All the stats highlights from Australia’s innings in Perth where they were bowled out for 104

Sampath Bandarupalli23-Nov-20240:47

What made Bumrah stand out?

104 Australia’s first-innings total in Perth is their second lowest in home Tests against India, after the 83 all-out in Melbourne in 1981.It is also Australia’s third-lowest total in home Tests since 1985 and their fourth-lowest total in the format against India.46 Lead in the first innings for India in Perth, the fifth highest by any team making 150 or less while batting first. The highest is a lead of 71 runs for England, who were bowled out for 113 while batting first against Australia in 1888 in Sydney.Related

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2 Previous instances of India claiming a first-innings lead in men’s Tests, despite scoring 150 or less while batting first. They took a five-run lead in the 2002 Hamilton Test against New Zealand, despite getting bowled out for only 99 while batting first and claimed a first-innings lead of 13 runs against England in the 1936 Lord’s Test, despite making only 147.37 Total runs by Australia’s top six batters in the first innings, the lowest for them in a men’s Test innings at home since the 22 runs they scored against West Indies in the 1978 Brisbane Test.97 Runs aggregated by India (59) and Australia (38) before the fall of the fifth wicket in their first innings in Perth. This is the lowest in a men’s Test match since the 67 runs by India and West Indies in the 1987 Delhi Test.Australia’s top-order batters made a total of 37 runs•AFP/Getty Images2 Number of partnerships across the first two innings in the Perth Test to survive ten or more overs. Rishabh Pant and Nitish Kumar Reddy added 48 runs in 14.1 overs for the seventh wicket for India, while Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood put on 26 in 18 overs for the tenth wicket for Australia.Each of the other 18 partnerships added less than 20 runs, the joint most in the first two innings of a men’s Test match.254 Total runs scored by India (150) and Australia (104) in their first innings at Perth. It is the lowest first-innings aggregate in a Test match in Australia since the 242 runs in the 1981 Test between the hosts and Pakistan at the WACA Stadium.9 Five-wicket hauls for Jasprit Bumrah in Tests outside Asia, the joint most by an Indian, alongside Kapil Dev. It was Bumrah’s second five-for in Australia. He has two each in England and West Indies, and three five-wicket hauls in South Africa.5 for 30 Bumrah’s bowling figures in Perth are the best by an Indian captain in men’s Tests since Kapil Dev’s 8 for 106 against Australia in the 1985 Adelaide Test. Bumrah is also the first Indian captain with a five-wicket haul in Test cricket since Anil Kumble in the 2007 Melbourne Test.

He finishes as one of India’s finest in Test cricket, having built his 13-year career on performances, not promise or popular appeal

Sidharth Monga18-Dec-20240:57

Kumble toasts ‘great champion’ Ashwin: ‘Wanted you to go past 619’

It is rather ironic that a Hindi movie line sums up R Ashwin. We will get to the irony later. The line first.From , the Indian of sorts, the first words of narration, to set up the two lovable rascals: Translated: “In the world that is, there exist two kinds of people: ones who do just one type of work all their life, others who do all types of work in just one life.”Related

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Ashwin is among the second type. He wanted to bat, he wanted to bowl fast, he wanted to captain, he wanted to organise matches. When injury put Ashwin the boy out of commission, he wanted to be involved even if it meant scoring. He wanted to share the ride with you all so he started his YouTube channel even while he played without any commercial arrangement.Most importantly he wanted to do all there was to be done in what was his bread and butter. Most of us Indians don’t experiment lest we end up losing what we have earned through blood, sweat and tears, and luck, in a country as fiercely competitive as India. But Ashwin did everything there was to be done in the department of offspin bowling. Pundits kept telling him he experiments too much. That offspin is about doing the one same thing all your life. That he will lose his stock ball if he keeps, in his own words, “monkeying around”. Then what will he do?Ashwin was incredibly secure and confident in his ability to land the ball where he wanted it to land, and so he pushed the art to its limits with other things. Different run-ups, different load-ups, different seam orientations, different balls altogether, while always landing the ball where he wanted it to.This writer once asked him if he didn’t fear losing the quality offbreak. “Then what will you do?” He said if he did lose it, it would mean it wasn’t his to keep. He never let that fear, that conservative mindset, come in the way of his pursuit for excellence.R Ashwin, owner of 37 Test five-fors and eight Test ten-fors•BCCIThe irony now. A Hindi line to sum him up. When he was still not an offspinner yet, he almost quit cricket because of language barriers at a national Under-17 camp. Back then, at all levels of national cricket, anybody from south India had to learn whatever Hindi they could to survive in the dressing room. It was a shock to Ashwin that nobody could even sense his discomfort.Yet he loved the game and the competition so much that once he was over the initial shock, Ashwin went and enrolled himself in private Hindi classes. After a point, he didn’t see it as a political or a cultural issue. He saw it as a problem, and he had to solve it practically.Ashwin broke his cricket down to solving problems. A batter is a problem, I have to solve it. Do it with 537 Test wickets and 37 five-fors. A batting crisis is a problem, solve it with six hundreds and 14 fifties. Only one of his hundreds was an act of filling his boots. One of the other five came from 156 for 6 in partnership with debutant Rohit Sharma, the man who was clearly struggling to hold back tears when Ashwin announced his international retirement.Being dropped from limited-overs sides without any communication was a problem too, which he tried to solve by adding newer deliveries to his bowling and muscle to his hitting. It has been so long since he made regular appearances in limited-overs internationals that it is easy to forget he was a gun ODI and T20I bowler for six years, frequently bowling in powerplays and bowling Chennai Super Kings to title wins in the IPL.

Ashwin was incredibly secure and confident in his ability to land the ball where he wanted it to land, and so he pushed the art [of offspin] to its limits with other things. Different run-ups, different load-ups, different seam orientations, different balls altogether, while always landing the ball where he wanted it to.

