Switch Hit Podcast

England finished their home season by beating Sri Lanka in ODI and T20I series. Alan Gardner was joined by Matt Roller and Vish Ehantharajah to discuss the progress being made under Harry Brook and Brendon McCullum.

England secured a 3-0 series sweep with an eventful victory at Edgbaston. Alan Gardner was joined in the studio by Osman Samiuddin and Danyal Rasool to break at all down one more time.

Pakistan lost the series at Lord's. Then the actual news started.

Vithushan Ehantharajah is joined by cricinfo senior editor Osman Samiuddin and Pakistan correspondent Danyal Rasool to unpack a fortnight that has moved well past "bad tour" and into something harder to watch — seven players called home mid-series, five uncapped replacements flown in, a head coach removed two Tests into a three-Test tour, and a selection committee issued show cause notices asking them to justify picking Pakistan's leading Test run-scorer.

On the show:

🛫 The seven recalled — and why lumping Ali Usman, who took a five-for at Headingley as the first visiting spinner to do so in over fifty years, into the same press release as players recalled for disciplinary reasons tars everyone with the same brush

🏛️ Why a board staffed with civil servants runs cricket like a disciplinary hearing — hierarchy, obedience, and the belief that more pressure produces better cricketers

📋 Misbah-ul-Haq's resignation, the show cause notices, and the awkward fact that the chairman signs off on every squad anyway

🧯 Aaqib Javed, the man who somehow always walks out of the burning building unscathed — Gillespie, Kirsten, the Champions Trophy, and now this

🔄 Mike Hesson, who two months ago sold the cricket world on splitting red-ball and white-ball duties, and is now doing both

👥 Two Mohammad Imrans, one squad, and a theory about how they both ended up on the plane

🏏 Saim Ayub: a CPL hundred, two first-class matches since 2023, and Jofra Archer waiting at Edgbaston

🎩 The one good story — Mohammad Abbas on the Lord's honours board, ten years and a nine-wicket match later

🔥 And genuine praise for an England attack that only exists by accident: Archer's pace, Robinson's wizardry, Atkinson averaging 125 while bowling well, Tongue proving he's more than a tail-end specialist

Also discussed: why county cricket keeps rescuing Pakistani cricketers, what's actually left to play for at Edgbaston, and the uncomfortable truth that most of these players are the best the domestic system produces.

"It's not a crime to not beat England at Lord's. But they aren't just up against a generational England attack — they're up against a generationally bad administrative setup."

#cricinfo #PakistanCricket #PCB #ENGvPAK #TestCricket #MohammadAbbas #SaimAyub #MikeHesson #Misbah #AaqibJaved #JofraArcher #CricketPodcast #PakCricket #EdgbastonTest #CountyCricket

England brushed past Pakistan in the first Test with an innings win inside three days. Alan Gardner hears from Vithushan Ehantharajah and Danyal Rasool about where it all went right for the home side (and wrong for the tourists).

England head north for their attempt to start over post-Bazball. Alan Gardner, Vish Ehantharajah and Danyal Rasool get together at Headingley to discuss the first Test against Pakistan

Vithushan Ehantharajah and Matt Roller discuss the future of England’s Test team under Stephen Fleming and Joe Root, and review the first half of the Hundred’s 2026 season.

England are looking for a new Test head coach after Brendon McCullum was sacked - but he will stay on with the white-ball teams. Alan Gardner is joined by Andrew Miller and Vish Ehantharajah to unpick the latest news

Ben Stokes ended his England career in spectacular fashion at Trent Bridge. Alan Gardner, Andrew Miller and Matt Roller attempt to make sense of it all, as well as give some credit to New Zealand.

Ben Stokes is back and England have a series to win. But is it all that straightforward? Alan Gardner is joined by Andrew Miller and Vish Ehantharajah to try and make sense of the last week.

Matt Roller and Vish Ehantharajah sat down at The Oval to discuss England selection, Brendon McCullum's press conference and what the future holds for Ben Stokes