Specials – England in Chepauk Tests, Part 3

In the third and final part of this series, we look back at England’s last three Test matches at Chepauk heading into the ongoing series against India, each of which resulted in defeat. A tame series surrender – Second Test, 1992-93 Reeling from an eight-defeat at Calcutta, England suffered a further setback when captain Graham […]

Specials – England in Chepauk Tests, Part 2

Having revisited England’s first three Tests at Chepauk in the first of this three-part series, we move on further through the 1970s and into the 1980s in the second part. A commanding series success – Third Test, 1976-77 Holding a lead of 2-0, England pocketed the series with two matches left. They won the toss […]

Specials – England in Chepauk Tests, Part 1

Coming off series wins in Australia and Sri Lanka respectively, India and England will commence their four-Test battle for the Anthony de Mello Trophy on 5th February. The first two Tests will be played at the M.A. Chidambraram Stadium in Chennai (formerly Madras), more popularly known as the Chepauk Stadium because of the locality in […]

In Focus – An exhilarating epic for the ages

Over the years, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has had no dearth of extraordinary cricket and riveting drama. But what transpired in Brisbane on 19th January 2021 was in a different realm altogether. Embattled by injuries and forced to field a greenhorn bowling unit, defending champions India entered the fortress of the Gabba needing at least a […]

Record Book – Top Indian performances at the Gabba

With Border-Gavaskar Trophy holders India pulling off a gripping draw at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the battle for the series is still alive going into the fourth and final Test at the Gabba in Brisbane. The visitors, hit by a spate of injuries, face a tall ask at the venue, famously referred to as the […]

Review – 2020 Test cricket recap

Like almost everything else, Test cricket bore the brunt of the unforeseen situation in 2020. The World Test Championship (WTC) saw several series postponed, which meant that the year saw only 22 Tests, 17 less than were played in 2019. As many as 19 of them ended in a result – of which 13 were […]

Review – 2020 Test Team of the Year

The Cricket Cauldron’s Test team for the year 2020 features five players from England, three from New Zealand, and one each from India, Pakistan and South Africa. This year’s team has only one player in common with last year’s team – England’s Ben Stokes. Dom Sibley (England) The start of the year saw Sibley notch […]

Record Book – Highest individual T20I scores for Pakistan

Though Pakistan lost their T20I series in New Zealand by a margin of 2-1, veteran batsman Mohammad Hafeez continued his bright form by topping the batting charts for his team with 140 runs at 70.00. With his unbeaten 99 at Hamilton, the 40-year-old fell short of becoming only the second Pakistani to hit a T20I […]

Specials – Milestone Tests for the West Indies

The West Indies completed their 550th Test match recently, going down to New Zealand by an innings and 12 runs at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. On that note, here is a look back at how they have fared in their milestone Tests over the years. 50th Test – lost to England by nine wickets, […]

Record Book – Double tons in New Zealand v West Indies Tests

Black Caps captain Kane Williamson’s career-best 251 against the West Indies at Hamilton earlier this month provided the 12th instance of an individual score of 200 or more in Tests between the two teams. On that note, here is a look at the full list of double hundreds achieved in New Zealand v West Indies […]