Advertise on podcast: The Last Wicket

For the first episode of 2024, The Last Wicket duo are joined by Nikhil Popat aka @CricCrazyNiks to talk about the contrasting tenures of the Indian men's erstwhile and current coaches - Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid. We discuss their approaches to man-management, tactics and vision, their highs and lows, and what their stints mean for the immediate future of Indian cricket.

The Last Wicket hosts discuss the highlights of cricketing action in 2023, including the continuing march of T20 leagues around the world, the progress of women's cricket, the eventful Men's Ashes series, India's stumble at the final hurdles in the WTC and World Cup, and much more.

The Last Wicket duo is joined by alumnus Nish (@Cerebrohemius) and special guest Kartik (@elitecynic) to process the great big Australian upset as India went down at the (World Cup) final hurdle in Ahmedabad. We talk about the triumph of Australian grit over Indian excellence in the 2023 World Cup final, what's next for Team India, the standout performances of the tournament, and what the last few weeks indicate for the future of ODIs.

Host Mayank is joined by Sports Biomechanist Stuart McErlain-Naylor to break down his study on the relationship between hitting techniques and ball carry distance in cricket. They talk about the evolution of biomechanics in cricket, key parameters in assessing ball carry distance, differences between men's and women's cricket concerning biomechanics, how this can complement technical coaching and much more. Links Stuart’s YouTube channel: Stuart McErlain-Naylor - YouTubeScience of Cricket YouTube lecture series: The Science of Cricket: Lectures - YouTubeExperts in Sport podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0J74YTIIXGDd2YROSu4Ktl?si=0180546164c245c1Stuart’s research articles on cricket: Cricket Biomechanics | Dr Stuart McErlain-Naylor

The Last Wicket duo is joined by Kartik (@elitecynic) to discuss the early stages of the ongoing 2023 Men's Cricket World Cup. We discuss the best contests so far, the players that have surprised and impressed us the most, what the story of the World Cup has been so far, and who the likely semifinalists would be based on the early exchanges. Link Kartik on X (Twitter)

ESPNcricinfo producer/presenter Yash Jha joins host Mayank for a chat on the state of ODI cricket today. Topics of discussion include its relevance, declining games and tournaments, scheduling challenges and future of the format. Link Yash Jha (@jhayash) / X (twitter.com)

Historian Duncan Stone chats with host Mayank about this recent book - Different Class: The Untold Story of English Cricket. This book was shortlisted for the Cricket Writers Club 'Book of the Year' 2022 and the Sunday Times Sports Book Awards 'Cricket Book of the Year' 2023. “A modern-day John Arlott: uncomfortable but indispensable reading for those who love cricket but may so far have avoided Duncan Stone’s vital home truths about the game.” - Peter Hain, former chairman of the Stop the Seventy Tour campaign and Labour Peer "In this fascinating journey through history, Duncan Stone goes back to the working-class roots of the game, lifts the lid on the myths that cricket lives by, and explains why it’s impossible not to love it." - Tony Collins, author of Rugby League: A People's History "A warm, accessible but thorough-going account of how cricket and class are intertwined in England. Full of personal wit and charm but also rigor and drive." - Stuart Maconie "At a time when the ECB seems intent on killing Test cricket, by commodifying it in search of quick profits, this book is a gentle reminder of the true ethos and variable pace of the game, etched in the memories of all who have played it at village or club level." - Guy Standing, author of The Precariat: The True Dangerous Class "Different Class is in that special category of books — not just lucid and cogent but necessary and invaluable." - Gideon Haigh, author of The Cricket War: The Inside Story of Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket Duncan Stone is a historian long interested in the social and cultural machinations of sport, the concept and application of amateurism and who, exactly, gets to define the form, function and meaning of sport. He has worked as a forensic photographer, DJ and club promoter, builder, local government officer and lecturer at the University of Huddersfield and was previously a visiting researcher at Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia. Link Different Class: The Untold Story of English Cricket: Stone, Duncan: 9781913462802: Amazon.com: Books --------------- Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/prigida/moonshine License code: JUXBBIJITP4USCDL

Freelance cricket journalist Cameron Ponsonby joins host Mayank to chat about all things MLC. The two discuss the success of the inaugural edition of the tournament, his role with the Washington Freedoms, areas for improvement, and what the future holds for the fledgling league. Link Cameron Ponsonby (@cameronponsonby) / X -------------------------------------------------- Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hlfmn/yang License code: TCHXJRSQ50WL7THS

Zimbabwe cricket journo Adam Theo joins The Last Wicket to discuss Zimbabwe's recent stirring performances, the impact of Dave Houghton and senior players on the upswing in results, what cricket means to the country, and what the future holds for Zimbabwe cricket. Links Adam Theo🇿🇼🏏 (@AdamTheofilatos) / Twitter

TLW Host Mayank guests on the Armchair Cricket Podcast to discuss the recently concluded WTC final with host Ajit. They review India's performance, selection questions and Shubman Gill's discontent, while also taking a look at the ongoing Ashes and contract brouhaha over in New Zealand cricket. Links 🏏Armchair Cricket Podcast 🎧 • A podcast on Spotify for Podcasters Armchair Cricket Podcast (@ArmchairCricPod) / Twitter

The Last Wicket takes a ball-by-ball look at the last overs of the Gujarat Titans vs Kolkata Knight Riders, and the Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Lucknow Super Giants games in the 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League.

Tareque Laskar joins The Last Wicket gang to discuss the new book authored by Bharat Sundaresan and Gaurav Joshi - The Miracle Makers. We discussed some fascinating anecdotes from the book, the relationship between the authors and the Indian team which resulted in remarkable insights, the young talents that shaped an unlikely win overseen by a battled-hardened team management, and where this test series stands in the pantheon of the game's history. Links Amazon.com: The Miracle Makers: Indian Cricket's Greatest Epic | Story Behind Indian Cricket's Historic Breach of the Gabba Fortress eBook : Sundaresan, Bharat: Kindle Store Tareque Laskar (@tarequelaskar) / Twitter Get Sporty | My reflections on my connections to the sporting world (wordpress.com) Please subscribe and share the podcast! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-last-wicket/donations