We are thrilled to have novelist and cricket writer Rahul Bhattacharya to talk about his experiences from the World Cup. Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Talking points:  Cricket writing v cricket analysis - and how each is a specialised jobDoes the BCCI care for what is written about them in the press?The antipathy towards Indian and foreign fans throughout this World CupThe staggering amount of money people were willing to pay for ticketsThe experience of covering a match at AhmedabadIndia v Pakistan - and how the discourse seems to be war minus the shootingJasprit Bumrah - what can't he do?The electricity of India's fast bowling trioMaxwell's fantastical nightRohit Sharma - the dada batsmanVirat Kohli's fitness - and his Djokovic-level fitnessAustralia's perfect game in the finalTravis Head and his Gilchrist-like audacityThe 'anyone but India' sentiment pervading much of the cricket world Participants: Rahul Bhattacharya Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Ashoka (@ABVan) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: What the World Cup means - Rahul Bhattacharya - Hindustan TimesMany shades of the Indian cricket fan - Rahul Bhattacharya - Hindustan TimesWith a skip and a stutter, Bumrah conjures up another miracle - Rahul Bhattacharya - Hindustan Times They turn up to watch India bowl - Rahul Bhattacharya - Hindustan TimesRahul Bhattacharya's Hindustan Times columnsPakistan fans a glaring absence at India Cricket World Cup clash - Rahul Bhattacharya - Al JazeeraIndian hype for Cricket World Cup will grow but fans come off second best - Rahul Bhattacharya - Guardian Shiv on the Shore - Rahul Bhattacharya profiles Shivnarine Chanderpaul - The Cricket Monthly Pundits from Pakistan - Rahul Bhattacharya - AmazonSly Company of People who care - Rahul Bhattacharya - Amazon Buy War Minus the Shooting by Mike Marqusee - AmazonBuy Cricket Beyond the Bazaar by Mike Coward - Amazon

We review the World Cup final where Travis Head and Pat Cummins inspired a triumph for the ages. Support 81allout on Ko-Fi. Talking points:  Australia's remarkable achievement - and this triumph in comparison to their previous World Cup winsRohit Sharma's approach at the start of the inningsVirat Kohli and the ability to strike at six an over on any pitchThe slowdown in the middle overs against fine Australian bowlingCummins, Hazlewood and their brilliant variationsShami opening the bowling instead of SirajBumrah's beauty to dismiss Steve SmithTravis Head's unforgettable assault Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Ashoka (@ABVan) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) | Substack | ESPNcricinfo --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: Great final caps Australia's greatest year - Kartikeya Date - CricketingviewWatch out for Shami when he's running in like a horse - Bharat Arun - ESPNcricinfoAdvance Australia, inevitably - Osman Samiuddin - ESPNcricinfoKrishnamachari Srikkanth's analysis of the final - YouTubeBuy War Minus the Shooting by Mike Marqusee - AmazonWar Minus the Shooting - Revisiting the 1996 World Cup through a classic book - 81allout podcastBuy Cricket Beyond the Bazaar by Mike Coward - Amazon

We review two weeks of the World Cup - and chat about Maxwell, Shami, Siraj, Omarzai, Williamson, Shreyas, and much more.  Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Talking points:  Maxwell's freakish 201* How well did Afghanistan bowl to Maxwell? The curious case of Australia's batting in this World Cup Are Afghanistan in the same phase that India were in the 1990s? India's bowling attack - the finest quintet for these conditions? Rohit and Kohli - taking chances v taking no chances Are India due a bad day? Or will they finish the World Cup unbeaten? New Zealand's NRR and the connection with how efficiently they are built South Africa's conundrum - Rabada or Shamsi?  Angelo Mathews and the moment the Nagin rivalry peaked Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Ashoka (@ABVan) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) | Substack | ESPNcricinfo --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: Buy War Minus the Shooting by Mike Marqusee - Amazon War Minus the Shooting - Revisiting the 1996 World Cup through a classic book - 81allout podcast Buy Cricket Beyond the Bazaar by Mike Coward - Amazon

