81 All Out - A Cricket Podcast

The crew chats about the idea of selecting a cricket team, and debates how one can have a meaningful conversation about an inherently unfair process. Should selectors be more transparent about the reasoning behind their choices? Is there a process by which we can judge a good selection? And how can anyone justify the selection of the Indian team when anything less than a victory in a global tournament (or marquee Test series) is deemed a failure?  Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Talking Points: How does one have a meaningful debate about selection?  Does the selection (or non-selection) of one player have a big impact on results?  Will it help us understand the process better if selectors explain the rationale for their choices? What was the cricketing logic behind Vijay Shankar's selection for the 2019 World Cup?  What are selectors looking for when they earmark a player as an India prospect? Is there anything that can be termed an 'outrageous selection' ? Does Sarfaraz Khan know why he is not being picked for India? Does it matter? Are selection debates essentially about 'who are the 11 players I like the most'? Pre 2011, should Yuvraj and Raina played more Tests than Badrinath and Rohit? The difference between Karn Sharma over Ashwin, Shardul over Ashwin, and Jadeja over Ashwin Is Shardul Thakur an extraordinary Test selection - or merely a lucky one? Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) | Substack | ESPNcricinfo page Ashoka (@ABVan) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: Why selection in India is not illogical or capricious, contrary to popular opinion - Kartikeya Date - ESPNcricinfo What more can Sarfaraz Khan do to get selected for India? - Sidharth Monga - ESPNcricinfo R Ashwin opens up on WTC drop and on being ‘traumatised’ in the past - Venkata Krishna B - Indian Express  ‘Batting is now less artistic, more power-based’ – 81allout podcast with Amol Muzumdar Watching, studying, writing, talent-spotting: a life in cricket - 81allout podcast with Makarand Waingankar

We review the recently concluded five-Test series between England and Australia that ended 2-2 - with Australia retaining the Ashes. It was a series defined by England's 'Bazball' approach to batting - though that undersells how well Australia's batters resisted English bowling and how well Australia bowled in largely batting-friendly conditions. https://ko-fi.com/81allout Talking Points: A neutral view of the Ashes - and how it is hard to pick a team to support The limits of Bazball - and why England's recent success stems from their bowling depth  Australia's bowlers adjusting to the flat pitches and England's risk-taking Why did England not want to prepare seamer-friendly pitches at home and capitalise on their big strength? Stokes v Starc on the final morning at Lord's The cult of Bazball - and how it fits in well with the English cricket establishment's exceptionalism Mark Wood's pace and Nathan Lyon's absence The effect of Bazball on England's bowling attack Stuart Broad's cinematic goodbye  England's chances in the five-Test series in India next year Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) | Substack | ESPNcricinfo page Ashoka (@ABVan) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: Why did Bazball fail to regain the Ashes - Kartikeya Date - Cricketingview Substack Stokes and McCullum want to save Test cricket but we must look beyond Big Three - Jonathan Liew - Guardian England 'wanted to pick Wood' but settle for Tongue in all-seam attack - Matt Roller - ESPNcricinfo  Bazball: a cult of bruised masculinity where you win even if you lose - Barney Ronay - Guardian Mark Wood and the primal theatre of pure pace - Ben Gardner - Wisden

We review the second Test between West Indies and India at Port-of-Spain, which was rained off when India needed 8 wickets to wrap up the win. It meant India won their sixth series in West Indies and continued their dominance when touring the Caribbean.  Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Talking Points: The problem with gauging the quality of a Test based on crowds and pitches Does Test cricket have to conform to a template? Mohammad Siraj's terrific spells West Indies' curious decision to field first on a benign pitch Virat Kohli's near-flawless hundred Ashwin and Jadeja tightening the screws on Day 3 Mukesh Kumar's debut - and India's transition over the next few years West Indies' improved batting performance  The challenge for India's bowlers in tougher conditions Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) | Substack | ESPNcricinfo page Ashoka (@ABVan) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: Mohammad Siraj takes 5 for 60 - Windies Cricket - YouTube Fazeer Mohammed reviews the second Test - SportsMax TV - YouTube Let West Indian cricketers play in first-class cricket in India - Deep Dasgupta - ESPNcricinfo When India collapsed for 81 all out - Windies Cricket - YouTube How West Indies became a fast bowling paradise again - Sidharth Monga - ESPNcricinfo