Ashwin looked forward to problems so he could solve them. He solved enough problems to end up with 11 Test Player-of-the-Series awards, the joint-highest in world cricket, and 10 match awards, the third-highest for an Indian and joint-highest for an Indian bowler. Quite simply put, he has been India’s greatest match-winner in Tests.Before the World Test Championship pushed teams to seek out extreme home advantage, Ashwin was partly responsible for countries dishing out pitches that would keep spinners out of the game.We appreciate the skill but not quite the discipline, dedication and commitment it takes to not miss a single home Test from your debut till you retire, in a Test career that spanned 13 years. It is all the more remarkable for a modern cricketer because of the amount of cricket they play. To stay fit despite being athletically – well – challenged, to never fall sick during a Test be it at home or away, to manage other more important life events in a way that they don’t clash with Test matches.Also we don’t quite appreciate that Ashwin was not the kind of gifted cricketer or athlete that leaders make understandable allowances for. He can be proud that he played every single international match of his purely on performance and not promise or, later in his career, popular appeal. He was never too big to be dropped, but with his performance and competitive spirit Ashwin made sure he was never so small that he could be ignored.R Ashwin, his wife Prithi Narayanan, and their children•BCCIIt is a cruel irony that the career of India’s greatest match-winner ends with four consecutive losses in Tests (three against New Zealand at home, and the Adelaide Test). For a person as emotional as Ashwin, the timing of his announcement is curious. You would expect him to play a farewell Test and savour the end. Perhaps have his family along – they were not at the Gabba.Then again, the only thing he is more emotional about is his family. Ever since Ravindra Jadeja leapfrogged him as a Test batter, and the conditions in England, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia favoured a fourth fast bowler over a spinner as the No. 8, Ashwin was spending months on the road without getting to actually play.There is no shame in not being a part of the XI but at a certain age and a certain stage of your career, you need enough incentive to be away from family for months on end. At this stage of his career, with limited years of high performance left in his body, Ashwin would much rather be part of a playing XI even if it is at a local club game. That will also let him spend more time with his family.This may sound entitled, but it is not. He genuinely finds more peace in playing a local game than in the money and the high of being part of an international tour without actually playing. He loves cricket for the cricket itself, and not for what else it brings.

He was never too big to be dropped, but with his performance and competitive spirit Ashwin made sure he was never so small that he could be ignored.

If there had been a home series immediately after this tour, Ashwin perhaps would have stayed on. Some might question his leaving in the middle of a series, but if he is not going to play in the rest of the series, could you question wanting to spend Christmas and New Year’s with his family, something he has missed out on for years? Moreover, retirement is an extremely personal matter. You are saying farewell to something that has given your life purpose for about 35 years of your existence; nobody on the outside has the right to tell you when to do it.If anything, the timing – in the middle of a series level at 1-1 – brings into focus the harsh reality of Indian cricket: barring a handful, even the greatest have been treated as disposable objects. It should be incumbent on the leadership of the team to know what players at this stage of their career are thinking. These are not easy conversations to have, but they are better had than not.Let not his last four Tests override a great career. The man himself has walked away without rancour and as unobtrusively as one can without going full MS Dhoni, who also retired from Tests after the third Test of an Australia tour.R Ashwin at the nets on the eve of what would be his final Test match – not afraid to try things out till the end•Getty ImagesVery few get to end their career on a perfect note. Who wouldn’t have liked to witness Ashwin walk off with a win in a match that he had announced beforehand would be his last?It might not have been perfect but Ashwin’s last outing was still plenty excellent. On a pitch so hostile to spin bowling that Nathan Lyon bowled only one over across both innings, Ashwin bowled with Australia in the ascendance and looking to dominate, and it was a spell full of class. Even on that pitch, he never let batters get away from him, nearly getting Travis Head but for a dropped half chance and dismissing Mitchell Marsh. He and Jasprit Bumrah were the only ones to go at under three an over in the match. Who knew it would be a final reminder why Ashwin would always be India’s first-choice spinner when conditions were not spin-friendly.Ashwin won’t cry it’s over. He will cry that it happened, but tears of rejoicing. He will likely say that if he hasn’t had the perfect ending, it was not his to have.

The fast bowler opens up about his evolution over the last two years, his struggles, and the attitude that has shaped his success so far

Nagraj Gollapudi10-Sep-2025In the last year, Delhi fast bowler Harshit Rana has debuted for India in all three formats. Rana, who is 23, and plays for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, was picked for the Asia Cup, where he could audition for the crucial No. 8 role. In this interview he talks about his growth over the last two years, and how he hopes to fulfill his dream of becoming a regular all-format bowling allrounder.In Kolkata Knight Riders’ first match of the 2024 IPL, Sunrisers Hyderabad brought the target of 209 down to 13 runs from the final over. Heinrich Klaasen had made 50 off 25 balls. You had only played 12 T20s till then, and you were bowling the last over for only the second time in your career. Can you reconstruct that over for us?
It was a very important over for me [in my career]. Shreyas [Shreyas Iyer, the KKR captain], while giving me the ball to bowl the final over, told me: ” time hero defend problem . [This is your time to be a hero, but even if you are not able to defend those runs, it’s not a problem.] The first ball, Klaasen hit me for a six. It was now seven runs from five balls. Shreyas told me to “chill” and bowl what I wanted to bowl.The idea to bowl the slower ball was playing in my mind already. I would like to credit Nayar ‘s [Abhishek Nayar, KKR assistant coach], role here. He passed the same message from the dugout, saying bowling slower would benefit me, because the slower ball sometimes grips at Eden [Gardens]. And I had practised and developed the slower ball while recovering from the injury that year at the NCA [National Cricket Academy in Bangalore]. I had not bowled the slower ball before that IPL, so it was a moment where I needed to deliver perfectly because otherwise it would be a six and the game would have ended.Related

