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Debutant Matthew Fisher fired Yorkshire to an opening-night NatWest T20 Blast win over Derbyshire at Headingley with a stunning five-wicket haul under the new floodlights

ECB/PA15-May-2015
ScorecardMatt Fisher shone under the floodlights at Headingley•Getty Images

Debutant Matthew Fisher fired Yorkshire to an opening-night NatWest T20 Blast win over Derbyshire at Headingley with a stunning five-wicket haul under the new floodlights.Seventeen-year-old Fisher joined Rich Pyrah and Jack Brooks as the only Yorkshire players to take five wickets in a 20-over match as the Falcons were bowled out for 128 inside 19 overs on the way to a seven-wicket defeat with 20 balls remaining.Fisher struck twice through the middle of the innings as Derbyshire, invited to bat, slipped from 66 for 1 in the ninth to 81 for 6 in the 13th, a loss of 5 for 15 in 25 balls. South African Hashim Amla top-scored with 29, but him falling caught at cover off Pyrah hurt the Falcons badly.A crowd of 5,953 saw Fisher record 5 for 22 from 3.2 overs before watching third-wicket pair Andrew Gale and Jonny Bairstow impress in Yorkshire’s chase with 41 off 36 balls and 40 not out off 35.Tim Bresnan, Liam Plunkett and Adil Rashid all struck once for the Vikings, while Pyrah added an excellent 2 for 13 from his four overs. His wickets were part of the mid-innings collapse.

Insights

Matthew Fisher has been tipped as an England fast bowler before he has barely bowled a ball in anger for Yorkshire. “I think he is going to be an unbelievable bowler,” said Tim Bresnan after his introduction to Championship cricket against Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire in early season, voicing what may had quietly believed from the outset.
Bresnan said: “He is 17 years old, and he is swinging it both ways at 85mph and has a sharp bouncer as well. He looks a really good prospect.” His five wickets against Derbyshire, at only 17, will only encourage that belief. Not a bowler to be targeted clearly. Fisher joined Rich Pyrah and Jack Brooks as the only Yorkshire players to take five wickets in a 20-over match – and the first, naturally, to achieve it under Headingley’s new floodlights
David Hopps

Fisher became the youngest post-war county cricketer when he debuted in a one-day match aged 15 in 2013, and he made his first Championship appearance earlier this summer.He is currently out of consideration for four-day cricket due to A-Level exams, but he passed this test under lights with flying colours.”It’s been great under the lights here with a bumper crowd,” he said. “We didn’t get off to a great start – we didn’t get our line and length right. But then I got the call, and I tried to hit my lines and went from there.”It’s been a really good start to the season for me. I haven’t expected to play Championship or T20 cricket. The England lads have come back, and I didn’t think I’d play this game with the calibre that’s in the squad but Jason Gillespie’s shown faith in me, and I’ve paid him back.”Fisher broke a dangerous second-wicket partnership of 39 between Amla and Chesney Hughes (27) with his second ball by getting the latter caught at point. He then trapped Shiv Thakor lbw in his second over before returning to get two wickets in the 17th over as Derbyshire slipped to 115 for 8.He had Alex Hughes caught and bowled and Tom Poynton (27) caught behind at either end of the over, and he wrapped up the innings at the start of his fourth over by getting Ben Cotton caught and bowled running towards cover.Cotton bowled Andrew Hodd for a golden duck two balls into Yorkshire’s reply. Alex Lees then sliced Mark Footitt to third man in the fifth over, leaving the score at 31 for 2, but Yorkshire’s win was rarely in doubt.Gale and Bairstow put on 69 inside nine overs, taking three sixes off former Yorkshire spinner David Wainwright in the 13th over.

Matthew Hayden scored 380 on the second day at Perth, surpassing Brian Lara’s Test record of 375, as Australia finally declared on 735 for 6

Lynn McConnell07-Sep-2012Close, 2nd day

Scorecard

Matthew Hayden once said the stimulation he received from hitting a cricket ball – and hitting it well – would never wane. Zimbabwe found that out the hard way today as Hayden put every other Test match batting record in the shade en route to an unforgettable 380. The day revolved around his remarkable achievement to such an extent that it was almost forgotten that Australia amassed 735 for 6, the highest total in 126 years of cricket on Australian soil, before taking pity on Zimbabwe’s bowlers.To their credit, Zimbabwe made a brave fist of it in the final session, reaching 61 before Jason Gillespie blasted a ball through Dion Ebrahim’s defence to bowl him for 29. By stumps, there were 79 for one wicket, still a small ocean short of the 536 needed to avoid the follow-on.But whatever be your perspective, this was Hayden’s day, as he once again revealed the hunger of the late starter. Not only did he surpass the 375 scored by Brian Lara against England at Antigua in 1993-94, but he became only the second Australian to score a triple century on home soil – something beyond even a certain Donald George Bradman. His energy levels never ebbed, and 400 was a distinct possibility – especially after Steve Waugh decided to let the batsmen come back out after tea – when he pulled a ball from Trevor Gripper to backward square leg, where Stuart Carlisle took a low tumbling catch.The record was just reward for a batsman who has been the outstanding performer of the 21st century, and with four Tests still to play in the calendar year, Hayden finds himself well within reach of 1000 runs – he has 837 after this epic – in a year for the third successive time.

The straight drive proved a reliable, and punishing, weapon throughout his innings. There were also flashing cuts and disdainful pulls aplenty. With the attack enfeebled to such an extent that they appeared to be on some mediocre auto-pilot, Hayden was also more inclined to loft the ball straight. He ended his innings having struck 11 sixes, one short of equalling Wasim Akram’s world record.Hayden’s inexorable progress past successive milestones meant that Adam Gilchrist’s truly remarkable cameo – if you can call a century that – was relegated to the shade. He finished with 113 not out – his ninth Test century – perhaps the only time in the history of the game that an 84-ball hundred has had to play second fiddle. Gilchrist did manage some crumbs of comfort from the record-breaking table, as both batsmen made over a hundred runs between lunch and tea.Hayden, who had also scored a century between tea and stumps yesterday, joined Walter Hammond – who achieved the feat against New Zealand at Auckland in 1932-33 – as the only man to do that twice in the same innings.Sean Ervine may have achieved his career-best figures with four wickets, but they came at a cost of 146 runs. Gripper, who dropped Hayden at midwicket, when he offered his only chance at 335, finished with 2 for 142, as five bowlers went for over 100 runs.The only thing that Zimbabwe managed to do right was to deny Steve Waugh the unique honour of having scored a hundred at each of Australia’s contemporary Test grounds. Waugh had been untroubled on his way to 78, but Sean Ervine got one to catch the inside edge and rebound high into the air off the pad, following up well enough to snaffle a difficult chance.The rest of the day was all about one man’s tryst with history. Hayden has often professed to a fondness for fly-fishing, and today, the bait he used snared the biggest fish of them all. Goodbye Brian Lara, hello Matthew Hayden – king of the batting mountain.

Scotland took an unassailable 3-0 series lead over Namibia in the third Twenty20 of their five-match series with a 26-run win in Windhoek

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Oct-2011
Scorecard
Scotland took an unassailable 3-0 series lead over Namibia in the third Twenty20 of their five-match series with a 26-run win in Windhoek. A strong team performance set up Scotland’s victory as they reached 156 for 9 despite seamer Christi Viljoen’s 5 for 23, after which every one of the seven Scotland bowlers used picked up a wicket to keep Namibia to 130 for 8.After winning the toss, Scotland’s batting effort was underpinned by opener Calum Macleod’s aggressive 30 and Preston Mommsen’s 39, but there were contributions from most of the top order. The batsmen further down couldn’t quite replicate their efforts as Viljoen returned and struck regularly, finding himself on a hat-trick after dismissing Safyaan Sharif and Gordon Goudie with consecutive deliveries.Namibia lost captain Craig Williams and Sarel Burger inside the first six overs of their chase but kept in touch with the asking rate thanks to Louis van der Westhuizen’s 27-ball 39 and a rapid 30 from Gerrie Snyman.Wickets kept falling, however, and with each dismissal Scotland’s grip on the match tightened. Niel Rossouw struggled to force the pace in his 23-ball 18, and though Louis Klazinga managed a four and a six in his 19, the result was already a foregone conclusion.

Jamie How, the Central Stags captain, has said the Champions League Twenty20 is an opportunity for the youngsters in his side to stake claims for higher honours

Cricinfo staff06-Sep-2010Jamie How, the Central Districts Stags captain, has said the Champions League Twenty20 is an opportunity for the youngsters in his side to stake claims for higher honours.”It gives them the chance to show what they’re made of on the international scene and perhaps if they perform well, they might even have a chance of being picked up for one of the IPL teams,” How said ahead of the tournament that gets underway on September 10. “Both individually and as a team, we have a chance to pit our skills against the world’s best, which is a very exciting prospect.”Central Districts qualified for the event by winning the 2009/10 edition of New Zealand’s domestic HRV Cup. How was wary of the competition his side will encounter in the Champions League which features the top domestic Twenty20 sides from around the world. “Every team here is here on merit. The fact that they’re here means that they are very good teams, winning or finishing near the top of their individual competitions. Each of the teams has its strengths and weaknesses and we just have to be able to deal with those.”The team will miss the services of two of their key players – Ross Taylor, who will turn out for his IPL side Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Jacob Oram who is out with a knee injury. How admitted his side would be hampered by their, and the injured allrounder Graham Napier’s, absence. “Ross is certainly a big loss for us. He’s one of our best players, and along with missing Jacob Oram and Graham, it’s been a big loss, but it also gives someone else an opportunity to step into their big shoes.”How looked forward to the event and felt the youngsters in his side would enjoy playing in South Africa. “It’s a wonderful experience for the younger guys who haven’t been here, because it’s a great country to tour. There are really great cricket facilities and exciting places off the field. And we’re doing quite a bit of travelling – we play in Centurion, Durban and Port Elizabeth – so we’ll see quite a bit of the country.”

The PCB’s stance remains unchanged, stating there is “no chance” of a hybrid model for the tournament

Osman Samiuddin12-Nov-2024The PCB has written to the ICC and asked them to provide a written confirmation from the BCCI that they are unable to play the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, as well as giving a reason for it.The PCB was told last Friday by the ICC that the BCCI has not been given permission by the Indian government for the Indian team to travel to Pakistan for the tournament, scheduled to be played across three venues in Pakistan from February 9. But the PCB wants it in writing from the BCCI that they are unable to attend, as well as the justification for it.That ICC communication came three days before what would’ve been the official launch event for the tournament in Lahore, starting a 100-day countdown. Instead, the event has been postponed, with uncertainty now swirling around the eight-team tournament.Related

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The PCB’s stance at the moment remains unchanged: the entire tournament will be played in Pakistan with a senior PCB official reiterating to ESPNcricinfo there is “no chance” of a hybrid model being considered. Such a model, used once for the Asia Cup in 2023, would allow India to play their games outside of Pakistan. There has been speculation about the UAE being used as a second venue in this instance but the PCB has unequivocally ruled that out. The tournament is scheduled to be played in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi between February 19 and March 9.As well as that stance, there is also a growing realisation that with the Pakistan government now involved, any decisions on hosting and hybrid models may not be driven by the PCB but will be firmly in the government’s hands.One of the reasons the PCB is standing firm at the moment is because they feel aggrieved by events last year. After they were forced to use a hybrid model in hosting the Asia Cup, Pakistan agreed to travel to India for the World Cup. That decision was taken after consultation with the government and permission was ultimately granted – despite considerable opposition – on the hope that it would lead to India reciprocating by visiting for the Champions Trophy.The same government remains in place in Pakistan and Mohsin Naqvi, a senior figure within it as the country’s interior minister, is now the PCB chairman.The PCB has also pointed out that the tournament was awarded to Pakistan three years ago and no objection was raised at the time, or has been raised since. The PCB is believed to have provided a progress report at the ICC’s board meetings in October including the intention to go ahead with the 100-day launch event on November 11, with no concerns raised.The ICC has been approached for comment.

