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Bowlers should be allowed to run out a non-striker if they are found wandering outside the crease without being subjected to criticism and the ‘spirit of cricket’ debate. These are the thoughts of Dinesh Karthik, the Kolkata Knight Riders captain, who wants the rules to be “watertight and either black or white”.”I think every time a batsman crosses [the line before the ball is delivered], the bowler should be allowed to create a run out,” Karthik told . “I don’t think there is any spirit of cricket question that is there in that. Because I feel if a batsman nicks a ball and he doesn’t walk, where is the spirit then?”I think you need to be fair. You should take it out of the bowler’s hand and the umpire’s hand. It is either out or not out, that’s all. There is no question of asking the captain, asking the referee and those kinds of things. I think a batsman at the point of delivery should definitely stay within the crease. It’s as simple as that.”If the batsman goes out, then the bowler can dislodge the bails and there should be no question about that. Because that means every time the batsman does that, and people feel the bowler – by creating a run out is cheating – then every time a batsman taking two metres is cheating again. So why does nobody complain about the batsman backing up? That’s always been my view.”ALSO READ: Dinesh Karthik promises to ‘give it all’ as KKR reach Abu DhabiKarthik’s reaction comes at a time when the cricket world has sharply reacted to Ricky Ponting’s views on the matter. On podcast last week, Ponting, the head coach of Delhi Capitals, had spoken about having a “hard conversation” with senior offspinner R Ashwin about running out batsmen backing up at the bowler’s end. He said, “That’s not going to be the way that we play our cricket”.While the dismissal itself is well within the laws, the MCC had called it against the spirit of cricket. Karthik, for one, believes it is unfair to judge bowlers who effect such dismissals.”Rules need to be watertight and there is no question of… it’s either black or white, it’s as simple as that,” he said. “There should be no grey areas for people to use a loophole and find out. Spirit of cricket I feel is a massive grey area that people tend to use whenever they’re not comfortable with something that they’re doing.”Then they get a little too personal, they get into the player’s personality, start judging people on what they’ve done. I think that’s a bit unfair. I think the rules need to be very clear. It should be out or not out. If it’s out or not out, the bowler and the fielding team have the ability to do it every time. As simple as that. If the rule applies to the bowling team, I’m sure when they start to bat the opponent can also do it. It needs to be very simple and clear.”

England pace bowler James Anderson has said he looks forward to a “tough battle” against India captain Virat Kohli during the tour of India next year.”It’s always tough bowling against batsmen of that quality,” Anderson told the Test Match Special podcast on Friday. “Obviously, I’ve had some success against him in 2014 and then he came back a completely different player in 2018 and it was incredible. It will be a tough battle in that respect, but that’s something I do enjoy against the best players. As a bowler, you want to get the best players out.”The 38-year-old Anderson, who became the first quick bowler to take 600 Test wickets during England’s home series against Pakistan, has had several intriguing battles with Kohli over the years. When India toured England in 2014, Anderson was Kohli’s nemesis, with the right-arm pacer dismissing him on four occasions and Kohli scoring just 134 runs in his 10 innings. However, in 2018, he was the top run-scorer in the Test series with a 593-run tally, including two centuries and three fifties to his name.ALSO READ: England and India’s prospects in World Test Championship raceAsked what changes he noticed in Kohli’s batting in 2018, Anderson said, “I just felt he left the ball really well [in 2018]. The first time he came over [in 2014], when I was bowling an outswinger, he might chase it early on, so that brought the edge and the slips into play.”I just felt like he left a lot better and he was a lot more patient [in 2018]. He waited for you to come to him because he’s very strong off his legs; he got more off that shot. And once he got any start, he played a bit more expansively. His all-round game, both his mental approach and his technique, was that little bit better.”Currently placed fourth among the highest wicket-takers in Tests, Anderson, 38, also touched upon some of techniques he has tried on his tours of the subcontinent.”We have had our success,” Anderson said. “We tried to roll fingers down the side of the ball, just try to make it grip on the dry surface. Having skills like that really helps. We enjoyed bowling [in India].”After his most recent Test appearance, Anderson reiterated his desire to be part of the England side that goes to Australia for the 2021-22 Ashes series. Speaking to TMS he added that he was “bored” of the discussion around how much longer he could play international cricket.”The thing that frustrates me the most is there’s so much focus on the number next to your name, the 38, which it’s become this summer,” he said. “People seem to think you can’t have much longer left, whereas the way I feel, the way I’m bowling, I feel like I could carry on for a long period of time. But who knows how long it’s going to be, I don’t want to put a number on it, I don’t want to think too far ahead. But I certainly know I can keep playing for a bit longer.”I do occasionally get into the habit of reading stuff in the media and that’s something that I should avoid, because it does frustrate me seeing ‘We need extra pace in Australia’, I’ll be 39 then. But I’ll keep trying to improve, if I’m good enough to get in the Test team in a year’s time then hopefully I’ll be on that plane to Australia and make the team.”

