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Vote for the best individual Border-Gavaskar Trophy performance by an Indian in Australia since 2000

Alagappan Muthu12-Nov-2024Update: The fan voting exercise has ended. Rahul Dravid’s Adelaide 2003 performance has been picked as the winner.ESPNcricinfo LtdRahul Dravid celebrates a famous win at Adelaide Oval in 2003•AFP via Getty ImagesRahul Dravid – 233 and 72* in Adelaide, 2003India win by four wickets, lead series 1-0Long before Rahul Dravid was immortalised for revealing that he too had the ability to yell his head off, he was immortalised for having the ability to yell his head off and also punch the air. The image of him doing so as he hit the winning runs in Adelaide almost 20 years ago is part of Indian cricket history. It was only the fourth time they had ever won a Test match in Australia – and their first victory since 1981 – and they had to come from behind to do it. From way behind, 556 runs to be exact. But Dravid kept whittling away at it, wearing Australia down not once but twice. Finally, after 12 and a half hours at the crease, scoring more runs than he has ever done or will ever do in a single Test, it made perfect sense that he would be there at the end, soaking in the Adelaide sunshine, teeth gritted, arms up high, the personification of triumph.Dravid’s heroics in that match gave India a 1-0 lead, in a series they went on to draw in Australia for the first time since 1985.Round of 16: Dravid’s 233 & 72* beat R Ashwin’s 3-57 & 3-92.Quarter-final: Dravid’s 233 & 72* beat Sachin Tendulkar’s 241* & 60*.Semi-final: Dravid’s 233 & 72* beat Jasprit Bumrah’s 6-33 & 3-53.Watch the highlights of these performances on the Star Sports network at 10am, 1pm, 4pm and 7pm IST, from November 12 onwards.Rishabh Pant – 89* in Brisbane, 2021India won by three wickets, and the series 2-1All the things that didn’t make sense on this tour – India all out for 36, their three jillion injuries, the hassle of cricket in quarantine – found meaning when Rishabh Pant began to play the innings of a lifetime. He was 23 and he helped obliterate a record that had stood for way longer than he’d been alive. Australia’s undefeated streak in Brisbane was 32 years old when it was finally laid to rest. “This is one of the biggest things in my life right now,” Pant said after a performance that proved just how dangerous a batter he could be when he adopts even the smallest bit of restraint.Chasing 328 at the Gabba – 324 on the final day – India still needed 161 runs with about 43 overs to go when Pant walked in at No. 5. He got going, and kept going, even as wickets fell and the overs ticked by. Eventually, with only minutes left on the clock, he lashed Josh Hazlewood down the ground to accomplish one of the greatest series wins in Test history.Round of 16: Pant’s 89* beat Ajit Agarkar’s 6-41.Quarter-final: Pant’s 89* beat VVS Laxman’s 167.Semi-final: Pant’s 89* beat Virat Kohli’s 115 & 141.Voting closes at 11am IST on November 17. The winner of this match-up will be decided by the total votes cast on polls conducted across ESPNcricinfo, Star Sports and Disney+ Hotstar platforms.

As IPL 2025 resumes after a break, here are answers to all questions about schedule, player availability and a lot more

Ashish Pant16-May-20254:40

What happened to home advantage in IPL 2025?

What is the situation on the points table?No team is yet to seal a playoffs spot, but a few are almost there, while Chennai Super (CSK), Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are out of the race.Related

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IPL 2025 scenarios: GT and RCB one win away from playoffs, MI in control of their fate

