NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Saturday ordered the release of Christian James Michel from custody in a money laundering case linked to the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam, holding that he has already spent the ‘maximum period’ of incarceration prescribed for the offence.Allowing Michel’s plea seeking release in the case filed by ED, special CBI judge Sanjay Jindal said: “By virtue of second proviso to section 436A CrPC (maximum period for which an undertrial prisoner can be detained) with all necessary implication as per law, he be released from jail, if not required in any other case.”However, Michel will continue to remain in jail as he is also an accused in a corruption case filed by CBI.The court noted that Michel has been charged under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, which is punishable with imprisonment of up to seven years. It noted that he will complete seven years in custody on Dec 21. According to the second proviso, no person can be detained during investigation, inquiry or trial for more than the maximum period of imprisonment prescribed for the offence.“In view of the mandatory provisions of second proviso to section 436A CrPC, the said accused is entitled to be released accordingly and he cannot be detained in this case beyond Dec 21, 2025,” the court said.During the hearing, Michel submitted in writing that he would participate in the remaining trial, even if released. His counsel told the court that ED and CBI had been investigating the case for the last 12 years, while his client had remained in custody for nearly seven years. Despite being granted bail, the counsel argued, Michel had been unable to go home, calling the situation a “mockery of justice”.Earlier in the day, the court heard Michel’s plea seeking release in the CBI case and directed the agency to file its response. The matter has been listed for further hearing on Dec 22.Michel had approached the court seeking custodial release in both ED and CBI cases.Michel, alleged to be a middleman in the Agusta deal, was extradited from Dubai in Dec 2018, following which CBI arrested him and filed a chargesheet. The ED subsequently charged him in the money laundering probe.

Mumbai: In the 1920s, when municipal corporator and civil engineer Muncherji Edulji Joshi, initiated a housing project for Parsi families in Dadar, his vision was to construct a model neighbourhood with two-storey buildings, large open spaces and gardens around them.A century later, redevelopment has slowly crept in into this verdant residential enclave popularly known as Dadar Parsi Colony (DPC). Ironically, Joshi’s statue at the entrance of the colony today has a humongous residential tower behind it. Daruwala House, a Parsi-only two-storey building metamorphosed into Nirvan Tower about a decade ago. Opposite it, the old Dossal House was pulled down to give way to Della Tower, a 21-storey tower built by architect and designer Jimmy Mistry.

