Navi Mumbai International Airport (PTI)

NEW DELHI: The greenfield Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) became operational on Thursday, nearly three decades after it was conceived to ease congestion at Mumbai’s primary airport.An IndiGo Airbus A320 from Bengaluru made a landing at 8 am and was welcomed with a traditional water cannon salute, marking the start of commercial flight operations. The first arrival, IndiGo flight 6E 460, was followed by the airport’s first departure, IndiGo flight 6E 882 to Hyderabad at 8.40 am, completing NMIA’s inaugural arrival and departure cycle.

The launch marks a major expansion of Mumbai’s aviation capacity and a significant milestone in India’s infrastructure journey. With NMIA now operational, Mumbai joins global aviation hubs such as London, New York, Moscow, Tokyo and Shanghai, each supported by multiple airports to meet rising demand, NMIA said.On the first day of operations, IndiGo, Air India Express, Akasa Air and regional carrier Star Air operated 48 flights connecting nine domestic destinations and serving over 4,000 passengers. Peak traffic was recorded between 5 am and 7 am, reflecting strong early demand and operational readiness, NMIA said.During the initial phase, the airport will operate for 12 hours between 8 am and 8 pm, with up to 24 scheduled daily departures to 13 destinations and the ability to manage up to 10 aircraft movements per hour. From February next year, operations are planned to progressively scale up to round-the-clock services.IndiGo said it will initially connect NMIA with 13 domestic destinations between December 25 and December 30, including Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chennai, Goa (Mopa) and Cochin.Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani welcomed passengers from the maiden flight and interacted with airport staff, frontline workers and first-time flyers. He said welcoming NMIA’s first passengers alongside Param Vir Chakra awardees offered a glimpse of India now taking shape.Calling it “a proud day for Mumbai and for India”, Adani said, “NMIA stands as a promise of what the country can achieve when ambition is guided by purpose and delivered with speed and execution”.As part of the inauguration, farmers, underprivileged families and colleagues with disabilities experienced their first-ever flight through a special chartered aerial tour of Mumbai. India Post also released a commemorative First Flight Carried Special Cover featuring the NMIA terminal, flown on an IndiGo service to Goa.The airport is being developed in multiple phases under Navi Mumbai International Airport Ltd, a special purpose vehicle in which the Adani Group holds a 74 per cent stake and CIDCO owns the remaining 26 per cent.

The selection of India’s squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 has ignited fierce debate, with former India captain and ex-chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar delivering a bold statement. Vengsarkar feels that Yashasvi Jaiswal has been treated unfairly despite performing well whenever he has played.

Yashasvi Jaiswal has often found himself pushed aside due to the presence of senior stars like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, while Shubman Gill was preferred ahead of him lately in the T20I cricket.

Now, with the Indian cricket team looking for an extra wicketkeeper who can also open the innings, Yashasvi Jaiswal has again missed out, this time losing his spot to Ishan Kishan in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 squad.

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Yashasvi Jaiswal Should’ve Picked in India’s T20 World Cup 2026 Squad: Ex-Selector’s Blunt Take

This means the left-handed opener will also miss the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand. Even in the upcoming ODIs, Gill’s return as the India captain meant Jaiswal had to sit out despite proving his class across formats.

Read Also: Rohit Sharma faces ‘vada pav’ sledging during Vijay Hazare Trophy comeback; video breaks internet

In a blunt assessment, Vengsarkar has questioned the decision to omit Jaiswal from India’s T20I side, suggesting he should have replaced Shubman Gill in the squad. The young opener last played T20Is in July 2024 during the Sri Lanka tour, as Jaiswal was asked to concentrate on red-ball cricket.

Despite being away from T20Is, his recent numbers remain impressive. The young explosive batter’s last five T20I scores are 93, 12, 40, 30, and 10, all at the top of the order, and he has scored at a strike rate close to 200, which perfectly fits India’s aggressive T20 style.

Dilip Vengsarkar’s Blast: “Why Leave Out a Match Winner?

Vengsarkar feels that leaving out a proven match-winner again and again can damage a player’s confidence. In T20 cricket, rhythm is very important, and long gaps away from the format can make things difficult. While other players continued to play white-ball series and stayed in the selectors’ view, Jaiswal slowly slipped out because the system pushed him in another direction.

Dilip Vengsarkar was quoted as saying by PTI: “It is unfortunate that Yashasvi is being left out time and again for no fault of his. He has been in tremendous form across all formats of the game and I don’t know what else he has to do to get into the team. Nobody should leave a match winner out of the team.”

The former icon further explained, “You are bound to lose confidence if you are made to feel that you are not required in one format. I mean it will affect his confidence and this game is all about confidence. And confidence comes when you have performances backed by runs.”