Gujarat Titans (GT) lead the points table with 16 points and are just one win away from cementing a place in the final four. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), second with 16 points as well, are also one win away. Punjab Kings (PBKS) are on 15 points and need two wins out of three. Mumbai Indians (MI) are fourth with 14 points, while Delhi Capitals (DC) are fifth with 13. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are closer to elimination than the playoffs.Here’s everything you need to know about the IPL 2025 playoffs scenarios.Will the abandoned PBKS vs DC fixture be replayed?Yes, the fixture, which was abandoned after just 10.1 overs in Dharamsala on May 8, will be replayed from scratch on May 24. The runs scored and wickets taken will not be added to the players’ records. The venue has been changed to Jaipur, where PBKS will play all their three remaining league games.So what’s the new schedule?IPL 2025 will restart on Saturday, May 17, with RCB taking on KKR in Bengaluru. The 13 league games (including the PBKS vs DC rematch) that remain will be played from May 17 to 27, which includes two double-header days on May 18 and May 25. Qualifier 1 will take place on May 29, the Eliminator on May 30, Qualifier 2 on June 1 and the final on June 3. The venues for the four playoff games have not been announced yet.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe league matches will be played in six venues: Bengaluru, Jaipur, Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The match timings remain unchanged: evening games will begin at 7.30pm IST while the afternoon games will start at 3.30pm IST.There will be no matches in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata or any of PBKS’ home venues. Hyderabad and Kolkata were originally scheduled to host the playoffs.Here is the full list of IPL 2025 fixtures.Did all the players return home during the interruption? What about the overseas players – is everyone coming back?The status of overseas players – available or unavailable – has been rapidly changing ever since the IPL announced it was resuming. While a majority of the players are coming back, some high-profile names, like Mitchell Starc, are not, while some England and South Africa players are available only until the league stage ends due to international commitments. For a detailed list of players available and not, click here.GT: They are likely to have their full set of overseas players available, but Jos Buttler will miss the playoffs should GT make it, and so will Kagiso Rabada. Sherfane Rutherford will be available for the rest of the season despite being named in West Indies’ touring squad to Ireland.RCB: Romario Shepherd, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Lungi Ngidi, Tim David and Phil Salt have rejoined the RCB squad ahead of the KKR clash. Out of them, Shepherd will be available for the rest of the season, Bethell will be available for only two matches, while Ngidi will be available for the three league games. Josh Hazlewood’s return, however, remains uncertain.6:13

Chopra: RCB were smart in picking players for right slots

PBKS: Xavier Bartlett, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mitchell Owen and Marco Jansen have confirmed their participation, while PBKS are still waiting on Marcus Stoinis, Josh Inglis and Aaron Hardie’s availability. Jansen is part of South Africa’s WTC final squad and will leave once the league games end.MI: MI will have Trent Boult back along with Will Jacks, Ryan Rickelton, Corbin Bosch, Mitchell Santner, Reece Topley, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Bevon Jacobs. Out of them, Bosch, Rickelton and Jacks will leave once MI are done with their final two league games owing to national commitments, while the rest will be available for the rest of the tournament. It must be noted that MI only play their first game upon resumption on May 21.DC: Australia opener Jake Fraser-McGurk and Mitchell Starc are not returning, while Faf du Plessis’ availability remains unclear. Tristan Stubbs will be back but will leave before the playoffs begin.3:01

Can MI still miss out of the playoffs?

LSG: The overseas LSG players, which include Nicholas Pooran, Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, David Miller and Matthew Breetzke, will link up with the squad by May 18. Out of the lot, Markram is the only player who will leave post the league phase in case LSG qualify for the playoffs, while Shamar Joseph is not coming back.KKR: Most of KKR’s overseas players are back in India, barring Moeen Ali and Rovman Powell. “Powell is undergoing a procedure, while Moeen and his family are down with a viral infection,” a KKR statement said.RR: Jofra Archer will miss RR’s last two games because of a thumb injury, while Maheesh Theekshana is also recovering from a niggle. Shimron Hetmyer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kwena Maphaka and Lhuan-dre Pretorius have joined the team.4:43

Moody: SRH were stubborn to change

SRH: Despite already being eliminated, SRH will have the services of Pat Cummins and Travis Head for the remainder of the league. Heinrich Klaasen, Eshan Malinga and Kamindu Mendis will also be back.CSK: Jamie Overton has pulled out of IPL 2025, while it’s unclear if Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway will return. Among those available from their overseas contingent are Afghanistan left-arm wristspinner Noor Ahmad and Sri Lankan quick Matheesha Pathirana.Have there been any tweaks to the rules because of the rearranged season?Yes, the IPL will now allow franchises to sign temporary replacement players for the remainder of the season, but those players will not be eligible for retention ahead of the next auction.DC have brought in fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman in place of Fraser-McGurk using this rule, while Kusal Mendis will come in for Buttler for GT if they make the playoffs. Here are some other replacements for the rest of the season.Meanwhile, Mayank Yadav is out with a fresh back injury.Lastly, what’s the latest with the orange and purple cap lists?Only ten runs separate the top five batters in the race to the orange cap. Suryakumar Yadav leads the run-getters list with 510 runs, but GT openers B Sai Sudharsan (509) and Shubman Gill (508) are hot on his heels. Virat Kohli is marginally behind on 505 runs while Buttler is on 500.On the purple cap list, GT’s Prasidh Krishna and Noor are top of the pile with 20 wickets apiece, while Josh Hazlewood and Trent Boult with 18 each are next in line. Varun Chakravarthy has 17 wickets and is in fifth position.

