The Surfer

The product of a cricket-mad Muslim family, the 22-year-old could become a new iconic figure for multi-cultural Britain, attracting the same cult following as Monty Panesar, as England go from the 'Sikh of Tweak' to the new 'Bearded Wonder'.

From his own experience, Bishan Singh Bedi says it’s easy to put on weight during a tour—which is what the IPL is, albeit an internal one. “There are so many opportunities—dinner invitations, parties. While playing also, you’re always eating. If you aren’t careful, you’ll become fat,” says Bedi. Dr Chandran agrees, saying that contrary to perception, the danger is greater in T20 cricket. “There are only 20 overs to play; the batsmen run less because there are more fours and sixes; for the same reason, the fielders also don’t burn so much energy.”

The team's results oscillate between extremes and the media swings between worshipful and deprecating. What should really worry Dhoni is the nature of his decision-making. Insiders believe he must also find out whether he still retains a hold on the team. What used to be the man's strengths-calmness, a relaxed leadership which licenced every man to be himself-have now turned into his weaknesses after three years in the job. During crises, the whip-crackers aren't meant to relax. Optional practice works but not all the time, not in all situations.

The choice of Morgan is a tricky one. Here is a player whose experience over almost 50 first-class games for Middlesex, in which he has scored just six hundreds, at what these days is a modest average of around 36, hardly offers obvious credentials for Test cricket. Little of his cricket upbringing has been directed at anything other than one-day cricket, in which he has become one of the world's rising stars ... Flower can be certain of one thing – Morgan's ability to rise to the occasion.

Bumble likes pubs, probably as much as he likes cricket, and he still adores that after all these years. He has two locals, one round the corner from home in Cheshire, one a train ride away in the heart of Manchester. He likes to arrive at around 5.30pm, have a chat and a pint and then push off home. Early doors, he calls it. "I am a massive protector of the British pub," he said. "Too many of them are going to the wall, but it's a place of conversation and a good sup. I don't do music and bandits, just conversation, a good sup, see you tomorrow."

As a young fast bowler of slender build, Broad needs more careful management than some. But what of Collingwood? The argument will go that if he requires rest now, then some of that has to be down to his participation in the physical flog that was the Indian Premier League. He chose to go, and was allowed to do so by his employers. Would it be right then, not least to the public who would feel entitled to watch the best England side available, to omit him from the Bangladesh matches on this basis?

Divide the league into 2 groups of 2 regions each. North and South. North features Delhi, Punjab, Jaipur, Kolkata and Mumbai. South features Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore, Kochi and Pune. Teams play the others in their group home and away. The top two make it to the semis from each group.

It's a heady world and without wise mentoring and a strong club culture it's likely to lead to headstrong ways. India needs a Ferguson. Might not Anil Kumble fit the bill? India's rising players might also reflect on the words of a 15-year-old boy attending a soccer academy in Ivory Coast.Talking to the BBC, Charles Silue spoke about his love of the game and his hopes of playing at the highest level.

This weekend will be an early test. New Zealand plans regular visits under a strategic partnership reached in November. Two New Zealand coaches, including former test player Dipak Patel, were at a national training camp before Christmas. The U.S.A.C.A. has also held talks with Pakistan’s cricket authorities.

The most crass illustration of this came a few years ago, during an India-Pakistan series, when a news channel started finding the Match ka Mujrim ('Villain of the Match') in a post-match analysis show. Cricketers aren't Mujrims, and on most days, even when matches are lost heavily, there may not be any blame to be assigned. In sport, shit happens. But no, it's more fun, allegedly more engaging, and what's more, far easier for a lazy thinker, to affix blame, paint the events of the day in black and white, and move on.