Cricket

James Anderson, the legendary English fast bowler, will continue his role as bowling consultant for the England men's team during their upcoming winter tours of Pakistan and New Zealand. Anderson's initial stint, which began after his retirement from Test cricket in June, has been extended through the end of the year.The 42-year-old Anderson has been working closely with the England team since his retirement, providing guidance and expertise to the bowlers. The ECB is keen to retain his knowledge and experience as they build towards the 2025-26 Ashes series.Anderson's role as bowling consultant has been mutually beneficial. It has allowed him to explore a potential coaching career while also providing valuable support to the England team. The team has benefited from his insights and experience, particularly in the development of young bowlers like Josh Hull.Anderson's presence has also been a positive influence on the team's culture. His knowledge and experience have been invaluable to the younger players, who have been able to learn from one of the greatest bowlers of all time.While Anderson is currently focused on his role as bowling consultant, he has not ruled out the possibility of playing franchise cricket in the future. However, he is aware that he needs to get back to playing white-ball cricket before he can consider that option.The extension of Anderson's role as bowling consultant is a testament to his value to the England team. His knowledge, experience, and positive influence make him an invaluable asset to the team as they prepare for future challenges.

Dwayne Bravo, the bowling consultant for the Afghanistan cricket team, has played a pivotal role in the team's recent success at the T20 World Cup. Despite Afghanistan's rollercoaster ride in the tournament, Bravo's quiet presence has been a constant, guiding the team's pace-bowling unit to new heights.Captain Rashid Khan, a white-ball legend, may not require much coaching, but Bravo's expertise has been invaluable to the team's bowlers. Left-arm pacer Fazhalhaq Farooqi remains the tournament's leading wicket-taker, but it was medium pacer Gulbadin Naib's 4-20 against Australia that sealed Afghanistan's victory. Naveen-ul-Haq's 4-26 against Bangladesh, including the crucial wickets of Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman, also bore Bravo's signature.Bravo's influence is evident in the subtle changes of pace, the deceptive short-ball bluff followed by a full delivery, and the ability to bowl the wide yorker. These are techniques that Bravo mastered throughout his illustrious career with the West Indies and Chennai Super Kings in the IPL.Now retired from the IPL, Bravo continues to impart his knowledge to the Afghan bowlers, drawing on his deep understanding of West Indian conditions. Head coach Jonathan Trott provides the team with passion and insider knowledge, while Bravo's input complements their efforts.Afghanistan's bowling unit, once lacking the experience to close out games, has benefited immensely from Bravo's guidance. In the past, their inexperience led to their downfall, as evidenced by Glenn Maxwell's 201 not out against them in the ODI World Cup."You need to have those people who remind you of the things you need to do," said Rashid Khan. "In the heat of the game, they forget the things that were planned for a specific batsman and DJ is always there to remind them what we had planned and what we are doing."As Afghanistan prepares to face South Africa in the semifinal in Bravo's home ground of Trinidad and Tobago, his knowledge of the conditions will be invaluable. The team's success in the tournament is a testament to Bravo's coaching prowess and the impact he has had on the Afghan bowlers.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has secured the services of legendary West Indian all-rounder Dwayne Bravo as their bowling consultant for the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup. Bravo, a two-time T20 World Cup champion with the West Indies, will join the Afghan team in St Kitts and Nevis for a ten-day preparatory camp ahead of the tournament.Bravo, who retired from international cricket after the 2021 T20 World Cup, brings a wealth of experience to the Afghan bowling attack. He is the leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket history, with 625 scalps in 573 games. In addition to his playing experience, Bravo is also the bowling coach of the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL).Afghanistan's decision to appoint Bravo as their bowling consultant is a testament to their ambition to make a significant impact at the 2024 T20 World Cup. The team has already arrived in the Caribbean and will begin their preparations under Bravo's guidance.Afghanistan will play two warm-up matches before the start of the World Cup, against Oman on May 29 and Scotland on May 31. They will then face Uganda in their opening match of the tournament on June 5 in Providence.Another former West Indian player, Kieron Pollard, will also be involved in the 2024 T20 World Cup as the assistant coach of England. Pollard, who retired from international cricket in 2022, will bring his experience and leadership qualities to the English camp.The 2024 T20 World Cup will be a highly competitive tournament, with some of the best teams in the world vying for the title. Afghanistan will be hoping to make a strong impression under the guidance of Bravo and Pollard, and they will be determined to prove that they are a force to be reckoned with in the shortest format of the game.

Chennai Super Kings' bowling consultant, Eric Simmons, has revealed that techniques that prove effective against former Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni in training sessions also tend to work well in real-world scenarios. Dhoni, known for his exceptional batting skills, serves as the "batting template" for the team's death bowling practice.In a recent match against the Mumbai Indians, Dhoni came to the crease for the final four balls of CSK's innings and smashed the first three for sixes, helping the team collect 26 runs off the last over. This late burst of form proved decisive as CSK defeated MI by 20 runs to secure the third spot in the IPL standings.Simmons, a former bowling coach for India, explained that Dhoni's batting style has served as a model for CSK's attempts to test their bowling ability in the last overs. "His calmness at the wicket… we use him as a batting template when we're bowling at the death, the pre-season because he's so good at it. If we can test out our theories against him, then we know we're going to do well," he said.Simmons also acknowledged that Dhoni has been struggling with a knee injury but has battled it bravely without showing any pain. "Everyone else is more interested in his injuries than he is. He's one of the hardest men I've ever come across. I don't even think we know to what extent he may or may not be in pain. He just carries on and does his thing," he said.While Matheesha Pathirana (4/28) deserved the accolades for CSK's win, Simmons highlighted the contributions of Tushar Deshpande and Shardul Thakur as the "unsung heroes." He praised Shardul for bowling one of the best overs he had ever seen, with outstanding impact points.Simmons also appealed for the wide rule to be defined further, claiming that the current laws are not specific enough. He believes that a clearer understanding of the wide rule would allow bowlers to use it more effectively and make the contest more even.