Cheteshwar Pujara is forced to dance with his teammates after the 2-1 series win at Sydney Cricket Ground on January 07, 2019. (Getty Images)

On this day, seven years ago, India created history by becoming the first Asian team to win a Test series against Australia in Australia. It was a truly stunning tour Down Under for the Virat Kohli-led Indian side as they went on to win both the Test and ODI series after drawing the T20I series.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The historic victory came after a 71-year wait for India, who first toured Australia in 1947–48. The scoreline at the end of the four-match series read 2-1 in favour of the visitors. In fact, it could have been an emphatic 3-1 if not for rain washing out most of the final two days of the fourth match in Sydney, such was India’s dominance in the contest.

Nonetheless, Team India set plenty of records in that historic series, which started with a 31-run victory in Adelaide in the first Test. Australia bounced back with an emphatic 146-run win in the second Test in Perth to level the series 1-1.India replied to that thrashing with one of their own, registering a 137-run victory in Melbourne to take a decisive 2-1 lead before the series moved to the SCG.India dominated the series finale in Sydney, posting a mammoth 622 for 7 declared after batting first, then bowling out Australia for 300 and enforcing the follow-on. It was the first follow-on at home for Australia since 1988. But rain somehow saved the hosts from defeat in Sydney.

The main architects of the historic series win Down Under for India were Cheteshwar Pujara with the bat and Jasprit Bumrah with the ball, along with contributions from other members of the team. Pujara was the top-scorer with 521 runs at an average of 74.42 in seven innings and deservedly won the Player of the Series award. Bumrah was the joint-leading wicket-taker of the series with Nathan Lyon, picking up 21 wickets at a stunning average of 17 in eight innings.Overall, India’s batters had a brilliant series, with the top three run-getters all being Indians. Apart from Pujara, young wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant had a breakthrough series, scoring 350 runs at an average of 58.33, including 159 not out in the final Test. Captain Kohli also contributed 282 runs, more than Australia’s top run-getter of the series, Marcus Harris (258).Among bowlers, Bumrah’s new-ball partner Mohammed Shami claimed 16 wickets at 26.18. The Indian pace duo outperformed their Australian counterparts on their own turf, giving the visitors a decisive edge in the series.The famed Australian trio of Pat Cummins (14), Josh Hazlewood (13) and Mitchell Starc (13) followed in the list of wicket-takers, with India’s Ishant Sharma also chipping in with 11 wickets in three matches.Australia had a chance to level the series when they arrived in Sydney for the finale, with India leading 2-1. But it was not to be.

Player of the Series Cheteshwar Pujara (Getty Images)

Here’s how the final match of the historic series panned out at the SCG:On January 3, Kohli won the toss and decided to put runs on the board first. The decision looked to have backfired when India lost opener KL Rahul in the second over to Hazlewood for 9. But it proved to be just a small hurdle before the Indian batters took control of the situation.Mayank Agarwal and No.3 batter Pujara then scored their fifties and added 116 runs for the second wicket to shake off the initial hiccup. Agarwal missed out on a well-deserved hundred when he fell for 77 off 112 balls to Lyon.The wicket did not bring further success for Australia as Pujara held one end firm and continued stitching partnerships. He added 54 with Kohli (23), followed by 48 with Ajinkya Rahane (18). Pujara brought up his hundred and took India to 303/4 at stumps on Day 1, batting on 130 not out, with Hanuma Vihari (39*) for company.When India lost Vihari for 42 the next day, he had already added 101 runs for the fifth wicket with Pujara. India’s No.3 did not stop there, adding another substantial 89-run partnership with Pant before falling for a majestic 193 off 373 balls. India were 418/6 when Pujara departed.Australia were still coming to terms with Pujara’s knock when the floodgates suddenly opened and runs began to flow freely from the bats of Pant and Ravindra Jadeja. Their stunning 204-run stand ended all hopes of a series-levelling win for the hosts on Day 2 itself.Pant remained unbeaten on 159 off 189 balls when India declared at 622/7 following the fall of Jadeja’s wicket. Jadeja departed after smashing 81 off just 114 balls.Australia ended the second day at 24/0, but knew they had a mountain to climb even to salvage a draw, let alone win the match.Harris and Usman Khawaja gave the hosts a solid start, adding 72 before the latter was dismissed for 27 by Kuldeep Yadav. Harris then added 56 with Marnus Labuschagne before falling for 79 to Jadeja. Australia lost four more wickets before rain and bad light ended the third day early, with the hosts at 236/6.The fourth day also began with rain in Sydney, washing out the first session. After a delayed start, India bundled out Australia for 300 in their first innings and enforced the follow-on. It was Australia’s first follow-on at home in 31 years. They were 6 without loss when rain returned and washed out the third session as well.The fifth day — January 7, 2019 — also began with more rain, much to the relief of the hosts. After lunch was taken without a ball being bowled, officials finally decided to call off the match during the second session.Rain, however, did not dampen the Indian celebrations as they clinched their first-ever Test series win in Australia. More importantly, they went on to replicate the feat on their next assignment Down Under as well.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi at toss (Screengrab)

