The ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) has been a difficult ride for the side has struggled to get the right combination in the face of an aggressive and highly-driven Australian team. The visitors will be playing the must-win fifth and final Test here from Friday.

The on-field roller-coaster is causing some off-field issues as well with murmurs of unrest in the dressing room beginning to grow. It is learnt that Gambhir is not on the same page with most of the players in the team and the communication isn’t as good as it used to be during the time of Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid.

Skipper Rohit Sharma has maintained that he speaks individually to the players about selection issues. But after Gambhir took charge in July, Rohit, it is said, hasn’t actually given clarity to some of the not-so-junior players about why they were being excluded at times from the side.

His own poor form hasn’t helped Rohit’s cause. But it is also reliably learnt that Gambhir, who is considered a more assertive person, hasn’t earned a lot of confidence from the group of players, who aren’t as old as Kohli or Rohit but are also not rookies like Harshit Rana or Nitish Reddy.

“There is a Test match to be played and then there is Champions Trophy. If the performance doesn’t improve, even Gautam Gambhir’s position wouldn’t be safe,” a senior BCCI official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

GAUTAM GAMBHIR IS NOT HAPPY WITH TEAM INDIA’S PLAYERS

– Gautam Gambhir is not happy with how the players were doing their own thing in the name of “Natural Game”, instead of playing according to the situation. Gambhir said “Bahut Ho Gaya” in his speech. (Express Sports). pic.twitter.com/sv8gnelJyz

— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) January 1, 2025

Gambhir’s equation with the selection committee is also not particularly clear at this point. There are players in the team, who are feeling insecure because of his proclivity to experiment with the playing eleven. In the ongoing BGT, a punt like Nitish Reddy has worked out brilliantly but the handling of Shubman Gill is still being debated.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah has now been elevated to the ICC chief’s position and the Board will have his full-time successor only after January 12. Once that administrative stability is in place, the BCCI brass will have some thinking to do.

Till Shah was in-charge of BCCI, he called the shots. Former India seamer Roger Binny, who is the current president of the Board, hasn’t been seen taking any policy related calls.

Gautam Gambhir wasn’t first choice as head coach

But if India’s performance is not drastically better in the Champions Trophy in February-March, Gambhir will certainly have his wings clipped.

“He was never BCCI’s first choice (it was VVS Laxman) and some of the well-known overseas names didn’t want to coach all three formats, so he was a compromise. Obviously, some other compulsions were also there,” the official said.

Gambhir has already been asked a few tough questions after the 0-3 defeat at home to New Zealand and if the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is also lost, it can all go downhill for the feisty former opener from Delhi’s Old Rajinder Nagar.

Already there is a school of thought that Gambhir should only be given charge of the T20 team, a format in which he has been a successful captain and then mentor for both Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow SuperGiants.

One question that is being asked in the corridors of power is whether he has been able to offer any solutions to Virat Kohli with regards to his never-ending dismissals in the outside off-stump channel? By the look of things, the answer to that seems to be an emphatic no.

“Gautam, all his life, while playing in England and Australia, would dab the ball towards slip and gully. So, he knows exactly what Kohli’s problem is. He has seen that as a player (in 2014) and as a commentator and now as a coach.

“If he knows what is wrong, he should tell him,” a former India great, with the experience of more than 90 Tests, said.

‘Support staff’ for support staff

The BCCI mandarins are also keeping a tab on certain other developments about one of the key members of the support staff, who is being accompanied at all the venues by his personal assistant.

It is leant that the person in question used to have FOP (Field Of Play) access during the IPL where he would stride into the playing arena after games in a franchise jersey. In Australia, his presence in the box dedicated to BCCI members hasn’t really been appreciated, according to a top source.

“He’ll be fine. He will push through,” Carey told the media in Sydney on Wednesday.

Big news for Australia, Alex Carey says Mitchell Starc will push through pain to play in Sydney. He’s also backed Mitch Marsh’s place in the side. @9NewsAUS @wwos

— Sam Djodan (@samdjodan) January 1, 2025

The Australian selectors will likely take a call on Starc’s fitness closer to the Test but Carey said he had no concerns whatsoever about his teammate’s fitness. “I’ve played with Starcy (Mitchell Starc) for a long time now and he is one of the toughest cricketers that I’ve played with. He’ll grimace and grab his rib without a doubt at times but he’ll be ready for the contest.”

A victory or a draw in the fifth Test here is paramount for the hosts as it will help them regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time since 2014-15. However, if India win the game, they will retain the trophy, winning the series for a record-extending fifth straight time.

If Starc were to be rested, fellow pacer Jhye Richardson would likely be called in as his replacement. The 28-year-old last played a Test in December 2021, taking five second-innings wickets in the pink-ball Ashes clash against England at the Adelaide Oval.

Asked about the prospect of getting a call-up, Richardson told Cricket Australia website that he was not thinking too much about the selection. “It’s hard to think about that (prospect of playing the next Test). You can’t spend too much energy wondering about what’s going to happen with selections.

“(I’m) trying to not think about it too much but if the opportunity arises, I’ll do my best to grab it.”

“Any time you get through the game, it’s always a good indicator that you’ve a chance at the next game,” McDonald told reporters after the hosts picked up memorable victory at the MCG to take a 2-1 lead in the series.

“It didn’t stop him (Starc). Clearly there was a little bit of discomfort early on in spells, but once he got warm it seemed as though he was pretty free. We’ll see how everyone recovers. Bowling last, it was a pretty attritional game, something that we’re not used to in the last few years.

“Clearly Starcy’s carrying something of some description. We’ll assess that. But other than that, it looks as though we got through pretty unscathed, but (with a) short turnaround recovery is important, and we’ll assess what the team looks like in Sydney based upon the surface, as we always do.”

Protein shakes were the choice of beverage for some Aussies following a grueling Test match #AUSvIND

Full story: https://t.co/W4QgzVeKZW pic.twitter.com/zLtvs7LmJx

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 31, 2024

Australia will regain the Border-Gavaskar trophy for the first time since 2014-15 if they win or draw the Sydney Test. However, if India win the New Year’s Test, they will retain the trophy, winning the series for a record-extending fifth-straight time.

Should Starc be unavailable for the series decider at his home ground, McDonald expressed confidence in Jhye Richardson or Sean Abbott stepping in to fill the void. “Very confident. Richardson’s here for a reason. So if we weren’t confident, he wouldn’t be here. He’s had a heavy week with us in the nets. All indications are he’d be capable of bowling 40-plus overs if he was called upon.

“Sean Abbott’s there as well. We feel like, (the) SCG is his home ground, so he will be serviceable if called upon as well. It’ll be about assessing our frontline quicks and then making decisions from there.”

Starc’s fitness issues, compounded by his heavy workload alongside skipper Pat Cummins, have also drawn attention to the limited role of Mitch Marsh as a fifth bowler. Across four Tests, Australia’s fifth bowling option Marsh has bowled only 33 overs, a statistic that underscores his underutilization.

Marsh’s contributions with the bat have been similarly underwhelming, with just 73 runs at an average of 10.42 across four Tests (6, 47, 9, 5, 2, 4, 0). These lackluster returns have sparked criticism and calls for his exclusion.

However, McDonald defended the all-rounder. “He’s in a good (head) space. Would you like better performances? There’s no doubt about that. Over four Test matches, he hasn’t been able to deliver at the level he would like and we would like.

“He’s up and about though. We just won a Test match. No, there’s no concern. And I think people have probably been reading too much into that. We haven’t required him with the ball as often as what we would have thought. He bowled again today. There are no injury concerns there.”

McDonald insisted that Marsh bowling just 33 overs is simply because the team didn’t require him to roll his arm. “I think to sort of head that down that angle is a little bit unfair. We just haven’t required him at certain times for whatever reason, so that’s more a tactical implementation, as opposed to a body.”

Jaiswal was batting on 84 (208b, 310m, 8×4) when Aussie skipper Pat Cummins’s down-the-leg snorter cramped him for the room while attempting a hook, and the home side went up instantaneously in appeal for a caught behind as Alex Carey completed a tumbling take.

On-field umpire Joel Wilson didn’t relent as the Aussies resorted to DRS and third umpire Saikat Sharfuddoula ruled Jaiswal out despite no edge being registered on the Snicko, basing his decision on the available visual deflection evidence.

“I can see the ball has made contact with the gloves. Joel, you need to change your decision.”

And with that, Jaiswal is out! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/biOQP4ZeDB

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 30, 2024

The Indian crowd at the MCG received the decision with rounds of ‘cheater’ chants. Eventually, Jaiswal’s dismissal opened a door for Australia in the final session of the fourth Test and the hosts eked out the remaining Indian wickets to celebrate a 184-run victory.

However, Rohit was more practical in his views, than emotional. “I don’t know what to make of it because the technology didn’t show anything but with naked eye it seemed like he did touch something,” Rohit said at the post-match press conference.

“I don’t know how the umpires want to use the technology but in all fairness I think he did touch the ball,” he added.

The skipper, however, lamented that his team often stood at the receiving end of such decisions. “It’s about the technology which we all know is not a 100 per cent. But again we don’t really want to look too much into that,” Rohit said.

“It’s just that we are more often than not falling on the wrong side of it. It’s been happening, so we have been a bit unfortunate,” he added.

Legendary Sunil Gavaskar did not accept the decision of the third umpire which placed visual evidence ahead of a flatline on Snicko. “The defection can be an optical illusion. Why have you kept technology? If there is technology, one should use it. You can not make a decision based on what you see and ignore the technology,” Gavaskar told the host broadcaster.

Simon Taufel, himself a distinguished umpire once, said the third umpire made the right decision. “In my view the decision was out. The third umpire did make the correct decision in the end,” former ICC Elite Panel umpire Taufel told Channel 7.

“With the technology protocols, we do have a hierarchy of redundancy and when the umpire sees a clear deflection off the bat there is no need to go any further and use any other form of technology to prove the case. The clear deflection is conclusive evidence. In this particular case what we have seen from the third umpire, is they’ve used a secondary form of technology, which for whatever reason hasn’t shown the same conclusive evidence of audio to back up the clear deflection.

“In the end the third umpire did the right thing and went back to the clear deflection and overturned the umpire field. So, in my view correct decision made,” he added.

This incident follows a similar controversy in the opening Test in Perth, where opener KL Rahul’s dismissal sparked a debate. After on-field umpire Richard Kettleborough had ruled in Rahul”s favour following Australia”s appeal, the home team used DRS to challenge the decision.

Third umpire Richard Illingworth had overturned the call despite not having the benefit of a split-screen view which would have given him a clearer picture of whether the Mitchell Starc delivery actually grazed the bat or the Snicko responded to a hit on the pads.

The protesters, who were joined earlier in the day by Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishore at Gandhi Maidan, attempted to march towards the chief minister’s residence in the evening, prompting police to take action, district magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh said.

The protesters also tried to jump over barricades while marching from Gandhi Maidan towards JP Golumber, he added.

“The protesters gathered at Gandhi Maidan despite the administration’s warning that any demonstration there would be considered unauthorised. The district police has registered an FIR against 21 known persons, including Prashant Kishore, his party president Manoj Bharti, city-based tutor Ramanshu Mishra and 600-700 unknown persons for organising a gathering of students at Gandhi Maidan even after denial of permission by the authorities”, the DM told PTI.

Kishore, who arrived in the afternoon and left after about an hour, criticised Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for “going to Delhi on a private visit but having no time for the youth of his own state.”

