81 All Out

We talk to Michael Wagener about New Zealand's impressive Test results over the last 3 years and get a rundown of their strengths & weaknesses ahead of their series against Australia. Talking points: The pitches used for the England series Is Tom Latham a bully? The unYoutubable B J Watling How Colin de Grandhommme found himself alongside the legendary Aubrey Faulkner And the most fascinating bowler in the world - Neil Wagner Participants: Michael Wagener (@mykuhl) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Related: Michael Wagener's super geeky cricket blog  And his Firstpost columns From extreme to mainstream: How Neil Wagner has wanged his way to the top - Sidharth Monga in ESPNcricinfo.com Black Caps make convincing case as New Zealand's best test side in history - Ian Anderson in stuff.co.nz

We are living in a golden age of Indian fast bowling.  Pitches, conditions, match situation - nothing seems to matter. India's bowling attack is ruthlessly targeting the opposition, and summoning magic deliveries at will. What better time to talk about our favorite quick bowling performances in Indian conditions - from Malcolm Marshall's devastating spell in Kanpur in 1983-84 to Javagal Srinath's 13-wicket-haul in a losing cause to Jason Gillespie's lionhearted effort in Chennai in 2001 to Dale Steyn's spell-of-a-lifetime in Nagpur in 2010. And let's not forget the splendid feats of swing bowling from the likes of Roger Binny, L Balaji and Tim Southee – sussing up Indian conditions and knocking out batsmen on largely benign surfaces. Participants: K Balakumar (@kbalakumar) Vijay Arumugam (@vijayarumugam) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Related: When Marshall Law was declared in Kanpur - Clayton Murzello in Mid-Day India v West Indies series review by Tony Cozier - YouTube v

Between 1947 and 1971, only one Pakistani cricketer from the east of the country was picked in the Test team. Then Bangladesh was born, and there were far more important matters to attend to than worrying about cricket. But the passion survived in pockets and slowly, through schools and club cricket, the game made its way into the public consciousness. By the early 1990s, several foreign stars were taking part in club cricket in Dhaka. And the Bangladesh national team gradually improved, before being granted Test status in 2000. ESPNcricinfo's Mohammad Isam and BCB senior manager (media and communications) Rabeed Imam tell us how cricket survived through the '70s and '80s before finally dethroning football as the most popular sport in the late 1990s. They talk us through some of Bangladesh's famous wins and introduce us to cricketers who sustained the passion through the trying times. Participants: Mohammad Isam (@isam84) Rabeed Imam (@rabeedi) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Related reading: The original p

We preview the upcoming 2-Test series between India and Bangladesh – which will include the first ever day-night Test to be held in India. Talking Points: Bangladesh's tumultuous lead-up to the series The Shakib Al Hasan shocker Why would Bangladesh's greatest-ever cricket overlook something so fundamental? How public sentiment fluctuated over the hectic few days between the players' strike and Shakib's ban Mominul Haque's big challenge as captain The novelty around the day-night Test, and how that could actually give Bangladesh a small opening in Kolkata Will Taizul Islam and Mehidy Hasan fancy their chances against a batting order that is likely to go after them? Participants: Sakeb Subhan, sub-editor at Daily Star in Dhaka (@SakebTS) Ashoka Rao (@abvan) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Related: 'What Shakib is going through is hard to explain in words' - Mohammad Ashraful interview Bangladesh's steep learning curve against legspin - Mohammad Isam Time for introspection - Sakeb Subhan on Bangladesh's Test

It was a year when everything came together... until it fell spectacularly apart. There was something magical about Pakistan in 1999... till they time they crumbled. For a generation of Pakistan fans, the year 1999 meant much. Shoaib Akhtar emerged as a force of nature. Shahid Afridi provided a glimpse of his otherworldly powers. Wasim Akram was poised to turn into leader of the stature of Imran Khan. Saqlain Mushtaq spun a web around the world's best. Saeed Anwar scaled new heights. Abdul Razzaq was one of the most versatile cricketers around. The team won two Tests in India. They claimed the Asian Test Championship. They won ODI tournaments for fun. They reached the World Cup final. And they had the team to challenge that great Australian side. They were pounded in the World Cup final. They lost the Test series in Australia 3-0. The team were never the same again. And for many fans, it spelt a loss of innocence. Ahmer Naqvi (@karachikhatmal) and Hassan Cheema (@mediagag) were two such fans. They join Siddha

We review India's dominating win over South Africa in the recently concluded home series. Talking Points: The superlative performance of the Indian fast bowlers South Africa's inability to retain control while bowling, and the fierce test their batsmen failed to pass Rohit Sharma's stellar start as a Test opener The inspired decision to opt for the specialist wicketkeeper A bold call on Mayank Agarwal Kohli's cruise mode Participants: Subash Jayaraman (@cricketcouch) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Related: Saving the Test - Mike Jakeman On the difficult of watching Kohli when he is cruising along - Karthik Krishnaswamy * Lead image from BBC

We are thrilled to bring you the 50th episode of the 81allout podcast. Our special guest for the occasion is Clayton Murzello, group sports editor of Mid-Day in Mumbai. We chat with Clayton about his journey - from running a bookstore, managing a cricket club, and covering local sports... before turning into one of the most recognized names in the field of cricket journalism. Talking Points: The charm of the Kanga League tournament in Mumbai The stories and legends around Dadar Union Sporting Club Tendulkar's arrival on the club and first-class scene Schools cricket in Mumbai and the unreasonable expectations it puts on young men The legacy of Sunil Gavaskar The heyday of corporate and university cricket 'Airport duty' and a big scoop How a quiz helped a Mumbai cricketer get his pension The great storyteller – Raj Singh Dungarpur The thrill of collecting cricket books and memorabilia Etc Participants: Participants: Clayton Murzello (@claytonmurzello) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Rel

We preview the upcoming 3-Test series between India and South Africa – where points count for the World Test Championship. Talking Points: A rivalry that often goes under the radar South Africa's historically impressive record in Asia An inexperienced batting line-up coming up against the world's best side A chance for Markram, Bavuma and de Kock to step it up The Rabada threat The prospect of Maharaj and Muthusamy spinning India out Bumrah's absence Rohit's presence at the top of the order Unlucky Umesh, unluckier Bhuvi And can Kohli raise his game to Smithesque levels? Participants: Rohit Sankar (@imRohit_SN) Ashoka Rao (@abvan) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Related: Interview with South Africa's performance analyst Prasanna Raman - Rohit Sankar India v West Indies series review - 81allout podcast Deconstructing Rohit Sharma - Aakash Chopra Maharaj hoping to learn from "best in the world" Herath - Andrew Fidel Fernando

In the latest 81allout podcast we look back at South Africa’s tour of India in 1996-97. India continued their winning run at home, pulling off a close win at Ahmedabad. South Africa came back with a dominating win in Calcutta. And India rounded off the series with a resounding victory in Kanpur. We talk about the all-too-familiar orientalist attitudes of visiting teams of that era, the revolving-door of openers for India, the Test debuts of Laxman and Klusener, of Indian cricketers whose careers met an unlikely end in this series, Kumble’s perfect cover drive, Srinath’s breathtaking spells, and the singular thrill of watching Azhar counter-attack. Participants: Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Aftab Khanna (@aftabkhanna) Deepak Rao (@RaoDepk)

In our latest episode we chat with ESPNcricinfo's Sri Lanka correspondent – and one of the finest cricket writers in the world – Andrew Fidel Fernando. Highlights: A brief review of the recent Sri Lanka v New Zealand Test series Three great Test innings in the last five years - by two Kusals and one Dinesh A streak of 26 straight Tests that have yielded results in Sri Lanka The soundtrack of Test cricket in Sri Lanka (as well as the sounds that are being missed) Fidel's favorite moments from Test cricket in Sri Lanka in this decade Is it time to rename Galle as the 'home of cricket'? Participants: Andrew Fidel Fernando (@afidelf) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Related pieces and podcasts: 'I try and give voice to the fans' emotions'- 81allout podcast with Andrew Fidel Fernando Mendis' triumph over improbability  Kusal Perera bats with body, heart and soul in innings of a lifetime Chandimal's anarchic mayhem lifts Sri Lanka Dale Steyn, the greatest fast bowler o

In our latest episode we are pleased to put out a random podcast on random cricketing memories. Highlights: When Gavaskar and Dravid sported moustaches When Nayan Mongia wore a yellow helmet When Phil Tufnell went after Richard Blakey When Tim Zoehrer showed his backside When Tony Greig and Harsha Bhogle used Pythogoras Theorem to explain cricketing matters When the sun stopped play in Chennai Etc Participants: K Balakumar (@kbalakumar) Sriram Venkateswaran (@sriram140) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Related: The truth about Nayan Mongia- Rahul Bhattacharya Zoehrer scotches sacking claims Sehwag: the last Samurai- Siddhartha Vaidyanathan Mark Waugh's six over Vettori in Perth- Youtube video Ball from Mushtaq Ahmed goes between off and middle stump- Youtube video

We review India's thumping win against West Indies in the recently concluded two-Test series. Talking Points: Ajinkya Rahane and Hanuma Vihari bolstering the Indian middle order. India's superlative bowling performance in the two Tests Shannon Gabriel's under-par performance Jasprit Bumrah's magic balls The decision to pick Jadeja over Ashwin The marvel that is Kemar Roach Participants: Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Ashoka Rao (@abvan) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Related: Jasprit Bumrah: India's golden goose- Subash Jayaraman KL Rahul grapples with tweaked technique- Karthik Krishnaswamy Hanuma Vihari: a chip off Dravid-Laxman block- Sandip G

