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Former India allrounder Abhishek Nayar and former Netherlands allrounder Ryan ten Doeschate are set to join India’s support staff as assistant coaches for the upcoming white-ball tour of Sri Lanka. The pair will reunite with newly-appointed India head coach Gautam Gambhir, having recently served as his assistant coaches during Kolkata Knight Riders’ run to the IPL 2024 title.ESPNcricinfo has learnt that former South Africa fast bowler Morne Morkel has been approached to become India’s new bowling coach. Morkel had worked with Gambhir at Lucknow Super Giants and Durban’s Super Giants in the SA20, where Gambhir was the global mentor.Related

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Former India and Karnataka seamer Vinay Kumar has also been shortlisted for the bowling coach role, but Morkel is understood to be the leading candidate.The new coaching set-up’s first assignment will be a white-ball tour of Sri Lanka, comprising three ODIs and three T20Is, which begins on July 27.Nayar, 40, played three ODIs for India and won multiple Ranji Trophy titles with Mumbai in his first-class career, which spanned over 100 matches. Even when he was an active player, Nayar mentored Dinesh Karthik and helped him stage an international comeback. More recently, mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy heaped praise on Nayar after KKR won their first IPL title in ten seasons. Nayar has also worked as the head coach of Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).As for ten Doeschate, he is currently with Los Angeles Knight Riders in the USA’s Major League Cricket as an assistant to head coach Phil Simmons. He also brings with him the experience of having been a batting coach at Kent.

Fazalhaq Farooqi has shrugged off two months on the bench at the IPL to lead the bowling charts early in T20 World Cup 2024. His combined figures across three matches are 12 for 42 in 11.2 overs and he believes that working with Dwayne Bravo will help him to deliver when the pressure is on Afghanistan in the Super Eight.Farooqi’s left-arm angle has proved lethal with the new ball; he swings it both ways and can also nip it off the seam. Seven of his 12 wickets, including two in two balls against PNG on Tuesday, at this World Cup have come in the powerplay – the most by any bowler in the first six overs – setting up a seven-wicket win which assured Afghanistan’s place in the second round.Related

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Those two wickets highlighted his skill, and his ability to move the ball both ways. Both pitched on a good length in the off-stump channel but where the first shaped back a touch to take the shoulder of Lega Siaka’s bat, the second moved into the left-hander Sese Bau to kiss his inside edge. On both occasions, Rahmanullah Gurbaz took excellent diving catches behind the stumps.”For me, my mentality is simple,” Farooqi told reporters in Tarouba. “Whenever I was playing in Under-19 or Under-16, I thought: I’m not the big man. I’m not someone big and tall and bowling very fast. At that time, I was just thinking to improve my skill to do something different from the others… I was going to learn to bowl swing and that now for me is simple.”Fazalhaq Farooqi has picked up seven wickets in the powerplay, the most in the T20 World Cup 2024•ICC via Getty Images

Farooqi did not play a match for Sunrisers Hyderabad this season and quickly turned his attention to the World Cup when he realised he would spend the IPL running drinks. “Unfortunately I didn’t get any chance to play in IPL but I was working on my skill, to improve my skill to do better for Afghanistan,” he said. “I just try to give my hundred percent and just back my skill.”He has worked closely with Hamid Hassan, Afghanistan’s bowling coach, but also has a long-standing relationship with Bravo, who is with them as a bowling consultant for this World Cup. They have played several seasons of franchise cricket together in the UAE, for both Delhi Bulls (Abu Dhabi T10) and MI Emirates (ILT20), and Farooqi has regularly picked Bravo’s brains.He said that Bravo’s influence on Afghanistan’s seamers would become apparent when they bowl at the death in pressure situations. “DJ Bravo, I am with him from last four years. I’m playing every time in the same team… he just wants to give to us some tips for how we bowl in the death, how we bowl in the crucial situations. He is everyone’s mentor.”He’s an old-ball bowler, for the death. But whatever I’m doing with the new ball, that’s my skill. He just supports me. He says, ‘you’re doing good’ and that’s the main thing, if you got some support from the senior players… He’s giving me [tips], especially in the death, how should I bowl in the pressure time, how should I use the slower ball, how should I use the length ball.”Rashid Khan, Afghanistan’s captain, singled Farooqi out for praise, comparing his impact with the ball to Gurbaz’s influence with the bat. “It’s very important to have someone like him. In the batting unit, you have the top order who go there like Gurbaz and smash it from the first ball,” Rashid said. “It’s the same with the bowling unit as well.”Someone like Fazal, who is coming in and attacking each and every ball, that allows us to have a strong base as a bowling unit. And then it does help you in the middle overs as well if you get a couple of wickets… We are lucky to have him on the side [because he] gives us the best start with the new ball and then makes the job a little bit easier in the middle.”Jonathan Trott, Afghanistan’s head coach, believes there is more to come from Farooqi. “He’s been really good,” Trott said. “I think when he gets his line and with the pace and the swing, he’s very dangerous. I still think with the amount of talent, I still think he can even bowl better. I still think there’s even better bowling in him: he’s that talented.”Afghanistan face West Indies in St Lucia on Monday before heading into a Super Eight group that will also feature India and Australia. It is a daunting task, but Farooqi said that their recent successes – both against New Zealand in Guyana last week, and at last year’s 50-over World Cup – means that they believe they can beat anyone.”Before, we were a little bit pressurised,” he said. “We just thought we can’t win the match against the full member teams or the biggest national teams. But when we won the matches in 2023 ODI World Cup, we now have found some confidence. Now everyone has belief in our skills… This is the first time we just qualify for the Super Eight and we are so happy. Back home, every people are happy and proud of us.”