We review the India v England match in Lucknow - and chat about the other themes emerging in the World Cup.  Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Talking points:  The brutal simplicity of Mohammad ShamiJasprit Bumrah: the bowler with the joystickRohit Sharma: the ultimate problem-solverEngland's awful batting slumpJoe Root lbw Bumrah 0Ben Stokes - reckless or calculated?Pakistan's problem with no big hitting and no quality spinNew Zealand losing with respectability The furore over umpire's callBangladesh's forgettable World Cup campaign Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd)  Ashoka (@ABVan) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) | Substack | ESPNcricinfo --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: World Cup weekly review - Kartikeya Date - Cricktingview SubstackThis is Mohammad Shami's World Cup - Andrew Fidel Fernando - ESPNcricinfoSky Sports Cricket podcast - Nasser Hussain and Eoin Morgan dissect England's loss - SpotifyWasay & Iffi - YouTubeBuy War Minus the Shooting by Mike Marqusee - AmazonWar Minus the Shooting - Revisiting the 1996 World Cup through a classic book - 81allout podcastBuy Cricket Beyond the Bazaar by Mike Coward - Amazon

We review the India v New Zealand match in Dharamshala - and chat about the other themes as the World Cup nears its halfway stage. We also pay our heartfelt tribute to one of India's greatest cricketers: Bishan Bedi.  ⁠Support 81allout on Ko-fi Talking points:  The poetry of Bishan Bedi - and what he meant to a generation of fansNew Zealand running India close in Dharamshala Daryl Mitchell and Rachin Ravindra trying to hit Kuleep out of the attackJadeja's discomforting pace - and his ability to calibrate it so finelyRohit and Gill taking their chances against a quality opening spellKohli's quest for a century - and the needless uproar around itAfghanistan and Netherlands showing their classWhy aren't teams looking to limit the damage with NRR?Will Australia sneak into the semi-finals?Will England's batters finally fire?Who will go after India's bowlers? New Zealand try but fall short?  Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Ashoka (@ABVan) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) | Substack | ESPNcricinfo --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: The Art of Bedi: Our conversation with Suresh Menon - ⁠81allout podcastPrevious 81allout episodes on World Cups - 2011, 1987, 1992, 1996, 1999, 2003 Buy War Minus the Shooting by Mike Marqusee - AmazonWar Minus the Shooting - Revisiting the 1996 World Cup through a classic book - 81allout podcastBuy Cricket Beyond the Bazaar by Mike Coward - Amazon

We review the India v Pakistan match in Ahmedabad - and chat about the other themes developing in this World Cup. Support 81allout on Ko-fi Talking points:  India's enviable bowling attack for the conditionsJasprit Bumrah - the magicianKuldeep and Jadeja keeping Pakistan quietSiraj and the cross-seam attackRohit Sharma's evolution as an ODI batterShreyas Iyer's approach to playing spinThe joy of the Australian collapseNew Zealand's deceptive dominance in the early stages of the World Cup Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Ashoka (@ABVan) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) | Substack | ESPNcricinfo --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Related: India demonstrate their all round strength, hammer Pakistan - Cricketingview substackIndia's bowling unit: Gods of small things - Sidharth Monga - ESPNcricinfo81allout preview of the 2023 World CupPrevious 81allout episodes on World Cups - 2011, 1987, 1992, 1996, 1999, 2003Buy War Minus the Shooting by Mike Marqusee - AmazonWar Minus the Shooting - Revisiting the 1996 World Cup through a classic book - 81allout podcastBuy Cricket Beyond the Bazaar by Mike Coward - Amazon

