0:08

Hello and welcome to this week's episode

0:10

of the Edges and Slages Cricket podcast.

0:12

I'm your host Ashwin. We have a

0:14

full house today for the first time

0:16

in a little while. Marons joining us

0:18

in Singapore, Deges in London. Dejah, let

0:21

me start by checking it. How are

0:23

you doing? It's been a couple of

0:25

weeks since we had you on the

0:27

show. How are things going to step

0:29

it first? So two quick things. Firstly,

0:31

it's Ashwin's birthday today, so happy birthday

0:33

Ashwin. And did you remind us in

0:35

the morning that it was the day

0:37

of Yavaka Gavant tutoring? No, D.J. will

0:39

never forget my birth there for that

0:42

reason. Yeah, exactly. I got a message,

0:44

by the way, it's Judy's birth, but

0:46

then he's just like, I know, bro,

0:49

bro, it's Gavaka Gavant tut. Of course.

0:51

And then secondly bigger news, DJ, congratulations.

0:53

You've had a baby girl and you

0:56

know, I know for personally experience, nothing

0:58

could be better than that. So congratulations

1:00

to you and your wife and your

1:03

families and how you feeling, how are

1:05

you doing? Christmas Eve, miracles, right? Yeah,

1:07

it's a little bit seem deprived, but

1:09

you know, how are you doing? Yeah,

1:11

guys, thank you very much. Firstly, I

1:13

shouldn't have your birthday. Yeah, it's been

1:15

life changing. I'd say, putting it mildly,

1:18

it's been three and a half

1:20

weeks. Now, she's great. I mean,

1:22

she arrived on Christmas Eve, so

1:24

her first day back home was

1:26

the start of the boxing day

1:28

test. She was there watching Sammy

1:30

Constas being shoulderbarred by Virat and

1:33

ramping Boombra and stuff. So she's

1:35

lived through a lot in her

1:37

little life already. But yeah, it's

1:39

been great man. And of course,

1:41

you guys have been keeping the

1:43

show going. So as they say,

1:45

the show must go on. And now

1:48

we're going to talk about ODIs and

1:50

T20's. Nothing like that favorite. I swear

1:52

you, you just sent me a picture

1:54

of her. today and her finger like

1:56

her right hand was doing this you

1:58

know like the follow through after the

2:00

ball is born. So, well, dad. She

2:02

just needs the hyper extension of the

2:05

elbow. I think just read. I would

2:07

like, Varun, you and I can take

2:09

some credit for that. Right? Well, most

2:11

of your friends and family were sending

2:13

you books with ABCs and all kinds

2:15

of basic pictures and things you showed

2:17

through weeks old. Can we tell our

2:19

listers that Varad I found at Children's,

2:21

a baby's book about cricket? And we

2:24

sent that to your little girl.

2:26

So hopefully you've been reading that

2:28

to her. And sure. Yeah, black

2:30

and white cricket book. I mean,

2:32

unbelievable, right? Amazing. Thank you guys.

2:34

It felt it felt appropriate. Well,

2:36

welcome backward. We're happy to have

2:38

you. And what better time? Sorry,

2:40

can I just, can I just

2:42

tell you one more thing? Because

2:44

I don't know, so obviously, I

2:46

don't know, my daughter's got her

2:48

name from my wife as well,

2:50

right. So the number of questions

2:52

I've got, whether I've named my

2:54

daughter after Virat Koli, is actually

2:56

unbelievable. Part of us, her name

2:58

is Koli, so she's Koli Chuck,

3:00

but yeah, people obviously think I'm

3:02

a bigger cricket fan than I

3:04

gave myself credit for. You should

3:06

just add Sharma and Pantan all

3:08

into her last names as well.

3:10

I mean, you should be recommending

3:12

I call her Mahi, right? Yeah,

3:14

it's a great girl. Anyway, it's

3:16

weird because usually when we have

3:18

a full house, we've either just

3:20

one or three 20 World Cup

3:22

or what a series in Australia

3:24

or things like that. And not

3:26

only was last week the episode

3:28

where we got to talk about

3:30

losing the series, there has been

3:32

no cricket in the last seven

3:34

days. So between our previous episode

3:36

that we got to record, Varin

3:38

and I did. And now when

3:40

all three of us are back,

3:42

there's been no cricket and yet

3:44

the news cycle never stops. So

3:46

Varun, when you go through very

3:48

quickly, the big news this week

3:50

before we get into Champions Trophy

3:52

Squad and Shummy's back for England

3:54

and all of that important stuff,

3:56

the big news is the week

3:58

was this BCCI 10-point rule or

4:00

10-point. ruling essentially that came out

4:02

with with a whole bunch of

4:04

stuff in there that was a

4:06

little surprising doesn't seem like our

4:08

skipper is too amused by it

4:10

and so yeah will you just

4:12

give us a quick run out

4:14

of what it was that we

4:17

can chat about it? Yeah I

4:19

mean I gave you a perfect

4:21

transition talking about children I said

4:23

you're gonna say speaking of children

4:25

and how you treat children the

4:27

BCCI has called with like I

4:29

gave you the perfect like we

4:31

are very disappointed in you but

4:33

anyway Yeah, that disappointed myself. I

4:35

have come out with this list

4:37

and we'll go through a few

4:39

of the points, but two things.

4:41

Firstly, it sounds like a group

4:43

of frustrated old uncles just got

4:45

together and vented and came out

4:47

with the minutes of the meeting,

4:49

which became the policy. And the

4:51

second thing, to me, it feels

4:53

like this could have been addressed

4:55

in a text message to an

4:57

art collie specifically. Like, it didn't

4:59

have to be published. It felt

5:01

very very targeted. So anyway, they

5:03

have to participate in domestic matches,

5:05

which I think is fine. And

5:07

we spoke about this last week,

5:09

about Raji. It says, then it

5:11

goes on to start talking about

5:13

how you have to travel separate

5:15

to your family. It then lists

5:17

out that your family can only

5:19

be with you for, I believe,

5:21

two weeks in a 45-day tour.

5:23

Right, so what if it's 44

5:25

or what if it's 46? We

5:27

have no idea You restrict your

5:29

personal staff Like chefs and security

5:31

and then Obviously if you're doing

5:33

all this it comes on to

5:35

the next one. There's no baggage

5:37

allowance of more than 150 kg's

5:39

so it just feels very weird

5:41

like what are you solving for?

5:43

Baggage allowance? Chef families can't visit.

5:45

I mean, I don't know DJ

5:47

you you've read this as well.

5:49

What was your take to me?

5:51

Just sounded ridiculous. It sounds like

5:53

there's been a bit of a

5:55

knee-jerk reaction to losing the New

5:57

Zealand series and then losing Bauda

5:59

Gavaskar. As I think you pretty

6:01

much put it pretty well, Coli

6:03

edged and Anushka got dropped, right?

6:05

So I think that sums it

6:07

up because I mean, obviously Coli

6:09

had that run in with the

6:11

reporters at Melbourne before boxing day.

6:13

We know Risha Pant at least

6:15

has his own chef because he's

6:17

been using a nutritionist after his

6:19

accident. That can't be a bad

6:21

thing. Someone like Coley probably does

6:23

need a bit more security, particularly

6:25

going around India. I don't know

6:27

how that's going to be managed.

6:30

Maybe the BCCI will deal with

6:32

that. But for me, the biggest

6:34

question in all of this is,

6:36

who needs 150 kilo allowance while

6:38

traveling? What? I mean, if you've

6:40

got that include security. Yeah, but

6:42

how much will that? Yeah, okay,

6:44

you have two kid rights. Let's

6:46

say that 60 KGs. Okay, yes,

6:48

you have not traveled with the

6:50

80 to 90 KGs. Now, if

6:52

you had an Hushka Sharban, two

6:54

children, a chef, security guard, and

6:56

with our colleagues, equipment. It's not

6:58

a lot, DJ. Yeah, but the

7:00

best part about this is the

7:02

sanctions, right? The sanctions are, you

7:04

may be blacklisted from the IPL.

7:06

and that's the golden goose, right?

7:08

So that's the stick that they're

7:10

using to beat the Indian test

7:12

cricketers with, which is a slightly

7:14

odd place to be as well,

7:16

because yes, it applies to everybody,

7:18

but it's come off the back.

7:20

Remember we're T20 World Cup champions,

7:22

we've only played six ODIs since

7:24

the World Cup in 23, so

7:26

this is coming off the back

7:28

of losing a test series, and

7:30

the sanction is you might not

7:32

play the IPL. So yeah, the

7:34

BCCI has probably gone a bit

7:36

overboard on this front, but maybe.

7:38

It's time to bring some of

7:40

the players back down to earth.

7:42

I don't know man. It's a

7:44

little bit odd to do this

7:46

publicly as well. And Roheh. Roheh

7:48

in the press conference. That's the

7:50

next point. Yeah. There's a little

7:52

bit of debate on whether there

7:54

was a, there was a, there

7:56

was clearly a hot mic that

7:58

picked up stuff that it wasn't

8:00

necessarily supposed to. There's a little

8:02

bit of debate on whether Rohit

8:04

knew or not. I mean, he

8:06

hasn't, he also at the symptom

8:08

hasn't really hidden his displeasure or

8:10

confusion. And it feels like maybe

8:12

on Thursday when the letter went

8:14

out, he got it when everybody

8:16

did. Which is not necessarily how

8:18

you want to manage it for

8:20

your captain, but, but kind of

8:22

thoughts on Rohit's reaction and obviously.

8:24

I don't think he travels with

8:26

an entourage or personal chef. I

8:28

haven't seen reports of him arriving

8:30

separately from the team. So I

8:32

don't know which ones will impact

8:34

him the most. Maybe the family

8:36

stuff, but yeah, thoughts on how

8:38

Rohit's reacted and what that means

8:40

for kind of the team dynamic

8:43

in unity. I don't know, it

8:45

was, I can't believe that Rohit

8:47

has pre-planned this and said it,

8:49

but I mean, he did on

8:51

Mike say. I will have to

8:53

talk to the secretary now because

8:55

all the boys are writing to

8:57

me and I need to sort

8:59

this up. So, you know, it's

9:01

probably, it's a weird thing to

9:03

tell somebody like, either guy or

9:05

anybody sitting at a press conference,

9:07

even if the bike was off.

9:09

I don't know, I just think

9:11

he got, he got unlucky, you

9:13

know, because Royth can't seem to

9:15

catch a break, you know, like,

9:17

I don't know if you guys

9:19

saw the video from going for

9:21

a jog in the park with

9:23

like uncles. He just can't catch

9:25

a break these days, right? He's

9:27

really, really weird. He had his

9:29

backpack and he was doing shuttle

9:31

runs at this uncle with the

9:33

dog was watching him. He just

9:35

can't catch a break these days,

9:37

right? So. I think it's just

9:39

unfortunate. It feels like when everything's

9:41

going wrong, it just goes wrong.

9:43

I don't think that was meant

9:45

to be caught. I think it

9:47

was just, he's probably dealing with

9:49

so much. Yes, 15 guys are

9:51

probably messaging you saying, you gotta

9:53

talk to the BCCI. This is

9:55

childish as we already spoke about.

9:57

Yeah, so. So let's, I mean

9:59

we can spend a lot of

10:01

time going through all of it,

10:03

but obviously the, Varun mentioned this

10:05

sort of ingest, but the reality

10:07

is the don't come travel separately

10:09

from the team, no personal chef

10:11

or staff, a lot of those

10:13

seem pretty targeted at Coli. The

10:15

question DJ I have for you

10:17

is on around this mandatory domestic

10:19

cricket clause, because there's a lot

10:21

done back there, right? Varan and I

10:24

talked last week about how yes, Ranji

10:26

trophy is awesome and important, but then

10:28

We had guys who had a phenomenal

10:30

Rungy Trophy seasons in the squad and

10:32

they didn't get a game in Australia.

10:35

Now as the Champions Trophy side has

10:37

been, a squad has been announced,

10:39

Sanjus Sampson is being disciplined by

10:41

Kerala for not playing in a

10:43

camp but is being selected for

10:45

the squad. So domestic isn't

10:47

that important there. Virat Coli has

10:50

been told to go play domestic, but

10:52

he's got an extreme now which I haven't

10:54

seen him have in years. But he'll

10:56

miraculously be fine, I'm sure, for the

10:58

idea. It's against England. And then what

11:00

should you go to some? I think

11:03

he's going to go to some barber

11:05

and maybe he just went full on

11:07

the floor so maybe he sprinted there

11:09

or something. I mean, just he's sprinted

11:12

for exactly three weeks is

11:14

what happened. But did my question is

11:16

then like, does, so what happens, are

11:18

you want to make Boomera play Rungy

11:21

now? Like of course there's different rules, right?

11:23

You cannot possibly say Boora has to

11:25

go put more workload on his shoulder.

11:27

Yeah, also it's it's double standards because

11:30

you spoke about Iswaran, I think, last

11:32

week. This week we'll come to the

11:34

champions of his squad, but the guy

11:36

who scored the most runs in the

11:39

Odi tournament hasn't made the squad, Karanaya,

11:41

right? He averages 750, I think it'd

11:43

be, tournament or something crazy like that

11:45

Nagark mentioned it. Koli... There's a problem

11:47

of too much cricket. We've been talking

11:50

about that for years. We've struggled following

11:52

cricket as simple podcasters, right? They

11:54

just follow Indian men's cricket. When

11:56

you said there's not, Indian women

11:59

are playing Ireland. There's a lot going

12:01

on. There's so much cricket at the moment,

12:03

which it's not bad for players to get

12:05

a bit of a break. So to then

12:08

impose the fact that you have to be

12:10

available for domestic cricket is a bit, it's

12:12

a bit crazy to be saying that. And

12:14

then not picking the guys that are performing

12:17

there. As far as Anish one, and as

12:19

you said, and then Karunayar. So your standards

12:21

are not being applied equally. And I get

12:23

maybe there's not a spot for Karan in

12:25

this, in the, in the, in the, in

12:28

the, in the, in the, in the, in

12:30

the, in the, in the, in the, in

12:32

the, in the, in the, in the, in

12:34

the, You can't then say you'll be sanctioned

12:37

if you don't play domestic cricket and then

12:39

not pick the guys that perform in domestic

12:41

cricket because you think that you've got a

12:43

squad which is probably the best already. So

12:46

it's very difficult to reconcile the two. And

12:48

just as we wrap, this is a 10-point

12:50

ruling targeted at certain problems. They couldn't figure

12:52

out how to say how to have a

12:55

specific conversation with the offending players, if you

12:57

will. And so they've created this ruling. But

12:59

in a perfect world, you're saying, hey. If

13:01

you've performed above a certain amount in the

13:04

last series and you are selected for the

13:06

next one, you don't have to play domestic.

13:08

Like bummer, let's pick him as the example.

