England batter James Vince has backed Indian stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to rediscover their best form despite their recent struggles in Test cricket. Vince, speaking about the duo’s current lean patch, emphasised their quality and resilience. After the debacle in Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India’s next red-ball assignment will be the England tour for a five-match Test series from June 20 to August 4. The first Test is scheduled to be held at Headingley, Leeds from June 20-24, followed by Test matches at Edgbaston, Birmingham (July 2-6), Lord’s (July 10-14), Old Trafford, Manchester (July 23-27) and The Oval (July 31-August 4).

“It’s hard to predict. English conditions can be bowler-friendly, but they can also favour batters on certain days. The quality of players like Virat and Rohit is undeniable. If they still have the hunger and desire to play Test cricket, history suggests they’ll find a way to perform,” James told IANS on Monday.

“We’re not used to seeing players of that calibre go through extended bad runs, but it shows that they’re human. I’m sure they’ll come back strong if they’re motivated to succeed,” he added.

Both players have faced criticism for their performances Down Under, a series that saw India struggle against Australia.

Rohit, India’s Test and ODI captain, endured a torrid BGT series, managing only 31 runs in five innings. His struggles with the bat were compounded by questions over his captaincy, culminating in his omission from the final Test in Sydney.

In a bid to regain his touch, Rohit turned out for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy match against Jammu & Kashmir. However, his scores of 3 and 28 did little to inspire confidence. It marked his first Ranji Trophy appearance since 2015, highlighting his limited red-ball exposure outside the international stage.

Despite the criticism, Rohit remains a key figure in India’s setup, and the upcoming three-match ODI series against England, starting February 6, will provide him with a chance to bounce back.

Virat Kohli, too, faced a tough time in the BGT. Across five Tests, Kohli scored 190 runs and was dismissed eight times chasing deliveries outside the off-stump. The technical flaw has become a recurring issue, but Kohli’s work ethic and determination remain his strengths.

Kohli will return to red-ball cricket in Delhi’s upcoming Ranji Trophy match against Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium from January 30. This will be his first Ranji Trophy appearance since 2012, and fans hope it will serve as a platform for the former Indian captain to rediscover his rhythm.

While their Test form is under the microscope, both players have the opportunity to regain momentum in the white-ball format. With the ODI series against England around the corner, Rohit and Kohli will be looking to make an impact.

England batter James Vince feels ECB’s new No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) policy will see players picking T20 leagues over first-class cricket, and said the new guidelines even offers preferential treatment to the Indian Premier League. The England board had decided in November, 2024, to refrain from issuing NOCs to all-format players to play in the Pakistan Super League, scheduled for April-May this season, because the league clashes with the early rounds of the County Championship.

However, Vince defied ECB’s decision and quit first-class cricket to play for Karachi Kings in the upcoming PSL season.

“When they first mentioned it, a WhatsApp group of players was created and there was a lot of discussion. The initial feeling was that it was going to drive people away from red-ball cricket,” Vince, who has played 13 Tests, told ESPNCricinfo.

“It felt like it was going to limit opportunities. Players were frustrated by it… There were a few things in there that [we] didn’t really understand.” The 33-year-old, who is currently playing for Gulf Giants in the ILT20 tournament in the UAE, was retained by the Kings ahead of the PSL draft.

The PSL this season clashes with the IPL and also with the County championships.

“That’s a big one that has caused a lot of confusion. It’s got to be something to do with relationships between the ECB, PCB and BCCI as to why they’ve come up with that rule,” Vince said.

“The PSL’s a shorter competition, so if you’re going to play in that, you’re probably missing less domestic cricket than if you’re going to the IPL… It just didn’t seem right.” Vince, a long-serving Hampshire captain, has played 197 first-class games across 15 years for the team. He captained them 92 times, and led them to three consecutive top-three finishes.

However, Vince believes more players will follow him and forego red-ball contracts.

“There’s more and more opportunities for guys to play white-ball cricket and earn decent money during our domestic season… You’re talking quite large sums of money in terms of what they forego by playing red-ball cricket,” Vince said.