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On Road No 5 in DPC, developer Rustomjee has redeveloped three properties into luxury towers while on Muncherji Joshi Road, the ground-plus-two-storey Najamai Mansion was razed for a skyscraper.Over the past 15 years, close to 30 high rise buildings have come up in DPC and the adjoining Matunga belt, according to local resident and activist Mehernosh Fitter.However, unlike other residential areas in Mumbai where redevelopment has razed old bungalows, cottages and low-rise buildings from the early 20th century, DPC still retains its charm with its tree-lined roads and over a dozen parks and gardens. The charming neighbourhood holds many secrets old and new, including that a senior state politician regularly visits a special friend in one recently constructed tower.To some extent, what has saved this Parsi residential enclave from the redevelopment mania that has gripped the city is because the over 100 plots are all Parsi covenant properties. It means that only members from this community can stay in these buildings and can sell them only to their brethren. In the past, attempts were made to remove these covenants, but most still hold.In the late 1920s, Bombay Improvement Trust Parsee Central Association Cooperative Housing Society had signed an agreement for a 999-year lease of several plots in the reserved area (Dadar Matunga Estate) with certain restrictive covenants by which no member other than the members of the Parsi Zoroastrian community could use and occupy the premises. “The best air quality in Mumbai is here,” said 83-year-old Kekobad Doongriwalla, who has lived in Dosabhai Mansion in DPC since the early 1960s. “Residents are proactive and will fight to preserve their green spaces,” he said.Mistry, a resident of DPC and founder of Della Group said, “DPC’s evolution over the past two decades reflects a larger shift in how Mumbai is reimagining ageing neighbourhoods through redevelopment, densification, and the challenge of balancing growth with livability. Over the past 15 years, with nearly 25–30 towers coming up, the area has transitioned from a predominantly low-rise 3- to 5 -floor enclave to a more vertical 21-floor or 70-metre contemporary urban fabric.” He added, “DPC, in many ways, is a microcosm of Mumbai’s redevelopment journey—where the real opportunity lies in shifting from building-centric redevelopment to precinct-led, design-driven, and community-first urban regeneration. If aligned with upgraded infrastructure, heritage sensitivity, and human-centric design, neighbourhoods like DPC can emerge as benchmarks for sustainable, future-ready urban living.”“DPC, in principle, was built for lower- and medium-income Parsi households in the 1920s. Today it is invaluable real estate,” said Kayomi Engineer. She describes herself as a “born-and-bred local resident, who felt the time had come in the existence of Parsi Colony, Dadar, to document and archive for posterity the folklore, fact-checked with city archives and historical data”.“There is an effort being made to archive all of this with the intent of having, as one would say, a UNESCO accreditation. There are many layers to why a UNESCO accreditation would, in some sort of way, impress upon the mindset of people as to why conservation of heritage spaces is important,” she told TOI. She added that 95% of DPC was built via philanthropy “rooted in a cultural tradition of being Zoroastrian”. However, Engineer said she is not opposed to redevelopment. “It’s more about saying if something needs to go down and it needs to be replaced by a new structure, it would be a nice gesture by whoever’s building the new structure, to sort of keep it in sync with what the area around demonstrates as its environment,” she said.Urban designer and architect Harshad Bhatia said it’s been three decades now since the city’s heritage list included certain areas like DPC as “precincts”. “Since Dadar Parsi Colony or ‘Five Gardens’ is one such Heritage Precinct, there must be rules of do’s and don’ts for any new development within the listed area. There are up to three-storey buildings, tucked largely under green foliage of trees, leveled roads with the ‘safe streets’ feel on walkable wide footpaths, all with the aura of a quiet, livable residential community neighborhood,” he said.Bhatia said that in the absence of guidelines that address the livable quality of man with nature, “one notices the changing skyline of new tall towers that rise higher than tree crowns and dwarf the low-rise storey original buildings that remain”.“Seems that while the heritage listing had a primary goal to protect buildings, the charm of DPC, viz the tree foliage was left out in marking the natural quality of this precinct. As such now, the towering scale of its new buildings may also be a threat to the trees on the avenues for blocking sunlight down below,” he added.“I would say in the past decade, DPC has seen controlled redevelopment. Builders are generally not keen to come in because of the Parsi covenants,” said Tanaz Parekh, who lived in DPC for several decades. The larger problem, she added, was the crumbling civic infrastructure. Also, rampant road concretisation and digging carried out by the BMC in the area has caused severe problems. “Roads are narrow and traffic has increased. The existing infrastructure cannot bear this strain,” she said.