13:10

Right? But saying you played the last series

13:13

is not enough to get out of domestic

13:15

because the guys who failed in the last

13:17

series are the ones who you want to

13:19

go get domestic time. Right? So how do

13:22

you reconcile that? Like in a perfect world,

13:24

you're able to have the conversations with Coley,

13:26

Ro hit. Maybe to an extent, Rahol, and

13:28

some of these guys who had a gill

13:31

for sure and say you are, it is

13:33

mandatory for you to go play Raunchy without

13:35

creating this kind of blanket ruling in the

13:37

way we treat children. But obviously that's not

13:40

happening. Do you see that changing at any

13:42

point? I mean, I think they got lucky

13:44

in the sense that there was only one

13:46

person who could be applicable to all. I

13:49

think yes, you should. Maybe specify right maybe

13:51

you should say that you have to play

13:53

three energy games a year or something I'm

13:55

just making this up. But rather than just

13:58

be a little bit vague about to be

14:00

available. I've maybe put a metric. Could you

14:02

set numerical rules? Yeah, that's what I was

14:04

going to say. Could you say, hey, if

14:07

you finish the test series with a batting

14:09

average below 30, or a bowling average above

14:11

30? you have to go play more domestic

14:13

cricket or so I don't know it's isn't

14:16

it the other way around that you say

14:18

that the prerequisite to be selected for India

14:20

is performing well in domestic cricket yeah right

14:22

so if you're dropping someone like a rohith

14:25

or a coli they need to go back

14:27

like a pajara goes back scores around the

14:29

domestic and comes back because there's no point

14:31

getting them to play and then picking them

14:34

anyway it doesn't make any sense unless you're

14:36

going to actually drop them Yeah,

14:38

so it's like K.R. Raha, right? I don't

14:41

think he played much domestic. He was dropped

14:43

and then he came back, right? That's the,

14:45

that's the example. Now I think Rahanin, but

14:47

I have actually gone back and played. But

14:49

I don't know, just the way cricket in

14:51

general and Indian cricket works is you've just

14:54

got people in slots, right? And it's very

14:56

hard, like even this ODI, as we talked

14:58

about it, the ODI, and the reach the

15:00

final of the final of the final of

15:02

the 23, 23 World Cup, World Cup, World

15:04

Cup, World Cup, has done, has done, nothing

15:07

wrong. There is you know, yes a caronet

15:09

type should have been looked at and probably

15:11

brought in but You know on what basis

15:13

are you throwing them on it? It's just

15:15

it's just complex. That's something you should probably

15:17

just have a minimum number of games That

15:20

everyone should be playing because your calendar allows

15:22

them to be able to do that Yeah,

15:24

it's it's complicated right. We don't envy the

15:26

folks who have to make these tough decisions

15:28

You mentioned the the Champions Trophy squad so

15:30

let's it's just come out DJ I don't

15:33

know if you have it in front of

15:35

you. Let's go through really quickly and talk

15:37

through the Champions Trophy squad and then we

15:39

will just chat kind of what it means

15:41

what are the decisions and and obviously the

15:43

big decision Varun actually let me come to

15:46

you first because you said that big decision

15:48

was last time we played we played we

15:50

played well we are looking to solidify kind

15:52

of what the current strategy has been versus

15:54

use this as our first look to the

15:56

future. My point by the way the other

15:59

day was there's always some tournaments. You're always

16:01

saying we'll start preparing for the future later.

16:03

To me this would have been a good

16:05

chance, but is that a fair summation of

16:07

kind of the strategic approach to selection? It's

16:10

basically the same same approach as the last

16:12

time we played OdiS? Yes, so look this

16:14

tournament I think Harshabogli said this right and

16:16

I'm not sure if we mentioned it last

16:18

time is this tournament is hanging in the

16:20

middle of nowhere. It is... It

16:23

is not that relevant. It is too

16:25

far away, or two and a half

16:27

years away from the Odi I World

16:29

Cup for you to make changes from

16:31

that. And so I think in, given

16:33

that context, I think, you know, a

16:35

lot of the guys who did well

16:37

in that Odi World Cup, they have

16:39

not done anything wrong to be excluded.

16:41

So as we, you know, maybe we

16:43

can just start talking through it, but

16:45

I really can't argue with the logic

16:47

that. much except for probably saying that

16:49

you know two names are not there

16:52

which I think could have one was

16:54

jes wrong right and the second was

16:56

a Karunaya equivalent right even a Karunaya

16:58

type is it's just hard and intricate

17:00

to have one good series and then

17:02

go straight into the OdiI squad. Wait

17:04

just to be just to clarify jeswell

17:06

has made the squad which is a

17:08

big which is the big chain so

17:10

oh sorry sorry jeswell has made the

17:12

champions trophies correct okay I was thinking

17:14

sorry I think more playing 11 because

17:16

yeah because Gilen drove it yeah yes

17:18

yeah yeah yeah correct so DJ actually

17:21

why don't we take a very quick

17:23

break we'll come back we'll run through

17:25

what we think the 11 could be

17:27

for the champions trophy with the excitement

17:29

of shami being back the asterisk to

17:31

just beat pumra's name we'll talk to

17:33

just be a just be a little

17:35

bit about the England series which starts

17:37

in three days at the time of

17:39

recording this may have maybe right around

17:41

the corner by the time time for

17:43

a domestic game for sure for at

17:45

least three go play at this three

17:47

all right don't go anywhere we will

17:49

be right back after this break Welcome

18:00

back to the Edges and Sledges

18:02

Cricket Podcast. If you are on

18:04

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leave us a message, otherwise we're

18:25

at one tip one hand on

18:27

all the social media. It's a

18:29

new kind of fast drawing. But

18:31

why don't you give me, if

18:33

you look at this champions trophy

18:35

squad, you're kind of playing 11?

18:37

Let me read through the squad

18:39

quickly and then you give me

18:41

who's going to play. So, Rowith

18:43

is Captain Gil is Vice. Coli,

18:45

Ayer, Rahal Rishab Hardik. And you

18:47

go, or all-rounders, Hardik, Chadija, Akshar,

18:49

Sundar. And then you go Koldi,

18:51

Boomra, Shami Arshdi. And then of

18:53

course Jazwal, who I missed up

18:55

front. What is your audio playing

18:57

11 here? Do you change it

18:59

up? Does Jesswell get a look?

