Baker gears up for reverse after summer in fast-forward

Cricknation Update: Baker ready for England upset after fast-forward summer Archer rested, Mason Crane included in 16-player white-ball squad for Pakistan tour The three that matter: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah all smiles after dismissing Pat Cummins The three that matter: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah all smiles after dismissing Pat Cummins India vs Australia, World Cup, Chennai, October 8, 2023 Smile of a champion – Mohammed Siraj picks five wickets in a span of ten balls, India vs Sri Lanka, Asia Cup Final, Colombo, September 17, 2023 Alyssa Healy poses with the trophy after Australia retained the Ashes, England vs Australia, 3rd ODI, Women’s Ashes, Taunton, July 18, 2023 Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Chandigarh, Chandigarh hopes to be India’s first planned city and it shows, uploaded on 27 November 2001.

The target of 406 India were faced with didn’t seem to perturb the fans, who knew they would still win, and then it was just a matter of waiting for and celebrating the milestones Prasidh Krishna picked up a hamstring strain during the second ODI against West Indies and could be a doubt for the first round of the Ranji Trophy too Prasidh Krishna has a chat with Shubman Gill, India vs West Indies, 1st ODI, Thiruvananthuram, September 27, 2026 India coach also felt that wickets offering so little for bowlers were “not fair”, making it difficult for them to have a meaningful impact on the game Ravindra Jadeja has a chat with Kuldeep Yadav and Shubman Gill, India vs West Indies, 2nd ODI, Guwahati, September 30, 2026 Stats highlights from Guwahati, where Shubman Gill scored the fastest ever ODI double-hundred and Rohit Sharma blazed past 12000 runs Shubman Gill brought up a 62-ball ton in the chase, India vs West Indies, 2nd ODI, Guwahati, September 30, 2026 The West Indies opener has returned to ODI cricket at a stage of his career when opportunities cannot be assumed to stretch indefinitely ahead John Campbell’s century was the fifth-fastest for West Indies, India vs West Indies, 2nd ODI, Guwahati, September 30, 2026 From a troubled cricketing past to a generation of homegrown stars, Kashmir is slowly reclaiming its place on India’s cricket m He is no longer a white-ball regular and has lost the Test vice-ctaincy, but he isn’t worried by all that. All he wants, he says, is to focus on “whatever is in front of me” Rishabh Pant in action, India A vs South Africa A, 1st unofficial Test, 1st day, CoE 1, October 30, 2025 Having spent the past seven months in rehab, the fast bowler is all set to play in the Irani Cup against Jammu and Kashmir Akash Deep struck twice early on the final day, England vs India, 2nd Test, 5th day, Birmingham, July 6, 2025 The 41-year-old will kick off his 25th first-class season by leading Jammu & Kashmir in the Irani Cup against Rest of India in Srinagar Paras Dogra brings up his hundred, Delhi vs Jammu and Kashmir, 2nd day, Delhi, Ranji Trophy, November 9, 2025 Sam Harper has had a breakthrough season with the bat across formats and might be in the mix for higher honours for Australia Sam Harper scored his sixth first-class hundred, India A vs Australia A, 2nd unofficial Test, Puducherry, 1st day, September 29, 2026 The Australia A ctain has embraced his reputation but believes his county and Shield experience have shown he can succeed in all conditions Peter Handscomb ctained the Prime Minister’s XI, Prime Minister’s XI vs England XI, Canberra, November 29, 2025 Devdutt Padikkal might have taken away his No. 3 spot from the Test XI, but B Sai Sudharsan is back batting and scoring runs, and planning to a lot more of both Left-arm spinner’s 6 for 52 bowled Australia A out for 176, before India A extended their lead to 322 Vaishnavi Sharma reacts after picking up her first international wicket, India vs Sri Lanka, 2nd Women’s T20I, Visakhatnam, December 23, 2025 The result sets up the first India vs Pakistan final this year, with the Asian Games gold medal at stake Ishan Kishan brought up a quick half-century, India vs Sri Lanka, Asian Games men’s competition, semi-final, Nisshin, October 1, 2026 Green suffered a blow in the groin while batting and did not field despite being set to bowl while Renshaw was forced off the field due to a blow on the wrist and did not return Cameron Green reacts after copping a blow while batting, South Africa vs Australia, 3rd ODI, Potchefstroom, September 30, 2026 SA vs Aus, 3rd ODI – Alex Carey, Mitchell Marsh, Adam Zampa star as Australia win rain-affected finale Alex Carey takes evasive action, South Africa vs Australia, 3rd ODI, Potchefstroom, September 30, 2026 From a troubled cricketing past to a generation of homegrown stars, Kashmir is slowly reclaiming its place on India’s cricket m He is no longer a white-ball regular and has lost the Test vice-ctaincy, but he isn’t worried by all that.