Allrounder is carving his own niche away from attention that comes with Ashes-winning father

Valkerie Baynes26-Mar-2025Archie Vaughan is enjoying the freedom to be his “own man” at Somerset.Vaughan, who turned 19 in December, produced a match-winning performance against Surrey last year in just his second first-class game.Though he doesn’t consider that to be the moment that established him as a player in his own right, independent of his famous father, Michael, he does see an upside to carving out the beginnings of a promising career in a place where his surname carries less weight of expectation.”It’s something that I’ve probably not really thought about before,” Vaughan tells ESPNcricinfo during Somerset’s pre-season media day. “Coming to Somerset where my dad’s not known, I think that’s really helped me just be my own man.”It’s nice obviously putting in a performance like that in a big game, but I think Somerset’s a club where everyone’s treated the same, so it doesn’t matter if you’ve played 200 games or you’ve played four.”We’ve got great friendships and it’s not really about proving yourself. Everyone knows the pressures of cricket and, when you go into the changeroom, it’s trying to be as inclusive and welcoming as possible. That’s what we do.”Vaughan’s connection with Somerset came about, not from any desire to put distance between himself and his father’s Yorkshire roots, but through attending Millfield School, near Glastonbury. From there, he entered the Somerset Academy system and worked his way up.”Before then I wasn’t involved in any major county, it was just Cheshire,” he said. “If I was to stay at home and progress, it probably would’ve gone down the Lancashire route, which is obviously not where my dad went.”It’s definitely not been a conscious thought, but I think I’ve probably recognised some benefits, just him not knowing anyone, I think that’s helped just me get on with my own game.”Vaughan captained England Under-19 in South Africa this winter•Gallo Images/Getty ImagesHe made his Championship debut against Durham last August, having signed his first professional contract in May and already played for Somerset in the One-Day Cup. He ended up playing four first-class matches and seven List A games, averaging 33.71 with the bat in the Championship and taking 15 wickets at 20.13.But it was his 11 wickets against Surrey that drew the most attention. Partnering left-arm spinner Jack Leach to keep Somerset’s title hopes alive, the duo took 20 wickets between them for the match, Vaughan ending with 6 for 102 and 5 for 38 after scoring a first-innings 44 in his primary role as a top-order batter.The England Under-19 captaincy followed at the start of this year in South Africa, where England lost a 50-over series 2-1 before winning the two-match four-day series 1-0.But he remains humble and eager to learn.”I’m very proud of what I’ve done, but trying to manage my expectations for the start of the season to try and get in the team for starters,” Vaughan says. “Then if I do get in the team, trying to stay in and just put performances in to win games of cricket.Related

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“It’s easy to put pressure on myself after having a few good games, but I’m still 19, I’m still young, so trying to manage my expectations is probably going to be the challenge and realising I’m not going to bowl that well every game or even bat – I batted a few nice innings.”So it’s just going to be a challenge, but trying to get in the first team for the first game of the season will be my first goal.”Vaughan only started bowling off-spin during lockdown, in 2020, so Leach is a key source of knowledge that he is keen to keep drawing on.Leach, who took two wickets in three balls to seal victory in the Surrey match, understandably has fond memories of that game too.”It was really special,” Leach recalls. “That game will always live with me and just that last moment, to take that last wicket and then the boys and Archie all running towards me, and to win it right at the end like that, there’s no real better feeling in cricket.”What he did and the temperament he showed as a young player, and someone who was renowned as a batter and then bowled some off-spin, he has shown that he’s much more than that.”His temperament on those wickets, to not put too much pressure on himself, but deliver, was awesome and made my job a lot easier as well. I really enjoyed that partnership.”Vaughan has made an impression in white-ball cricket too•Getty ImagesIt may not be until later in the season that they combine again with the ball. Shoaib Bashir – another mentor for Vaughan – has gone to Glamorgan on loan to increase his opportunities given that Leach remains Somerset’s No.1 spinner, if not England’s, at the moment.And while Vaughan is happy in his batting with just over a week until the start of the Championship season, he says “a few teething problems” in his bowling indicate more volume might be required.But that doesn’t deter him from wanting to do it all. Quite the opposite.”When it comes to training, I do definitely treat myself as an allrounder,” Vaughan says. “I spend probably the same amount on both in terms of skillset. At the minute I think I’m probably a slightly better batter than a bowler but I think that’s just due to my inexperience with the ball.”In terms of length of time, I’m a few years back on my bowling than I am on my batting, so again, it’s managing my expectations. I had a good game here. It’s about realising that it’s not going to be like that every game, it’s not going to come out as I want every game.”Chatting to Leechy and Bash, having these people at the club, it’s definitely a great asset to my bowling.”England Lions host India A in two four-day matches this summer, which could prove another step in Vaughan’s development, although he’s not looking that far ahead.”My main aims and goals are definitely the start of the season here, getting in the team, putting in performances, and if I do well and that comes along then great, but definitely no thoughts, trying to just keep focus here.”