Allrounder Will Jacks will make his first Test appearance in three years after leapfrogging Shoaib Bashir as England’s spinner for the second Ashes Test in Brisbane.Jacks, a left-field pick for the tour of Australia, will replace fast bowler Mark Wood, who was ruled out through injury. It will be the Surrey allrounder’s third Test cap, having earned his first two in Pakistan in 2022, taking 6 for 161 on debut in the first Test in Rawalpindi.The 27-year-old was one of multiple spinners on both those occasions but now finds himself not just thrust into an Ashes with England 1-0 down, but as their primary spinner in the day-night Test, which begins on Thursday.Jacks has played just five first-class matches in the last two seasons, and took just five wickets in three County Championship appearances in 2025 at an average of 38.80. Should he pick up a wicket in the upcoming Test, it will be only his 50th in first-class cricket since debuting in 2018.Related

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He has been used intermittently as a spinner in limited-overs cricket, with 50 caps across ODIs and T20Is with just nine wickets. It helped his case for selection on the tour that he had spent the summer working with head coach Brendon McCullum upon his return to the limited-overs set-up in May. Jacks was subsequently awarded a two-year central contract in October.”It’s something I’m really looking forward to,” told the ECB’s in-house media. “To be on an Ashes tour in the first place is something I wouldn’t have been expecting a few months ago. But it’s been amazing to be here, be around this team… to be in the XI is a dream come true, to play an Ashes series away from home.”Personally, I’ll just be looking to add a little bit to the team in each three facets of the game. I know I can effect the game in a positive way like that, and I’ll just be doing my best to support whenever the team needs me.”Obviously I play a lot of white ball cricket under lights and hopefully that will suit me and the conditions won’t feel too foreign to me. Mostly, I’m just looking forward to getting out there and trying to do my best.”Will Jacks was included in England’s side for the second Test•PA Images/Getty

Though primarily a tactical decision to opt for Jacks given he is a far superior batter to Bashir, it marks a significant moment in the latter’s career. Since becoming Ben Stokes’ No.1 spinner from the start of the 2024 summer, debuting in India earlier that year, this is the first time Bashir has been left out.The 21-year-old missed the last two Tests against India this summer with a broken finger on his left hand, though he did take the final wicket in a thrilling victory at Lord’s having suffered the injury in the same game. That bravery further enamoured him to Stokes, who has been Bashir’s biggest advocate since spotting him two years ago on social media bowling to Alastair Cook on first-class debut for Somerset against Essex.He has since gone on to earn 19 caps, taking 68 wickets at 39.00 but is now without a county after his deal with Somerset expired at the end of the season, though he is on a central contract. After making England’s 12-man squad for the first Test at Perth, Bashir now finds himself lower down in the pecking order.Ironically, part of the attraction to Bashir is his high release point and the over-spin he imparts on the ball – characteristics England deem vital in Australia based on Nathan Lyon’s success. That Lyon boasts an impressive record across his 13 day-night Tests – 43 dismissals at 25.62 – has prompted England into changing their all-pace tactic from the first Test.”Talking about the tactical element of a day-night game, you do try to look at Australia,” Stokes said. “They play a lot of day-night cricket here, how they use their spinner as an attacking option, or more to give the bowlers an easier rotation and to get through the overs quicker to have more time with the new ball under lights. There’s both those elements we will consider with how a spinner is to be used in a day/night game.”England XI: 1 ⁠Zak Crawley, 2 ⁠Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 ⁠Harry Brook, 6 ⁠Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Will Jacks, 9 Gus Atkinson, 10 ⁠Brydon Carse, 11 Jofra Archer