Read Also: Yashasvi Jaiswal health scare: Star opener hospitalized hours after match, panic grips Indian cricket

I wouldn’t have dropped Yashasvi Jaiswal: Dilip Vengsarkar slams Ajit Agarkar

Meanwhile, the former Indian coach WV Raman believes that there must have been discussions between the selectors and Yashasvi Jaiswal behind the scenes. However, Raman feels that Jaiswal’s talent is too big to be ignored for long and that he will get more chances on the world stage.

Raman stated, “Certain conversations can’t be revealed in public but now World T20 squad has been selected and one can’t do anything. Jaiswal will have to bide his time but I am confident that the kind of talent he is, he will play many more World Cups.”

However, Vengsarkar has insisted that if he were in charge, Yashasvi Jaiswal would never have been dropped at all. He signed off by saying, “I wouldn’t have told him anything because I wouldn’t have dropped him in the first place.”

And just like that, 2025 is nearing its end, giving us a moment to look back at how the year unfolded at the box office. Cinema has always been a gamble, but one truth continues to hold firm, strong content eventually finds its audience. While the big-ticket films arrive with expectations of ringing the cash registers, every year also throws up a few surprises in the form of sleeper hits. 2025 was no exception. Here’s a look at the biggest hits of the year and what trade experts have to say about the trends, learnings and the road ahead.

Summing up the year

‘Thodi Khushi thoda gham,’ is what we say every year lately and this year seems no different. “Well, it’s been a mixed bag, actually. There have been films that became hits and there have also been failures. But the good part is that content has been driving the audiences to theatres. Stardom can work for a day or two, but after that, it’s the content that people talk about. If you look at films from ‘Chhaava’ to now Dhurandhar, of course stardom is there, no denying that, but the content is speaking louder than words,” explains trade expert Taran Adarsh.

He further added, “A good example is ‘Saiyaara’, which starred newcomers and worked purely on the strength of its content and music. There was ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’, there was ‘Raid 2’ this year, and ‘Dhurandhar’, of course. Films like ‘Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat’ and ‘Tere Ishk Mein’ have also done well.” Trade expert Girish Wankhede echoes a similar sentiment and adds, “Overall, 2025 has been an average year for Bollywood. Whereas we usually see 15–18 bonafide superhits annually, this year produced fewer big winners. Still, a handful of films like ‘Chhaava’, ‘Saiyaara’ and ‘Dhurandhar’ and ‘Kantara: Chapter 1’ — have delivered enormous box-office returns. ‘Dhurandhar’ in particular, shows no sign of slowing down, posting strong numbers even in midnight shows; it looks set to become the fastest film to join the Rs 1,000 crore club and could potentially go as high as Rs 1,500 crore. Those blockbuster performances are a welcome respite in an otherwise muted year for Hindi cinema.”

The K-shape model

Producer and Film Business expert, Girish Johar explains it at length by giving it a name. He calls it the ‘K-shape model’. Further elaborating on it, he adds, “The big hits have become bigger. Medium hits are no longer visible, and the number of washouts is also increasing. So, as I say, I believe we are seeing a K-shaped model. If a film does well and is appreciated by the public, it shoots up from Friday evening onwards or from day one of its release, and then amplifies further over Saturday and Sunday. But if a big film releases on day one and is not liked by the audience, earlier we used to say that three days would see it through, but that’s no longer happening.” He adds, “Hope you can imagine that. So, it’s a K-shaped model, as I call it. Having said that, yes, quite a few films we all know, ‘Chhaava’, ‘Dhurandhar’, and others like ‘Saiyaara’, ‘Mahavtar Narsimha’, and also ‘Tere Ishq Mein’. These are not the only ones, obviously, but they are the standout performers of the year. They have done fantastic numbers and, more importantly, have been liked by the audience. While the year still has few more days to end, overall, I can say there’s a growth of 10-12 percent this year overall at the box office as compared to 2024.”

Biggest hit in terms of ROI (Return On Investment)

While in terms of numbers, ‘Dhurandhar’ looks like the biggest grossing movie of the year and it is still running in theatres so it will continue to bring in numbers even in the next year. However, it terms of the return on investment, one can say that films like ‘Mahavtar Narsimha’, ‘Saiyaara’ and ‘Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat’ stole the show and surpassed expectations. Johar adds, “In terms of ROI, ‘Mahavtar Narsimha’ is the biggest hit. It was an animated film with no big stars or even voice over from any big star. The profit it earned was ten folds of its making.” Wankhede points out, “The biggest surprise of the year was undoubtedly ‘Mahavatar Narasimha’, a devotional animated film originally made in Kannada. Produced on a modest budget of around Rs 40 crore and released across Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, it went on to earn approximately Rs 327 crore, an exceptional return for an animation with mythological themes. Another unexpected hit was ‘Ek Deewane ki Deewaniyat’, starring Harshvardhan Rane and Sonam Bajwa; made for roughly Rs 25 crore, it proved a sleeper success. ‘Saiyaara’ resonated strongly with GenZ, emerging as one of the season’s major blockbusters, produced for around Rs 45 crore. And, of course, ‘Dhurandhar’ surprised many with its runaway success, made on a budget of about Rs 250 crore, it has crossed the ₹1,000 crore mark worldwide, solidifying its position as the year’s dominant tentpole.”