In this episode of the 81allout podcast, we dive headfirst into the banal talking points that dominate our sports related conversations, how they propagate, and the deleterious impact these narratives can have on the popular discourse. We also discuss the need for data transparency and how to use the data into defensible, digestible narratives that truly inform avid viewers of the sport. Is this a niche or a basic need? Would love to hear what our listeners think! Participants: Karthik Krishnaswamy (@the_kk) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Related pieces: Should you teach your kids to bat like Steve Smith- Hussain and Sangakkara discuss on Sky Sports Pujara swears by his survival guide- by Karthik Krishnaswamy Shiv on the shore- by Rahul Bhattacharya Why there is no such thing as a finisher in ODI cricket- by Kartikeya Date The mother of all myths- Tom Eaton on South Africa's choking narrative

In the latest episode of the 81allout podcast, we are delighted to be joined by Trinidad-based writer, editor, and historian Vaneisa Baksh. We talk to Vaneisa about her experiences of writing about cricket in the Caribbean, the rampant sexism she had to battle early in her career, her research on the life and career of Sir Frank Worrell, and how West Indies have taken to T20s like a duck to water.  Also featuring: Vaneisa's ten-year fight to become a member of the Queens Park Cricket Club, and the enduring legacy of CLR James. Participants: Vaneisa Baksh Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Some of Vaneisa's pieces: Christopher Henry Gayle. What can I say?  Inside sexism Darren Sammy, WICB slayer? West Indies' mentorship problem Worrell becomes captain Take one for the team The shoulders of a captain

We preview the upcoming Test series on India's tour of West Indies which marks the debut for both teams in the newly conceptualized World Test Championship Talking Points: We meditate on the point and pointlessness of the World Test Championship. Talk (a lot) about the impact of Dukes ball on the dynamics of the series. Discuss India's dilemma of choosing between a 5th bowler and a 6th batsman. Can Ashwin get his mojo back as a batsman? Can the potent West Indies pace attack of Gabriel-Roach-Holder pounce on a vulnerable Indian batting line up? We also ponder over the possibility of West Indies playing Rahkeem Cornwall for both cricketing and non-cricketing reasons. And just how good is Jason Holder? Participants: Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Ashoka Rao (@abvan) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee)

In the latest 81allout podcast we look back at India's tour of West Indies in 1996-97. A mostly soporific series came to life for four days in Barbados, and handed the '90s generation of Indian cricket fans a heartbreak of such epic proportions that many have still not stopped thinking about it.  We talk about the lasting pain of cricket losses, the dramatic deterioration of the Barbados pitch, the no-ball (non) calls, the first hundred partnership between Dravid and Sachin in Tests, Sidhu's crawl to a double-hundred, the two unlikely all-time greats to rise from the shadows of Sachin and Lara, and the impact of this series loss on Sachin's captaincy legacy. Also included: Karnataka domination of the Indian squad, Walsh's run out of Sachin, Chanderpaul bowling legspin from round the wicket, and spicy tidbits from R. Mohan's match reports. Participants: Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Krishna Murali (@mkrishna23) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee)

In the latest edition of the 81allout podcast we discuss the application of Law 19.8 at the World Cup final at Lord's. We go on to debate the distinction between cricket laws and societal laws; the idea of "spirit of cricket" and its relationship to the laws of the game; and the authority of umpires as more technology becomes part of decision making. Participants: Suhrith Parthasarathy (@suhrith) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) Subash Jayaraman (@cricketcouch)

We review the World Cup final from the English perspective: the impact of such a monumental game on cricket in England, the role of Free-to-Air TV, significance of Jofra Archer bowling the Super Over, and New Zealand's misfortune of not winning the trophy even though scores were level (twice).  Participants: Daniel Norcross (@norcrosscricket) Chris Smith (@chirsps01) Subash Jayaraman (@cricketcouch)

We review England's tie against New Zealand at the World Cup final at Lord's. We review the tie in the Super over. We also review the bizarre rule that handed England the trophy. In short: we review one of the maddest games of one-day cricket.  Talking points: England's lucky breaks, Williamson's choice of Boult for the 50th over, and all the drama off the very last ball.  * Participants: Subash Jayaraman (@cricketcouch) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee)

We review New Zealand's win over India in the first World Cup semi-final at Old Trafford. Talking points: Jadeja's blinder, Dhoni's elimination of risk, and New Zealand winning a game of inches.  * Participants: Mithun Subramanian (@smithun0) Subash Jayaraman (@cricketcouch) Ashoka (@ABVan) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee)