England fast bowler Josh Tongue has described seeing his name etched on the honours board at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as “a pretty special feeling,” after producing a match-winning five-wicket haul in the fourth Test of Ashes 2025-26. The moment capped a remarkable performance on one of cricket’s biggest stages and marked a deeply personal milestone in Tongue’s journey.

For any visiting player, the MCG honours board carries almost mythical significance. For Tongue, who admits he once feared his career might end prematurely, seeing his name alongside greats of the game represented far more than just a statistical achievement.

Nerves, dreams and a five-wicket haul for Josh Tongue in Boxing Day Test

Tongue, the Player of the Match of the 4th Test against Australia, revealed that the emotions began early on Boxing Day morning. Waking up to the enormity of the occasion, he admitted to feeling “a few nerves,” fully aware of what was at stake in front of one of the largest crowds in world cricket.

Those nerves soon transformed into inspiration. Tongue tore through the Australian batting line-up to claim a five-for, a spell that played a decisive role in securing a famous England victory. The achievement also guaranteed his place on the MCG honours board, a lifelong ambition realised in unforgettable fashion.

“It’s what dreams are made of. Obviously waking up on Boxing Day, a few nerves but yeah, to get a fifer and get my name on the honours board, it’s a very special feeling,” Tongue said in post-match interview to Isa Guha.

95,000 cricket fans at MCG and a roaring Barmy Army

What made the achievement even sweeter was the backdrop. Around 95,000 fans packed into the MCG, creating an atmosphere Tongue described as “amazing.” Amid the sea of noise, the familiar chants of the Barmy Army rang out, lending vocal support to England’s charge.

Also WATCH: Josh Tongue stuns Steve Smith with unplayable delivery on Day 1 of Boxing Day Test | AUS vs ENG, Ashes 2025-26

Tongue said the energy from the stands fuelled him, making the experience feel surreal. “I can’t be happy enough,” he admitted, reflecting on being part of a Test-winning England side at such an iconic venue.

Beyond the wickets and the roar of the crowd lies a powerful comeback story. Tongue openly acknowledged that his MCG success felt even more meaningful given the battles he has faced off the field. A series of serious injuries had once left his future in doubt, with the bowler admitting he had been “potentially retiring” at one stage.

The road back was long and demanding, filled with rehabilitation, setbacks and uncertainty. But Tongue’s determination never wavered. “Playing for England is all that I’ve ever wanted to do,” he said, explaining why he pushed through the hardest moments.

Also READ: Ashes 2025/26 – Ben Stokes and Steve Smith slam MCG pitch after 4th Test ends in two days

NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Sunday offered a measured response to senior party leader Digvijaya Singh’s praise for the organisational strength of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), remarks that triggered sharp reactions within the Congress and handed the BJP a fresh line of attack.“We have a history of 140 years, and we can learn a lot from it. We can learn from ourselves, too,” the Thiruvananthapuram MP said.“There should be discipline in our organisation. Digvijaya Singh can speak for himself,” he added.Calling Digvijaya Singh a “friend”, Tharoor, when asked whether he had spoken to Singh since his remarks ruffled feathers within the Congress, said: “We are friends, and having a conversation is natural. The organisation must be strengthened, there is no question about it.”Tharoor’s remarks came on the party’s 140th Foundation Day, which Tharoor described as “a very important day for the party” and “a day when we look back at our remarkable history and the contribution of Congress.” On Saturday, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting convened to finalise programmes to corner the government over the VB-G RAM G Act, was overshadowed by internal disquiet after Singh’s social media post praising the RSS-BJP’s organisational structure.Also read: Sharing PM Modi photo, Digvijaya Singh lauds Sangh, BJP says attack on RahulSingh had shared a 1990s photograph showing a young Narendra Modi seated on the floor while senior BJP leaders, including L K Advani, sat on chairs, calling it “very impressive” and describing PM Modi’s rise as the “strength of organisation”.At the CWC meeting, Singh reportedly criticised “over-centralisation” within Congress and pushed for decentralisation.Also read: How Cong reacted to Digvijaya Singh’s RSS praiseThe BJP seized on Singh’s comments. Spokesman Sudhanshu Trivedi said the BJP recognises a “gudri ke laal” like PM Modi, while Congress focuses on “Jawahar ke laal”.Singh later clarified that his remarks had been misunderstood. “I was, am and will be a trenchant critic of the RSS and Modi,” he said. He reiterated, “I am opposed to the ideology of the RSS… But I admire their organisational capacity.”Meanwhile, Congress media department chairman Pawan Khera drew a sharp line, saying, “There’s nothing to learn from the RSS. What can an organisation known for Godse teach an organisation founded by Gandhi?”

RAW TALENT Fancy a swig of raw milk? Good for your gut, and legs it seems. Head too. It’s superfood, just ask Super Haaland. He loves to visit a Cheshire farm to get his locally sourced bottles. And as you know, he rarely bottles up in front of goal – scoring 25 times in his 23 matches for City so far. For Norway, 13 goals in 5 matches including a fifer against Moldova in Sept ensured 2026 World Cup qualification. Isn’t it good/ Norwegian wood. Knock, knock!AN OVAL CUPWho is gonna take away the World Cup? Your guess is as good as ours but we are willing to bet our bottom dollar on a certain Mr. Doland… sorry, Donald Trump. This is the closest an American will perhaps ever get to the trophy, and the recent renovation at the White House suggests there will be a new Oval Office to go with it. The Club World Cup may be already there. Winners Chelsea lifted a replica – Trump wanted to steal their celebration too but Cole & Co. were too clever to let him take the limelight. Replicas are as good as it gets – the original is safe at the FIFA HQ in Zurich.

PARIS FINDS ITS MATCH Ooh la la! PSG’s success story in 2025 is one to behold — How Luis Enrique rebooted the continent’s nearly men into European champions with discipline, teamwork, tactics, belief while deleting the individualist approach. All for one and one for all, Luis’ musketeers reeled in trophy after trophy but there was one battle PSG lost, to former talisman Kylian Mbappe, in the boardroom and the courtroom. In this sabre fencing, Paris employed the slashing technique, cutting off the Frenchman’s salary that included a so-called ‘ethics bonus’. Mad in Madrid, Mbappe’s riposte was of the legal kind. After the back and forth, the court ruled that the former employers pay up unpaid wages of 60m euros. Back in Spain, Mbappe earned some Real love from the Bernabeu faithful, after scoring 59 goals in 59 games, equaling his ‘hero’ Cristiano Ronaldo’s record, the most in a calendar year. How did he celebrate it? Siuuuuu…NO FAN’S LAND The Big Leagues’ global expansion was put on hold. La Liga president Javier Tebas’ plan to ‘host’ a league match between Barcelona and Villarreal in Miami 7,500-km away from the shores of Spain was cancelled. The league had also chartered planes to take around 2,000 to 3,000 Villarreal fans to the US of A. In Oct, there were league-wide protests, stopping active play to express displeasure. Ultimately, Tebas had to bow down as organisers pulled out. Last week, a high-profile plan to stage a Serie A match — AC Milan vs. Como — in Perth was scrapped.DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER One of the most viral pics of 2025 was of Georgina Rodriguez’s oversized diamond engagement ring reported to be valued between $2 and 5m, the kind of flashy display that one can associate with her fiancé Cristiano Ronaldo. Off the pitch, he definitely glittered. On it, the Portuguese became the top scorer in the history of the World Cup qualifiers with 41 goals with a brace against Hungary. Hours later, in his current home Miami, Lionel Messi was not to be surpassed with his double assist for Argentina against Puerto Rico making him the supreme provider in internationals with 59, beating Neymar’s record.While their club lives in the Saudi Pro League and MLS are at the fringes of people’s interests, the legends are at the forefront of our consciousness. The kind of fanfare and chaos that followed Messi on his whirlwind India tour is proof of that. Please save the last dance for the World Cup finals.

END OF DREAMS‘How many times did we say: Just bring Jota on’ was a striking tribute to the very likeable Diogo Jota at Liverpool’s Anfield ground, after a tragic car crash in Zamora stole the lives of the Portuguese and his brother Andre Silva. Manager Slot said he was looking for Jota on the bench when the scoreline was 2-2 against Bournemouth. Salah won it that day, and the tears flowed. Since then, fortunes have taken a different turn for both Liverpool and Mo. After promising and delivering a record-equalling 20th league title in April, ‘the Egyptian king’ found himself on the sidelines, and an outburst against club and gaffer, left him on the brink of an exit as he proceeded to AFCON duty with his legacy under threat and a question mark over his return. In Spain, close on the heels of a successful Euro campaign, Lamine Yamal finds himself ostracized — from ‘wonderkid’ to ‘bad loser’, with his moves scrutinized in public by a damning jealous social media. His alleged infidelity, luxurious lifestyle, outspoken statements, athletic pubalgia have all been discussed at length. How will an 18-year-old handle this? “Let him grow, do not put him under pressure so we can enjoy a talent like this for many years,” advises a 40-year-old Ronaldo

