The Insider

Shirtfront strategies

Shirtfront strategies

What do you do when the curator has it in for bowlers? You plan, persevere and pray

29-Jul-2010•Aakash Chopra

Whose call is it anyway?

Whose call is it anyway?

Backing up, calling right, rotating the strike, stealing singles, and avoiding run-outs: running between wickets is a skill in its own right

15-Jul-2010•Aakash Chopra

The changing role of the opener

The changing role of the opener

The demands on players at the top of the order have changed drastically since the likes of Virender Sehwag arrived on the scene

01-Jul-2010•Aakash Chopra

The fielder's checklist

The fielder's checklist

There's a lot more to it than just throwing, catching and diving. Fielding can magically lift or drastically bring down a team's performance

15-Jun-2010•Aakash Chopra

The whole 22 yards

The whole 22 yards

Bounce, seam, spin - different pitches serve them up in different quantities. What do players do to stay on top?

03-Jun-2010•Aakash Chopra

Sharp eyes, soft hands, quick feet

Sharp eyes, soft hands, quick feet

A few key skills and attributes needed to be succesful against spin bowling

20-May-2010•Aakash Chopra

Advantage lefties

Advantage lefties

Life's better in cricket if you're a left-hand batsman or bowler

06-May-2010•Aakash Chopra

The science of the big hit

The science of the big hit

There's a lot more to hitting a long ball than clearing your front foot out of the way and having a swipe

22-Apr-2010•Aakash Chopra

Look sharp, think smart

Look sharp, think smart

Use your bowlers well, pick the best batting line-up, and keep an eye on the time-outs and over rates

08-Apr-2010•Aakash Chopra

Overlords, seducers, associates

Overlords, seducers, associates

The importance of captaincy in Twenty20 cannot be overstated. A look at the most common methods

25-Mar-2010•Aakash Chopra

Breaking down the double

Breaking down the double

Bat first, open the innings, dominate the bowlers, stay in the zone, be in top physical shape. But also be an exceptionally gifted player

11-Mar-2010•Aakash Chopra

Win when it's swinging

Win when it's swinging

You could watch the bowler's wrist, the seam position, the side of the shine, but still not cover all eventualities. Pity the batsman a little, won't you?

25-Feb-2010•Aakash Chopra

The hows and whys of ball-tampering

The hows and whys of ball-tampering

Just about every cricketer has tried to alter the condition of the ball; the batsman-friendly nature of the game is to blame

11-Feb-2010•Aakash Chopra

How to find form and stay in it

How to find form and stay in it

It's a state of mind when runs or wickets come without really trying. But getting there takes a combination of things and holding on to it isn't all that easy

28-Jan-2010•Aakash Chopra

It's not me, it's dew

It's not me, it's dew

There's little fielding sides can do once the ball is wet. Pitch it on the right length, try yorkers, slower balls, bouncers? It's easier said than done

14-Jan-2010•Aakash Chopra

After the deluge

After the deluge

Batting after a side has put up a 600-plus total calls for mental and physical fortitude

17-Dec-2009•Aakash Chopra

The games bounce plays

The games bounce plays

How high the ball rises upon pitching determines the quality of a track; if it is variable, it determines the quality of batsmen too

03-Dec-2009•Aakash Chopra

Planning amid the mayhem

Planning amid the mayhem

How teams go about strategising in the shortest format of the game

19-Nov-2009•Aakash Chopra

Damage control

Damage control

What bowlers do to survive in the shortest, cruellest format of the game

05-Nov-2009•Aakash Chopra

Method to the Twenty20 madness

Method to the Twenty20 madness

It's not all wham, bam, thank you ma'am; there's a science to batting successfully in the shortest format

22-Oct-2009•Aakash Chopra

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