It’s Monday, and we are here with another edition of the newsletter.

Controversies

Maxwell’s toxic relationship with Sehwag

Let’s start the Newsletter with something toxic. 

Australia’s star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell recently admitted that he is no longer in touch with former Punjab Kings mentor Virender Sehwag, as their relationship ended very sourly. 

In his book The Showman, Maxwell, while talking about a time when he was named the captain of the then Kings XI Punjab team in the IPL 2017, delved into the details of his relationship with Sehwag. Having won three of their last four games before the last game of the season, Punjab could have made the playoffs but failed to do so. While Maxwell himself wanted to face the press, Sehwag said that he would do it and removed Maxwell from the main WhatsApp group. 

“By the time we reached the hotel, my phone was blowing up, with Sehwag having unloaded on me as a “big disappointment”, blaming me for not taking responsibility as captain and all the rest. It was unpleasant, especially when I thought we had parted on good terms. I texted him to say how much it hurt to read those comments and added that he had lost a fan in me for the way he had conducted himself. Sehwag’s response was simple: “Don’t need a fan like you.” 

Mumbai club cancels Jemimah’s membership over father’s religious activities

The Khar Gymkhana, a cricket club in Mumbai, cancelled Jemimah Rodrigues’ membership over her father’s alleged act of religious conversion. Another member of the Khar-based club, Shiv Malhotra alleged that Jemimah’s father was attached to an organisation that has been viewed by suspicion. 

“We came to know that Jemimah Rodrigues’s father was attached to an organisation called Brother Manuel Ministries. They booked the presidential hall for almost a year and a half and held 35 events. We all know what was happening there,” he said.

“We hear about conversions all over the country, but it’s happening right under our nose. There was dancing, expensive music equipment, and big screens. As per Khar Gymkhana’s bylaws Rule 4A of the constitution, Khar Gymkhana does not permit any religious activity.”

Kirsten resigns as Pakistan’s white-ball coach

Gary Kirsten’s stint as Pakistan’s white-ball coach has come to a rather abrupt end. The PCB press release announcing the squad for the Australia and Zimbabwe tours said that Kirsten would join the Australian squad. 

However, on October 28, the board announced that Kirsten had resigned from his post, and Pakistan’s red-ball coach Jason Gillespie will step in next month’s white-ball tour of Australia. According to Cricbuzz, Kirsten had requested the PCB appoint David Reid as a High-Performance coach, but his request was not accepted. 

Weekly recap

In the spotlight

New Zealand hand India a humiliating series defeat

India’s home dominance came to a shocking end in the second Test in Pune, as New Zealand beat India by 113 runs. The loss resulted in India losing their first-ever bilateral Test series at home after 12 long years. The epic undefeated run of 18 consecutive Test series at home came to a screeching end. 

After having lost the first Test by eight wickets in Bengaluru, India asked for a turning surface in Pune, but the move backfired like it has multiple times in the recent past. In response to NZ’s 259, the Men in Blue were bowled out for just 156. They did put up some fight in the second innings but the lead was always going to come back to haunt them. Mitchell Santner finished the game with 13 wickets and made Indian batters look like a bunch of amateur cricketers.

Pakistan end their own steak, the unwanted one

After registering their first Test win at home in two years last week in Multan, and thereby snapping an 11-game winless streak, Pakistan have won their first series at home in nearly four years. The last series win at home for the Men in Green came back in January 2021 when they triumphed 2-0 over South Africa.

The selectors took radical calls, dropping three big guns in Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah. And the hosts took another very bold call by opting to prepare rank turners after going 1-0 down, prepared to risk losing the series to break the drought at home. Their bravery got rewarded as the Shan Masood-led unit comfortably outclassed England in consecutive Tests to walk away with the series.

MS Dhoni isn’t done yet

MS Dhoni has yet to confirm his availability for the Indian Premier League 2025, but the 43-year-old wicketkeeper-batter has dropped a massive hint about his cricketing future. The former Chennai Super Kings captain said he wants to enjoy “the last few years of cricket” and hinted he could feature in the next edition of the IPL.

Speaking at a promotional event for Rigi, Dhoni said: “I just want to enjoy whatever last few years of cricket I am able to play. In our childhood, we used to go out to play at 4 pm and enjoy the game. But when you play a professional sport, it becomes difficult to enjoy cricket, just like a game. That’s what I want to do.”

Performers of the week

Stat of the week

Editor’s picks

Virat Kohli: A master burdened by his shortcomings

How Mitchell Santner outbowled Indian spinners in Pune

How New Zealand pulled off the greatest upset in modern cricket history

India’s fortress wasn’t breached in one day, it was years in making

India BGT squad takeaways: Have we seen the last of Shardul Thakur in Tests?

Virat Kohli’s decline against left-arm spinners is not surprising anymore

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