BCCI President Roger Binny, Secretary Jay Shah and Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma during celebrations upon the team’s arrival at New Delhi airport, on July 4, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

T20 World Cup-winning skipper Rohit Sharma will continue to lead India in the ODI and Test formats BCCI secretary Jay Shah said on July 7, exuding confidence that the country will win next year’s Champions Trophy and World Test Championship under his captaincy.

The 37-year-old Rohit, who became the third Indian captain after legendary Kapil Dev and Mahendra Singh Dhoni to win a global trophy, has announced his retirement from the T20 format.

“The next stage is the WTC final and the Champions Trophy. I have full faith in Rohit Sharma’s captaincy, that we will be the champions in both these tournaments,” secretary Shah said in a video message.

The Champions Trophy, scheduled in Pakistan next year, will be held after eight years (since 2017 in UK), and even though the draft schedule has been submitted to the ICC, the BCCI hasn’t yet given its green light to it.

It is understood BCCI will again push for the ‘Hybrid Model’ like 2023 ODI Asia Cup where India played all its matches, including the ones against Pakistan, in Sri Lanka.

Shah’s message, in a way, has put to rest speculations about whether Rohit would quit leadership role in other formats.

Till Rohit calls it quits, India will once again have split captaincy with Rohit leading in ODIs and Tests while Hardik Pandya is expected to take charge of the T20 outfit. Rohit had also led India to the finals of the WTC and ODI World Cup last year, where India lost the summit clash after winning 10 straight games.

Shah dedicated India’s T20 World Cup triumph to the three cricketers, who quit the format after the title victory and outgoing coach Rahul Dravid. “I want to dedicate this victory to coach Rahul Dravid, captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja.

“This was our third final in the last year. We lost the WTC final in June, 2023. In November, 2023 we won hearts after 10 wins but couldn’t win the Cup. I had said in Rajkot that we will win the heart and also the Cup on June 24 and install our national flag, and our captain installed the Indian flag,” the secretary said.

Rohit, Kohli and Jadeja are expected to comeback for the ODI series against Sri Lanka slated for August.

India will play six ODIs – three against Sri Lanka in an away series and three at home against England in early February before the Champions Trophy.

The T20 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma holds the Indian tricolour during open bus victory parade, in Mumbai, on July 4, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Rohit Sharma, India’s T20 World Cup-winning captain, thanked all the Indian cricket fans for supporting the team during its campaign. 

“On behalf of my team and the BCCI, I would like to thank the fans! Ever since we have reached India, we have seen how much it means to them. For the last 11 years, they have wanted the trophy back in India!,” Rohit said while addressing a choc-a-bloc Wankhede Stadium.

Team India victory parade highlights: Indian team feted at Wankhede after open-bus parade 

“As much desperation we had to win the trophy, the fans had it a bit more. This team is special and I am lucky to have the chance to captain this unit.”

After arriving in New Delhi from Barbados early morning, the Men in Blue met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The squad then flew down to Mumbai and celebrated with the fans during a roadshow followed by an event at the Wankhede.

Head coach Rahul Dravid, in his last formal appearance as India’s head coach, stated winning the T20 World Cup was a fitting note to end his stint. “This is a fantastic note to sign off on. I am going to miss all this love. What we have been seeing today and what I have heard since the win shows how India makes cricket brilliant,” Dravid said.

Veteran Virat Kohli, who announced his T20I retirement after emerging Player of the Final, compared the 2011 ODI World Cup win with the recent triumph. “When we won the World Cup in 2011, there were a lot of tears among the seniors and I couldn’t understand. I was young and we had won the World Cup,” Kohli said.

“But now, being a senior player, with Rohit besides, after playing for so long, it is special. This is the first time I have seen Rohit show so much emotion on the field. When I was walking up the steps, I was crying, he was crying and we hugged. That is a special moment.”

Jasprit Bumrah, the Player of the Tournament, felt it was a surreal moment for him to return to Wankhede. “It feels amazing. This ground is really special in my life. As an under-19 kid, I came here to play cricket and what I saw today, I will never forget that,” Bumrah said.