He says he just wants to focus on “whatever is in front of me” Rishabh Pant in action, India A vs South Africa A, 1st unofficial Test, Day 1, COE 1, October 30, 2025 After spending the last seven months in rehabilitation, the fast bowler is set to play against Jammu and Kashmir in the Irani Cup, Akash Deep hits two fours early on the final day, England vs India, 2nd Test, Day 5, Birmingham, July 6, 2025 Sonny Baker takes his first ODI wicket with the second ball, England vs Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI, The Oval, September 27, 2026 Sonny Baker’s career is on the rise this summer, but he will be heading to Pakistan this month for England’s ODI tri-series, which will focus on reverses. Baker has been backed to open the bowling in England’s ODI series decider against Sri Lanka on Sunday and with Jofra Archer rested after a busy summer, he will have more chances to impress in Pakistan. But he wants to develop his death-over skills, and to learn more about reverse-swing in particular after advice from his Hampshire team-mate Kyle Abbott.

“One of my biggest things I’m trying to do throughout the rest of my career is to try to break it down into segments: ‘Okay, during this period of time, what am I focusing on? What am I trying to get out of it?'” Baker said, speaking after he was named men’s young player of the year at the Toyota PCA Awards on Wednesday night. “For example, Pakistan will be learning about reverse-swing and trying to bowl their yorkers, and learning about executing skills in those conditions and reading situations in Pakistan, because it’s not a place I’ve been before.

I’m sure this will be a very transferable skill to play in other areas of Asia. “I’m really, really looking forward to that – particularly reverse-swing, [which] I think caters to my action quite nicely. Having spoken to Kylo [Abbott] a little bit about doing that in the red-ball stuff, it would be really useful going out there and having some proper experience of doing it, rather than just the theory.” Baker was named in England’s 16-man squad for their tri-series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka on Thursday morning, with Archer rested.

Legspinner Mason Crane has been recalled more than eight years after his most recent England c, in the fifth Ashes Test in 2017-18, lefrogging Rehan Ahmed, and will act as Adil Rashid’s back-up as he returns from a hand injury. Marcus North, England’s selector, said that Crane had shown he “thoroughly deserves another opportunity at international level” through his performances for Glamorgan. Rehan was dropped after two poor performances against Sri Lanka while ctaining for Rashid, in which he took three expensive wickets and scored 2 and 0.

Sam Curran is also included after missing England’s series wins over Sri Lanka with a groin injury, but Jacob Bethell (knee) and Jos Buttler (hamstring) both miss out as expected. Sussex’s James Coles has also been called up to the ODI squad after being named for the T20Is against Sri Lanka, while his former county teammate Henry Crocombe – who is leaving for Surrey – has retained his place. England will play four or five ODIs in the series, depending on whether they reach the final, and then travel to Australia for three ODIs and five T20Is in late November.

The rest of their winter is dominated by Test cricket, with fixtures in South Africa (three), Bangladesh (two) and Australia (one) as well as three more ODIs in South Africa in mid-January. Baker will have a new bowling coach to work with in Pakistan, with David Sakhar replacing Tim Southee for the tri-series. Mike Yardy and Carl Hopkinson have also been included in Brendon McCullum’s coaching staff for the tour to work with Jeetan Patel, with Marcus Trescothick, Kevin Pietersen and Sarah Taylor all missing from the trip.

He also expects to work closely with Troy Cooley, the ECB’s pace-bowling lead, over the course of the winter and said that he feels “very much at home” in the England dressing-room after playing across formats this summer. This included a Test debut in chaotic conditions at The Oval, which he highlighted as his favorite day of the season. “You can’t really top your Test debut, can you?

Come on!” Baker said. “Mind you, the whole morning I was sick with anxiety. I was honestly so nervous.

This is probably the most nervous I’ve ever felt by some distance. I normally am alright eating and stuff before games, but I was properly bushed, but it was really good.” He is weighing up whether or not to enter December’s IPL auction after winning the Hundred with Manchester Super Giants this summer, and said that his decision will come down to communication from the ECB about “the best thing for my development” after working out where he sits in England’s pecking order in each format. “If [the best thing] is to go to the IPL and learn good things there, then I will go in; if it is to stay [in England] for the red ball because you feel like you are clamoring for things like the Ashes, then I will definitely go and do that.

It all really depends on the context at the time… England will always be number one for me, so I’ll go from there.” Team: Harry Brook (ctain), Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, James Coles, Jordan Cox (wk), Mason Crane, Henry Crocombe, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Josh Tong. Schedule: 18 October – Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, 20 October – Pakistan vs England, 22 October – Sri Lanka vs England (all Rawalpindi), 25 October – Pakistan vs England, 27 October – Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, 29 October – Sri Lanka vs England (all Lahore), 31 October – Final (Lahore). Sonny Baker struck second ball for his maiden ODI wicket, England vs Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI, The Oval, September 27, 2026 Sonny Baker impressed on his return to England’s white-ball team • Philip Brown/ Matt Roller is a senior correspondent at .