He also suggested that students start a “relay fast” so that fewer people risk their health for the cause.

“The CM does not have time to listen to the grievances of the protesting aspirants and has gone to Delhi. The protest will continue till their demand for the cancellation of the exam is not accepted. I am always with the protesting students”, Kishore said while addressing the BPSC aspirants.

Some protestors were detained by police near JP Golumber when they refused to vacate the roads.

“Water cannons and mild force were used to disperse protestors as some of them blocked traffic by lying on the roads near JP Golumber”, the DM said.

The DM said, “The government has been sensitive towards the concerns of the youth. The chief secretary has agreed to meet a five-member delegation approved by BPSC aspirants who have been pressing for an audience with the CM or some highly placed official. But protestors seemed to be disorganised and unable to nominate five persons”.

Talking to reporters, a BPSC aspirant said, “We never expected that the government would treat us like this. We are fighting for our own rights…we have nothing to do with those who are coming here to support our stir for political gains”.

Police also arrested two Patna-based tutors — Ramanshu Mishra and Rohan Anand — on charges of instigating students, said a top police officer of Patna district.

“Both are out on conditional bail and are undergoing treatment as they are not well”, an official said.

The candidates, who have been protesting for days, are seeking the cancellation of the 70th Integrated Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) due to allegations of a question paper leak in all centres, arguing that re-examination in just one centre would be unfair.

(Only the headline has been reworked by India.com staff. Copy comes from an agency feed)

India were in a spot of bother at 73/4 but Deepti (39 not out in 48 balls) used all her experience to see the team through with plenty of overs remaining.

Deepti Sharma gets one through the set Chinelle Henry! #CricketTwitter #INDvWI pic.twitter.com/E4OEy3cxUo

— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) December 27, 2024

Swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh was unbeaten on an 11-ball 23 when the winning runs were scored. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who eased nerves with two boundaries after last match centurion Harleen Deol’s (1) dismissal left India at 23/2, blazed away to a 22-ball 32 before getting bowled by Afy Fletcher.

During her breezy knock, Kaur smashed seven boundaries and looked good for a big one before getting dismissed. In-form opener Smriti Mandhana (4) departed early as Ashmini Munisar completed a strange one-handed catch after appearing to have misjudged what should actually have been a straightforward catch off the bowling of Aaliyah Alleyne.

Enjoying a good run of form in recent times, vice-captain Mandhana did not get to the pitch of the ball on the day and paid the price. One-down batter Deol followed suit, nicking for a Deandra Dottin delivery way outside off-stump and got a faint edge that was taken by wicketkeeper Shemaine Campbelle.

Middle-order batter Jemimah Rodrigues chipped in with 29 off 45 balls. Earlier, Renuka Thakur tormented West Indies with a fiery opening spell before Deepti got into the act to bowl out the visitors cheaply.

Thakur and Deepti were relentless with the ball, taking all 10 wickets between them. Thakur’s accurate line and length dismantled the top order, while Deepti deceived the West Indies batters with flight and guile, recording her third ODI five-wicket haul and second six-wicket performance.

West Indies fought back with a 97-run partnership between Chinelle Henry (61) and Shemaine Campbelle (46), helping them to cross 160. Without this stand, the visitors might have been bowled out for less than 100.

Both batted really well and were aggressive against the spinners. Apart from Henry and Campbelle, only Aaliyah Alleyne (21) reached a double digit score as West Indies’ batting woes continued.

Opting to bat first, West Indies’ innings struggled from the onset as Thakur dismissed both openers — Qian in the very first ball — and Hayley Matthews, who scored a century in the last match, for ducks.

She then claimed the wicket of the dangerous Deandra Dottin (5). From there, the show belonged to Deepti as she took control by spinning a web. West Indies lost wickets at regular intervals, ending their innings in the 39th over and denting their chances of securing a consolation win.

Singh made an unscheduled appearance at the press conference on July 25, 1991, a day after the presentation of the Union Budget “to ensure that the message of his budget did not get distorted by less-than-enthusiastic officials”, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh writes in his book ‘To the Brink and Back: India’s 1991 Story’ that recounts the fast-paced changes that took place after Rao became the prime minister in June 1991.

“The finance minister explained his budget — calling it ‘a budget with a human face’. He painstakingly defended the proposals to increase fertiliser, petrol and LPG prices,” Ramesh recounts in the book published in 2015. Ramesh was an aide to Prime Minister Rao during his initial months in office.

Sensing the disquiet among the Congress ranks, Prime Minister Rao called a meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) on August 1, 1991 and decided to allow party MPs to “vent their spleen freely”.

“The prime minister stayed away and allowed Manmohan Singh to face the flak on his own,” Ramesh writes, adding that two more meetings took place on August 2 and 3, in which Rao was present throughout.

“In the CPP meetings, the finance minister cut a lonely figure and the prime minister did nothing to alleviate his distress,” Ramesh recounts.

Only two MPs — Mani Shankar Aiyar and Nathuram Mirdha — backed Manmohan Singh’s budget wholeheartedly.

Aiyar had supported the budget, contending that it conformed to Rajiv Gandhi’s beliefs on what needed to be done to stave off the financial crisis.

Bowing to pressure from the party, Singh had agreed to lower the 40 per cent increase in fertilser prices to 30 per cent, but had left the hike in LPG and petrol prices untouched.

The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs met twice on August 4 and 5, 1991 to decide on the statement Singh would make in the Lok Sabha on August 6.

“The statement dropped the idea of a roll-back which had been demanded over the past few days, but now spoke of protecting the interests of small and marginal farmers,” the book states.

“Both sides had won. The party had forced a rethink, but the fundamentals of what the government wanted — the decontrol of prices of fertilisers other than urea and an increase in urea prices — had been preserved,” Ramesh recounts.

“This was political economy at its constructive best — a textbook example of how the government and the party can collaborate to create a win-win situation for both,” the book states.

The brief showdown took place after the completion of the 10th over of the Australian innings when the players were crossing over. Kohli and Konstas bumped shoulders while moving across the pitch. Both players quickly turned around to glance at each other and engage in a heated exchange of words with Konstas’ teammate Usman Khawaja stepping in to separate them. The on-field umpires also had a word with the two.

Speaking to reporters after stumps, Konstas said Kohli bumped into him and it wasn’t deliberate. “Virat Kohli accidentally bumped into me, that’s cricket and can happen with tension,” said the teenager.

“I think the emotions got to both of us,” Konstas had told Channel 7 during the second session. “I didn’t quite realise, I was doing my gloves, then a little shoulder charge, but it happens in cricket,” he added.

Virat Kohli and Sam Konstas exchanged a heated moment on the MCG. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/QL13nZ9IGI

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 26, 2024

Konstas, who was batting on 27 at the time, went on to hit Jasprit Bumrah for two boundaries and a six in the next over. The teenager scored a stunning fifty on debut before Ravindra Jadeja trapped him leg before wicket.

India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, who addressed the media in the end-of-day press conference, also brushed aside the incident as nothing big. “When you play a game, there will be emotions but it is not as big as it seems. I wasn’t aware of what happened and don’t know what was said,” he said.

Australian media says Virat Kohli could face disciplinary action

Konstas might have dismissed it as routine but former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting blamed Kohli for instigating the exchange. He went to the extent of saying that Kohli could face disciplinary action for it.

“Have a look where Virat walks. Virat’s walked one whole pitch over to his right and instigated that confrontation. No doubt in my mind whatsoever,” Ponting said on Channel 7 while watching the replay of the incident.

“I have no doubt that the umpires and the referee will have a good look at that. Fielders should be nowhere near the batsman at that stage. It looked to me that Konstas looked up really late, wouldn’t even know anyone is in front of him. That man on-screen there (Kohli) might have a few questions to answer,” Ponting added.

“I will hold all of them responsible. How can anyone even say Manu did not apply? She made history by becoming the first Indian to win two Olympic medals in the same Olympics. Her name should have been there automatically. Don’t the people at the helm know who Manu Bhaker is and what are her credentials? This humiliation might just affect her progress,” Rana told PTI Videos in an interview.

VIDEO | Here’s what double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker’s coach Jaspal Rana said after she was ignored for this year’s Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award.

“How can it be ignored? There has to be some system where points system should be given to an athlete and after that, they should… pic.twitter.com/Ud96fhqliA

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 24, 2024

The national coach felt the ‘new requirement’ where sportspersons have to apply directly for the awards was not in the best interest of sports, and was a bit demeaning.

The ministry norms allow athletes to self-nominate instead of relying on the federations and other institutions for it. The selection committee is, however, allowed to consider names which may not be among the applicants.

While the ministry claimed that Bhaker did not apply for the award, her father Ram Kishan Bhaker, a chief engineer in Merchant Navy, said the youngster had followed the due process.

“It’s really appalling. Why should a top sportsperson apply or request for an award? Awards should come naturally and automatically. How can it be ignored? There has to be some system in place,” Rana observed.

“Does every athlete know how to apply? Does it make sense that only an athlete can apply? Why not the federation, Sports Authority of India (or the) ministry,” the coach asked.

A ministry source had earlier told PTI that Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will decide on the recommendations of the 12-member award selection committee and, in all likelihood, Manu’s name will be there in the final list.

“There is no final list of nominees at this point. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will decide on the recommendations in a day or two and her name, in all likelihood, will be there in the final list,” the source said.

Konstas will become the youngest Test debutant for Australia since 18-year-old Pat Cmmins broke into the squad in 2011. “We wanted clarity for our batting unit before the team meeting,” Australia coach Andrew McDonald said ahead of the fourth Test with the series locked at 1-1.

“Pretty sure Travis Head will play but there are a few boxes to be ticked. The chat was mostly about his fielding position and what he can do there,” Aussie coach, Andrew McDonald added.

Travis Head had a short batting session today in the nets and will have to go through a… pic.twitter.com/YSbnv7on3k

— Cricketangon (@cricketangon) December 24, 2024

Dodemaide informing Konstas about his inclusion was a departure from protocol as traditionally, it’s the Australian skipper who confirms the playing XI on match eve or on the morning of the match.

“It’s (breaking the news) something we don’t usually do because haven’t had too many moving parts, but we thought we’d get that out of the way so everyone knows that he’s in the team,” said McDonald.

“He (Konstas) has been very similar to what I’ve seen on the outside within (the team) – composed, relaxed, knows his game. And what he’s shown is an array of shots, the ability to put pressure back on to opponents and he gets his opportunity,” he added.

Konstas replaces Nathan McSweeney in the side after the opener was dropped because of a string of poor scores in the three Tests so far.

However, McDonald said, Head, one of the in-form batters having scored two centuries so far in the series, had a ‘a small strain to the quad’ picked up during the last day of the third Test at the Gabba.

The ‘Player of the match’ in the last two Tests faced only throw-downs from assistant coach Brad Hodge rather than his fast-bowling teammates at the nets on Tuesday. “I thought he looked good with the bat in his hands so obviously the skills are in good order. It will just be what risk is associated with that,” said McDonald.

“But no concerns from my end, he’s been able to do his running so I think he’ll be functional come game time.”

The coach did not speculate on who could fill the spot in the middle-order if Head fails to prove his fitness. The uncapped pair of Josh Inglis and Beau Webster are the stand-byes in the squad.

However, pacer Scott Boland has been all-but confirmed to replace Josh Hazlewood, who is nursing a calf strain. McDonald said with temperatures expected to soar to over 40 degrees during the Boxing Day Test, the pitch could end up being more batter-friendly.