We review the India v Australia match in Chennai - a tense contest that India won by six wickets. Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Talking points:  India's threat with their seamers as well as spinnersHow this World Cup is rewarding Test-quality spinnersAustralia's lack of depth in the spin departmentPat Cummins' problem at first-changeThe Kohli-Rahul partnershipBangladesh, South Africa, New Zealand, and India - the early favoritesHow is 2 for 3 different from 80 for 3 when chasing 200? Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Ashoka (@ABVan) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) | Substack | ESPNcricinfo --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Related: KL Rahul's cut de grace - Karthik Krishnaswamy - ESPNcricinfo81allout preview of the 2023 World CupPrevious 81allout episodes on World Cups - 2011, 1987, 1992, 1996, 1999, 2003Buy War Minus the Shooting by Mike Marqusee - AmazonWar Minus the Shooting - Revisiting the 1996 World Cup through a classic book - 81allout podcastBuy Cricket Beyond the Bazaar by Mike Coward - Amazon

We preview the 2023 World Cup - the muted build-up, BCCI apathy, and how the conditions could play such a big role in how some teams progress. Could South Africa or New Zealand finally win the big prize? Can Pakistan overcome their spin-bowling drawbacks. Can Bangladesh make the semi-final? Or will India be too strong when playing at home?   [podcast_subscribe id="1595"] [kofi] Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Ashoka (@ABVan) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Related: Previous 81allout episodes on World Cups - 2011, 1987, 1992, 1996, 1999, 2003War Minus the Shooting - Revisiting the 1996 World Cup through a classic book - 81allout podcast

We rewind to the 2011 World Cup that was jointly hosted by India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh - and talk about ODI cricket back then, the bowler-friendly nature of many games, the big upsets, the nail-biting finishes, and a cathartic moment for India - and a generation that had never knew what it meant to win a World Cup.  Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Talking Points: The roundabout connection between the hosts of the 2011 World Cup and India taking part in the 2007 World T20How India had turned into a feisty ODI side leading up to the World CupThe close ODI series in South Africa before the World CupSehwag and Kohli trouncing Bangladesh in the opening gameThe pulsating tie against England in BangaloreAustralia's first loss in a World Cup since 1999 - against PakistanSteyn leading South Africa to a thrilling win in NagpurSri Lanka thriving in their home conditions - throttling the opponentsSri Lanka's thumping of England in the quarter-final - and echoes of 1996India's bowling attack - dealing in cutters, slower ones and knuckle-ballsAn unforgettable night at the Motera - when India overcame AustraliaThe hype before Mohali - and the eventual anti-climax of India v PakistanMahela's silken grace in the final - an innings for the godsThe riveting partnership between Gambhir and Kohli  Dhoni... finishes off in style Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) DP Prashant (@prashantdptweet) Ashoka (@ABVan) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Related: Previous 81allout episodes on World Cups - 1987, 1992, 1996, 1999, 2003On Board Test, Trial, and Triumph: My Years in BCCI - Ratnakar Shetty - AmazonThe Test of My Life: From Cricket to Cancer and Back - Yuvraj Singh - Amazon'I wanted to hug him and hit him at the same time till he confirmed we'd won the World Cup' - India's players look back on their triumph - The Cricket Monthly BJP's Control of Cricket in India - Sharda Ugra - CaravanKevin O'Brien's record century against England - ICC - YouTubeWar Minus the Shooting - Revisiting the 1996 World Cup through a classic book - 81allout podcast

One of the themes in our episode on team selection was how the change in playing conditions of ODIs had made selection hard. We dialed in on how the change in Powerplay rules, along with the two new balls at both ends, has reshaped in the cricketing contest in ODIs and thereby reshaped the way teams are being selected. Support 81allout via Ko-Fi Talking Points: How profound has the impact of the ODI Powerplay rules been since 2015?Is there clear evidence that introduction of two new balls at both ends has skewed the contest more in batters' favour?Has the elimination of the middle overs stalemate resulted in a diminishing role for part-time bowlers?How relevant are the middle-order accumulators since the new Powerplay rules came into being?Are teams fielding deeper bowling attacks than they did in the past?Is there scope for touch players under the new order?How have different teams responded to the change in Powerplay rules over the years?Given the competitive nature of teams in this format, can there be an overwhelming favourite at this World Cup?Has the elimination of stalemate resulted in bowlers attacking more in the middle overs or are batters scoring more runs at a faster clip? Can both be true?Has the Powerplay rule change enhanced the parity between bat and ball. Or has it diminished it? Participants: Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) | Substack | ESPNcricinfo page Ashoka (@ABVan) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Related: Rule  changes in ODI cricket over the years - Lalith Kalidas and VS Aravind - Sportstar How to watch ODI cricket - Kartikeya Date - Cricketingview How the ODI rule changes have affected run-scoring - S Rajesh - ESPNcricinfo What we talk about when we talk about selection - 81allout podcast

The crew chats about the idea of selecting a cricket team, and debates how one can have a meaningful conversation about an inherently unfair process. Should selectors be more transparent about the reasoning behind their choices? Is there a process by which we can judge a good selection? And how can anyone justify the selection of the Indian team when anything less than a victory in a global tournament (or marquee Test series) is deemed a failure?  Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Talking Points: How does one have a meaningful debate about selection? Does the selection (or non-selection) of one player have a big impact on results? Will it help us understand the process better if selectors explain the rationale for their choices?What was the cricketing logic behind Vijay Shankar's selection for the 2019 World Cup? What are selectors looking for when they earmark a player as an India prospect?Is there anything that can be termed an 'outrageous selection' ?Does Sarfaraz Khan know why he is not being picked for India? Does it matter?Are selection debates essentially about 'who are the 11 players I like the most'?Pre 2011, should Yuvraj and Raina played more Tests than Badrinath and Rohit?The difference between Karn Sharma over Ashwin, Shardul over Ashwin, and Jadeja over AshwinIs Shardul Thakur an extraordinary Test selection - or merely a lucky one? Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) | Substack | ESPNcricinfo page Ashoka (@ABVan) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: Why selection in India is not illogical or capricious, contrary to popular opinion - Kartikeya Date - ESPNcricinfoWhat more can Sarfaraz Khan do to get selected for India? - Sidharth Monga - ESPNcricinfoR Ashwin opens up on WTC drop and on being ‘traumatised’ in the past - Venkata Krishna B - Indian Express ‘Batting is now less artistic, more power-based’ – 81allout podcast with Amol MuzumdarWatching, studying, writing, talent-spotting: a life in cricket - 81allout podcast with Makarand Waingankar

We review the recently concluded five-Test series between England and Australia that ended 2-2 - with Australia retaining the Ashes. It was a series defined by England's 'Bazball' approach to batting - though that undersells how well Australia's batters resisted English bowling and how well Australia bowled in largely batting-friendly conditions. https://ko-fi.com/81allout Talking Points: A neutral view of the Ashes - and how it is hard to pick a team to supportThe limits of Bazball - and why England's recent success stems from their bowling depth Australia's bowlers adjusting to the flat pitches and England's risk-takingWhy did England not want to prepare seamer-friendly pitches at home and capitalise on their big strength?Stokes v Starc on the final morning at Lord'sThe cult of Bazball - and how it fits in well with the English cricket establishment's exceptionalismMark Wood's pace and Nathan Lyon's absenceThe effect of Bazball on England's bowling attackStuart Broad's cinematic goodbye England's chances in the five-Test series in India next year Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) | Substack | ESPNcricinfo page Ashoka (@ABVan) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: Why did Bazball fail to regain the Ashes - Kartikeya Date - Cricketingview SubstackStokes and McCullum want to save Test cricket but we must look beyond Big Three - Jonathan Liew - GuardianEngland 'wanted to pick Wood' but settle for Tongue in all-seam attack - Matt Roller - ESPNcricinfo Bazball: a cult of bruised masculinity where you win even if you lose - Barney Ronay - GuardianMark Wood and the primal theatre of pure pace - Ben Gardner - Wisden

