Stumped

Former Pakistan leg-spinner and current Bangladesh spin coach, Mushtaq Ahmed, tells Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Sunil Gupta that he’d love to work with Pakistan again in the future and gives his thoughts on the current instability in the nation’s national team.He believes Pakistan should remain calm and not make any rash decisions after they sent home seven players including two coaches after the second Test defeat against England at Lord’s. He also says Bangladesh deserve the right to play more red ball cricket after their 1-1 draw in Australia.Marnus Labugchagne has been left out of the recent Australia's ODI squad to face Zimbabwe and South Africa. The trio discuss if this marks the beginning of the end of Labuschagne's international career? Plus, Cricket is played all around the world, from the gullies of Lahore, to the back yards of Australia and the Maidan’s of India. It's also played in many unusual places like in Solent, England, on the Bramble Bank that appears only once a year! Alison went to find out more.Photo: Ali Usman of Pakistan is bowled by Jofra Archer during the second day of the second Rothesay Test match between England and Pakistan at Lord's Cricket Ground on August 28, 2026 in London, England. (Credit: Getty Images)

Bangladesh stunned Australia by nine wickets in the first Test at Darwin, a result few saw coming. Nikesh Rughani, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma discuss whether Bangladesh were simply too good, or Australia was below par. Jim, however, sees no reason to panic and believes the Aussies will bounce back in the second Test. Plus, former South African batter and Rotterdam Dockers co-owner Jonty Rhodes joins Stumped to discuss the new European T20 Premier League, which gets underway next week. Featuring six franchise-based city teams across the Netherlands, Ireland and Scotland, Jonty says the new venture can play a major role in helping cricket grow across Europe. Photo: Mehidy Hasan Miraz of Bangladesh celebrates with team mates after dismissing Steve Smith of Australia during day three of the First Test Match in the series between Australia and Bangladesh at Marrara Stadium on August 15, 2026 in Darwin, Australia. (Photo by Albert Perez - CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)

Smriti Mandhana joins Stumped to discuss India's strong dressing room culture and the supportive environment that has helped shape the team's success. The elegant left-hander also reflects on winning the 2025 Cricket World Cup and on playing in the historic Test match at Lord’s and in The Hundred. Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma reflect on her remarkable impact and discuss what India must do to consistently challenge the world's best sides. The team also debates whether Joe Root is the right person to captain England after Ben Stokes revealed concerns about the toll the role could take on him, while insisting he wishes Root nothing but success. Plus, Charu has some advice for Babar Azam following Pakistan’s 1-1 series draw with West Indies. He wants the Pakistan skipper to relax and enjoy his leadership ahead of facing England later this month. Photo: Smriti Mandhana of Manchester Super Giants Women bats during The Hundred match between Manchester Super Giants Women and Welsh Fire Women at Emirates Old Trafford on August 05, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Joe Prior/Getty Images)

West Indies fast bowling legend Ian Bishop tells Stumped that Sir Garfield Sobers transcended the game and stands alongside sporting icons like Pele, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. Sir Gary died at the age of 89 and was regarded as one of the sport’s greatest ever players. Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma discuss his legacy and share their memories of meeting him.Plus - would you like to see a one-off Test match between England and Australia in India? Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg says the two oldest rivals in the sport could possibly play each other in the sub-continent. The Stumped team share their thoughts on the idea.Photo:Former West Indies cricketer Sir Garfield Sobers during net practice at Kensington Oval on January 19, 2019 in Bridgetown, Barbados. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has set another record by becoming the youngest ever player to play for India. He was just 15 years and 99 days old when he took to the field in India's second T20 of their ongoing series against England, breaking the long held record of Sachin Tendulkar, who made his debut in a Test against Pakistan aged 16 years and 205 days in 1989. Alison Mitchell, Sunil Gupta and Brett Sprigg discuss whether he’s living up to the hype.Australia won their record extending seventh Women’s T20 World Cup, beating England at Lord’s by 7 wickets. The tournament was the biggest to date with 12 teams competing. The trio reflect on the competition and ask what makes the Aussies so good?Plus, history is being made at Lord’s as it hosts its first every Women’s Test match between England and India. Fast bowler Lauren Filer tells us what the occasion means for the women’s game.Photo: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi of India during the 2nd Vitality IT20 match between England and India at Emirates Old Trafford on July 04, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Credit: Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)

India legend Ravichandran Ashwin tells Stumped about his life in the US playing franchise cricket for the San Francisco Unicorns in Major League Cricket. He discusses his coaching ambitions, whether the 50-over game has a future, and endorses the idea of cricket having a Champions League style tournament. He also says teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is “special” and believes he should enjoy his cricket.Nikesh Rughani, Charu Sharma and Brett Sprigg are also joined by Tooba Sarwari, from the Afghan Women’s refugee cricket team who are currently touring England. She tells us what it was like meeting King Charles, how playing cricket has saved her life and about her hopes for the future.Photo: India's Ravichandran Ashwin waves to the crowd during the first day of the first Test cricket match between India and Bangladesh at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on September 19, 2024. (Credit: AFP via Getty Images)

Eleanor Oldroyd, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma discuss what’s next for Ben Stokes and England?Joe Root has replaced Ben Stokes as interim captain for the second Test against New Zealand after Stokes and Gus Atkinson were both dropped following an incident in a London nightclub. The team discuss if curfews work, the return of Root as captain and what the future could hold for Stokes?The biggest ever Women's T20 World Cup is here and we’re joined by Cricket broadcaster Annesha Ghosh to discuss if India could win the tournament for the first time?Plus, Dr Raf Nicholson joins us to discuss her new book, The Women in Whites, which takes a closer look at the origins of the women's game in England, from the 18th century through to the present day.Photo: Ben Stokes of England looks on after the First Test between England and New Zealand at Lord's Cricket Ground (Credit: Philip Brown/Getty Images)

