Data-led cricket writing from the ball-by-ball record: blog posts and Oddsworth Opinion.https://oddsworth.net/en-gbhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-26/jacques-kallis-sachin-tendulkar-and-the-price-of-a-double-shift/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-26/jacques-kallis-sachin-tendulkar-and-the-price-of-a-double-shift/Kallis bowled 1,646 Test overs to Tendulkar's 217 from the early 2000s on, and still finished those years with the higher batting average.Mon, 26 Oct 2026 18:04:49 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-26/what-angkrish-raghuvanshis-first-hundred-says-about-mumbais-top-order/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-26/what-angkrish-raghuvanshis-first-hundred-says-about-mumbais-top-order/Mumbai's new opener has never made a T20 hundred, and in the IPL he rates as almost exactly average. Then he batted long enough to make 114 in the Ranji Trophy.Mon, 26 Oct 2026 09:05:17 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-26/how-did-pakistan-win-with-haris-rauf-as-shadab-khans-last-partner/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-26/how-did-pakistan-win-with-haris-rauf-as-shadab-khans-last-partner/Pakistan's leg-spinner made his first ODI hundred from number eight, beside a partner who averages under eight with the bat.Mon, 26 Oct 2026 07:13:31 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-25/what-babar-azams-slow-thirties-reveal-about-his-missing-odi-hundreds/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-25/what-babar-azams-slow-thirties-reveal-about-his-missing-odi-hundreds/The century drought is real, yet Babar still outscores most top-order batters. Something else has gone from his one-day game, and it is costing him three figures.Sun, 25 Oct 2026 15:10:58 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-25/where-our-ratings-put-shai-hope-the-hipsters-choice/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-25/where-our-ratings-put-shai-hope-the-hipsters-choice/An ODI average past 50 and 21 hundreds build the cult case for Hope. Our ratings place him 16th of 118 in the format.Sun, 25 Oct 2026 07:21:29 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/blog/why-the-slower-ball-belongs-at-the-death/https://oddsworth.net/blog/why-the-slower-ball-belongs-at-the-death/Sam Curran's moon ball is an extreme version of a delivery most seamers now bowl all innings. Speed readings show where the slower ball pays, and where it goes for runs.Sun, 25 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTBloghttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-24/indias-new-middle-order-and-the-run-chases-it-never-got-to-bat/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-24/indias-new-middle-order-and-the-run-chases-it-never-got-to-bat/Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir are being hailed as heirs to Suresh Raina. India's last two big ODI chases never needed them.Sat, 24 Oct 2026 13:48:32 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-24/what-arshdeep-singhs-record-year-for-india-is-really-counting/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-24/what-arshdeep-singhs-record-year-for-india-is-really-counting/Arshdeep Singh now has more T20I wickets in a calendar year than any Indian bowler. The runs he gave away to get them tell a quieter story.Sat, 24 Oct 2026 08:53:05 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-24/what-travis-heads-own-scores-say-about-australias-partnership-problem/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-24/what-travis-heads-own-scores-say-about-australias-partnership-problem/Australia's best batter of the last two years is also the clearest example of the one-man-at-a-time habit he wants his side to break.Sat, 24 Oct 2026 06:07:30 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/blog/what-away-records-tell-test-selectors-before-a-tour/https://oddsworth.net/blog/what-away-records-tell-test-selectors-before-a-tour/India go to New Zealand with a top order short of runs against the moving ball. The number selectors reach for first may be the worst one to trust.Sat, 24 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTBloghttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-23/is-a-target-of-198-enough-to-make-india-sweat-against-zimbabwe/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-23/is-a-target-of-198-enough-to-make-india-sweat-against-zimbabwe/Zimbabwe have lost nine of their last ten ODIs, yet India arrive at this chase carrying three straight defeats of their own.Fri, 23 Oct 2026 12:09:19 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-23/can-rashid-khan-and-ibrahim-zadran-sink-zimbabwe-again/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-23/can-rashid-khan-and-ibrahim-zadran-sink-zimbabwe-again/Atal, Zadran and Rashid ran through Zimbabwe in the league stage. The long records of Zadran and Rashid tell two very different stories about a repeat.Fri, 23 Oct 2026 08:12:04 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-23/the-sri-lanka-chase-that-left-harry-brooks-202-without-a-curtain-call/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-23/the-sri-lanka-chase-that-left-harry-brooks-202-without-a-curtain-call/Brook made the highest score of his ODI career and lost. The side that beat him had been bowled out for 132 by England a month earlier.Fri, 23 Oct 2026 07:37:09 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/blog/pointless-investigations-flying-east/https://oddsworth.net/blog/pointless-investigations-flying-east/Baseball research says eastward jet lag costs teams games. Test sides that flew east have won 34.2% of their decided away Tests, and England haven't won an Ashes opener in Australia since 1986.Fri, 23 Oct 2026 01:00:00 GMTBloghttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-22/can-sri-lanka-keep-the-lights-on-after-chasing-430/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-22/can-sri-lanka-keep-the-lights-on-after-chasing-430/A chase of 430 has fans hailing history. Sri Lanka's results before it tell a far less flattering story about the side that pulled it off.Thu, 22 Oct 2026 17:08:47 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-22/what-sanju-samsons-67-at-hagley-oval-says-about-his-feast-or-famine/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-22/what-sanju-samsons-67-at-hagley-oval-says-about-his-feast-or-famine/A match-winning knock in a record chase, from a batter whose last ten India innings swung between fifties and