Bottom club keep faint hopes alive despite career-best haul for Warwickshire seamer

ECB Reporters Network11-Sep-2023 by 108 runsNorthamptonshire fought back hard after Oliver Hannon-Dalby’s career-best bowling put Warwickshire on top on the second day of their LV=Insurance County Championship tussle at Edgbaston.Hannon-Dalby’s superb seven for 46 sent the visitors all out for just 250 in a match they must win to preserve any realistic hopes of avoiding relegation.That total looks a little under par but Jack White (three for 37) then led a big-hearted effort from Northamptonshire’s bowlers who made the home batters work very hard to reach 142 for four from 55 overs in reply.The match remains in the balance on a pitch which has assisted the seamers throughout. Hannon-Dalby will be on a hat-trick in the second innings when he will be hunting the three wickets he needs to reach 100 in two seasons – he is now on 44 this year to add to last season’s 53.After resuming on the second morning on 200 for five, Northamptonshire lost two wickets to the new ball as Saif Zaib edged Hannon-Dalby behind and Lewis McManus’ 97-minute resistance for 25 was ended by an outswinger by Chris Rushworth.Hannon-Dalby then polished off the tail. Tom Taylor edged to second slip before Simon Kerrigan fell lbw and White played on next ball. When Northamptonshire bat again, for the third time in 27 days, Hannon-Dalby will start his next bowl on a hat trick.Warwickshire also found run-gathering an arduous business. Kraigg Brathwaite, on his home debut, eked nine from 58 minutes before edging a lifter from White. Rob Yates prised 23 from nearly two hours before slicing Luke Procter to second slip.Will Rhodes (44, 92 balls) produced the most assertive batting of the day before skying White to third man. Sam Hain, on his last county appearance of the season following his England call-up, collected a workmanlike 30 that is unlikely to figure in his memoirs then was trapped in front by the impressive White.Fifth-wicket pair Dan Mousley and Ed Barnard survived intact, albeit while adding to the considerable number of play-and-misses in this match, but a strong first hour tomorrow morning would pour belief into Northamptonshire’s bid for a great escape.

Opener follows Babar Azam and Azhar Ali to Taunton

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Jul-2022Somerset have furthered their links with the PCB by signing Imam-ul-Haq as a replacement for Matt Renshaw for the final four games of the County Championship season.Babar Azam and Azhar Ali have been popular overseas signings at Taunton in recent years and Andy Hurry, Somerset’s director of cricket, said the club had used their “long-standing relationship” with the PCB to get Imam’s deal over the line, subject to a No-Objection Certificate and visa.”Imam-ul-Haq is an outstanding batter who will bring quality and a wealth of experience to our environment,” Hurry said. “To be able to bring in an established Test match player for the final LV= Insurance County Championship matches of the season is a coup for us with so much international cricket being played during this important period.”We have a long-standing working relationship with the PCB and we are grateful to them for their assistance in helping us to sign a player of this calibre. We are genuinely excited about what he will add to the club both on and off the field.”Related

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Imam is one of Pakistan’s incumbent opening batters alongside Abdullah Shafique, and is part of the squad to play Sri Lanka later this month. He said that he had spoken to his international team-mates about the club and that county cricket is “a challenge that I am relishing”.”I have heard a lot about the quality of Somerset from Babar Azam and Azhar Ali,” he said. “It is a club with a good reputation and great support. I look forward to representing the county and contributing to some good wins in the County Championship.”Somerset have struggled in the Championship this season and are ninth in the 10-team Division One, though have a game in hand on most of the bottom half of the table.Renshaw, the Australian top-order batter, will leave the club at the end of August to begin pre-season training with his state side Queensland ahead of his home summer.

Aaron Finch proud of the way his team adapted to conditions after watching the first innings

Andrew McGlashan05-Mar-2021New Zealand coach Gary Stead has criticised his team’s approach with the bat in the fourth T20I, saying the batsmen did not “fire a shot” at Australia early in the run chase on what was a challenging surface.Stead acknowledged the game swung significantly Australia’s way when Aaron Finch took 26 off the last over from Kyle Jamieson, but felt New Zealand were timid with their response – they were 25 for 1 after the powerplay and then collapsed to 82 for 9 before some late hitting from Jamieson pushed them to three figures.The surface changed considerably from the first match – this was the fourth game on the surface in three days with the women’s series also taking place – which “surprised” Stead but he said the batsmen had been too slow to adjust.”The disappointing thing for me is I’m not sure we fired a shot at them tonight. When Kyle came in and played the way he did, it was too late then, the game was gone, so we need to think how we do that a little earlier,” he said. “In those situations, when it is tough, that was a very good score they had, then you have to try and get ahead of the run rate if you can and that provides a little more opportunity for the middle order to work out the way they need to play it.Related

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“It’s that intent to hit boundaries, get on the front foot, even just running between wickets and things like that and I thought we took a step backwards from where we had been earlier in the series. There are things we can do better.”Spinners were effective throughout the game with Mitchell Santner setting the tone, and Stead said that Kane Williamson had considered using himself or Glenn Phillips but did not feel the match-ups were right with Finch still at the crease.Finch had the advantage of viewing conditions at very close quarters for 20 overs and was quick to hand Ashton Agar the first over of New Zealand’s chase with the left-arm spinner bowling three in the powerplay.”It was one of those days where we got a lot of information out of the way New Zealand bowled and we adapted beautifully,” he said. “Ashton Agar was outstanding and all the bowlers were really good.”Finch was often starved of the strike but made the decision reasonably early that he would try and take the innings as deep as possible. “We always knew two new batters on a surface like that was going to be really challenging, especially towards the back end when you expect guys to blast them, it’s going to be tough on that kind of surface.”After a poor performance in Christchurch and a narrow loss in Dunedin, Australia now have the chance to clinch the series before quickly packing their kit bags and jumping on a chartered flight back across the Tasman on Sunday evening.”The fact we were 2-0 down and back to 2-2, really proud of the way we’ve fought,” Finch said. “It’s not the first time we’ve done it, either. It’s a really good character test at the best of time because the ebbs and flows are so big.”

India captain concedes that his team has also found it tough to adapt to the challenging conditions at home

Karthik Krishnaswamy in Pune09-Oct-20195:49

‘We look for answers, not excuses’ – Kohli

Left to him, Virat Kohli would give teams extra points for away wins in the World Test Championship. On the eve of India’s second Test against South Africa in Pune, Kohli said that the arrival of the championship had encouraged teams to play positive cricket, and given them the incentive to go for wins when they might have earlier settled for draws. But he did hope there would be one change in the points system, perhaps when the next edition of the championship rolls around.

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“The importance of every game has become that much more,” Kohli said in a press conference. “In situations that, in a three-match series, you probably would have played out a draw, teams are going to go for wins and get those extra points, so I think it’s great for Test cricket. The matches are going to be that much more exciting, is what we feel, and we can already experience that.”We have to be absolutely professional in every session that we play, so yeah, I think it’s much more demanding on the players now, which is a good thing because it will keep the standard of Test cricket high. Yeah, these are the only things we have experienced so far and noticed in terms of changes.ALSO READ: The mystery of the Pune pitch“If you’d have asked me to make the points table, I would give double the points for an away Test win. That is something that I would have definitely liked to see. Maybe after the first edition.”Visiting teams in India would certainly appreciate that extra incentive. India have been an incredibly difficult team to beat in their own backyard during Kohli’s time as captain, India winning 16 of their 22 Tests and losing just one. For all that, though, Kohli said conditions in India are often difficult to negotiate even for his team.”Look, it’s not easy for us as a home side as well,” Kohli said. “When conditions are challenging, when the ball’s spinning, we’ve also found it difficult in the past. But we’re a team that looks for answers, not excuses, so maybe that’s the reason we keep improving, and we’ve been able to win so many Test matches.”We don’t take anything for granted for sure, we can very well be losing four-five wickets a session, so we know that well, as a team. We work pretty hard on our game also, even though we play in our own conditions and we’ve grown up playing in these conditions. So I think the mindset is key for us, and that’s to win every game that we play and not focus on what the conditions are on display, we look to find answers rather than excuses.”Over the first three days of the first Test in Visakhapatnam, South Africa pushed India hard to find these answers, particularly with their aggressive batting approach against spin, which helped them claw back from 39 for 3 to finish just 71 short of India’s first-innings total of 502.Kohli wasn’t surprised by the fight South Africa put up.”How they played in the first innings was very good,” he said. “You have to be positive when the wicket’s nice and easy to bat on, you have to try and get as many runs as possible, and that’s exactly what they did.”I would say the first three, maybe even four days of the game, the wicket was hardly doing anything. After three-and-a-half days, it started to turn a little bit, and then on day five we really got into our own. We expected that. We expected teams to come out and try and be positive against us, and we held our own. We held our own in the second innings, and put up 400 runs for them to gun down again.”Look, we are going to be put under pressure, even though we’re playing at home. Its about how we come back into the game and then put double the pressure on the opposition again and then tell them, let’s see if that can be executed again. So that’s basically what Test cricket is. You have to come back in the second innings and do the job again, it doesn’t end in one innings, but the approach was quite expected.”Mohammed Shami celebrates bowling Temba Bavuma•BCCI

On the final day, India’s match-winner was Mohammed Shami, who came into his own on a wearing fifth-day pitch to run through South Africa in their second innings. What sets Shami apart, according to Kohli, is how much help he can coax out of even the flattest surfaces.”I think on the pitches that we play, I haven’t seen anyone get so much seam movement apart from him,” Kohli said. “Yes, internationally, many bowlers do, but I think on flat pitches he has the ability to pick you wickets in situations that feel absolutely dead. And that’s why he’s such an important bowler for us, that’s why we’ve wanted to manage his workload very precisely – all the fast bowlers.”But he’s someone who can change the complexion of the game totally when you don’t see it coming. That’s the kind of skill he possesses, and now he’s taking the responsibility. We don’t need to push Shami anymore. We don’t need to tell him, come on, you’ve got to get up and bowl this spell for us. He wants the ball. He understands the situation. When he’s given the ball, especially in the second innings when situations are difficult, he comes in and does the job every time.”It’s great. People are taking responsibility in different situations in the game, which is amazing to see and his skill is obviously there for everyone to see, it’s not a surprise anymore to all of us that he gets the ball to do that much more than others in conditions that don’t really offer you much. He’s blessed with that skill naturally, but it’s the mindset that’s changed now. According to me he’s in the best space right now.”India’s other hero in Visakhapatnam was Rohit Sharma, who scored centuries in both innings while opening the batting for the first time in Test cricket. That performance, Kohli felt, should end the debate over Rohit’s place in the team.”It’s overflowing. It’s not been filled,” Kohli said, when asked if the opening slots were taken for the foreseeable future. “Come on, give the guy a break now. He’s done well, let him enjoy his batting at the top of the order, let him just have fun, like he does in white-ball cricket, and stop focusing on what’s Rohit going to do in Tests.”He’s in a great space, he’s playing really well, and he looked relaxed in the first game, which is great to see, all the experience he’s accumulated over the years came to the fore, so he’s feeling absolutely at home at the top of the order, and for us as a team it’s a huge bonus, because if you saw the second innings, the way he’s able to take the tempo of the game forward, that allows the bowlers an extra hour and a half or two hours to bowl the opposition out.”So look, if a guy like him at the top of the order plays the way he did in the last game, we’re going to be in situations to go for victories in most of the Test matches. We’re all very happy for him, and I think it’s time to just move ahead from [debating about] his spot at the top of the order and just let him enjoy his batting.”The Pune pitch had a fair grass cover on the eve of the Test match, and a certain amount of early moisture is expected too, given the volume of rain the city has experienced over the past week or so. Despite this, Kohli seemed to suggest that India would probably stick with an attack containing two seamers and two spinners, and not play the extra fast bowler.”Well, I think more or less our team is settled,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going to play that big a factor because when the pitch is damp it turns as well, so it’s not like only seamers are predominantly going to be effective on this pitch, all five days. Everyone will have to play their roles.”Unless you have a pitch which has total grass coverage, only then you think of changes in combination for the match. Because you do know that it’s going to dry out at some stage, and you can’t go predominantly one-sided in your attack and then not have the balance.
“We are pretty balanced in our team composition, and if any changes need to be made looking at how the pitch might behave on the first three days, then we’ll do so, but we don’t see any major things to think about, looking at the pitch.”

