This was a winter that England’s men and women will want to forget quickly, with the latter whitewashed in the Ashes and the former showing few signs of the form that so recently made them double white-ball world champions. For many, it wasn’t just the defeats that were upsetting but the manner of them, with much criticism over a perceived lack of practice and fitness, among other things. Only those involved will know in their heart of hearts if they truly did everything to give themselves the best chance to succeed. But it is one of the eternal frustrations for fans of England that maintaining their position at the top – when they do get there – always seems even harder to achieve than getting there in the first place. It is a sentiment that England’s football and rugby fans may also recognise.

It’s also the case that being the best is unlikely to become any easier. There were many criticisms of the arrangements for the Champions Trophy, some of which seemed designed to ensure that India had the most comfortable passage to the final. It’s important that the ICC is seen to make its major tournaments as fair as possible, rather than accommodating its most powerful member.

India’s men are going to be the highlight of the summer’s international cricket, with a five-Test series scheduled to take place between 20 June and 4 August. It has the potential to be a compelling series, with the world’s top-ranked batter (Joe Root) taking on the world’s top-rated bowler (Jasprit Bumrah). With a supporting cast that includes Harry Brook, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli and our cover star Jamie Smith, there should be plenty of compelling batting to watch. Smith was the first batter to score 1000 runs last summer, and he not only helped Surrey to their third consecutive County Championship title but settled into Test cricket with supreme ease, averaging 42.46.

In all the continuing fuss about Bazball and what it has really achieved – and statisticians will point to a series of records broken – one element should not be overlooked. Newcomers to the England Test side settle in and deliver almost immediately, and this is by no means a given. So, as well as Smith, we saw Gus Atkinson take 52 wickets in his first calendar year of Test cricket – something only one other Test cricketer in history (Terry Alderman) has achieved; Brydon Carse averaged 106 with the ball during the summer for Durham, snaring just four victims, yet in five Tests this winter he picked up 27 wickets at 19.85. It will be very interesting to see if they can all now go on to build on their early achievements against India, and continue doing so in the Ashes this coming winter. These are among the biggest challenges in cricket, and to succeed in them both, England will also need a fully fit Ben Stokes at his inspirational best.

This summer’s season runs from 4 April to 27 September, and the Championship welcomes a new sponsor in Rothesay, who will be hoping for an exciting tournament. Whether anyone can unseat Surrey from their position at the top of the pile remains to be seen. But what is undoubtedly true is that cricket fans are going to be spoiled, with the four greatest batters of the modern era – Kohli, Root, Steve Smith (in The Hundred) and Kane Williamson (for Middlesex) – all due to be in action. As ever, the best way to see them is to watch them at the ground, so do go to the back of the Annual and look through the fixture lists there to find a game to go to. It doesn’t have to be England v India at Lord’s, it could be Shropshire v Cheshire at Wem on 25 May. But make a trip – and don’t forget to take your copy of Playfair with you.

Ian Marshall

Eastbourne, 10 March 2025