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But with them [Iyer and Nayar] giving me the confidence and telling me to bowl the slower ball [bravely], I bowled the next ball and it was a good slower one. Just one run came off it. So I decided I would only deliver slower balls for the rest of the over, because the batters would be waiting and guessing if it was the quicker delivery or the slower one. Even the [fifth] ball, when they needed [five runs off two balls], I thought whether I should go for the yorker, but Shreyas told me to stick to the slower ball and not be bothered even if it got hit. In fact, I was telling him that he – Klaasen – would swing the bat against the slower ball and even if he mistimed it, it could go for a six if I faltered. But it went my way.Since you bowled the slower ball the previous four deliveries, Klaasen might have predicted you were going to bowl the same again and might have planned for it, right?
Our plan for Klassen was to bowl wide outside off stump because he didn’t use his feet that much and used his hands more to hit those sixes. So the plan was to keep the ball far from his arc and that is exactly what happened, and he was caught at third.The execution sounds simple in hindsight. But what kind of preparation goes into delivering such balls?
You have to repeatedly do the things in the practice that you want to deliver in the match. So I bowled – and continue to bowl a lot – against a single stump, on the same spot. I specifically trained a lot for getting the slower ball close to the wide tramline or the wide yorker.Rana nervelessly defended 12 runs in the final over of KKR’s first game of the 2024 IPL season, with the full backing of his captain Shreyas Iyer•BCCICutters, like the one you used to dismiss Klaasen in that match, are not easy. Do you worry about the ball slipping out of your hand?
Yes, it happens at times. Because when the ball is wet, it becomes difficult to bowl the offcutter. Because a cutter is such a delivery that if it is [full/short] then it usually goes for a six. If it is full then it comes in the arc, and if it is short then the batsman gets extra time to hit it. So the five- to six-metre length becomes essential for a cutter for a fast bowler. In death overs the ball becomes wet usually due to dew, so we train using a wet ball for such a scenario. During training I place the cones at the five- to six-metre-length area with the aim of hitting that length at least ten of the 12 balls.Shah Rukh Khan [KKR co-owner] was watching that match. But there were two more special people watching. Can you talk about them?
It was the first game for Mumma and Papa when they had come to watch me live at a stadium. I had called them [insisted they come]. Papa would always tell me that he doesn’t want to see me live at a ground because he gets nervous easily. Even on that day after Klassen hit me for a six, Papa told me after our victory that he had quickly gone inside towards the washroom, as he couldn’t bear to watch it. Later when he started hearing the and ecstatic noises from KKR fans, he walked out. I was very happy in that moment for all of us.Tell us a bit about your childhood and how you came to cricket.
My dad is a property dealer and Mummy is a housewife. I was born and brought up in Ghevra, which is the last village on the border of Delhi and Haryana. My parents still live there. When I was young, there was no ground in Ghevra and we had to travel some distance towards the neighbouring village to play. But when I was there recently, I noticed every second corner had a big ground full of turf pitches and good enough facilities.Cricket would allow me to get [time] off from tuition. I have studied [for the] BA [degree], the simplest for cricketers. My sister, who is six years older, insisted I do my graduation and she ensured I completed it.In IPL 2024, there was another key match at Eden Gardens. Mumbai Indians needed 22 runs from the final over in a rain-shortened match. A win would make KKR become the first team to qualify for the playoffs. You had been hit for runs in the powerplay by Ishan Kishan, but you gave away just three runs in that last over, and picked up two wickets. What was the planning there?
My first three [wicketless] overs were nothing special prior to that. It was between me and [Mitchell] Starc for the final over. Shreyas handed the ball to me. The planning for that over was a little bit different because on that day there was no hold [grip] on the surface.The day before the match we were chatting to Gautam [Gautam Gambhir, KKR mentor in 2024 IPL], on what we could do differently in the death overs, because you can get predictable for batters who know you might only bowl the slower ball or you might only bowl yorkers. He told me that batters usually will predict I could bowl a slower bouncer or a yorker or a slower ball, but they don’t normally expect a fast ball on a hard length. In my previous over I had delivered a few slower balls, but against one of them Tilak [Varma] swept a four and a top edge had flown over the third man. So I realised I had to change something and not get predictable.”I love to bat. In domestic cricket for Delhi, I have felt that we have won due to my batting, and that gave me that inner confidence that, yes, I can bat”•BCCIThe first ball of that final over I bowled quick, pitched on hard length, and Naman Dhir was caught skying towards deep midwicket. Next ball, against Anshul [Kamboj], I decided to go slower because I did not want him to mistime a faster delivery that he could edge and sneak a four. They took a single and that brought Tilak on strike. I decided to go for the hard-length plan but set a field for the slower ball. He was caught behind.Gambhir who rarely smiles, was happily smiling after that KKR win. How has he helped you?
He has changed my mindset. I had never met Gautam before he joined KKR. In our first conversation, which was before the start of IPL 2024, he said: “You will play the 14 matches in the season regardless of how many runs you give. I just want you to continue playing cricket with the same aggressive nature as you have always – with your head up. Whether you get hit for 70 or 80 runs in four overs, your head should not be down. And if you are able to do that, I am telling you, 100% you will do something.”To be told as a player, just go out and play openly, don’t think too much, that, I feel, was the turning point. My confidence shot up and I could express myself fully, including in my celebrations, which you might have seen, where I was aggressive at times.Gambhir is a straight talker. Has there been an incident where he scolded you?
Whenever I am around GG , I am always on my toes (). I hope I don’t do anything [that leads to] scolding me. Because he always tells me that things have just started in my career and if I can devote as much time and energy towards cricket, I will grow in the game that much.How do you deal with bowling in pressure situations? What are your strengths?
More than skills it is my mindset. When I stand at the start of my run-up I think, , I will do it. I will save [the situation]. I’ve had this mindset from the beginning. And it’s because of my father. In the first decade when I started playing cricket, I never achieved any success. I never played anywhere. I played nothing. I only got rejection from every place I went. I only heard no, no, no. I used to cry, wondering what I would do in life. Papa used to always say: , do the hard work and do the things that are in your hand [control], you will get something in life.He never allowed me to doubt myself. I used to cry in front of him, saying, my name is not coming anywhere, nobody is playing me, I won’t be able to do anything in life, what will happen if I don’t succeed in cricket? He would always motivate me and say, “[As long as] I am around why are you taking the tension? You just play with a free mind.” Whenever I went to play a match, he would always say, “As a bowler, think how you can be one step ahead of the batsman.” I feel it is a mind game. If your mind is working quicker than the batsman and you are more proactive, then you are better.Rana had Harry Brook caught out for a duck on the third-ball Brook faced in the Nagpur ODI, discombobulating him with a head-high bouncer•AFP/Getty ImagesWhen was this rejection phase?
I did not play Under-14, did not play Under-16, played just three matches, and that too for a year, for Under-19 for Delhi. Then, again, I got rejected in Under-25, which was before I started to play IPL. I would go for all the trials but never got my name shortlisted. I could never get a reason why I was not being selected.Let’s talk about your white-ball debuts during the England series earlier this year. On ODI debut, in Nagpur, you picked up three wickets. You must have fond memories?
The debut was amusing, to say the least. [Phil] Salt had hit me for 26 runs in an over. I had leaked a good amount of runs [0 for 37] after my first three overs. Soon after, Shreyas brilliantly ran-out Salt. As everyone gathered to celebrate in the huddle, I stood there quietly. Rohit [Rohit Sharma, India captain] then told me, “” [Bowl from the other end].[Ben] Duckett got out immediately, caught by [Yashasvi] Jaiswal. Gautam always says, your strength is high pace, you should focus on doing that. So when [Harry] Brook walked in, I thought a new bat has walked in, why not bowl a head-high bouncer. I asked Rohit “?” [Shall I bowl a head-high bouncer?] He said, “” [Bowl it.] So I bowled the short-pitched delivery. Brook tried to fend it away and KL [KL Rahul] took a very good catch behind the wicket.You also got rid of Liam Livingstone, taking advantage of his aggressive intent.
Livingstone was trying to swing his bat at each and every ball of mine. He swung at it jumping out of the crease, he swung at it standing in the crease. I was thinking to myself, , you are swinging at the ball despite being new to the crease. Why don’t you wait for a bit, since there are so many overs still left in the innings? So when he attempted to go big while jumping out of his crease again, I bowled the short delivery, which he edged.You made your T20I debut in Pune under interesting circumstances. Morne Morkel, India’s bowling coach, said you were eating your dinner, mid-innings, when you were told.
() After the first innings, we reserve bowlers did some bowling against a single stump, and we went upstairs to have our dinner. As I came down after dinner, Gautam told me, “Be ready, you can [might] go in.” Initially, I couldn’t understand how that was possible. Then I was told [Shivam] Dube had been hit in the head and he was feeling dizzy and I would be the concussion substitute. So I walked in without doing any warm-up. I was standing at third and immediately I had a catch off [Ravi] Bishnoi’s bowling come towards me. I took it cleanly, thankfully. But what I remember is that it was that day I logged my fastest ball in T20 – 151 kph. I had walked in without any warm-up, but I loosened up as it started sinking in that I was making my T20I debut.Rana’s substitution for Dube in the Pune T20I was not without controversy, with England saying it was not a like-for-like replacement•Associated PressYou turned in a match-winning performance of 3 for 33. Did you joke with Dube on the like-for-like substitution?
pace like-for-like batting [Since I am a like-for-like sub for you, I will need to improve my batting.]You have been picked for the Asia Cup where you could end up playing at No. 8. What gives you the confidence that you can deliver if you get the opportunity?
I love to bat. I don’t feel like I can’t bat. In domestic cricket for Delhi, I have felt that we have won due to my batting and that gave me that inner confidence that, yes, I can bat.Did Rohit give you any suggestions on how you can improve as a batter?
During one of the training sessions for the 2025 Champions Trophy, I had just walked out after hitting in the nets. While I was removing my gear, he walked to me and said: “” [We all know you can hit sixes, but you first play safely to begin with.] He impressed upon me the important role the lower-order batters play and that the runs I make will eventually be helpful for the team.In terms of your fitness, do you feel anything needs to change?
There are many things I need to continue to work on. To play cricket for long, very long, for years, I need to work more on my strength.There is this interesting incident with Starc during the 2024 IPL when you were KKR team-mates. Tell us about that.
We were in Mumbai. We both started running around the ground. But he is very tall and he would stride ahead. After one of the runs, I said, “Starcy, I’ll beat you in the next one.” I knew I would not be able to and he would win easily. He said, “Don’t beat me, you just run with me.” He was telling me to run at his pace and run the distance he ran. At the end of it, I was lying flat on the turf. Then I heard Starcy say, “Eh, come on, one more.”What did you learn from him in terms of bowling?
Mindset and calmness. He is at the next level. If you remember, Starcy did not have a good start to the 2024 IPL, but I never saw that guy worried about anything. He was always smiling, though he might have gone for 80 runs in four overs. He did not get many wickets for the first four or five matches and people were talking, but he was still smiling. I liked that thing so very much, because if he is the world’s No. 1 bowler and if he is going through a rough time and he is still like this, then I thought, we younger lot, who have just started, what do we have to be tense about? The things we want, we are getting, so let’s enjoy our time playing the game.Starc and Rana’s KKR camaraderie spilled into a bit of sledging during the 2024 Border-Gavaskar trophy•AFP/Getty ImagesYou have been lucky to work with another bowling legend, Dwayne Bravo, who joined KKR as mentor last IPL. Has he helped you make any tweaks to your game?
Bravo told me, “Do whatever you feel like, I’m not going to teach you the mechanics, I’m going to focus on the mindset.” He always says that even if you are bowling your first over and if you feel like everybody is getting hit or if the wicket is really good, then straightaway you can go for a death-overs field. Since I bowl in the powerplay, I applied that plan a few times, like straightaway bowling a slower ball wide outside off stump, or a wide yorker or a yorker.Your body language is always positive whenever you play. After KKR’s victory in the 2024 IPL opening match, your senior team-mate Andre Russell said how your body language “was on point” in the last over. He said, “With the first ball gone for six, still there was some doubt there, but he came back strong and he got the job done.” Do you agree it is a strength?
When you are on the cricket field, the way you portray yourself can define you. Say, my day is not going well and I am getting hit, then if I am thinking about that with my head down in the field, I will not enjoy that. I play cricket for my feel and my enjoyment. I like being on the cricket ground and if even there I am not happy and have a weak body language and allow doubts to creep in, then I will not enjoy playing cricket. So if my bowling is not going well, I tell myself I will do well in fielding, or dive, or whatever to make an impact.Does your feisty attitude help you with the mindset?
Yes, it does. Others might doubt you, but if you doubt yourself then I don’t think you can do much. So I tell myself not to doubt myself.Having played for India across the three formats, what is the immediate next step in your plans as you evolve?
I need to work more on my batting to become a three-format player. Because if I can make more runs it will be beneficial for both me and my team.What is the best thing someone told you recently?
Last year after I got picked for the Zimbabwe series immediately after the IPL, I told my father about the selection. He said, “You have fulfilled my 35-year-old dream. Thank you so much.” Those words were bigger than anything else for me. We both cried.