“I think this wicket might offer the batters a little bit more in terms of the surface as the game draws on. If we didn’t pick Scotty (Boland) here – and I know I’m not allowed to declare the team because that’s Pat’s (Cummins) job tomorrow – but I don’t think I’m coming to the ground Boxing Day if Scotty’s not in the eleven.

“We’ve got great depth in our bowling, and (all-rounder) Mitch Marsh is fully fit and able to bowl. But he (Boland) is ready to go and I think he’ll play a role in this Test match with the ball more so than the previous ones.”

It was learnt the skipper needed icing at night and the team think-tank held the used pitch’s uneven bounce responsible for the injury scare. The Indian team had sent its training schedule two months ago but the MCG curator stuck to the standard operating procedure of giving a new practice track only three days prior to the Test match, which begins on December 26 in this case.

“So for us, three days out, we prepare pitches for here. If teams come and play before that, they get what pitches we’ve had,” Page told reporters about why India didn’t get a pitch that would resemble the centre strip.

“So today, we’re on fresh pitches. If we needed to play this morning, they would have been on those fresh pitches. Stock standard procedure for us, three days out. We do our pitches that we’re going to have for our Test match,” Page added.

1st Picture – Pitches for Australia for the practice at MCG.

2nd Picture – Pitches for India for the practice at MCG. (RevSportz). pic.twitter.com/wGEx9tZJxW

— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) December 23, 2024

When asked if he has had the Indian schedule and BCCI had correspondence with Cricket Australia, he responded in affirmative. “Yes, they gave us schedule. There has been correspondence between CA and Indian board and the extent of those conversations, I don’t know,” Page informed.

‘MCG pitch will help fast bowlers’

The iconic MCG won’t have the bounce of Perth or the seam movement of Gabba but it will still be pace-friendly with 6mm of grass covering. Page said it won’t crack up enough to help the spinners.

“Seven years ago, we were quite flat, we want to create exciting an contest and exciting Test matches, so we will leave more grass, that brings the bowlers into equation.

“But it is still good for batting once the new ball goes off. We keep 6mm grass and we would monitor that as we get in,” Page elaborated.

The decision to make it bowler-friendly was taken in 2017 after the MCG track was deemed as a flat deck. “In 2017, we sat down as an organisation and discussed where we wanted to go and we agreed that it was about producing wickets for thrilling Test matches.It gives bowlers a chance to come into the game but also batters if they play well.”

So will Jasprit Bumrah be excited after having a look at the track? “All quick bowlers get excited when they come here now although it is not as quick as Perth and Brisbane but we have managed to get some pace on it,” Page answered.

“Every wicket in Australia is different and we have also got our unique character.”

While Ravindra Jadeja is more of a batting all-rounder in overseas conditions, Page said there is not much help for spinners now. “It doesn’t really break for spinners here and if you see long-format games over the last four to five years, you will see, it has been more seam-friendly than spin,” Page observed.

“Anticipatory bail plea is dismissed. Interim protection from arrest is vacated,” Justice Chandra Dhari Singh said while ruling on the plea. Justice Singh said a strong prima facie case was made out against Khedkar and investigation was required to unearth the conspiracy. It was a classic case of fraud committed on a constitutional body as well as society, the judge said.

Khedkar is accused of misrepresenting information in her application for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, 2022, to get reservation benefits. The counsel for the Delhi Police as well as the complainant, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), opposed the plea for pre-arrest bail.

The UPSC was represented by senior advocate Naresh Kaushik and lawyer Vardhman Kaushik. Khedkar has denied all allegations against her.

The UPSC initiated a series of actions against Khedkar in July, including lodging a criminal case, for availing attempts in the civil services exam by faking her identity. The Delhi Police registered an FIR under provisions of the Indian Penal Code, Information Technology Act and Right of Persons with Disabilities Act.

“I am honoured to be conferred the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Order by His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah. I dedicate this honour to the people of India and to the strong friendship between India and Kuwait,” Modi said in a post on X.

The ‘Order of Mubarak Al-Kabeer’ is a knighthood order of Kuwait.

In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described it as “a testament to the long-standing India-Kuwait friendship”.

“PM dedicated this honour to India-Kuwait ties, to the Indian community in Kuwait and to the 1.4 billion people of India,” Jaiswal added.

The award was given to Prime Minister Modi for strengthening the good relations between the two nations, Kuwait’s state-run news agency KUNA reported. This is the 20th international honour given to PM Modi by a country, officials said.

The order is awarded to the Heads of State and foreign Sovereigns and to members of foreign royal families in sign of friendship. It has been previously awarded to foreign leaders like Bill Clinton, Prince Charles and George Bush.

Modi reached Kuwait on Saturday for a two-day visit. His visit is the first by an Indian Prime Minister to the Gulf nation in 43 years. He received a ceremonial welcome and Guard of Honour at the Bayan Palace.

Modi had earlier received honours from Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain.

In November, Guyana and Dominica conferred their top awards on Prime Minister Modi for his contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic and his exceptional contributions to the global community and efforts in strengthening bilateral ties with the two Caribbean nations.

In the same month, Nigeria conferred its national award – the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger – on Prime Minister Modi for his statesmanship and stellar contribution to fostering bilateral ties, making him the second foreign dignitary to receive the distinction.

In its 2024-25 budget, the Delhi government had announced this scheme to provide Rs 1,000 per month to all women aged above 18. However, Kejriwal recently announced that the amount would be raised to Rs 2,100 if his party returns to power in the assembly elections, slated for February next year.

Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said, “The registration for the scheme will start tomorrow, and women don’t have to go anywhere for registration; our volunteers will come to your home and complete the registration.”

The beneficiaries will need to show their voter identity cards, and all eligible women voters in Delhi will receive the benefits, he added.

