings scalping, Chris Cairns crashed onto the offensive, slamming eight fours and four sixes in a 93-ball 80. He had set his side up with 5 for 31 in England’s first dig; and now their target of 246 was simply too daunting. Mike Atherton, as so often, held the line for a three-and-a-half-hour 64, but as soon as he was extracted, the last seven wickets tumbled in eight overs.Christchurch, 2002 – Astle’s astonishing onslaught
Drop-in pitches have had a bad rap in recent times – blame the MCG’s despicably dull surfaces for that. But no one could quibble with the entertainment on offer at Christchurch in March 2002, lopsided though it may have been, when the Lancaster Park authorities popped a fresh green sod of grass in the middle of their rugby stadium and left England and New Zealand to squabble for four extraordinary days. Days one and two were as wild as a white-water ride – England were 0 for 2 after five balls and looking par for the course, yet chiselled an 81-run lead thanks to Nasser Hussain’s mind-over-matter 106, and a howling display of swing bowling from the greenhorn Matthew Hoggard, who racked up a then-best of 7 for 63. But then, overnight, the grass died, the mud dried, and the contest became a two-innings turkey shoot. Graham Thorpe cracked 200 not out from 231 balls, which seemed fairly brisk in the circumstances, as he and Andrew Flintoff set a target of 550. Cue Nathan Astle, and the most preposterous day’s tonking ever witnessed in Test history. His 222 from 168 balls went into overdrive as England claimed the new ball with New Zealand seemingly done at 302 for 8. Flintoff and Hoggard were clubbed for six fours in nine balls, each of them a golf swing through the line, but his most murderous blows were reserved for Andrew Caddick, who at one stage was clattered for five sixes and three fours in eight legal deliveries. Cairns, at No. 11 due to injury, was the ideal sidekick as England’s anxieties reached fever-pitch. But then, just as the requirement dipped below 100, Hoggard lured one wipe too many, and that was the end of that.Wellington 2008 – Anderson and Broad take the stage
Peter Moores’ twin stints as England coach both ended in ignominy, but his reputation for bringing out the best in young players was eternally vindicated at Wellington in 2008, with his backing of two men who may yet find themselves sharing the stage at Lord’s this week for the 122nd time. Three years on from the 2005 Ashes, the time was ripe for new England heroes, though it took a spineless defeat in the series opener at Hamilton to prove it. While their batting was ultimately to blame as they slumped to 110 all out in the second innings, the vacant displays of Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard were the most troubling aspects, especially given that Ryan Sidebottom had carried the fight single-handedly with 10 wickets in the match including a hat-trick. So Moores bit the bullet, and pushed both men to the margins. In their places, came James Anderson – an England cricketer for five years already but never yet trusted to be the attack leader – and Stuart Broad, whose beanpole seam had been limited to a solitary Test on a Colombo featherbed before Christmas. The pair gelled from the outset – Anderson claiming five first-innings wickets to set up the series-leveller, as Broad slotted into an unlikely enforcer’s role, pushing New Zealand on to the back foot in a series of aggressive displays that had Michael Vaughan hailing him as the “most intelligent bowler I’ve ever worked with”. The series was sealed with another doughty display in Napier, as the framework for England’s Test revival was hoisted into place.Ben Stokes inspired England the last time they met New Zealand at Lord’s•Getty ImagesLord’s 2015 – The start of something new

Quite possibly one of the finest England team performances of all time, and unquestionably one of the most timely. The roar of acclaim as Moeen Ali snaffled the catch at third man to deliver a 124-run victory on the fifth afternoon was like nothing that England had heard for months. It marked the team’s emergence from an 18-month slump, encompassing the 2013-14 Ashes debacle and the subsequent sacking of Kevin Pietersen, and culminating at the disastrous 2015 World Cup campaign, in which New Zealand’s crushing victory at Wellington had been the unquestionable nadir. The need to reconnect with the English public was overwhelming, but it seemed unlikely to happen at the first time of asking as England slumped to 30 for 4 on the opening morning. In response, New Zealand were at one stage 403 for 3 in reply. But in between whiles, something extraordinary stirred within the England dressing room. Ben Stokes followed up his first-innings 92 by slamming an 85-ball century in the second – the fastest at Lord’s in Test history – and while Joe Root twice missed out on three figures, his twin innings of 98 and 84 reaffirmed his status as England’s coming man. And then, in response to a deficit of 134, there was the captain, Alastair Cook, chugging along to a magnificent, unflustered, nine-hour 162, keeping the beat while his young guns riffed around him. Stokes sealed the turnaround with three key wickets on a pulsating final day, as news of the impending appointment of Trevor Bayliss as head coach confirmed the sense that this was the start of a new chapter for English cricket – one that would culminate, four years later, on the very same ground against the very same opponents.