We review the first Test between West Indies and India at Dominica - which saw a dominant Indian side complete a big win. The conditions were perfectly suited to India's spinners – and gave Ashwin the chance to show his range.  Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Talking Points: A 'perfect storm' for West Indies on a pitch favouring spinners The media obsession with the 'death of Test cricket'  Ashwin's 12-wicket haul on his return to the side Ashwin and Jadeja's deadliness: control + variations + drift + turn Cornwall's economical action with few moving parts The challenge when facing Ashwin when he is bowling round the wicket The power of Jadeja's action - repeatability  Jaiswal's debut hundred - and why the India A system is so valuable Alick Athanaze's assurance against spin India's transition - and the case for Ishant and Saha Multi-format players and the future of Tests Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) | Substack | ESPNcricinfo page Ashoka (@ABVan) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: Ashwin remains India's constant in the face of constant change - Karthik Krishnaswamy - ESPNcricinfo Ashwin's first innings spell - West Indies Cricket Board - YouTube Caribbean Cricket Podcast review of the Test - YouTube Bumrah and Co. lead the rout - 81allout review of India's Test series v West Indies in 2019

Where is cricket best enjoyed? Live at the stadium or on a screen many miles away? What do these experiences teach us and what really are we watching when we take in a game? The 81allout crew discuss.  Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Talking Points: The challenges (and privilege required) to access a cricket ground The ordeal of watching a game in an Indian stadium The improved quality of television coverage that takes you close to the action The complications of a televised game that is carefully directed and packaged The distractions during a broadcast: advertisements, crowd shots, sponsor logos Experiencing the conditions at the ground and understanding flight and length The appreciation to be gained from watching the entire field of play The democratic nature of TV - and how it introduces the game to new fans The influence of commentary on one's interpretation of the game Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) Ashoka (@ABVan) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: ‘A TV producer needs to catch the pulse of where the game is going’ – Ajesh Ramachandran - 81allout podcast ‘In some ways, a TV director plays God’ – Hemant Buch - 81allout podcast What about the fans? BCCI could have avoided the Dharamsala mess - Karthik Krishnaswamy - ESPNcricinfo Why do spectators get a raw deal - Gideon Haigh - ESPNcricinfo Fly Lara Fly - Rahul Bhattacharya - The Cricket Monthly A handy rule to have in sports - Osman Samiuddin - The National

We speak to British playwright Maatin about his play Duck, which looks at the cricketing events of 2005 through the prism of a 15-year-old boy in a public school in London. You can buy tickets to the play here. What the play is about: It’s the summer of 2005, and Ismail – ‘Smiley’ to his friends – is about to become the youngest-ever player in his elite public school’s First XI cricket team. He sets his sights on immortality – breaking the school batting record and getting his name into Wisden. But at the start of the season, new coach Mr. Eagles takes a particular dislike to him, threatening to derail Ismail’s historic moment. Worse still, no one seems to get what he’s going through. Set during England’s famous Ashes victory and the events of 7/7, Ismail discovers that cricket might not be able to take care of everything as it once did. Talking Points: The impetus to write the play and how closely it resembles Maatin's childhood The challenges of being an outsider in the British public school system The memories of the 2005 Ashes when seen along with the 7/7 bombings Azim Rafiq's testimony and what it meant for minorities in English cricket The burden of needing to be a 'good immigrant' in England The obviously visible Muslims who have been integral to England's recent rise Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid: what wearing their faith on their sleeves has meant The backlash Moeen got when he wore an armband in support of Palestine The infamous 'Tebbit Test' that questioned people's loyalty to their country The complexities around fandom - and how it is hard to explain one's support How easy it is to fall in love with the game - and also fall out of love with it Participants: Maatin (@maatin) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: Watch Duck - details here. Anyone But England - Mike Marqusee  - Amazon ‘Cricket in England is held back by its own mythology’ – interview with author Duncan Stone - 81allout podcast on 'A Different Class'  British Muslim experiences in English first-class cricket - Daniel Burdsey - International Review for the Sociology of Sport Moeen - Moeen Ali autobiography - Amazon It Isn’t an Easy Time to Be a British Muslim. Cricket Helps - Moeen Ali profile - New York Times Stokistan - Scott Oliver on how Pakistani players have lit up the north Straffordshire leagues - The Cricket Monthly The rainbow beauty of Hashim Amla - Niren Tolsi - The Cricket Monthly