Kejriwal also announced that registration for the Sanjeevani Yojana will start tomorrow, and elderly people will be registered at their homes by AAP volunteers.

Earlier, the AAP supremo announced that the Sanjeevani Yojana would be launched to provide free treatment to people aged above 60 years after his party returns to power in Delhi.

In the run for the upcoming Delhi elections, AAP is vying for a third consecutive term, having won 62 out of 70 seats in the last election.

“There is a ‘krish koop’ (well) here. It is not closed but there is no water in it. This well is mentioned in the ‘Skanda Purana’ along with all pilgrimage sites of Sambhal… this well is on the temple premises, inside the old boundary,” he said.

Speaking to PTI about the visit by the ASI, Sambhal Sub-Divisional Magistrate Vandana Mishra said, “A team of the ASI visited the ‘Kalki Vishnu’ temple. There is a ‘krish koop’ here which is said to be an ancient well. Its age is yet to be determined. The team stayed for about 15 minutes and also visited the temple.”

On Friday, a four-member team of the ASI surveyed the recently-discovered Shri Kartik Mahadev temple, five pilgrimage sites and 19 ‘koops’ (wells).

The Kartik Mahadev temple (Bhasma Shankar temple) was reopened on December 13 after the authorities said they stumbled upon the covered structure during an anti-encroachment drive.

The temple housed an idol of Lord Hanuman and a shivling. It had remained locked since 1978. The temple also has a well nearby which the authorities had planned to reopen.

Sambhal District Magistrate Rajender Pensiya had earlier told reporters that the ancient temple and the well were being excavated.

The temple is situated in the Khaggu Sarai area, just over a kilometre from the Shahi Jama Masjid of Sambhal. Violence broke out on November 24 during a protest over a court-ordered survey of the Mughal-era mosque. Four people were killed and several, including police personnel, were injured.

On December 12, the Supreme Court restrained till further directions courts in the country from entertaining fresh lawsuits and passing any effective interim or final orders in pending ones seeking to reclaim religious places, especially mosques and dargahs.

Shaw had expressed his frustration at not being picked in the 16-member squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy in a viral social media post some days ago after being a part of the side’s title-winning Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign.

“In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, we were playing with 10 fielders as we were forced to hide Prithvi Shaw. The ball would pass near him and he would barely be able to get to it,” the official said on conditions of anonymity.

After Prithvi shaw’s story, MCA Source Said “The fitness concern is there, but the performance is also not there currently. Prithvi Shaw needs to work on his fitness, discipline, and performance. The main issue is the fitness“ (HT)pic.twitter.com/GBLBDhpfuT

— Vipin Tiwari (@Vipintiwari952) December 19, 2024

“Even while batting, we could see he was troubled reaching to the ball. His fitness, discipline and attitude are poor and it is pretty simple, there cannot be different rules for different players,” he claimed.

“Even the seniors in the team have started complaining about his attitude now,” he added.

During the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Shaw missed training sessions regularly after showing up at the team hotel at “six in the morning” being out for most of the night. Shaw, who has attracted a lot of attention for his off-field activities and not doing his talent justice by focussing on his game, would not get any favour from such social media posts, the official said.

“You would be wrong to think such posts on social media would have any impact on the Mumbai selectors and the MCA,” he added.

Shaw’s teammate and Mumbai captain Shreyas Iyer too had issued a stern statement on the night Mumbai defeated Madhya Pradesh in the final to win the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. “He needs to get his work ethics right. And if he does that, (the) sky’s the limit for him,” Iyer told reporters in Bengaluru.

“We can’t babysit anyone, right? He has played so much of cricket. Everyone has given him inputs. At the end of the day, it’s his job to figure out things for himself. And he has also done it in the past. It’s not that he hasn’t,” he added.

Shaw was earlier left out of Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy squad for similar reasons in October after which he was given a specific fitness program to work on at the MCA Academy. “He is not following that as well properly,” the official said.

Shaw broke into the scene amid a lot of hype, making his Test debut in 2018 as an 18-year-old in a home series against the West Indies. His lone century in the format was on that exciting debut but since then, he has appeared in just four more Tests, the last of these being against Australia four years ago.

His ODI and T20 International career has also failed to take off and he hasn’t played any white-ball cricket for India since 2021. These are markedly underwhelming statistics for a player, who was touted as the next big thing in Indian cricket just a few years ago.

Several former players have expressed their concern about his antics and attitude both on and off the field. A recent low for him was failing to find any takers in the IPL auction despite coming in with a relatively low base price of Rs 75 lakh.

“I’ll tell you one thing. No one is Shaw’s enemy. He is his own enemy,” the MCA official stated, voicing the frustration that the cricket fraternity in India has felt over him not living up to the early promise.

Two BJP MPs were hospitalised with injuries as Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi became the centre of the ruling party’s accusations, including one by a woman MP who said he “misbehaved” with her.

Delhi Police registered an FIR against Gandhi under various sections after BJP leaders filed a police complaint. A police officer said that all sections in the FIR are bailable except Section 117 (voluntary causing grievous hurt) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The sordid incident perhaps without parallel started in the morning as BJP and opposition MPs marched towards each other over Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s comments on Ambedkar. As the two groups came closer, tempers and voices rose, soon resulting in a melee.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said he was pushed so violently that he lost his balance and sat down. “Now they are the ones who are accusing us of shoving them,” the 82-year-old said.

However, the more apparent injuries were sustained by BJP’s Balasore MP Pratap Sarangi, 69, who had to get stitches in the temple. His colleague Mukesh Rajput was also injured in the head.

The Congress vehemently denied the charges. Party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said Rahul Gandhi and the others were protesting peacefully, but were prevented from entering Parliament by BJP MPs carrying “sticks”.

