AHMEDABAD: Former India captain Rohit Sharma will feature in the first two matches for Mumbai in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy. However, India’s T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav, opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, and all-rounder Shivam Dube have not been included in Mumbai’s squad for the domestic One-Day tournament. The team will be captained by all-rounder Shardul Thakur.The group stage of VHT will be held between Dec 24, 2025 and January 8, 2026. Mumbai have been placed in Elite Group C, alongside Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Himachal, Maharashtra, Punjab, and Goa, and will play their matches in Jaipur.

“Rohit will play in Mumbai’s first two matches of the tournament (against Sikkim on Dec 24, and against Uttarakhand on Dec 26, at Jaipur),” a source in the Mumbai Cricket Association told TOI on Friday. The BCCI has made it mandatory for all current national team players to turn up in at least two matches of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, unless a player is injured or recovering from injury at CoE. Earlier, it emerged that former India captain Virat Kohli too will turn out in VHT for Delhi.“All the India players will be accommodated in the Mumbai squad as and when they are available,” Mumbai’s senior selection committee chairman Sanjay Patil told this paper, after his panel picked the squad for the tournament on Friday. Also present in the selection meeting was former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar, currently the MCA’s men’s cricket advisor.Jaiswal, India’s Test and ODI opener, was hospitalized in Pune after suffering from a bout of acute gastroenteritis after Mumbai’s last match in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy against Rajasthan. “He will be included in the Mumbai squad once he gets clearance from the medical team,” Patil said.India play their next international series starting with the three-match ODI series against New Zealand from Jan 11, 2026 in Vadodara.Meanwhile, it’s learnt that former India and Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane has asked to be rested from the initial matches Mumbai team in the league stage of the tournament. “He has got a hamstring issue, and will rest and recover. He will join the Mumbai team after the first couple of matches,” Patil said.The selectors have given a maiden call-up to opener Ishan Mulchandani. Young batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who managed to score just 49 runs in four matches@16.33 in the recently-held Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy, was lucky to survive the axe. Prolific domestic batter Sarfaraz Khan, who was in sizzling form in SMAT, hammering 329 runs in seven matches at an average of 65.80 and a strike rate of 203.80, including three fifties and a century, is apart of the squad, and so is his younger brother, allrounder Musheer Khan.Though Mumbai failed to defend their SMAT title, failing to advance beyond the Super League Stage, Patil was quite pleased with the team’s performance in the T20 tournament. “I’m quite happy with our performance. We won eight out of our 10 matches, which means that we played some good cricket. Everyone played well, especially Sarfaraz Khan. It’s just that we suffered badly due to the Net Run Rate Rule,” Patil said. Mumbai won two out of their three matches in the Super League stage, but crashed out as their NRR was inferior to the other teams.According to the rules of the tournament, the NRR was counted from scratch for the Super League. And, after three Super League games, if multiple teams were on equal points, then instead of looking at the head-to-head figures, the NRR was taken into consideration.

Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon push Australia to the cusp of Ashes 2025-26 triumph against England in Adelaide. The third Test of the Ashes 2025-26 series at Adelaide Oval, starting December 17, 2025, saw Australia dominate England on Day 4, setting a daunting 435-run target after posting 371 and 349. With England reeling at 207/6, needing 228 more at stumps, Cummins and Lyon’s incisive bowling sparked massive crowd celebrations, inching Australia toward a series-clinching win.​

Australia’s resilient batting stand put up a massive target against England on Day 4

Australia’s second innings began steadily on Day 4 but witnessed a dramatic collapse after a strong platform, yet they amassed 349 to forge ahead. Travis Head‘s masterful 170 off 219 balls, including 16 fours and two sixes, anchored the innings, reaching 150 in 205 balls during a 150-run fifth-wicket stand with Alex Carey (72 off 128). Key partnerships propelled milestones: 300 runs in 71.5 overs and 250 in 61.6 overs, but post-Head’s dismissal at 311/5 (73.6 overs), the lower order crumbled, losing 38 runs for six wickets in 10.8 overs.​

England’s bowlers struck back decisively. Josh Tongue claimed 4-70, including Head, Cameron Green (7), and Josh Inglis (10), while Brydon Carse took 3-80, dismissing Jake Weatherald (1), Marnus Labuschagne (13), and Lyon (0). Usman Khawaja (40) and Carey added crucial runs before Ben Stokes (1-26) and Jofra Archer (1-20) mopped up, with Australia all out in 84.4 overs at 4.12 runs per over. Despite the late wobble from 311/5 to 349 all out, the total left England facing history’s fourth-highest successful chase target in Tests.​

Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon strike England down as Australia eye Ashes 2025-26 glory

Cummins and Lyon turned Day 4 at the Adelaide Oval into a theatre of dominance, sending the crowd into raptures as Australia tightened its grip on a likely Ashes 2025–26 triumph. With England attempting an increasingly uphill chase, Cummins led from the front with a fiery spell that shattered the visitors’ early resolve. Striking in his very first over, the Australian captain removed Ben Duckett and soon added the prized wickets of Ollie Pope and Joe Root, finishing with superb figures that reflected both control and menace. At the other end, Lyon played the perfect foil, using guile and patience to break England’s middle order, dismissing Harry Brook, Ben Stokes and, most crucially, the well-set Zak Crawley, whose gritty resistance briefly kept England afloat.

England’s innings never truly found momentum, crawling along at a slow run rate as Australian bowlers applied relentless pressure. Crawley’s half-century offered a flicker of hope, but once he fell, the collapse after tea laid bare England’s fragile middle order. Cummins’ supporting cast, including Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc, maintained tight lines, ensuring there was no escape. By stumps, England were staring at a daunting target with their tail exposed, while the Adelaide crowd sensed the inevitable. With Australia needing just a few more breakthroughs, a 3–0 series lead now appears firmly within reach.

Also WATCH: Nathan Lyon’s deadly spin sends Harry Brook packing on Day 4 of Adelaide Test

Here’s how fans reacted:

Nathan Lyon to-

Zak Crawley
Ben Stokes
Harry Brook#Ashes2025 pic.twitter.com/sw4xobBMDQ

— SanjayGandhi (@SanjayGandhi41) December 20, 2025

The modern-day great Nathan Lyon 🐐 has been Australia’s X-factor since 2011.#AUSvsENG #NathanLyon #Ashes2025 #ashes25 ⚱️ pic.twitter.com/6OuFU2fe77

— महेंद्र बाहुबली (@Mahisi1996) December 20, 2025

Nathan Lyon’s sensational spell puts Australia on the brink of retaining the Ashes in Adelaide 🔥#WTC27 pic.twitter.com/iDFeJv79hu

— Kunal Khan (@kkunalkhan) December 20, 2025

NATHAN LYON IS INEVITABLE!

In the space of just a few overs, he’s cleaned up Harry Brook (30) AND Ben Stokes (5)! Both batters absolutely bamboozled by the drift and dip. Brook went for the reverse sweep Garry hit the stumps. Stokes played back Garry took the wood.#Ashes #Lyon pic.twitter.com/AmfAnJAC8k

— Arun R Arya (@arunarya6396) December 20, 2025

3.3 overs, and Nathan Lyon wreaks havoc:

❌ Brook b Lyon
❌ Stokes b Lyon
❌ Crawley st Carey b Lyon

A spell for the ages — pure magic from Lyon!

No wonder they call him the GOAT 🐐#AUSvsENG #Ashes2025 #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/eodKq2Qttn

— Arshy (@imArshit) December 20, 2025

Only two men have taken 150+ wickets as Test captain: Imran Khan (187) and Pat Cummins (150) 💪 pic.twitter.com/x0Gnlunnel

— Sohail Khan (@k42068387) December 20, 2025

PAT CUMMINS GETS JOE ROOT FOR THE 13TH TIME IN TEST CRICKET. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/SyBwhy2zn4

— Muhammad Zubair (@MuhammadZu83460) December 20, 2025

🚨 AUSTRALIA v ENGLAND ASHES, Third Test Match 3rd DAY , STUMPS

ENGLAND 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 AT 207 for 6

Will Jacks – 11*
Jamie Smith – 2*

Pat Cummins : 10 – 3 – 24 – 3

Australia need 4 wickets to win #Ashes2025 #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/MESedYgjrT

— CricketPremi (@AkhandSharma9) December 20, 2025

Pat Cummins — a modern-day great captain

Pat Cummins has become the second bowler in Test history to take 150 wickets as captain.

Only the great Imran Khan stands ahead, with 187 wickets as Test captain.

⭐ Elite company. Historic milestone. Leadership with impact. pic.twitter.com/wC1IlbapHA

— Abdul Rehman Yaseen (@Aryaseen5911) December 20, 2025

Australia have edged closer to retaining the Ashes 💪#AdelaideTest #AUSvsENG #Ashes pic.twitter.com/2LlAdfLOeb

— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) December 20, 2025

Also WATCH: Marnus Labuschagne grabs a screamer to remove Ollie Pope on Day 4 of the third Ashes 2025-26 Test in Adelaide

Pakistan men’s hockey team (IANS)

Former Pakistan hockey Olympian Anjum Saeed has landed in controversy following an incident during the national team’s return journey from the FIH Pro League in Argentina, after he was reportedly caught smoking on an aircraft while it was refuelling at Rio de Janeiro airport. Saeed, who was part of the senior Pakistan team’s support staff as manager for the Pro League tour, was travelling back with the squad when the incident occurred during a stopover in Brazil. According to reports, he was found smoking on board while the aircraft was on the ground for refuelling in Rio, a serious safety violation. As a result, Saeed and one Pakistan player were not permitted to reboard the flight, which was scheduled to continue on to Dubai. The former defender and midfielder later returned to Pakistan separately and has since claimed that his absence from the team’s return was due to personal work in Dubai. However, officials have disputed this explanation and confirmed that the issue has drawn the attention of the Pakistan Sports Board. A senior PSB official said the board had formally asked the Pakistan Hockey Federation to conduct an independent inquiry into the matter, stressing that the episode reflected poorly on Pakistan sport. The official added that while the board had already gathered preliminary information of its own, it wanted the federation to take responsibility and determine what action was required given the seriousness of the incident. According to the official, the situation escalated when Saeed and another player allegedly reacted angrily after he was confronted by airline staff for smoking during the refuelling stop. The matter was then reported to the authorities, leading to both individuals being offloaded from the flight. Saeed is a well-known figure in Pakistan hockey, having featured in the 1992 Olympic Games, including the semi-final, and being part of the squad that won both the World Cup and Champions Trophy in 1994. The controversy has further overshadowed Pakistan’s campaign in the FIH Pro League, where the team struggled during their first-ever appearance in the elite competition.

With no signs of slowing down, ‘Dhurandhar’ starring Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Rakesh Bedi, Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun, and more, continues to dominate at the box office. The Aditya Dhar film entered its third week on Friday and has already minted over Rs. 480 crore. At this pace, the movie is expected to make more than Rs 500 crore on Saturday. According to the trade reports, currently, on its third Saturday, the movie has already made over Rs 8 crore. For a detailed box office report of the spy thriller, read below.

‘Dhurandhar’ box office collection day 16 (LIVE)

According to Sacnilk, the movie made Rs. 22.5 crore on Friday, and on Saturday, day 16, until now the film has added Rs. 8.61 crore to the tally. Currently, the movie’s net total collection in India stands at Rs 491.61 crore.

As aforementioned, the movie is expected to make more than Rs 500 crore during its second weekend. These numbers came amid the competition from the new international release, James Cameron’s ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash.’ The sci-fi drama opened with Rs. 20.05 crore on Friday, and so far on Saturday, it has collected Rs. 4.89 crore. The net collection of the movie in India is Rs.24.94 crore.

‘Dhurandhar’ – day wise break down of the box office

Based on true incidents, ‘Dhurandhar’ had a massive opening, making it the second-highest opener of 2025. In its first week, the movie showed impressive growth, and the second week was no different either. Here are the day-wise numbers of the movie.Day 1 [1st Friday] Rs 28 CrDay 2 [1st Saturday] Rs 32 CrDay 3 [1st Sunday] Rs 43 CrDay 4 [1st Monday] Rs 23.25 CrDay 5 [1st Tuesday] Rs 27 CrDay 6 [1st Wednesday] Rs 27 CrDay 7 [1st Thursday] Rs 27 CrWeek 1 Collection Rs 207.25 CrDay 8 [2nd Friday] Rs 32.5 CrDay 9 [2nd Saturday] Rs 53 CrDay 10 [2nd Sunday] Rs 58 CrDay 11 [2nd Monday] Rs 30.5 CrDay 12 [2nd Tuesday] Rs 30.5 CrDay 13 [2nd Wednesday] Rs 25.5 CrDay 14 [2nd Thursday] Rs 23.25 CrWeek 2 Collection Rs 253.25 CrDay 15 [3rd Friday] Rs 22.50 CrDay 16 [3rd Saturday] Rs 8.61 CrTotal Rs 491.61 CrDISCLAIMER: The box office numbers in this article are compiled from our proprietary sources and diverse public data. We strive for accuracy and all figures are approximate unless explicitly mentioned. We offer a fair representation of the project’s box office performance. We are open to feedback and suggestions on toientertainment@timesinternet.in

NEW DELHI: The Government of India is seeking suggestions for the upcoming Budget 2026 from the general public to help make new rules and plans for the country. According to a post on X by MyGovIndia, the government encouraged people to participate in this important task. The government stated on X, “Building the Budget with Public Insight. Share your suggestions for Union Budget 2026-27 and contribute to the policies that promote inclusive growth and National development.” The message invites everyone to visit the MyGov website to submit their views on what the new budget should focus on for the next year.Earlier in the previous month, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman completed multiple rounds of Pre-Budget Consultations in New Delhi as part of the preparations for the forthcoming Union Budget 2026-27. The series began with consultations with leading economists, followed by representatives from farmer associations and agriculture economists. Subsequent sessions engaged stakeholders from MSMEs, capital markets, startups, manufacturing, BFSI (Banking, Financial Services and Insurance), information technology, tourism and hospitality, and finally trade unions and labour organisations.Earlier this month, various industry bodies also gave their suggestions for the pre-budget. Industry body PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) presented a set of pre-budget suggestions for the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector to the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, seeking easier taxes, cheaper credit and simpler rules for small businesses.The proposals focused on changes in income tax, bank loans, export support and equity funding so that MSMEs could run their businesses with less cost and delay. The chamber said these steps could help small units grow, pay back loans on time and compete better with firms in other countries.This upcoming Budget comes in the backdrop of strong GDP numbers and moderate inflation in the economy. As always, the annual Budget document is presented in the Parliament on February 1 each year. In the run-up to it, a series of mandatory pre-Budget meetings is held between the Finance Minister, secretaries and various stakeholders to make the budget-making process all-inclusive.

Aditya Dhar‘s ‘Dhurandhar’, starring Ranveer Singh, has been shattering all the box office records with every passing day. The ‘Dhurandhar’ fever even took over Priyanka Chopra‘s husband, Nick Jonas, who danced to a track of the film. And now, Singh has reacted to the American pop singer’s dance video.

Ranveer Singh reacts to Nick Jonas and his team grooving to the ‘Dhurandhar’ song

Nick Jonas dropped a video of himself grooving to the ‘Shararat’ track from ‘Dhurandhar’. Soon, Ranveer Singh arrived in the comment section of his post. The actor wrote, “Hahahaha JiJuuuu Jaane Deeee.” Nick also commented, “@ranveersingh Bhai! Dhurandhar title track is up next! Love to you and the family. Let’s go.” Nick’s comment has received thousands of likes.

Sara Arjun, who plays the female lead in the Aditya Dhar directorial, also commented on the post. She wrote, “Hahaha insane!!! Love this.” Even Jacqueline Fernandez dropped laughing emojis in the comments.

Nick Jonas’ recent love for Bollywood music

Nick Jonas is currently enjoying Bollywood music, it seems. After dancing to ‘Aavan Javan’ from ‘War 2’, Nick Jonas grooved to the ‘Dhurandhar’ track. Along with the post, he wrote, “New pre-show hype song unlocked.”Earlier, Nick danced to the ‘Aavan Javan’ song from Hrithik Roshan and Kiara Advani’s ‘War 2’. On the video, he wrote, “My hype up song before every show on the tour.”

More about ‘Dhurandhar’

Directed by Aditya Dhar, the film stars Ranveer Singh as an Indian spy who infiltrates the Lyari town of Pakistan. The movie also features Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Rakesh Bedi, and Sara Arjun. Actors like Danish Pandor, Naveen Kaushik, and Saumya Tandon played pivotal roles in the action adventure. The second installment of the film is scheduled to hit cinemas on March 19, 2026. Meanwhile, at the box office, the film has been raking in massive numbers. Released on December 5, 2025, the film has earned Rs 472 crore until now, according to the Sacnilk report.

Nathan Lyon has produced a moment of absolute magic at the Adelaide Oval on Day 4 of the Adelaide Test between England and Australia, delivering a ball that will be replayed in coaching manuals for years to come.

Nathan Lyon’s fiery spin forces Harry Brook’s departure on Day 4 of Adelaide Test

Having already troubled Harry Brook with his flight and dip earlier in the over, Lyon switched to around the wicket and tossed this one up with generous air, tempting the batter into a drive. Brook, perhaps anticipating a straighter delivery, planted his front foot and aimed to punch through the covers, but he failed to account for the prodigious revolutions Lyon had imparted on the Kookaburra.

