Alex Hartley, England’s former World Cup-winning spinner, has claimed that Sophie Ecclestone “refused” to be interviewed by her on TV and that she has been “given the cold shoulder” by England players since criticising their fitness following their T20 World Cup exit in October.
Hartley, who has worked extensively as a broadcaster and pundit since retiring from professional cricket, had said that a handful of players were “letting the team down” with their fitness levels after their shock defeat to West Indies in Dubai. Heather Knight and Jon Lewis, England’s captain and coach, both denied that it had contributed to their group-stage elimination.
Following England’s 57-run loss in Monday’s first T20I in Sydney, which put Australia 8-0 up in the Ashes and ensured they will retain the trophy, Hartley said she had been frozen out. “Sophie Ecclestone refused to do a TV interview with me today,” she told the BBC’s TMS podcast. “I’ve been hung out to dry by the England team: none of them will talk to me on the boundary edge.
“The reason I said that they were not as fit as Australia is because I want them to compete with Australia, I want them to be better than Australia, and I want them to win Ashes and World Cups. I’m giving my opinion, and I’ve been given the cold shoulder from the England team ever since.
“Not all of them have given me the cold shoulder. I don’t want to say that they’ve all been the same, because they haven’t. Some of the players have been absolutely outstanding: I’ve spoken to them in the street, at the ground, wherever. But a few individuals – coaches, players – they literally haven’t looked at me.”
England’s fielding has been a problem throughout the Ashes. Beth Mooney was dropped early in her match-winning 75 in Sydney on Monday, while a series of errors contributed to England’s three ODI defeats at the start of the tour. It prompted Hartley to reiterate her view that England have struggled to match Australia’s “athleticism” across the series.
“I’ve upset them, clearly,” she said. “Jon Lewis has come out and said there isn’t a problem with fitness in his squad, there isn’t a problem with fitness in the England environment. They obviously think I’m completely wrong in my opinion – which is fine, absolutely fine. I’m entitled to my opinions, and they’re entitled to theirs.
“It’s my job to say if I see something that needs to be better, and I did, but the way that I’ve been treated since I think is totally unfair. But they will say that my comments were unfair, so if that’s the way our relationship is going to be moving forwards, then so be it… If fitness isn’t a problem, then it’s athleticism from a few, isn’t it?”
Twelve years after he last featured in India’s premier domestic first-class tournament, Virat Kohli is set to return to the Ranji Trophy. Kohli confirmed his availability to play in Delhi’s last round of group-phase matches, against Railways, from January 30 to February 2. The development was confirmed to ESPNcricinfo by Delhi head coach Sarandeep Singh.
Kohli was a conspicuous absence in the penultimate round of group-phase matches, starting from January 23, when Delhi play Saurashtra in Rajkot. Both Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja confirmed they would play this match, but Kohli was ruled out after he informed the BCCI medical staff that he was still recovering from neck pain, for which he had taken an injection on January 8, three days after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy ended in Sydney. Several other India players will also feature in the January 23 round of games, including Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Dawson had most recently been part of the England Men’s white-ball coaching team, having previously overseen England Under-19s. He spent six years coaching Gloucestershire, securing promotion from Division One in 2019 and a T20 Finals Day appearance in 2020, before moving on to work with the ECB’s performance pathway in 2021.
“I’m delighted to be joining Glamorgan as head coach for the coming season,” Dawson said. “I’ve got a good idea of how the club works having spent time with Welsh Fire over the years. I’m looking forward to getting involved with the players and coaches at the club and building on the success achieved in the 50 over competition last season.”
Dawson, who was capped seven times in Tests, spent most of his playing career with Yorkshire, before short stints at Northamptonshire and Gloucestershire.
He is currently working with the England Lions on their tour of Australia, and will then be involved at the Women’s Premier League before taking up his role with Glamorgan from March. He will also continue as Welsh Fire assistant coach during the Hundred, with a replacement for the One-Day Cup, which Glamorgan won last year, to be announced in due course.