The BJP MPs were seen carrying placards pinned to sticks.

“BJP MPs stopped, threatened and intimidated me,” Rahul Gandhi said.

The Congress also filed a complaint against the BJP in the Parliament House police station.

BJP MP from Vadodara Hemang Joshi, accompanied by Anurag Thakur and Bansuri Swaraj, also visited the police station and filed a police complaint against Gandhi for “attempt to murder, physical assault and incitement”.

A Delhi Police officer said the FIR was registered against Rahul Gandhi under sections 115 (voluntary causing hurt), 117 (voluntary causing grievous hurt), 125 (act of endangering life or personal safety of others), 131 (use of criminal force), 351 (criminal intimidation) and 3(5) (common intention) of the BNS at the Parliament Street Police station.

The officer said that police are likely to call Gandhi for questioning in connection with the case and will request the Lok Sabha Secretariat to provide the CCTV footage of the area where the alleged incident happened.

Both sides also complained to the respective Chairs in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha against each other.

The scuffles and the controversy served to unite the opposition in defending Rahul Gandhi. National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said he knew Rahul Gandhi and he would not push anyone.

Speaking in Rajya Sabha, BJP MP from Nagaland S Phangnon Konyak alleged that Gandhi came in her “close proximity” and shouted at her during the protest outside the Parliament’s Makar Dwar which made her feel “extremely uncomfortable”.

In a letter to the Rajya Sabha chairman, she claimed that Rahul Gandhi along with other party MPs came in front of her despite there being a passage created for them by security personnel.

“He misbehaved with me in a loud voice and his physical proximity to me was so close that I being a lady member felt extremely uncomfortable… I belong to the ST community and I am a lady member. My dignity and self-esteem have been deeply hurt by LoP Shri Rahul Gandhi ji.Therefore, Hon’ble Chairman sir, I seek your protection,” she wrote.

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar said that he received a communication from Konyak on the incident and she also met him in his chamber. “I am looking into it. She was literally in tears,” he said in the House.

Addressing a joint press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Kharge and Rahul Gandhi alleged that the BJP is indulging in distraction and said they would continue to protest across the country over Shah’s remarks.

Soon after Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan held a presser at the BJP headquarters where he squarely put the blame on Gandhi for the fracas.

“Rahul Gandhi does not deserve to hold the post of the Leader of Opposition,” Chouhan said while terming the Congress leader’s behaviour as “indecent and shameful”.

The trouble broke out minutes before both Houses were to convene at 11 am.

A number of MPs of the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance were protesting at the steps of Parliament’s ‘Makar Dwar’, an entrance and exit reserved for lawmakers, against the Congress’ alleged insult of Ambedkar, while MPs from the Congress and its allies were demonstrating over Union Minister Home Amit Shah’s remarks on Ambedkar and accused the BJP of slighting the architect of the Constitution.

BJP MPs claimed that Gandhi tried to push his way inside Parliament through the middle of the stairs where they were standing, ignoring a side passage, and caused injuries in the ensuing jostling. However, some opposition MPs claimed that the BJP members refused to give way to Gandhi who was headed to the Lok Sabha to attend the House proceedings.

BJP member Nishikant Dubey accused Gandhi of pushing Sarangi. “Are you not ashamed Rahul, you are resorting to rowdy behaviour (‘gundagardi’). You pushed an old man,” a furious Dubey told Gandhi.

“He pushed me,” Gandhi countered Dubey, walking off after a cursory look at Sarangi, who was being attended to by fellow BJP members. Sarangi was later wheeled off to an ambulance.

“Rahul Gandhi pushed an MP, who fell on me and I got injured,” he told reporters as BJP members squatted at the Makar Dwar raising slogans against the Congress.

Hitting out at Gandhi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said appropriate action would be taken in the matter. “Parliament is not a place to show physical strength. It is not a wrestling ring,” he said.

Dubey told reporters, “I am a four-time MP, I have seen something like this for the first time.”

A number of ruling alliance MPs, including Union ministers, met their injured colleagues.

Both Houses witnessed massive uproar amid ‘Jai Bhim’ chants from both sides and were adjourned without witnessing any transaction. Congress MPs met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and submitted a complaint against the BJP MPs.

The Congress and other opposition parties have seized on a part of Shah’s reference to Ambedkar in his Rajya Sabha speech on Tuesday to target the BJP and demand his resignation.

Shah, defended by Modi and other senior members of the BJP and its allies, has accused the Congress of distorting his speech. The BJP has instead cited the alleged insults to Ambedkar and neglect of his legacy during the long years of the Congress rule to launch its counter-protest.

In a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Kharge claimed he was pushed by BJP MPs, lost his balance and was forced to sit on the ground, injuring his knees that have already undergone surgery. He has demanded an inquiry into the “attack”.

MPs of the Congress, DMK, RJD, SP, the Left and NCP(SP), among others, participated in the protests on Thursday. Several opposition MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and K Kanimozhi, were seen wearing blue, a colour associated with Ambedkar.

It is understood that retirement was on his mind after the home series against New Zealand, which India shockingly lost 0-3. He had made it clear to the team management that if he was not guaranteed a place in the playing eleven during the Australia series, he would not even travel Down Under.

India played Washington Sundar ahead of Ashwin in Perth before the veteran returned for the pink ball Test, at Rohit’s insistence. Ravindra Jadeja played in the Brisbane Test and as Rohit stated after the drawn third Test in Gabba, nobody knew how the squad would shape up for the remaining two games in Melbourne and Sydney.

“There was no nudge from the selection committee. Ashwin is a legend in Indian cricket and he has the right to take his own call,” a senior BCCI source told PTI news agency on conditions of anonymity.

. . .