Is there a trend? Is romance back as a genre?

This year, with ‘Saiyaara’, ‘Tere Ishk Mein’ and ‘Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat’, it seemed like romance is back and how. Taran Adarsh says, “I was happy to see that romance is back. And if you notice all these three films are love stories, but the music played an integral part in their impact, more than just the genre.” However, Johar doesn’t feel we should consider this as a trend for romantic movies. “I don’t think audiences are favouring any particular genre; they are favouring good content. What has happened post-COVID, with the OTT onslaught and everything else, is that traditional stardom has diminished a little. But the same actor, backed by a good concept and strong content, multiplies their appeal manyfold. So, for me, the content and the concept have now become the real stars.”

Key learnings to take from 2025

One of the things which need to be learnt is to cater to the masses and not just the multiplex audience. Taran Adarsh opines, “I think we should not neglect our Tier 2 and Tier 3 centres. Filmmakers have been neglecting them for a long time. They’ve been making metro-centric films, which is not right. What happens to the Tier 2 and Tier 3 centres then? They stop coming to theatres. That’s the reason why, earlier in the 70s and 80s, and I’ve seen this with my own eyes, is that every film used to get an opening. Every film would take a start and then either run or collapse.”

Johar adds that one of the things to take notice of this year is that eventually, it’s not stardom which works but the emotion behind a film. He says, “Emotion is the content. If you look at animation, the quality is at a good level because we are exposed to global animation like Disney and others. But it was the emotion that connected with audiences in case of ‘Mahavtar Narsimha’. They went into theatres, taking their slippers and shoes off outside and all that. It’s the emotion that truly connects with people.” He further explained, “Just to elaborate on this further that it’s no longer about stars, Ranveer Singh did ‘Jayeshbhai Jordaar’, which was not appreciated. But the same Ranveer Singh has done ‘Dhurandhar’, which is backed by the right making, the right concept, and everything else. People have connected with the film, and it is probably becoming the biggest Hindi film of all time.” “I can say that the last star whom people wanted to watch purely for stardom is hands down, Salman Khan, because even his weaker films open to Rs 100 crore. I probably feel Ranbir Kapoor also has that potential, but he operates in a slightly different space. To me, the trend this year or learning this year is that, actor-driven stardom has come down a little, while concept and genre-driven films are now creating stars and superstars.”

Expectations from 2026

All the trade experts have their eye on 2026 and unanimously are looking forward to some big movies lined up – from ‘Ramayana’ to ‘Love And War’ and of course, ‘Dhurandhar 2’. Girish Johar says, “2026 is again going to be one of the biggest years for Indian cinema, both in terms of box office and overall scale. Mammoth releases are being planned. Obviously, we have Hollywood content Nolan films, ‘Avengers’, and many other big releases. We also have Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘King’, a couple of releases by Akshay Kumar, ‘Dhurandhar 2’, and the biggest of them all, ‘Ramayana’.” He adds, “Ramayana will probably be one of the biggest films of all time, if done right. From whatever little I know, they’re planning to dub it into numerous languages using lip-sync technology. So, if audiences watch the film in Spanish, the lip-sync and audio will both be in Spanish. That’s what they’re planning. We don’t know how much of this will actually unfold, we’re too far ahead to say—but if done right and if expectations are met, it’s going to be a massive film. There are several other films as well.”Wankhede says, “The biggest film of 2026 is widely expected to be Dhurandhar Part 2, which is slated for an Eid release and has already started building the kind of pre-release buzz usually reserved for mega-franchises like Pushpa 2. Industry chatter suggests it could post one of the biggest openings of the year and become the top box-office generator, establishing itself as the season’s standout success.” He lists out the releases of 2025 further saying, “Several other high-profile releases are generating strong anticipation. Border 2, arriving in January with Sunny Deol attached, looks set to energize the patriotic crowd. Shah Rukh Khan’s much-awaited project King, his first major outing after a quiet 2025, is also being touted as a potential blockbuster. Alpha, a proposed female-led spy-universe film featuring Alia Bhatt, has been postponed but remains one of the most talked-about titles. Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love and War, reportedly starring Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal and Alia Bhatt, is another prestige project on the radar. Priyadarshan’s Bhoot Bangla with Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn and Tabu’s Drishyam 3, and the ambitious Ramayana, directed by Nitesh Tiwari and featuring Ranbir Kapoor and Yash, round out a slate that promises a busy and commercially exciting 2026 for Indian cinema.”Adarsh concludes, “I’m a born optimist, and I’m very confident about 2026. There are several big films lined up, but there could be smaller surprises as well. We should not underestimate any film.”

Navi Mumbai: A 25-year-old ‘spurned lover’ from UP was arrested by Panvel govt railway police (GRP) for stalking a 21-year-old woman residing in Kurla after she severed ties with him. The accused boarded the ladies’ coach of a local train at Panvel station and travelled with her to Kurla on Tuesday evening.Vijay Tayade, senior inspector of Panvel GRP, informed that the accused, identified as Rahul Yadav, and the complainant, who is also from UP, were in a long-distance relationship for three years after she moved to Kurla to pursue a B.Tech at a private university in Panvel. Her father worked as a tempo driver in Mumbai. The accused stayed in UP and, after completing HSC, was preparing for the NEET exam. About three months ago, the woman severed ties with the accused and blocked him on her mobile after her family learned about their relationship.

SI Tayade said, “Three days ago, the accused Yadav came to Mumbai to meet her. On Dec 22 evening, when she left the university, he followed her to Panvel railway station. As she boarded the ladies’ coach, he too boarded behind her and attempted to convince her to restart their relationship. As she was reluctant, she called her brother to Kurla station, where Yadav was caught by her brother and taken to VB Nagar police station, where an FIR was registered under BNS section for stalking. As the incident started in Panvel, the zero case was transferred to Panvel GRP on Wednesday, and the accused was arrested. We have invoked relevant sections of the Indian Railways Act against the accused Yadav for travelling on a train without a proper ticket and the penalty on a male person for entering a carriage or other place reserved for females. He was produced before Panvel court on Dec 24, which sent him to police custody for one day and then remanded him to jail custody.”

NEW DELHI: Railways on Thursday announced a “rationalisation” of fares for passengers, effective for tickets booked on or after December 26. It aims to balance passenger affordability with the sustainability of railway operations.According to the Ministry of Railways press release, there will be no fare increase for suburban services and season tickets, covering both suburban and non-suburban routes. Additionally, Second Class Ordinary journeys up to 215 km will see no increase, ensuring that short-distance travellers and daily commuters remain unaffected.For Ordinary Non-AC (Non-Suburban) services, fares have been revised in a graded manner. In Second Class Ordinary, fares will rise by Rs 5 for distances between 216 km and 750 km, Rs 10 for 751–1,250 km, Rs 15 for 1,251–1,750 km, and Rs 20 for 1,751–2,250 km. Sleeper Class Ordinary and First Class Ordinary fares will increase uniformly at 1 paise per kilometre for non-suburban journeys.In Mail/Express trains, the fare increase has been limited to 2 paise per kilometre across both Non-AC and AC classes, including Sleeper, First Class, AC Chair Car, AC 3-Tier/3E, AC 2-Tier, and AC First Class. The Railways said this translates into a modest increase—for example, about Rs 10 extra for a 500 km non-AC Mail/Express journey.The revised basic fares will also apply to premium and special services such as Tejas Rajdhani, Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, Vande Bharat, Humsafar, Amrit Bharat, Tejas, Mahamana, Gatimaan, Antyodaya, Garib Rath, Jan Shatabdi, Yuva Express, Namo Bharat Rapid Rail, and Ordinary non-suburban services (excluding AC MEMU/DEMU, where applicable), as well as Anubhuti and AC Vistadome coaches.The ministry added a clarification that there is no change in “reservation fees, superfast surcharges, or other ancillary charges”. GST applicability and fare rounding rules also remain unchanged.Tickets booked before December 26 will not attract the revised fares, even if the journey is scheduled after the effective date. However, tickets issued by TTEs or booking staff on or after December 26 will be charged at the revised rates. Fare charts will not show any fare difference for pre-revised tickets.The updated fare list will be displayed at stations from December 26, and necessary changes will be implemented across ticketing systems, including PRS and UTS. The Ministry said zonal railways have been instructed to ensure wide publicity and proper implementation following concurrence from the Finance Directorate.

NEW DELHI: The much-hyped reunion of the Thackeray cousins after 20 years has altered the political landscape of Maharashtra with the new alliance signalling the silent end of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) – the opposition front which Uddhav formed with the Congress and Sharad Pawar’s NCP in 2019 to keep the BJP out of power after the assembly elections.The MVA, which ruled the state for two-and-a-half years, was dealt a body blow in 2022 when the Shiv Sena and the NCP split down the middle after rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar. Despite the setback, the opposition coalition came back strongly in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, winning 30 out of the 48 seats in the state. But that glory was short-lived as the MVA was decimated in the assembly elections held later in the year and could collectively win only 46 out of the 288 seats.

While the assembly elections had already taken the sting out of the MVA, the Thackeray alliance has now literally left the coalition on the verge of disintegration. Sharad Pawar has indicated he will align with the Thackeray cousins, but the Congress has been left in the lurch as it refused to join hands with Raj Thackeray’s MNS, given his aggressive “outsiders” pitch against north Indians. So, where does the Congress go from here? The immediate test for the grand-old-party is the elections to 29 civic corporations in Maharashtra, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, on January 15. The just-concluded municipal council and nagar panchayat elections, which were swept by the BJP-led Mahayuti, saw the Congress emerge as the main opposition party. While the Congress won 824 seats, its MVA allies – NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) – could manage only 256 and 244 seats respectively. Little wonder, the Congress, which had for some time now played second fiddle to both Uddhav and Sharad Pawar, was quick to assert that it has now emerged as the principal opposition in the state.Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal on Thursday said his party is holding discussions to form an alliance with Prakash Ambedkar’s Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) for the upcoming municipal corporation elections. But will this alliance be enough to help the grand-old-party counter the force of ruling Mahayuti on one hand and the strong Marathi pitch of the Thackeray brothers on the other?The Congress move to chart its own course in Maharashtra is a bold gambit. The party which had a fairly strong presence in the state politics till 2009, has since seen its electoral fortunes decline. In the 2024 assembly elections, the Congress could win only 16 seats out of the 101 it contested in the 288-member assembly. The Congress vote share stood at 12.42% – which is the lowest for the party in Maharashtra, but still more than all other players in the state except the BJP.The Congress would be hoping to draw support from the minorities, Dalits and also the migrant voters by staying away from Raj Thackeray. It would also hope to insulate itself from anti-incumbency against Uddhav Thackeray, whose Shiv Sena has dominated the BMC for many years.However, this solo fight pitches the Congress against the BJP – which has been an undisputed winner in all recent electoral contests. The move also ends up dividing the opposition space in the civic polls, giving the BJP-led Mahayuti an advantage. The local body elections will also put to the test the Congress’s organisational strength – which has seen a decline in many states. If, despite these challenges, the Congress does manage a decent show in the civic polls, it could pave the way for a changed thinking in its alliance politics. On the flip side, a poor show could push it more towards oblivion and reduce the party’s bargaining power.The Congress, for now, says that independent contests by MVA constituents in civic elections should not be seen as a rift within either the MVA or the INDIA bloc. Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar justified the party’s solo stance and said that while the INDIA bloc had fought the Lok Sabha elections together and the MVA contested the assembly polls as a united front, local body elections operate under different political realities.However, if the Thackeray clan bonhomie translates into electoral gains for both Uddhav and Raj, the Congress will have to be prepared for a long solo stint in the state.

H-1B visas have long been the sought after route to the US for Indians. (AI image)

New H-1B visa rules decoded: US President Donald Trump believes that America doesn’t have enough talented people – yet he is cracking down on immigration and introducing stricter controls on the people who can study and work in the world’s largest economy. The Trump administration has put a spanner in the wheel to the American dream of several Indians. Two back-to-back moves on H-1B visas have raised questions on policy uncertainty and employment opportunities in the US. In September this year, Trump announced a massive hike in H-1B visa application fee and now the lottery-based system for visa selection has been scrapped this week. The $100,000 fee was challenged legally by the US Chamber of Commerce, but this week a US court has rejected the plea.

H-1B visas have long been the sought after route to the US for Indians – a fact which is brought to light by the fact that they comprise the biggest group of H-1B visa-holders! They also lead on the advanced degrees front among the immigrant groups and are incidentally, the median income of Indians is also the highest among immigrants – $1,45,000!

Indians take biggest chunk of H-1B

US Citizenship & Immigration Services data shows that eight American firms rank in the list of top 10 sponsors of H-1B visas in 2025. There are just two Indian IT companies that feature in the list – TCS and Cognizant. Of the H-1B visas issued in FY24, Indian nationals made up over 70%, and China ranked second at 10%.

New H-1B Visa Rules Explained

There are two changes to the US H-1B visa programme that mark a significant shift in how skilled foreign talent will be selected. These are:

To put it simply: earlier each applicant had an equal chance based on the random lottery selection. Now, applicants with higher salaries and better skill sets will get higher weightage in the selection process – hence increasing their chance of being selected for an H-1B visa.

H-1B Visa: Old vs New regime

The new weighted system of selection is effective February 27, 2026 for the FY 2027 H-1B cap registration season. The annual H-1B quota is unchanged at 85,000 visas (65,000 under the regular cap and 20,000 for applicants with US advanced degrees). Moving away from a purely random lottery system, the new framework prioritises wage levels and specialised skills. Given that Indians form the largest share of the H-1B applicant pool, these new rules may have a disproportionately higher impact on Indian professionals.