The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), which instructed Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) Board and Executive to step aside on Thursday evening, has written to the ICC emphasising that its intervention cannot be considered government interference and is based in South African law.SASCOC’s communication with the game’s global governing body comes even as CSA seeks legal advice on the validity of SASCOC’s involvement in its affairs.Specifically, SASCOC sought to distance itself from the country’s government and offered to meet with the ICC to provide assurance of its independence.”SASCOC rejects any allegation or insinuation that the SASCOC intervention constitutes Government interference,” SASCOC’s letter to the ICC reads. “At no stage does or did SASCOC act under the direction or control of the Minister of Sport in the country, or the Government of the Republic of South Africa. The Board exercises its judgment independently of Government, or any other outside influence.”However, in SASCOC’s resolutions passed on Tuesday, it lists resolution 2.8 as “the directive by the Minister of Sport and Recreation for SASCOC to intervene into the affairs of CSA.”SASCOC is a legislatively-created body recognised by the National Sports and Recreation Act of 1998. It is the only sports confederation in South Africa, and is the umbrella body under which all sporting bodies in the country operate. In terms of SASCOC’s constitution it is allowed to “enquire into the activities of any of its Members where malpractices and other forms of misconduct are alleged,” its letter to the ICC reads. “The SASCOC Constitution also makes provision for SASCOC to enquire into the operational, administrative and financial activities of any of its Members where there are allegations of maladministration. CSA as a Member Federation subscribes to the SASCOC Constitution, and is bound by it.”While CSA has committed to engaging with SASCOC, it issued a media statement in the early hours of Friday evening confirming it “does not agree” with SASCOC stepping in. Former ICC Head of Legal David Becker told ESPNCricinfo that CSA is unlikely to be able to stop SASCOC from getting involved, given how broad SASCOC’s powers are.SASCOC maintains the only reason it has taken this much interest in CSA is because it believes the game of cricket is being damaged by CSA’s actions. “Given the litany of complaints that has plagued CSA since at least December 2019, there can be no doubt that CSA has been brought into disrepute, and that its standing amongst players and ex-players, the media, the public and most importantly, its stakeholders such as sponsors, and the government, have dramatically diminished resulting in a loss of trust and confidence in the organisation,” SASCOC’s letter said.The next step in SASCOC’s process is appointing a task team to investigate CSA’s administrative and financial affairs. SASCOC hoped to work with the Cricket South Africa Members’ Council – the body made up of the 14 provincial presidents who have the highest decision-making powers in CSA – to nominate the members of the task team but the Members’ Council did not meet with SASCOC on Friday. Instead, the CSA Board and Members’ Council is meeting this weekend while SASCOC appears likely to be deciding on the task team on its own.”The Task Team will be composed of eminent South Africans who have standing and integrity, and once identified, will be conducting an initial investigation within a period of one (1) month,” SASCOC said. “The Task Team will remain accountable to the SASCOC Board and the Members’ Council of Cricket South Africa once its findings and recommendations are made.”The Task Team is not an “attempt to place Cricket South Africa under administration,” but it does require “the CSA Board and those Senior CSA Executives who serve on it on an ex officio basis to step aside in order to facilitate the work of the Task Team.” SASCOC called such a request entirely reasonable, and indeed necessary,” and stressed that “The Task Team will consult with the Members’ Council where necessary, and seek its approval from time to time.”Chief among the Task Team’s missions will be to access CSA’s recently completed forensic report, which it used to dismiss former CEO Thabang Moroe. CSA has not made the report available to anyone except its members’ council who have been required to sign non-disclosure agreements in order to view the report but may be allowed to see it in full this weekend. Still, both SASCOC and the country’s sports ministry want access to the report in order to understand the depths of CSA’s governance issues.”CSA’s steadfast refusal to make the forensic report available is puzzling, as it appears that they are unable to self-correct if the report is not made available, not only to its own Members, but also to the media and the public at large since it is a public document,” SASCOC said.

After a spectacular collapse in which Sunrisers Hyderabad went from needing 27 runs from 24 balls with seven wickets in hand to losing by 12 runs against Kings XI Punjab, David Warner said his batsmen had been “complacent” in the middle overs.The Sunrisers bowlers had restricted Kings XI to 126 for 7 on a slow, turning pitch in Dubai, and Warner himself provided a fast start in the chase, smashing 35 off 20. When he was the first wicket to fall after the powerplay, the Sunrisers needed 71 runs from 83 balls. But a middle-overs strangle meant they were eventually bowled out for 114 in 19.5 overs.”In regards to our batting, obviously very disappointed,” Warner said at the post-match press conference. “We didn’t get the job done. We were probably a bit complacent in the middle. We didn’t take the game on enough like we did the previous game (their victory against the Rajasthan Royals). I think we probably just felt that we were just going to get the runs easily, and then we sort of let the balls get ahead of the runs. That’s what happens in a game of cricket, if you give your opposition a sniff it can get taken away from you very fast.”Warner felt the batsmen should have assessed the conditions better and looked to play sensibly, especially with the required rate below six.He was fulsome in his praise for the bowlers, however, having pulled Kings XI back from their own brisk start.”I think our bowlers did an incredible job to bowl them out [restrict them] for under 130,” Warner said. “I felt that they did an exceptional job through the middle period to take wickets and to use the pitch to their advantage. I think in previous games we probably didn’t do that as well as we would have liked [with the ball], and today was a special day for them.”Warner himself adopted a changed approach while batting. In IPL 2020 so far, he had played more of an anchor role for the Sunrisers, averaging 37.22 before this game but at a strike rate of 124.07, well below his career strike rate. However, on Saturday he went hard at the bowling from the start, judging that it was the best time to score runs on this pitch.”Yeah, I was going back to my old-school days,” he said with a hint of a smile. “I was opening my front leg and just taking on the powerplay, something I haven’t done for a long time. It’s one of those things, where I felt that the best part of the powerplay was to try and go after it, go after their main bowler who swings the ball and is a very good bowler – [Mohammed] Shami. So I just tried to apply a little bit of pressure. And yeah, it’s fair to say that I’ve probably been quite reserved the last few years, so it was nice to open the front leg and show that I’ve still got that.”The Sunrisers have eight points with only three games in hand – and those are against the three teams currently at the top of the table: the Delhi Capitals, the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Mumbai Indians. They will not only have to win those for a realistic shot at making the playoffs, but will also probably depend on net run rate to go through.”I would like to think that the team will do that, definitely,” Warner said. “We’ve got three challenging games coming up, one here and two in Sharjah. If you want to win the tournament, you’ve got to beat the top three teams and that’s what we face in our next assignment.”

Mitchell Swepson’s international career hasn’t quite taken off yet, and it might not get off the blocks this summer against India either, unless the pitches at home have turned more subcontinental than possible, what with Nathan Lyon the immovable object at the top of the spinners’ queue. The 27-year-old is fine with that, though, and is happy to be around the group and “be a bit of a sponge and soak it all in and hopefully learn a few more things”.”Gaz [Lyon] is obviously the premier spinner, has been for a while, and has proven himself time and time again in Test matches, so [I am] not counting my chickens too much to getting a go above him. But the way the ball is coming out at the moment for me, I feel like I am in a really good place,” Swepson told reporters on Saturday. “And if given a chance and opportunity, I feel like I am ready to go.”Obviously that opportunity has to be there, and if conditions suit…you have to be ready to go no matter what. I will be preparing to play all four games. If the chance comes, I will hopefully take it with two hands, and if not, then so be it. I’m sure there will be more chances in the future.”Swepson did get called up to the Test party late last year, when New Zealand went across, but didn’t get his baggy green. Then he was a chance to get a debut on the tour of Bangladesh, where spin-friendly tracks might have necessitated a partner for Lyon, but that tour was scrapped because of the Covid-19 situation.”There was a great vibe around the team last time and I just learnt a lot just by being around them, so to be included from the get-go this time will be great – be a bit of a sponge and soak it all in and hopefully learn a few more things,” he said. “I got to bowl alongside Gaz while I was down there last time, and he’s always been great to offer up his advice; I got to have a little session with Warney [Shane Warne] in Melbourne last year, and again, another learning experience. So it would be silly of me to say I didn’t take anything out of that and that didn’t help my bowling.”Proof of that is the form he has been in for Queensland in the first part of the Sheffield Shield season, with 23 wickets from three games putting him right on top of the wicket-takers’ list, eight clear of second-placed Jackson Bird.”I think that experience definitely helped my bowling. But where I am at now, it’s been a long grind, it’s been a long process, that’s not the sole reason why my bowling has gone to where it is now,” he said. “It’s been a long grind in Shield cricket for me for a while now. Just glad that I am sort of getting the rewards now for that hard work. So yeah, it’s been great.”With all the Shield games taking place in Adelaide this season, because of Covid-19, Swepson has had a greater role to play for Queensland than he would likely have back in Brisbane, where Queensland would normally have played their home games.Nathan Lyon is well ahead of the pack when it comes to Australian Test spinners•Getty Images

Swepson agreed with that, adding that the work he had put in on his fitness in the off-season had worked its magic too. “That physical aspect is always something you always work on as a professional cricketer, it’s something that the pre-season part of the year is when you work on that physical aspect, and for me, I think that it just comes down to bowling lots of balls,” he said. “We’re lucky to have the facilities we have in Queensland, so early in the year, up and running that I was able to come in and bowl so many balls during the pre-season.When it comes to the Indians, the Test touring party will get cracking with two three-day tour games against an Australia A squad, both in Sydney, in early December after the ODIs and T20Is. Swepson is a part of both ‘A’ squads, but might not actually get to play the second of those (from 11 to 13), since the plan is for the squad to travel to Adelaide with time in hand ahead of the first – day-night – Test, starting December 17.If that happens, and if Australia pick only one spinner in their XI for the first Test, and Lyon if good to go, not only might Swepson’s Test debut have to wait, he is unlikely to “test myself” against Virat Kohli either. The Indian captain will be on paternity leave after the first Test, and will miss the first tour game because the T20I series will still be on at the time.”Hundred percent, you want to challenge yourself against the best and no secret he [Kohli] is up there with the best,” Swepson said. “For me, it’s just another challenge and another thing that excites me, to be able to test myself against another great cricketer, and their whole batting is world-class, so the opportunity to bowl at those guys is just another test for myself, and a challenge I can’t wait to get.”