Anderson’s story is remarkable because of the improvement he’s shown with his bowling in this period

S Rajesh11-Feb-2021When James Anderson defeated the defences of Ajinkya Rahane with a stunner on the final day of the Chennai Test, he went on top of the list for most wickets taken by a fast bowler after the age of 30. That wicket was Anderson’s 342nd after turning 30, and he later added Rishabh Pant to that tally as well, to increase his lead over Courtney Walsh (341) on this list.This should say a lot about Anderson’s fitness levels, and his story is even more remarkable because of the improvement he’s shown with his bowling in this period.ESPNcricinfo LtdAnderson turned 30 on July 30, 2012. Since then, he has averaged 23.45 in 87 Tests. Among the 15 fast bowlers who have taken 150 or more wickets during this period, only three – Pat Cummins, Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada – have better averages. None of them, though, has taken even 60% of the number of wickets Anderson has taken in this period. In the 71 Tests Anderson played before turning 30, he averaged 30.37, which means his average has improved by almost 23% since he turned 30.ESPNcricinfo LtdBefriending the older ball
When Anderson started out he was excellent with the new ball but with the older ball in hand, he wasn’t quite as effective. In the 71 Tests he played before turning 30, he averaged 27.67 in the first 15 overs of an innings, but between overs 16 and 80, he conceded 34.54 runs per wicket.ESPNcricinfo LtdOver the last eight-and-a-half years, though, the skillset has gradually expanded to include reverse swing, cutters, changes of length, pace and angle, and greater cricketing nous which comes with experience. Not only does he have a wider range of skills now, but also seems to have a much clearer idea of the execution.The results are there for all to see. Since August 2012, Anderson’s average in the first 15 overs has improved marginally – from 27.67 to 25.09 – but in the 16 to 80 overs range, the difference is stark: from 34.54, the average has dropped to 24.16, an improvement of 30%.Among the 23 fast bowlers who have bowled at least 500 overs during this phase of an innings in this period, only three have better averages – the South African trio of Rabada, Steyn and Vernon Philander.ESPNcricinfo LtdOvercoming the Asian challenge
For a bowler like Anderson, whose innate strength is the ability to swing the ball, doing well in Asia is a huge challenge. Before 2012, he played only five Tests in the continent, taking 12 wickets at 45.41. Then, in early 2012 – just before he turned 30 – he played back-to-back series in the UAE against Pakistan and in Sri Lanka. Though he didn’t take a huge number of wickets – 18 in five Tests – he was giving little away: those 18 wickets came at an average of 24.72, and an economy rate of 2.46.That was followed by a solid series in India, and though he had a lean time in Asia between 2016 and 2018, he has bounced back superbly this time around: he had a match haul of 6 for 46 in Galle, which was followed by 5 for 63 against India in Chennai. Since turning 30, Anderson concedes nearly nine fewer runs per wicket in Asia, compared to his numbers before he turned 30.ESPNcricinfo LtdHowever, with Anderson, it’s not only the wickets that matter; it’s also the control he provides to the team with his ability to choke the run-flow: among the 13 non-Asian fast bowlers who have bowled at least 200 overs in Asia since the beginning of 2012, Anderson’s economy rate of 2.4 is the best, marginally better than Philander’s 2.5.The extra bows in Anderson’s armoury have been even more useful in Asia, as they have made him a threat even with the older ball, something that wasn’t necessarily true in the early days of his career. Before he turned 30, Anderson averaged 47.77 runs per wicket between overs 16 and 80, and had a strike rate of 101 balls per wicket. Since then, the average has improved to 22.72. Nowhere was that improvement more evident than in the 27th over of India’s second innings in Chennai, when those two wickets of Shubman Gill and Rahane decisively swung the game England’s way.ESPNcricinfo LtdHowever, his numbers in Australia haven’t improved as dramatically – he averaged 35.79 in eight Tests there before turning 30, and 35.09 in ten Tests since then – but his last series there was pretty impressive: 17 wickets at 27.82, conceding just 2.11 runs per over.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe matchwinner
In the post-30 phase of Anderson’s career, England have won 37 of 87 matches he has been part of, and in those 37 wins, Anderson has taken 170 wickets at a stunning average of 16.43. Among the 23 bowlers who have taken at least 75 wickets in wins during this period, no one has a better average. In defeats or draws, the average goes up to 30.36. His numbers in wins illustrate just how important Anderson is, even at 38, to England’s Test fortunes.