MEERUT/BULANDSHAHR: Nine years after the horrific gang rape of a woman and her young daughter on a stretch of National Highway-91 in Uttar Pradesh as male members of the family, tied and assaulted by robbers, begged and cried for mercy, a special Pocso court in Bulandshahr convicted five men for the gruesome crime on Saturday. The assault had not just shocked the nation, but also forced the then-state govt to tweak road rules, even posting ‘snipers’ on trees to curb crimes along the key stretch. Sentencing of the five convicts is scheduled to be done on Monday. The incident happened on July 29, 2016, when the family’s vehicle was intercepted near a village, while they were travelling to Shahjahanpur from Noida. The gang held the entire family hostage at gunpoint and assaulted the mother-daughter after dragging them to a nearby field.Despite the crime scene’s proximity to a local police station, the cops there failed to respond on time. The family reported that initial calls to emergency services went unanswered, and the investigation only gained momentum after the father contacted a personal acquaintance in the Noida police department.Providing details, additional district govt counsel (ADGC) Varun Kaushik, said, “Forensic evidence, including semen traces matching the convicts, played a crucial role.” “The court convicted Zuber alias Parvez (35), Mohd Sajid (37) both from Kannauj, and Dharamveer Singh (36), Sunil Kumar (35), Naresh Kumar (46), from Farrukhabad district. Saleem Bawaria (45) – the gang’s kingpin – died during the court trial in Dec 2019,” he added. The ADGC added that “all the convicts were unable to secure bail and remained in jail since the incident.” “Their bail was even rejected by the Supreme Court,” he said. An FIR was registered on the afternoon of July 30, that year, under sections 394, 395, 397 (aggravated forms of robbery and dacoity), 376-D (gangrape), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC, and 5/6 of the Pocso Act. “The next day, police arrested Mohd Riyazuddin, Mohd Shahwez and Jabar Singh from Haryana. They were, however, later given clean chit by CBI and let-off,” Kaushik said. The gravity of the incident led to a CBI probe ordered by the Allahabad high court and resulted in the suspension of several high-ranking police officers for “negligence”.Notably, the apex court also reprimanded then-UP cabinet minister Azam Khan for calling the incident a “political conspiracy by the Opposition”. Khan later tendered an apology in court. TOI’s extensive coverage at that time exposed the vulnerability of the travellers on desolate stretches of the UP highways, some of them without adequate road lights.Twenty-five witnesses provided testimony during the trial. Of the 11 individuals implicated, the legal outcomes varied – two suspects died in police encounters, one passed away in custody due to illness and three were acquitted for lack of evidence. Saturday’s conviction by additional district and sessions judge-III, Omprakash Verma, concluded the lengthy legal process.

New Delhi: Legendary coach Chandrakant Pandit is a stickler for discipline and ensuring that cricket is played strictly according to rules. However, Pandit decided to make a rare exception, granting a second breath of life to a highly rated 17-year-old batter. The 64-year-old coach adjudged the batter not out despite the ball striking his pads, gifting concession in a practice match where he was umpiring. The 17-year-old cricketer went on to score 165, which impressed Pandit and paved the way for entry into the Madhya Pradesh (MP) setup.IPL 2026’s player auction recently witnessed heavy demand for Akshat Raghuwanshi, the player being referred to, drawing a bidding war between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH). LSG eventually signed the 22-year-old batter for rupees 2.2 crore, acquiring a cricketer who has drawn comparisons to Australia’s Cameron Green for his big-hitting. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer had earlier stated that he hasn’t seen a more talented player than Raghuwanshi at 21.

‘Akshat‘s maiden IPL season delayed by 2 years’The right-handed batter smashed 239 runs in four matches at a strike rate of 177.04 in the last edition of the Madhya Pradesh Premier League, plundering 16 sixes. Raghuwanshi, who idolises Rohit Sharma, especially caught the eye with his no-look upper cut, which has emerged as a signature shot. The MP batter had gone unsold in the previous edition of IPL despite quality performances, leading to nervousness. However, there was quiet confidence at the same time, having drawn trial invitations from nine franchises.

