With a power-packed batting line-up, match-winning spinners and a solid pace attack, champions KKR are once again the team to beat.
Fresh from their morale-boosting win over LSG, and bolstered by the return of India wicketkeeper-batter K L Rahul, Delhi Capitals will look to build on the momentum when they take on formidable Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL match in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.
The likes of Yashaswi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sarfaraz Khan, Nitish Reddy, Harshit Rana, Akash Deep and Prasidh Krishna are on their maiden Test tour of Australia.
The output of eight key infrastructure sectors expanded by 2 per cent in September, though the growth was slower than the 9.5 per cent registered in the same month last year, according to official data released on Wednesday. The output of these sectors had contracted by 1.6 per cent in August. Out of the eight key sectors, three -- crude oil, natural gas and electricity -- recorded negative growth in September.
A local newspaper photographer had an unusual challenge -- capturing a photo of an Australian fan. He admitted he had been waiting for an hour but hadn't spotted a single one.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir will rejoin the touring party on Tuesday after he returned to India due to 'personal reasons,' according to ESPNcricinfo.
'If we execute our plans properly, we can beat any team on any given day.'
'I will watch India's match against New Zealand with no tension -- just enjoy the cricket.'
The most powerful man in world cricket today himself retrieved the ball from amidst the seats and threw it back onto the field. It was then that everyone realised Jay Shah is a left-hander.
Rinku Singh attempted the falling reverse lap scoop and reverse pull by using the pace off Ravi Bishnoi's googlies, similar to Rishabh Pant's audacious stroke-making.
Domestic rating agency Icra on Wednesday said India's real GDP growth for the September quarter is likely to decline to 6.5 per cent due to heavy rains and weaker corporate performance. The agency, however, maintained its FY25 growth estimate at 7 per cent on expectations of a pick up in economic activity in the second half of the fiscal.
Nayar wrote that the central government should initiate steps to address the pending inter-state issues in the North East, especially the boundary dispute of Assam with Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya.
India's cricket team boasts a wealth of talent, with numerous players capable of taking on leadership roles. The Indian team doesn't have a designated vice-captain and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar said it does not need one.
Mohammed Shami's much-awaited return to top-flight cricket did not receive too many supporting signals during the seasoned pacer's nearly hour-long stint of varying intensity at the India nets here on Friday. Despite working hard on finding his bowling rhythm, Shami never really hit his flowing peak. While he was expected to feature in the playing 11 during India's first T20I against England at Kolkata on Wednesday, the management decided to delay his comeback. Shami's rhythm and sharpness gradually hit a higher gear but the whole picture was one of rustiness, raising questions about his current form and the decision to select him for the series against England and the Champions Trophy.
Retail inflation breached the Reserve Bank's upper tolerance level, soaring to a 14-month high of 6.21 per cent in October mainly on account of rising food prices. Inflation based on the consumer price index (CPI) was 5.49 per cent in September and 4.87 per cent in the year-ago month. Retail inflation trended below the RBI's upper tolerance band of 6 per cent since September last year.
The Centre's fiscal deficit at the end of the eighth month of financial year 2024-25 touched 52.5 per cent of the full-year target, government data showed on Tuesday. In absolute terms, the fiscal deficit -- the gap between the government's expenditure and revenue -- was about Rs 8.47 lakh crore during the April-November period, according to the data released by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA).
Gambhir had taken charge of the team in July and the team will be playing its first Test in his tenure.
The Indian players went through a gruelling training session ahead of the first Test against Bangladesh, starting next week.
'There is always a temptation for the captain and the coach to decide whether to play him or me.'
Continuing the downward trend, retail inflation fell to a five-month low of 4.31 per cent in January, mainly due to a decline in the prices of vegetables, eggs, and pulses. The Consumer Price Index-based retail inflation was 5.22 per cent in December and 5.1 per cent in January 2024. The previous low inflation was in August 2024 at 3.65 per cent.
With an aggressive mindset and intense training sessions, India looks set to make a powerful statement when they step onto the field, observes K R Nayar, the veteran cricket writer, from Dubai.
'We're excited about the game, and obviously, if you can win, it builds a lot of momentum going into the semifinal.'
The fervour for the India-Pakistan match is so intense that for many beating Pakistan in Dubai seems even more important than winning the Champions Trophy itself, observes K R Nayar, the veteran cricket writer.
'Especially in the middle overs. That's going to be a key challenge.'
The ideal candidate should be deaf to avoid being shocked by the so-called 'shocking revelations' from the dressing room, asserts K R Nayar.
Sri Lanka leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay wreaked havoc with a six-wicket haul to hand India a 32-run defeat in the second ODI match.
While India dominated visiting teams on spin-friendly wickets to put together 18 consecutive series wins at home in last 12 years, the choice to play on turning tracks against New Zealand backfired in Pune and Mumbai.
The hands that broke records and redefined batting deserve to hold and present the trophy named in his honour. To ignore such a legend during the trophy presentation is an affront to his legacy and diminishes the value of the trophy itself, asserts veteran cricket writer K R Nayar.
From working in a garment factory, selling bread, and driving an autorickshaw, the 24-year-old fast bowler's path to representing domestic giants Mumbai was anything but easy.
The Indian players got down to business on Friday with an intense session in the nets under the watchful eyes of head coach Gautam Gambhir.
The ICC has rated Chennai's M A Chidambaram Stadium pitch, used for India's Test match against Bangladesh in September, as 'very good'
In case Rohit misses a Test match in Australia, the in-form Abhimanyu Easwaran is likely to be his cover although Shubman Gill and KL Rahul are also players with enough experience in the opening slot.
Virat Kohli's conduct came under the microscope in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne on Thursday after a clash of shoulders with teen debutant Sam Konstas, but the incident did little to knock the Australian wonder boy off his stride.
The ongoing debate about India and Pakistan playing on each other's soil has given rise to a new term in cricket: The 'hybrid model'. While most people associate 'hybrid' with vehicles, this term has now found its way into the cricket lexicon, points out K R Nayar.
The December meeting of the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will start on Wednesday even as there is no clarity on whether Governor Shaktikanta Das, the chair of the panel, will continue in office after his term ends next week. The outcome of the meeting will be announced on Friday by Das at 10 in the morning.
'Quickly assessing what's required to do here will be the key for us.' 'If we can assess quickly and adjust our batting or bowling quickly that will help us moving forward.'
'#TeamIndia could benefit if they have the services of #Tendulkar as the batting consultant in their prep for the #BGT2025.'
President Ram Nath Kovind said he was 'a determined champion of democracy during the Emergency' and would be missed by his readers.
Raghavansi played down his effort and thanked his "guru", saying he has influenced him the most
With Gautam Gambhir now part of the setup, there is renewed hope for a turnaround in Rahul's Test career. Gambhir's belief in Rahul's abilities, combined with his guidance, could help unlock his true potential and bring the expected consistency.
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