It was only the second time India won an away Test after scoring under 200 in their first innings

Sampath Bandarupalli06-Sep-20212 – Instances of India winning an away Test match after scoring fewer than 200 in their first innings. The first such win came in 2018 where India managed just 187 against South Africa in Johannesburg.2 – Second Test win for India at The Oval in 14 attempts. Their only previous win at this venue came in 1971 when they chased down a fourth-innings target of 173 with four wickets to spare.1986 – The last time India won more than one match in a Test series in England. In 1986, India won the three-match series 2-0. Monday also marked the third Test win as captain for Virat Kohli in England, the most for an Indian captain, going past Kapil Dev’s two victories.99 – First-innings lead conceded by India in this Test. Only three times have they overcome a higher first-innings lead to win a Test match – 274 against Australia at Eden Gardens in 2001, 182 against Australia in 1981 in Melbourne and 131 against West Indies in 1976. India did defeat Australia after conceding a lead of exactly 99 runs in 2004 at Wankhede Stadium.6 – Instances of England losing a Test match after claiming a first-innings lead higher than 99. Only two of those defeats came at home – 177 against Australia in 1961 in Manchester and 108 against Sri Lanka in 2014 in Leeds.ESPNcricinfo Ltd24 – Jasprit Bumrah became the quickest Indian fast bowler to complete 100 Test wickets, in just 24 matches. Kapil was the previous fastest, taking 25 Tests. He was also the first fast bowler from India to reach 100 wickets in this format.8 – Centuries for Rohit Sharma in Tests. Each of his eight tons resulted in an Indian win. No other player has more hundreds in this format with all those aiding to team’s victory. Warwick Armstrong (6) and Darren Lehmann (5) are the other players to score five or more Test hundreds that all came in wins.9 – Bowled dismissals for England in this match, the joint-most by any team in a Test against India. These are the most for England in a Test match since the ten dismissals in the 1994 Georgetown Test against West Indies. As many as five England batters were dismissed bowled on the final day’s play.3 – Wins for the team losing the toss in this Test series, the joint-most number of wins for teams losing the toss in a Test series in England. The home side lost after choosing to bowl at Lord’s and The Oval, while India lost at Leeds after electing to bat. The last instance of England losing twice in a home Test series after winning the toss was against New Zealand in 1999.

A number of players in the first-class game honed their techniques while at school in Cumbria

Paul Edwards03-Aug-2021It is fair to suppose that most of those in the crowd at Headingley on Saturday night were not greatly bothered where Harry Brook was educated. Their knowledge probably extended little further than that he is one of seven Yorkshire players in the Leeds-based Northern Superchargers squad. Such a confection of local links is quite enough to command the allegiance of home supporters, many of whom would also have packed the Western Terrace for the Vitality Blast Roses match had not Covid-19 restrictions been in place.Yet Brook will be one of the first to tell you that his education, in its broadest sense, mattered. He will tell you proper coaching matters. He might even disclose that having just a couple of trusted coaches from whom he will take feedback has been vital to his development. And before long you will be back at a school in the Howgill Fells and the man who, one suspects, will always know Harry Brook’s game better than anyone else.Related

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It is a world far removed from the sweaty ferment of a late July evening at Headingley yet it has been integral to the development of a cricketer whose thunderous drives have put him among the leading scorers in the ECB’s darling new competition.Martin Speight played for Sussex and Durham during a 16-year career in the first-class game and he is now in charge of cricket at Sedbergh School. He reckons he works an 80-hour week, although he tells you that in passing; if Speight possesses a trumpet it is a long time since he blew it. His day begins at 6.20am when the first cricket coaching takes place in one of the school’s two sports halls. The timing of such sessions is not dictated by Sedbergh’s staff; it is a response to the demands of the pupils, many of whom are intent on making the very most of their cricket and some of whom are on sports scholarships.And Harry Brook is not an outlier in all this; rather he is only the most well-known Old Sedberghian playing first-class cricket. The group of which he is a member includes Jordan Clark (Surrey), Jamie Harrison (Durham), George Hill and Matthew Revis (both Yorkshire). The allrounder Tom Aspinwall has just finished his lower-sixth year at Sedbergh but has already played for Lancashire’s second team, and was named in the County Select squad to face India last month. You will hear more of him.”On the first day of the autumn term, immediately after the first assembly, most of them will be asking for sessions,” said Speight. “I use the older of the two halls and we have four nets in there. We do two hours before school, six days a week. The fifth and sixth form come in early. They can come in as often as they want, it’s purely down to their motivation, but the culture is already present in the school. The elite players can also have one-to-one sessions with me and so Tom Aspinwall’s sessions get put down as part of his personal timetable. Most of the boys’ boarding houses have gyms and the school also has two gyms, so they will also book out sessions with the strength and conditioning coach.”It is important to see that this degree of commitment on the part of coach and players is not symptomatic of obsession. Even though some pupils at Sedbergh will be playing county age-group cricket and plainly have an eye on professional careers, they will also be expected to do their work, contribute to the life of their house and may well play other sports as well in the autumn and winter terms. The cultivation of such a balance should serve them well, particularly, perhaps, if they land contracts like those of Brook and Hill at Yorkshire.

I spent the whole of one lockdown with Harry rebooting his technique. It’s a check that everything is in place. They know me better than anyone else because of the hours we’ve spent togetherMartin Speight

The coaching of elite male cricketers is only a part of Speight’s remit. He talks warmly of the ability of girls such as Harriet Robson, who is in the Northern Diamonds Academy and for whom a training session at the Riverside involves a long round trip from her home beyond Alnwick. Speight is also in charge of arranging a fixture list for the school’s seven teams and for making sure weekday matches do not clash with public examinations or overload young people who already have plenty in their lives.In a recent 50-over match against Manchester Grammar School, Aspinwall played as a specialist batter. The game was lost by 20 or so runs, partly because two or three of the top order got to fifty without going on to play the match-winning innings. But losing such games is part of any young cricketer’s education. The coach hopes the team learned something and, in any case, when it comes to national competitions, Sedbergh is rarely far from the trophies.But the best coaches can only show their charges how to make the best of their ability and even the most gifted cricketer will struggle and acquire bad habits if asked to play on poor pitches. It is in this respect that Speight reckons Sedbergh’s pupils are especially lucky. “Our groundsman, Martin South, has been here a long time and he knows what’s needed,” he said. “The pitches the first-class cricketers get to play on when we host county matches are the same as we get to play on in school. The pupils are immensely fortunate because they grow up playing on surfaces where they don’t have to generate pace on the ball, they just have to time it. They have the facilities that allow them to flourish.”Sedbergh is also concerned to ensure that such extraordinary advantages are not available only to rich kids. The school takes its charitable status seriously by offering scholarships and means-tested bursaries to as many children as possible, something which makes Speight’s job in helping to select the recipients of such awards particularly vital. And the school’s record in producing first-class cricketers makes it all the more important to know what he requires from, say, batters who come for an exploratory net.”I’m looking for technical skill, coachability and an openness to the sort of development we offer,” he said. “I’m less concerned with physical strength. Harry [Brook] was quite a short, stocky lad. Once they’re here and playing sport every day they will get stronger. If they’re serious about their cricket they will get dragged along by the people who are already here. If you’re little you have to be able to play the short ball well and that’s the same if you’re going to be a professional cricketer. At 12 and 13, young cricketers can all play on the off side but if they can play off their pads on the front foot or hips on the on side that will be a big thing for me. I’ll tell them it’s a coaching session in which we have to get to know each other because over the next five years we’re going to be spending thousands of hours together. They have to buy into the way I think about the game and I’ve got to get a feeling as to whether they would benefit from coming here.”Sedbergh School has been a cradle for a succession of first-class cricketers•Getty ImagesAnd when those sessions begin Sedbergh’s cricketers will find that Speight is old-school in the best sense. As long as players are not practising bad habits he believes that improved performance frequently reflects the amount of practice a player has put in. Such an approach is consonant with one theme of Matthew Syed’s influential book .”The more balls you face the more balls you hit, the quicker you’ll pick up cues as to line and length,” he said. “The best players pick up length quicker than anyone else. My aim is to take them through a programme so that when they leave here at 18 they are technically very sound and they can then develop their power hitting. If something goes wrong – and it almost always does – they can always fall back on their technique. They will get worked out and they’ll have to learn to deal with failure but at least they’ll have their technique as a base upon which they rebuild their batting. And both George and Harry have come back to me in those difficult times. People who don’t have the technical foundation will struggle.”Those last comments are maybe the most revealing about Sedbergh’s cricket. Many old boys recall their school coaches with affection but have moved on into the tougher environment of the professional game where county coaches dominate their professional lives. Both Hill and Brook talk warmly about Speight’s influence on their lives – he spent time with them in their early weeks at Sedbergh when both were homesick – but they then point out that they still send him videos of their batting and return to him when something needs fixing. Paul Grayson, Yorkshire’s batting coach, is kept fully informed and welcomes the help.”County coaches don’t have the time that I might have had to work with them and technically the players slip, which is why they come back to me,” said Speight. “I spent the whole of one lockdown with Harry rebooting his technique. It’s a check that everything is in place. They know me better than anyone else because of the hours we’ve spent together.”When George and Harry went into the first-class game, they never at any stage stopped contacting me and I have to say that’s nice. I’m good friends with both of them now. All I want is for them to enjoy their cricket as much as I enjoyed my cricket… and they earn a lot more than we used to.”