Kane Williamson has announced his retirement from T20 internationals after months of speculation about his playing future, but has reaffirmed his focus on playing for New Zealand in Test cricket, starting with their three-match series against West Indies in December.Williamson, 35, has featured in 93 T20Is for New Zealand since his debut in October 2011. However, he opted out of their three-match series against Australia at the start of the month, then missed the subsequent 1-0 loss to England with a groin injury.He returned to action for this week’s 3-0 ODI series victory over the same opponents – his first appearances for New Zealand since the Champions Trophy final against India in March – but had flagged beforehand his shifting priorities, telling NZC of the “delicate balance” between time with his young family and committing to the team of which he has been a part for 15 years.Related

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Now he has opted to call time on the shortest format, just months before the next T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in February. He retires as New Zealand’s second-highest run-scorer in the format, with 2,575 runs at an average of 33.44, 18 fifties and a highest score of 95. He captained the team in 75 of his matches, including T20 World Cup semi-final appearances in 2016 and 2022, and one losing final in 2021.”It’s something that I’ve loved being a part of for a long period of time and I’m so grateful for the memories and experiences,” Williamson said. “It’s the right time for myself and the team. It gives the team clarity for the series moving forward and ahead of their next major focus which is the T20 World Cup.”There’s so much T20 talent there and the next period will be important to get cricket into these guys and get them ready for the World Cup. “Rob Walter, the New Zealand head coach, said: “You get to different life positions and the game does require a lot and demand a lot. So, understandably, Kane decided to step away from T20 internationals. And we’re now looking to the Test series at the end of the year and that will be our primary focus now.”I don’t think you can underestimate [his] value in all aspects,” Walter added. “Obviously, performance is one thing, but I think it’s probably the lesser of all the things that he brings to the team. A magnificent team man.”He’s a real sounding board for the guys in the team. He’s experienced a hell of a lot. He’s delivered incredible performances under pressure in World Cup finals. There’s a whole package there that obviously the team loses, but respectful of his decision.”Williamson had already handed over the white-ball captaincy to Mitchell Santner, while his No. 3 berth in the T20I team had been taken over by Rachin Ravindra, with the likes of Tim Seifert, Tim Robinson and Mark Chapman challenging for regular berths.”Mitch is a brilliant captain and leader – he’s really come into his own with this team,” Williamson said. “He really has such a great understanding of the game and this format having played for a long time and has done incredibly well. Now he has got the reins and he’s excited for the opportunity. I am looking forward to watching him. It’s now their time to push the Black Caps forward in this format and I’ll be supporting from afar.”In a statement, NZC said that Williamson’s next competitive fixture was likely to be for Northern Districts against Auckland in the Plunket Shield, starting November 26, as preparation for the first Test against West Indies, which begins at Christchurch on December 2, which indicated he would miss the upcoming ODIs against West Indies.Kane Williamson’s last T20I came at the 2024 World Cup•Getty Images

“I’ve got such deep care for this team,” Williamson said. “The Black Caps is a special place and one you want to give yourself to, and get the most out of yourself for. It’s a journey and a pursuit, and that’s what I love about the international game and this environment.””I’ll continue to keep the lines of communication open with Rob [Walter] and NZC who have given me a huge amount of support throughout.”Scott Weenink’s NZC’s chief executive, said he respected Williamson’s decision and saluted his contributions to the T20I team.”Kane’s performances as a player and his service as captain of the T20 side have been nothing short of immense,” he said.”His runs in all conditions around the world reflect the world class batsman that he is and are equally matched by the influence of his leadership on and off the field.”His knock of 85 in the T20 World Cup final [in 2021] was one of the more special T20I innings played by a New Zealander, albeit in a losing course. The T20 team experienced great consistency and success under Kane’s watch and he certainly leaves the team in good health.”Speaking last week, Williamson had acknowledged that his continued involvement with New Zealand would require an ongoing dialogue with Walter and the board, but Weenink insisted that he had earned the right to decide how he finished his ODI and Test careers.”We’ve made it clear to Kane he has our full support as he reaches the back end of his illustrious career,” he said. “We would, of course, love to see him play for as long as possible, but there’s no doubt whenever he does decide to finally call time – he will go down as a legend of New Zealand cricket.”With Kane committed to play the West Indies Test series in December, I’d encourage all Kiwis to take the opportunity to get out and witness one of our greatest ever cricketers play.”He will continue to play T20 franchise cricket, having spent much of the English summer just gone playing for London Spirit and Middlesex in an extended tie-up.

Andy Flower has been appointed men’s coach at London Spirit, reunited with director of cricket Mo Bobat after they took Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their maiden IPL title earlier this year. Flower takes over from Justin Langer after his side finished seventh out of eight in his first – and only – season in charge.Bobat was appointed director of cricket earlier this year by Spirit’s new owners and opted not to renew Langer’s contract. He has instead convinced Flower to leave Trent Rockets after a five-year association – which featured a title-winning season in 2022 – on a multi-year contract ahead of the 2026 season.MCC and the ‘Tech Titans’, a consortium of high net-worth individuals including the chief executives of Google, YouTube, Microsoft and Adobe, took operational control of the Spirit earlier this week. They will run the franchise as a joint-venture, with MCC retaining a controlling 51% stake and four out of seven board seats.”I’m delighted that we’ve been able to secure Andy’s services as our men’s head coach,” Bobat said. “Andy and I have enjoyed a strong working relationship in the past, and I’m looking forward to building something special with him at London Spirit as we enter this new and exciting phase for the franchise.”Related

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Flower said he was “deeply grateful” to have spent the last five years at the Rockets and “hugely excited” to join the Spirit. “It’s a real privilege to be part of such an iconic venue and organisation. I’m also thrilled to be working once again with Mo, and for the first time with both MCC and the Tech Titans.”The Spirit were women’s champions in 2024 but have consistently underperformed in the men’s Hundred. They have won just 12 of their 38 completed matches, with five of those coming in 2022 when Eoin Morgan captained them to the knockout stages for the only time in their short history.Langer brought in Kane Williamson as captain this year and recruited David Warner alongside him at the top of the order, but they only won three out of eight matches to finish second-bottom.MCC have also appointed Donna-Maria Cullen to the Spirit’s board, after she stepped down from her role as an executive director at Tottenham Hotspur FC. Cullen joins Julian Metherell, Rob Lawson and Morgan as MCC’s representatives, with Nikesh Arora (Palo Alto Networks), Satyan Gajwani (Times Internet) and Egon Durban (Silver Lake) taking the Tech Titans’ board seats.The franchise have confirmed that they will play under the same name next year, but are planning a major brand refresh over the winter which could see them incorporate MCC’s egg-and-bacon colours into their kit – most likely as detailing, rather than the primary colour.Six of the eight deals in the Hundred’s new ownership structure were signed off in July, with Nottinghamshire (Cain/Ares) and Surrey (Reliance) expected to confirm their respective deals for Trent Rockets and Oval Invincibles next week ahead of a Hundred board meeting later this month.

Southern Brave 126 for 2 (Wolvaardt 56*, Wong 2-34) beat London Spirit 125 for 8 (Griffith 44, Villiers 3-38) by eight wicketsSouthern Brave made it seven wins in a row in this year’s The Hundred women’s competition with a resounding victory over London Spirit at Lord’s, underscored by a superb partnership of 95 between Maia Bouchier and the stylish South African superstar, Laura Wolvaardt.The result, achieved with six balls to spare, leaves the Spirit hanging on in their quest to break into the final top three. After an uneven performance with the bat – only Cordelia Griffith, Charli Knott and Georgia Redmayne managed double figures – followed by a luckless run in the field, they will have to win their final match against the Invincibles on Monday and hope that other results go their way.The Brave are a brilliantly well-drilled unit. In Lauren Bell they have one of the standout seamers of the tournament who was excellent again here, removing Kira Chathli in her opening set and going for just 18 across her 20. Mady Villiers provided control and potency with her off-breaks, picking up three more wickets; and with the bat they rarely miss.While Bouchier impressed, eventually holing out for 43 from 34 balls, Wolvaardt was irresistible. Coming together after the early dismissal of Danni Wyatt-Hodge, given out leg-before on review to a beauty from Issy Wong, Wolvaardt opened her account with a brace of boundaries driven down the ground, before a stunning cover drive took her into double figures.A subsequent no-look slap off Wong that went for six over midwicket, carrying 74 metres, should have been the standout shot, but that honour fell to her extraordinary one-handed six over long-on. That shot brought up her thousandth run in the history of The Hundred, Wolvaardt becoming just the fourth player to do so, and the first overseas star. Her fifty came up off 31 balls, and she was still there at the death, ensuring that the mighty Brave continued their unbeaten streak.They will now, irrespective of results elsewhere, be guaranteed to finish top of the group going into the knockouts later this week. Rock bottom last year, top this; it’s been an extraordinary turnaround for the Brave.Wolvaardt’s class was recognised with the Meerkat Match Hero award: “I’m so happy that we were able to get the win. It was a nice wicket to bat on, so we did well to restrict them to that total. On a good wicket we wanted to get ahead of the game early. We knew they had a load of world-class spinners in their attack, so we wanted to get off to a fast start. I really enjoy batting with Bouch, we rotated well, and we were both able to find the boundaries as well.”Our bowlers have been absolutely amazing all tournament. The way that Belly and Tilly [Corteen-Coleman] have set the tone up front has been awesome.”