Big picture

About a couple of weeks into the tournament, these were the two sides that were among the favourites to make the top four. It was all going according to plan for the Delhi Capitals until the game against Kings XI Punjab about 10 days ago. A loss in that game was followed by two more defeats, in the hands of Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad. As a result, they had to give up their top position to the Mumbai Indians, who are sitting pretty with 16 points having earned their playoff qualification.The Capitals had a major meltdown in their last match against the Sunrisers. A brilliant Rashid Khan made sure their batting never took off and their go-to wicket-taker Kagiso Rabada had a bad day. He went wicketless for the first time in 25 IPL games and was the most expensive bowler on the day. Another thing ailing the Capitals is their batting, especially the top order. Ajinkya Rahane was brought in place of Prithvi Shaw but that has not effected a substantial turnaround. Shikhar Dhawan’s brilliance won them a couple of games but the rest of the batsmen haven’t been able to get going. A win in this match would give them a spot in the playoffs. But a loss here and in their final group match could possibly eliminate them if other teams in fray finish on 14 points with a better net run rate.Meanwhile, a Rohit Sharma-less Mumbai are doing alright. They arguably have the best batting unit in the tournament: Ishan Kishan is enjoying his best IPL season yet, Quinton de Kock has been ably supported by his partners at the top of the order, Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard have helped with superb cameos and Suryakumar Yadav has been consistently brilliant. Plus, if the batting order has a rare day off, they’ve got Jasprit Bumrah, their ultimate weapon of choice, who has been lethal especially in the death overs, where he got 12 of his 20 wickets this season.Mumbai have an excellent net run rate, and after their win against Royal Challengers Bangalore, they’ve also all but sealed a top-two finish. All the pressure is definitely on the demoralised Capitals in this encounter.

Likely XIs

Mumbai Indians: 1 Ishan Kishan, 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Suryakumar Yadav, 4 Saurabh Tiwary, 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Kieron Pollard (capt), 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 James Pattinson, 9 Rahul Chahar, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Jasprit Bumrah.Delhi Capitals: 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Prithvi Shaw/Ajinkya Rahane, 3 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 4 Rishabh Pant (wk), 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Harshal Patel/Tushar Deshpande, 8 Axar Patel, 9 R Ashwin, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Anrich Nortje

Previous meeting

Fifties from Suryakumar Yadav and Quinton de Kock, and a 15-ball 28 from Ishan Kishan, helped Mumbai chase down 162 with two balls remaining.

Strategy Punt

• The Capitals have been using Shimron Hetmyer as a floater this season and he has been quite impressive in his role, striking at nearly 150 and also providing the finishing touches. Given how the Capitals’ batting order has struggled in the last few games, Hetmyer can probably be given the No. 4 spot, which is usually reserved for Rishabh Pant, and use the latter as a floater instead. Hetmyer has done well in the middle overs in T20s this year, averaging 68.8 and striking at 140 in overs 7 to 15 in addition to tackling spinners well.
• The Royal Challengers might have missed a trick in their previous match Mumbai by not bowling Washington Sundar to the left-handed opening pair of Quinton de Kock and Ishan Kishan. The Capitals can take a cue from this and get R Ashwin to bowl from one end and share the new ball duty with Rabada. Ashwin has dismissed Quinton de Kock thrice in four meetings.

Stats that matter

• Ishan Kishan is one among the five players to have a strike rate of 140-plus against pacers and spinners in IPL 2020
• Rishabh Pant needs 11 runs to reach 2000 runs in IPL
• Kieron Pollard needs 27 runs to reach 3000 runs in IPL