We review the World Test Championship final between Australia and India at The Oval - which ended with a 209-run win and the Test mace for Australia. It was India's second consecutive loss in the WTC final - and offered hints that a terrific side is likely past its peak.  Talking Points: Australia's greater depth in bowling Yet another missed opportunity for this Indian side to win a world title The height advantage - how the 'release points' could have made a difference The magnificent Mr Smith Did India misread the conditions on Day 1? Gill and Pujara leaving balls that hit the stumps Ashwin v Jadeja; Ashwin v Shardul; Ashwin v Umesh - the selection riddle Lyon's craft to get Jadeja and Rohit out Rahane's joyous return to Tests What next for this Indian bowling attack? The Rahul Dravid question Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Prashant DP (@prashantdptweet) | Prashant's cricket posts on Medium Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) | Kartikeya's Substack Ashoka (@ABVan) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: The story of the WTC final - Kartikeya Date - Cricketingview Boland and Cummins unleash on India - Osman Samiuddin - ESPNcricinfo Beware, England: Steve Smith looks like a batting immortal again - Geoff Lemon - Guardian Ajinkya Rahane, India's quiet hero - Nagraj Gollapudi - ESPNcricinfo Ashwin's preparation list for the WTC final - Venkata Krishna - Indian Express

We chat with ESPNcricinfo assistant editor Karthik Krishnaswamy and freelance writer Saurabh Somani on making sense of cricket in these times of excess. With leagues mushrooming around the world, and multiple formats to track, can journalists be expected to have a holistic view of the game? Talking Points: The evolution of cricket - and pressures on journalists - over the last decade The near-impossible task of watching cricket across formats and geographies The difficulty of 'connecting the dots' from age-group to international cricket The need to change one's writing to suit the rhythm of the format Making peace with not watching most of the cricket that is being televised The lack of bandwidth to take in the big picture The future of one-dayers and how its extinction could have far-reaching effects A future where journalists will need to pick formats to cover Balancing the demands of the market with the demands of journalism The future of cricket coverage with advances in video and Artificial Intelligence Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Participants: Karthik Krishnaswamy (@the_kk) Saurabh Somani (@saurabh_42) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: Karthik Krishnaswamy's articles on ESPNcricinfo 'Hard for journalists today to probe serious issues in cricket' - Pradeep Magazine  - 81allout podcast A Cop in Cricket - Neeraj Kumar - Amazon Will IPL franchise owners swallow international cricket whole? - Osman Samiuddin - ESPNcricinfo Is there too much cricket? - Cameron Pononsby - Wisden Cricket 2.0: Inside the T20 Revolution - Tim Wigmore and Freddie Wilde - Amazon Hitting against the Spin - Nathan Leamon and Ben Jones - Amazon IPL, basketball and the tamasha paradox - Siddhartha Vaidyanathan - sidveeblogs

Some cricketers we love at first sight; some, we take time to appreciate; others, we do not understand the fuss; and still others are quick to get under our skins. Often, we review our views over time - and often surprise ourselves by changing our opinions about cricketers.  Kapil Dev, Ishant Sharma, Ravi Shastri, Ian Chappell, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Mohammad Azharuddin, and Steve Waugh - all formidable cricketers. All of whom we have changed our minds over at various stages. And all of whom we focus on in this episode - to understand the evolution of our fandom. Talking Points: What Kapil Dev chasing Hadlee's record meant for many young fans The staggering image of Kapil being a combination of Bumrah and Pant Ishant Sharma's arrival in Test cricket - and the 'trolling' years that followed Post-2016 Ishant - the most improved Indian cricketer this decade? The Ravi Shastri stereotypes - and how it is easy to be trapped by all of them The legendary forthrightness of Ian Chappell Rahul Dravid's purple patch - and why that record needs to be revisited Mohammad Azharuddin: a glorious rise, an inglorious fall Steve Waugh and the danger of hyping 'mental disintegration'  Sachin Tendulkar - the slow journey from hero to mortal Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Prashant DP (@prashantdptweet) | Prashant's cricket posts on Medium Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Ashoka (@ABVan) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: Talking fandom: love, loyalty, and a sense of belonging - 81allout podcast That special whistle: the phenomenon called CSK - 81allout podcast Conversation with veteran journalist Pradeep Magazine - 81allout podcast Whatever happened to Ravi Shastri 1.0 - Sharda Ugra - ESPNcricinfo History’s witness: The IPL final, as Ravi Shastri saw it - Siddhartha Vaidyanathan - Yahoo Cricket Ishant Sharma interview with Gaurav Kapoor - Breakfast with Champions - YouTube Ian Chappell on captaincy and much more - 81allout podcast The inscrutable craftsman - Rohit Brijnath - ESPNcricinfo Like father, like son - Siddhartha Vaidyanathan - ESPNcricinfo Out of my Comfort Zone - Steve Waugh autobiography - Amazon Captain courageous, like Tendulkar, vs Rihanna - Mukul Kesavan - NDTV

We talk to the veteran journalist and author - Pradeep Magazine. We discuss the major themes of his books - Not Quite Cricket and Not Just Cricket – and talk about the lessons from the match-fixing epidemic in the late 1990s and how the player-journalist relationship has altered over time. Journalists of the 1990s had enough access to the inner circle to get an inkling of the shadiness, says Magazine, but journalists of today are sadly in the dark. ⁠Support 81allout on KoFi⁠ Talking Points: A chance-meeting with a bookie in 1997 that opened up the world of fixing Writing about match-fixing before the big story broke Interviewing Sachin Tendulkar about match-fixing in 1997 Kapil Dev accusing his players of being distracted by money in 1983 Magazine's relationship with Kapil Dev over time - from fan to critique The two sides of Mohammad Azharuddin and how it was hard to separate both The problem for investigative journalists today cut off from the inner circle A new book that casts light on the corruption that could engulf the game The nexus of politics and cricket - and propaganda taking over the game Participants: Pradeep Magazine (@pradeepmagazine) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: Pradeep Magazine's books - Not Quite Cricket and Not Just Cricket Neeraj Kumar's book - A Cop in Cricket A T20 tournament that wasn't - how fixers fabricated the UvaT20 League - Guardian It is far more than a game, this cricket - Conversation between Pradeep Magazine and Rahul Bhattacharya - Kolkata Literary Meet - YouTube With sports becoming so commercialized, sports journalism has become more challenging: Pradeep Magazine - Times of India

We talk to the former Zimbabwe fast bowler - and the first black cricketer to represent his country - Henry Olonga. We focus on the book that Olonga published in 2010 - Blood, Sweat, and Treason - and revisit the highs and lows of his career. We also look back on Olonga's and Andy Flower's iconic black armband protest at the 2003 World Cup, and how it would change his life forever. Talking Points: Growing up in Zimbabwe in the 1980s - and recognizing his cricketing potential A bittersweet Test debut against Pakistan- when he was called for chucking The purple patch - beating India and Pakistan in Test series, and shining in the 1999 World Cup The tumultuous early 2000s - within the team and for the country as a whole The racial tension  in the backdrop of unrest over Zimbabwe's land reforms The push for 'targets' to have more black players and administrators The political build-up to the 2003 World Cup - and the decision to speak out How Olonga's life turned upside down in a matter of a few weeks The divine intervention in the Zimbabwe v Pakistan league match in Bulawayo Escaping to England thanks to some generous benefactors Writing the book - and ruminating on the value of speaking one's mind Participants: Henry Olonga (Twitter: @henryolonga) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: Henry Olonga's book: Blood, Sweat and Treason - Amazon Standing up for their principles - Martin Williamson - ESPNcricinfo Andy Flower & Henry Olonga: the 'death of democracy' remembered - BBC Andy Flower, inspiring cricketer – and protestor - Oborne & Heller podcast Sachin super angry on Henry Olonga - YouTube Blind Audition: Henry Olonga - This Is the Moment - The Voice Australia 2019 Risk - Janet Rand - Orwell Today

We talk to ESPNcricinfo's Bangladesh correspondent Mohammad Isam on his decade-long career covering cricket and his recent anthology On the Tigers Trail. Isam touches on the culture of cricket media in Bangladesh and offers a number of personal nuggets  - bowling to Kevin Pietersen in the nets, talking to Javed Omar about a 'Hate to Love' piece, prompting a Mohammad Ashraful breakdown, following Mashrafe Mortaza on his election trail... and much more.  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) [podcast_subscribe id="1595"] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Talking Points: The culture of cricket coverage in Bangladesh The journey from being a club cricketer to a journalist Hearing of Mustafizur Rahman's potential - and helping his rise Bowling to Kevin Pietersen in the Dhaka nets in 2010 The hopes invested in Mohammad Ashraful, and the eventual disappointment The Dhaka Premier League and its role in the cricketing fabric of Bangladesh The cottage industry of left-arm spinners in Bangladesh The journalist-player relationship and retaining one's journalistic objectivity  The brutal honesty of Mashrafe Mortaza The fateful day in Christchurch in 2019: when the team escaped from terrorists Participants: Mohammad Isam (@isam84) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Related: For those within Bangladesh, order Isam's book here The day I helped KP confront his spin demon - Mohammad Isam - ESPNcricinfo Javed Omar, no, yes, sorry - Mohammad Isam - The Cricket Monthly The original premier league - Mohammad Isam on the Dhaka Premier League - ESPNcricinfo Red Sun Rising - Sidharth Monga and Mohammad Isam - The Cricket Monthly Left-arm revolutionaries - Mohammad Isam - The Cricket Monthly A mountain of hope, a pile of Ash - Mohammad Isam - The Cricket Monthly Mashrafe's tale - Mohammad Isam - ESPNcricinfo On the campaign trail with Mashrafe Mortaza - Mohammad Isam - ESPNcricinfo

We talk to journalist and historian Gideon Haigh about The Summer Game - his classic book recently republished by 81allout Publishing. Gideon talks about the largely forgotten 1950s and '60s, and fascinating stories he heard from many who nourished the game – at a time when the financial rewards were minimal and when the game itself saw some fallow times. India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Talking Points: The idea for The Summer Game - an outgrowing from The Cricket War How post-war period opened up Australian cricket to the rest of the world The tragic end to Ian Meckiff's career - and what he recalled of it many years on Robert Menzies' role in Australian cricket through his primership The discontent of the '50s and '60s setting the stage for World Series Cricket The poignant story of Pat Crawford - who disappeared from the face of cricket The staggering popularity of the West Indies tourists in 1960-61 Richie Benaud's punctilious image management - and his precise writing The ebullient Benaud who ruffled feathers as a player and journalist Neil Harvey's legacy in Australian cricket Australia's tours to South Africa in the 1960s - and their attitude to discrimination Bill Lawry's reaction to the news that he was dropped from the Australian side Participants: Gideon Haigh Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Books Discussed: Gideon Haigh's books - gideonhaigh.com Cricket War - Gideon Haigh - Amazon Bowler non grata - Brydon Coverdale meets Ian Meckiff - The Cricket Monthly The Lucky Country - Donald Horne - Amazon Beyond a Boundary - CLR James - Amazon The Summer of '49 - David Halberstam - Amazon The Fifties - David Halberstam - Amazon The Tale of Two Tests - Richie Benaud - Amazon  

In episode 156 of the 81allout podcast we are joined by former India Test cricketer and Ranji Trophy colossus Abhinav Mukund - who has now turned into an astute analyst on TV. Abhinav is piqued by Kartikeya Date's latest article in ESPNcricinfo (Do India choke in high-profile ODIs) and shares his perspective on how a player approaches (and talks about pressure), and weighs in on the question: is pressure a good parameter to explain the result of a match?  Talking Points: The times when a player feels he is in the 'middle of a volcano' How players talk about the game and their part in it What players mean when they talk about 'pressure' Does pressure affect performance in a sustained manner? Talking about skill v talking about mental faculties Is it fair for strangers to make assumptions about players' mental abilities? The problem with attributing the result to mental strength/weaknesses What happened to South Africa in the 2015 World Cup semi-final? The value of finding a mindspace when 'nothing matters'  Participants: Abhinav Mukund (@mukundabhinav) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) Buy War Minus Shooting - Mike Marqusee | Buy Cricket Beyond the Bazaar - Mike Coward Related: ‘I have found my love for the game in the last couple of years’ – 81allout podcast speaks to Abhinav Mukund on his career and challenges Do India choke in high-profile ODIs? Here's what the numbers say - Kartikeya Date - ESPNcricinfo Why there's no such thing as a finisher in ODI cricket - Kartikeya Date - ESPNcricinfo What pressure does to cricketers - Aakash Chopra - ESPNcricinfo The mother of all myths - The Cricket Monthly - Tom Eaton on the narrative of South Africa choking in World Cups What Is Clutch? A Look at the Most Overused Term in Sports - Rob Goldberg - Bleacher Report Cognitive Biases in Sports: The Irrationality of Coaches, Commentators and Fans - Samuel McNerney - Scientific American