No better time than today to rewatch this gem

Some words of wisdom from the champion cricketer #TeamIndia | @ashwinravi99 pic.twitter.com/Ipzs13cznz

— BCCI (@BCCI) December 18, 2024

The next Test series is in England (June to August) where India might not take along more than two specialist spinners who are also batters. India’s next home Test series is in October-November. So, 10 months is a long time and once this World Test Championship cycle ends, one is looking at 2027. Ashwin would have been 40 by then with transition in Indian cricket hopefully complete.

Ashwin’s decision not to wait till the series against Australia gets over also indicated that the decision to drop him for Washington in the opening game at Perth was what broke the proverbial camel’s back.

An astute reader of the game both on and off the field, Ashwin might have gauged what was in store going forward and that perhaps made it easier for him to take a call.

After 537 Test wickets, at the age of 38, and for a man who wore the India colours with a lot of pride, Ashwin didn’t want to just sit there in the dressing room wearing a fluorescent green bib that is reserved for the reserves.

The New Zealand series obviously gave the signs when he ended with nine wickets from three games with two played on tailor-made surfaces in Pune and Mumbai. Washington, in comparison, took 12 in Pune, a match in which Ashwin managed five.

Rohit wasn’t present in Perth when the playing 11 was finalised and it could be safely concluded that it was coach Gautam Gambhir, who had a say on who will be India’s No. 1 off-spinner going forward and the name wasn’t Ashwin.

Once he linked up with the team, Rohit had to convince Ashwin to play in Adelaide. “When I arrived in Perth, this was a chat we had and I somehow convinced him to stay for that pink ball Test match and then after that, it just happened…He felt that if I am not needed right now in the series, I am better off saying goodbye to the game,” the India captain revealed.

“It’s important when a player like him who has had so many moments with the Indian team and he has been a truly big match-winner for us, he is allowed to make those decisions on his own and if it was now, so be it,” added Rohit.

Ashwin’s predecessor Harbhajan Singh felt the Chennai-man could have delayed this announcement until after the series. “Numbers can’t lie and he has such a phenomenal record. I would have ideally liked him to stay back for the final two Tests as in Sydney, he could have played a part. But it’s an individual call,” Harbhajan told PTI.

“When the name is as big as Ashwin, it is the player, who decides. May be he didn’t want to hang around,” Bhajji said.

There is a school of thought that even if India would have gone with two spinners in Sydney if the conditions permitted, Jadeja would have been paired with Washington, because both are considered more capable batters in SENA countries.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni had announced his decision to retire from Test cricket after the third game in Melbourne but that had a lot to do with long sessions of keeping which were affecting his dodgy back and he desperately wanted to continue playing white-ball cricket.

In case of Ashwin, the realisation that he is not even being considered among the top two spinners must have been too much to accept.

Action will be taken against those found guilty, and the minister requested Parents and Teachers Associations (PTAs) in schools to report any teachers working in private tuition centres to the Department.

Sivankutty emphasised that the state’s general education sector has flourished with society’s support and must continue to do so.

Regarding the recent leakage of question papers for the Class 11 Christmas examinations, the minister assured that a comprehensive investigation is underway. Portions of the exam paper were found on a YouTube channel, and stringent measures are being taken in response.

Sivankutty also assured that there would be no lapses in conducting examinations. He added that the present issues would be resolved and the process would move forward.

The Kerala General Education Department formed a six-member committee on Monday to investigate the leak of question papers for the Class 11 Christmas examinations.

When Bumrah was asked about the performance of the batter and then the media person commented that he might not be the ‘right’ person to talk about the batting, the Mumbai Indians speedster asked his to check Google.

“You are questioning my batting ability. You should use Google and see who has got the most number of runs in a Test over,” Bumrah said in the press conference after third day’s play on Monday.

” ” – #JaspritBumrah knows how to handle tricky questions, just as he tackles tricky batters, speaking about his batting prowess, and the support he gets from the team’s bowlers!

Excited… pic.twitter.com/uDX1P2NpRw

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 16, 2024

Having taken a seemingly erroneous call of bowling first in the third Test at the Gabba in Brisbane, India conceded a huge first-innings total of 445 despite Bumrah returning 6/76. In response, the visitors were 51/4 on a rain-hit third day with questions being raised about batters’ technique and the quality of bowling, save for Bumrah.

“We don’t, as a team, point fingers at each other and we don’t want to get into that mindset where we are pointing fingers at each other that ‘you should do this, you should do that’,” Bumrah said.

“We, as a team, are going through a transition, new players are coming here and it’s not the easiest place to play cricket. Over here, it’s a different atmosphere with this wicket being a different challenge so yeah, we are not looking at that.”

Bumrah, who leads the bowling chart in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with 18 wickets so far, defended the Indian attack amid chatter that he is not getting adequate support from fellow bowlers.

“As a bowling unit, as I said, we are in transition so it’s my job to help the others. I have played a little more than them so I am trying to help them,” said Bumrah, who has 191 Test wickets in just 43 Tests.

“Everyone will learn through it, will get better and eventually will find different ways so this is the journey that you’ll have to go through,” he added.

Bumrah rejected suggestions that India’s poor first innings scores were putting more pressure on the bowlers and on him. “We have 11 players, it’s not like that. I don’t look at it that I have to do extra (work). As I said, we are a new team, a lot of new players have come into the side. We have to be considerate and give them that cushion that they will learn from experience,” he said.

“Nobody is born with all the experiences, nobody is born with all the skills. You keep learning, you keep finding new ways (and) you keep learning about your own game,” he continued.

The Indian vice-captain said he has enjoyed the challenge of bowling on different pitches in Australia. ”I always find different challenges very interesting. Because in the Test match that we played in Perth, the wicket was different. (At) Adelaide (with the) pink ball (was) different, the wicket behaved different, the ball behaved differently,” he said.

“Here it is a little different because the wicket is at a level and the run-up is low. In India we are not used to that,” he explained.