19:01

How do you manage the five

19:04

right-handers in the top five situation?

19:06

What's the approach? So what is

19:08

incredible here is that Shuman Gil

19:10

is the vice captain of this

19:12

team. So you, to my mind,

19:14

and maybe that was conflating test

19:16

form and T-20 form with ODI

19:18

form, I would have loved to

19:20

see yes, we just while at

19:22

the top of the order. I

19:24

would have loved to see him

19:26

opening openingi. Yeah, but he's a

19:28

fantastic T20 player and a fantastic

19:30

test player. So he can't go

19:32

wrong. There's a sky argument. He's

19:34

an all format. He's the next

19:36

all format. I don't disagree one

19:38

percent. I don't disagree at all.

19:41

But it's important to remember he

19:43

hasn't made an only I debut

19:45

yet. And this is an ICC

19:47

tournament. So that's just like, I

19:49

don't know, a thousand plus runs

19:51

in test. And he's like, he's

19:53

incredible in T20. And he's 23.

19:55

been arrested or opted to set

19:57

out. Gell and Yasha's. would have

19:59

opened right like that would have

20:01

been the optimal forward-looking planning for

20:03

2027 combination but we haven't done

20:05

that the two guys that are

20:07

the captain and the vice captain

20:09

will now open the batting which

20:11

means that I don't think there's

20:13

a spot for yes we unless

20:15

he drops down the order and

20:18

bats for just on that that

20:20

vice captain did you read that

20:22

article that said Gambi wanted two

20:24

things and both got overruled. He

20:26

wanted Hardick to be vice captain

20:28

and he wanted Samson in the

20:30

team instead of Punt and both

20:32

overruled by Agar-Pahit. So it was

20:34

kind of two against one. So

20:36

I didn't read this article. It's

20:38

hard. It's hard to compete. I

20:40

don't know what the logic. Just

20:42

it just kind of said that

20:44

they prefer Punt, his ability to

20:46

be able to change a match

20:48

which we know has not happening.

20:50

Whiteball cricket. And hardly thing, I

20:52

don't know why. But so much

20:55

for then, computer kind of laying

20:57

down the hammer saying this is

20:59

my team now and all the

21:01

like, it's clearly doesn't have the

21:03

power to. And that's what his

21:05

excuse is going to be. So

21:07

that is going to be is

21:09

accused that I haven't been able

21:11

to do anything I want. So

21:13

anyway, sorry to stop message. You

21:15

got you got to Jess while

21:17

playing down the order. Yeah. So

21:19

I mean, if Rojit continues opening

21:21

the battinging the battinging the batting

21:23

the batting because interestingly on. The

21:25

Crickinfor website, he's described as a

21:27

top order batter, not as an

21:29

opening batter, which is in contrast

21:32

to what Schummangill has described as.

21:34

Can I just say one thing

21:36

really quick? And I've been very

21:38

critical of Rojit the Redball batter,

21:40

but in the spirit of your

21:42

opening comment, which is not conflating

21:44

form across formats too much, right?

21:46

Rojit average is 49 in ODIs

21:48

at a strike rate of 92

21:50

across his career, but in 24,

21:52

he played three matches. averaged made

21:54

two half centuries at a strike

21:56

out of 141. The year before

21:58

that, 2023 played 27 ODIs, averaged

22:00

52.2. Before that, 41, 2020. average

22:02

57, 2019, average 57, 2018, average

22:04

73, 2017, average 72. Like, these

22:06

are not, these numbers are unbelievable.

22:09

No, no, so there's no doubt.

22:11

I have been super critical. But

22:13

we've said he was our biggest

22:15

six hitter or Indian, or any

22:17

one, so keep going. See, you've

22:19

got to see, it comes back

22:21

to the context of the tournament

22:23

and these OdiIs, right? Are you planning

22:25

for 27? In which case you should

22:28

be giving guys like yes we

22:30

just well and looking particularly because

22:32

of the right-handedness of that order.

22:34

Colley is going to bat three. It's

22:36

where he's had his success. He's batted

22:38

four previously but if he can

22:41

drop down to four I mean the point is

22:43

a Colley spot again an all-time ODI

22:45

great I don't know he must be

22:47

averaging more than 50 in 55 I'd

22:49

say almost venture toward in ODI cricket.

22:51

But you're planning for South Africa,

22:53

you're planning for 2027 for 2027. Joshua

22:56

for me 58.18. Yeah, he's even all

22:58

time great in no die cricket. There's

23:00

no doubt about it. But you have

23:03

to in 2023 his average was 72.

23:05

But you have to plan for what

23:07

is coming ahead. You have to plan

23:09

for that. You have to say you

23:12

have to put an eye on 2027

23:14

say what's gone. They're all great players.

23:16

They are all time great players for

23:19

India. There is no doubt. But the

23:21

future. Yes, they are probably going

23:23

to be fit enough just about

23:26

in Rojit's case, probably borderline for

23:28

the 27 World Cup. Coli is

23:30

going to be fit enough, but you need

23:32

to plan for the 27 World Cup

23:34

and for that Jezwal has to play. I

23:37

think Jezal has to play even if you

23:39

don't plan for the trace and that's what

23:41

that's the point because it's so close by

23:44

and we said 27 is so far. I

23:46

just think Jezwal is too good to draw.

23:48

But who do you drop? Punt is definitely

23:50

not going to play. Yeah, I was like,

23:53

Punt is out, Rouse will keep for

23:55

sure. But it's the left-handedness of that order

23:57

again. You've got to think about that left-hand

23:59

right. hand that's that's you've got to

24:01

think about the match up. We've seen

24:04

success without that right and exactly in

24:06

the same lineup all the way down

24:08

to Harvey. Yeah basically until at age

24:10

I had seven you don't have a

24:13

left yeah and we've seen success with

24:15

it so yeah so are we saying

24:17

Shreas is playing ahead of Yashesui at

24:19

this point in ODIs? We are saying

24:21

he will I don't we can have

24:24

a debate on existential whether he should

24:26

but he should but I think he

24:28

probably will but should he I don't

24:30

think he should. But then the only

24:33

way he can, the only way he

24:35

can, the only way he doesn't come

24:37

in with is collie bats at four,

24:39

which is exactly what he said. Okay.

24:41

Yes, I heard in 2023. How are

24:44

we talking about collie at life? Who's

24:46

going to panic? Four. Four. Four. Ten

24:48

years. I mean, a chunk are still

24:50

around, right? Hardick Pandya. Three points. All

24:53

right, if you hold on. But to

24:55

be fair, if you remove 2024, where

24:57

there was only three games, in 23,

24:59

Shire made, played 20 ODIs, averaged 52.8,

25:01

right? Three centuries, four-half centuries. In 2022,

25:04

he averaged 55.7. Like, his record is

25:06

there in odias. I'm all there for

25:08

lefty right. I'm all there for future

25:10

proving, but Shayas's numbers in this format

25:13

in particular, do speak for themselves. Yeah.

25:15

Fair. And I don't disagree with it,

25:17

but these are flat decks where almost

25:19

anyone is going to go around Pakistan

25:22

and Dubai, right? Like, you're going to

25:24

score on set. It's party time. So

25:26

speaking of flat decks, Varan, let me

25:28

ask you. The big surprise, actually, as

25:30

much as we spend 90% of every

25:33

episode here talking about the top six

25:35

and who will bet where the big

25:37

surprise in the championship in 2025 squad

25:39

was Mohammed Saraj. What is your assessment

25:42

on him being left out of the

25:44

squad? And I know you were hypercritical

25:46

of his Australia series, but he has

25:48

been a kind of mainstay in the

25:50

side for the whiteball for a while.

25:53

Now of course Archdiep is a top

25:55

top class white baller, chamois is back

25:57

and Bumra still got a question mark.

25:59

But what's your take on Siraj? I

26:02

don't think he should have been there.

26:04

If you're picking three bases, I think

26:06

that's just what it is. I don't

26:08

dislike Siraj. I just have said this

26:10

before. I don't think he's evolving as

26:13

fast as he needs to, right? Over

26:15

five years, his growth and evolution has

26:17

not been the same as even an

26:19

Arsh deep. So I think the lefty

26:22

left-handed bowler, I think, is definitely a

26:24

value. And I think Shami, I mean,

26:26

Shami just is Shami. He walks in.

26:28

And I think the bummer inclusion, it's

26:30

got to be some technicality where you

26:33

probably have to include him from the

26:35

start or something. There has to be

26:37

something because they've also not announced the

26:39

third audio ice court for the England

26:42

series, by the way. They've said he's

26:44

likely to play, I think, or his

26:46

own name is there instead of him

26:48

in that English. So the teams are

26:50

exactly mirrored except for Murah and Rana.

26:53

So God to think there's some technicality

26:55

and it's better to keep him in

26:57

this court and remove him and bring

26:59

him back later. There has been a

27:02

lot of chat that he, you know,

27:04

he will be fully ready by the

27:06

time it's semis, I believe this tournament

27:08

goes straight to semis. So, you know,

27:10

so that's there's there, but I think

27:13

that's been... probably bordered the most number

27:15

of wars for India in the last

27:17

five years. Yeah, I think that and

27:19

the fact is if you rank order

27:22

if you have full availability of Bumra,

27:24

Shami, Archibsaraj in these conditions, he's probably

27:26

the fourth in that order. Right, so

27:28

especially because Hardik is going to play

27:30

as your quick bowling all-rounder, you're going

27:33

to play Max Two Pacers. And I

27:35

think, I think your point is valid.

27:37

Do you use your final one on

27:39

the champions trophy? Trophy. Ravensra Jade, Asia,

27:42

Washington, Sundar, Akshar Patel. It feels like

27:44

two of them get a look in.

27:46

Akshar is a great kind of lefty

27:48

option. bad it by the way up

27:50

at four and five before in smethered

27:53

in my situations go ahead one. I

27:55

think one gets a look in it

27:57

because you're assuming Koldip will play. Yeah

27:59

Koldip will play. So I'm assuming I'm

28:02

assuming Koldip two quicks yeah and then

28:04

seven and and then Hardick at six.

28:06

So I'm assuming seven and eight will

28:08

be two spinning all around. We can

28:11

go through the order. Jadeja and was

28:13

she. Yeah I've got ice deep. Yeah

28:15

I've got ice deep. Yeah I've got

28:17

ice deep. I've got ice deep. I've

28:19

got ice deep. I've got ice deep.

28:22

I've got ice deep. I've got ice

28:24

deep. I've got ice deep. I've got

28:26

ice deep. I've got ice deep. I've

28:28

got ice deep. I've got ice deep.

28:31

I've got ice deep. I've got ice

28:33

deep. I've got ice deep. I've got

28:35

ice deep. I've got ice deep. I've

28:37

got ice deep. I've got ice deep.

28:39

I've I don't think you play three

28:42

quicks and hard. I've got Jadeja in

28:44

Washington at seven and eight in my

28:46

lineup. That's two lefties one after the

28:48

other. So Akshar selected as the T20

28:51

vice captain, which we'll talk about right

28:53

after this. Doesn't get a look in?

28:55

Akshar is number one. I think Akshar

28:57

walks the daddy white both side. Like

28:59

walks it. But you're going to play

29:02

Jadeja and Akshar, both left-arm spinnerspinters? Yeah,

29:04

because both left-up. 12 for 3 which

29:06

we will be you can easily send

29:08

a one of these guys to play

29:11

defensive cricket both of them have that

29:13

caliber. You don't have anyone spinning off

29:15

spinning anymore because that's why I would

29:17

play Washington because you play in England

29:19

or somebody like that or you're playing

29:22

Australia with a Travis head who's been

29:24

such a pain you would bond a

29:26

bowl off spin going away from them.

29:28

So I think that there's too much

29:31

sameness in that order and that's the

29:33

reason I would have gone for Washi.

29:35

Maybe we'll get some wrong-footed goalie bowling

29:37

to give us break up the... I

29:39

mean, he might make the team as

29:42

a bowler and sometimes. But I think...

29:44

I think Sundar just hasn't done enough

29:46

with the bat in Whiteball cricket. Ip.

29:48

L.T.20. I don't know if he's... I'm

29:51

sure he's played Odiis before. He just

29:53

hasn't done enough in my opinion. So,

29:55

and his batting is stronger than his

29:57

bowling. That is the only catch for

29:59

me. But it's a valid point about

30:02

the off-spin, right-hand off-spin. And just to

30:04

close off the 11 for me, I

30:06

think Jasper for me would play at

30:08

three. Cole would play at four and

30:11

Pant would be my wicket-keeper. I think,

30:13

okay, forget, we all know what the

30:15

team is going to be. What would

30:17

you like? For me, I would like

30:19

to play. Yeah, sorry. I was going

30:22

to play at 5. I want Jess,

30:24

I want Jess, to play at 3.

30:26

That's exciting for me. That's exciting for

30:28

me. That can match basketball. What is

30:31

your take? I mean, I think, okay,

30:33

forget, we all know what the team

30:35

is going to be. What would you

30:37

like? I would like Jess to not

30:39

play. And Raul over punk. Yeah. But

30:42

haven't he said something to Raul that

30:44

your spot is not certain and you

30:46

have to play some? No, they've just,

30:48

I think they've just, I do, till

30:51

yesterday, punk spot is not certain. Like,

30:53

Gumbri, he was backing Samson. So I

30:55

think K.L. has just been told, you

30:57

just played the, play the England series.

30:59

Like, you're not an automatic. I think.

31:02

Also, when was the last time Kail

31:04

kept? World Cup. Yeah, but that was

31:06

18 months. No, whatever. Not two years,

31:08

but 15, 16 months now. So it's-

31:11

He's also been test captain in the

31:13

middle of that, Skoda Hard and South

31:15

Africa. His life, man. Kail Radz. That's

31:17

what I'm saying, right? So just, I

31:20

think he would play just to keep,

31:22

right, and get back into that middle-od

31:24

of mindset. Clearly a very stable kind

31:26

of multi-format team situation going on as

31:28

we as we live through it. Yeah,

31:31

I mean, I'm with you guys, I

31:33

think Shrias does play, but I also

31:35

think potentially DJ, to your point, there's

31:37

a little bit of horses for courses,

31:40

a little bit of rotating. I think

31:42

the three spinning all-rounders may rotate through.

31:44

I think you may see Rahul and

31:46

punk, rather, depending on match situation, depending

31:48

on the bowling attack. And I don't

31:51

hate that honestly, just given. given it's

31:53

a long tournament you have to adjust

31:55

so right as we wrap we talked

31:57

a lot about the championship we talked

32:00

about a lot about this 10-point ruling

32:02

we are now sitting here three days

32:04

away from an England series that it

32:06

kind of came out of nowhere but

32:08

five T20s starting on January 22nd and

32:11

then three Odi... which will be our

32:13

final final prep for the champions trophy.