“We were very sad after Akshat went unsold in the last IPL auction, as the whole family had sat down together to watch him get a historic opportunity. This time, we were following proceedings quietly in our respective homes due to fear of another setback. However, everyone started bursting crackers and distributing sweets after Akshat got picked,” said Raghuwanshi’s father Krishna Pal, during an exclusive interaction with TimesofIndia.com. LSG pacer Avesh Khan kept Akshat abreast about the teams bidding for him after the latter’s TV broke down midway during the auction. “We hail from Ashoknagar, a remote city in Madhya Pradesh, which resulted in fewer opportunities for Akshat. Otherwise, my son was well capable of being picked in the IPL two years back,” added Krishna Pal.‘Unable to speak but crisp shot selection’Raghuwanshi started playing cricket when he was 3 years old, showcasing unprecedented strength and excellent footwork, drawing encouragement from his father. The MP batter could perfectly play a cover drive, flick shot or cut shot despite not having the ability to speak, urging Krishna Pal to quit his business and shift to Indore for enhanced training in the coming years. Noting his talent, Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia approached the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA), urging them to include Raghuwanshi in the residential training programme. The request was turned down due to concerns over the MP batter’s age as he was just 11.However, Raghuwanshi impressed ex-India cricketer Amay Khurasiya with his fearlessness during the selection trials next year, stepping forward to defend a short-pitched delivery bowled at 125 km/h. The MP batter was hardly 4 ft tall but showcased confidence against an under-19 pacer, leaving Khurasiya stunned. “He said, ‘Akshat is the son of a lion and not scared of anyone. Witnessing his character, Amay sir decided to include him in the residential academy,” shared Krishna Pal.‘Rock-solid mentality, no excuses approach’Training sessions under Khurasiya were well structured with utmost focus on discipline. Even a second’s delay in arrival for practice was considered unpardonable and while shots were encouraged, rashness in execution was a strict no-no. Raghuwanshi ran his fair share of rounds and was even scolded by Khurasiya for his shot selection but considers it a phase which strengthened character and developed his game even further.“There was a medical test scheduled when I was 12 years old. We were instructed not to have breakfast and to skip practice. However, the training session still took place where Khurasiya sir noted my absence and called me. When I narrated the instructions, sir said, ‘Does he want to play for India or do you?’. I ran 12 rounds after that,” stated Raghuwanshi.

Training under such a structured routine where complete commitment is a necessity also developed a strong sense of accountability within the MP batter. Raghuwanshi can be exceedingly tough on himself as evident from an instance where Khurasiya asked the 22-year-old cricketer to train from 10 AM to 12 PM. Krishna Pal arrived at 11.45 AM, urging his son to leave along with the other players. Khurasiya soon noted Raghuwanshi’s absence, instructing the MP batter’s father not to give him lunch as a form of punishment.“Akshat was very tired but didn’t eat lunch and dinner that day out of guilt over making such an error in judgment. He never repeated such a mistake again,” said Krishna Pal.‘Brutal realisation, hardcore transformation’Raghuwanshi soon started impressing for MP, scoring a century on first-class debut, followed by a half-century in the second match. However, despite all the runs in domestic cricket, a shot at the IPL continued to elude him, resulting in a brutal realisation two years back which emerged as a major eye-opener. Raghuwanshi used to focus on orthodox cricket earlier with grounded shots but soon realised that such gameplay and a strike rate of 150 wouldn’t earn him a spot in the T20 league.“Akshat used to tell me again and again, ‘Players are scoring 80 off 40 balls and getting picked. Why will anyone take me?’. I would scold him, saying that playing too fast will ruin his game. However, Akshat was convinced that a strike rate of 150 will only lead to state-level opportunities, shifting focus towards maintaining a strike rate of 200 in every knock,” shared Krishna Pal.Raghuwanshi quickly figured out a training programme involving a fine mix of strength, innovation and focus on ensuring 300 sixes daily in training sessions stretching up to six hours. The 22-year-old batter also enjoys strong conviction in his gameplay, sticking to his aggressive mindset despite being discouraged by coaches. Raghuwanshi was dropped as punishment on certain occasions but stuck to the same approach due to his ultimate dream of featuring in the IPL. The MP batter was especially scolded a lot for playing the sweep shot which has been a strong weapon in his armour, staying resolute due to the dominance it provides against spinners.‘Abhishek Sharma’s praise’ Interestingly, Raghuwanshi drew praise from Abhishek Sharma during a tournament in Baroda last year. Sharma encouraged the MP batter to maintain strong belief, emphasising that the 22-year-old cricketer is built for cricket’s highest levels.“Akshat can spot the length very accurately and enjoys strong balance at the crease. He can cut and pull astutely as well as make a difference as an opener, middle-order batter and finisher. His mental strength and character will hold him in good stead,” stated Khurasiya.

NEW DELHI: Govt has ordered a probe into the case of an Air India Express pilot allegedly beating up a passenger at Delhi airport’s Terminal 1 on Friday. The two had a spat after which Captain Virender Sejwal allegedly assaulted passenger Ankit Dewan. Why no one, including CISF personnel posted at the entrance, intervened when the matter had escalated to such an extent, is being examined.“The ministry of civil aviation has taken serious cognisance of the incident and directed the airline to ground the pilot with immediate effect. A formal inquiry has been ordered. Detailed reports have been sought from Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF),” the ministry said on X Saturday. No police complaint has been lodged.The Air India Express pilot was “dead heading” to Bengaluru — travelling as a passenger to another place to operate a flight from there — on IndiGo. Dewan was travelling with his family on SpiceJet. After the fight, they went to their destinations. AI Express grounded Captain Sejwal and he didn’t operate the flight he was rostered to from Bengaluru.What allegedly happened: While Captain Sejwal was at the staff entry gate, CISF personnel directed Dewan to this gate as he was travelling with children. He was on one side of the entrance and the pilot was on the other. “Captain Sejwal was going ahead of his side of the queue being a crew member. Dewan started questioning this, but allegedly in not a decent language or tone. The CISF personal asked him not to speak like that. When he did not stop, the captain hit him. The personnel on duty separated them,” a CISF source said.“Our personnel asked Dewan if he wanted to file a police complaint so that they could take him to the airport police station. He gave in writing that he did not want to do so. Both the pilot and Dewan went to their destinations,” the CISF source added.On reaching the destination, Dewan said on X: “…one of (AI Express) pilots, Captain Virender Sejwal, assaulted me physically at T1, Delhi airport. Me & my family were guided to use the security check that the staff uses, because we had a 4-month-old baby in a stroller. The staff was cutting the queue ahead of me. On calling them out, Captain Virender, who himself was doing the same thing, asked me if I was anpadh (uneducated), and couldn’t read the signs that said this entry was for staff. A verbal scuffle broke out. Not able to exercise restraint, the AI Express pilot proceeded to physically assault me, leaving me bloody.”Dewan added that he had to “see a doctor” and that his “7-year-old daughter, who saw her father get assaulted, is still traumatised & scared.” “I have no clue how DGCA and Air India Express can allow such pilots to fly. If they can’t keep their cool in a scuffle, can they be trusted with the lives of hundreds of people in the sky? How can Delhi airport get away with such mismanagement, combining staff entry with passengers carrying infants!”An AI Express spokesperson said: “We unequivocally condemn such behaviour. The employee concerned has been removed from official duties with immediate effect, pending investigation.”Dewan added on X: “I was forced to write a letter stating that I will not pursue this matter. It was either write that letter, or miss my flight and throw the 1.2 lakh holiday bookings down the drain. Delhi police, why can’t I file a complaint after coming back?”

NEW DELHI: Stock market regulator Sebi is working with RBI and the insurance regulator to enable participation of banks and insurance companies in commodities derivatives markets, its chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey said on Saturday.Working groups have also been set up to suggest measures to deepen the Agri Commodity Derivatives ecosystem, he said. Among other things, these expert groups are reviewing whether the regulatory framework pertaining to margins, position limits, and delivery and settlement mechanisms can be optimised without affecting market integrity.“Their recommendations will assist us in taking necessary developmental measures after due consultation with all stakeholders,” the Sebi chairman said while addressing a conference in the national capital.He said the working group for reviewing the non-agri commodity derivatives segment will be notified shortly.“As we look to the future, commodity markets and their participants will be high on our regulatory and developmental agenda,” Pandey said.Sebi will continue engaging with govt to resolve GST-related issues for participants who wish to receive or deliver commodities through the Exchange platform.Elaborating on awareness and outreach, Pandey said a Sebi investor survey has highlighted the need for targeted awareness and education programmes. Sebi’s awareness programmes were being targeted at Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), exporters and importers, students and faculty members of agricultural colleges, hedgers and MSMEs.Outreach programmes are being conducted with FPO representatives to identify the challenges faced by them in accessing the market, Pandey added.Domestic markets offer regulated gold products, including through commodity derivatives, Gold ETFs and Electronic Gold Receipts (EGRs). The Sebi chairman said that these regulated products ensure investor protection. EGRs were meant to create a regulated market for gold trading and establish India as a global price setter for gold.“While the EGR framework may need a review, I urge the industry to educate its participants and investors to deal only in regulated gold products,” said Pandey.

JAMSHEDPUR: Fog hung low over the road as a young father stepped out of a govt hospital in Jharkhand’s Chaibasa with nothing left to save. Inside a plastic grocery bag pressed close to his chest lay the body of his four-month-old son. No ambulance was ready. No money remained. So he turned towards a public bus and began a 70km journey home.Dimba Chataumba, a villager from Baljori – a remote settlement under Noamundi PS limits in West Singhbhum district of southern Jharkhand – had come to Chaibasa sadar hospital hoping doctors could keep his infant alive. Instead, by Friday evening, he was forced to carry Krishna’s body back himself after the govt-run facility said it could not arrange a vehicle in time.Hospital staff told him to wait more than two hours. Their only working ambulance was far away, near Manoharpur, roughly 80km from Chaibasa, district headquarters of West Singhbhum. Chataumba nodded. Then he disappeared.He returned quietly, bought a thick grocery bag from a nearby shop, placed the 3.6kg body of his son inside and left without informing anyone, choosing a public bus over an uncertain wait.Krishna had been admitted a day earlier, suffering from high fever, loose motion and breathing trouble. Blood tests confirmed malaria. Doctors said the child was anaemic and critically ill, needing ventilator support beyond the hospital’s capacity.“The infant was anaemic and was in a critical condition. He required ventilation support. Thursday evening, we asked the boy’s father to take him to Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College & Hospital in Jamshedpur for further treatment,” said district civil surgeon Dr Bharti Gorreti Minz.Jamshedpur, 70km from Chaibasa, has advanced referral facilities. Reaching it, though, costs money Chataumba didn’t have. He pleaded for treatment to continue at sadar hospital. He told doctors he could not afford transport. Oxygen and medicines were given, but by Friday afternoon, Krishna died.Grief quickly turned into urgency. Chataumba asked for a shav vahan, a hearse ambulance, to carry the body home. With only Rs 100 in his pocket, hiring a private vehicle was impossible. Officials asked him to wait. What happened next unfolded without witnesses.“Nobody at the paediatric ward, nor the hospital guard, was informed by the father about carrying his son’s body in the bag. He quietly left the hospital. We all were in the dark,” Minz added.By the time Chataumba reached home, neighbours gathered as he recounted the ordeal, his words spreading shock across the village.An inquiry ordered by the administration later concluded that the father had left hastily. Chaibasa sub-divisional officer Sandeep Anurag Topno’s report said Chataumba could not be contacted when the ambulance eventually arrived because he did not own a cellphone.Scenes like this continue to surface across India, laying bare deep gaps in public healthcare and transport for the poor. In Sept 2024, a Maharashtra couple walked through a muddy forest path with the bodies of their two sons after fever claimed their lives and no vehicle came. In June 2025, a tribal man in Nashik travelled 90km by bus with his newborn’s body in a bag after a civil hospital refused an ambulance.Jharkhand has seen its own share of such moments. This year, HC sought explanations from the state after videos showed a man carrying his sick wife on his shoulder when no ambulance arrived. The memory of Odisha’s Dana Majhi – who walked 12km with his wife’s body in 2016 – still lingers, a case that drew global outrage.Yet, on Friday evening in Chaibasa, those lessons felt distant. Baljori village lies amid forested hills and mining belts near the Odisha border, where public transport is sparse and private vehicles expensive. For families like Chataumba’s, a hospital visit already means debt. A referral to a city hospital can mean surrender.