Mark Wallace, Glamorgan’s director of cricket, said: “It’s great news for the club that we have been able to appoint a coach of Richard Dawson’s standing and quality as interim head coach until the end of the season. We were keen to move quickly and get someone in place for the 2025 season and we see Richard as the perfect fit to develop the squad and continue to move us forward this season.”
Brendon McCullum’s era as England’s white-ball head coach gets underway in Kolkata on Wednesday, with a promise to carry over his Test team’s focus on aggression and entertainment, both in their upcoming series against India and on into the Champions Trophy, and a faith that captain Jos Buttler’s “best years are yet to come”.
McCullum’s unveiling in the role has been a long time coming. His new deal, as England’s dual red- and white-ball head coach, was announced back in September, and he has since overseen consecutive Test tours of Pakistan and New Zealand while Marcus Trescothick covered the one-day role in an interim capacity.
Now, however, McCullum is straight into the hot seat, with a five-match T20I campaign against the newly-crowned T20 World Cup champions, followed by three ODIs against the finalists of the last 50-over World Cup in 2023, ahead of their Champions Trophy opener against Australia in Lahore on February 22.
Speaking at Eden Gardens ahead of the first T20I, McCullum described England’s batting as being “as powerful as anyone’s in the world”, but said that, at this stage, he was more focused on freeing up his players to perform at their best, rather than gunning for outright victory.
“Obviously, we want to win every game we play, to try and be successful, and that’s ultimately the mission for us,” he said. “But our conversations and the language which we use within the dressing-rooms is quite different.
“It’s about trying to get the best out of the talent that sits within the dressing room, trying to gel the guys as best we can, trying to work out complementary skills, and how we how we play the style of cricket that gives us our greatest chance.
“I’m desperate for us to play a really watchable brand of cricket,” he added. “With the talent we have, there’s no reason why we can’t. We’ve got a batting line-up which is as powerful as any batting line-up in the world. We’ve got gun spinners, very good fielders and guys who bowl absolute rockets with the ball, so you’ve got options there to be able to entertain and give yourself the greatest chance of success.”
McCullum takes over a white-ball set-up deep in the throes of transition, with the team having lost both its 50- and 20-over World Cup titles in the space of seven dispiriting months in 2023-24. His selections for this campaign, however, made it clear that he intends to use his joint coaching role to unify the Test and one-day set-ups, with eight of his 15 selections for the ODI squad having featured in the longer format in the course of 2024.
One man who stands apart in that regard, however, is the captain Buttler, who played the most recent of his 57 Tests on the 2021-22 Ashes tour. Speaking back in September, McCullum memorably declared that his first task would be to cheer up his “miserable” captain, who at the time had been struggling with a long-standing calf injury.
“He’s smiling, that’s good. He’s very happy at the moment,” McCullum confirmed, adding that his pre-existing relationship with Buttler, forged during his own playing days at the IPL and around the world, had enabled them to hit the ground running as a captain-coach combination.
“Obviously we’ve known for a couple of months that this was going to unfold, so there’s been plenty of time to chat to Jos over the last couple of months,” McCullum said. “When I took over the Test job, Stokesy and I knew each other and there was a mutual respect, but wouldn’t say we were friends necessarily, even though it’s now a really tight personal relationship, as well as a working relationship.
“With Jos, we actually start from a slightly stronger base. Jos and I have been friends for a long time, we’ve often shared some of the philosophies of game, and that friendship gives us really good base to be able to be able to get things going pretty quickly with this team.
“He’s in really good space. He’s excited about the team, and the opportunity that sits in front of us, I’m sure we’ll see Jos really enjoy himself over the next couple of years, and hopefully finish with a real strong enjoyment for the game at the back end of his career.”
McCullum also confirmed that Buttler would once again be relinquishing the gloves, in order to lead the team from the field rather than behind the stumps, with Phil Salt likely to continue in the role he took on for both series in the Caribbean in November.
“It’s really a really positive thing for us, because it gives Jos the opportunity to have the last say with the bowler, and to have that relationship built at that last second, rather than from 22 yards away,” McCullum said. “We’ve got great keeping options within the side as well.”
At the age of 34, and as a double World Cup-winner, Buttler has little left to prove as one of the modern greats of the white-ball game. But, having witnessed the success and enjoyment that Stokes has got from leading the Test team over the past couple of years, McCullum believes there’s scope for Buttler to put a cap on his own career in a similar manner.
“I think his best years are definitely ahead,” he said. “Sometimes, when you get the opportunity to lead in the latter part of your career, you can be a little bit desperate for success and that can create frustrations, and it doesn’t become quite as enjoyable.
“But if you can let yourself go a little bit, with nothing to prove other than trying to get the best out those around you, sometimes that can lift your game up a bit more. Those are the conversations Jos and I have had. He’s fully on board with that, he’s excited about the next little while, and I’m sure you’ll see him smiling.
“It’s going to be a tough tour. We’re taking on a very good India side, and I’m sure we’ll play what I hope is a very watchable style of cricket. I’m sure there’ll be some times we don’t quite get it right but, hopefully, we’ll chisel away at that over the next few weeks and be in good shape come the Champions Trophy.
“But we are very much focused on this series, knowing India are a very good cricket team, particularly in their own conditions.”
Major League Cricket (MLC), the fledgling T20 tournament in the USA, is set to expand from six teams to eight by 2027, with a move into Canada being explored in developments that could have wider implications for the sport.
Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Toronto, cities with significant South Asian communities, are on the shortlist with final decisions expected this year. Market potential and local government support in helping build stadium infrastructure will be among the determining factors.
Expansion officials travelled to Chicago recently and were believed to be encouraged by the local support. Visits to the other cities are expected in the coming months.
MLC co-founder Satyan Gajwani will launch one of the franchises, while fellow co-founders Vijay Srinivasan, the league’s chief executive until recently, and Sameer Mehta will helm the other. Investors are likely to partner up with them once the two cities have been selected.
Three of the six teams in the MLC are owned by IPL team owners – Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings – while Seattle, the only small market franchise in the league, have ties with Delhi Capitals. San Francisco and Washington don’t have any IPL attachments, but have partnerships with Cricket Victoria and Cricket NSW respectively.
“There are many cities in America that have large populations of people who already love cricket. But the goal is to grow the game and that means expanding beyond that fan base.”
MLC co-founder Satyan Gajwani
“We have options ahead of us. I don’t think we’re committed one way or the other right now,” Gajwani told ESPNcricinfo. “That’s realistically a decision we will take closer to launch.”
Expansion will likely lead to more games and a longer duration of the competition. MLC power brokers do eventually want a home-and-away season – where the teams play each other twice – to underpin the tournament.
Last year’s second season ran for 23 days in July and overlapped with the Hundred in the UK. This season’s scheduling has not been announced, but a lengthier tournament is expected although it might start earlier in June.
The well-heeled MLC’s emergence has become a major talking point in English cricket, heightened when Jason Roy opted out of his ECB contract to represent LA Knight Riders, who have the same owners as KKR.
“There are many cities in America that have large populations of people who already love cricket. But the goal is to grow the game and that means expanding beyond that fan base,” Gajwani said. “America is the largest sports market in the world. It’s also very competitive, and continuing to be relevant will be a challenge.
“But I think the economics of sport in America are pretty robust. The NBA and NFL are in 28 cities. We’re in six right now. We still have a lot of headroom for growth in the medium to long term.”
The tournament’s first two seasons were entirely played at the 7200 capacity Grand Prairie Stadium, a redeveloped baseball ground, near Dallas and the more modest Church Street Park in Morrisville, North Carolina.
Existing franchises – other than Dallas-based Texas Super Kings – have faced challenges getting suitable infrastructure off the ground. But there is confidence that San Francisco Unicorns will start playing home games this season at the iconic Oakland Coliseum, which up until recently was the long-time home of the Athletics in the MLB. The new franchises hope to play at home grounds from the start.