England batter believes striving to be the very best will help her keep improving

Valkerie Baynes11-Jul-2025Alice Capsey’s development as an international cricketer mirrors the evolution of her England team as a work in progress.Capsey burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old with a Player-of-the-Match-winning 59 for Oval Invincibles in just her second appearance in the Women’s Hundred. Another half-century in just her third T20I innings before her 18th birthday fuelled the excitement around her talent.Almost three years on, much has changed for Capsey and England, particularly over the past 12 months.Related

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“For me it’s been a year of a lot of learning,” Capsey said. “Last year, I’ll be the first one to say it, I didn’t perform how I would have liked. Getting dropped from that T20 squad in South Africa was the best thing for me. To reflect, to take that step back and go, ‘okay, well, I know I want to be in that T20 team, what do I need to do to get there?'”Capsey became a casualty of England’s failed T20 World Cup campaign when she was dropped for the tour of South Africa in December. Having held her place in the ODI squad for that trip, she was ultimately called up as injury cover for the T20s but didn’t play a game.After England’s dire showing at the Women’s Ashes in January – where Capsey played one T20I, scoring 6 and taking 1 for 25 with her offbreaks, and three ODIs yielding 18 runs and three wickets – she returned to Australia as part of the England A tour. There, she was England A’s second-highest run-scorer across formats with 207 runs at 41.41, including a hundred and a half-century in the four-day match.”A lot of work went on during the winter and, along with a lot of communication with the ECB, decided to play in that A-series and that was probably one of the best things for me, to still be playing highly competitive games but it also not be in the complete spotlight of an international game of cricket,” Capsey said.