NEW DELHI: Hours before the T20 World Cup squad announcement in Mumbai on Saturday, India vice-captain Shubman Gill was with the squad in Ahmedabad. His participation in the fixture, as previously reported by TimesofIndia.com, was touch and go due to a toe injury. The management didn’t want to risk pushing him for the fifth T20I vs South Africa. They also explored the option of an injection for the “minor niggle” but the decision-makers, keeping the New Zealand T20Is and T20 World Cup in mind, decided against it.Gill sat out but few would have read the undertones of the “cautious decision.”

“Shubman Gill could have played as the niggle was minor and there was no fracture etc. but it was a cautious decision to not rush him for the match,” said a team source.A couple of days back, when the team reached Lucknow for the fourth T20I, there was a temptation within the think-tank to try out Sanju Samson. A toe injury in the nets gave them that opportunity. The fixture was abandoned due to fog but in Ahmedabad, there was another chance to try the wicketkeeper-batter at top of the order. A breezy 22-ball 37 and 63-run stand with Abhishek Sharma was enough to not only force Gill out of the Playing XI, but also the squad.When Gill returned to the T20I setup during the Asia Cup in September, he opened with Abhishek and it forced Samson to bat lower down the order.

In the four innings he played, the right-handed Samson batted just once at No. 3 and was largely given the middle-order slot. A role he hasn’t held in the past and clearly didn’t look comfortable. It’s understood that the wicketkeeper-batter had a word with the management in this regard and asked for a top-order role.That was the primary reason he was tried at No.3 in the T20I vs Australia at MCG and went on to open in every match he played for Kerala in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Two half-centuries and a couple of 40s later, he sent another reminder to the selectors.Gill, however, didn’t get the kind of backing captain Suryakumar Yadav has enjoyed even after a long poor patch with the bat, and he was omitted from the squad sheet. A move that not many saw coming and took everyone by surprise.It’s further learnt that there wasn’t any dialogue with the India ODI and Test captain in Ahmedabad and he was informed about the non-selection moments before the meeting on Saturday.“Shubman Gill was spoken to before the meeting. Obviously, we can’t give the details but he explained the combination call. Unfortunate for him but at the end of the day you need the best combination for the World Cup,” said a BCCI official.Ajit Agarkar explained the Gill call and why the selectors explored different options at top of the order.“It’s more to do with the combination that we want to play, or what the team management is comfortable with playing,” Agarkar said.

“Their thoughts are… who’s going to bat at the top? Abhishek, obviously, has done what he has done over the last year. And we felt the keeper at the top at this point gives us a lot more solidity than anywhere else in the team to play different combinations. There are only 15 that we could have picked. Someone has to miss out. It’s him. It’s not because he’s not a good player. Again, Jitesh hasn’t done too much wrong. These are the combinations that the team management is looking for,” he added.Captain Suryakumar Yadav, too, spoke on similar lines and why there was a need to have a wicketkeeper-batter at top of the order. Surya played down the form and lack of runs chatter around Gill and said it was purely a combination call.“It’s not about his form or anything. It’s just about the combination right now. We wanted to have a keeper at the top. We wanted to have someone like Rinku Singh or maybe a Washington Sundar later on, to have a different combination. So that’s why we brought in that extra wicketkeeper at the top.“And he’s a terrific player. And there’s no question about that. The only thing is that the situation is such that we need a keeper at the top of the order to have two-three good combinations which can win us the World Cup,” said Surya.The moment Gill was out of the squad and Samson returned to top of the order, it was going to be difficult to accommodate Jitesh Sharma and the need for another top-order wicketkeeper option forced the selectors to look towards an in-form Ishan Kishan – a player who was nowhere close to India call a week back but a terrific Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign and the late combination calls opened the door for the left-hander.The way this entire Gill non-selection has played out, it is comfortable for everyone. Captain Suryakumar doesn’t have a high-profile vice-captain breathing down his neck. Chief selector Agarkar has rewarded a domestic performer. And, coach Gambhir will not be accused of favouring Gill.India’s squad for New Zealand T20Is and 2026 T20 World Cup: Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice-capt), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan (wk)