“ The confidence that we have to take the game by the neck and pull us out of trouble is special. Our aim is to take Indian cricket forward. This World Cup gives us the motivation to go ahead and do it again.”

Massive crowd of fans during the Indian T20 cricket team’s World Cup 2024 victory parade, at Vijay Merchant Pavilion in Mumbai on Thursday, May 4, 2024.
| Photo Credit: ANI

At least 11 persons were rushed to hospitals for sustaining minor injuries or feeling dizzy after a massive crowd gathered along the route of the victory parade of the T-20 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team in South Mumbai, an official said on Friday, July 5, 2024.

Also read: PM Modi hosts T20 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team

Nine were admitted to the state-run GT Hospital for suffering injuries or complaining of breathing difficulties due to excessive crowding. They are now in a stable condition, said the dean of JJ Group of Hospitals.

Officials said one fan was taken to the government-run St George’s Hospital near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and was allowed to go after primary care. Another person was taken to a private hospital in south Mumbai and discharged after treatment.

Thousands of fans thronged Marine Drive to witness the victory parade of the Indian cricket team on Thursday evening. This led to a stampede-like situation, an official said.

Police deployed a large number of personnel and made elaborate security arrangements between Marine Drive and Wankhede Stadium to avoid any untoward incident.

Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar appreciated his force for effectively managing the crowd during the victory parade.

“A special appreciation to all my officers & staff of @MumbaiPolice for the exceptional crowd management at Marine Drive today amid the rains,” Mr. Phansalkar wrote in his official X handle.

“We made sure it remains a special moment for our Champions & the fans. Also thank you Mumbaikars, for your cooperation. We made it happen together!,” he added in the post.

New Delhi:

The country witnessed euphoric celebrations last evening as Team India won the T20 World Cup, with fans flooding the streets carrying the Tricolour in their hands.

Social media was flooded with congratulatory messages and images of celebratory scenes as India edged past South Africa by seven runs in the final match of T20 World Cup 2024 at the Kensington Oval, Barbados to clinch an ICC title after 11 years.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Indian Cricket Team for bringing the ICC T20 World Cup “home in style”, while President Droupadi Murmu commended their “never-say-die” spirit.

Uttar Pradesh police also joined the chorus to praise Team India’s stunning win, but with a twist..”Breaking News: Indian bowlers found guilty of breaking South African hearts. Sentence: Lifelong love from a billion fanss,”the UP police posted on X – earlier known as X.

: Indian bowlers found guilty of breaking South African hearts.

: Lifelong love from a billion fans! #INDvSAFinal#T20WorldCupFinalpic.twitter.com/UPaCzgf6vm

— UP POLICE (@Uppolice) June 29, 2024

Two of India’s greatest ever cricketers – Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma – announced their T20I retirements yesterday after the T20 World Cup win. While Kohli announced his retirement minutes after the historic triumph, India captain Rohit Sharma announced it in the official post match press conference.

The final match against South Africa was a nail-biter, with India defending a target of 176 runs. The Proteas, needing 30 runs from the last 30 deliveries, appeared to have the upper hand. However, India’s bowlers, led by Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Arshdeep Singh, held their nerve in the crucial moments. Pandya, in particular, shone in the final over, successfully defending 16 runs and sealing a dramatic seven-run victory for India.

India captain Rohit Sharma plays a shot during the ICC men’s Twenty20 World Cup 2024 Super Eight cricket match between Australia and India at Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia, on June 24, 2024.
| Photo Credit: K.R. Deepak

He fell short of a potentially record-shattering hundred, but milestones “don’t matter” to India skipper Rohit Sharma, whose sole aim while batting is to “put bowlers under pressure” by hitting them all over the field.

Rohit’s 92-run knock that came off 41 deliveries steered India to a 24-run win over former champions Australia in their final Super 8 outing of the ongoing T20 World Cup on Monday. The record for the fastest T20 World Cup hundred belongs to West Indian swashbuckler Chris Gayle, who pulled it off in 47 deliveries in the 2016 edition.

Expectedly adjudged player of the match for the memorable effort, which was punctuated by eight sixes and seven fours, the 37-year-old said his focus was only on maintaining the “tempo” of the match. India will take on England in the second semifinal on June 27.