“It is difficult at some points. Every time you go onto the cricket pitch, for the last three or four years, there’s always been eyes on. But at the same time, that’s an amazing place to be”Alice Capsey

“Over the past three or four years, other than domestic games where you’re still that international, you need to stand up, I probably haven’t played in any games where I can just go out and bat and work on a few different things.”Capsey played just one match for Delhi Capitals during this year’s WPL but said training with the franchise in Indian conditions “was a really great experience” and she saw the benefits of facing bowlers in the nets for hours on end there when she returned for the start of the domestic season.By that time, Charlotte Edwards had replaced Jon Lewis as England Women’s head coach and mandated that all centrally contracted players be available for the first seven rounds of the one-day cup. Capsey scored 317 runs across seven innings at 45.28 with a highest score of 125 and two fifties.During Edwards’ first international series in charge, England swept both white-ball legs of West Indies’ visit but they have been comprehensively outplayed by India in three of their four T20Is so far with one to play before a three-match ODI series.Capsey was only required to bat once in the T20s against West Indies (she scored 4). She scored 60 runs and took four wickets across the three ODIs, where the first two matches were dominated by England’s openers, Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones.Against India, she is averaging 7.50 from four innings with a highest sore of 18 batting at No. 3 having played at No. 6 in the first two games.”Deep down I know how much I’ve still got to learn, I’m nowhere near where I want to be,” Capsey said. “I want to be the best batter in the world, no doubt about it. Every player who plays international cricket will want to strive to be the best.Alice Capsey scored 317 runs from seven innings in the One-day Cup•Getty Images for Surrey CCC”If you don’t have a goal to strive for, it makes putting in the work a little bit harder. Whether it’s realistic or unrealistic, at this point it probably doesn’t really matter because if you’re striving to get better, more often than not, you’re going to get better.”With the 50-over World Cup in India just two-and-a-half months away, England have plenty of work to do. The fielding woes which let them down when West Indies knocked them out in the group stage of the T20 World Cup appeared to be improving earlier in the summer but have let them down again against India.They have one match to put that right, on Saturday at Edgbaston with India having already clinched the series, before starting afresh in the ODIs, where captain Nat Sciver-Brunt is expected to return from injury.”Our fielding has been a big talking point and we haven’t been good enough over the last 12 months and we haven’t been good enough again this series,” Capsey said. “But we are working so hard on it and no one means to drop a catch, no one means to miss a run out.”There’s no hiding away from the fact that it’s been a really tough 12 months for us and our fielding hasn’t been up to standard. We all know that. Stats don’t lie. We’ve dropped a lot of catches in really pivotal points in important games.”England are still learning how to perform on the biggest stages, but Capsey has no qualms about having grown up in the spotlight.”That’s just what I’ve known,” she said. “It’s not like I can compare. It is difficult at some points. Every time you go onto the cricket pitch, for the last three or four years, there’s always been eyes on. But at the same time, that’s an amazing place to be.””For me, it is about, being a young player, how do I manage myself through that? And how do I continue to improve? How do I continue to manage that noise? That’s half of the battle with not just being an international cricketer, but you speak to any international athlete, I think that is half the battle. It’s something that I’m learning.”If the spotlight isn’t already burning brightly on England, it will amp up in October when they face South Africa in their World Cup opener and, come this time next year at a home T20 World Cup, it will be positively blazing. They’d best get used to the heat now, and play like they don’t know any different.

All the key numbers as a masterclass performance from Root enabled the home side to haul in a 300-plus target

Sampath Bandarupalli02-Jun-20257082 Runs scored by Joe Root in his ODI career. He is the first batter to aggregate 7000-plus runs for England in the format. Root became their leading run-scorer on Sunday, surpassing Eoin Morgan’s tally of 6957 runs.166* Root’s score in the chase on Sunday is his highest in the format. It is the second-highest score for England in an ODI chase, behind Jason Roy’s 180 against Australia in 2018.Root’s 166* is overall the fifth-highest individual score for England in men’s ODIs and their highest against West Indies.ESPNcricinfo Ltd6 Number of hundreds by Root in the 300-plus target chases in ODIs, the second-most by any batter, behind Virat Kohli’s nine. Four of those six tons by Root came in successful chases.9 Total hundreds for Root in ODIs in England, the most by any batter, going past Marcus Trescothick, who had eight.5 Centuries for Root in ODIs against West Indies, the joint second-most by any batter, behind Kohli’s nine hundreds. Root also went past 1000 runs against West Indies in ODIs on Sunday, the first batter with the milestone for England.15 Number of successful 300-plus chases for England in ODIs, the second-most by any team, going ahead of Australia (14) and only behind India (19).143 Partnership between Root and Will Jacks, the second-highest for the sixth wicket for England in ODIs, behind the 150 by Michael Vaughan and Geraint Jones against Zimbabwe in 2004.176 Runs that England needed in the second ODI after the fall of their fifth wicket. These are the most target runs that England have successfully chased in a men’s ODI after losing their fifth wicket. The previous highest was 167 runs against Pakistan in Birmingham in 2021, where they chased down 332 from 165 for 5.3 Hundreds for Keacy Carty in his last four ODI innings. Only Desmond Haynes (in 1984), Phil Simmons (in 1992) and Chris Gayle (in 2002 and 2008) had scored three centuries in the space of four ODI innings for West Indies before him.269 Total runs scored by Carty and Root while batting at No. 3 in Cardiff, the fourth-highest aggregate by the No. 3s in a men’s ODI. The highest is 339 by Ricky Ponting (164) and Herschelle Gibbs (175) at Johannesburg in 2006.

Shivam Mavi lost his pace, his swing and his fitness, but has found a way back and is determined to make it count this time

Shashank Kishore and Daya Sagar29-Aug-2025March 2025. After an intense bowling session in the nets on an oppressive afternoon, Shivam Mavi waited on the sidelines as Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) debated an injury replacement for Mohsin Khan.For a brief while, Mavi’s hopes had gone up. Unsold at the IPL 2025 auction, a back-door entry into the big league loomed. But Shardul Thakur beat him to it. Mavi was broken. Yet, deep down he knew the only way back was to rebuild himself, piece by piece, into the bowler teams could trust again.”Obviously IPL franchises may have taken note of my back-to-back injuries,” Mavi tells ESPNcricinfo on the sidelines of the Uttar Pradesh T20 League, where he’s representing Kashi Rudras. “Maybe they thought this guy is way too injury-prone and may be a risky auction pick.Related

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“But, during the season, LSG called me [for trials] only because they saw I was fully fit and performing. My focus was simple: do what I could control and if I got the chance, play as much as possible and perform.”Things were a lot more promising just two years earlier, when Mavi was among Indian cricket’s bright and upcoming fast-bowling prospects. He had broken through into the T20I setup, combining high pace and late swing. The ability to hit sixes down the order was a bonus. But six T20Is and seven wickets later, his top-flight career hit a roadblock.Mavi noticed his pace drop. He couldn’t generate the old zip off the pitch. And without swing, he lost another key ally of his trade. He watched IPL 2023 come and go on the Gujarat Titans’ bench, despite being a costly INR 6 crore pick.Although disappointed, Mavi looked to the upcoming domestic season as a chance to prove himself all over again. But just as he began preparing, there was another blow: a side strain followed by a rib stress fracture ended his 2023-24 campaign before it had even begun. The final sting came when the BCCI dropped him from its targeted pool of players.Mavi was down, emotionally and otherwise, but not all was lost. LSG picked him at the auction for INR 6.4 crore despite the setbacks. If fit, there was hope he would be in the mix to challenge for a spot in the XI, considering they had traded Avesh Khan to Rajasthan Royals. But to Mavi’s misfortune, he pulled up with an injury during a fitness test prior to the start of the season.