Michael Holding believes Hardik Pandya is not effective as a batsman and lacks control and consistency with the ball

Nagraj Gollapudi16-Aug-2018Hardik Pandya is not yet ready to take the allrounder’s spot in India’s Test team, according to former West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding, because he is not effective as a batsman and lacks control and consistency with the ball.”The [Indian] attack has not been the right balance,” Holding told ESPNcricinfo. “Apparently they are playing Hardik Pandya as an allrounder to help out with the bowling. When he bowls he isn’t as effective as he should be. If he was a good batsman, if he was getting runs – 60s, 70s, not even regular hundreds – at the number at which he bats and then he bowls and gets two or three wickets, happy, hallelujah. Happy with that. But he is not getting the amount of runs that can then allow him to get a wicket or two in the Test match. That doesn’t work.”Pandya made his Test debut last July in Sri Lanka, scoring a fifty in Galle and followed it with his maiden Test century in Pallekelle in his third Test. He has played nine Tests so far and, barring the home series against Sri Lanka for which he was rested late last year, he has been the only constant in the Test XI along with captain Virat Kohli.In his fledgling Test career, Pandya has had more success with bat than ball – 458 runs at an average of 32.71 with a century and three half-centuries, and 10 wickets at an average of 39.30 and a strike rate of 71.50. Overseas, Kohli has used Pandya largely to give the frontline bowlers relief. The Lord’s Test was Pandya’s most hectic in terms of bowling workload in a single innings – he bowled 17.1 overs and performed the role of the third seamer, assisting the new-ball pair of Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma.That Pandya had to bowl more was a consequence of Kohli’s decision to field two spinners in wet and overcast conditions. Pandya took three wickets, having gone wicketless in the first Test at Edgbaston. Incidentally, he is the second highest run-scorer for India – after Kohli – this series. But the fact that R Ashwin is five runs behind Pandya, who has scored 90 in the two Tests, only illustrates how horrific the series has been for India’s batsmen.Before the Lord’s Test, Pandya had gone wicketless for four Tests, starting from the second match in South Africa in January. While appraising Pandya’s bowling, Holding said he did not have many skills.BCCI

“I don’t think he does a lot with the ball. That is number one,” Holding said. “He is not consistent. He does not have the control that puts batsmen under pressure constantly. He will bowl a couple of good deliveries, yes, but you need to have the control to put batsmen under pressure consistently. And he doesn’t have that. If you are going to be a frontline bowler anywhere in the world, if you are going to be someone that your captain can rely on, that can throw you the ball and expect you to get wickets and expect you to have control, he is not really the man in my opinion.”Holding said India were shooting themselves in the foot by playing Pandya as the third seamer because he does not have the “firepower” to help them take 20 wickets.When asked to describe his role after the third day’s play at Lord’s, Pandya did not want to classify himself as a batting or a bowling allrounder. “If I’m batting I think as a batsman and if I’m bowling I think as a bowler.” Pandya had said. “I don’t have any one particular role.”Holding said India were trying to make Pandya perform the roles of two players, which he was not yet equipped to do. “Not if I have someone else who is fit,” Holding said, when asked if Pandya should play at Trent Bridge. “If there is no one else, sure you have to play him. If there is someone else that is a specialist batsman or specialist bowler I will certainly prefer that. There must be someone that can bat better if they want a batsman, there must be someone who can bowl better if they want a bowler. But it seems as if they are trying to fill two spots with one person. He (Pandya) is not there yet.”Despite his scathing assessment of Pandya, Holding said he is young and has time to develop as an allrounder.”I am not going to tell anyone that you won’t be there because he is a young man. But he is not there yet. I heard a mention, when I was working in South Africa: ‘he is the next Kapil Dev’. I ain’t going to tell anybody he’s not going to be the next Kapil Dev, but he is nowhere near there yet. And they need to find someone who can contribute a lot more to this team right now.”