It’s Not Just Cricket

So Ben Stokes is no longer an International cricketer but with no obvious candidates, who will replace him as Test captain?! Azeem's vote goes to Ollie Pope - is he really a viable option? Plus, is this finally the end for Rob Key and Brendon McCullum? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

So Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson are back for the 3rd Test. But if they were cleared of any wrongdoing why did they have to miss the 2nd Test in the first place? Has Stokes been treated badly in all this when he should have been backed? Kohli and Rohit are in India's ODI squad to tour England but there's no room for Sooryavanshi...is this the right call? Should he not be rushed too quickly into the...

2 England players get in trouble at a nightclub again - could this be the end of Ben Stokes as Test Captain? If it is, can Harry Brook really be given the Captaincy in these circumstances? Meanwhile, a ruthless decision in India as Suryakumar Yadav is axed as Captain and dropped...but was it the right one? And get set for Sooryavanshi in England - if he makes his International debut, it will be an...

Another IPL season done but was this one that has changed the way T20 cricket is played? Times change but Virat Kohli is still at the top of the game - appreciate this genius while you can! Are we in danger of making spinners irrelevant though with pitches that don't turn at all?! Also on the menu - why the NZ series is must win for the BazBall era and why Shoaib Bashir should not be picked in the...

Darren Gough makes some controversial comments about not getting the England Selector role - but was it right to reveal what was said in a private conversation with Rob Key? Should England not have Central Contracts? And is the T20 Blast relevant anymore? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

England's Test squad has been announced and the boys are still arguing over Ollie Robinson's inclusion! Azeem also questions why Shoaib Bashir is in the squad and hopes Sonny Baker gets picked ahead of Robinson. Plus - are Bangladesh a better Test team than Pakistan right now and have the Gujarat Titans shown that to be a top T20 side all you need is a gun bowling attack and a strong Top 3? Learn...

IPL batting strikes rates have surged this year but don't write off the touch players just yet - the likes of Rahul, Kohli and Babar have been quietly evolving. Azeem names his young PSL players to watch and the boys look at a potentially messy situation developing in Australia - will the push to privatise the Big Bash cause a huge schism in Australian cricket? Learn more about your ad choices. Vi...

This week Azeem and Matt play selectors and attempt to pick a T20 World XI and an England Test XI for the 1st Test v New Zealand. Should Virat Kohli be in a T20 World XI even though he's not playing T20 internationals any more? Is it too early for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi?! Is Rashid Khan still the premier spinner in the world? Should Jacob Bethell be promoted to open the batting for England in Test c...

Kevin Pietersen renews his war of words with Alastair Cook so who is in the right this time? Is Jacob Bethell better off sitting on the bench at the IPL or playing county cricket? And Jude Bellingham buys a stake in Birmingham Phoenix - is this a game changer for The Hundred?! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jamie Smith starts the county season with a scintillating hundred but can he play for England if he's not keeping for Surrey? Has James Rew jumped ahead of him in the queue after his early season form? Is Emilio Gay a contender to open the batting or will his technique be a problem at Test level? Plus - why do batters turn down singles and should Rajasthan Royals be taken very seriously this year?...

Plenty of England Test players have points to prove which could make for one of the most fascinating starts to a county season in years. Crawley, Duckett and Smith are all under the microscope, find out which of those Azeem thinks is most likely to keep his place. Then it's at look at who's impressed early on in the IPL and the controversies that are already blighting the PSL. Stand by for an admi...

The boys react after it's announced that Rob Key and Brendon McCullum will keep their jobs and Azeem springs a big shock by saying he has applied for the vacant England Selector's role! Plus, how India's new T20 approach could have a big impact on this year's IPL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After Liam Livingstone gives an explosive interview criticising the England hierarchy, the boys discuss if this is just sour grapes from a dropped player or does it highlight more worrying concerns about the way things are done by this England set up? If McCullum and Key stay in their posts, what needs to change to get England back on track? And some final thoughts on The Hundred squads - could we...

It's an historic couple of days for The Hundred as it holds it's first ever live player auction. Does Abrar Ahmed getting bought by Sunrisers Leeds prove that Pakistani players are not barred from being selected? Is The Hundred now the leading women's competition in the world? Which squads are looking the most complete? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

T20 World Cup Semi Final week! New Zealand demolish South Africa but was this really another choke from the Proteas? Is this finally the Black Caps' time? Would England be stupid to even think about dropping Buttler? Do Harry Brook's side really have a better spin attack than India, as Michael Vaughan says? Lots of questions to be answered, have a listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit po...

Azeem and Matt look at the thorny issue of Pakistan players potentially not being selected on purpose for The Hundred - even if it was true, how could it be proven? Would the ECB actually be able to do anything about it anyway? At the T20 World Cup, England march into the Semi Finals courtesy of a truly sensational knock from Captain Brook - despite being nowhere near their best they are now just...

The boys reflect on the big stories to come out of the T20 World Cup group stage. Should we not be surprised that Australia have been knocked out? Was South Africa v Afghanistan the best T20 match of all time? Is England's top batters not performing yet a good sign? How have the associates and smaller Test nations closed the gap on the big boys? Plus - Azeem and Matt argue over who they think will...

Michael Carberry is back in the studio with Matt to pick through his long career before the discussion turns to race issues in cricket. Never one to mince his words, Carbs delivers some fascinating insight into why he thinks reports on racism make no difference and why we shouldn't forget about classism in any chats on race. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The ICC have a big decision on their hands after Pakistan refuse to play India at the T20 World Cup. The boys discuss why this has happened, what the ICC might do to try to force the situation and what might happen next. Plus - England's part time spinners put on a show, why Azeem feels sorry for Harry Brook and one of the most bizarre stumpings you will ever see! Learn more about your ad choices....

Top man Michael Carberry pops into the studio to tell us what he's been up to since retirement, why Joe Root should be in England's T20 side and which side he reckons could upset India and the World Cup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's been a good few days for England as Harry Brook turns on the style and the T20 team start well. Azeem is also impressed by what he's seen at the Under 19 World Cup - are England's next generation ones to really keep an eye on? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week the boys discuss a clash of alpha batsmen Steve Smith and Babar Azam at the Big Bash and whether Smith should be in Australia's T20 World Cup squad. Plus, Azeem names the batter he thinks shouldn't be in England's squad and has Virat Kohli already hit a record that will never be beaten? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Azeem is back and the boys go through the main candidates to take over from Brendon McCullum when he finishes. Would it be a mistake to go for a disciplinarian? Should it be an Englishman? The Big Bash is bringing in a Designated Batter next season - a batter who doesn't have to field - is this the dream job or something that isn't needed? Plus, some of The Hundred team name changes are revealed.....

Cricket writer and correspondent Tawhid Qureshi gives us the lowdown on how relations between Bangladesh and India have deteriorated rapidly. What will happen if Bangladesh continue to refuse to play in India at the T20 World Cup?! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Radio X DJ and cricket nut Toby Tarrant joins Matt in the studio to address an assortment of random issues - how can The Traitors TV show make cricket more watchable? Will Ben Stokes still be Test captain at the end of 2026? Will barring the players from having lunch help speed up the over rate?! Do nepo babies need a union? An eclectic mix.... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoice...