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NAGPUR: Two of the three Global Chess League (GCL) debutants, and three Candidates who will soon become opponents, took time to settle into their groove. Once they started gelling well, they underlined their supremacy in the third edition of the world’s first and official franchise-based team tournament in Mumbai on Tuesday.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The fast-paced rapid chess tournament featured 36 rated players, including 14 of the world’s top 15 masters, divided into six mixed-gender teams. World rapid No. 6 Fabiano Caruana replaced top-ranked Magnus Carlsen in the Pipers’ outfit and made his debut in the league alongside Indian prodigy Leon Luke Mendonca.
While Pipers hogged the limelight, the concluding day saw four games played between the two Indian World Champions — Vishy Anand and D Gukesh. When Gukesh was asked about playing four games in a day against his great Indian predecessor, he said “It’s tricky to play against him is what I realised. It’s like you are playing against God, I have always seen him like that. The killer instinct is tough to bring against him. I just have too much respect for him.”The champion team also had three players who qualified for the Candidates tournament. The 10-day friendship and team bonding between Piper’s top three — American Grandmaster Caruana, fivetime Dutch champion Anish Giri, and India’s Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa — will turn into rivalry from Friday when they compete in the World Rapid and Blitz championships in Doha.All three will also be fighting against each other during the Candidates next year, from where the challenger to Gukesh will be identified. The trio was a bit hesitant to share their ideas before the start of the GCL. But once they started sharing pleasantries, Caruana, Giri, and Pragg played like a united bunch along with world women’s No. 1 Hou Yifan to emerge triumphant.On his debut, Caruana said, “We’re playing a team event, which is rare and fun. There’s responsibility to perform for your team, and even if things don’t go your way individually, your team can support you. It’s a great format.”Pragg added, “It feels great. I’ve been part of this team for three years, and after missing out earlier, we finally made it this year — by just one point. It’s a strong support system.”
For the first time, a Pentagon report says plainly what had long been implied. China’s “historic military buildup” has made the US homeland “increasingly vulnerable.” The phrase appears early in the Defense Department’s 2025 annual assessment of China’s military power, and it is not rhetorical flourish. It marks a shift in how the US government wants Americans to understand the problem Beijing poses. This is no longer only about aircraft carriers in the Pacific or missile ranges around Taiwan. It is about the United States itself as a target.The report, formally titled Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China, describes a Chinese military that is no longer content with regional deterrence. The People’s Liberation Army is now measuring its capabilities against what it calls the “strong enemy,” an unmistakable reference to the United States. In doing so, it is building ways to pressure American decision-making directly, including through cyber access to critical infrastructure, long-range conventional and nuclear strikes, and attacks on the space systems that underpin US military power.The effect, the report argues, is a new vulnerability equation. Washington must now think not only about whether it can intervene in a conflict near Taiwan, but whether it can do so while absorbing disruption at home.Why it matters
‘National total war’The most striking doctrinal shift described in the report is Beijing’s embrace of what Chinese military writings call “national total war.” The idea treats future conflict not as a discrete military contest but as a clash between entire national systems. Political authority, economic resilience, civilian infrastructure, information control, and military power are all part of the same battlefield.The Pentagon links this thinking directly to China’s long-term political goal of “national rejuvenation” by 2049 and to its nearer-term military benchmarks. Defense spending has nearly doubled since Xi Jinping took power. Civil-military integration reforms are designed to ensure that commercial sectors and local governments can be rapidly mobilized in wartime. Chinese planners, the report notes, have studied the war in Ukraine closely, drawing lessons about industrial capacity, sanctions resistance, and the risks of a prolonged fight.
This is not abstract theory. The report repeatedly emphasizes integration. China’s “core operational concept,” known as Multi-Domain Precision Warfare, is built around fusing data from space, cyber, air, sea, and land sensors into a single targeting system. The aim is to identify weak points in an adversary’s operational system and strike them quickly, at scale, and in coordination.
Taiwan as the pacing scenarioEverything in the report ultimately bends back toward Taiwan. The Pentagon reiterates that the PLA is making “steady progress” toward its 2027 goals, which are explicitly tied to the ability to force unification with the island. The assessment translates the implication without hedging: China expects to be able to “fight and win” a war over Taiwan by the end of 2027.To get there, Beijing is refining multiple military options. A maritime blockade. A joint firepower strike campaign. A full-scale amphibious invasion. In 2024, the PLA’s “JOINT SWORD” exercises rehearsed the encirclement of the island, simulated strikes on sea and land targets, and practiced blocking key ports. These were not symbolic displays. They were stress tests of command-and-control, logistics, and coordination under realistic conditions.Crucially, Taiwan planning is inseparable from counter-intervention. The PLA’s growing missile forces can now range 1,500 to 2,000 nautical miles from China’s shores. In sufficient volume, the report warns, those strikes could seriously disrupt US operations across the western Pacific. Chinese units train against professional “blue forces” that replicate US equipment and tactics. The point is explicit preparation for a fight with American forces, not a generic regional contingency.Cyber as a homeland leverIf Taiwan is the likely trigger, cyber operations are the lever that reaches home. The report calls China the most persistent cyber threat to US government, military, and civilian networks in 2024. What distinguishes the current assessment is its emphasis on pre-positioning.Chinese cyber actors associated with campaigns such as “Volt Typhoon” have “burrowed into US critical infrastructure,” the report says. These intrusions go beyond espionage. They demonstrate the ability to disrupt systems during a crisis, including those needed to mobilize and deploy US forces. Likely targets include military command networks and civilian infrastructure with political or economic significance.The Pentagon’s language is careful but unsettling. Disruptions might be localized and temporary, lasting days or weeks. But the strategic effect could be outsized. Interruptions to pipelines, power, or telecommunications during a Taiwan crisis could slow military response and generate public pressure at home. Another campaign, known as “Salt Typhoon,” targeted US telecommunications providers in 2024, highlighting vulnerabilities in the backbone of American communications.Taken together, cyber operations are portrayed as a way to impose costs below the nuclear threshold while shaping the domestic environment in which US leaders make decisions.The ‘kill chain’The report is equally blunt about space. China sees space superiority as decisive. Its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance satellite fleet has more than tripled since 2018, reaching over 359 systems by early 2024. That constellation dramatically improves China’s ability to track US aircraft carriers and expeditionary forces across the Pacific.These satellites are not passive observers. They are integral to closing what the military calls the kill chain: finding targets, tracking them, and delivering long-range precision strikes. Without space-based sensors and communications, that chain breaks.China is therefore building multiple ways to sever its adversary’s access to space. The report describes kinetic antisatellite missiles capable of destroying satellites in low Earth orbit, with ambitions to reach higher orbits. It highlights “dual-use” satellites equipped with robotic arms, such as Shijian-21, that can grapple and reposition other satellites. Ground-based lasers can disrupt or damage sensors. Jammers target military satellite communications across frequency bands.Cyber plays a role here too. Chinese actors have been implicated in attacks on foreign satellite networks, particularly those of the United States. The goal is not necessarily to destroy everything, but to degrade enough systems to slow decision-making and blunt operational advantage at the outset of a conflict.Nuclear growth and signalingOverlaying all of this is a rapidly expanding nuclear force. China’s warhead stockpile remained in the low 600s through 2024, the report says, but it is on track to exceed 1,000 by 2030. New silo fields in western China, a growing fleet of mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles, and advances in early warning systems point to a shift toward higher readiness.The report also notes Chinese interest in lower-yield nuclear weapons, suggesting a strategy that contemplates limited nuclear use rather than only massive retaliation.The effect is to thicken the strategic layer. Nuclear expansion does not replace cyber or conventional pressure. It sits alongside them, complicating escalation dynamics and shortening decision timelines.Ships, reach, and presenceNaval power provides the endurance behind this posture. China’s third aircraft carrier, Fujian, completed its first sea trials in 2024. The navy aims to field six carriers by 2035, for a total of nine. In October, China’s two operational carriers conducted their first dual-carrier operations, a milestone in integrated combat capability.The relevance to homeland vulnerability is indirect but real. Maritime power supports blockade options around Taiwan and sustained airpower projection. It also helps keep US forces at distance while other tools apply pressure elsewhere.China’s ambitions are not confined to the Indo-Pacific. The report details a growing global logistics network, from Djibouti to Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base, with potential future sites in Africa and the Pacific islands. Access to the Atlantic, the Pentagon warns, would pose new challenges for US planners.
Russia and the outer perimeterChina’s partnership with Russia adds another layer. Combined bomber patrols near Alaska, joint coast guard operations in the Bering Sea, and expanded exercises signal a shared interest in countering the United States. These activities are not decisive on their own, but they stretch attention and resources, reinforcing the report’s central theme of multi-directional pressure.What the warning really meansThe Pentagon’s core message is not simply that China is stronger. It is that Beijing is building an integrated system designed to shape US choices in a crisis. The question is no longer only whether the United States can prevail militarily near Taiwan. It is whether it can do so while managing cyber disruption at home, threats to space systems, and a more complex nuclear backdrop.China is not betting on a single knockout blow. It is constructing multiple pressure points, many of them far from the Taiwan Strait, to raise the cost and uncertainty of American intervention.The report does not offer easy solutions. It does, however, make clear that the era in which the US homeland could be treated as a sanctuary in great-power conflict is ending. The competition, as Beijing’s own doctrine suggests, is becoming a contest between entire systems. And in that contest, distance alone is no longer protection.
PUNE:That signature smile of netas, the usual “namaskars” and umpteen vows seem outdated to win voters’ favour. The run-up to the PMC polls is witnessing a redefined way to entice voters — offering Paithani saris, highend vehicles, plots of land and even holiday trips to Thailand in lucky draws.With the local polls in Maharashtra taking place after a prolonged gap, the pitch to voters is no longer subtle and aspirants across party lines are escalating their campaign strategies to levels rarely seen in urban civic politics.The scenario in Pune is in no way different. What were once modest outreach efforts have transformed into high-value inducements, with sponsored cricket leagues offering Rs 1 lakh prizes, and twoand four-wheeler draws becoming routine features of ward-level poll campaigns.Political analysts are of the view that land promises and luxury vehicles signal how fiercely contested the civic race has become, driven by overcrowded tickets, entry of new aspirants and intense intra-party competitions.In PMC’s Ward No. 1, which covers parts of Lohegaon and Dhanori, NCP aspirant Shashi Tingre has drawn much attention after completing registrations for a lucky draw, offering land plot measuring one guntha (roughly 1,100 sqft) each for 11 women.Tingre said the land offer should be seen as social empowerment and not inducement. “This is about giving women security and dignity through land ownership, not about buying votes.”In Wagholi, the scale of campaign has taken an even more extravagant turn with some aspirants sponsoring a five-day Thailand (Phuket-Krabi) tour for couples. In Ward No. 3 (Vimannagar), Sakhi Prerna Manch held a “home minister”-style contest for women, where winners walked away with Paithani saris.In ward No. 10 (Bavdhan and Bhusari Colony), around 500 girls got bicycles, while women got sewing machines through an initiative by Kiran Dagade Patil Foundation. In the same ward, Dilip Vede Patil, an aspirant, organised a free-of-cost music concert.In Pimpri Chinchwad, a candidate, Sanket Barne, organised a draw with the top prize of an SUV. He said, “We had over 5,000 participants attending our event which featured a music concert by leading artists from Bollywood.” Another aspirant from Pimpri, Ashwini More, sponsored a cricket tourney with a Rs 1 lakh cash prize. Many aspirants are privately admitting that such offers raise the stakes for everyone in the fray.Urban policy expert Jyoti Kanade said, “When campaigns revolve around gifts, it signals a transactional approach to democracy where voters are treated as consumers and polls as investments.”Political commentator Anand Puntambekar said, “Delayed elections, overcrowded tickets, and intense competition have pushed candidates to adopt a mindset where visibility matters more than ideology or governance.”A senior BJP leader said there is a growing pressure on contenders to match or exceed the rivals’ offers. “But there has to be a limit to all this and action must be taken against those crossing the line.”
Delhi Metro: The Union Cabinet has approved the Delhi Metro Rail Project Phase-VA, paving the way for the construction of 13 new stations and extending the capital’s metro network beyond the 400-km mark, union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said. According to details presented, the Phase-VA project will involve the construction of 13 stations, of which 10 will be underground and three elevated. The total length of the approved corridors will be 16 km, and the project is scheduled to be completed within three years.
Announcing the Cabinet decision, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “We all know how the Delhi Metro has positively transformed the lives of residents of Delhi and everyone who travels in and out of the city. With this expansion, a new chapter will be added to the Delhi Metro. For this purpose, a project worth Rs 12,015 crore has been sanctioned.” The estimated cost of the Phase-VA expansion has been pegged at Rs 12,015 crore. Once completed, the expansion will take the total operational length of the Delhi Metro network to over 400 km. The approved Phase-VA includes three corridors. The Ramakrishna Ashram Marg to Indraprastha corridor will span 9.9 km at an estimated cost of Rs 9,570.4 crore. The Aerocity to Airport Terminal-1 corridor will cover 2.3 km with a projected cost of Rs 1,419.6 crore. The Tughlakabad to Kalindi Kunj corridor will have a length of 3.9 km and an estimated cost of Rs 1,024.8 crore.The Phase-V (A) extensions of the Delhi Metro will expand connectivity in Central Delhi and the Domestic Airport area, reduce road congestion and help cut vehicular pollution, according to an official release. The extensions, part of the Magenta Line and the Golden Line, are expected to improve access to key administrative and transport hubs while supporting economic activity in the national capital. Under the Phase-V (A) project, stations on the R.K. Ashram Marg–Indraprastha section will include R.K. Ashram Marg, Shivaji Stadium, Central Secretariat, Kartavya Bhawan, India Gate, War Memorial–High Court, Baroda House, Bharat Mandapam and Indraprastha, the release said. The Tughlakabad–Kalindi Kunj section will have stations at Sarita Vihar Depot, Madanpur Khadar and Kalindi Kunj. The existing Aerocity station will also be extended to connect with Indira Gandhi Domestic Airport Terminal-1. Construction under Phase-IV of the Delhi Metro, comprising 111 km of track and 83 stations, is currently underway. About 80.43% of civil construction work on the three priority corridors under Phase-IV has been completed so far, according to the release. The Phase-IV priority corridors are expected to be completed in stages by December 2026. The release said the Delhi Metro currently handles an average of 65 lakh passenger journeys per day. The highest ridership recorded so far was 81.87 lakh passenger journeys on August 8, 2025. At present, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation operates 12 metro lines spanning about 395 km with 289 stations across Delhi and the National Capital Region. The network is the largest metro system in India and among the largest in the world.
In a revealing rapid-fire session on journalist Vimal Kumar’s YouTube channel, Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal provided a rare glimpse into the dynamics of the national dressing room and his personal life. The 23-year-old, who has quickly become a mainstay in the national setup, shared his perspectives on high-pressure match scenarios and the off-field camaraderie he enjoys with his teammates. By sharing these lighthearted details, Jaiswal allowed fans to see the grounded personality behind his explosive batting performances on the world stage.
During the interview, Jaiswal was put on the spot with a series of quick-fire questions, revealing his deep trust in senior leadership and the playful side of his relationships with fellow young stars.
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The year 2025 has been a defining period for Jaiswal, during which he officially joined the elite list of Indian batters to score centuries across all three international formats. He reached this milestone on December 6, 2025, in Visakhapatnam, where he struck a patient yet commanding maiden ODI century of 116 off 121 balls* against South Africa. This performance not only helped India clinch the series 2–1 but also saw him join legendary names like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as one of only six Indians to achieve the triple-format ton feat.
Beyond the international arena, Jaiswal’s 2025 season has been marked by record-breaking domestic displays and significant Test milestones. In July 2025, he dominated the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England, amassing over 700 runs in the series, including notable centuries at Leeds and The Oval. More recently, in December 2024, he lit up the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Mumbai by smashing a blistering 48-ball century against Haryana, facilitating a record successful chase of 235. Despite a recent bout of acute gastroenteritis that briefly sidelined him, his stats for 2025, including three Test tons and his maiden ODI century, confirm his status as a cornerstone of India’s future batting lineup.
SURAT: A 57-year-old man living in a high-rise residential tower in Surat had a narrow escape after he accidentally slipped from window of his 10th floor apartment and got trapped in window grill on 8th floor on Thursday morning. He was rescued hy a team of fire fighters from Surat Fire and EmeriServices (SFES).The incident occurred at around 8am at Time Galaxy-A building in Jahangirabad area. According to SFES officials, Nitin Adiya, was sleeping near the window of his apartment when he accidentally fell outward. During the fall, his leg became lodged in the window grill and external projection at the 8th floor, leaving him suspended and unable to free himself.Following an alert received at the Fire Control Room, a fire brigade team rushed to the spot and immediately initiated a rescue operation. Fire personnel first cut open the grill on the 8th floor to create access and then deployed ropes and safety belts from the 10th floor to secure the victim.After nearly an hour of strenuous and carefully coordinated effort, the fire team successfully rescued Adiya alive. He suffered injuries and he has been shifted to hospital. Further investigation will reveal exactly how Adiya fell out from the window.