Melbourne Renegades will be up against the Hobart Hurricanes in the eighth match of the Big Bash League. This article will provide you with MLR vs HBH Match Prediction, Toss Prediction, Score Prediction, Best Batter Prediction, and Best Bowler Prediction for the eighth match.

MLR vs HBH Match Prediction: Who Will Win Match 8? BBL 2025-26:

Match Details

Match: Melbourne Renegades vs Hobart Hurricanes Match 8

Date: December 21, 2025

Your daily dose of cricket!

Time: 1:45 PM IST

Venue: Simonds Stadium, Geelong

Live streaming: Jio Hotstar

Live broadcast: Star Sports Network

MLR vs HBH Match Prediction—Head-to-Head Record

The two BBL Champions, Melbourne Renegades and Hobart Hurricanes, have faced each other in 21 matches as far as the Big Bash League is concerned, with Hobart Hurricanes having the upper hand

The defending BBL champions have got the better of the former champions, Melbourne Renegades on twelve occasions, while the Renegades have succeeded in winning the remaining nine games.

A similar story is reflected in the results of the last five games, with the Hurricanes winning three and the Renegades coming out victorious on a couple of instances.

Total Matches Played: 21

MLR won: 9

HBH Won: 12

No Result: 00

Pitch Report & Conditions

The surface for the upcoming match between Melbourne Renegades and Hobart Hurricanes should be good for batting with assistance for bowlers as well, making the contest between bat and ball even.

MLR vs HBH Weather Report

There is 93% chance of rain during the match. The temperature is expected to be a high of 16 degrees and a low of 11 degrees.

MLR vs HBH Match Prediction- Probable XIs

Melbourne Renegades Playing 11:

Josh Brown, Tim Seifert, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Oliver Peake, Will Sutherland (c), Matthew Spoors, Hassan Khan, Gurinder Sandhu, Fergus O Neill, Jason Behrendorff

Hobart Hurricanes Playing 11:

Mitchell Owen, Nikhil Chaudhary, Rehan Ahmed, Ben McDermott, Tim David, Matthew Wade (wk), Chris Jordan, Nathan Ellis (c), Rishad Hossain, Riley Meredith, Billy Stanlake

Form and Fitness

There are no form and fitness concerns in the MLR vs HBH match.

Score Prediction

A score of at least 180-190 runs is what the team batting first should look to score in the MLR vs HBH match, as anything less than that will keep the opposition in the game.

Players to Perform Prediction

MLR– Tim Seifert, Mohammad Rizwan, Oliver Peake, Jason Behrendorff, Will Sutherland

HBH– Tim David Mitchell Owen, Ben McDermott, Matthew Wade, Chris Jordan, Nathan Ellis

Best Batsman Prediction

Who will score the most runs for MLR in the match: Tim Seifert or Oliver Peake

Who will score the most runs for HBH in the match: Tim David or Ben McDermott

Best Bowler Prediction

Who will pick the most wickets for MLR in the match: Jason Behrendorff or Will Sutherland

Who will pick the most wickets for HBH in the match: Chris Jordan or Nathan Ellis

Conclusion: Who will win the match?

Melbourne Renegades will start the match as the favourite and are expected to win the match.