How the teams stack up

On the surface Galle Gladiators don’t deserve to be in this final. They’ve won only a third of their matches in the tournament, and their semi-final opponents suffered several injuries in Sunday’s nail-biter. And yet, when you look at the attack they’ve suddenly managed to string together towards the end of the tournament, you can’t really begrudge them their place either.Dhananjaya Lakshan, who swings the ball into the right-hander substantially, and bowls a collection of slower balls, has been perhaps the find of the tournament. Nuwan Thushara, who slings it round-arm like Lasith Malinga, has been effective with the new ball, and at the death. Lakshan Sandakan has found a T20 strategy that seems to be working for him: frequently pushing the ball wide, while also bowling quicker through the air than he used to. Mohammad Amir has led the attack, revelling in the swinging conditions the tournament has seen over the past week. As if by magic, Gladiators have three of the top five wicket-takers in the tournament, Sandakan having taken 11 wickets, while Lakshan and Amir have 10 apiece.And yet, despite this, Jaffna Stallions feel their attack is still the best in the competition. Largely this is down to Wanindu Hasaranga, who has been the tournament’s middle-overs monster, taking 16 wickets in all and even more impressively, maintaining an economy rate of 5.27 across his 33 overs. To put that economy rate in perspective, no other bowler who has taken a wicket in the LPL can come close to matching it. Batsmen know it is his googly they have to watch out for, and yet have succumbed to it en masse.There’s variety here too. Usman Shinwari’s pace can be deployed almost anywhere in the innings. Duanne Olivier has been bowling much slower than he is capable of, but has worked on his control through the course of the tournament. And as seen on Monday, Dhananjaya de Silva is a fine supporting spinner, particularly when bowling to left-handers (Gladiators’ Danushka Gunathilaka and Bhanuka Rajapaksa are both leftie batsmen), and Shoaib Malik’s darts can be effective through the middle overs, and even at the death.On the batting front, there is less to these sides. Gunathilaka has been in searing touch at the top of the innings for Galle, but although they scrambled to their modest target on Sunday, that middle order still seems a little flimsy. Stallions, meanwhile, have had runs from Avishka Fernando and Thisara Perera through the course of the tournament, but there’s no one in that line-up that can be said to be in irresistible form.Danushka Gunathilaka tugs one away•LPL

Watch out for

Gunathilaka v Stallions’ spinnersIn the two previous matches against Stallions, Gunathilaka made 56 off 44 and 38 off 30, and was dismissed on both occasions by Hasaranga. In the final, he may have to face a different spinner before he even gets to Hasaranga, though. Stallions deployed Dhananjaya de Silva’s offspin at the top of the innings on Sunday, to excellent effect, and perhaps they will do so again to target Gunathilaka in particular.Related

• Stallions commit to improving cricketing infrastructure in Jaffna

• 'Never seen' such T20 consistency as Gunathilaka's – Rajapaksa

• 'LPL vital for Sri Lanka cricket's future' – Dasun Shanaka

Mohammad Amir v Avishka FernandoIf there is one team Fernando has enjoyed playing against in this tournament, it has been the Gladiators. He made 92 not out off 63 against them in their first match, and 84 off 59 in the second. Stallions haven’t played them since Amir’s bowling came to life late in the league stage, however, and Fernando has been a nervy starter against pace. If there is swing in the air, this shapes as an intriguing battle.

Head to head

In spirit, this is not the same Gladiators outfit that Stallions had played in the league stage, but for what it’s worth, Stallions eased to two victories chasing down 176 and 171.

Team news

Gladiators are sweating on the fitness of Chadwick Walton and Thushara. Walton, who has pulled a hamstring, is not likely to play, but captain Bhanuka Rajapaksa said he would consider having Walton in the side if he was at least “75% fit”. Thushara, meanwhile, had played the semi-final with a niggle, which may have worsened the injury. He will be assessed on ahead of the match.Galle Gladiators (probable):1 Danushka Gunathilaka, 2 Ahsan Ali, 3 Bhanuka Rajapaksa (capt.), 4 Azam Khan (wk), 5 Sahan Arachchige, 6 Shehan Jayasuriya, 7 Chanaka Ruwansiri, 8 Dhananjaya Lakshan, 9 Mohammad Amir, 10 Lakshan Sandakan, 11 Nuwan ThusharaStallions are understood to have a full squad to pick from. It’s likely they will go with the same XI.Jaffna Stallions (probable): 1 Avishka Fernando, 2 Johnson Charles (wk), 3 Charith Asalanka, 4 Shoaib Malik, 5 Thisara Perera (capt.), 6 Dhananjaya de Silva, 7 Chaturanga de Silva, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Suranga Lakmal, 10 Usman Shinwari, 11 Duanne Olivier

Stats and trivia

• Galle Gladiators took their wickets at an abysmal average of 49.05 until their fifth game – easily the worst in the league. In their four most-recent matches they’ve taken their wickets at 18.78, which is easily the best.
• Wanindu Hasaranga has bowled 97 dot balls in his 33 LPL overs. This means almost half his deliveries have been dots or wickets. He’s only conceded eight sixes and nine fours.
• Danushka Gunathilaka’s tournament run tally of 475 is 227 better than that of Stallions’ most prolific batsman, Avishka Fernando.
• When the LPL franchises went on sale, Galle was the first to be snapped up, by Quetta Gladiators owner Nadeem Omar.

Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran and Mark Wood have been rested by England for the first two Tests of their series in India next month, with Jofra Archer, Ben Stokes and Rory Burns all added to the squad currently touring Sri Lanka.Ollie Pope, who is currently in Sri Lanka continuing his rehab after a shoulder injury, will also travel to India and will be added to the squad when passed fit. Excluding Pope, the squad comprises 16 players, while six of the seven reserves will travel to India from Sri Lanka on standby in case of illness or injury. Craig Overton will return home, subject to the fitness of the rest of the touring party.Jos Buttler, England first-choice wicketkeeper, will also fly home after the first Test, with Ben Foakes set to take over. Ed Smith, England’s national selector, had previously suggested that Foakes would be handed a chance at some stage on the tour.England had signalled their intentions to rest all of their multi-format players at some stage after Christmas when naming their squad for the ongoing Sri Lanka series, with Archer and Stokes rested for those two Tests. Burns returns following paternity leave.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The decision to rest Bairstow for the start of the series leaves England with fewer selection headaches than they might have anticipated. Zak Crawley has been moved up to open alongside Dom Sibley in Galle, but looks set to move back down to No. 3 – where Bairstow has batted – with Burns back at the top of the order.After missing the series in Sri Lanka following a positive Covid test, Moeen Ali will be in contention for the first two Tests in Chennai, which start on February 5. England will have various options as to how they balance their side, with Stokes’ return to the middle order likely to provide them with greater flexibility. Moeen is also set to be rested at some stage during the India tour, either in the second half of the Test series or during the white-ball series that follows, as is Chris Woakes.Wood’s omission could create an opportunity for Olly Stone to win his second Test cap, after he was overlooked for Friday’s second Test in Galle. Adil Rashid remains absent from the red-ball set-up as he manages his long-standing shoulder injury.Related

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• Bairstow's proactive approach smooths England's path to victory

• Stone admits previous career doubts as he hopes for recall

The uncertainty around Pope’s fitness comes as a surprise. At the time of his diagnosis, it was anticipated that he would be available to return in time for the start of the Sri Lanka series, and he made an unbeaten 58 in an intra-squad warm-up match two weeks ago.But he clarified to the this week that he remains wary about fielding, having told ESPNcricinfo in November that it would be “the last piece of the puzzle” in his return. “I don’t want to feel like my rehab is rushed and put myself under too much stress,” he said. “I need to make sure I get it right in the long term.”Smith said: “We’d love Ollie to be available when he’s fit. So when he’s fit, he’s fit. And as soon as he’s fit, he will be added to the squad. I wouldn’t want to speculate too much on that or create any pressure on him. I think life should be nice and simple for Ollie: he’s a brilliant young batsman. [We’ll tell him to] just keep working with the physios, and when they tell us you’re ready, [and] when you’re happy, we’ll put you in the squad and you can resume your sparkling international career – hopefully sooner rather than later but I wouldn’t want to put a timescale on it.”Archer, Burns and Stokes have returned to the squad•PA Images via Getty Images

Speaking before the squad’s announcement, England captain Joe Root said that he was heartened by the competition for places within the squad. “I certainly feel like it’s growing all the time, and that’s really exciting,” he said. “In terms of our fast bowling, we’ve seen more and more depth, and that’s continued over the summer and winter and is really nice to see. For that to now be happening in the batting, not just middle order but top order as well, I think that’s a really good place for us.”Competition for places is always something that stands out in improving teams. It’s something that, [with] these big squads in bubble life and modern-day touring, is a real benefit. It’s great to have so many guys wanting to get better, [and] making the most of learning from these experiences. It will grow us as a team, will definitely make our squad depth better and improve us as a team.”Root said that Archer and Stokes’ returns would provide “a huge boost”, and suggested that they would be refreshed after time off in recent weeks. “You speak to any side in the world, those two guys coming back into it would give the squad a huge boost and it’s certainly the case for us,” he said. “They’re two wonderfully talented players [and] with the climate and environment we’re in, resting players is going to be vital.”It’s a huge year of Test cricket and also a [T20] World Cup, and a lot of one-day cricket alongside. We’re going to have to look after players. It’s crucial we look after them and others as well, that we look after each other and make sure we’ve got guys who are fit and raring to go, physically and mentally, for everything that’s going to be thrown at us in the next 12 months.”India named a strong squad for the series earlier this week, with Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, Ishant Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah all available again.England squad for India (first two Tests): Joe Root (capt), Jofra Archer, Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler*, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes
Reserves: James Bracey, Mason Crane, Saqib Mahmood, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Robinson, Amar Virdi

The MCC’s World Cricket Committee will send the ICC a mixed bag of opinions on the ongoing debate about the umpire’s call aspect of the DRS, which was in the spotlight once again after Joe Root was not given out on review off an Axar Patel delivery during the second India-England Test in Chennai last week. In the first meeting of the MCC Committee – made up of former international captains, match officials and coaches – this year, some members thought the umpire’s call was “confusing to the watching public”. Others, however, said they were satisfied with it and these opinions will now be passed on to the ICC’s Cricket Committee for further discussion.

The MCC Cricket Committee

Mike Gatting – Chairman
John Stephenson – MCC Assistant Secretary (Cricket)
Suzie Bates
Sir Alastair Cook
Kumar Dharmasena
Sourav Ganguly
Tim May
Brendon McCullum
Ricky Ponting
Ramiz Raja
Kumar Sangakkara
Ricky Skerritt
Vince van der Bijl
Shane Warne

The committee also deliberated imposing a permanent ban on rubbing saliva on the ball in the virtual meeting, a safety measure introduced into the game as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic.There remain a range of opinions on the umpire’s call within the committee and in and around the game. That much was evident when Root was adjudged not out. On the fourth and final day of the Test, Root survived a close lbw decision against Patel. On-field umpire Nitin Menon, who is on the ICC’s Elite Panel, ruled the impact was not in line. Hawkeye validated the umpire’s call, but India remained far from convinced.India’s dissatisfaction is not an isolated stance, mirrored by members of the MCC Cricket Committee. “The committee debated the use of ‘Umpire’s Call’ for LBW decisions made via the Decision Review System, which some members felt was confusing to the watching public, particularly when the same ball could either be Out or Not out depending on the on-field umpire’s original decision,” the MCC said in a media release on Monday. “They felt it would be simpler if the original decision was disregarded on review, and that there was a simple Out or Not out, with no Umpire’s Call.”What is the umpire’s call?
The protocols around the umpire’s call have undergone several tweaks, and currently allow for teams to not lose their reviews in case of an umpire’s call, though they are no longer able to top up their reviews after 80 overs in Test cricket. Currently, under the interim playing conditions during the pandemic, teams are allowed three reviews per innings.The umpire’s call is used in cases of the ball’s impact with pad and then the stumps, reliant on ball-tracking technology and as a concept is rooted, essentially, in the on-field umpire’s original decision retaining the benefit of doubt. Under the current protocols, according to the ICC, for “a Not Out decision to be overturned more than half the ball now has to be impacting the pad within a zone bordered by the outside of off and leg stumps (formerly the centre of off and leg stumps), and the ball needs to be hitting the stumps within a zone bordered by the outside of off and leg stumps and the bottom of the bails (formerly the centre of off and leg stumps, and the bottom of the bails).”Those members of the committee who argued for change “felt it would be simpler if the original decision was disregarded on review, and that there was a simple Out or Not out, with no Umpire’s Call,” the release said. “The ‘hitting zone’ of the stumps would still be retained, which had to be hit by at least 50% of the ball for an Out decision. If such a protocol was introduced, they felt it should also include a reduction to one unsuccessful review per team, or for the relevant review to be lost irrespective of its outcome.Other members of MCC’s cricket committee) were “satisfied” with the umpire’s call, feeling it was important to retain the human element of the on-field umpire’s decision, which takes into account the ‘benefit of the doubt’ that has existed in umpires’ decisions for many years. They felt that supporters did understand the concept of ‘Umpire’s Call’.”The MCC said it would “share the various opinions” with the ICC Cricket Committee. The MCC Cricket Committee once again reiterated that the ICC should take complete ownership of the DRS system, which currently is paid for by the host country.Another recommendation was for the on-field umpires to make an “unsighted” signal while making a decision on inconclusive catches in the outfield, “The committee felt that the soft-signal system worked well for catches within the 30-yard fielding circle, but that catches near the boundary often left the umpires unsighted. It was proposed that, for such catches, the on-field umpires could give an ‘unsighted’ instruction to the TV umpire, rather than the more explicit soft-signal of Out or Not out.Permanent ban on use of saliva on the ball
The MCC cricket committee also discussed whether to make the interim ban on using saliva to shine the ball a permanent one. The measure has been in place since last year, after the ICC’s medical advisory board recommended it due to the “elevated risk” it posed in transmitting Covid-19.Consequently, the ICC approved the Cricket Committee’s recommendation of using only sweat to polish the ball, a move that that the fast bowling fraternity accepted grudgingly. Now, some of the members of the MCC’s Cricket Committee want to make it a permanent change.”The committee debated prohibiting the use of saliva on the ball on a permanent basis and whilst there was a significant level of support for such a recommendation, some members felt that eliminating the use of saliva on a permanent basis is premature, and that it may be possible to allow its use once again in a post-Covid world,” the MCC release said.The MCC has said it would consult “current” players on the no-saliva ruling before making a Law at a “later stage”.”Such a Law change would have the dual benefit of being more hygienic whilst also eliminating the grey area of players using sweets and chewing gum to make their saliva more sugary.”

