Stumped

Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Sunil Gupta meet at Lord’s to look back on the World Test Championship final and preview the upcoming Ashes series. We’re joined at the home of cricket by former Australia opener and coach Justin Langer, who reveals the player he thinks will be the key in the men’s Ashes, what it’s like facing the very first ball of the series, and how he’s finding life after coaching.Plus, ex England captain Clare Connor discusses her experience of being the first female president of the Marylebone Cricket Club, and tells us about the work that the club’s charitable arm is doing to improve lives all over the world.

On this week's Stumped, Jim Maxwell and Alex Hartley are at The Oval where the ICC World Test Championship Final is taking place between Australia and India. They are joined by Charu Sharma and reflect on a dominant batting display from Australia including an unbeaten 146 from Travis Head. They also debate the decision made by India to drop Ravichandran Ashwin and whether it was the right one.The team react to the return of Moeen Ali to Test cricket for the Ashes after Jack Leach was ruled out due to a back stress fracture. Plus, how much of an advantage could Australia have in the Ashes, with former England head coach Andy Flower now among the visitors ranks in a consultancy role?And we are joined by Kuwait's Maryam Omar who is one step closer to fulfilling her dream of playing in the Women’s Big Bash. This year she lined up alongside Sana Mir, Shabnim Ismail and Katherine Sciver-Brunt for the Sapphires squad at the Fairbreak Invitational tournament and tells us how her journey began.Photo: Travis Head of Au

Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma reflect on arguably the greatest Indian Premier League final ever and ask whether MS Dhoni should retire now after winning his fifth title with Chennai Super Kings? The final spanned three days after heavy rain on Sunday meant the final was held on Monday which was the reserve day. It finished at 1:35 on Tuesday morning. Plus after Alison Mitchell’s trip to Uganda we are joined by Consy Aweko who captains the Uganda women's team to hear how cricket was established in the country and the challenges that they face. She also tells us how successful the team have been recently and their maternity policies.Jim Maxwell shares his thoughts on how big a loss it will be for Australia in the upcoming Women’s Ashes without their captain Meg Lanning. Lanning will remain in Australia because of medical reasons. Photo: Captain MS Dhoni of the Chennai Super Kings after their victory against Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League final at the Narendra Modi Stadium on May 29,

On this week's Stumped we are joined by one of the fastest bowlers in the women's game, Shabnim Ismail who has just retired from international cricket. South Africa made it to the 2023 World Cup Final at home in Cape Town but were narrowly beaten by Australia.In a revealing interview Ismail says that if players like Lizelle Lee, Mignon Du Preez, Trisha Chetty and Dane Van Niekerk were playing in the final, then they could have won the World Cup. All four of the players have retired from international cricket in the last twelve months.We look ahead to the final of the Indian Premier League, ask whether Chennai Super Kings can win the title for the fifth time and discuss Gujarat Titan's star player Shubman Gill. And the team debate whether Australian bowler Michael Neser should be in the Ashes squad.Photo: Photo: Shabnim Ismail of South Africa celebrates taking the wicket of Shamima Sultana of Bangladesh during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup match between South Africa and Bangladesh at Newlands Cricket Ground on

Jim Maxwell catches up with Marcus Harris, who has been named in Australia’s squads for the World Test Championship final against India and the upcoming men’s Ashes series in England. Harris discusses competing with David Warner and Usman Khawaja for an opportunity to open the batting, explains why Steve Smith’s stint in the County Championship is of benefit to England just as much as it is to Australia, and rebuffs Stuart Broad’s claim that Australia’s win in the 2021 series is “void”.We also get Harris’ thoughts on England dropping wicketkeeper Ben Foakes from their Test squad to face Ireland at the start of June to make room for the return of Jonny Bairstow. Plus, Scotland’s Lorna Jack joins Jim, Charu Sharma and Nikesh Rughani to discuss becoming one of the first female cricketers in the country to receive a professional contract. Jack’s played almost 150 times for Scotland over a 16-year career. Away from cricket, she’s a police officer in Glasgow.Image: Marcus Harris of Australia poses before an Austral

