There's a huge Test series on the horizon between Australia and India. The boys look at the selection issues India face before the 1st Test and debate over an article that claims the India/Australia rivalry is now bigger than the Ashes. Then they get into the IPL Auction - why is there confusion surrounding Jofra Archer and Mark Wood's involvement and which England players could go for big money deals? They both also have interesting takes on why the great Jimmy Anderson has put his name on the auction list. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Around 30% of recreational cricketers in England are British South Asians but only 5% of professional cricketers. Why is that and what can be done about it? Step forward Tom Brown, who co-founded SACA - the South Asian Cricket Academy - to help change those numbers and get more South Asians coming through to the professional game. Tom and Matt discuss how unconscious bias has played in big part in the lack of Asians making it and how SACA has already managed to produce a player for the England squad in Jafer Chohan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
India lose a home Test series for the first time in 12 years but was it just a blip or a sign that an ageing side is now past it's peak? Meanwhile as we get set for an IPL Mega Auction, many big name players aren't retained by their franchises - but is this often down to the player himself? And the word on the street is that the Auction will take place in Riyadh - is this the first move as Saudi Arabia looks to become a major influence in cricket?! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Azeem strongly believes that Ben Stokes is taking on too much responsibility with England's Test team and needs some of the burden eased. The boys discuss England's long standing spinner problem and look at what Jafer Chohan could offer in the West Indies. Oh and stand by by for Azeem's rant on Gary Kirsten resigning as Pakistan white ball coach! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Ex Indian Test cricketer turned commentator Abhinav Mukund lifts the lid on Indian cricket in this bonus episode. In an open and wide ranging chat he talks Matt through the differences in personality between Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni and why some Indian stars move to the UK for a more normal life. He also reveals why he thinks Kohli and Rohit Sharma will play in the 2027 World Cup, what it's like for Indian players who don't get picked up in the IPL and names his 2 future Indian super stars. Essential listening for any fans of Indian cricket! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Azeem is at his pugnacious best in this episode. He weighs in on why he has no problem with Pakistan trying to prepare pitches to suit their bowlers and how India may have been thinking too much about Australia when they got hammered by New Zealand. He also questions how much longer Jos Buttler might play International cricket for and whether England's women need a change at the top - but should it be Heather Knight or Jon Lewis who goes? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Aatif joins Matt & Azeem from Pakistan to talk about the Test series and what it's like for broadcasters touring the country. The boys debate who is England's number one spinner, who Stokes should replace for the 2nd Test and why Multan sounds a pretty good place to turn 40, but only if you have a sweet tooth! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Matt and Georgie are in India commentating on a Legends tournament but take a break to chat all things Women's World Cup. Georgie is a font of knowledge on the women's game, she gives us a detailed run down of how she thinks it will all play out, leading to a potential blockbuster of a Final. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Pakistani writer and podcaster Behram Qazi joins the boys to preview England's Test matches in Pakistan and doesn't hold back on what he sees as major problems in Pakistan cricket right now. We hear about why the Test team's home form has collapsed, Shan Masood's captaincy and how the usual chaos behind the scenes is not helping. If you are an England fan and need a confidence boost before the series, you'll want to listen to this! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
England's ODI team shows fight against Australia but also lots of naivety - are we no longer a top side in the format? Big developments off the pitch this week as Delhi Capitals' co owner looks set to buy Hampshire - Azeem dissects what that means for county cricket and how Yorkshire could soon follow suit. And the IPL Auction has some new rules, one of which could guarantee we see Dhoni for at least one more season! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Matt's in India working on a Legends tournament and spills the beans on why Legends cricket has suddenly become massively popular. He and Azeem debate whether Ravi Ashwin should be considered amongst the best all rounders to ever play the game and then get in to the Essex situation. Is it completely absurd that the county can get a points deduction for a player having too wide a bat but not for admitting to systemic racist behaviour? Azeem also reveals that there is a current player involved in the accusations of racism at Essex. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jofra Archer has been wrapped in cotton wool since returning from his many injury setbacks so what does the future hold for him? Will he play Test cricket again or might he just see out his days as a gun white ball bowler? T20 Blast Finals Day was fun but is it a format that still works? And India's Test team are very good at home but not quite as formidable as they used to be - so are they playing on the wrong type of pitches? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Friend of the show Mark Machado is back to reflect on a great Test win for Sri Lanka and whether England's terrible performance was a just a blip or something more concerning. The debate then turns to whether Moeen was underrated and if Freddie Flintoff is going to be the next Baz McCullum! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Plenty of disagreements in this one! Despite Joe Root scoring the most Test hundreds for his country, Azeem still thinks Alistair Cook is the greatest English Test batsman. Matt doesn't agree and they also don't see eye to eye on Michael Vaughan's brutal analysis of Oli Pope's captaincy. One thing they do agree on is that ticket prices have become ridiculous and cricket is fast becoming an elitist sport! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Lots of cricket to chat through this week - England's win against Sri Lanka, lots of new faces in the Test, ODI & T20 squads and who should be the new full time England white ball Head Coach. Plus - why Jos Buttler has been thrown under the bus by the leaking of the story about his relationship with Andrew Flintoff and why on earth did Pakistan not pick a spinner at home against Bangladesh?! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The boys get deep into some serious topics in this episode. Azeem talks about how the riots brought back bad memories and made him fear his house would be petrol bombed. He & Matt talk through why they happened in the first place and then move onto the issue of cricketers and their mental health. In the wake of the terrible news about Graham Thorpe, they ask the question - why do cricketers seem to be more susceptible to mental health issues than other professional athletes? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Matt's back from Sri Lanka but his head is still there. With the Sri Lankan Test team in England, British Sri Lankan journalist Mark Machado is in the studio to preview the series and give us the inside track on the general health of cricket in Sri Lanka. It's not just cricket though - the boys discuss what makes the country such a great place to visit...the geography, the wildlife and the food! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Matt's in Sri Lanka working for Indian television and manages to grab former New Zealand star Scott Styris for a chin wag! After the tragic passing of Graham Thorpe, the two of them discuss why many cricketers seem to struggle with their mental health. Scott's insight into the IPL - he's worked in it as a player or commentator for the best part of 20 years - is riveting, as are his thoughts on the future of Test matches....are English fans looking at Test cricket through rose tinted glasses?? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Darren Lewis is one of the UK's most respected football journalists who has risen through the ranks to become Assistant Editor of the Daily Mirror. As one of the few people of colour in such a senior position he isn't afraid to voice his strong opinions on issues like racism in football. In this episode he gives his take on the Enzo Fernandez situation at Chelsea, why there are so few black football managers and the role of the media in the fight against racism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This week's special guest Lianne Sanderson is someone who is never afraid to speak her mind or stand up to discrimination and abuse. Having been a star of the England football team and travelled the world as a professional she moved seamlessly into the media, and is now one of the most captivating pundits out there. During her career both on and off the pitch she's had to deal with homophobia, racism, death threats and social media abuse. But that doesn't mean she will just ignore it - stand by for a fascinating insight into her life and football in general. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices