In Case You Missed It: Kohli's ego, Blackwell's voice, and Broad's pints
Our best content from last week
ESPNcricinfo staff
27-Aug-2018
Jos Buttler brought up his maiden Test century, but England lost to India at Trent Bridge • Getty Images
So the England-India series is alive again with India's big win at Trent Bridge. Two more Tests to go!
Kohli's magic trick is his suppression of ego
Virat Kohli made 97 and 103 at Trent Bridge, which takes his series tally to 440 runs at 73.33, with two hundreds and two fifties. How does he do it? Mark Nicholas thinks that as a batsman, Kohli's secret is his suppression of ego, which otherwise serves him well in the most high-pressure job in the game - captain of India. "Of course he wants to take on the England attack - he aches to close it down with drives and pulls and sweeps and flicks of those strong and supple wrists - but his reference is to the greater good not the private vendetta. Doubtless this was Don Bradman's great trick too, and there is something of Bradman in Kohli's remarkable hunger."
Virat Kohli made 97 and 103 at Trent Bridge, which takes his series tally to 440 runs at 73.33, with two hundreds and two fifties. How does he do it? Mark Nicholas thinks that as a batsman, Kohli's secret is his suppression of ego, which otherwise serves him well in the most high-pressure job in the game - captain of India. "Of course he wants to take on the England attack - he aches to close it down with drives and pulls and sweeps and flicks of those strong and supple wrists - but his reference is to the greater good not the private vendetta. Doubtless this was Don Bradman's great trick too, and there is something of Bradman in Kohli's remarkable hunger."
The stands of Alex Blackwell
Former Australia allrounder Alex Blackwell is an important voice in the battle for equality and inclusion in sports and beyond. She talked to Annesha Ghosh about speaking out against homophobia: "I don't accept that I'm any less than my neighbours in Australia, or anywhere else in the world, or accept being told I'm not good enough because of my sexuality. It comes down to equal respect and being treated with dignity."
Former Australia allrounder Alex Blackwell is an important voice in the battle for equality and inclusion in sports and beyond. She talked to Annesha Ghosh about speaking out against homophobia: "I don't accept that I'm any less than my neighbours in Australia, or anywhere else in the world, or accept being told I'm not good enough because of my sexuality. It comes down to equal respect and being treated with dignity."
Watch: Inside Stuart Broad's pub
When Stuart Broad isn't taking wickets and sending off batsmen, he's serving up beer in his pub in Nottingham (actually, he isn't great at pulling pints).
When Stuart Broad isn't taking wickets and sending off batsmen, he's serving up beer in his pub in Nottingham (actually, he isn't great at pulling pints).
Afghanistan beat Ireland 2-0
Twenty-year-old opener Hazratullah Zazai made 74 and 82 in Afghanistan's 2-0 win in the T20I series in Ireland (the third game was washed out). In the second match, after Zazai's half-century took Afghanistan to 160, spinners Mujeeb Ur Rehman and Rashid Khan dismissed Ireland for 79.
Twenty-year-old opener Hazratullah Zazai made 74 and 82 in Afghanistan's 2-0 win in the T20I series in Ireland (the third game was washed out). In the second match, after Zazai's half-century took Afghanistan to 160, spinners Mujeeb Ur Rehman and Rashid Khan dismissed Ireland for 79.
How Basil Thampi braved the Kerala floods to make it to the cricket
Cricketer Basil Thampi, living in Ernakulam in Kerala, a state badly affected by the worst floods in over a century, was picked for a Duleep Trophy match to be played in next-door Tamil Nadu. Desperate not to miss the start of the domestic season, he drove all the way to Dindigul, crossing landslides and taking many detours. Deivarayan Muthu spoke to him.
Cricketer Basil Thampi, living in Ernakulam in Kerala, a state badly affected by the worst floods in over a century, was picked for a Duleep Trophy match to be played in next-door Tamil Nadu. Desperate not to miss the start of the domestic season, he drove all the way to Dindigul, crossing landslides and taking many detours. Deivarayan Muthu spoke to him.
Restraint of Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler show England what is possible
England were set a target of 521 at Trent Bridge and needed to bat out more than two days to save the Test. Yet the only two batsmen who batted with that temperament were the team's most attacking ones. George Dobell writes: "In registering his maiden Test century - and his first century in first-class cricket for 50 months - Buttler may well have made an important psychological breakthrough. He may have proved to himself, as much as anyone else, that he can prosper at this level."
England were set a target of 521 at Trent Bridge and needed to bat out more than two days to save the Test. Yet the only two batsmen who batted with that temperament were the team's most attacking ones. George Dobell writes: "In registering his maiden Test century - and his first century in first-class cricket for 50 months - Buttler may well have made an important psychological breakthrough. He may have proved to himself, as much as anyone else, that he can prosper at this level."
Patriots overcome miserly Irfan spell to register third win
Mohammad Irfan bowled the most economical spell in T20s - 4-3-1-2 - but it couldn't prevent Barbados Tridents from losing by six wickets to St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the Caribbean Premier League.
Mohammad Irfan bowled the most economical spell in T20s - 4-3-1-2 - but it couldn't prevent Barbados Tridents from losing by six wickets to St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the Caribbean Premier League.
Grant Elliott retires from all forms of cricket
The allrounder, who starred in New Zealand's historic win in the 2015 World Cup semi-final, quit all forms of cricket after finishing his stint as the captain of Birmingham Bears in the Vitality Blast in England. Elliott announced his retirement on his Instagram account. "Started in Johannesburg finished in Birmingham," his post read. "I remember being 12 and writing down my life goals. To play in a World Cup, play international cricket and play county cricket. 27 years on and I have loved every minute of it."
The allrounder, who starred in New Zealand's historic win in the 2015 World Cup semi-final, quit all forms of cricket after finishing his stint as the captain of Birmingham Bears in the Vitality Blast in England. Elliott announced his retirement on his Instagram account. "Started in Johannesburg finished in Birmingham," his post read. "I remember being 12 and writing down my life goals. To play in a World Cup, play international cricket and play county cricket. 27 years on and I have loved every minute of it."
Manoj Prabhakar? Love?
Sharda Ugra unpacks some complicated feelings for the former Indian allrounder in the latest piece in our Hate to Love series.
Sharda Ugra unpacks some complicated feelings for the former Indian allrounder in the latest piece in our Hate to Love series.
What We Remember: 1993-2018
Last week, we looked back at one of the greatest World Cup matches ever - the 1999 Edgbaston tie and the heartbreak it caused South Africa. There was more of that in store for them a year later when Hansie Cronje confessed to match-fixing.
Last week, we looked back at one of the greatest World Cup matches ever - the 1999 Edgbaston tie and the heartbreak it caused South Africa. There was more of that in store for them a year later when Hansie Cronje confessed to match-fixing.
Najam Sethi quits as PCB chairman, Ehsan Mani to replace him
Not long after Imran Khan was sworn in as Pakistan's prime minister, Najam Sethi, who has had a famously poor relationship with the new leader, stepped down from his post as PCB chairman. With the prime minister allowed - according to the PCB constitution - to change the PCB chairman if he so desired, it seemed unlikely Sethi would be able to stay on after Imran formally took charge. Minutes after Sethi's resignation, Imran tweeted that he had nominated former ICC president Ehsan Mani as the new chairman.
Not long after Imran Khan was sworn in as Pakistan's prime minister, Najam Sethi, who has had a famously poor relationship with the new leader, stepped down from his post as PCB chairman. With the prime minister allowed - according to the PCB constitution - to change the PCB chairman if he so desired, it seemed unlikely Sethi would be able to stay on after Imran formally took charge. Minutes after Sethi's resignation, Imran tweeted that he had nominated former ICC president Ehsan Mani as the new chairman.