Test 4 exploded into life from the very first session. On a pitch tailor-made for fast bowlers, both Australia and England collapsed under relentless pressure. Brief resistance was rare, runs were priceless, and the match raced ahead at breakneck speed. A breakdown of a brutal Day 1 that could reshape the final stretch of the Ashes.
India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad has officially been announced — and the reactions have been loud, emotional, and divided.
In this special episode of Serving a Six Appeal, I break down India’s T20 World Cup selection with clarity and context. From the leadership choices to the balance of the squad, I explain why certain players were picked, why some tough calls were made, and how timing, roles, and fitness shaped the final list.
I also address the Shubman Gill question — the injury timeline, recent form, and why leaving him out of this World Cup squad makes sense without diminishing his long-term value to Indian cricket.
After just 11 days of cricket, the Ashes have been decided. Day 5 of Test 3 saw Australia complete the job, outlasting England’s final resistance to secure a 3–0 series lead. Australia found different ways to win across three Tests, with discipline, depth, and control defining the series. Two Tests remain, but the urn stays exactly where it is
Day 4 of Test 3 saw Australia extend their control while England searched for one last stand. Big runs at the top, resistance with the bat, and relentless bowling pressure pushed the match toward a decisive final day. England continue to fight, but with the deficit large and wickets running out, the Ashes feel closer than ever to staying put.
The final T20I between India and South Africa brought resolution after weeks of questions. On a batting-friendly surface, roles became clearer, partnerships mattered, and selection debates took sharper shape and what this series revealed about India’s evolving T20 identity heading toward the World Cup.
With the T20 World Cup just two months away in February 2026, selection is no longer about experimentation — it’s about execution.
In this special episode of Serving a Six Appeal, I break down India’s T20 World Cup 2026 plan in full:
• The core playing XI
• The complete 15-man squad
• How pitch conditions change the combination
• And why one major name misses out altogether
I also explain why late changes before a World Cup rarely work — and what India must do immediately after the tournament ends.
The episode finishes with a clear vision for the post-2026 T20 reset, including the next-cycle XI
This isn’t about reputation.
It’s about roles, balance, conditions — and timing.
Day 3 of Test 3 was the defining moment England couldn’t afford to lose. Ben Stokes abandoned tempo for survival, Jofra Archer fought alongside him, but Australia answered with authority in their second innings. As the lead ballooned and control shifted decisively, the Ashes urn moved closer to staying put.
Day 2 of Test 3 carried the quiet weight of a series beginning to tilt. Australia added crucial lower-order runs, England fought back through pace, and the reply came under immediate pressure. With the deficit growing and wickets falling, the Ashes urn feels closer than ever.
With Australia leading the series 2–0, Test 3 opened under immense pressure. A late team change, early wickets, and a crucial counterattack reshaped the day as Australia worked to secure a competitive total on a traditionally batter-friendly Adelaide surface. A breakdown of the key moments, momentum shifts, and why Day 1 brought the Ashes urn firmly into view.
The 3rd T20I between India and South Africa stripped T20 cricket down to its core. With little room for recovery, every decision mattered — from bowling discipline to batting intent. In this episode, I break down the collapse, the response, and the growing debate around what modern T20 batting truly demands.
The 2nd T20I between India and South Africa delivered unexpected turns, early shocks, and a chase that raised deeper questions about India’s top order, batting balance, and format clarity. In this episode, we break down the shift in momentum, the reliance on individual performances, the growing debate around Shubman Gill’s T20 role, and what this means for India heading toward the T20 World Cup.
The 1st T20I between India and South Africa sets the tone for the final leg of the tour with early shocks, a critical middle-order revival, and a chase that never settled. In this episode, I break down the key turning points, the late acceleration, a controversial moment, and how the momentum of the series shifted before the halfway mark.
Day 4 of Test 2 became the turning point England were desperate to avoid. A slower fightback with the bat, a ruthless bowling performance from Australia, and a chase that suddenly felt far too calm shifted the weight of the series again. With the Ashes now tilting in one direction, the pressure on England has reached its highest point yet.
The 3rd ODI between India and South Africa was a true decider — and a night filled with pressure, momentum shifts, and unexpected heroics. From the psychology of the toss to a breakthrough bowling effort and a fearless response with the bat, this episode breaks down how India navigated the most important game of the series and why this performance felt different from everything that came before.
Day 3 of Test 2 brought a shift that England couldn’t stop. Australia surged past 500, Mitchell Starc stunned with the bat, and England’s reply fell under growing pressure. With wickets falling and the deficit closing slowly, the match tightened into a battle of survival.
Day 2 of Test 2 didn’t explode — it tightened. Joe Root held England together, Australia answered with depth, dropped chances shifted the mood into something far more uncertain. With the lead slipping and the match stretching into a real five-day test of nerve, this was the kind of Ashes day where nothing felt settled.
Test 2 didn’t open anything like the first. After a two-day collapse in the series opener, Day 1 brought steadier batting, a century of real intent from Joe Root, and another fiery burst from Mitchell Starc. The Ashes finally slowed down, revealing the shape of a true five-day battle. Here’s the atmosphere, the turning points, and why this beginning feels so different
A high-scoring ODI raises tough questions about India’s bowling depth and balance. A breakdown of the moments that changed the match — and the ones India let go.
The 1st ODI between India and South Africa brought a completely different energy from the Test series. With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli back in the XI, India stepped onto the field with renewed intent. In this episode, we break down the shifts in the batting order, key partnerships, game-changing spells, and the moments that defined a fresh start in the limited-overs leg of the tour.
Day 5 of the India vs South Africa 2nd Test brought a shift no one was prepared for. In this episode, we break down a day filled with pressure, unexpected turns, and moments that revealed more beneath the surface than the scoreboard ever could.