Following crunch talks in the United Arab Emirates, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Najam Sethi tells Alison Mitchell that there is still hope of holding the Asia Cup in Pakistan.The location of the Asia Cup has been in doubt for some time. Pakistan are due to host the tournament in September, but last year the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Jay Shah said that it would need to be held in a neutral venue, stating “we can't go there and they can't come here.”Sethi says he has presented a hybrid model to Asian Cricket Council members, which guarantees that India would not need to play any matches in Pakistan with even the final being played in a neutral venue. Sethi says that if an agreement cannot be reached there is “a very distinct possibility” that Pakistan’s government will prevent the national team from travelling to India for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in October.Sethi, who is currently chairman on an interim basis, says he expects to continue in the role for a th

Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma discuss the volume of short format cricket. While the Indian Premier League continues to flourish, there is speculation that the ECB could be about to axe The Hundred in the UK in favour of a more sustainable T20 competition.Cricket Australia have increased its salary cap in the Big Bash League to lure the top talent to the league, due to a number of overseas players quitting the league mid-season for the T20 tournaments in the UAE and South Africa. So how many competitions is too many?We hear from Australia and Sussex player Steve Smith on playing in the County Championship and whether he will change his style of batting in the Ashes. Plus we are joined by the first female member of ground staff to work at an international venue in England. Meg Lay works for Gloucestershire Cricket Club and tells us about the importance of getting more women involved in the game.Photo: Lewis Gregory and Luke Wood of Trent Rockets celebrates victory during the Hundred Final match

It's been a rollercoaster of a journey for Ireland since securing Test status back in 2017. Ireland have lost all five Tests they have played but this week, made history by posting their highest Test score of 492 against Sri Lanka. Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Sunil Gupta react to this achievement with Ireland's head coach Heinrich Malan.Following Mickey Arthur's appointment of Director of Cricket for Pakistan, we discuss how it will work combined with his current role as coach of Derbyshire in the County Championship and if it is a sign of how coaching will change with dual roles?We also discuss the return of Ajinkya Rahane to India’s Test team for the upcoming World Test Championship final against Australia.Image: Ireland head coach Heinrich Malan before the Men's T20 International match between Ireland and New Zealand at Stormont in Belfast. (Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Alison Mitchell, Brett Sprigg and Charu Sharma are joined by Lawrence Booth, the editor of the Wisden Almanack. As the 160th edition is published he discusses the Wisden awards and how the book is still relevant in a digital age.Plus Sachin Tendulkar turns 50 this week. We hear from the man himself on his career highlight and the team share some of their stand-out memories of the Indian legend. His son Arjun Tendulkar made his debut in the Indian Premier League this week meaning that the Tendulkar's are the first father-son duo to play in the IPL. And we pay tribute to Aunty Faith Thomas who has died aged 90. She was the first Indigenous woman to play for Australia in any sport and represented Australia in an Ashes Test.Photo: Sachin Tendulkar is seen during the Indian Premier League Final match between the Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad, India. (Credit: Getty Images)

Charu Sharma, Brett Sprigg and Nikesh Rughani are joined by New Zealand umpire Kim Cotton. Kim became the first female on-field umpire to stand in a men’s international between two full-member nations. She tells us how this historic moment felt, her journey to becoming an umpire and how she is paving the way for the next generation. Plus, with the Indian Premier League in full swing, the team discuss how the tournament has unfolded. And one of Australia’s most influential player agents, Neil Maxwell has said the next phase of the IPL revolution would have players asking for permission from their Indian owners to represent Australia, not the other way around. The team debate their thoughts on whether this will happen.And with two months to go until the men's Ashes begins, Brett Sprigg assesses the mood in Australia. Photo: Match Umpire Kim Cotton signals during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Final match between Australia and South Africa at Newlands Stadium on February 26, 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Cred