At just 23, the Pakistan women’s captain has turned personal tragedy into resolve, leading her side while elevating her own game

Firdose Moonda30-Sep-2025Fatima Sana’s last conversation with her father was during the 2024 T20 World Cup and it was about cricket.”We had a video call. He watched our match against Sri Lanka and also our game against India and we discussed everything. But then suddenly…” Her voice trails off.Three days after that conversation, her father had a heart attack and passed away in a Karachi hospital. Sana left the T20 World Cup to be at his funeral and grieve with her family, with no intention of returning to the tournament. “But my mother told me that when my father was in hospital, he told the doctors, ‘My daughter is playing for Pakistan’ and that it was his wish for me to go back and play the next match,” Sana says. “I said to her, ‘No mom, I can’t do that’, but she told me, ‘It was your father’s wish, so you have to go.’ My mother supported me at that time, so I think she is braver than me.”With Pakistan already knocked out of the competition, Sana returned to Dubai and led the team in their final match, against New Zealand. She was stoic as she lined up alongside her team-mates for the national anthems but as soon as the first notes of “” started, tears streamed down her face. Her father was a pilot in the country’s air force and a patriot. The pain of losing him was too much to bear.Related

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But already she had proven her age was no barrier to her willingness to take on responsibility, and her returning to the field underlined the commitment she made when she had agreed to lead Pakistan, just weeks before.Sana was named Pakistan’s captain in August 2024 (she had captained in two ODIs before), a little over a month before the T20 World Cup. She replaced the vastly experienced Nida Dar, who was removed following Pakistan’s loss to Sri Lanka in the semi-final of the Asia Cup and has since taken an indefinite break from cricket. “I was very shocked when our coach told me,” Sana says. “I just went back home, and discussed it with my family and they all told me they thought I could do it. I didn’t have time to talk about it to anyone else. But I was a little bit nervous at that time, because it was so sudden.”Having accepted the role, she wanted to step up and do it as well as she could, and might have bitten off more than she could chew. “The coaches told me that I have to manage my workload,” she says.In her seven matches since being appointed captain, Sana has taken a four-for and consecutive three-wicket hauls•Getty ImagesHer numbers reflect how seriously she took the role. Before the recent series against South Africa, where she went wicketless, Sana captained Pakistan in seven ODIs, took 14 wickets at an average of 17.71 significantly better than her 63 wickets overall at 29.74. She has also led in nine T20Is, where she has ten wickets at 20.20 (also an improvement on her overall average of 25.40, though her economy rate is fractionally worse as captain). She’s currently the second most prolific fast bowler for Pakistan, just seven short of Asmavia Iqbal at the top, a gap she could close during the upcoming World Cup.But it’s the batting stats that really stand out. Two of her three ODI fifties have come after she was appointed captain, and almost half her T20I career runs, at a strike rate of 146.37, compared to an overall strike rate of 118.46.Her improved performances have brought calls for her to put herself permanently at No. 5 to stabilise the middle order, and she’s hoping she can soon make the role her own. “I am still working on my batting a lot,” she says. “When I started playing in the Pakistan team, I was at No. 8, then I moved up to seventh, then sixth and then fifth, so hopefully I will be able to bat higher.”If she’s looking for a role model, she need go no further than a woman she looks up to already: Sana Mir, who, though she was moved up and down the order, started and ended her career at No. 5. Mir has been a sounding board for Sana since the earliest days of her career.