“It was a good wicket, and you want to try and back yourself to play those kinds of shots. I’ve been trying to do that for a few years now, and I’m glad it came off today. The fifties and hundreds don’t matter, I wanted to bat with the same tempo and carry on.

“You want to make big scores, yes, but at the same time you want to make the bowlers think where the next shot is coming, and I think I managed to do that today,” he added.

“You need to put the bowlers under pressure, and you need big scores for that. I tried to access all sides of the field, not just one side.”

Winning was not a ‘breeze’ for India and Rohit said he had to tweak his batting style to take the wind out of the 2021 champions’ sails.

Rohit played some delectable strokes on the off side after his opening partner Virat Kohli departed for a duck. With wind a perpetual hindrance, Rohit said he had to play more strokes on the off side to negate the impact.

“I thought right from over number one, there was a strong breeze blowing across. They (Australia) changed their plan, bowling against the breeze, so I realised I had to open up the off side as well,” he said.

“You’ve got to factor in the breeze and understand that the bowlers are smart as well and open up all sides of the field. When you keep an open mind and not just think of one shot, you can access all areas of the field,” said the India skipper after the match.

“…when you’re playing on grounds like this where wind is a factor, anything is possible, but I thought we used the conditions very well. It was very pleasing to see how we were getting through those overs and getting the wickets at the same time.”

Rohit also said he knew wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav would be at his potent best in the West Indies after encountering seamer-friendly conditions in the U.S. Kuldeep repaid his faith with excellent figures of 2/24 in his four overs on Monday.

“Kuldeep, we understand the strengths he has, but you have to use it when you need it. The pitches in New York were seamer-friendly, but we knew he would play a big role later.”

The skipper added that he would like India to continue playing the same way in the knockouts as well.

“We don’t want to do anything different (in the knockouts). We want to play the same way, understand what the individuals need to do in a given situation, and play freely.

“So far we’ve been doing that consistently, and semifinals, we have to try and do the same thing. It’ll be nice (to play England in the semifinal). Nothing changes for us, we want to focus on what we can do as a team, and take the game on.”

Marsh rues missed chances

Australian skipper Mitchell Marsh, who was guilty of grassing a sitter and also failed to build on his good start with the bat, conceded that India were better on the day.

“It’s disappointing…today India got the better of us. I think over the course of 40 overs there’s a lot of small margins, but honestly, India were the better team,” he admitted

“We’ve seen for 15 years what Rohit Sharma can do in that kind of mood, and he got off to an absolute flier. In a run chase like that, you’re in it if you can keep it at tens (10 runs per over) for as long as possible, but India were too good for us.”

Two to tango: Gill and Rohit have set it up for India during its run chases.  Photo K.R Deepak/The Hindu
| Photo Credit: K.R. Deepak

The essence of an emerging contest is often sensed during the opening act in ODIs. Remember Sachin Tendulkar’s upper-cut six off Shoaib Akhtar in a 2003 World Cup game at Centurion in South Africa? It set the tone for India’s successful chase and it was the bullet that set fire to the African skies. After two decades, that shot continues to have immense recall value.

Cricketing tradition, even in ODIs, often expected openers to wear down fast bowlers before the middle-order stars swaggered in. But that dour garb atop the batting tree was then slightly altered. Teams mixed it up with one classic player walking out alongside an aggressive partner. Closer home, we had Sunil Gavaskar and K. Srikkanth.

Later, it became Ravi Shastri and Srikkanth. Even with the West Indies, Desmond Haynes was more ice to Gordon Greenidge’s raging fire. The late Martin Crowe then unleashed the pinch-hitter with Mark Greatbatch being the battering ram up the order for co-host New Zealand during the 1992 World Cup.

In the 1996 edition hosted in the Indian subcontinent, Sri Lanka did a ‘buy one get one free’ offer as two aggressive willow-wielders — Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana — caused havoc. This double-trouble template was also reflected through Indian pairs such as Tendulkar-Sourav Ganguly or later Tendulkar-Virender Sehwag.

Cut to the latest World Cup, India has been served well by its openers except during that shock two for three phase against Australia at Chennai on Oct. 8. Skipper Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan or Rohit with Shubman Gill have plundered runs, especially during the compulsory first 10-over PowerPlay stage with field restrictions.

Against Afghanistan in Delhi, Rohit, and Kishan shared 156 runs. In the big fight involving Pakistan at Ahmedabad, even though Gill fell early, by then India had struck 23 runs in a mere 2.5 overs. When the action shifted to Pune, Rohit and Gill shared an alliance worth 88. Later, once the Himalayas were scaled, the duo added 71 against New Zealand at Dharamshala. In all these key bonding exercises, Rohit was the constant star.

If Kishan was all about left-handed aggression, the aesthetics were often the sole preserve of the right-handers — Rohit and Gill. Usually in cricket, it is the other way round where left always got it right when it came to tapping our artistic biases. An elegant left-hander was an expected norm even if for every David Gower poem, there was a counter through Allan Border’s hard prose.

Killing them softly could be the joint theme of the Rohit-Gill combine and their fiery tango has drilled holes through the opposition’s field settings besides scraping the skies. These partnerships have been crucial as India mounted excellent chases all through this premier championship and also laid the foundation for Virat Kohli to build his strong edifices. As the Men in Blue prepare for their Sunday’s clash against England at Lucknow, the Rohit-Gill chemistry will continue to be the first hurdle that rival skippers will always be wary about.

India’s Shubman Gill during a practice session at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium.
| Photo Credit: DEEPAK KR

“It takes one day,” is the theme of the current World Cup. Across venues, these words leap from ICC banners. Perhaps it is the unspoken motto within the teams as fortunes get altered and a new dawn is embraced. True to that spirit, Afghanistan and the Netherlands ambushed England and South Africa respectively because all it takes is just one day.

However, if one team has retained its rich vein of form so far in this championship, it has to be India. With three wins on the trot, the Men in Blue have been on an upward climb even if the peak of lifting the World Cup remains an evolving dream. A familiar rival awaits India in the match at the MCA Stadium here on Thursday. Bangladesh, a neighbour with a long border and a shared love for Bengali and riverine fishes like the hilsa, has hurt India in the past.

The two distinct banana peels for India were the matches in the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies and the 2012 Asia Cup in Dhaka. The first loss saw India crashing out of the premier tournament and the then distraught skipper Rahul Dravid is now the coach while the second defeat ruined Sachin Tendulkar’s special night after he had registered his 100th international hundred. Recently, Bangladesh overcame India with a six-run win in the Asia Cup joust in Colombo on Sept. 15.

Yet, India would fancy its chances while being guarded. Rohit Sharma’s men have ticked most boxes with the batting and bowling arms being in sync. Runs posted, wickets claimed and catches taken, cricket’s elementary nuances have all been seemingly mastered by the host even if these are early days for a long-winding tournament. While the playing eleven seems set, it remains to be seen if Mohammed Shami or R. Ashwin get a toe-in, a prospect that bowling coach Paras Mhambrey did not commit upon in the pre-game media interaction.

On match-eve, a warm sun beat down on the grass and India would hope that its strategies remain efficient and the game would be as easy as dunking this city’s favourite Shrewsbury cookies into a cup of tea. Obviously, Bangladesh will have other plans.

The old duo of skipper Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim may be the fulcrum but there are fitness concerns around the former, which he partially allayed with a stint in the nets on Tuesday. However, a final call on the Bangladeshi skipper’s availability will be taken on Thursday morning.

Having lost two out of three tussles in this World Cup, the visitors have to lift their game. Bangladesh does know a trick or two about cutting down the Big Brother to size, starting from 2007. India, though, would prefer to stay imposing, like the rolling hills around the venue.

The teams (from):

India: Rohit Sharma (Capt.), K.L. Rahul (wk), Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ishan Kishan, Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur and Kuldeep Yadav.

Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan (Capt.), Najmul Hossain, Litton Das, Towhid Hridoy, Tanzid Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Nasum Ahmed and Tanzim Hasan Sakib.

Umpires: Adrian Holdstock and Richard Kettleborough; Third umpire: Kumar Dharmasena; Match referee: Andrew Pycroft.

Match starts at 2 p.m.