“Particularly further down their careers, when there’s a big difference in those numbers, I’m sure more and more people will go down that route,” he said. PTI ATK UNG ATK 7/21/2024

World Cup winner James Vince is to stand down as captain of Hampshire after a decade in charge and move to Dubai following attacks on his family home, the English cricket county announced Wednesday. Although he will miss the 2025 English domestic first-class County Championship or red-ball season, Vince will continue to play white-ball (limited-overs) cricket and skipper Hampshire in the T20 Blast. The 33-year-old batsman, a member of the England squad that won the 2019 50-over World Cup on home soil, saw his family home near Hampshire’s headquarters attacked twice last year.

Vince, who said the incidents left his young family fearing for their safety, told Britain’s Daily Telegraph in July he believed the attacks were a case of mistaken identity.

“James Vince has signed a revision to the final year of his contract which fulfils his obligation to play for Hampshire Hawks in the 2025 Vitality Blast campaign and confirms that he is not planning to play red-ball cricket this year,” said a Hampshire statement.

“After 10 consecutive years as club captain, Vince will also step down from this position but will remain as team captain of Hampshire Hawks.

“In 2024, Vince endured a challenging year on a personal level, following several attacks on his family home. As a result, the family have taken the decision to move to Dubai.”

Vince added he needed to “understand what is best for my family, and combine that with the stage of my career I am at”.

He made his Hampshire debut in 2009 aged 18 and has scored over 22,000 runs for the county. Vince is the Blast’s all-time leading run scorer and has played in Hampshire’s three title-winning T20 teams, while representing England 55 times across all formats.

Vince has also been retained by the Karachi Kings for this season’s T20 Pakistan Super League on a contract worth a reported $122,000 (approx. Rs 1.05 crore).

The PSL has made a one-off move from its usual February-March slot to take place between April 8 and May 19, the same time as the first half of the County Championship.

English cricket chiefs have introduced rules preventing England-contracted players or red-ball county players from appearing in overseas leagues such as the PSL that take place during the English season, with the exception of the Indian Premier League, cricket’s wealthiest T20 franchise tournament.

But the policy appears to have helped persuade Vince, who won the last of his 13 Test caps in 2018, to abandon English first-class cricket, at least temporarily, rather than reject a lucrative PSL deal.

English cricketers are seeking clarity from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) regarding the issuance of No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) after being picked to play in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) during Monday’s draft in Lahore. Tom Kohler-Cadmore (Peshawar Zalmi), Sam Billings, and Tom Curran (both Lahore Qalandars) were among those signed in the draft, while James Vince (Karachi Kings), Chris Jordan, and David Willey (Multan Sultans) were already retained. The 2025 PSL has shifted to an April-May schedule, creating a direct conflict with the start of the English domestic season for the first time.

The ECB’s recent NOC policy, introduced in late November, has caused frustration among players. ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould stated the policy was meant to protect English cricket.

Under the new policy, players will not receive NOCs for overseas leagues during the English summer, such as the PSL, Caribbean Premier League (CPL), and Major League Cricket (MLC), except for the Indian Premier League (IPL). Players with white-ball county contracts may still obtain NOCs for leagues that don’t overlap with the T20 Blast or the Hundred.

Initially, the ECB aimed to prevent players with red-ball contracts from skipping County Championship matches for overseas leagues. However, following pressure from players, agents, and the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA), the board has softened its stance. Players like Billings, Curran, Jordan, and Willey are currently expected to secure NOCs for the PSL.

The ECB’s NOC consultation group is set to assess requests based on criteria established in November. For the PSL, this includes players on white-ball contracts or those willing to renegotiate multi-format deals post-draft.

Kohler-Cadmore (Somerset) and Vince (Hampshire), both on all-format contracts, are evaluating their options as fulfilling their PSL commitments would mean missing at least the first six County Championship games of the season. The PSL is scheduled to run from April 8 to May 19.