In episode 155 of the 81allout podcast we review the fourth and final Test between India and Australia in Ahmedabad. The two teams played out a high-scoring draw, which ensured India won their fourth consecutive series against Australia and set up a Test between the same two teams in the World Test Championship final in June. Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Talking Points: The value of Axar Patel as a bowler and batter in this series Has any Indian team had as much batting and bowling depth as this one? The pitch laid out for the final Test - flat and slow Australia's batters finishing off on a high note Ashwin's masterful spell in the first innings What Ashwin and Lyon do really really well Virat Kohli's defensive flourishes Will Kuhnemann play another Test? The political event on day 1 - and the questions cricket fans need to ask Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) Ashoka (ABVan) * Buy War Minus the Shooting by Mike Marqusee | Buy Cricket Beyond the Bazaar by Mike Coward * Related: 81allout podcasts from the series: 3rd Test | 2nd Test | 1st Test | Preview | Throwback to 2004 Rahul Dravid interviews Virat Kohli after his century - BCCI.tv Nanbaa, ellaam konja kaalam - R Ashwin review of series - YouTube Artistry and attrition combine in Ashwin spell for the ages - Karthik Krishnaswamy - ESPNcricinfo 81allout podcast with Amol Muzumdar  The Modi Stadium metaverse: half full or just half empty? - Sharda Ugra - Mojo Story Cult over cricket - Mukul Kesavan - Telegraph

In episode 154 of the 81allout podcast we review the third Test between India and Australia in Indore. On a challenging wicket in Indore - which was subsequently classed as 'poor' by the ICC match referee - Australia pulled off a terrific nine-wicket win. Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Talking Points: Did Australia do anything differently in this Test than in the previous two? Jadeja's rare off-Test in recent times India's collapse on the first morning - and all the pitch talk Did the pitch rage enough? Was the match referee justified in rating it 'poor'? The problem with variable bounce (as opposed to lateral movement) Khawaja v Labuschagne: a contrast against spin Nathan Lyon's masterful spell - from around the wicket, cramping the batters Lyon's evolution as a spinner for Indian conditions - and his battle with Pujara Pujara's half-century in the second innings - and the partnership with Shreyas Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) Ashoka (ABVan) * Buy War Minus the Shooting by Mike Marqusee | Buy Cricket Beyond the Bazaar by Mike Coward * Related: Chasing Wickets Instead Of Control - Kartikeya Date - A Cricketing View The last grand battle between Pujara and Lyon - Kathik Krishnaswamy - ESPNcricinfo Nathan Lyon proving to be Australia’s unglamorous linchpin in India - Geoff Lemon - Guardian

In episode 153 of the 81allout podcast we interview the award-winning author and historian - and one of modern India's most renowned biographers - Ramachandra Guha. Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Talking Points: In search of the memories of India's first great cricketer - Palwankar Baloo Does the Bombay school of batting begin with the remarkable P Vithal? How the city of Bombay is a main character in Corner of a Foreign Field The Parsee influence in the history of Indian cricket CK Naydu's epochal 153 against the MCC team in 1926-27 The evolution of the game in post-independence India Race, caste, religion, and nation - the fissures around Indian cricket The India v Pakistan match in Manchester in 1999 - with their soldiers at war Participants: Ramachandra Guha (@ramguha) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) * Buy War Minus the Shooting by Mike Marqusee | Buy Cricket Beyond the Bazaar by Mike Coward Books Discussed: Corner of a Foreign Field - Ramachandra Guha - Amazon; Spin and Other Turns - Ramachandra Guha - Amazon; Cricket, Public Culture, and Making of Post-Colonial Calcutta - Souvik Naha - Cambridge University Press; A Stroke of Genius - Gideon Haigh - Amazon; On Warne - Gideon Haigh - Amazon; Beyond a Boundary - CLR James - Amazon; Cricket Country - Prashant Kidambi - Amazon; Pundits from Pakistan - Rahul Bhattacharya - Amazon; Fire in Babylon - Simon Lister - Amazon; Cricket: the game of life - Scyld Berry - Amazon; Late Cuts - Vic Marks - Amazon