We review the second Test between West Indies and India at Port-of-Spain, which was rained off when India needed 8 wickets to wrap up the win. It meant India won their sixth series in West Indies and continued their dominance when touring the Caribbean.  Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Talking Points: The problem with gauging the quality of a Test based on crowds and pitchesDoes Test cricket have to conform to a template?Mohammad Siraj's terrific spellsWest Indies' curious decision to field first on a benign pitchVirat Kohli's near-flawless hundredAshwin and Jadeja tightening the screws on Day 3Mukesh Kumar's debut - and India's transition over the next few yearsWest Indies' improved batting performance The challenge for India's bowlers in tougher conditions Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) | Substack | ESPNcricinfo page Ashoka (@ABVan) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: Mohammad Siraj takes 5 for 60 - Windies Cricket - YouTubeFazeer Mohammed reviews the second Test - SportsMax TV - YouTubeLet West Indian cricketers play in first-class cricket in India - Deep Dasgupta - ESPNcricinfoWhen India collapsed for 81 all out - Windies Cricket - YouTubeHow West Indies became a fast bowling paradise again - Sidharth Monga - ESPNcricinfo

We review the first Test between West Indies and India at Dominica - which saw a dominant Indian side complete a big win. The conditions were perfectly suited to India's spinners – and gave Ashwin the chance to show his range.  Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Talking Points: A 'perfect storm' for West Indies on a pitch favouring spinnersThe media obsession with the 'death of Test cricket' Ashwin's 12-wicket haul on his return to the sideAshwin and Jadeja's deadliness: control + variations + drift + turnCornwall's economical action with few moving partsThe challenge when facing Ashwin when he is bowling round the wicketThe power of Jadeja's action - repeatability Jaiswal's debut hundred - and why the India A system is so valuableAlick Athanaze's assurance against spinIndia's transition - and the case for Ishant and SahaMulti-format players and the future of Tests Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) | Substack | ESPNcricinfo page Ashoka (@ABVan) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: Ashwin remains India's constant in the face of constant change - Karthik Krishnaswamy - ESPNcricinfoAshwin's first innings spell - West Indies Cricket Board - YouTubeCaribbean Cricket Podcast review of the Test - YouTubeBumrah and Co. lead the rout - 81allout review of India's Test series v West Indies in 2019

Where is cricket best enjoyed? Live at the stadium or on a screen many miles away? What do these experiences teach us and what really are we watching when we take in a game? The 81allout crew discuss.  Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Talking Points: The challenges (and privilege required) to access a cricket groundThe ordeal of watching a game in an Indian stadiumThe improved quality of television coverage that takes you close to the actionThe complications of a televised game that is carefully directed and packagedThe distractions during a broadcast: advertisements, crowd shots, sponsor logosExperiencing the conditions at the ground and understanding flight and lengthThe appreciation to be gained from watching the entire field of playThe democratic nature of TV - and how it introduces the game to new fansThe influence of commentary on one's interpretation of the game Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) Ashoka (@ABVan) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: ‘A TV producer needs to catch the pulse of where the game is going’ – Ajesh Ramachandran - 81allout podcast‘In some ways, a TV director plays God’ – Hemant Buch - 81allout podcastWhat about the fans? BCCI could have avoided the Dharamsala mess - Karthik Krishnaswamy - ESPNcricinfoWhy do spectators get a raw deal - Gideon Haigh - ESPNcricinfoFly Lara Fly - Rahul Bhattacharya - The Cricket MonthlyA handy rule to have in sports - Osman Samiuddin - The National