We hear from West Indies captain and WPL winner Hayley Matthews. She tells us that playing for her country is still her ‘number one priority’ and she speaks about the Fairbreak Invitational and the calibre of associate players in the competition. We discuss a landmark week in Australia where Cricket Australia have announced an increase in payments for all centrally contracted cricketers, with female players now set to become the nation's highest paid women's athletes in Australian team sport.And is there still a place for the physical booklet in cricket/sport when we are in a digital age? We ask this question to Ian Marshall who is the editor of the Playfair Cricket Annual. And the team debate their different preparation techniques for commentary.Photo: PAARL, SOUTH AFRICA - FEBRUARY 19: Hayley Matthews of West Indies plays a shot during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup group B match between Pakistan and West Indies at Boland Park on February 19, 2023 in Paarl, South Africa. (Photo by Jan Kruger-ICC/ICC via Gett

Please note: This programme contains discussions about mental health and references to suicide. For more support, go to https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1NGvFrTqWChr03LrYlw2Hkk/information-and-support-mental-health-self-harmOn this week’s Stumped, Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma speak with WPL winner and New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr. She tells us why she thinks Mumbai’s success in the inaugural competition is a pivotal moment for the women’s game, and explains why she’s a mental health advocate. Last year Kerr took a seven-month break from the sport to focus on her mental wellbeing and founded the website Out of the Rough to share stories and help others. Kerr explains why it’s important to normalise conversations and remove stigma around the subject. As the IPL gets underway, the team look ahead to the 16th edition of the competition and ask if anyone can challenge the defending champion Gujarat Titans. How will Brian Lara fair as the new Sunrisers Hyderabad head coach? And w

On this week’s Stumped, our very own Charu Sharma flies out to Mumbai to visit some of the game’s biggest stars as the inaugural Women’s Premier League reaches its finale. First up is Australia captain Meg Lanning, who has just led the Delhi Capitals to the first ever WPL final. She tells us that the competition is “on another level” to anything else she’s experienced, and discusses her five-month break from sport in which she worked in a café.Charu then catches up with India all-rounder Shikha Pandey, who says the introduction of the WPL means “India will probably go on and win that World Cup title”. Pandey spent ten years working as a squadron leader in the Indian Air Force, which she says shaped her as a person. She discusses the “immense pressure” on young girls in the country and hopes that the coverage of the WPL will inspire parents to encourage their daughters to pursue cricket.Image: BBC

We speak to Afghanistan women’s cricketer Firooza Afghan who fled the country following the takeover of the Taliban in 2021 and now resides in Melbourne, Australia. The 18-year-old, says the team have not yet received any support from the International Cricket Council and hopes that they will take action to enable them to represent Afghanistan from their base in Australia.After scoring his first Test century since November 2019, is Virat Kohli finally returning to form? The former India captain has scored over 100 in the main three formats of the game in the last six months, having endured a century drought in the three years prior. Alison Mitchell, Charu Sharma and Jim Maxwell praise his performance in India’s final series match with Australia and look ahead to the World Test Championship final between the two sides in June.Plus, are New Zealand rivalling England to be Test cricket’s great entertainers? Within the last month, New Zealand have beaten England by a single run and edged past Sri Lanka on the las

The Women’s Premier League is finally underway. Sunil Gupta tells us what it is like in India, the stand out stars and the team discuss the tournament so far. Plus will the final Test match between India and Australia is underway. Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was in attendance alongside India’s prime minister Narendra Modi who took part in a series of events before the Test. The team debate the pageantry and whether the World Test Championship is making Test Matches shorter.And we are joined by Jenny Thompson who is a former cricket writer and currently lives in Adelaide. She is about to begin a mammoth journey across the world to experience the impact women's cricket is making in many different countries around the world and the lessons we can all learn.Photo: Tara Norris of Delhi Capitals celebrates the wicket of Heather Knight of Royal Challengers Bangalore during the WPL 2023 match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals. (Credit: Getty Images)

On this week’s episode of Stumped, Jim Maxwell tells us that he believes England would not enforce a follow-on against Australia in the Ashes. England became only the second national side ever to lose a Test match having enforced the follow-on, as New Zealand won by a single run in Wellington to draw the two-match series. Would they Brendon McCullum's side be as bold against their great rivals in an Ashes series?Charu Sharma dismisses Alyssa Healy’s claims that Harmanpreet Kaur’s run-out in India’s Women’s T20 World Cup semi-final loss to Australia was a result of “lazy running”. Australia went on to the win the tournament for a sixth time, beating South Africa in the final. We hear from South Africa’s star batter Laura Wolvaardt about the experience of playing a home World Cup.Plus the head coach of Spain, Corey Rutgers joins us to discuss his side’s dismantling of the Isle of Man. Spain bowled them out for just 10 runs, which is the lowest total ever in a men’s T20 match. They then hit two sixes from the fi

India have retained the Border-Gavaskar trophy after thrashing Australia in the first two Tests of the series. Jim Maxwell tells Alison Mitchell where it all went wrong for the tourists, as their attempts to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy end in premature failure. Elsewhere in India, the chairman of their national selection committee has resigned following a sting operation by a local television channel. We discuss Chetan Sharma being caught on camera talking about the likes of Virat Kohli and Sourav Ganguly. Plus, Sunil Gupta speaks to the founder of Khelo Kricket, Hadeel Obaid. It started as a website aiming to cover men’s grassroots cricket in Pakistan but has turned into an organisation which hosts tournaments for both men and women throughout the night. The player of the tournament in the first ever female edition, Fatima Sana, was named as the ICC’s Women’s Emerging Cricket of the Year in 2022.Image: Khelo Kricket

In a momentous week in women’s cricket when the Women’s Premier League Auction took place Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma discuss the big signings and the players that were unsold.Plus we are joined by Ben Gibson who is the Director of Financial Planning at UK based Wealth Management business Evelyn. He tells us how players should manage their newfound wealth. And we discuss where it has all gone wrong for New Zealand in the Women's T20 World Cup.Photo: Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur (C) of India celebrate the victory during the T20 International series between India and Australia at Dr DY Patil Cricket Stadium on December 11, 2022 in Mumbai, India. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

On this week’s episode of Stumped, R Sridhar takes us into the heart of the India dressing room. The former fielding coach for the men’s national side worked alongside the likes of Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni and Ravi Shastri between 2014 and 2021 and in his new book, ‘Coaching Beyond: My Days with the India Cricket Team’, he reveals details of conversations between the trio which have never previously been reported. He tells us about Shastri’s integrity as head coach, Kohli’s unbeatable work rate as a player and captain, and having to keep Dhoni’s retirement a secret.Eleanor Oldroyd speaks to Pakistan all-rounder Nida Dar ahead of their Women’s T20 World Cup opener with India in South Africa. Dar, who has recently been named in the ICC’s Women’s T20I Team of the Year for 2022, says they're aiming to reach at least the semi-finals.Plus, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma discuss the thrilling Big Bash League final which saw Perth Scorchers win their fifth title.Photo: The India fielding coach Ramakrishnan Sridhar looks o

India beat England by seven wickets in an exciting one-sided final held in South Africa to clinch their first world title. Could India winning the Under 19 World Cup be a landmark moment in the women's game? Alison Mitchell, Charu Sharma and Jim Maxwell all reflect on India's success.Kim Garth has played in two World Cups for Ireland but in 2020, she quit the country to pursue her dream of playing professional cricket in Australia – Kim joins us on the programme to discuss her move and how she's now been selected for the Australian national team that aims to defend its title at the upcoming T20 World Cup.Photo: India players celebrates after winning the ICC Women's U19 T20 World Cup following the 2023 final between India and England at JB Marks Oval on January 29, 2023 in Potchefstroom, South Africa. (Credit: ICC via Getty Images)