Rohit Sharma feels it’s important for Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan to relax and enjoy being part of the Indian team rather than thinking too much and putting themselves under pressure ahead of the T20I series against England, which kicks off on March 12 in Ahmedabad.For both Yadav and Kishan, it’s their first call-up to the national side. In 2020, under Sharma, the two had played an important role in helping the Mumbai Indians lift their fifth IPL trophy. In 13 innings, Kishan smashed 516 runs at an average of 57.33 and a strike rate of 145.76, while Yadav had 480 runs in 15 innings with an average of 40.00 and a strike rate of 145.01.Sharma was confident the duo will keep their form going when given an opportunity, but he also had a word of caution for them, saying things won’t be that easy at the international level.”I don’t want them to be thinking about anything,” Sharma, India’s white-ball vice-captain, said on Wednesday. “That’s how they bring their best performance out. Having watched them closely for a few years now, I have realised it’s important for them to be part of this wonderful team, a great set-up, which the team has. So I just want them to have fun and understand what this team is all about.”Keeping in mind that this is their first time in the squad, they will be a little nervous, they will be thinking about performance and all. But it’s important for people like me, other senior members and the coaching staff to tell them that it’s just another team that you got to be part of and they just have to enjoy that moment because thinking about performance and what they need to do when they get an opportunity will only put pressure on them.”So [they should] just have fun, relax and be part of this wonderful set-up first and when the opportunity comes… These guys have done really well in the last few years, especially the last year, and it’s just about carrying that form and putting it out there. It’s not going to be that easy here. They will be challenged every now and then but that’s what international cricket is all about. How you respond to those challenges is crucial. So you need to keep telling them about having the right mindset to counter those challenges.”The five-match T20I series will be a preparatory step for India for the 2021 T20 World Cup, for which they are the hosts as well. Till now, India’s approach to T20I cricket hasn’t been very different from their ODI approach, which is to settle down before playing their shots. Sharma, who is the leading century-maker in T20Is with four tons and has a strike rate of 138.78 in the format, said it’s the match situation that dictates how he bats.Rohit Sharma has captained both Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav in the IPL•BCCI

“I have played more than 100 T20Is, so you should know my approach by now, what my approach is, what I do,” he said. “I don’t need to talk about the approach I bring into the game because I have done for many years now but yeah, the situation changes every now and then. So based on the situation of the game, I have to change my game. The approach will always remain the same, which is to have that intent, to have that scoring mindset.”The situation of the game is what I look forward to because that keeps changing every game that you play. So I think it’s very important for me to understand that situation and play accordingly, whether we bat first or bowl first. The situation of the game demands the approach of your batting. So keeping that in mind, I play my game.”In order to have their best possible XI at the World Cup, a big factor will be how much bowling load Hardik Pandya can take. Pandya has hardly bowled after recovering from the back surgery. He was excellent with the bat at the 2020 IPL but didn’t deliver a single ball in the whole tournament. In Australia, he rolled his arm over four overs in the second ODI but then didn’t bowl in the next game, or the following three-match T20I series.Sharma was tight-lipped on whether Pandya will play the first T20I on Friday but said the allrounder was doing “pretty much everything” to be fit and do what the team expected him to.”I cannot reveal who starts and who doesn’t start,” Sharma said. “Of course, he has been with the squad and has been an integral part of the squad. He has been working on his bowling, he has been working on his batting and the particular skillset he has. He has been trying to sharpen those skillsets as well.”It has been a good month-and-a-half that he has been with the team and has done pretty much everything he needed to do to get ready for this limited-overs series. It seems that the time has come for him to get ready and start doing what he does. He has worked hard on his bowling and hard on his batting in the last few weeks. I hope he is ready to do what the team expects him to.”There is a spotlight on Hardik Pandya and on whether he can take on his usual bowling workload•Getty Images

‘Challenge for me in Test cricket is how many balls I play, not how many runs I score’
Sharma has had a successful Test series in Australia and then against England at home, where the spin-friendly pitches made run-scoring difficult. Talking about his form in red-ball cricket, Sharma said he felt the challenge for him is to stay at the pitch for as long as possible, and the confidence he gained from scoring runs while curbing his natural instincts will help him in the shorter formats too.”The benefit [of the red-ball success] is when you have to keep aside your natural and then play, I feel you have already won a battle,” he said. “I feel whenever you have to go against your nature, and have to do those things you are not used to, that’s a small victory for you. If you keep doing such things again and again, it will only boost your confidence.”I feel in Australia and then in India especially, the way I batted, I really liked the way I batted, especially in the last Test. I made only 49 runs but I played 150 balls. So for me, personally, that was a big victory because I had to play against my natural game. They were bowling me well outside off and I felt like playing my shots but I curbed those instincts and batted. Like people say the batsman played a bad shot and got out, I didn’t play that bad shot. I batted with the required disciplined. Unfortunately, I got out on 49, but I was really happy with my effort.”Right now, the challenge for me in Test cricket is how many balls I play, not how many runs I score. The challenge for me is to play 100 balls, 150 balls, 200 balls, and even more. I think in terms of balls, runs will come automatically. The challenge for me is to play as many balls as possible. And that will be beneficial for me as well as the team.”