India’s premium and luxury housing segment is undergoing a structural expansion, with demand steadily moving beyond traditional metropolitan markets into Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, according to industry reports and developers.As per Magicbricks, India the country’s luxury housing market is projected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 35 per cent, expanding from nearly USD 17 billion in 2024 to over USD 103 billion by 2030. This positions luxury housing as one of the fastest-growing segments within India’s residential real estate market.Data from ANAROCK further indicates sustained momentum in premium housing demand, driven by rising household incomes, lifestyle upgrades and a growing preference for larger, better-designed homes across emerging urban centres.While metros such as Mumbai, Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru continue to dominate high-value residential transactions, the Magicbricks report highlights a clear shift in buyer interest towards non-metro markets, including Panchkula, Mohali, Raipur, Bilaspur and select peripheral city clusters. These locations are benefiting from infrastructure upgrades, lower population density and greater land availability, enabling the development of low-density premium projects.According to ANAROCK, premium and luxury homes now account for a significantly higher share of new residential launches in several Tier-2 cities, underscoring developers’ confidence in sustained end-user demand in these markets.Industry stakeholders note that luxury housing in India is increasingly being defined by lifestyle considerations rather than size alone. Buyers are prioritising privacy, exclusivity, wellness and experiential living, leading to higher demand for gated communities, independent floors and lifestyle-led developments.Aakash Ohri, Joint Managing Director and Chief Business Officer, DLF Homes, said, “Families seeking a more peaceful and fulfilling lifestyle are drawn to the serene embrace of places like Panchkula. Additionally, homebuyers are looking for exclusive addresses and a resort-like living experience as they value privacy, comfort, and a luxurious lifestyle with many amenities and facilities.”He added that there has been a noticeable rise in non-resident Indian (NRI) interest in these markets. “We have also observed significant interest and investment from NRIs in the region’s real estate market. Many NRIs view current conditions as a favourable opportunity to invest… Over the past three years, there has been a surge in demand for DLF’s low-rise independent floors in Panchkula,” Ohri said.Echoing similar trends, Prakhar Agarwal of Rama Group said, “The next phase of India’s premium housing growth is clearly moving beyond metros into Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. In regions like Chhattisgarh, particularly Raipur and Bilaspur we are seeing growing demand for well-designed premium homes with modern amenities.”He further noted, “Infrastructure development, rising local affluence, and increasing professional migration are accelerating this shift. At Rama Group, we are focused on creating premium residential experiences in these emerging markets.”Rohit Kishore, CEO, Hero Realty, pointed to Mohali as a key emerging destination, stating, “Real estate in Tier-2 cities is changing rapidly, with more investors exploring options beyond major metros. Mohali stands out as an attractive choice due to urbanization, improved infrastructure, and a desire for a better quality of life.”Both Magicbricks and ANAROCK indicate that the rise of premium housing beyond metros reflects a long-term structural shift rather than a cyclical trend. As wealth creation expands geographically and lifestyle aspirations evolve, premium housing is expected to play a defining role in India’s next phase of urban development, with the market firmly on track to cross USD 103 billion by 2030.
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday extended Christmas greetings to people across the country, wishing for the festival to be filled with “peace, compassion and hope.” He also called for the strengthening and harmony in our society.The PM also attended the Christmas morning service at The Cathedral Church of the Redemption in Delhi along with a large congregation of Christians of Delhi and North India.
The service included prayers, carols, hymns and a special prayer for the Prime Minister by Rt Rev Paul Swarup, the Bishop of Delhi.PM’s message entailed the enduring values of love, service and brotherhood associated with the teachings of Jesus Christ, and their relevance in fostering social harmony and mutual respect. In a post on X, the PM said, “Wishing everyone a joyous Christmas filled with peace, compassion and hope. May the teachings of Jesus Christ strengthen harmony in our society.” Referring to the service he attended, he added, “Attended the Christmas morning service at The Cathedral Church of the Redemption in Delhi. The service reflected the timeless message of love, peace and compassion. May the spirit of Christmas inspire harmony and goodwill in our society.”Over the last few years, PM Modi has been regularly attending programmes that have connected with the Christian community.