Strike force: Siraj and Bumrah have combined well to deal timely blows. 
| Photo Credit: DEEPAK KR

Traversing India’s geographical diversity is inevitable for the Men in Blue while they chase World Cup glory. Be it the humid Coromandel Coast, northern hinterland, Gujarat’s dusty plains or now the leap across the Western Ghats just in time for Thursday’s clash against Bangladesh here at the MCA Stadium close to the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Rohit Sharma’s men have been busy travellers.

In the weeks ahead more air miles await as the host is bound to leave footprints far and wide, be it the Himalayas, Gangetic Plains, the coasts (west and east) and the Deccan Plateau. Hopefully, the final destination will be Ahmedabad, the venue for the summit clash on November 19. But it is a milestone that is a month away and the Indian team would rather ‘focus on the process’.

Three emphatic wins over Australia, Afghanistan and Pakistan has left India in a good space. The margin of triumphs, all secured while chasing — by six wickets, eight wickets and seven wickets — reveal a top and middle-order that have delivered despite the ghastly two for three in that initial phase against the Aussies.

The return of Shubman Gill augurs well while the old guard of skipper Rohit and his predecessor Virat Kohli have clicked. K.L. Rahul and Shreyas Iyer too have been among the runs.

Tougher battles on the road ahead seem unavoidable but the batting is in good nick and the bowlers, led by Jasprit Bumrah, have delivered. Mohammed Siraj, after a middling outing against Afghanistan, belatedly found his rhythm against Pakistan. As a bowling unit, India has controlled the middle overs, its batting core has sparkled and the fielding has been adequate and efficient, and all these constitute a recipe for success.

But there could be some vulnerable spots. India’s batting has not been fully tested. Hardik Pandya got one hit, while the rest, from Ravindra Jadeja to the tail, are yet to stride towards the batting crease. In cricketing utopia, especially in ODIs, it is best if just the main batters do the job.

However, reality could spring a nasty surprise as it did during the 2019 World Cup semifinal against New Zealand at Manchester. Rohit, Rahul and Virat scored a solitary run each and despite the resistance lower down the order from Hardik, M.S. Dhoni and Jadeja, India lost the game by 19 runs.

In the current edition, India does have a weak tail, a reality that the management is attempting to mask by fielding three all-rounders in the eleven: Hardik, Jadeja and Shardul Thakur. The odd inquisition may happen but the squad exudes a quiet confidence, evident in the scintillating performance on the field and from the happy behind-the-scenes videos that the management posts on social media.

Living in the present, quelling one opponent at a time and being ready if and when a match crisis pops up remain the key, besides staying fit, both physically and mentally. The coming days, be it in Pune or in Dharamshala, should offer further hints about India’s progress into the last four.

Hitman in the World Cup: India’s captain Rohit Sharma plays a shot during the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup one-day international (ODI) match between India and Pakistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 14, 2023.
| Photo Credit: DEEPAK K.R.

Table 1 | The table shows Rohit Sharma’s record in the World Cups

Mat: Matches; HS: High score; Ave: Average; SR: Strike rate

Charts appear incomplete? Click to remove AMP mode

Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma hit his seventh hundred in World Cup ODIs against Afghanistan last week in what was only his 19th match in World Cups (he is now playing in his third edition). An all-format batting legend, Rohit’s ODI record is superlative, but his World Cup performances have been even more so. He has scored 1,195 runs in 20 matches with an average of 66.4 and a strike rate of 101.96 (see Table 1). These runs were scored in different venues in Australia, New Zealand, England, and India, suggesting the all-round nature of his batting as well.

Chart 2 | The chart plots the averages and strike rates for all batsmen across World Cups (only those batsmen who scored a minimum of 500 runs across editions were considered). In limited overs cricket, strike rates matter equally along with averages, more so in ODIs as compared to T-20Is.

The elite club

The quadrant featuring those batters with a strike rate of 85 runs off 100 balls or above and an average of 45 runs or above represents the elite batters. Only 24 players had such figures across World Cups. And if we consider the criterion of batters playing at least three World Cup tournaments, the number is reduced to just 18.

None of these 18 batsmen averaged more than Rohit, with only AB de Villiers of South Africa with 63.5, Michael Clarke of Australia with 63.4 and Viv Richards of West Indies with 63.3 coming close (the late Andrew Symonds of Australia had an average of 103.9 runs but he played in only two World Cups). Only three batsmen — de Villiers (117.3), Australia’s Shane Watson (108.1) and South Africa’s David Miller (121.7) had higher strike rates than Rohit (102). Only de Villiers seems to be on a par with Rohit if both measures are considered together.

Taking eras into account

But it is not enough to look at averages and strike rates alone. Rules change over time. And the influence of T20 cricket and the general evolution of ODI cricket has seen to the fact that batting averages and strike rates have gone up significantly over time. The fact is that all-time greats like Viv Richards had a high strike rate (85-plus) and average (63.31) at a time when such measures were relatively low in an earlier era of ODI cricket. We need to look not just at these measures in total, but also relative to the eras in which these cricketers registering such marks played.

Table 3 | The table lists out the averages and strike rates of all batsmen in each World Cup. Note how these measures almost uniformly increase over time.

Ave: Average; SR: Strike rate

Table 4 | The table lists out the 18 batsmen (culled from the elite batsmen measured by the plot in Chart 2) and finds out their relative averages and strike rates.

In the online version, we’ve corrected an error from the print edition where DA Warner was erroneously listed twice in Table 4

By relative average and strike rate, we calculate the difference between the batters’ measures and those registered by all batters in the World Cups they played. Higher relative averages and strike rates suggest how better these batters were relative to the era they played and offer a better comparison.

The best of the best

By this measure, Richards (35.7), de Villiers (34.9), Clarke (34.8) and Rohit (34.7) have the highest relative averages and de Villiers (36.3), Miller (32.6), Watson (27.1) and Richards (21) had the highest relative strike rates. It is quite clear that Rohit registers very high among World Cup performers, but only two batsmen have truly crossed the stratosphere — the effervescent de Villiers and the man they dubbed the King, Viv Richards.

Source: ESPN cricinfo’s Statsguru

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India’s Jasprit Bumrah celebrates the wicket of Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 match in Ahmedabad, October 14, 2023.
| Photo Credit: PTI

India scored a thumping win against Pakistan at the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup match in Ahmedabad on October 14, with the latter’s batters folding for 191 following a collapse at the start of which they were at a healthy 155/2. Five of India’s six bowlers took two wickets apiece in the rout, although they were led by Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav, who induced the collapse with the wickets of Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed, respectively.

But for all the magic on display, Bumrah’s delivery to dismiss Rizwan in the last ball of the 34th over stands out for illustrating an everyday occurrence in cricket but at a magnitude commonly seen in physics textbooks and high-school laboratories, less so on the cricket field. The delivery was a slow offbreak – a ball delivered at 122 km/hr that, after bouncing, jagged sharply into the right-handed batter. There, a gap between bat and pad, which Bumrah had spent the first five balls of the over opening, allowed the ball to hit the stumps.

While slow offbreaks aren’t exotic in cricket, the one that Bumrah bowled was. After pitching, the ball’s kinetic energy through the air dropped noticeably, so much so that it reached Rizwan much slower than at 122 km/hr. The law of conservation of energy can’t be violated, so where did the ‘missing’ speed energy go?

One possible reason Rizwan was foxed was that he expected the ball to come on to the bat quicker, but it didn’t because of the ‘missing’ energy. When releasing the ball, Bumrah had moved his wrist sideways instead of straight down. As a result, from the moment the ball started moving, it had some ‘forward’ kinetic energy and some angular kinetic energy: i.e. it was spinning.

After pitching, more of the ball’s kinetic energy was converted to the angular component because of the way the ball gripped, and less of it remained for the forward component. The ball would have also lost a little energy as sound and to displace the soil by a small amount when it pitched. The result: it arrived later than Rizwan expected and prised him out. 

To be sure, offbreaks aren’t a novelty, but seldom do we behold one that exemplifies its own features to such a great degree. The messier equations underlying the physics of a shaped object moving through the air in a specific way – like Neeraj Chopra’s javelin or Jasprit Bumrah’s offbreak – often overtake the simpler ones at the core of all physics, but become unmistakeable in moments like 33.6.