Never on the Backfoot: A Podcast

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 229 (Part 1) of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. International cricket’s biggest tournament is set to get underway in India on October 5. A blockbuster clash between the 2019 finalists England and New Zealand will kick off the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad that day. The tournament will run for...

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 228 of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. India defeated Australia 2-1 in their last bilateral ODI series before the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup. The Men in Blue recorded comprehensive victories in the first two games before losing the dead rubber. Australia dearly missed their regulars in the XI meanwhile, India could not have signed off their WC preparations in a better w...

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 227 of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. India won the Gold medal after defeating Sri Lanka by 19 runs in the Women's T20I final of the 19th Asian Games at Hangzhou, China. This marks the inaugural Gold medal victory for the Indian women's cricket team at the Asian Games, while the runners-up, Sri Lanka, secured the Silver medal. In this episode, we look at India’s campai...

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 226 of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. Joining me on the podcast today is Roberta Moretti Avery. She is a Brazilian cricketer and the captain of the national women's cricket team. Join us as we unravel her journey with Cricket, and her career so far and relive some of the special moments of her life, among the plethora of topics discussed! The Podcast is also available...

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 225 of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. After their 5-wicket win against Australia on Friday, India became the number 1 ranked team in all three formats i.e. Tests, ODIs and T20Is. India displaced Pakistan from the top of the ODI rankings while they led England in the T20I rankings. In the longest format, they are in the first place while Australia are right behind them....

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 224 of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. Cricket was first introduced in the Asian Games in 2010 played in Guangzhou. The Indian men’s and women’s cricket teams will also be fighting for the glorious gold medal in Hangzhou this year at the Asian Games. With the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 also being scheduled around the same time, The Board of Control for Cricket in India...

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 223 of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. Rohit Sharma-led Team India enjoyed a superb outing in the Asia Cup. Apart from a narrow six-run defeat against Bangladesh, the Indian unit produced a commanding display. Australia, on the other hand, head into the series after a 3-2 drubbing against South Africa. This series is a crucial one as the winner reclaims the #1 ranking i...

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 222 of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. India won the Asia Cup 2023 title for a record 8th time, thrashing Sri Lanka by 10 wickets in the one-sided final at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday. India not only reclaimed the Asia Cup title but, more importantly, there were plenty of valuable learnings for the side across the past two weeks. In this episode, we di...

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 221 of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. In the world of cricket, One Day Internationals (ODIs) have often been likened to the middle child, overshadowed by the flashy and fast-paced T20Is and the traditional and revered Tests. However, in recent times, the cricketing landscape has witnessed a significant shift in this narrative. The series between South Africa and Austra...

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 220 of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. India has named a revised 19-member women’s cricket team, including four stand-by players, for the Asian Games 2023 to be held in Hangzhou, the People's Republic of China in September-October. Harmanpreet Kaur has been named as the captain of the Indian women’s cricket team while Smriti Mandhana will be the deputy. The women’s cric...

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 219 of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. Joining us on the podcast is Shizuka Miyaji. She is a Japanese female cricketer. She was also a part of the Japanese cricket team that secured the bronze medal at the 2010 Asian Games which was held in China defeating the China women's national cricket team in the 3rd place playoff. In the episode, we discuss at large about her car...

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 218 of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. The Board of Control for Cricket in India announced Team India's squad for the Asia Cup 2023. Skipper Rohit Sharma and the Chairman of Selectors of the Men’s Team Ajit Agarkar tackled some underlying issues in the team ahead of the pivotal Asia Cup 2023 and the ODI World Cup 2023. In this episode, we will discuss all the major talk...

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 217 of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. Rain washed off the third match, enabling India to clinch the T20Is against Ireland 2-0. The series still presents a lot of talking points for Team India and we will also look at it from the Irish perspective. On the Podcast, we have Bharat Hegde. The podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify for Podcasters, Google Podca...

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 216 of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. India’s tour of the West Indies was an eye-opener in quite a lot of ways. Winning the Test series 1-0 and the ODI series 2-1, India was handed a reality check in the T20I series losing it 3-2. In this discussion, we'll analyze every facet of this series, delve into the key talking points, and highlight noteworthy observations and a...

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 215 of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. After reports of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) not extending the tenures of Mike Hesson (Director of Cricket Operations) and Sanjay Bangar (Head Coach), it is now official as RCB have parted ways with the experienced duo. They have now named Andy Flower as the replacement who comes in with a very illustrious CV. In this episode...

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 214 of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. England won the fifth Ashes Test by 49 runs to draw the series 2-2 with Australia. Australia had already retained the coveted urn but narrowly missed out on claiming their first Ashes series win in England since 2001. They won the first two tests but lost the third and had looked set to lose the fourth until two days of almost unin...

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 213 of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. The Indian Women's cricket team finished their white-ball tour, clinching the series 2-1 with victories in the first two matches before Bangladesh won the final T20I. The controversial ODI series was a 1-1 draw. There are a lot of talking points from the series. On the podcast, we have Mohit Shah. He is a freelance journalist who h...

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 212 of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. The 4th Ashes Test was a riveting contest and while Australia took an early lead winning the first two matches, England made a comeback in the third game at Headingley. They were in a strong position to win the fourth Test at Old Trafford in Manchester. However, rain played spoilsport as Australia managed to retain the Ashes with o...

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 211 of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. After the squad's announcement for the Asian Games 2023, the much-awaited schedule of Asian Games 2023 for cricket was also revealed. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will send both the men’s and women’s teams to compete in the Asian Games. The Women’s matches will begin on 19th September and conclude on 27th Septem...

Welcome back to Episode 210 (Part 2) of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. In this thought-provoking episode, we delve into the contentious topic of legalizing betting and gambling in the world of cricket, particularly in the context of India. We also navigate the arguments, implications, and potential consequences associated with this issue considering the potential advantages and drawbacks of legali...

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 210 (Part 1) of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. In this part, we delve into the world of fantasy cricket, a phenomenon that has captured the hearts of cricket enthusiasts in India. Join us as we explore the intricacies of this virtual game, its mechanics, and the legal landscape surrounding it. Discover how fantasy cricket has transformed the way fans engage with the sp...

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 209 of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. The ICC World Cup Qualifier was undoubtedly one of the toughest contended tournaments as we witnessed 10 teams fight it off for two places. Eventually, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands emerged victorious and sealed their places in the ICC ODI World Cup happening here in India. In this episode, we will discuss the tournament, the match...

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 208 of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. The Ashes are still alive. England's batters clinched a three-wicket win in a white-knuckled run chase at Headingley, led by Harry Brook's 75 on his home ground before Chris Woakes and Mark Wood took them across the line. On today’s episode, we will discuss all about that test match and more! On the podcast today, we have Soorya Se...

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 207 of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. India will begin their 2023-2025 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle with a two-match series in the Caribbean on July 12. The Test series will be followed by three ODIs and five T20Is, with the tour set to end on August 13. This episode will provide you with an all-encompassing preview of the series and what to expect. On the podca...

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 206 of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. The India women’s team squads for the T20I and ODI series against Bangladesh Women have been announced. India Women will be touring Bangladesh for six limited-overs matches: three T20Is and three ODIs. The tour starts on July 9 with the first T20I and will end on July 22 with the third ODI. All six games will be played at Mirpur's...