Meanwhile, six centrally contracted England players had registered for the draft but were marked “unavailable” after the ECB made it clear they would not grant NOCs. This group included Jonny Bairstow, who hasn’t played for England since June, and Adil Rashid, a white-ball specialist.

“Following the announcement of the NOC policy and its proposed implementation, the PCA has been engaging with its members, legal team and the ECB, collectively representing current players to find solutions on restrictions. Progress has been made across a number of implementation areas, however, each NOC request is on a case-by-case basis and there remains ongoing consultation,” a PCB spokesperson said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

England cricketer and Hampshire captain James Vince has made a public appeal regarding persistent attacks on his property that resulted in his family being forced to leave his hometown in Southampton. For nearly eight years, Vince and his family enjoyed the tranquility of their home in a village east of Southampton. That peace was shattered earlier this year when Vince’s home and vehicles were targeted in two shocking attacks, forcing the family to flee and live in fear. The first attack occurred in the early hours of April 15. Vince, 33, recounted the harrowing experience: “My wife and I woke suddenly to a load of smashing and alarms going off. We had no idea what was going on and it was obviously very unnerving, so we rushed straight to get the kids to make sure they were safe. They were very shaken up,” Vince told The Telegraph.

By the time the police arrived, the attackers had vanished, leaving behind a trail of destruction. A neighbour reported seeing a car speed away from the scene.

The damage to the cars and home was extensive, prompting the family to move out temporarily while repairs were made. Security cameras and alarms were installed, but the sense of safety had been irrevocably damaged.

This footage supplied by Hampshire captain James Vince is of an unprovoked attack on his home.

Vince’s property was vandalised on two separate occasions (April 15 and May 11) forcing his family out.

He is appealing for anyone with information to go to Hampshire Police. pic.twitter.com/Oct9BDTocb

— Alfie House (@AlfieHouseEcho) July 16, 2024

Barely a week after returning home, Vince’s worst fears were realised when a second attack took place on May 1. This time, he was still awake upstairs. “That meant I was able to get downstairs quite quickly and had more of a sense of what was going on. It wasn’t such a surprise either, because it had happened before. I think they saw the activity in the house and left quickly,” he explained.

The attackers used bricks, smashing windows on both the cars and the house once more. Vince detailed how the family had just returned from a benefit dinner for his teammate Chris Wood when the attack happened around midnight.

The incidents have puzzled Vince and authorities alike. Despite extensive investigations by the police, private security personnel, and intelligence firms, no clear motive has emerged. Vince remains convinced the attacks are a case of mistaken identity. “All the experts we’ve spoken to say it looks like a money issue, unpaid debts, or something,” Vince said. “We have nothing to hide and know we have never been involved in anything like this. We just desperately want this to stop.”

Footage from the new security cameras has provided some clues. It shows a man with a torch passing bricks over a wall to another man, who then throws them at the house and cars. The second man wore a hoodie with a Gym King logo and had his face covered. This, Vince hopes, might be a key piece of information to identify the culprits.

The attacks coincidentally took place on days when Hampshire had home matches, adding another layer of mystery. Despite enhanced security measures, the family remains on edge, fearing a third attack. “We don’t want to risk the same thing happening again,” Vince said. “It’s not fair for my wife or children to have to go through it again.”

The emotional toll on the family has been immense, especially on Vince’s young children. “Something like this is hugely disruptive in our lives, especially for our children, who have understandably been affected and unsettled by the situation. Having said that, I’m amazed and extremely proud of how they have dealt with it. We have received great support locally, and from within cricket,” Vince shared.

The family has now turned to the public for help, hoping someone might recognise the attackers or have information that could solve the mystery. “If anyone knows anything, or sees anything in the footage of the attack that could lead to anything, please contact us or Hampshire Police. It could be the final piece of information we need to find out what is going on and get our lives back to normal,” Vince urged.

Hampshire Police confirmed the incidents, stating: “Two incidents of criminal damage at an address during the early hours of April 15 and May 11. On both occasions, two cars were damaged, and the front room windows smashed.”