We speak to British playwright Maatin about his play Duck, which looks at the cricketing events of 2005 through the prism of a 15-year-old boy in a public school in London. You can buy tickets to the play here. What the play is about: It’s the summer of 2005, and Ismail – ‘Smiley’ to his friends – is about to become the youngest-ever player in his elite public school’s First XI cricket team. He sets his sights on immortality – breaking the school batting record and getting his name into Wisden. But at the start of the season, new coach Mr. Eagles takes a particular dislike to him, threatening to derail Ismail’s historic moment. Worse still, no one seems to get what he’s going through. Set during England’s famous Ashes victory and the events of 7/7, Ismail discovers that cricket might not be able to take care of everything as it once did. Talking Points: The impetus to write the play and how closely it resembles Maatin's childhoodThe challenges of being an outsider in the British public school systemThe memories of the 2005 Ashes when seen along with the 7/7 bombingsAzim Rafiq's testimony and what it meant for minorities in English cricketThe burden of needing to be a 'good immigrant' in EnglandThe obviously visible Muslims who have been integral to England's recent riseMoeen Ali and Adil Rashid: what wearing their faith on their sleeves has meantThe backlash Moeen got when he wore an armband in support of PalestineThe infamous 'Tebbit Test' that questioned people's loyalty to their countryThe complexities around fandom - and how it is hard to explain one's supportHow easy it is to fall in love with the game - and also fall out of love with it Participants: Maatin (@maatin) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: Watch Duck - details here.Anyone But England - Mike Marqusee  - Amazon‘Cricket in England is held back by its own mythology’ – interview with author Duncan Stone - 81allout podcast on 'A Different Class' British Muslim experiences in English first-class cricket - Daniel Burdsey - International Review for the Sociology of SportMoeen - Moeen Ali autobiography - AmazonIt Isn’t an Easy Time to Be a British Muslim. Cricket Helps - Moeen Ali profile - New York TimesStokistan - Scott Oliver on how Pakistani players have lit up the north Straffordshire leagues - The Cricket MonthlyThe rainbow beauty of Hashim Amla - Niren Tolsi - The Cricket Monthly

We review the World Test Championship final between Australia and India at The Oval - which ended with a 209-run win and the Test mace for Australia. It was India's second consecutive loss in the WTC final - and offered hints that a terrific side is likely past its peak.  Talking Points: Australia's greater depth in bowlingYet another missed opportunity for this Indian side to win a world titleThe height advantage - how the 'release points' could have made a differenceThe magnificent Mr SmithDid India misread the conditions on Day 1?Gill and Pujara leaving balls that hit the stumpsAshwin v Jadeja; Ashwin v Shardul; Ashwin v Umesh - the selection riddleLyon's craft to get Jadeja and Rohit outRahane's joyous return to TestsWhat next for this Indian bowling attack?The Rahul Dravid question Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Prashant DP (@prashantdptweet) | Prashant's cricket posts on Medium Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) | Kartikeya's Substack Ashoka (@ABVan) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: The story of the WTC final - Kartikeya Date - CricketingviewBoland and Cummins unleash on India - Osman Samiuddin - ESPNcricinfoBeware, England: Steve Smith looks like a batting immortal again - Geoff Lemon - GuardianAjinkya Rahane, India's quiet hero - Nagraj Gollapudi - ESPNcricinfoAshwin's preparation list for the WTC final - Venkata Krishna - Indian Express

We chat with ESPNcricinfo assistant editor Karthik Krishnaswamy and freelance writer Saurabh Somani on making sense of cricket in these times of excess. With leagues mushrooming around the world, and multiple formats to track, can journalists be expected to have a holistic view of the game? Talking Points: The evolution of cricket - and pressures on journalists - over the last decadeThe near-impossible task of watching cricket across formats and geographiesThe difficulty of 'connecting the dots' from age-group to international cricketThe need to change one's writing to suit the rhythm of the formatMaking peace with not watching most of the cricket that is being televisedThe lack of bandwidth to take in the big pictureThe future of one-dayers and how its extinction could have far-reaching effectsA future where journalists will need to pick formats to coverBalancing the demands of the market with the demands of journalismThe future of cricket coverage with advances in video and Artificial Intelligence Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Participants: Karthik Krishnaswamy (@the_kk) Saurabh Somani (@saurabh_42) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: Karthik Krishnaswamy's articles on ESPNcricinfo'Hard for journalists today to probe serious issues in cricket' - Pradeep Magazine  - 81allout podcastA Cop in Cricket - Neeraj Kumar - AmazonWill IPL franchise owners swallow international cricket whole? - Osman Samiuddin - ESPNcricinfoIs there too much cricket? - Cameron Pononsby - WisdenCricket 2.0: Inside the T20 Revolution - Tim Wigmore and Freddie Wilde - AmazonHitting against the Spin - Nathan Leamon and Ben Jones - AmazonIPL, basketball and the tamasha paradox - Siddhartha Vaidyanathan - sidveeblogs