NEW DELHI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi once again stole the spotlight during the third Under-19 ODI between India and South Africa on Wednesday. However, the day began with an unexpected moment from the young star. After losing the toss, Sooryavanshi looked upset on camera as he covered his face with his hands. The reaction caught everyone’s attention, including the match referee, who could not help but smile at the teenager’s honest response.

What followed later in the match, nevertheless, was pure domination from the 14-year-old.Leading the Indian team in the absence of regular captain Ayush Mhatre, Sooryavanshi produced a breathtaking batting performance. He reached his century in just 63 balls, becoming the youngest captain to score a hundred in Youth ODIs at the age of 14 years and nine months. He eventually scored a stunning 127 off just 74 balls, filled with clean hitting and fearless stroke play.India finished with a massive total of 393 for 7 in their 50 overs, making South Africa’s decision to bowl first a costly one. Sooryavanshi was well supported by Aaron George, who played a fine knock of 118 from 106 balls.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi at toss (Screengrab)

The pair put together a huge opening partnership of 227 runs, completely taking the game away from the visitors.South Africa struggled from the very start of their chase. Kishan Singh caused early damage, having reduced them to 15 for 3 within four overs. He removed Jorich Van Schalkwyk, Adnaan Lagadien and Lethabo Phahlamohlaka in quick succession.Although Daniel Bosman and Jason Rowles tried to steady the innings, South Africa kept losing wickets at regular intervals. They were eventually bowled out for 160 in 35 overs, handing India a crushing 233-run victory and a clean sweep of the three-match series.

New Delhi: The Union home ministry Wednesday formally notified the timeline for the first phase of Census 2027 — involving housing and houselisting operations — declaring that it shall be conducted over a 30-day period, to be specified by each state or Union territory, between April 1 and Sept 30 this year. Invoking its powers under Sections 3 and 17A of the Census Act, 1948, read with 6A and 6D of Census Rules, 1990, and in supersession of the notification dated Jan 7, 2020, “except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession”, the Centre declared in the notification that the houselisting operations of Census 2027 shall have an option for self-enumeration, “which shall be conducted in 15 days’ time just before the start of house-to-house houselisting operations of 30 days”.

Census to be held digitally for first time

The release of schedule for first phase of the exercise formally kickstarts what was a decennial exercise, before the Covid outbreak delayed Census 2021. It shall be conducted in two phases – houselisting and housing census followed by population enumeration – between April 1, 2026 and Feb 28, 2027, with 00:00 hours of March 1, 2027, as the reference date (except for UT of Ladakh and snow-bound areas and non-synchronous areas of J&K, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand).On Dec 12 last year, the Union cabinet chaired by PM Modi had approved the proposal for conducting Census of India 2027 at a cost of Rs 11,718.2 crore. The population enumeration phase of the latest census will also capture caste identity.About 30 lakh field functionaries will be involved in the Census, the largest administrative and statistical exercise in the world. Being the first digital census, it will involve the use of mobile app for data collection and a central portal for monitoring purposes, ensuring better quality data.The govt had last month stated that Census data dissemination will be much better and done in a user-friendly way so that all queries on required parameters for policymaking are available at the click of a button.Census-as-a-service (CaaS) will deliver data to ministries in a clean, machine-readable and actionable format.The Census process involves visiting each and every household and canvassing separate questionnaires for houselisting & housing census and population enumeration.The enumerators, generally government teachers and appointed by state govts, will do the Census fieldwork in addition to their regular duties.A dedicated portal, namely Census Management & Monitoring System (CMMS) portal, has been developed for managing and monitoring the entire process on a real-time basis. Public can self-enumerate through the Census app or portal in the 15-day period before start of the 30-day houselisting phase in their state/UT. Suitable security features have been provisioned for the digital census.

Chennai: Surpassing the dominance of the IT sector, Global Capability Centres (GCCs) have emerged as the primary driver of Chennai’s commercial real estate market in 2025. GCCs accounted for a 51% share of gross office space leasing, outstripping all other industries and offsetting a slowdown in demand in the IT and IT-enabled services (ITeS) sectors.According to data sourced by TOI from real estate intelligence firm Anarock Group, GCCs leased 4.3 million sqft of the total 8.4 million sqft gross leasing reported in the city last year. This trend in Chennai outpaced the national average, where GCCs contributed to 41% of gross office absorption across India, up from 36% in 2024.

The office real estate absorption acts as a proxy for the sector’s expansion in recent years as data shows a steady upward trajectory. GCCs register steady growth with 2 million sq ft or 27% of 7.4 million sqft gross office leasing in 2023 to 3.29 million sqft or 41% of the 8.1 million sqft in 2024. The Chennai office market witnessed notable sectoral realignment in 2025, reflecting broader economic and industry dynamics, said Peush Jain, managing director of commercial leasing and advisory at Anarock group. “The IT and ITeS sector, traditionally the dominant force in office space leasing here, has experienced a continued moderation, while demand from GCCs has been on the rise,” said Jain.The surge in demand has led to a tightening of supply. While new office supply stood at 3.90 million sqft (a 72% growth) in 2025, net office absorption was significantly higher at 5.6 million sqft. This represents a 12% growth in absorption, against 10% average growth recorded across the country’s top seven cities. Chennai remains the only major city with single-digit vacancy rates, which declined from 9.2% to 8.8% in 2025. Average monthly rentals also saw a 5% yearly increase, touching nearly Rs 79 per sqft. “Current trends indicate that the Chennai office market will continue to show positive momentum in 2026, with GCC demand remaining strong. Data suggests that both new office supply and absorption may see anywhere between 10%-15% growth in 2026 compared to 2025,” Jain added. Beyond the metro, Coimbatore ranks among the top tier-2 cities for GCC expansion in India. While Chennai and Mumbai regions remain key data centre hubs in India, Coimbatore and Madurai are newly emerging DC hubs.

England skipper Ben Stokes suffered a groin injury during the fourth day (Wednesday, January 7) of the fifth and final Ashes 2025-26 Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney. Stokes was forced to leave the field after picking up the issue, raising concerns for England in the ongoing match.

Australia are in control and look set to finish the Ashes with a 4-1 series win. They still need to bat well on the final day to seal the result. Jacob Bethell scored a memorable maiden first-class century. Beau Webster, playing his first Test of the home series, once again proved his value with a strong performance.

Ben Stokes Suffers Groin Injury on Day Four of Final Ashes Test in Sydney

Ben Stokes suffered a groin injury on day four of the final Ashes Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. He pulled up while bowling early on Wednesday and left the field mid-over, with the team later confirming an issue with his right adductor.

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“Ben Stokes is currently being assessed for a right adductor complaint. We will provide an update when more information is available,” a short statement read.

Stokes could not bat in his usual position during England’s second innings. He eventually came in much lower down the order but struggled to move freely and scored just one run before getting out. England ended the day at 302-8 after a maiden Test century from Jacob Bethell.

Stokes, who has carried a heavy bowling workload throughout the series, is now unlikely to bowl on the final day. His fitness is a concern as England push for a win that could reduce their series deficit.

England captain Ben Stokes limped from the field with a groin injury on day four of the final Ashes Test against Australia.

The skipper, who has bowled 101.1 overs across the Ashes, would come to the crease at No 8 but, hobbled by the injury, lasted five deliveries for one run. pic.twitter.com/hLXbxjvxff

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) January 7, 2026

Ben Stokes Battles Injuries but Commits to England’s Future

Stokes has struggled with injuries for several years. Knee, hamstring, and shoulder problems have stopped him from playing a full role in England’s previous four Test series before this Ashes tour.