“Since last year, I’ve been able to play without discomfort. That’s been the biggest win. Bowling-wise, I’ve put in a lot of work on my action and because of that, my rhythm feels better, the pace hasn’t dropped”Shivam Mavi

Determined to break the cycle, Mavi turned to former India team physio Ashish Kaushik. He checked in to Kaushik’s private facility in Bengaluru, dissecting his biomechanics and rebuilding from scratch. It took a year of working on his action and fine-tuning to be fully fit and ready.”Every time I increased my workload, the stress reaction on my side became evident,” Mavi says. “It wasn’t random. It was because of my action. I used to fall away on the left side while delivering. As the spell went on, it became worse. That’s what caused the strain.”Ashish sir helped me understand that the flexion on my side was the reason. Now my body weight doesn’t go sideways, even at the end of a long spell. Until that point, no one had looked at my action to this extent before.”The results have been encouraging: for the first time in years, Mavi says he is pain-free.”I can bowl long spells without discomfort. I can push my body again. I’ve understood fitness is something you need to constantly work on,” he says. “Since last year, I’ve been able to play without discomfort. That’s been the biggest win. Bowling-wise, I’ve put in a lot of work on my action and because of that, my rhythm feels better, the pace hasn’t dropped.”Once part of India’s future in fast bowling, Shivam Mavi (as well as Umran Malik) have fallen behind in the race•BCCINot just the physical pain, the lengthy rehab also tested him in other ways. Alone in Bengaluru, away from family, doing the same set of drills every day, monotony hit him hard. “It was irritating,” he says with a chuckle. “It was mentally challenging. But I kept telling myself ‘when my chance comes, I shouldn’t let it slip’. That thought kept me going.”The Mavi of today is different from the one that broke down often in the past. His speeds are back close to 145kph, his action looks smoother, and his rhythm has returned. In the UP T20 League, he’s been in stride, not just as a new-ball bowler, but as an allrounder.His first six games have brought him ten wickets and a 21-ball 54 in which he hit six sixes. “Earlier, I used to think I’m just a bowler. Now, I work equally on my batting,” he says. “In T20s, when you come in at the death, you don’t have time. You have to hit from ball one. I’ve been preparing for that role.”After having played the entire 2024-25 season without breaking down, Mavi couldn’t have asked for a better lead-in to the upcoming domestic season. For now, he’s focused on continuing to push the bar at the UP T20, but doesn’t hesitate when asked about the bigger picture.”An India comeback,” he says. “Whichever match I play, I want to focus solely on that and do well. If I keep doing that, the India comeback will take care of itself.”

Brendan Doggett put his case forward to be a reserve quick, but has any specialist opener done enough to be in the Test squad?

Andrew McGlashan01-Nov-20253:26

McGlashan: ‘Marnus has done everything asked of him’

Western Australia vs South Australia

At the WACA, there was almost as much interest in what Cameron Green didn’t do – at least in the match itself – than what he did. The full return to bowling was put on ice for another week as he was restricted to working through his loads around the game, including a bowl in the middle after the game was completed.Related

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Aside from that, Green spent useful time in the middle on the final day after his first-innings duck – a drive that he absolutely nailed, but straight to the fielder – and appeared disgruntled when given caught behind. Green has often said how he is better the more he bats in a certain format, so it will be worth watching how he starts the Ashes after somewhat disjointed preparation, although there is still a chance for a long innings in round four of the Shield.A significant performance in this game came from Brendan Doggett in his first Shield outing of the season after recovering from a hamstring injury. His 6 for 48 in the first innings could well have locked him into the squad as one of the reserve quicks. He travelled for the World Test Championship final earlier this year and was due to tour the West Indies before injury.”It’s just nice to see him come out and bowl like he did – he bowed quick [and] his body pulled up all right, which is good,” South Australia coach Ryan Harris said. “But timely to get six wickets, especially with that announcement coming up in the next few days. He’s got a bit of pace and it’s going to be a bit of a pace-off in this Ashes – England are bringing some serious pace. So he’ll fit in nicely… and if he gets the opportunity, he’ll be definitely ready for it.”Cameron Bancroft fitted into the issued-a-reminder category with a century in the first innings, but his chance of further Test cricket appears to have gone. That may not be the case for Nathan McSweeney, however, even if his next opportunity has to wait a little while. The South Australia captain put together an excellent century on the third day, and chipped in with handy wickets.Beau Webster got through a good workload with the ball on his return•Getty Images

Victoria vs Tasmania

Beau Webster has been assured of his place in the Test squad by chair of selectors George Bailey (the XI may be another matter) and the most important aspect of his outing against Victoria was the 23 overs he sent down after an ankle injury. However, he would have liked more time in the middle as he made just 11 and 6 in Tasmania’s defeat. But Webster will likely play the opening Test if there are any doubts over the volume of overs Green can send down.Jake Weatherald will be one of those hanging by the phone this week. He missed the opportunity to add further weight to his case for a maiden call-up although his two dismissals were against excellent deliveries. He may bemoan the life of an opener, having to twice come out with short periods to face before the close.Three half-centuries prior to this game, including his decisive 94 against Western Australia, arguably still makes him the most compelling option among the specialist openers, although Campbell Kellaway’s 147 further enhanced his reputation. It’s unlikely he’ll be in the frame yet, but the selectors went for Sam Konstas last season, so the precedent is set for picking a youngster.Fergus O’Neill probably won’t come into contention this home season, but he can’t do much more to push his claims than with four second-innings wickets to secure victory.Steven Smith looked in fine touch•Getty Images

Queensland vs New South Wales

Despite the selection race being tight, it’s unlikely a single innings will make a difference. However, Matt Renshaw missed a chance to build on a start against NSW to back up a strong week with the Australia ODI squad against India. Still, his versatility as a batter could work in his favour especially if the selectors want a player to cover a variety of positions in the squad. Renshaw’s dismissal came after Konstas had shouldered arms against Hayden Kerr to continue his tricky season.Usman Khawaja, who endorsed Renshaw for the opening role, put together an encouraging 87 to tune up for the first Test where the spotlight will be on him as the senior opener. If he starts poorly against England, there is a world where his position comes under scrutiny midway through the series.Marnus Labuschagne is certain of a recall, although where he bats may well not be answered until closer to the first Test. However, the manner of his dismissal at the Gabba may have caught the attention of England’s analysts. He flicked Liam Hatcher firmly off his hip to a well-placed deep leg gully. It was a well-timed shot, and he may be viewed as a little unfortunate, but it’s a manner in which he has fallen before.Steven Smith, who will captain Australia in Perth and perhaps beyond depending on Pat Cummins’ fitness, declared he was already ready for the Ashes before playing a game after arriving back from New York. After taking 20 balls to open his account, he looked in terrific order during a classy century, albeit against a much-weakened Queensland attack.Something that is worth keeping an eye on is the form of Nathan Lyon. He took 2 for 120 in this match, his wickets coming late in Queensland’s innings, leaving him with six at 45.66 so far this season, although conditions have favoured the quicks.

The technical flaws of their top order were in evidence in Perth. It’s not too late for them to do something about them

Greg Chappell24-Nov-2025The England dressing room on the final day of last week’s Perth Test must have resembled a building struck by a sudden, shattering explosion. One moment there was light, order, and a firm structure; the next, a deafening, visceral shock wave.It was more than a defeat; it was a systemic failure that felt like the lights had been plucked out. The silence that follows such a blast is rarely peaceful. It is instantly replaced by the sounds of the resulting chaos: the alarms begin to blare, smoke and dust swirl in a disorienting, suffocating cloud, and the structure groans under considerable damage.As the initial shock recedes, the occupants – Ben Stokes, Brendon McCullum, and the rest of the squad – begin to grasp the new reality. They are hurt, disoriented, and the damage is real. But before they can even assess the situation fully, the cacophony begins. From the outside, the public, the pundits, and the media – the bystanders – start shouting. A wall of competing, frantic advice on which direction to run: Tear it all up! Sack the lot! Go back to old methods!Related

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But the leaders inside know that external noise is based on limited information and frustration. They look out of the windows and see the true dimensions of the crisis: on one side, a metaphorical wall of water threatens to drown the established culture; on the other, a fire of fundamental change risks burning down the positive gains of the last three years. And the structure, while damaged, is not a complete write-off.Panic is not the answer. Cold, calm discussion must take place, grounded in the unvarnished truth of the situation. McCullum and Stokes hold the leadership keys because they alone know the full extent of the structural damage, the vulnerabilities, and crucially, which areas of the edifice remain sound. They know that listening to the shouting outside will only lead them down a blind alley, or worse, cause them to add insult to injury by making the wrong decision.Their knowledge, the one unshakeable fact, is that, provided they do not succumb to panic, a perfectly safe escape from the situation still exists. It requires a balanced response, built not on fear but on a clear-eyed assessment of the facts.The biggest mistake England could make now is to discard the foundational game plan that has been built over the past three years. The key is to assess where the approach, sound in principle, went awry in execution against a ruthless Australian unit.For all the talk of a humbling loss, the truth is that England had many positives from the match and were, arguably, in a winning position more than once. Australia won because they were superior in three critical areas and had a more robust plan for the specific conditions in Perth: they had the best bowler in Mitchell Starc, the best batter in Travis Head, and the more tactically acute captain in Steven Smith.The most critical tactical error was the length they bowled in both innings. It is a mistake many touring teams have fallen for at the WACA and now at the new Optus Stadium. England’s bowlers, perhaps seduced by the bounce, bowled too short too often.

England’s top-order batters effectively move from one static stance to a new static position, with the front foot often finishing in front of middle stump. From this position, foot movement is severely restricted

Starc’s success was a masterclass in challenging the English batters’ tendency to drive on the up – a high-risk option in these conditions. By pitching the ball up, he forced them to commit to the drive or play a half-shot of the sort Zak Crawley played in the second innings, making them vulnerable to both the edge and any attempted drive.It is worth noting that Jofra Archer bowled the most consistent and challenging fuller length of the English attack in the first innings, troubling every Australian batter. Stokes’ own excellent figures, which came off a mixture of short and full deliveries, may have inadvertently clouded the collective judgement.This confusion proved fatal when Head strode out in the second innings. His intent to attack was obvious, yet England fell for the oldest trap in the book, dropping short and wide. By taking the full ball and the accompanying threats of bowled and lbw out of the equation, England effectively aided and abetted his brutal cause. What they desperately needed to do was pitch it up and force him to play the more difficult straighter shots down the ground.The task does not get easier. Brisbane, the venue for the next Test, will be different from Perth but equally difficult. The pink ball will swing and seam, and once again, the full ball will be the challenge.England must prepare for the home attack – Starc, Scott Boland and Brendan Doggett – to pitch it up relentlessly. The English bowlers must reciprocate. This is no time for tentative half-measures; the mantra for the bowling unit must be: if in doubt, pitch it up.A more worrying structural weakness lies in England’s top-order batting unit, which seems to have adopted a singular, uniform initial movement that will not serve them well against the swinging pink ball.Too many of the top-order batters make a definite, two-part movement: a substantial step back and across with the back foot, followed by the planting of the front foot. They move effectively from one static stance to a new static position, with the front foot often finishing in front of middle stump. From this position, foot movement is severely restricted. They become rooted, relying solely on their hands and arms to search for the ball. This is fraught with danger, particularly against a full, straight delivery, where they are forced to play around the front leg to access the ball.The response must start with technical adjustments from the key batters.Harry Brook seems to have introduced unnecessary complexity to his methods•Getty ImagesHarry Brook is a case study in unneeded complexity. His earlier, highly successful, method was simple, involving minimal movement, allowing him to use the bowlers’ angle against them. His current movement pattern has stripped him of scoring options, forcing him into riskier shots. He needs to go back to the tape, re-evaluate, and simplify.Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope both showed periods of resilience in Perth, offering a foundation upon which to build. They proved that the aggressive method can work, provided the footwork is precise and the shot selection is judicious.Pope has a similar problem to Root and Brook in that his initial movements leave his front leg exposed to full, straight deliveries. The commentators talked about his head falling over to the off regularly but they couldn’t explain why. These early movements cause him to take the leg to the line of the straighter deliveries, meaning that his head has to be to the off side of the ball. He needs to fix the leg issue before the head position will be addressed.Crawley is the batter who will have the most soul-searching to do. His “stand and deliver” driving method, while apparently aesthetically pleasing, will be no more successful in Brisbane than it was in Perth. He will not be able to change a lifetime’s habit in 12 days, so he has to be very disciplined with his selections, only driving at half-volleys and full tosses at the Gabba. Unless he can introduce genuine defence and leave the ball with confidence, his pain will only increase.The itinerary in the lead-up to the Brisbane Test must be strictly managed. The batters intended for the Brisbane XI must play the pink-ball game in Canberra to gain much-needed centre-wicket practice against the moving ball. At the same time, England’s entire bowling unit must dedicate practice time to relentlessly hitting a fuller length and forcing the Australian batters to drive.The analogy remains the ultimate instruction. The alarm bells are deafening. The outside noise is a constant, tempting distraction. But panic will lead to catastrophic decisions. Stokes and McCullum must maintain their equilibrium, trust the intelligence gathered in Perth – the positives, the evidence of clear errors – and formulate a balanced response. Going into their collective shell is not the answer; neither is continuing the helter-skelter approach mindlessly. Discipline and judicious decision-making are required to get back into this contest.The structure is sound enough to escape. But England must not listen to the shouts; they must learn the lessons. Only then can they hope to get back on the course, lest the race be over before the end of the first straight.