single figures.Thu, 22 Oct 2026 12:05:04 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/blog/why-captains-should-bowl-more-off-spin-at-left-handers/https://oddsworth.net/blog/why-captains-should-bowl-more-off-spin-at-left-handers/A left-hander walks in and the captain throws the ball to his off-spinner. Is that old reflex right in T20s, ODIs and Tests, and do captains follow it far enough?Thu, 22 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTBloghttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-22/how-much-is-temba-bavumas-179-worth-to-south-africa/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-22/how-much-is-temba-bavumas-179-worth-to-south-africa/At Kingsmead the captain made 3 and 1. Now he has put South Africa in charge, and the draw is the opponent they should fear.Thu, 22 Oct 2026 06:25:06 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-21/marnus-labuschagnes-golden-years-and-the-gap-in-the-cordon/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-21/marnus-labuschagnes-golden-years-and-the-gap-in-the-cordon/Marnus Labuschagne's critics say his best years were luck. Every edge and miss behind his runs from 2019 to 2022 puts that charge to the test.Wed, 21 Oct 2026 19:46:20 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-21/joe-root-the-dukes-ball-and-the-medium-pacers-who-keep-hitting-his-pad/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-21/joe-root-the-dukes-ball-and-the-medium-pacers-who-keep-hitting-his-pad/Everyone has been lbw more often this English summer. Root has been lbw far more often again, and mostly against bowlers under 135 kph.Wed, 21 Oct 2026 17:37:22 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-21/what-lifted-pakistan-above-australia-in-the-odi-rankings/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-21/what-lifted-pakistan-above-australia-in-the-odi-rankings/The usual reading says a points-table quirk put Pakistan past Australia. Pakistan's results this year and Australia's bad run say otherwise.Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:47:00 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/blog/what-fast-bowlers-lose-when-they-lose-their-pace/https://oddsworth.net/blog/what-fast-bowlers-lose-when-they-lose-their-pace/A fast bowler is about 4 kph slower by his mid-30s, yet in T20 cricket he saves more runs than he did at 26. The obvious explanations don't cover it.Wed, 21 Oct 2026 10:00:00 GMTBloghttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-21/what-mohammed-shamis-last-ten-tests-say-about-his-claim-to-be-at-his/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-21/what-mohammed-shamis-last-ten-tests-say-about-his-claim-to-be-at-his/Shami says he's fit, in rhythm and as good as ever. His Test scorecards show the wickets kept coming, but some of them cost a lot of runs.Wed, 21 Oct 2026 09:02:30 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-21/how-long-can-australia-keep-waiting-on-marnus-labuschagne/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-21/how-long-can-australia-keep-waiting-on-marnus-labuschagne/Two years of Test cricket without a hundred, and the world's top-rated side keeps picking Marnus Labuschagne at the top of the order.Wed, 21 Oct 2026 08:50:00 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/blog/how-much-is-home-advantage-worth-in-cricket/https://oddsworth.net/blog/how-much-is-home-advantage-worth-in-cricket/Between equals, home sides win two Tests in three. Some trips cost touring batters a quarter of their average, and on others they lose nothing at all.Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTBloghttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-20/is-jack-leach-still-the-spinner-england-need-in-bangladesh/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-20/is-jack-leach-still-the-spinner-england-need-in-bangladesh/England have left a spinner with 142 Test wickets off their contract list, and his record in long, slow Tests is a reason to think again.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 17:09:12 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-20/what-the-second-new-ball-hides-about-scott-boland/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-20/what-the-second-new-ball-hides-about-scott-boland/His latest five-for is being put down to a fresh ball. Two years of Test wickets point to a bowler who hardly needs one.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:09:28 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-20/salman-ali-aghas-odi-feasts-and-the-lean-days-in-between/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-20/salman-ali-aghas-odi-feasts-and-the-lean-days-in-between/A Pakistan record at No. 5 puts him on a list with Dhoni and Yuvraj. His hundreds are big. The innings between them are much harder to read.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 06:20:30 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-19/the-trouble-with-calling-new-zealand-v-india-a-t20-rivalry/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-19/the-trouble-with-calling-new-zealand-v-india-a-t20-rivalry/The ICC table has the sides two places apart. Our ratings have a gap wide enough to make all five matches look much the same.Mon, 19 Oct 2026 17:06:32 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/blog/which-ipl-grounds-favour-spin-and-do-their-sides-buy-for/https://oddsworth.net/blog/which-ipl-grounds-favour-spin-and-do-their-sides-buy-for/Eden Gardens is the one IPL ground that clearly favours spin, and Chepauk no longer does. Before the 2027 retentions, is a turning home pitch worth buying for?Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTBloghttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-19/dhir-and-the-gap-bumrah-has-left-in-indias-t20-puzzle/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-19/dhir-and-the-gap-bumrah-has-left-in-indias-t20-puzzle/India made 249 against West Indies and still lost. The Hindu thinks Dhir could be the man to stop that happening again.Mon, 19 Oct 2026 05:55:16 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-18/is-the-short-ball-really-what-stands-between-pakistan-and-a-world-cup/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-18/is-the-short-ball-really-what-stands-between-pakistan-and-a-world-cup/Everyone has settled on bounce as Pakistan's weakness. Our ratings suggest the trouble runs deeper than any one length.Sun, 18 Oct 2026 12:19:02 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-18/is-matt-renshaws-durban-190-the-start-of-something-at-no/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-18/is-matt-renshaws-durban-190-the-start-of-something-at-no/One Test turned a stop-start career into a captain's backing. Matt Renshaw's record before Kingsmead tells a quieter story.Sun, 18 Oct 2026 11:01:30 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-18/is-a-home-tri-series-against-sri-lanka-the-place-to-blood-pakistans/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-18/is-a-home-tri-series-against-sri-lanka-the-place-to-blood-pakistans/Pakistan keep winning at home and keep naming the same seamers, and our ratings suggest that is exactly why the attack needed testing this week.Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:21:35 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-17/is-running-between-the-wickets-really-what-holds-bangladesh-back/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-17/is-running-between-the-wickets-really-what-holds-bangladesh-back/A run-out is the one dismissal a fan can referee from the sofa; the figure that takes in everything else is bleaker for Bangladesh than the jibe.Sat, 17 Oct 2026 17:18:57 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-17/does-josh-hazlewood-actually-need-reverse-swing-in-gqeberha/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-17/does-josh-hazlewood-actually-need-reverse-swing-in-gqeberha/Australia's quicks credit Durban's abrasive square for Hazlewood's eight wickets, yet he has been taking big hauls for a year and a half against anyone.Sat, 17 Oct 2026 11:56:08 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/blog/who-is-overpaid-in-the-ipl-fees-against-our-ratings-before-the-2027/https://oddsworth.net/blog/who-is-overpaid-in-the-ipl-fees-against-our-ratings-before-the-2027/T Natarajan is back at Sunrisers before the 15 November retention deadline. Which IPL players are overpaid, and what are sides really paying for?Sat, 17 Oct 2026 11:00:00 GMTBloghttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-16/who-has-been-bowling-to-shafali-verma-and-smriti-mandhana/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-16/who-has-been-bowling-to-shafali-verma-and-smriti-mandhana/India's openers have just had the fastest 15 innings of their careers, in a September that included Hong Kong and Japan and one bad day against Pakistan.Fri, 16 Oct 2026 06:11:53 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/blog/pointless-investigations-surname-ducks/https://oddsworth.net/blog/pointless-investigations-surname-ducks/Split every Test top-order batter since 2001 by the first letter of their surname and the alphabet turns out to be a batting order.Fri, 16 Oct 2026 01:00:00 GMTBloghttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-15/the-vaibhav-debate-has-missed-where-india-are-losing-matches/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-15/the-vaibhav-debate-has-missed-where-india-are-losing-matches/Two coaches, two public lines on one young batter, and a series in which India have twice scored enough to win and lost anyway.Thu, 15 Oct 2026 16:04:02 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-15/does-abhishek-sharma-need-the-powerplay-to-find-his-tempo/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-15/does-abhishek-sharma-need-the-powerplay-to-find-his-tempo/The kind reading of Abhishek Sharma's 29 from 24 balls in Hyderabad rests on one innings, and his record says that evening was the odd one out.Thu, 15 Oct 2026 15:04:52 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-15/babar-azams-three-hundred-streaks-hide-a-two-year-drought/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-15/babar-azams-three-hundred-streaks-hide-a-two-year-drought/Twice he made hundreds in three straight ODI innings; over the last two years he has reached three figures once in 26 attempts.Thu, 15 Oct 2026 13:03:30 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-15/what-is-the-league-circuit-actually-buying-in-hassan-nawaz/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-15/what-is-the-league-circuit-actually-buying-in-hassan-nawaz/Contracts in four leagues, a PSL MVP award and an innings against India everyone remembers. His rating tells a quieter story.Thu, 15 Oct 2026 11:02:43 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-15/mitchell-starc-skipped-the-ipl-for-a-decade-and-the-fast-bowlers-fade/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-15/mitchell-starc-skipped-the-ipl-for-a-decade-and-the-fast-bowlers-fade/Fast bowlers are meant to fade fifteen seasons in, yet Starc's last two years are his best, and the theory attached to them is the tournament he missed.Thu, 15 Oct 2026 10:03:51 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-15/are-west-indies-really-missing-ackeem-auguste-in-india/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-15/are-west-indies-really-missing-ackeem-auguste-in-india/West Indies have levelled the series without him, and Saturday's decider at the Chinnaswamy asks whether India's seven-year home record can take one more blow.Thu, 15 Oct 2026 08:06:24 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-15/which-of-herschelle-gibbs-three-changes-would-actually-help-south-afri/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-15/which-of-herschelle-gibbs-three-changes-would-actually-help-south-afri/Gibbs wants one batter dropped and another moved down the order. Our ratings have the one he wants to keep rated lower.Thu, 15 Oct 2026 06:19:09 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-14/most-underrated-cricketer-of-all-time-five-test-greats-nobody-looks/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-14/most-underrated-cricketer-of-all-time-five-test-greats-nobody-looks/Virat Kohli sits four places above him on our all-time Test batting ratings, yet hardly anyone looks him up. Four more Test greats share his fate.Wed, 14 Oct 2026 22:29:43 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-14/what-one-heavy-defeat-at-kingsmead-says-about-south-africas-middle-ord/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-14/what-one-heavy-defeat-at-kingsmead-says-about-south-africas-middle-ord/Conrad wants more from his middle order, but a side that had been winning for a year should think twice before rebuilding it on one Test.Wed, 14 Oct 2026 20:08:09 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-14/sanju-samsons-t20-batting-has-shifted-into-a-much-faster-gear/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-14/sanju-samsons-t20-batting-has-shifted-into-a-much-faster-gear/An 82 off 41 balls against West Indies showed the new tempo. Seven single-figure scores in ten innings for India show what it costs.Wed, 14 Oct 2026 16:10:02 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-14/have-india-really-run-out-of-ideas-against-shai-hope/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-14/have-india-really-run-out-of-ideas-against-shai-hope/A hundred off 45 balls made Shai Hope look unstoppable against India. Two days later he made five, and India won.Wed, 14 Oct 2026 15:05:39 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-14/what-karun-nairs-test-ledger-says-about-those-9-537-first-class-runs/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-14/what-karun-nairs-test-ledger-says-about-those-9-537-first-class-runs/A first-class average a shade under 50 is the easy half of the Karun Nair story. The ten Tests, the triple hundred and the 2025 recall are the hard half.Wed, 14 Oct 2026 10:03:04 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-13/what-abu-dhabis-dead-pitch-did-to-bangladeshs-all-or-nothing-test-cric/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-13/what-abu-dhabis-dead-pitch-did-to-bangladeshs-all-or-nothing-test-cric/Afghanistan's final-hour stand looks heroic. Bangladesh's recent record suggests the pitch may deserve most of the credit.Tue, 13 Oct 2026 12:25:18 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-13/the-caribbean-hundreds-behind-maaz-sadaqats-month-of-t20-runs/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-13/the-caribbean-hundreds-behind-maaz-sadaqats-month-of-t20-runs/Sunday's 96 caps a dazzling month for Pakistan's opener, yet his two hundreds came in Jamaica and his longer record says more than either.Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:48:40 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/blog/england-central-contracts-2026-27-two-years-for-crocombe-none-for-hill/https://oddsworth.net/blog/england-central-contracts-2026-27-two-years-for-crocombe-none-for-hill/Rob Key's contract list hands two years to one big Sussex summer while the seamer our red-ball ratings rank fifth in the country is left with nothing at all.Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTBloghttps://oddsworth.net/blog/all-time-test-batting-lists/https://oddsworth.net/blog/all-time-test-batting-lists/Ask who the greatest Test batsman of all time is and the answers scatter. Patchy old scorecards, a very different calendar and the choice of measure reshuffle Smith, Root and Sangakkara, so where does that leave Bradman?Mon, 12 Oct 2026 09:38:00 GMTBloghttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-11/how-much-of-indias-t20-bowling-attack-is-really-jasprit-bumrah/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-11/how-much-of-indias-t20-bowling-attack-is-really-jasprit-bumrah/West Indies chased down 252 in 18.3 overs with Jasprit Bumrah missing from India's attack. How much of that chase belongs to his absence?Sun, 11 Oct 2026 12:28:21 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-11/where-travis-heads-away-record-says-he-should-bat/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-11/where-travis-heads-away-record-says-he-should-bat/Allan Border says Head's runs at the top came against so-so attacks and he belongs back at No. 5. Durban was the first proper look at whether that holds.Sun, 11 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-10/the-slower-ball-india-has-told-mayank-yadav-to-forget/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-10/the-slower-ball-india-has-told-mayank-yadav-to-forget/Gambhir blames the slower ball. Two years of figures suggest the bill was running long before Mayank Yadav tried to be clever.Sat, 10 Oct 2026 10:46:15 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-10/the-number-that-argues-for-jake-weatheralds-test-recall/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-10/the-number-that-argues-for-jake-weatheralds-test-recall/South Australia have rolled Victoria by an innings with two titles already banked, and the opener they are backing carries a bigger claim than the scoreboard.Sat, 10 Oct 2026 10:35:23 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-10/the-two-low-scores-behind-sahibzada-farhans-captaincy-debut/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-10/the-two-low-scores-behind-sahibzada-farhans-captaincy-debut/An 89 on the first day with the armband looked like a transformation. The two years before it tell a quieter story.Sat, 10 Oct 2026 10:25:48 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/blog/playing-career-better-coach/https://oddsworth.net/blog/playing-career-better-coach/Stephen Fleming takes England's Test side with 111 Tests behind him as a player and no red-ball match as a head coach. Cricket keeps hiring famous names, but do famous playing careers make better coaches?Sat, 10 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTBloghttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-09/the-thin-line-between-an-experimental-side-and-a-transitional-one/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-09/the-thin-line-between-an-experimental-side-and-a-transitional-one/Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by five runs in February. The labels their boards have chosen since would have you believe the gap between them is far wider than that.Fri, 09 Oct 2026 14:43:38 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-09/india-a-keep-failing-the-same-test-of-pace-and-bounce/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-09/india-a-keep-failing-the-same-test-of-pace-and-bounce/Twice India A have been beaten by pace and bounce, and the left-arm quick named among the winners arrived with a modest senior record.Fri, 09 Oct 2026 14:36:03 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-09/the-number-behind-abhishek-sharmas-race-to-2-000/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-09/the-number-behind-abhishek-sharmas-race-to-2-000/He could take a milestone off Suryakumar Yadav in the second T20I, and the figure that says most about him is one no milestone measures.Fri, 09 Oct 2026 14:32:13 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/blog/the-old-men-at-the-top-of-test-cricket/https://oddsworth.net/blog/the-old-men-at-the-top-of-test-cricket/Australia took the Ashes 4-1 with one player under 30 in the squad. The puzzle is whether this side is great, or simply the last one standing in a thin field.Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTBloghttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-09/australias-revolving-opening-pair-has-met-the-first-series-that-can/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-09/australias-revolving-opening-pair-has-met-the-first-series-that-can/Two years of churn at the top of the order, a side still ranked first in the world, and a series in South Africa where our forecasts make them second favourites.Fri, 09 Oct 2026 11:50:20 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/blog/pointless-investigations-moustache/https://oddsworth.net/blog/pointless-investigations-moustache/David Boon averaged 43.65 behind the most famous moustache in Test cricket. Forty-nine of today's top-order batters, sorted by their facial hair.Fri, 09 Oct 2026 01:00:00 GMTBloghttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-08/the-innings-australia-are-asking-nic-maddinson-to-live/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-08/the-innings-australia-are-asking-nic-maddinson-to-live/A one-day hundred has brought fresh attention, but his last Shield season asks a harder question.Thu, 08 Oct 2026 19:13:06 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-08/how-much-can-a-fine-axar-patel-spell-prove/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-08/how-much-can-a-fine-axar-patel-spell-prove/The Sri Lanka spell makes a compelling case for Patel, but England saw a very different four overs.Thu, 08 Oct 2026 17:59:06 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-08/the-extra-demand-behind-tilak-varmas-finishing-tempo/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-08/the-extra-demand-behind-tilak-varmas-finishing-tempo/His scoring rate has risen lower down the order, but the job asks him to make each late arrival count.Thu, 08 Oct 2026 14:48:42 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-08/south-africas-two-spinner-plan-begins-with-nortje/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-08/south-africas-two-spinner-plan-begins-with-nortje/Bavuma has picked for a turning wicket, but Rabada’s absence gives the first pace spell particular weight.Thu, 08 Oct 2026 14:43:59 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-08/the-number-from-tuesday-that-frames-west-indies-five-match-problem/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-08/the-number-from-tuesday-that-frames-west-indies-five-match-problem/West Indies sit fourth in our T20 ratings, yet our call for Friday gives them one chance in five. The way Tuesday's chase went explains why.Thu, 08 Oct 2026 14:27:09 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-08/the-number-that-argues-with-maharajs-top-billing/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-08/the-number-that-argues-with-maharajs-top-billing/Durban has Maharaj down as the spinner to fear. Our Test bowling ratings have South Africa's two spinners the other way round.Thu, 08 Oct 2026 09:53:42 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-07/how-much-can-a-selector-read-into-balodas-14-wickets/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-07/how-much-can-a-selector-read-into-balodas-14-wickets/A record Youth Test haul finished the series in a hurry, and left the hardest question about the bowler unanswered.Wed, 07 Oct 2026 13:35:28 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-07/what-lies-behind-naman-dhirs-debut-haul/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-07/what-lies-behind-naman-dhirs-debut-haul/Three wickets brought his bowling to the fore, though the ball has spent most of his T20 career in the bag.Wed, 07 Oct 2026 13:15:20 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-07/a-hundred-for-australia-a-gets-heard-only-when-the-test-side-starts/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-07/a-hundred-for-australia-a-gets-heard-only-when-the-test-side-starts/His entire Test record was made against India, and now the hundred has come against India A: the selectors have two readings of the same man to choose from.Wed, 07 Oct 2026 13:12:51 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-06/naman-dhir-and-the-52-balls-behind-a-bowling-reputation/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-06/naman-dhir-and-the-52-balls-behind-a-bowling-reputation/India's newest part-time option is being talked up as a bowler, yet across his T20 career the ball has rarely been put in his hand.Tue, 06 Oct 2026 17:52:56 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-06/what-england-are-getting-for-shoaib-bashirs-retainer/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-06/what-england-are-getting-for-shoaib-bashirs-retainer/England's contracted spinner bowled in one Test in a year, and his record across the last two makes the arrangement harder still to explain.Tue, 06 Oct 2026 11:08:58 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/blog/top-10-test-batters-of-this-century/https://oddsworth.net/blog/top-10-test-batters-of-this-century/A podcast put Sachin Tendulkar first and Kumar Sangakkara sixth. Weigh every run against the pitch and the attack, and neither makes the ten.Tue, 06 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTBloghttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-06/what-the-tale-of-the-tape-says-about-samson-and-sooryavanshi/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-06/what-the-tale-of-the-tape-says-about-samson-and-sooryavanshi/One of these two has five T20 hundreds in two years and a best of 27 in his last five innings for India. Both belong to Sanju Samson.Tue, 06 Oct 2026 07:12:10 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-06/what-does-harmanpreet-kaur-leave-behind-the-captains-chair/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-06/what-does-harmanpreet-kaur-leave-behind-the-captains-chair/The World Cup fixes her place in India’s history, while the matches around it make the handover more complicated.Tue, 06 Oct 2026 06:59:14 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-06/the-batter-shreyas-iyer-is-really-being-measured-against/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-06/the-batter-shreyas-iyer-is-really-being-measured-against/A report has India's T20I captain averaging 25.75 across his last 10 innings. The batter making that look like a crisis shares his name.Tue, 06 Oct 2026 06:55:12 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-05/indias-odi-recall-debate-is-turning-to-experience/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-05/indias-odi-recall-debate-is-turning-to-experience/West Indies exposed India’s attack, but Vihari’s two proposed fixes offer different answers to the same problem.Mon, 05 Oct 2026 22:07:12 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-05/where-australia-really-stand-a-year-before-the-world-cup/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-05/where-australia-really-stand-a-year-before-the-world-cup/Wisden asks whether Australia belong at fourth a year out from the World Cup. Their results since June suggest a side living on credit.Mon, 05 Oct 2026 22:00:07 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-05/can-bangladesh-make-darwin-more-than-a-moment/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-05/can-bangladesh-make-darwin-more-than-a-moment/Fourth in the World Test Championship, Bangladesh have reason to dream and recent defeats that refuse to fit the story.Mon, 05 Oct 2026 14:16:02 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-05/what-one-awkward-innings-can-do-to-an-opening-race/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-05/what-one-awkward-innings-can-do-to-an-opening-race/Gaikwad's innings looked costly in defeat, yet his recent ODI form makes the opening debate harder to settle.Mon, 05 Oct 2026 10:55:31 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/blog/impact-player-death-of-the-all-rounder/https://oddsworth.net/blog/impact-player-death-of-the-all-rounder/Washington Sundar played 17 IPL games this season and bowled nine overs. Four seasons into the Impact Player rule, the IPL's top order bowls half as much as it did, and the rest of T20 cricket shows no such change.Mon, 05 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTBloghttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-04/the-irani-cup-case-for-mukesh-kumar/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-04/the-irani-cup-case-for-mukesh-kumar/His Test average strengthens the case, but Akash Deep has had more chances to make his.Sun, 04 Oct 2026 22:44:26 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-01/the-ilt20-auctions-winners-and-losers/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-01/the-ilt20-auctions-winners-and-losers/MI Emirates broke the league's record fee and spent the most. The side our forecast likes best spent the least.Sun, 04 Oct 2026 20:36:42 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-04/how-much-of-marnus-labuschagnes-hold-on-no-3-rests-on-the-last-two-yea/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-04/how-much-of-marnus-labuschagnes-hold-on-no-3-rests-on-the-last-two-yea/Australia seem settled on their No. 3 for Durban. His recent returns sit well below what a typical top-seven Test batter has managed.Sun, 04 Oct 2026 19:12:03 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-04/how-long-can-indias-batting-keep-covering-for-their-bowling/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-04/how-long-can-indias-batting-keep-covering-for-their-bowling/India chased 405 with overs to spare against West Indies, then failed to defend 351 three days later. Both halves of the story are in that one series.Sun, 04 Oct 2026 16:00:37 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-04/what-mohammed-siraj-has-done-with-the-few-odis-india-have-given-him/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-04/what-mohammed-siraj-has-done-with-the-few-odis-india-have-given-him/The complaint is that India have ignored a proven wicket-taker before a World Cup. His last seven matches make the selectors' side of it harder to dismiss.Sun, 04 Oct 2026 13:12:42 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-04/what-does-neil-brands-152-against-australia-say-about-his-test-future/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-04/what-does-neil-brands-152-against-australia-say-about-his-test-future/A former South Africa captain has just made more runs in one innings against Australia's Test attack than in his whole Test career.Sun, 04 Oct 2026 13:03:12 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-04/what-made-shai-hopes-record-chase-so-commanding/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-04/what-made-shai-hopes-record-chase-so-commanding/An unbeaten hundred settled the pursuit, but the time Hope spent at the crease tells the richer story.Sun, 04 Oct 2026 12:47:59 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-04/the-number-behind-lhuan-dre-pretoriuss-188/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-04/the-number-behind-lhuan-dre-pretoriuss-188/The biggest T20 innings has put a young opener in the spotlight, but another young batter complicates the case for calling him the best.Sun, 04 Oct 2026 12:38:21 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-04/how-much-credit-has-shivam-dubes-batting-actually-earned/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-04/how-much-credit-has-shivam-dubes-batting-actually-earned/His last two years beat the standard for top-seven batters by a distance, yet one part of his record still holds him back.Sun, 04 Oct 2026 12:28:37 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-02/how-much-has-babar-azam-really-slipped/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-02/how-much-has-babar-azam-really-slipped/A duck ended a Peshawar Zalmi run containing two hundreds, yet the longer trend still gives his critics something to work with.Fri, 02 Oct 2026 21:24:27 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-02/what-does-rehan-ahmeds-test-record-say-about-mason-cranes-call/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-02/what-does-rehan-ahmeds-test-record-say-about-mason-cranes-call/An expensive spell in India makes England's choice understandable, but Ahmed's wicket-taking complicates the verdict.Fri, 02 Oct 2026 18:19:11 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-02/how-much-does-hardik-pandya-change-indias-odi-chances/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-02/how-much-does-hardik-pandya-change-indias-odi-chances/Sourav Ganguly calls Pandya essential to India's World Cup balance, but his two skills make different cases for that claim.Fri, 02 Oct 2026 12:09:38 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-02/how-far-does-indias-run-against-pakistan-reach/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-02/how-far-does-indias-run-against-pakistan-reach/Six straight wins make India favourites for gold, but their recent results leave room for a contest.Fri, 02 Oct 2026 12:04:43 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-02/how-far-outside-the-ordinary-is-four-wickets-for-706-runs/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-02/how-far-outside-the-ordinary-is-four-wickets-for-706-runs/West Indies made 405 batting first and still lost by eight wickets. The numbers say the gap was already wide before this series began.Fri, 02 Oct 2026 11:55:55 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-02/is-a-dead-rubber-the-right-place-to-blood-anshul-kamboj/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-02/is-a-dead-rubber-the-right-place-to-blood-anshul-kamboj/West Indies made 405 and still lost by eight wickets. That tells you more about who should bowl on Saturday than any List A column does.Fri, 02 Oct 2026 09:23:34 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-02/was-keeping-yastika-bhatia-really-the-obvious-call/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-02/was-keeping-yastika-bhatia-really-the-obvious-call/Two fifties since May, and a rating near the foot of our top 50 women's T20 batters: the easy retention has a question attached.Fri, 02 Oct 2026 02:12:25 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/blog/pointless-investigations-is-111-unlucky/https://oddsworth.net/blog/pointless-investigations-is-111-unlucky/David Shepherd hopped on one leg whenever the score reached 111. Batters on 111 in Tests are out less often than on most of the scores around it.Fri, 02 Oct 2026 01:00:00 GMTBloghttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-01/where-did-australias-odi-tour-really-go-wrong/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-01/where-did-australias-odi-tour-really-go-wrong/A failed chase at Kingsmead makes the batting an easy target, but the next match complicates that verdict.Thu, 01 Oct 2026 17:00:34 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-01/how-far-does-rohit-sharmas-top-three-case/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-01/how-far-does-rohit-sharmas-top-three-case/Rohit is still matching his career standards, but India’s top three demands more than present dominance.Thu, 01 Oct 2026 09:45:19 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-01/the-comparison-behind-new-zealands-zimbabwe-sweep/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-01/the-comparison-behind-new-zealands-zimbabwe-sweep/The margins were enormous, but New Zealand’s place among the leading Test sides needs a tougher comparison.Wed, 30 Sep 2026 23:34:34 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-01/what-does-umran-maliks-pace-promise-actually-buy/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-01/what-does-umran-maliks-pace-promise-actually-buy/The speed claim groups Umran Malik, Mayank Yadav and Ashok Sharma together. Malik's wicket-taking makes the more interesting argument.Wed, 30 Sep 2026 23:30:14 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-01/what-does-west-indies-biggest-odi-total-really-change/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-10-01/what-does-west-indies-biggest-odi-total-really-change/Three centuries gave West Indies a new batting landmark, yet India’s response makes the next step harder to judge.Wed, 30 Sep 2026 23:28:50 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-30/the-best-players-in-each-ilt20-auction-price-bracket/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-30/the-best-players-in-each-ilt20-auction-price-bracket/Babar Azam is the biggest name at Thursday's ILT20 auction in Dubai. Our ratings pick out the players who stand out in the $80,000, $40,000 and $10,000 brackets, and one of the best sits in the middle.Wed, 30 Sep 2026 14:00:00 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-30/how-much-of-pakistans-t20-shake-up-do-the-numbers-justify/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-30/how-much-of-pakistans-t20-shake-up-do-the-numbers-justify/Farhan has the stronger batting claim, but Rauf's wickets make his exclusion a harder decision to defend.Wed, 30 Sep 2026 11:39:28 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-30/how-far-does-sam-harpers-australia-case-stretch/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-30/how-far-does-sam-harpers-australia-case-stretch/An unbeaten century commands attention, but Harper's recent scoring and his BBL standing make different demands on selectors.Wed, 30 Sep 2026 11:38:16 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-30/how-far-does-campbells-fifty-take-the-gayle-comparison/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-30/how-far-does-campbells-fifty-take-the-gayle-comparison/Campbell has taken Gayle's speed record against India; turning that pace into sustained pressure is a bigger assignment.Wed, 30 Sep 2026 11:37:26 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-30/what-separates-axar-patel-and-ravindra-jadeja/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-30/what-separates-axar-patel-and-ravindra-jadeja/India have time to settle their World Cup plans, but the contest already has a leader in both disciplines.Wed, 30 Sep 2026 07:40:58 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-29/how-far-can-cummins-shift-the-balance-against-south-africa/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-29/how-far-can-cummins-shift-the-balance-against-south-africa/South Africa have already shown they can absorb a major Cummins performance and still beat Australia.Tue, 29 Sep 2026 16:12:08 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-29/what-sits-behind-shree-charanis-record-peak/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-29/what-sits-behind-shree-charanis-record-peak/A historic individual rating sits alongside an India side whose biggest wins tell only part of the story.Tue, 29 Sep 2026 11:49:26 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-29/the-hurdle-in-the-case-for-releasing-grace-harris/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-29/the-hurdle-in-the-case-for-releasing-grace-harris/A frustrating run of innings makes the decision tempting, but Harris sets a demanding standard for any replacement.Tue, 29 Sep 2026 09:11:16 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/blog/pca-team-of-the-year-2026/https://oddsworth.net/blog/pca-team-of-the-year-2026/Durham went through the Division Two season unbeaten, and none of their players made the PCA Men's Team of the Year. Ranked on this season alone, across all four domestic competitions, half the PCA's side holds up.Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTBloghttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-29/what-sits-behind-abhishek-sharmas-extraordinary-strike-rate/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-29/what-sits-behind-abhishek-sharmas-extraordinary-strike-rate/The pace deserves the attention. The cheap dismissals deserve a more careful verdict.Mon, 28 Sep 2026 23:31:37 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-29/the-standard-behind-kohlis-55th-odi-hundred/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-29/the-standard-behind-kohlis-55th-odi-hundred/The milestones draw the attention, while Kohli's recent scoring makes a more immediate demand on India.Mon, 28 Sep 2026 23:30:32 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-28/how-far-does-kohlis-odi-acceleration/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-28/how-far-does-kohlis-odi-acceleration/His latest hundred makes the aggression argument compelling; calling it unprecedented demands a tougher comparison.Mon, 28 Sep 2026 21:21:16 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-28/kohli-new-batter-or-purple-patch/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-28/kohli-new-batter-or-purple-patch/Nine sixes, a day after he named his last World Cup. Kohli's ODI batting has never looked like this.Mon, 28 Sep 2026 21:00:00 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-28/is-harry-brook-already-better-than-kevin-pietersen/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-28/is-harry-brook-already-better-than-kevin-pietersen/Seventy innings into both careers, the record has something to say to Ben Stokes and to Harsha Bhogle.Mon, 28 Sep 2026 20:34:36 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-28/what-15-defeats-in-20-tests-hide-about-pakistan/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-28/what-15-defeats-in-20-tests-hide-about-pakistan/A captain dropped, coaches sacked and 15 defeats in 20 Tests. Is Pakistan's Test side really that bad?Mon, 28 Sep 2026 20:12:48 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-28/what-makes-maharaj-such-a-difficult-problem-for-australia/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-28/what-makes-maharaj-such-a-difficult-problem-for-australia/The destructive spells demand attention, but Australia's problem extends beyond South Africa's left-arm spinner.Mon, 28 Sep 2026 12:39:06 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-28/what-do-bavuma-and-millers-hundreds-tell-us-about-south-africa/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-28/what-do-bavuma-and-millers-hundreds-tell-us-about-south-africa/The centuries share a billing, but their career benchmarks give them very different meanings.Mon, 28 Sep 2026 12:38:21 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-28/what-does-kohlis-quicker-route-to-15-000-tell-us-about-tendulkar/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-28/what-does-kohlis-quicker-route-to-15-000-tell-us-about-tendulkar/The milestone invites a historical verdict, while Kohli’s recent batting makes a more immediate demand.Mon, 28 Sep 2026 12:19:11 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/blog/australia-odi-bookmakers-favourites/https://oddsworth.net/blog/australia-odi-bookmakers-favourites/South Africa have beaten Australia in six ODI series in a row, and Australia started as favourites in every game of the last five. Eight years of bilateral ODIs show how often the market has been right about them.Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTBloghttps://oddsworth.net/blog/england-central-contracts-2026/https://oddsworth.net/blog/england-central-contracts-2026/Ollie Robinson spent two years without an England contract, then took 21 Pakistan wickets at 8.76. As the ECB draws up its next list, the county seamers it overlooked for the Ashes are waiting too.Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTBloghttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-27/what-does-tom-bantons-maiden-odi-century-promise-england/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-27/what-does-tom-bantons-maiden-odi-century-promise-england/Banton's early scoring rate already cleared a useful benchmark. His century raises the harder question of how often he can make that tempo count.Sun, 27 Sep 2026 22:20:04 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-27/does-kuldeep-yadavs-odi-record-demand-an-automatic-place/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-27/does-kuldeep-yadavs-odi-record-demand-an-automatic-place/The West Indies spell strengthens his case, but the gap between his career record and recent returns deserves attention.Sun, 27 Sep 2026 22:19:27 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-27/how-far-does-south-africas-hold-over-australia-really-reach/https://oddsworth.net/opinion/2026-09-27/how-far-does-south-africas-hold-over-australia-really-reach/The rivalry looks increasingly lopsided, and the familiar international pecking order offers Australia little comfort.Sun, 27 Sep 2026 22:18:51 GMTOpinionhttps://oddsworth.net/blog/boom-or-bust-batters/https://oddsworth.net/blog/boom-or-bust-batters/Zak Crawley made 267 and then passed 20 once in his next twelve Test innings. The feast-or-famine label stuck. His record, and those of Glenn Maxwell, KL Rahul and Mohammad Rizwan, test how long such labels deserve to last.Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTBloghttps://oddsworth.net/blog/how-much-does-the-toss-matter/https://oddsworth.net/blog/how-much-does-the-toss-matter/W.G. Grace told captains to bat when they win the toss, even when in doubt. Ricky Ponting at Edgbaston and Babar Azam at Lord's are among the captains who doubted him in England.Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTBloghttps://oddsworth.net/blog/hundred-2026-players-nobody-signed/https://oddsworth.net/blog/hundred-2026-players-nobody-signed/Kamran Dhariwal hit a thirteen-ball fifty and Sam Hain went without a bid. The Hundred’s auction left six English cricketers with a case to answer on the pitch.Sun, 20 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTBloghttps://oddsworth.net/blog/ipl-2027-auction-bargains/https://oddsworth.net/blog/ipl-2027-auction-bargains/Aneurin Donald has won England caps and still never been bought at an IPL auction. He joins Mitchell Owen, Steve Smith and seven others whose cricket makes a case for another look.Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTBlog