England’s decision to allow “jaded” captain Andrew Strauss to miss next month’s tour to Bangladesh will leave many fans scratching their heads.

At a time when England are looking to lick the team into shape for their Ashes defence against Australia at the end of the year, it seems odd for the skipper not to be leading his troops from the front. Instead, it will be a “very excited” Alastair Cook who takes charge.

Strauss certainly does need to do something about his form. His team were fortunate to tie the four-match series 1-1 in South Africa after scraping two draws in Centurion and Cape Town by the skin of their teeth, and the captain himself was way below his best with the bat, scoring just 170 runs at an average of 24.28.

But rather than an extended rest, he could consider that the best way for a test batsman to regain his form is to play in a test. And given that Bangladesh’s bowlers are hardly the most fearsome in world cricket, shouldn’t an out-of-touch opener be relishing the opportunity?

Now the tour of South Africa is over, England have a four-week break before they leave for three Twenty20 matches in the Middle East ahead of the trip to Bangladesh.

Isn’t four weeks enough for Strauss to recharge his batteries before getting out there again to try to do what a batsman does best — and bat? Read more…

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Is the BCCI - reportedly motivated by the objection of 9 male and two women Indian cricketers - doing the right thing by forcing a showdown with WADA, the London-based World Anti-Doping Agency which monitors the use of drugs in sports?

Doping, the use of banned drugs to enhance performance, has for years been giving sports -- from track and field events, to swimming and tennis - a bad name. Indeed, many have argued that doping undermines the fundamental philosophy of any competitive sport: let the better sportsperson win. With the introduction of performance-enhancing substances, this fundamental premise changes: let the better drug win.

No one -- not the BCCI, nor the Indian cricketers who have objected to WADA's rule -  would minimise the menace that drugs increasingly pose to the very spirit and nature of sport. What is being objected to is WADA's so-called 'whereabouts' clause by which certain nominated players have periodically to inform the relevant authorities as to where and when they will make themselves available for dope-testing. The Indian cricketers  - including international cricket icon, Sachin Tendulkar - who have objected to this clause have done so on the grounds that the 'whereabouts' requirement is invasive of their privacy and could jeopardise their security. No small concern, particularly after the terrorist attack on the touring Sri Lankan team in Pakistan earlier this year. Read more...

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