“In the ideal case, we firm up on the city, lock up a land deal and then build a stadium – whether retrofitted or building from zero,” Gajwani said. “The ideal outcome is that we play at home for our first game in 2027.
“There is this balance of wanting to build something that’s right for where the market is, but have the flexibility to grow with the market. Every city will have its own dynamics.”
The cities in the running may be further incentivised by the prospect of potentially hosting cricket matches at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Cricket will end a 128-year Olympic drought but venues have yet to be determined, with the men’s and women’s competitions possibly extending beyond Los Angeles.
“There’s the added element that a fully-fledged cricket venue up and running by 2027 could possibly host matches at the Olympics,” Gajwani said. “The IOC or the LA Organising Committees will make that decision. But they openly said they’re looking for infrastructure that can host Olympic matches. It’s definitely a factor that we’re all thinking about.”
The league also announced Johnny Grave as its new CEO, replacing Srinivasan. Grave is a prominent figure in cricket administration, having most recently served as CEO at CWI for seven years. He was previously the commercial director at the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) in England.
“I am honored to lead the league at this transformative time,” Grave said in a statement. “Cricket is beloved globally and I am thrilled to see its fan base growing rapidly in the United States. I look forward to working with the MLC team to help elevate the league, engage with fans, and build a thriving, sustainable future for cricket in America.”
“Thank you to LSG family for showing the faith in me,” Pant said, alongside team owner Sanjiv Goenka and mentor Zaheer Khan, in Kolkata on Monday. “I will give my 200% and that’s my commitment to you. I will try whatever is in my power to repay the faith you have shown. Looking forward to have a new beginning with new energy and just have a blast out there, and have lots of fun.”
All of India’s batters apart from their openers can expect to have flexible roles in the T20I line-up. Axar Patel, India’s newly appointed vice-captain in the format, suggested this could be the case in his press conference ahead of the five-match T20I series against England.
The series is set to kick off in Kolkata on Wednesday, with Chennai, Rajkot, Pune and Mumbai to host the remaining T20Is.
In recent years, India have used Axar to good effect as a floater. It’s a reflection of his improvement with the bat – having averaged 21.26 and struck at 131.25 in all T20s until the end of 2022, he has upped his performances significantly, averaging 30.32 and striking at 145.62 since the start of 2023 – and his versatility, with India, Delhi Capitals and Gujarat sending him out in a variety of situations. He has scored six half-centuries in these last two years, from Nos. 3, 4, 6 and 7.
Over recent months, India have used not just Axar but also Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma, Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar and Rinku Singh as floaters with varying levels of success.
“Batting wise, it’s not just with me, but we spoke in 2023-24 itself that the openers are fixed, but everyone from Nos. 3 to 7 have been told that they can come into bat anytime, in any situation. It is not just that one batter will bat at a particular position,” Axar told reporters on Monday. “Our middle order will come to bat depending on the match situation, what kind of bowlers are bowling at the time, which match-up works well.
“We’ve spoken about that, how we can all be floaters, be it coming in early or obviously finishing. This is not just for me, but for everyone from No. 3 and below, especially if they are in good touch in the nets. We will adjust accordingly. In T20Is, how you use your batters is so crucial, so this is an important factor in batting.”
As Suryakumar Yadav’s deputy in T20Is, Axar felt he would have to to learn to take difficult calls. It is a topic he has discussed with the support staff too.
“It has just been a day, but as part of the leadership group there is an extra responsibility,” Axar said. “The T20I side is settled, so there’s not much pressure, but there are small decisions that need making and during the game I need to work closely with Suryakumar.
“As part of the leadership group, you have to learn to take harsh decisions. We have spoken about sharing our genuine opinions and that will help build trust in this group.
“The T20I format is such that it is so fast that you have to make decisions quickly, so the larger conversations [with the coaches] is about how to do that.”
India’s immediate focus is on ODI cricket, with the Champions Trophy looming, but T20Is will assume greater significance once that tournament ends. Defending champions India and Sri Lanka are set to co-host the T20 World Cup in February-March 2026. Apart from these five matches against England, India don’t have too many T20Is lined up before they embark on their title defence: currently, they are scheduled to play three T20Is in Bangladesh in August, and five at home against South Africa later in the year.
“The World Cup is coming up in a year so how we approach leading up to that, we want to try it from now itself. That’s the main target,” Axar said. “Momentum is a big thing because if you start well, you can carry it. We finished 2024 well so we want to carry the momentum into this series too.
“But we’ve discussed that the past is past, however, we want to move ahead with the positives we gained from there. We have taken forward the points that brought us success.
“Transition is also something happening, across all formats, but that’s a call for the selectors and captain to take.”
Sreshth Shah is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo. @sreshthx
England won the toss and decided to bowl against Australia
Injury-hit Australia have lost the toss and been sent in to bat in the opening Women’s Ashes T20I against England.
Ashleigh Gardner will miss the match with what Cricket Australia described as “a low grade calf strain” while captain Alyssa Healy was earlier ruled out with soreness in her right foot, the same one in which she ruptured the plantar fascia during the T20 World Cup in October. Gardner’s condition will be assessed over the next 48 hours to determine her availability for the next game, in Canberra on Thursday.
As a result of their injury woes, Australia have handed a T20I debut to Georgia Voll, the 21-year-old opener from Queensland who impressed with a century in just her second ODI when she replaced Healy – who then had a knee injury – during India’s visit late last year. Voll will open alongside Beth Mooney, who will keep wicket, as she did during that series and Australia’s subsequent tour of New Zealand, where Healy played as a batter only. Grace Harris will provide some middle-order firepower in Gardner’s absence.
Meanwhile, Australians have chosen a dual leg-spin attack in selecting Alana King and Georgia Wareham.
England have plumped for a three-pronged spin attack, as flagged by captain Heather Knight on the eve of the match, choosing their own legspinner, Sarah Glenn, alongside left-armer Sophie Ecclestone and offspinner Charlie Dean.
Australia are on the verge of retaining the Ashes with this match offering them the chance to go 8-0 up in the series. In that case, the best England could hope for would be to win the remaining two T20Is and the Test to level the series at 8-8, which would still see the hosts retain the Ashes.
England: Maia Bouchier, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Sophia Dunkley, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Heather Knight (capt), Amy Jones (wk), Freya Kemp, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn, Lauren Bell
Australia captain Alyssa Healy has been ruled out of the first T20I at the SCG and is in doubt for the remainder of the Ashes series after developing foot soreness on the same side as the injury she sustained at last year’s T20 World Cup
It will mean that Australia will likely be led by Tahlia McGrath as they aim to go 8-0 up and retain the Ashes in Sydney while the top-order vacancy could be filled by either Grace Harris or the uncapped Georgia Voll. Beth Mooney will keep wicket.
The injury to Healy has also meant that Australia have pushed back announcing their squad for the day-night Test at the MCG which had been due to be named during the T20I on Monday.
“Alyssa has developed mid-foot soreness on the same side as her previous plantar fascia injury following the ODI series,” a Cricket Australia statement said. “She is currently being managed in a boot and will not be available for this evening’s game.
“Cricket Australia’s medical team is consulting with specialists to develop an appropriate management plan over the coming days. Her availability for the remainder of the series will be assessed as more information becomes available.”
After returning from the injury sustained at the World Cup, Healy had her WBBL cut short by a knee problem which also meant she played as a batter only in the ODIs against New Zealand in December having missed the earlier home series against India.
She returned to keeping duties for the three ODIs against England with the matches taking place in six days. The schedule is also tight for the T20I series with games in Canberra on January 23 then Adelaide on January 25.
Even if Healy is able to play a part in either of those, there will be major questions over whether she can sustain the workload of a Test match, especially as a wicketkeeper.
