Cricket with an Accent Podcast

Boxing Day Test Review with Sanket Singbal and Abhu Tyagi

In this episode we review the Boxing day test between Australia and India. Sanket Singbal and Abhu Tyagi join host Saqib Ali to breakdown the happenings from MCG. The conversation focuses on Ajinkya Rahane's batting and captaincy. Was it his best knock as a test batsman? Md Siraj and Shubman Gill's remarkable readiness for international test cricket also gets discussed in the pod. Other topics covered include the possible return of Rohit Sharma for the SCG test, Pat Cummins vs Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravi Ashwin vs Steve Smith.

We wrap the show by comparing the current Aussie bowling unit to one of the all time best bowling unit of Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee. The episode is full of nuanced observations and detailed analysis on the MCG test.

Kamran Abbasi on the turbulent fortunes of Pakistan cricket and his new book Englistan

Growing up in an adopted land is always a new experience for anyone and it has an additional layer if there is a sport that is common in one's country of birth and their new homeland. Kamran Abbasi one of the most prolific and poignant writers of all things Pakistan cricket is the guest on the podcast this week. Abbasi was born in Pakistan but was raised in Margaret Thatcher's Britain. His new book called Englistan takes a deeper dive into a lifetime journal of a fan and how he viewed the cricket and societal climate of Britain in the 1980's. The book has a comprehensive analysis of all things Pakistan cricket during Abbasi's watch as a fan and writer. 

In this episode he talks about the book and some of the relevant topics that have surrounded Pakistan cricket since his days as teenaged Yorkshire cricket hopeful. 

Kartik Jayaraman reviews 36/9 and looks ahead to Boxing Day test

Kartik Jayaraman is a cricket enthusiast and a true student of the game who also loves connecting statistical dots on cricket trivia. In this episode he makes his podcast debut for our series. Kartik is @elitecynic on twitter. The conversation revolves heavily around the Adelaide debacle from two days ago. Kartik looks back at what will possibly go down as an all time great Aussie pace attack of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc and how they dismantled a decent Indian batting line up. Was it the Pink ball, or was there extra bounce on day three, or was there lack of technical application by Indian batters? Listen to Kartik on what transpired as we combine facts and some narratives on this topic.

We also look forward to Ajinkya Rahane the batsman and captain. How different will he be than the leadership of Virat Kohli in terms of team selection and on field decisions. Why has Ravi Ashwin's batting numbers taken a nosedive and the importance of Pujara;s role in the remainder of this series also get worthy mentions.

A lot of nuance and opinion packed in this episode.

 

Malcolm Knox on the upcoming Adelaide Test

Malcolm Knox is a senior cricket writer for the Sydney Morning Herald. In this episode Knox joins the show to talk about the upcoming Adelaide test match between India and Australia. He also talks about the sudden decline of cricket in the Australian ecosystem of sports.

Given that the Australian opening pair for the first test match is now an uncertainty with the concussion suffered by young hopeful Will Pucovski. Knox wrote an article in the SMH where he wants the game to move away from the bouncer - https://www.watoday.com.au/sport/cricket/cricket-has-endorsed-head-hunting-for-too-long-it-s-time-for-the-bouncer-to-go-20201211-p56mo3.html?ref=rss

He admits the captaincy talk surrounding Steve Smith is a distraction before the series and  ponders at the idea whether Australia will see a fast bowler captaining their team one day with a certain Pat Cummins waiting in the wings as a vice captain.

Last but not the least he weighs in on the love hate relationship of the Aussie fans with Virat Kohli.

 

Sidharth Monga on the India Australia series storylines

Sidharth Monga is the assistant editor of Espn Cricinfo. For cricket readers he is one of the most prolific writers in this modern age of cricket. He does it all - be it a match report, short article or the carefully crafted detailed piece on the Cricket monthly. An all format writer!

He joins the podcast as a guest to discuss the burning storylines of the India Australia series from the communication breakdown on Rohit Sharma's injury and why India will dearly miss the other Sharma on this tour. We make Sidharth address some narrative questions as well - why we cannot have split captaincy in India? Is it cultural? 

Last but not the least we talk about his detailed masterpieces on Saha and Pujara and the process behind these write ups.

Winston Davis on fast bowling and his time as a West Indian cricketer

This episode of Cricket with an Accent we welcome former fast bowler Winston Davis of the West Indies. Winston Davis owned the best bowling figures in ODI cricket for more than eight years. He was the answer to the 7/51 trivia question. More than that he broke into the packed West Indies fast bowling unit, which was no easy feat considering the line up.

In this episode Davis elaborates on the art of fast bowling and more importantly the mindset needed to operate as a genuine quick! In a nostalgia driven conversation Davis also talks about the WC 1983 final loss to India and the tour of India that followed the WC. 

Roland Butcher looks back at his time with Middlesex and England

Former England player Roland Butcher is the podcast guest this week. He has now taken a new role as the manager of the Barbados challenger Football club. Butcher had a long and successful stint with the Middlesex County Club. In this episode he talks about his formative years in England as a teenager. He looks back at the move from Barbados to UK when he was not sure if he will continue playing cricket. 

He made his Middlesex debut under the astute leadership of Mike Brearley - whom he considers a very instrumental figure in his career on and off the field. The episode has Butcher compare the captainship styles of Brearley with his successor Mike Gatting. He reflects on the experience as the first black man to have played test cricket for England. Butcher says he has no regrets for his short test career for England. He believes it was some sort of destiny that he made his test debut at Barbados.

In Conversation with Andrew Fidel Fernando about Arjuna Ranatunga and the 1996 WC

Andrew Fidel Fernando is the podcast guest this week. He has been a prolific writer for Espn Cricinfo and Cricket Monthly over the last decade. Fernando has this rare ability to connect with the reader and this clearly carries over when he speaks about the glorious past of Sri Lankan cricket. In this episode we take a look back at Sri Lanka's rise in world cricket. And there is no better period to analyse this than the Arjuna Ranatunga years. Fernando shares a detailed account of Ranatunga the man and the player. Ranatunga was a complex figure if viewed from an international lens and the podcast helps understand the dynamics of his leadership and his unique approach to cricket.

Fernando also talks about the Duleep Mendis influence on the fortunes of this team that rose to the pinnacle in Lahore in 1996. No conversation about that run would be complete without mentioning Aravinda De Silva's role in the knockout games of that World cup. Fernando bridged the gap in this episode for any younger fan who wants to learn more about the Ranatunga years and at the same time it is a treat for any fan who watched it unfold in their time.