During Easter 2023, PM Modi attended an Easter programme at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Delhi. Later that year, he hosted a Christmas programme at his official residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg.In 2024, the PM attended a Christmas dinner at the residence of minister of state George Kurian and also participated in a programme organised by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI).(WIth inputs from agency)
By noon on Wednesday, Vaibhav Suryavanshi scored 190 off 84 balls for Bihar against Arunachal Pradesh, featuring a 36-ball century and the fastest 150 in List A cricket overtaking legends like AB de Villiers and Jos Buttler.Of course, he was among the top trends on X in India.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!BCCI president Mithun Manhas headlined the cheerleading by posting: “Record Alert: Bihar posted a total of 574/6 in 50 overs against Arunachal Pradesh at the JSCA Oval Ground, Ranchi, today, recording the highest team total in the history of List A cricket. The previous record was 502/2, scored by Tamil Nadu against Arunachal Pradesh at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, on Nov 21 2022, during the Vijay Hazare Trophy.”
At the age of 14, Suryavanshi is no stranger to social-media fame. His effort came on a day when Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma both scored centuries in the Vijay Hazare Trophy against Andhra and Sikkim respectively, and Ishan Kishan recorded a 33-ball hundred for Jharkhand against Karnataka, only for his team to lose despite posting 412 for 9. There were 22 tons scored on Wednesday. 10 totals were over 300. Two totals over 400 and one over 500.But it was Arunachal Pradesh’s 397-run defeat that highlighted the gulf in quality between established teams and the newer northeastern sides. Earlier this season, Meghalaya’s Akash Kumar hit eight consecutive sixes against Arunachal in the Ranji Trophy. Since the induction of the new state teams in 2018, the frequency of such one-sided records has raised questions about the domestic structure’s competitiveness.Suryavanshi has emerged as a prized asset for the BCCI after a standout IPL season. Yet, he plays in the Plate Group alongside the northeastern teams, many of whose players lack formal training infrastructure. These sides were granted First-Class status by a Supreme Court-appointed committee of administrators (CoA) in 2018. The BCCI has been working on providing top-class facilities in these states since.
Poll
Do you think exposure to high-quality cricket is essential for Suryavanshi’s growth?
Over the past two years the BCCI has sought to restore domestic cricket’s stature as a premier breeding ground for talent. However, it needs to be seen if a generational talent like Suryavanshi gains meaningful experience against largely amateur opposition.“I would like to believe Suryavanshi is mature enough by now to understand the value of these runs against such weak opponents. The BCCI’s centre of excellence (CoE) has to play a critical role in his development. BCCI has done well by giving him exposure in the recent Rising Stars Asia Cup,” former national selector and BCCI General Manager of Cricket Operations Saba Karim told TOI. “The Northeastern states will take a long time to come up to a basic standard of competition. They should only play T20 cricket at the top level to get exposure to high-quality cricket. And for Bihar to make it to the Elite group consistently, the system there also needs to develop, which will not happen overnight.”Devang Gandhi, who was a national selector when the new teams were inducted, said: “As selectors, you will never take these records into account. BCCI has to be proactive. It has to create a parallel system for talented players like Suryavanshi coming from these states.”“For Suryavanshi’s growth, he needs to play tough First-Class cricket. At the moment, he is only playing white-ball cricket. BCCI will have to find a way where Suryavanshi has exposure to top-class red-ball cricket. It shouldn’t be the case where the hours he is putting in domestic cricket are becoming meaningless. At his age, bad habits in the game can creep in easily if he is exposed to poor quality cricket for a long time,” Gandhi added.
Former India opener WV Raman, a former coach at the National Cricket Academy, recommended that the CoE field its own team in domestic competitions so that emerging talent receives sustained high-quality exposure. “You can’t say these runs are meaningless because these teams are part of the system. But, something needs to be done about the current structure of domestic cricket. The CoE can have its own team in domestic cricket. Then a lot of talented players stay in the system, playing top-class cricket,” Raman told TOI.Beyond structural changes, the board must intensify its development efforts in the northeastern states, where extravagant match fees are yet to translate into improved performance. “There are certain teams that have their lead performers who are outstation players. That isn’t helping the growth of cricket in the region. More local players from these states to stand out. Only then will the standard of cricket rise,” Gandhi reckoned.Raman also suggested that veteran former India players who tailor their domestic appearances around IPL commitments be encouraged to mentor players in these states. “There are veteran former India players who pick and choose domestic matches just to stay in shape for the IPL. BCCI can encourage them to take up mentorship roles with these states and pay them for their services. That way they can also pick and choose their own matches besides passing invaluable experience to the players,” he said.