The ball drifted in beautifully to hold its line in the air before biting into the crumbling Day 4 surface and ripping sharply away from the right-hander. It was a classic off-spinner’s dismissal, beating the bat not just by a fraction, but by a comfortable distance, before crashing into the top of the off-stump with a sickening sound that silenced the Barmy Army. The sheer extent of the turn left Brook looking back at the pitch in disbelief, his aggressive stay ended by a piece of bowling artistry that exposed the vulnerability of England’s “Bazball” approach against high-quality spin on a wearing track. Lyon’s roar of delight told the story; he knew he had just removed the biggest threat to Australia’s dominance with a delivery that was simply unplayable.

Here’s the video:

Also WATCH: Marnus Labuschagne grabs a screamer to remove Ollie Pope on Day 4 of the third Ashes 2025-26 Test in Adelaide

Ashes 3rd Test: Lyon spins web around England as visitors crumble in pursuit of record 435

The third Test at the Adelaide Oval has swung decisively in Australia’s favor on Day 4, with Lyon delivering a masterclass in spin bowling to dismantle England’s middle order. Chasing a colossal target of 435 for victory, set up earlier by Travis Head’s marathon 170 and Alex Carey’s rapid 72 which lifted Australia to 349 in their second innings, the visitors have crumbled under the mounting pressure and a deteriorating surface. While Brook offered brief resistance with a counter-attacking 45 (62), his dismissal in the 56th over (55.4) proved to be the fatal blow, as Lyon’s drift and sharp turn left the young batter bewildered and his off-stump pegged back.

This critical strike came just four overs after the GOAT had already removed England captain Ben Stokes for a mere 5 (18) in the 52nd over (51.6), producing a magic ball that squared him up completely and rattled the timber. England, now reeling at 158/5 and still trailing by 277 runs, face an insurmountable mountain to climb with their recognized batting lineup decimated against the pink ball under lights. Lyon’s current spell of 3/42 underscores his dominance, as he exploited the footmarks created by the pacers to devastating effect, leaving the tourists Bazball philosophy in tatters. With the tail exposed and Pat Cummins rotating his bowlers aggressively, Australia is now on the verge of taking an unassailable 3-0 series lead to retain the urn.

Also READ: Ashes 2025–26: Fans erupt as Travis Head hits dazzling century on Day 3 of Adelaide Test

India’s telecom sector ended 2025 on a strong footing, with the department of telecommunications (DoT) recording major gains in digital connectivity, infrastructure expansion and technology self-reliance, according to a year-end review released by the ministry of communications.A key development during the year was the launch of the National Broadband Mission (NBM) 2.0 in January. The initiative aims to speed up digital inclusion by expanding high-speed broadband access to villages, schools, health centres and other critical institutions, supporting the government’s long-term vision of a “Viksit Bharat” by 2047.The review highlighted a sharp rise in internet and mobile usage. Total internet connections crossed the 100-crore mark, nearly four times higher than in 2014. Broadband subscriptions also touched close to 100 crore, while average monthly data consumption per wireless user jumped to 24 GB, placing India among the highest data-consuming nations globally. Median mobile broadband speeds rose sharply as well, reaching over 130 Mbps by October 2025.The nationwide rollout of 5G stood out as one of the year’s defining achievements. 5G services are now available across all states and Union Territories, covering 99.9 per cent of districts and reaching around 85 per cent of the population. Telecom operators have installed more than 5.08 lakh 5G base stations, supported by a doubling of optical fibre cable length since 2019.Rural connectivity also expanded rapidly, with rural telephone connections rising nearly 43 per cent since 2014, almost twice the growth rate seen in urban areas. Overall tele-density reached 86.65 per cent by September.The year also marked a technological milestone, with India becoming the world’s fifth country to develop an indigenous 4G technology stack. Built by C-DOT, Tejas Networks and TCS and deployed by BSNL, the system is fully software-driven and upgradeable to 5G, news agency ANI reported. Progress was also recorded under the Bharat 6G Mission.On the citizen services front, platforms such as Sanchar Saathi gained wide adoption. The portal logged 22 crore visits, while its mobile app saw over 1.5 crore downloads. The Financial Fraud Risk Indicator helped prevent losses of about Rs 450 crore by flagging more than 70 lakh suspicious transactions.Manufacturing also showed strong momentum, with the telecom PLI scheme generating cumulative sales of over Rs 96,000 crore and exports exceeding Rs 19,000 crore, reinforcing India’s shift towards becoming a global digital and innovation hub.