32:15

The big news on that squad, Muhammad

32:17

Shami is back, which is awesome. I'll

32:20

run through a couple of other quick

32:22

highlights and then we'll just chat through

32:24

how we're feeling about the T20 sword,

32:26

but after the big test of the

32:28

champions trophy, private fields a little out

32:31

of place. So Shami's back, Nittish Redi,

32:33

Harshatrana Washington Sundar, are all back. Compared

32:35

to the last time we played T20,

32:37

Jiteeshh miss is out, Avesh, I think

32:40

we had Ramandip Singh, Bijakmar Vashak all

32:42

in the T20 setup last summer, they're

32:44

all missing out. So, here's what the

32:46

squad looks like. Sky is captain, Aksharpertail

32:48

is vice captain. Then you have Samson,

32:51

Abyshek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Harzik Pandya Rinku

32:53

Singh, Nittish Redi, and then Harshitranah, Arship

32:55

Shami, Varin Shakravi, Ravi Bishakavarwaihakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhakhak Let

32:58

me ask you first. Any, you expect

33:00

any surprises here? Is this just going

33:03

to be kind of a random one

33:05

of T20 that we watch for fun?

33:07

Is it going to be IPL prep

33:09

for these guys and for the teams?

33:12

Or is this going to influence the

33:14

whiteball strategy going forward, even for 50

33:16

overs? Honestly, I just see this as

33:19

a spread for Shami. Like that is

33:21

basically how I'm seeing this team pretty

33:23

single one. Makes no sense to have

33:26

five T20s, but. Yeah, it's prep for

33:28

Shami, it's probably good prep for Ashbib

33:30

and Hardik Pandya, that's it. It's a

33:33

weird series that's hanging in the middle

33:35

of nowhere, like you said. I think

33:37

India's most success in the last six

33:40

to nine months has come in T20

33:42

cricket. So I think it's a good

33:44

squad. They've kept true to this squad

33:47

that they're going after. And I think

33:49

it'll be fun. I always like watching

33:51

T2020 cricket. Understatement

33:56

of the year. I think England

33:58

is the one who's probably going

34:00

to use this as the prep

34:02

for the champions trophy. I think

34:05

it'll be fun. I just don't

34:07

know the value of it. And

34:09

I think this is Gambia's only

34:12

controllable squad out of the three.

34:14

And they have delivered. And so

34:16

yeah, it's, I think England is

34:19

the one who's probably going to

34:21

use this as the prep for

34:23

the champions trophy. Surprisingly, India is

34:25

not. Akshar gets if Akshar has

34:28

a breakthrough series does that get

34:30

him in ahead of Sundar you

34:32

think in the ODIs? I think

34:35

he's competing with Chadija to be

34:37

honest not with Sundar. You think

34:39

Sundar walks in? Okay. I think

34:41

Sundar walks in but logical thing

34:44

for me would be to have

34:46

more variety in the attack on

34:48

those pitches particularly. Yeah right it's

34:51

going to be an interesting one

34:53

big 5-2-23 odias coming up before

34:55

we wrap. I have to make

34:57

sure we talk very quickly, you

35:00

mentioned it, about the India, the

35:02

phenomenal India women series against Ireland

35:04

women. If you haven't been following

35:07

it, 435 for 5, I mean,

35:09

the, the, in the final ODI,

35:11

304 run over Ireland, the highest

35:14

total in women's ODI is by

35:16

quite a long distance. I mean,

35:18

I remember I was in college

35:20

when 434 was the Australia South

35:23

Africa Odi game and it is

35:25

just mind-boggling that this team put

35:27

up for 135 I mean a

35:30

three three match whitewash essentially I'm

35:32

like six wickets for the first

35:34

game that second game is where

35:36

Jemima showed up really strong so

35:39

the second Odi they scored 370

35:41

and I mean just phenomenal one

35:43

by 116 runs and then in

35:46

the third I came in and

35:48

said you know what we're going

35:50

to do one better made for

35:53

35 233 run opening since centuries

35:55

by both the openers and just

35:57

an absolutely phenomenal. for the India

35:59

women. I don't actually know when

36:02

their next series is, but what

36:04

a what an incredible series,

36:06

right? Did you think you'd add?

36:08

Yeah, fantastic hundreds for Jimmy, for

36:11

Smriti, for the newcomer as well.

36:13

Is it Pratika? Raval? Raval? Yeah,

36:15

she was, she nearly looked like she

36:17

was getting a double hundred. The 430

36:19

was a under achievement. They had about,

36:21

they could have got 450, she could

36:24

have got a double. Yeah, it came

36:26

against Ireland but runs or runs and

36:28

this is the Smriti era. Remember Harman

36:30

Preeth isn't playing this. Smithi Mandana, Captain

36:33

of India. Absolutely phenomenal. I think

36:35

there's now some, while the men are

36:37

playing, there's also some T20s against the

36:39

England women, so that's going to be

36:41

exciting and then there's some England women.

36:44

Actually, that's not true. Sorry, that's coming

36:46

in a few months time. So we got

36:48

a little bit of time. WPL starts in

36:50

February. So it's going to be very exciting.

36:52

Just phenomenal. I was just looking, I didn't

36:54

get a chance to watch it, but 435

36:56

in an audio match is just stunning. So,

36:58

gentlemen, thank you for joining. But I know

37:00

it's late for you. DJ. I know your

37:02

body probably has no idea what time is

37:05

what time is what would sleep, but this

37:07

has been great. Five T-20s coming up, it's

37:09

going to be a good good series and

37:11

we'll be back before you know it to

37:13

talk about Who's betting at number four again

37:15

and again probably for the next 20 years

37:17

of our life. So stay tuned If you're

37:19

on YouTube again hit that like button hit

37:22

that subscribe button at one tip on hand

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on all the social And we'll be back

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next week. Thanks so much for joining the

37:28

edges and sledges cricket podcast