In episode 152 of the podcast we review the second Test between India and Australia in Delhi. The match see-sawed for two days until Australia collapsed on the third morning - and India sealed a six-wicket win. Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Talking Points: Australia's tactic to sweep against spinners on a pitch keeping low Batting in India in the third innings - a most perilous task The Smith sweep to Ashwin, and Labuschagne playing the ball off the pitch Ashwin and Jadeja - and the subtle variation in lengths across innings Could Australia have used their feet and lofted more in the second innings? Ashwin's mesmeric spell on the first morning Nathan Lyon's drift and turn from around the wicket How the Axar-Ashwin partnership tilted the scales Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) Ashoka (ABVan) * Buy War Minus the Shooting by Mike Marqusee | Buy Cricket Beyond the Bazaar by Mike Coward * Related: Jadeja's seven-wicket haul - BCCI.tv video If Jadeja doesn't get you, Ashwin must - 81allout podcast review of the 1st Test R Ashwin and the story of a most magical over - Karthik Krishnaswamy - ESPNcricinfo Ashwin-Jadeja combo a nightmare for any touring team to India - Dinesh Karthik - Cricbuzz India get the better of Australia, one flick at a time - Karthik Krishnaswamy - ESPNcricinfo The Plan: How Fletcher and Flower Transformed English Cricket - Steve James - Amazon Batsmen could learn from the Hayden way - Andrew Ramsey - cricket.com.au

In episode 151 of the 81allout podcast we review the first Test between India and Australia in Nagpur. India outclassed Australia in all departments and their superior depth in both batting and bowling propelled them to an innings victory. Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Talking Points: Rohit Sharma's exceptional ability to suss up the conditions and bat accordingly Ravindra Jadeja's mesmeric control on the first morning The outrage over the selective watering of the pitch Which team doesn't doctor its pitches to give the home side an advantage? The Smith-Labuschagne partnership on Day 1 Todd Murphy's impressive debut - speed, control, and accuracy The Pujara sweep - and how rare it was for him to get out that way Nathan Lyon's problem on slow Indian pitches The Jadeja ointment - and the connection with Sandpaper-gate Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) Ashoka (ABVan) * Buy War Minus the Shooting by Mike Marqusee | Buy Cricket Beyond the Bazaar by Mike Coward * Related: Why have visiting bats stopped having big series in India? - Kartikeya Date - Cricketingview What's happening with the Napur pitch - Venkata Krishna - Indian Express India's cheat code: lower-order muscle - Karthik Krishnaswamy - ESPNcricinfo Forget conspiracy theories and whingeing, there’s only one way to win in India - Mark Taylor - Sydney Morning Herald Couch Talk 81 with Sunil Subramaniam - Subash Jayaraman - Couch Talks Rohit's zen, Pujara sweeps, Murphy's five and Ravi's improvement - Jarrod Kimber - Jarrod Kimber's Sports Almanack

In episode 150 of the 81allout podcast we preview India's upcoming Test series against Australia - the latest chapter in a storied rivalry. Australia sure have the team to pull off a series win but the panel agrees that they will still need to be at their best to hand India their first home-series defeat in nearly a decade. Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Talking Points: Australia's attitude towards cricket in India over the years: from apathy to obeisance The role played by Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Mike Coward and a few others in embracing India and her passion for cricket The 2017 India v Australia series, and the gripping Bangalore Test Can Pat Cummins replicate Glenn McGrath's success in India? The current Australian bowling attack v the 2004 attack that won in India India's fast bowling potency in home conditions (even without Jasprit Bumrah) Ashwin v Smith: a rivarly with a layer of deep technical insight Are we about the see the new new Virat Kohli? Can Australia's batters (especially the left-handers) tackle Ashwin? The flexibility Jadeja offers this Indian line-up Pant's absence and an opening for Axar to bolster the batting Our wishes for the pitches in this series: green tops and raging turners Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) Ashoka (ABVan) * Buy War Minus the Shooting by Mike Marqusee | Buy Cricket Beyond the Bazaar by Mike Coward * Related: When Australia conquered the Final Frontier - 81allout podcast rewinds to 2004 ‘It struck me that you can score 574, declare twice, and still lose a Test’ – Allan Border - 81allout podcast How Smith's grip is linked to tennis - Daniel Brettig - Sydney Morning Herald R Ashwin: 'I've always been good at assessing batsmen, but now I think I've taken it to another level' - Sidharth Monga interview - The Cricket Monthly Umesh Yadav's spell v Kerala in Krishnagiri - Hotstar (access on in India) How will Smith and Labuschagne bat against Ashwin and Co.? - Sridharan Sriram column - Indian Express