The Afghanistan Women’s Refugee team are heading to England for a development tour during the Women’s World Cup. The England and Wales cricket board Deputy CEO and Managing Director of England Women, Clare Connor, tells Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma how the tour came about and discusses future funding of the team.With the start of the T20 World Cup just days away, the team hear more about the preparation of the host country, England. Captain, Nat Sciver-Brunt, who’s been recovering from a calf injury in the build-up to the tournament, joins the show.Plus, have Surrey County Cricket Club found the perfect way to banish those summer workday blues? With the club pondering whether The Oval was the "best home office in the country", the team discuss which cricket ground could be the best home office away from home.Photo: Afghanistan Women's XI players huddle before the cricket match between Afghanistan Women's XI and Cricket Without Borders XI at Junction Oval in Melbourne on January 30, 2025. Hundreds of women athletes fled Afghanistan as the Taliban took over in August 2021, escaping a hardline stance that essentially banned women's sport and education. Most of the national women's cricket side settled as refugees in Australia, where they reunited for the first time to play a charity match in Melbourne. (Credit: AFP via Getty Images)

On Stumped this week with Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma we discuss if IPL investment could be coming to the Big Bash League? It’s an issue that has divided cricket in Australia, but Charu feels Indian investors may not jump at the chance of buying a stake in a franchise.What’s the point of one-off Test matches? We debate the pros and cons of short series after former Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews blasted the potential idea of one-off Tests in the next series of the World Test Championship.And we hear from Brazil pacer Laura Cardoso, who stunned the cricket world with record-breaking T20 international figures of 9 for 4, the best ever in the format. Remarkably, Cardoso says she had no idea she’d made history.Photo: The Scorchers celebrate with the trophy after victory in the Men's Big Bash League Final match between the Perth Scorchers and the Brisbane Heat at Optus Stadium on February 04, 2023 in Perth, Australia. (Credit: Cricket Australia via Getty Images)

The Women’s T20 World Cup starts in June and England have included uncapped 18-year-old left arm spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman in their squad. The teenager impressed in the recent intra-squad matches in South Africa. Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma discuss her selection ahead of the tournament. Kolkata Knight Riders chief executive Venky Mysore says the new Olympic stadium in LA has the potential to host IPL exhibition matches. The venue, in the southern Californian city of Pomona, will become the home of the new franchise Los Angeles Knight Riders and will also host Major League Cricket matches. And we hear from award winning photographer Gareth Copley- Jones about his new book ‘A Picture of England’ where he’s followed the England men’s cricket team through his lens. Photo: Tilly Corteen-Coleman of Surrey poses for a portrait during the Surrey CCC photocall at The Kia Oval on March 21, 2025 in London, England. (Credit: Getty Images)

Praful Hinge made history on his debut by taking three wickets in his very first over. The seamers’ haul included dismissing teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi for a first-ball duck. Nikesh Rughani, Jim Maxwell and Sunil Gupta examine his impact in the league. It's a tradition dating back over 150 years: the latest edition of the little yellow book, the 2026 Wisden Almanack is out. Editor Lawrence Booth joins the team to discuss the five cricketers of the year. And with the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup less than two months away, Australian selector Shawn Flegler admits Sophie Molineux's captaincy may need to be reconsidered if her injury problems continue. Photo: Sunrisers Hyderabad's Praful Hinge celebrates the wicket of Rajasthan Royals' Dhruv Jurel with teammates (Credit: REUTERS/Stringer)

Rajasthan Royals' 15-year-old sensation, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, continues to make a name for himself after hitting a 15-ball half century against the Chennai Super Kings - the third 50-plus score of his short IPL career so far. Alison Mitchell, Clint Wheeldon and Sunil Gupta discuss the impact he's had in a short amount of time. While the IPL is ongoing, so is the PSL in neighbouring Pakistan. Australia's Adam Zampa opted out of the IPL and to play in PSL this season. The team examine whether others could follow the spinners lead.Plus, we head to the land of the rising sun, as the Japan Super League is growing in popularity. We hear from Alan Curr who is Chief Operating Officer for the Japan Cricket Association about the growth of the game in a nation better known for Sumo, cherry blossom and motorsport.Photo: Rajasthan Royals' Vaibhav Suryavanshi warms up before the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 cricket match between Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on May 1, 2025. (Credit: AFP via Getty Images)

Gary Kirsten has been officially appointed head coach of Sri Lanka's men's national side. He aims to build a winning culture in the build up to the 2027 ODI World Cup. Kirsten famously led India to the 2011 World Cup title and also helped South Africa reach the top of the Test rankings. Kirsten reflects on his short spell coaching Pakistan, gives us his thoughts on whether India can dominate red ball cricket and explains to Alison Mitchell how he previously came close to becoming England head coach.Plus, Alison, Clint Wheeldon and Charu Sharma all discuss a new chapter for Australia's women's team as life after Alyssa Healy begins with their tour to the Caribbean to face West Indies.Photo Credit: Dallas, Texas - JUNE 05: Head coach Gary Kirsten of Pakistan looks on during a net session as part of the ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup West Indies & USA 2024 at Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium on June 05, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Matt Roberts-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)