How Do New H-1B Rules Impact Indians? The Bad News, And The Silver Lining

The hit is two-fold: The H-1B visa fee has skyrocketed – it’s become 20 times what it was earlier – from an average of $5,000 to a whopping $100,000! Secondly, with the lottery-based selection system being replaced with a wage-weighted process, several aspirants will automatically face rejection.Kuldip Kumar, Partner at Mainstay Tax Advisors notes that the H-1B aspirants that are likely to be most impacted are students, recent graduates, and even new hires with degree-based qualifications who do not work for multinational companies.This group typically includes:

These applicants are more dependent on the H-1B lottery system and have fewer alternative employment-based visa options, Kuldip Kumar tells TOI.

Whom does H-1B visa help?

Kuldip adds that historically, the number of registrations has been two to three times higher than the available quota. “One needs to see whether this one-time $100,000 H-1B fee will reduce the number of applicants for H-1B visa going forward due to cost considerations. If so, the doing away with the lottery system will have limited impact though it does complement the overall new US immigration policy framework,” he said.Sukanya Raman, Immigration Lawyer, Country Head at Davies & Associates, LLC believes that the fee hike will lead to fewer applications. “The chance of only higher paid employees getting selected will prevail. I don’t know how many companies will be willing to give a fee of $100,000 which is close to Rs 90 lakh. So, the new system automatically filters – with only the creamy layer remaining – those who are extremely talented, and the company sees benefit in retaining that talent,” she tells TOI.According to Sukanya Raman, the total fee to get an employee to the US will now range between $110,000 to $120,000. “On top of that the employee will have to be paid a higher wage to qualify under the new system. Earlier the fee for H-1B visa was zero to apply for the lottery. Then a nominal fee was added. If the petition is picked up, there are government fees. Everything put together, it would cost between $10,000-$15,000 which would include government fees, attorney fees etc,” she explains.Anand Dhelia, Partner, Vialto Partners says that Indian professionals, who dominate H-1B filings, particularly in the IT and consulting sectors, are likely to feel the strongest impact.

Indians lead on advanced degrees among immigrant groups

He also notes that the revised system increases the cost and compliance burden on employers, leading many companies to be more selective about whom they sponsor. “The increased cost is a strong deterrent to hiring of foreign workers, especially bulk hiring. Smaller firms that hire many early-career foreign workers or pay lower starting salaries may struggle to compete – both under the new weighted system and due to the high application fee,” Dhelia tells TOI.The silver lining?Sukanya Raman points out: “Companies looking to retain talent whose H-1B visas expire normally send them outside the US to their foreign entity. They work in that foreign entity across the globe outside of the US. And then they are sent in and given a senior position – through that, they come to the US on an L visa. So now, people who will benefit will be senior level employees who qualify for an L visa.”Anand Dhelia too believes that senior professionals with niche expertise and higher salary offers may see improved chances under the new framework and vice-versa.

Indians earn the most

Alternatives to H-1B Visas

As the H-1B route becomes more restrictive, employers and professionals are increasingly exploring alternatives. But, the fundamental thing to understand is that there is no direct substitute to the H-1B visa. Every other route is a workaround and is entirely dependent on the category of applicant it is best suited for.So, the alternative to the H-1B route under the new system may not necessarily be a single replacement – it could be a suite of options that individuals can explore, depending on their qualifications, employer, nationality, or career goals. Kuldip Kumar notes that one limited alternative is the L-1/L-1B visa, which allows multinational companies to transfer their existing employees to the US.

Some alternatives to H-1B visas

“The L-1 visa has no degree requirement and no annual quota, but it is restricted to employees who have worked outside the US for the same employer for at least one continuous year. As a result, it cannot be used for fresh graduates or new hires,” Kuldip Kumar explains.Sukanya Raman points to two options: “For people who are already in the US, we are seeing a lot of demand for the EB-5 visa which is an investor visa program that allows you to get a green card by investing $800,000 and which also allows the applicant to get an employment authorization document and an advance parole,” she says.“Other than that there are options like the L-visa, which is intra company transfer of manager or supervisory level employee, which can be transitioned into a green card. Then there is the O visa, which is for extraordinary ability professionals, and then there is EB-1 and EB-2 category,” she adds.Talking about the EB-5 route, Piyush Gupta, Vice President, India & Middle East, at CanAm Enterprises tells TOI that families view it as their main option to gain nationwide professional mobility, and a strong foundation for children to excel academically and in careers within America’s competitive landscape, as high-net-worth parents and mid-career tech professionals increasingly turn to it to overcome H-1B obstacles.“For most of our Indian investors, H-1B professionals and students facing decades-long green card backlogs and tightening visa policies in 2025, the EB-5 route has become a vital alternative for US stability, far beyond a mere investment, it’s a pathway to secure long-term residency, sidestepping lotteries, employer dependencies, and decades long wait,” he says.Anand Dhelia tells TOI that while most impacted organisations are adopting the ‘wait-and-watch’ approach, some impacted organisations are thinking of shifting operations and talent to non-US locations or nearshoring. “Employers may rethink hiring strategies, sponsor fewer foreign workers and consider hiring local talent, or prioritize senior (higher paid) roles for foreign nationals over mass hiring,” he says.

What USCIS has said

Road Ahead For The American Dream

What is more worrying is the unpredictability of visa and immigration policies under the Trump administration. Kuldip Kumar is of the view that the recent changes indicate a broader policy direction signalling tighter scrutiny, higher compliance costs for employers, and a preference for genuinely high-skill roles.He notes that applicants are already seeing greater scrutiny through stricter interviews, enhanced compliance checks, and broader background and social-media-related reviews.“Together, these developments indicate a shift toward a more restrictive and enforcement-oriented immigration environment,” he tells TOI.Kumar cautions that given the broader US policy focus on protecting domestic employment and wages, it is possible that employment-based visa categories, including the L-1, may also face closer scrutiny in the future. “There are already proposed bills and discussions in the US Congress aimed at taxing or limiting outsourcing, although none of these measures have become law so far,” he says.

The ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year 2025 race is shaping into a blockbuster tussle between explosive batters and high-impact spinners who dominated the shortest format across the calendar year. With major bilateral series and a packed T20I schedule, performances from India, England, Pakistan and New Zealand have produced a clear top tier of contenders built on consistency, impact in big moments and elite numbers.​

Top 5 contenders for ICC Men’s T20I cricketer of the Year 2025

1. Abhishek Sharma

• Runs: 859
• Average / Strike Rate: 95 / 193.46
• Milestones: Recorded 1 century and 5 half-centuries in 21 innings.
• Signature Performance: Blasted a match-winning 135 against a top side, anchoring India’s chase in a high-stakes bilateral series, marking his emergence as a T20I powerhouse.

Abhishek Sharma has arguably built the strongest overall case for the 2025 honour, redefining what a T20I opener can do over a full calendar year. The left-hander smashed 859 T20I runs in 2025 from 21 matches at an average of 42.95 and a staggering strike rate of 193.46, including one century, five fifties and a highest score of 135. No other Indian batter matched his combination of volume and scoring rate, and his tally is widely highlighted as among the best ever by an Indian in T20s in a single year.​

His powerplay aggression consistently put India ahead of the game, with social and analytical breakdowns noting 85 fours and 54 sixes in those 21 T20Is – extraordinary boundary numbers at international level. Abhishek also piled on 1,602 runs across all T20s in 2025 (India, IPL and domestic), the second-best annual tally by an Indian in the format after Virat Kohli’s 2016 haul, underlining his dominance beyond just the international arena.​

2. Phil Salt

• Runs: 434
• Average / Strike Rate: 40 / 175.70
• Milestones: Smashed 1 century and 3 half-centuries in 11 innings.
• Signature Performance: Unbeaten 141* off 60 balls at a record venue, propelling England to their highest T20I total and cementing his status as a global T20 enforcer.

England opener Phil Salt has produced a blistering T20I year that keeps him firmly in the awards conversation despite playing fewer games than some rivals. In 2025, Salt scored 434 T20I runs at an average of 43.40 and a strike rate of 175.70, with a century and three fifties and a best of 141*, numbers that place him among the format’s most destructive top-order batters. His ability to flip games in the powerplay has been central to England’s ultra-aggressive white-ball template and helped push him into the top bracket of T20I batting rankings.​

Salt’s success has also translated across global T20 leagues, where he has remained among the top ten run-getters in all T20 cricket in 2025 with over 1,400 runs at a strike rate above 156, further strengthening his credentials as a year-long match-winner. Franchise demand, including a high-profile IPL deal, reflects the premium placed on his fearless ball-striking and consistency.​

3. Varun Chakravarthy

• Wickets: 36
• Average / Economy / Strike Rate: 19 / 7.08 / 11.16
• Milestones: Claimed 1 four-wicket haul and 1 five-for in 18 innings.
• Signature Performance: Dazzling 5/24 in a decisive match, dismantling the opposition middle order and earning Player of the Series in a home triumph over South Africa.