Some cricketers we love at first sight; some, we take time to appreciate; others, we do not understand the fuss; and still others are quick to get under our skins. Often, we review our views over time - and often surprise ourselves by changing our opinions about cricketers.  Kapil Dev, Ishant Sharma, Ravi Shastri, Ian Chappell, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Mohammad Azharuddin, and Steve Waugh - all formidable cricketers. All of whom we have changed our minds over at various stages. And all of whom we focus on in this episode - to understand the evolution of our fandom. Talking Points: What Kapil Dev chasing Hadlee's record meant for many young fansThe staggering image of Kapil being a combination of Bumrah and PantIshant Sharma's arrival in Test cricket - and the 'trolling' years that followedPost-2016 Ishant - the most improved Indian cricketer this decade?The Ravi Shastri stereotypes - and how it is easy to be trapped by all of themThe legendary forthrightness of Ian ChappellRahul Dravid's purple patch - and why that record needs to be revisitedMohammad Azharuddin: a glorious rise, an inglorious fallSteve Waugh and the danger of hyping 'mental disintegration' Sachin Tendulkar - the slow journey from hero to mortal Support 81allout on Ko-Fi Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Prashant DP (@prashantdptweet) | Prashant's cricket posts on Medium Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Ashoka (@ABVan) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: Talking fandom: love, loyalty, and a sense of belonging - 81allout podcastThat special whistle: the phenomenon called CSK - 81allout podcastConversation with veteran journalist Pradeep Magazine - 81allout podcastWhatever happened to Ravi Shastri 1.0 - Sharda Ugra - ESPNcricinfoHistory’s witness: The IPL final, as Ravi Shastri saw it - Siddhartha Vaidyanathan - Yahoo CricketIshant Sharma interview with Gaurav Kapoor - Breakfast with Champions - YouTubeIan Chappell on captaincy and much more - 81allout podcastThe inscrutable craftsman - Rohit Brijnath - ESPNcricinfoLike father, like son - Siddhartha Vaidyanathan - ESPNcricinfoOut of my Comfort Zone - Steve Waugh autobiography - AmazonCaptain courageous, like Tendulkar, vs Rihanna - Mukul Kesavan - NDTV

We talk to the veteran journalist and author - Pradeep Magazine. We discuss the major themes of his books - Not Quite Cricket and Not Just Cricket – and talk about the lessons from the match-fixing epidemic in the late 1990s and how the player-journalist relationship has altered over time. Journalists of the 1990s had enough access to the inner circle to get an inkling of the shadiness, says Magazine, but journalists of today are sadly in the dark. ⁠Support 81allout on KoFi⁠ Talking Points: A chance-meeting with a bookie in 1997 that opened up the world of fixingWriting about match-fixing before the big story brokeInterviewing Sachin Tendulkar about match-fixing in 1997Kapil Dev accusing his players of being distracted by money in 1983Magazine's relationship with Kapil Dev over time - from fan to critiqueThe two sides of Mohammad Azharuddin and how it was hard to separate bothThe problem for investigative journalists today cut off from the inner circleA new book that casts light on the corruption that could engulf the gameThe nexus of politics and cricket - and propaganda taking over the game Participants: Pradeep Magazine (@pradeepmagazine) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout) India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: Pradeep Magazine's books - Not Quite Cricket and Not Just CricketNeeraj Kumar's book - A Cop in CricketA T20 tournament that wasn't - how fixers fabricated the UvaT20 League - GuardianIt is far more than a game, this cricket - Conversation between Pradeep Magazine and Rahul Bhattacharya - Kolkata Literary Meet - YouTubeWith sports becoming so commercialized, sports journalism has become more challenging: Pradeep Magazine - Times of India