He has something of a reputation, and with tips from de Villiers to guide him, the South African youngster could be on his way to great things

Firdose Moonda14-Jan-2022Dewald Brevis thought he had made the most of an opportunity to meet his hero when he asked for a selfie at a local restaurant, until this happened.”AB (de Villiers) came to our school. Schalk Engelbrecht (the 2021 South Africa schools captain), and I just ran to the room because we wanted to be near AB. We sat and listened to the most amazing stories and afterwards we walked out with AB. I took a chance and asked him for his number and he gave it to me.”And so began a not-very-publicised relationship between the most innovative batter South Africa has ever produced and his protégé, dubbed “AB 2.0” by some.Related

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Brevis is a top-order batter who has gained a big reputation, thanks mainly to one standout performance in the CSA domestic T20 knockout competition. Brevis scored a 25-ball 46, the top score in a total of 172, and tried to apply the mantra he had heard from another cricketing great. “I just thought of what Kevin Pietersen said in an interview I heard: ‘You must play the ball, even if it’s a phenomenal bowler; just play the ball and don’t look at the bowler. Play your own game,” Brevis said.No-one else in the squad could emulate that and the team went on to lose all the three matches they played. Brevis admitted they were “too frantic and too fearless”, and overawed by the occasion. “Most of us have never played with TV cameras around us and there were so many at the tournament. It makes you a little tense,” he said.Despite the results, Brevis described the Under-19s participation in that competition as a “great learning curve”, and felt that if they were to play in the competition now, four months on, “there would be a big difference in how we would perform”. That could be because the team recently drew a series two-all with West Indies Under-19 and showed the resilience to take matches deep. Or because Brevis himself is used to playing above his station now.

“It’s my dream to play for the Proteas but also to be seen as an allrounder. I bowl legspin and I want to work with that. And I also want to play in a T20 competition, especially the IPL. I love the IPL. My brother and I live for the IPL”Dewald Brevis

He was just 14 when he was picked for his school’s first team and it’s not just any school. It’s the Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies), whose best-known former student is de Villiers. “It was a big thing for me to play for the Affies’ first team because I was only in Grade 9,” Brevis said. “Affies is a school that is very full of tradition. When you walk along those red walls and see the photographs of all the first teams, and pictures with people like AB and Faf du Plessis in them, and some of the other big names, it’s very inspiring.”But Brevis has managed to get more than just inspiration. Since his fanboy moment with de Villiers “at a restaurant in Pretoria called Culture Club where I asked him if we could take a picture together”, de Villiers has become something of a mentor to Brevis. “During lockdown, I contacted him and I asked him for some advice and he always made time to reply to me,” Brevis said. “I like the way he explains cricket. He keeps it simple.”The senior pro has provided Brevis with tips to adjust his approach, including “how to get your head in a better position when you are facing and keeping your both shoulders open”, but those are mostly “small technical adjustments”. The real gems come from the secrets of “developing a feeling for the game”.

Introducing South African U19 star Dewald Brevis – the next @ABdeVilliers17?

[via @PitchVisionSA, h/t @BlaqsInCricket, @lue_balo] pic.twitter.com/Rw2m2SezwD

— Cricket District (@cricketdistrict) February 11, 2021