One of Vitor Matos’ first transfer targets at Swansea City has now confirmed that he’s received contact from the Jacks ahead of a potential January move.

Vitor Matos instantly pinpoints "clear" Swansea problem

It wasn’t the start that Matos had been dreaming of on Tuesday evening, as Derby County battled to defeat a struggling Swansea, who now sit just two points clear of the Championship’s dropzone.

The former Liverpool coach would have been well aware that it’s not a quick fix in Wales, however, and has already pinpointed one “clear” issue that the Jacks had against Derby.

It’s clear that the young manager learned a thing or two from Jurgen Klopp during his time at Anfield, given his counter-pressing approach, but whether he can instill that approach into his side by this weekend remains to be seen.

Swansea square off against West Bromwich Albion knowing that defeat could leave them in the relegation zone by the end of the weekend.

It’s a squad in desperate need of reinforcements and Matos can’t afford any passengers in his pressing system – making the January window crucial.

It’s then that the new manager could welcome his first signing in Wales after Finland’s Leo Walta revealed contact from Swansea ahead of the winter window.

Leo Walta "ready" for big move after Swansea contact

Following initial reports that Kim Hellberg wanted to bring him to Wales before the manager chose Middlesbrough in controversial fashion, Swansea have kept their interest in Walta alive.

The Sirius midfielder could yet become Matos’ first signing after revealing that he’s already had contact from Swansea. Speaking to reporters, the 22-year-old said: “Yes. Yes, I have heard (from them). That they like me as a player and are interested.

“It’s quite early, we’re still in November. I’m going through different options, and we also have to talk to Sirius about the winter. I’m ready for a good league and to take a place straight away. I am a pretty good player, in my opinion, and I want to take a big step and see how far I can go.”

Instant blow for Matos as "one of Swansea City's key players" could now leave

An immediate concern for the managerial target.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 19, 2025

Still just 22 years old, Walta is undoubtedly one to watch, especially amid Swansea’s interest. The midfielder scored 17 goals and provided three assists in Sweden last season and could quickly become an impressive signing in Wales.

Already a Finland international, Walta is certainly ready to take the next step in his club career. Whether that results in a first signing for Matos remains to be seen, however.

Early blow for Matos: "Top clubs" now moving to sign Swansea's best young star

After another bumper summer in the busy transfer window, Birmingham City might well have expected to take the Championship immediately by storm.

Indeed, the Blues welcomed in a whopping 14 new faces during the off-season, as the likes of Demarai Gray dramatically returned back to St. Andrew’s after a lengthy Premier League career, among other notable signings.

Unfortunately for Chris Davies and Co., Gray hasn’t quite sparked into life just yet during his homecoming, with the ex-Everton winger not alone in being a disappointment so far, as the Blues loiter in an underwhelming 15th spot in the second-tier standings at this moment in time.

Birmingham's disappointing summer recruitment

It’s not just all on the shoulders of the new recruits, however, as many of Birmingham’s dependable performers during their League One title heroics have also floundered under the pressure of now competing in the division above.

Keshi Anderson definitely falls into his category, with the Luton-born attacker still goalless in Championship action this season so far, despite firing home nine strikes in all competitions last campaign for Davies’ emphatic title-winners.

Thankfully, Jay Stansfield has remembered his shooting boots, with six goals already fired home.

But, to further pile on the misery, Marvin Ducksch – who cost around the £1.75m mark to pick up from Werder Bremen in the window – is also routinely firing blanks as another option up top.

Moreover, the aforementioned Gray doesn’t quite look the same electric, fresh-faced presence he once was at St. Andrew’s when he was a youngster trying to cut his teeth, with Birmingham’s 1-0 defeat to Bristol City last time out only seeing him amass a lacklustre 18 touches of the ball.

It must feel like an awfully long time ago now for Davies when he looks back on Birmingham’s jaw-dropping 111-point season in League One, with one new signing under so much scrutiny already, that he could be on borrowed time in the West Midlands only a matter of months into his EFL stint.

Why Birmingham's expensive gamble hasn't paid off

Thankfully, in recent years, whenever a big price tag has been attached to a player since Tom Wagner’s millions were added into the mix, they have often lived up to their hype.

Stansfield was boldly purchased for a whopping £15m, even as Birmingham found themselves marooned in League One, but he immediately backed up his lavish price tag when scoring the crucial goals – 19 league strikes to be exact – to clinch the Blues’ straightforward passage back up to the Championship.

Therefore, when the newly promoted Blues announced they’d acquired the services of former Celtic star Kyogo Furuhashi for an equally hefty £10m in July, the expectation would have been that he would go on to be another superb Stansfield-like purchase.

After all, Kyogo had been branded as a “superstar” in Scotland by ex-Hoops teammate Callum McGregor, off the back of the Japanese gem firing home a stunning 85 goals in total for the Glasgow giants.

Moreover, Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman also boldly stated that he would be a “really exciting” signing in England, after the new number nine showed off some entertaining tricks and flicks during his early days at St. Andrew’s.

Games played

11

Games started

5

Minutes played per game

47

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Big chances missed

7

Kyogo’s tale hasn’t played out to the expected script, though, with the once confident and assured striker who pulled on Celtic green and white week in week out now nowhere to be seen in the Championship.

The 30-year-old, instead, has become a wasteful option up top for Davies, with seven big chances missed across 11 league games to date, meaning he is still chasing his first league goal in the West Midlands.

Even Lyndon Dykes has two league goals next to his name, despite averaging just 25 minutes of action himself.

EFL pundit Adrian Clarke has even gone out of his way to state that Kyogo is “struggling”, with patience surely already running thin at St. Andrew’s surrounding the quiet number nine, considering his excessive transfer fee.

There is still time on Kyogo’s side to turn around his shocking Blues start, but if the goals don’t come soon, he might just have to be written off as an expensive flop.

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