Varun Chakravarthy has been the standout T20I spinner of 2025, delivering a golden year that has rewritten several Indian and global benchmarks. The mystery spinner finished the calendar year with 36 wickets from 20 matches (18 innings) at an average of 13.19 and an economy rate of 7.08, including both a four-wicket haul and a five-for with best figures of 5/24. That tally made him India’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is for 2025 and joint-top overall among full-member nations alongside Pakistan’s Mohammad Nawaz.​

Varun’s impact was especially pronounced in the home series against South Africa, where he took 10 wickets in four matches at 11.20 to secure Player of the Series honours and help India seal a 3–1 win. Statistically, his 36 wickets also placed him just one behind Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s Indian record of 37 T20I wickets in a calendar year, further underlining the historic nature of his 2025 campaign.​

4. Mohammad Nawaz

• Wickets: 36
• Average / Economy / Strike Rate: 61 / 6.56 / 12.44
• Milestones: Registered 1 five-wicket haul in 24 innings.
• Signature Performance: Career-best 5/19 in a pressure cooker, turning a must-win game with middle-over breakthroughs that sealed a series for Pakistan.

Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz has quietly pieced together one of the most effective T20I bowling years ever by a spinner from a full-member side. In 2025, Nawaz claimed 36 wickets from 26 T20Is at an exceptional average of 13.61 and an economy rate of 6.56, with a five-wicket haul and best figures of 5/19, numbers that put him level with Chakravarthy at the top of the calendar-year wickets chart. Several records lists now show Nawaz as holding or sharing the mark for most T20I wickets in a year among Pakistan bowlers.​

Also READ: Top 5 contenders for ICC Men’s ODI cricketer of the Year 2025

Beyond the ball, social summaries of Pakistan’s season highlight that Nawaz also contributed over 350 T20I runs and multiple match-turning cameos, making his all-round value a key factor in his awards case. His ability to bowl in the powerplay, middle overs and at the death while maintaining control has made him Pakistan’s most reliable T20 performer across conditions in 2025.​

5. Jacob Duffy

• Wickets: 35
• Average / Economy / Strike Rate: 08 / 7.47 / 12.11
• Milestones: Secured 3 four-wicket hauls in 20 innings.
• Signature Performance: Lethal 4/14 in a high-voltage clash, ripping through the batting lineup to defend a modest total and spark New Zealand’s series surge.

New Zealand seamer Jacob Duffy completes the top five after a breakout year that has transformed him into one of the most prolific T20I quicks in the world. The right-armer picked up 35 wickets from 21 T20Is in 2025 at an average of 15.08, an economy rate of 7.47 and a strike rate of 12.11, including three four-wicket hauls and a best of 4/14. That performance made him the first Kiwi bowler to take 30-plus T20I wickets in a calendar year, a landmark widely celebrated in New Zealand media and fan circles.​

Duffy’s success has come across diverse conditions, including a high-impact series against Pakistan where he claimed 13 wickets in five matches to surge up the ICC T20I bowling rankings. His sustained wicket-taking at the top and in the middle overs has positioned him as New Zealand’s new T20I spearhead and an outside yet genuine contender for the global award.​

Also READ: Not Shubman Gill! Yashasvi Jaiswal reveals his dream ‘super over’ batting partner

The Maharashtra government announced that bars in hotels and restaurants will be allowed to operate until 5 am on December 31, allowing extended celebrations for New Year’s Eve. The operational hours were also extended for Christmas. A move welcomed by the F&B industry and Mumbaikars.A festive breather for the hospitality industryRestaurateurs have welcomed the decision during one of the busiest times of the year. Jimmy Shaw, President, Hotel And Restaurant Association (Western India) – HRAWI, says, “The extended timings will help establishments manage guest expectations better, ensure smoother crowd dispersal, create additional employment opportunities and enhance the State’s appeal as a vibrant, safe and globally competitive tourism destination.”With footfalls peaking during the festive season, staggered departures and longer operating hours are expected to ease pressure on venues and staff. “This limited-time extension for excise-licensed hotels and restaurants on select festive nights will bring parity, reduce operational uncertainty and ensure that celebrations are conducted in a regulated and orderly manner,” says Pradeep Shetty, spokesperson, HRAWI. Mumbaikars welcome the extra hoursFor Mumbaikars, the announcement has added to the festive cheer. “I was planning to step out for New Year celebrations with my friends and this time relaxation will ensure we can stay out for longer hours,” says Nishant Maroo, a businessman from South Mumbai.Echoing the sentiment is Rhea Singh, a brand professional from Andheri, who says the extended timings take away the rush that often defines New Year’s Eve in the city. “It’s nice to know that the night doesn’t have to end abruptly. We can celebrate at a relaxed pace and head home calmly instead of watching the clock all the time.”Adding to this is Kunal Karlekar, a startup consultant from Powai, who feels the move reflects the city’s evolving social culture. “Mumbai has always had the energy, but the curfews often cut celebrations short. The move aligns Mumbai with other global cities known for their vibrant nightlife,” he says.