India face West Indies in the T20 opener as Gautam Gambhir weighs a key selection call between Sanju Samson and teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
The meeting of the NDA MLAs was called to discuss the strategy to be adopted by treasury bench members during the four days long monsoon session of state assembly that began on Thursday.
'With vendetta politics as its main plank, the BJP will be looking out for every opportunity to destabilise this Mahagatbandhan government.'
According to state government data, the first 10 months of last year -- January to October 2020 -- witnessed 2,649 murders in Bihar, an average of nearly nine murders a day.
Krunal Pandya kept his India comeback hopes alive after missing the Afghanistan T20I squad, following a strong IPL season where he impressed with bat and ball.
Ideology and principle are always put to work to camouflage political ambition. Nitish Kumar is a past master at this. His acceptance of the NDA in the first place was aimed at the top spot of Bihar. Then Delhi became the goal, but Narendra Modi's rise as head of the campaign rang alarm bells. So Nitish suddenly remembered secularism, says Jaya Jaitly.
This was confirmed by Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Rajiv Mishra, who held a press conference nearly 12 hours after the incident took place at 6.40 am on the Desh Ratna Marg.
In a major embarrassment to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's development politics, his party colleague Janata Dal-United president Sharad Yadav has accused him of not coming out of caste politics.
India A faces Australia A in the second unofficial One-Day International, aiming to bounce back after a significant loss in the opener. Key players like Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devdutt Padikkal, and Sai Sudharsan are under pressure to perform, while Suryansh Shedge emerged as a promising all-rounder for India A.
Ashwin wants Bhuvneshwar Kumar in India's 2027 World Cup squad, saying the veteran seamer's swing bowling could be crucial in South African conditions.
India T20I skipper Shreyas Iyer has highlighted the importance of regular game time and confidence for Jasprit Bumrah, who is returning from injury ahead of the Afghanistan T20I series, the Asian Games, and the ODI World Cup.
Speculation is rife in Bihar about Chief Minister Nitish Kumar potentially moving to the Rajya Sabha, leading to discussions about a possible BJP chief minister and a role for Kumar's son, Nishant. Senior BJP leaders have dismissed the rumours.
A young girl wants to correct her father's name in her school certificate; a man wants his three year unpaid rent from a government doctor, an athlete wants an archery set... Scenes from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Darbar, recorded by Rediff.com's Archana Masih.
The legendary duo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been at their menacing best recently in ODIs and it remains to be seen how the New Zealand bowlers can stop them.
Hours before his plunge into politics, Nishant met senior JD-U leaders and young MLAs to understand the party's future plans.
Jan Suraaj Party Founder Prashant Kishor took the oath as the Bankipur MLA in Patna on Monday, August 17, 2026.
Bihar's political corridors are buzzing with rumours of the star-politician joining hands with Nitish Kumar.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's son, Nishant Kumar, is set to enter politics, with a formal announcement expected from the JD(U). Party leaders express enthusiasm and anticipate a significant role for Nishant within the party.
"Best wishes to Nitish Kumar ji on being nominated as the chief minister. I hope he makes his priority positive issues such as aspirations of the people of Bihar, the NDA's promise of 19 lakh jobs-employment, education, health, livelihood, irrigation and justice rather than his ambition for the chair," Tejashwi wrote in a social media post.
JD-U lawmakers voiced their concerns over Nitish Kumar's move to the Rajya Sabha, while also welcoming the imminent political debut of his son, Nishant, amidst speculation about the future leadership of the state.
'Nitish Kumar has only done what any smart politician will do in his place,' says Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
Nitish Kumar appeared rather grumpy as he was sworn in as Bihar's chief minister for a record 10th time at the Gandhi Maidan in Patna on Thursday afternoon.
'Nitish Kumar has reverted to the 1990s model. The besetting sin of this type of ministry formation was a fundamental insult to democracy,' argues T V R Shenoy. 'Not only did it not inform the voter who the prime ministerial candidate was, but it also gloried in keeping out the largest party in the Lok Sabha.'
Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja, along with Prasidh Krishna, are set to gain valuable red-ball preparation in the third and final four-day game for India A against New Zealand A in Lincoln, ahead of the upcoming two-Test series.
Pacer Keemo Paul discusses how West Indies bowlers effectively used slow balls on a gripping pitch and the absence of dew to secure a 24-run victory over India in the fourth T20I on Wednesday. He also highlighted captain Shai Hope's crucial century and strong team planning as key factors in their success.
India's bowling attack, particularly veteran Ravindra Jadeja, is under immense pressure to deliver an improved performance in the third and final ODI against the West Indies in Mullanpur. With the series already secured, the focus shifts to addressing the team's struggles in picking up early wickets and containing runs, especially in the powerplay and middle overs.
Dharmendra Kumar Singh says the Bihar chief minister may be fighting a losing battle.
Kris Srikkanth questioned whether India's star-studded Afghanistan squad was picked out of fear after recent defeats, arguing the series offered an ideal chance to blood promising youngsters.
'Voters from the forward castes voted for JD-U because they feared Laloo Yadav's return, but since that fear is no longer there they may not see the need to vote for Nitish Kumar anymore.'
India head coach Gautam Gambhir stated that all-rounder Hardik Pandya is not yet fit to bowl a full 10-over quota in ODIs and will not be rushed back. Gambhir also hinted at the possibility of playing both Pandya and Nitish Kumar Reddy once Pandya achieves full bowling fitness, emphasizing his return depends on his all-round contribution.
Rampant crime challenges the chief minister's promise to maintain law and order. But some say there are other forces at play.
Young Indian fast bowlers Gurjapneet Singh, Arshad Khan, and Yash Thakur are set to feature in the India A vs Australia A one-day series, aiming to showcase their talent and address the senior national team's current scarcity in the pace department. The series, initially anticipated for Hardik Pandya's return, now serves as a crucial platform for these emerging pacers to catch the attention of national selectors amidst injuries and inconsistent form among established bowlers.
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary stated that the JD(U) will thoroughly study the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill before deciding on its stance, indicating they will not oppose it without valid reasons. This position contrasts with the RJD's strong opposition and highlights the JD(U)'s independent approach within the NDA.
'If Nitish Kumar were to depart from this alliance, it would signal substantial instability in central government politics.'
Wasim Jaffer says India missed Rinku Singh's finishing prowess against West Indies, while cautioning against expecting Naman Dhir to bowl four overs and stressing his batting value.
Former India cricketer Vivek Razdan has shared his preferred batting lineup for India's first T20I against Afghanistan, advocating for Shreyas Iyer to retain his number four spot and Sanju Samson to open the innings. Razdan emphasized performance over the left-right batting combination, highlighting Samson's recent T20 form. The series opener will also see a selection dilemma with multiple openers available and marks Iyer's first home series as captain.
Kumar has to be elected to the legislative council within six months of assuming power as chief minister.
Nitish Kumar's decision to contest the Rajya Sabha elections signals the end of his long-standing tenure as Bihar's Chief Minister, paving the way for a potential BJP leader to take the helm.
'Nitish Kumar is the only leader who gave us everything.'
West Indies head coach Daren Sammy lauded skipper Shai Hope's 'amazing innings' of 162 not out, which led the team to a record chase of 352 against India, denying them a series sweep and providing valuable learnings for the Windies.