Stokes recently signed a new England central contract that runs until the end of the home Ashes in 2027. After England’s series defeat was confirmed this winter, he also said he wants to continue as captain.

Stokes took five wickets in the first innings of the opening Ashes Test in Perth. However, his batting has not matched that success. He played nine innings in the series without scoring a century in what could be his final Ashes series in Australia.

He’s Got a History of Injuries – Nasser Hussain on Ben Stokes

Former England captain Nasser Hussain has said that workload and team balance are the reasons behind Ben Stokes’s latest injury setback. Hussain added that Stokes plays the game at full intensity all the time and never holds back, which increases the physical toll on his body.

“He’s got a history of injuries, but that’s the way Stokes plays his cricket. He does everything 100 per cent, never eases into anything.

“He is a victim of probably his own, and his management team’s selections in this series. He’s bowled over 100 overs with a history of injuries, and it’s 35 degrees, 40 degrees on some pitches.

“There should be a spinner to bowl some overs at Sydney, should have been a frontline spinner for Adelaide. There wasn’t.

Also read: Jacob Bethell becomes first specialist batter to achieve rare Test feat after maiden first-class century

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SANTINIKETAN: The age gap between Nobel laureate Amartya Sen and his late mother, Amita Sen, is around 19-and-a-half years. But on Wednesday, an SIR hearing notice reached his Santiniketan house, Pratichi, because the EC found that the age difference was below 15 years.As per the 2025 SIR draft roll, the age of Amartya Sen is 92. On the 2002 voter list, the age of his mother, Amita Sen, was 88. Twenty-three years back, Sen was 69, and the age difference between mother and son was 19 years, not less than 15 years as claimed by the EC.Gitikantha Majumdar, who is in charge of maintaining Sen’s Pratichi home and also takes care of all his official matters, said: “The SIR notice states that there is less than 15 years’ age difference between Amartya Kumar Sen and his mother. But the actual age difference is 19-and-a-half years. I do not know how they (EC) issued this notice. He (Sen) was asked to provide information on Jan 16. This is a deliberate act of harassment.“Majumdar said that as Sen was in the USA now, the election officials would visit his house at Santiniketan on Jan 16, and a representative on behalf of Sen would show the relevant documents to resolve the discrepancy. On Wednesday, EC officials, including ERO Tania Roy and BLO Sombrata Mukherjee, visited Pratichi and handed the notice to his cousin, Shantabhanu Sen, who stays next door. Shantabhanu said: “They said there were some errors in the information (provided in the SIR). This summons was meant to harass Amartya Sen.” The Bengal CEO in a statement on X said: “The enumeration form of Amartya Sen, an overseas elector, was received by his family member Shantabhanu Sen, who linked him with his mother Amita Sen. Since the age difference between the elector and his mother was less than 15 years, logical discrepancy was flagged by the ERO Net Portal. Notice was generated for Sen in parity with the other discrepancy cases. Since the elector is aged 85 plus, ERO/AERO along with BLO visited his residence and completed the formalities.” Sen became a voter and, in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, cast his vote at the Visva Bharati Staff Club polling station. On the 2026 SIR draft list, Sen’s name was mentioned as Part 274, Serial 169, as Prabasi Bharatiya (non-resident Indian).

Joe Root and Sachin Tendulkar

New Delhi: Joe Root has shared the field with Sachin Tendulkar only once — on his Test debut in Nagpur in December 2012.Sachin, 39 at the time, was in the twilight of his career. He played six more Tests before retiring a year later. In that Nagpur Test, Root, just days shy of his 22nd birthday, stamped his class against India’s four-pronged spin attack, scoring 73 and 20 not out.

Few realised it then, but the pursuit had already begun, with Root quietly setting off on Tendulkar’s trail.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Cut to the present, Root has started 2026 with a century, his second of the ongoing Ashes in Australia. The England batter now needs 1,978 more runs to surpass Tendulkar’s record. Root’s Test tally currently reads: 13,943 runs from 163 Tests.

Root is hunting down Sachin’s record

At 35, Joe Root is showing no signs of slowing down.Following his century at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), former England captain Michael Vaughan said on Cricbuzz that Root will break Tendulkar’s record.

England’s Joe Root walks from the field after he was dismissed during play on day four of the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

“There is no doubt Root will break Sachin’s record. The real question is whether he will be back for the next Ashes in Australia, which is four years away,” Vaughan said.England’s Test calendar is mapped out until the end of the 2027 home summer. This year brings three home Tests each against New Zealand and Pakistan. The 2026–27 winter includes three Tests in South Africa, two in Bangladesh, and a one-off 150th anniversary Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). In 2027, England will play seven Tests, including another Ashes series. In total, that presents a possible 20 Tests over the next 18 months.

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has also backed Root to seriously challenge Tendulkar’s unrivalled Test legacy. Speaking during commentary in the India vs England fourth Test at Old Trafford last year, Shastri said Root has time firmly on his side.“Look at his age (35). Look at the number of matches. He’s got about 40 Tests left. Sachin played 200 Tests. Root has played around 160. He’s still young. He has four years of cricket ahead of him. And what will separate him and Tendulkar will be around 3,000 runs. When you’re hot, you’re hot, and he has age on his side,” Shastri said.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi, right, and former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar pose for picture during his India tour in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Professional sport rarely follows a neat script. Root has enjoyed remarkable fortune so far, missing just two Tests since his debut, never because of an injury.

Root vs Kohli vs Smith vs Williamson

Legendary India batter Sunil Gavaskar had famously said that Root was a notch below the other memembers of the famed Fab Four — Virat Kohli, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson.Gavaskar was not wrong.In January 2021, the contrast among the Fab Four was stark. Kohli had 27 Test centuries from 73 matches, Smith 26 from 70, Williamson 23 from 64, while Root lagged behind with just 17 hundreds despite having played 96 Tests.

(L-R) Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Joe Root and Kane Williamson

More tellingly, Root had accumulated 48 half-centuries — more than Kohli and Smith’s combined tally — underlining how often he got starts without converting them into a triple digit score.Reaching 50 was never Root’s problem. Time and again, he cruised through the first half of an innings, only to fall before reaching the landmark that defines elite Test batters.Fast forward to 2025, and the narrative has flipped completely. Over the past four years, Root has struck 24 centuries and just 17 fifties across 67 Tests. By comparison, Williamson has ten hundreds in 24 matches, Smith 11 in 47, while Kohli managed only three in 36 Tests before retiring from the format in May 2025.

England’s Joe Root bats during play on day two of the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Root has credited his resurgence to work done during the Covid-19 pandemic and detailed conversations with former England captain Nasser Hussain.“I actually spoke to Nass quite a bit,” Root said on Sky Sports. “I asked if I could get some footage and looked at my modes of dismissal to see if there were any patterns — the different ways I was getting out at various stages of my innings.“Early in my career, a lot of it was about technique — where my hands were, where my head was, whether I was lined up right, whether my trigger was correct. In this second phase, it’s been more about managing risk and eliminating as many modes of dismissal as possible while still producing the highest output.”In 2025, Root stands alone among his peers as the only realistic contender to chase down Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time Test run record.

Sachin vs Root in numbers

Age, numbers and timing are beginning to align for Root in a way few would have imagined a decade ago.

England’s Joe Root gestures with his bat during play on day two of the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

At 34, just before the Sydney Test, Root had accumulated 13,777 runs at an average of 50.83 across 296 innings in 162 Tests. At the same age, Tendulkar stood at 11,782 runs at 55.31 after 147 Tests — fewer matches, a higher average, but significantly fewer runs.By the time both reached 298 innings, Tendulkar had surged to 14,965 runs at 56.95, while Root stood at 13,943 at 51.07.Milestones underline the contrast. Root reached his 41st Test century in his 297th innings — the slowest among batters to reach that mark. Tendulkar, by contrast, brought up his 51st hundred in his 289th innings.

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Do you think Joe Root will surpass Sachin Tendulkar’s Test run record?

After turning 35, Tendulkar added another 4,139 runs in 91 innings at an average of 49.86, including 12 centuries.For Root, the arithmetic is demanding but not implausible. To match Tendulkar’s final tally within the same number of innings — 329 — he needs 1,978 runs from his next 31 innings.Unlike Tendulkar, who played 463 ODIs, Root has largely focused on one format. He has featured in just 218 white-ball internationals (186 ODIs and 32 T20Is). With age and fitness on his side, the Yorkshire-born batter may yet cruise past Sachin’s once-unfathomable mark of 15,921 Test runs.