Electricity buyers may see lower costs as the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) reviews transaction fees charged by power trading exchanges. The review is taking place alongside the regulator’s push to introduce market coupling, a long-awaited reform aimed at improving efficiency in price discovery, increasing liquidity and bringing uniformity to electricity prices across trading platforms. Over time, the combined effect of these changes is expected to reduce the overall cost of power procurement. Market coupling was approved by CERC in July this year after more than two years of discussions and is proposed to be rolled out in stages, starting with the day-ahead market (DAM) from January 2026. Once implemented, buy and sell bids from all power exchanges will be pooled together to determine a single market-clearing price, replacing the existing system under which prices differ across exchanges. An official said that the regulator has finalised a staff paper titled ‘Review of Transaction Fee charged by the Power Exchanges’ in December 2025. According to the official, who spoke to PTI on the condition of anonymity, CERC is assessing whether the current transaction fee cap of 2 paise per unit is still appropriate at a time when traded volumes have risen sharply and the market is transitioning towards a unified price discovery mechanism. Among the options being discussed is a fixed transaction fee of 1.5 paise per unit for most trading segments. Under the present framework, power exchanges generally charge close to the permitted ceiling. Another proposal under consideration is a lower fee of 1.25 paise per unit for term-ahead market (TAM) contracts, reflecting their longer tenure and comparatively lower operational intensity. India’s exchange-based power market has seen rapid growth over the past decade. Electricity traded through exchanges has increased more than 16 times since 2009-10, with total traded volumes exceeding 120 billion units in 2023-24. While the day-ahead market previously accounted for nearly all exchange-based trading, real-time, intra-day and term-ahead segments now make up an increasing share. Industry experts believe market coupling will help reduce price disparities across exchanges, improve the use of generation capacity and allow buyers to access power at more efficient rates. “Since bids are aggregated across all exchanges, prices are expected to converge and soften to some extent, benefiting distribution companies and large consumers and eventually end-users,” one expert told PTI.At present, Indian Energy Exchange dominates the segment, accounting for nearly 90% of exchange-based power trading volumes, with Power Exchange India Ltd (PXIL) and Hindustan Power Exchange Ltd (HPX) accounting for the rest. Under the approved framework, all three exchanges will act as Market Coupling Operators on a rotational basis, while Grid-India will serve as a backup and audit operator to safeguard system integrity. Officials pointed out that transaction fee structures will gain added significance once exchanges cease competing on price discovery. With transaction fees contributing more than 95% of revenues for established exchanges, any revision is expected to have a meaningful impact on the sector. The official said discussions on transaction fees are still at an early stage, and any changes will be finalised after stakeholder consultations, keeping in mind the broader objective of improving efficiency, transparency and affordability in India’s power markets.

SHIMLA: Medical services, except for emergencies, were badly hit across several government hospitals in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday after resident doctors went on an indefinite strike to protest the termination of a doctor involved in a scuffle with a patient. Patients and their attendants, particularly those who had travelled from remote areas, faced considerable hardship due to the absence of doctors, according to news agency PTI.

Shimla Hospital Assault: Doctors’ Strike Cripples OPDs, Surgeries Across Himachal Pradesh

Krishan Singh Thakur, who came to Shimla from Ani — around 125 km away — for his father’s treatment, said they had been waiting since Thursday. “There are no doctors available because of the strike, and we are facing a lot of inconvenience,” he said. Thakur added that the situation had worsened due to harsh winter conditions and the lack of accommodation amid the New Year tourist rush. He urged both the government and doctors to resolve the issue at the earliest in the interest of patients. Another attendant, Dasvi Ram, said his wife was admitted to hospital and her MRI, scheduled for Saturday, had not been conducted. “We are waiting for doctors to resume duty,” he told PTI Videos. Resident doctors at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, and other government hospitals had gone on mass casual leave on Friday. The Resident Doctors’ Association later announced an indefinite strike from Saturday, stating that outpatient departments, routine services and elective surgeries would remain suspended, while emergency services would continue. The protest follows the termination of Dr Raghav Narula on Wednesday. Narula was accused of physically assaulting a patient, Arjun Singh, inside the pulmonary ward of IGMC earlier this week. A video of the incident, which surfaced on social media, shows Narula punching the patient, while Singh is seen attempting to kick the doctor. Singh, who had undergone a bronchoscopy and complained of breathlessness afterwards, alleged that the argument began when he objected to the doctor addressing him as “tu” instead of “tum”. Narula, however, claimed that Singh had initiated the confrontation by abusing him and his family. An inquiry committee later found both parties at fault, citing “misconduct, misbehaviour and acts unbecoming of a public servant” on the doctor’s part, officials said. Several medical bodies, including the Himachal Medical Officers’ Association, Shimla Association of Medical and Dental College Teachers, Shimla Private Practitioners’ Association and the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Associations, have backed Narula. They have demanded his reinstatement, a transparent and time-bound inquiry, and strict action against those responsible for creating chaos inside the hospital. Members of the Resident Doctors’ Association met Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday. Sukhu assured action against those who allegedly threatened the doctor and said new guidelines would be introduced to ensure the safety of medical staff. Despite the assurance, the doctors went ahead with the strike, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the termination order.

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