Explainer

Ashes FAQ: Do England really have a chance?

Get up to speed with all you need to know as the clock ticks down to the first ball in Perth

19-Nov-2025•Alan Gardner

Wadhera-Dhir relay catch: out or not out?

A quick explainer for the controversy in the Asia Cup Rising Stars game and the new law for boundary catching

17-Nov-2025•ESPNcricinfo staff

Explained: The how, where and what of replacement balls in Test cricket

All you need to know about how balls land up in the ball library, and how they are selected for replacement

16-Jul-2025•Sidharth Monga

The IPL's crackdown on oversized bats, explained

Every batter who takes the field in the IPL is now having to go through a bat-gauge test. Here is why

17-Apr-2025•Nagraj Gollapudi

Hundred sale explainer: Who has bought what and for how much?

The ECB has succeeded in its goal of selling stakes in eight Hundred franchises. Here's how it all stands

13-Feb-2025•Matt Roller

Explainer: Have Delhi Capitals just bought Hampshire?

All the issues and implications surrounding a landmark county cricket deal

30-Sep-2024•Matt Roller

Explainer - what's wrong with the T20 World Cup pitches in New York?

The drop-in pitches at the venue haven't produced ideal T20 cricket, and the relentless schedule of eight matches in ten days isn't helping

08-Jun-2024 • Updated on 17-Feb-2025•Nagraj Gollapudi

What does the path to the 2027 ODI World Cup look like?

Fourteen teams will make the cut for the tournament, but it's a long, meandering road for those outside the top-ranked sides

28-Feb-2024•Firdose Moonda

Explainer: How player trades work in the IPL

The Hardik Pandya trade was perhaps the most high-profile player transfer in IPL history. Here's an explainer of how such trades work in the league

27-Nov-2023•Nagraj Gollapudi

Explainer - Making sense of Babar Azam's unexpected resignation as Pakistan captain

Did Babar not say he wanted to lead Pakistan's rebuild? Does the PCB's interim committee have the power to take big decisions? And what does all this mean for the coaching staff?

16-Nov-2023•Danyal Rasool

Explainer - What's different about the SA20? Did SA really forfeit ODIs for the new league?

Who are the expensive buys? What is the prize money? We have got everything covered

09-Jan-2023•Firdose Moonda

Explainer - Why David Warner withdrew the appeal against his lifetime captaincy ban

How the process to review the penalty imposed on David Warner four years ago became a contentious issue

08-Dec-2022•Andrew McGlashan

Explainer - Why did India and Pakistan have five fielders inside the circle in the death overs?

A lowdown of ICC's new slow over-rate rule that played a key role in the India-Pakistan clash on Sunday

29-Aug-2022•Sidharth Monga

Explainer - What is net run rate, and how exactly do you go about improving it?

The battles for the top positions at the Men's T20 World Cup have brought NRRs repeatedly into focus. Here's all you need to know about it

06-Nov-2021•S Rajesh

Explainer - How do the two new teams impact the IPL?

The 2022 season will include 74 matches with each team playing seven at home and seven away

25-Oct-2021•Nagraj Gollapudi

Shiny, new, and a load of balls - your handy guide to the Hundred

In the words of Ron Burgundy, today is kind of a big deal

21-Jul-2021•Alan Gardner

$Explainer: What is a stress fracture of the back and why does it happen?$

Explainer: What is a stress fracture of the back and why does it happen?

Senior physiotherapist Andrew Leipus explains the nuts and bolts of an injury that has hampered fast bowlers forever

26-Sep-2019•Nagraj Gollapudi

Explainer: Cricket's possible return to the Olympic Games

What format will they play? Who will qualify? We answer all your pesky questions

14-Aug-2019•Ankur Dhawan

Explainer: how Smart Stats works

What is the logic and math behind Smart Stats, which measures the true worth and batting and bowling performances? Read on to find out

20-Mar-2019•ESPNcricinfo stats team

Explainer - How Ronchi's gloves gave the Qalandars five bonus runs

If the ball hits a piece of equipment discarded by a fielder, the batting side gets extra runs and an additional delivery to face

15-Feb-2019•ESPNcricinfo staff

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