Flintoff steps down from England Lions role, India lose Sai Sudharsan — cricket digest 09 Aug 2026

· Cricombo Editorial

Flintoff quits as England Lions head coach; Yardy to lead Pakistan tour match

Andrew Flintoff has stepped down as England Lions head coach, ending a stint that began in September 2024. Flintoff, who was appointed Sydney Thunder coach in June, had been expected to juggle both roles but has now decided to relinquish the Lions job entirely.

He had been due to oversee a Professional County Club Select XI in a four-day tour match against Pakistan next week at Beckenham; England Under-19s coach Mike Yardy will take charge instead.

India’s Sri Lanka Test build-up hit again as Sai Sudharsan is ruled out

B Sai Sudharsan will miss India’s two-Test series in Sri Lanka with a toe stress fracture, compounding India’s injury issues after Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out last week and replaced by Auqib Nabi. Sudharsan had been named in the original 15-man squad subject to a fitness clearance, but he did not travel and no replacement has been announced yet.

There are further concerns around captain Shubman Gill, who hurt his right ring finger in training and missed the ongoing warm-up match against a Sri Lanka Cricket XI. Devdutt Padikkal’s century from No. 3 in that game has, however, given India an in-form option for the spot Sudharsan had been earmarked to fill.

Australia turn to deeper batting metrics as a 20-Test stretch begins against Bangladesh

With conditions increasingly favouring bowlers, Australia’s coaching staff have been placing greater emphasis on context when assessing batting output, using measures such as share of team runs, median percentage and “carry” innings. Head coach Andrew McDonald said the aim is to better capture impact beyond raw averages as Australia start a run of 20 Tests in 12 months, beginning with Bangladesh in Darwin.

Several batters are under scrutiny going into the period, including Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green and Jake Weatherald. Australia’s analysts, including Tom Body, have compared the current side’s contributions from 2022-26 with the 2001-04 era, noting that while averages and hundreds differ sharply, some percentage-based measures track more closely across the two teams.

Bangladesh slump to 54 all out in tour-game loss; Simmons demands a quick reset

Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons said his side “let ourselves down” after being bowled out for 54 in their second innings of an innings-and-38-run defeat to a Cricket Australia XI in Darwin. Campbell Thompson took eight wickets as Bangladesh lasted 17 overs, leaving them with only a few training sessions to regroup before the first Test against Australia at the same venue on August 13.

There was a fitness watch on Taijul Islam after a blow to the hand left him with a bone contusion on his left index finger; he did not bowl in the CA XI innings, but Bangladesh expect him to be fit in time for the first Test.

Sri Lanka’s players launch new association with Kusal Mendis as inaugural president

Sri Lanka’s newly formed Professional Cricketers’ Association (SLPCA) has been launched, with men’s white-ball captain Kusal Mendis appointed as its first president. The body, backed by leading figures including women’s captain Chamari Athapaththu and Wanindu Hasaranga, is set up as an independent collective voice for the country’s professional cricketers.

The SLPCA is affiliated with the World Cricketers’ Association, and is being introduced during a period of governance reform under a government-appointed Transformation Committee, with a new constitution also in the pipeline.

In brief

  • Charith Asalanka and Eshan Malinga shared six wickets as Galle Gallants beat Jaffna Kings by five wickets to claim their first Lanka Premier League title.
  • Lahiru Udara, Charith Asalanka and Eshan Malinga were among the standouts named in the LPL 2026 Team of the Tournament.
  • Sunil Narine’s 3 for 7 helped Trinbago Knight Riders beat St Kitts and Nevis Patriots by 19 runs (DLS method) in a rain-hit CPL match.
  • Mitchell Santner’s unbeaten 52 guided Trent Rockets to a six-wicket win over MI London in The Hundred men’s competition, sealing a top-three finish.
  • Manchester Super Giants beat Southern Brave by 10 runs in The Hundred men’s competition to move into the top three and end Brave’s post-season hopes.
  • Trent Rockets made it five straight wins in The Hundred women’s competition, beating MI London by nine wickets after Sam Bates’ 3 for 13 set up Nat Sciver-Brunt and Beth Mooney.
  • Jemimah Rodrigues has been ruled out of The Hundred with a hamstring injury, with Southern Brave bringing in Charli Knott as her replacement.
  • Devdutt Padikkal made 142 not out in India’s warm-up match against a Sri Lanka Cricket XI, with India ending day two just six runs behind with one wicket in hand.
  • Punjab have appointed Amit Uniyal as head coach for the 2026-27 domestic season, with TP Singh (batting), Harmeet Singh (bowling) and Manish Sharma (fielding) joining the revamped staff.
  • A World Test Championship update outlined where teams stand in the current cycle, with Australia top and India needing results with little margin for error.

Sources: ESPNcricinfo