NEW DELHI: Mustafizur Rahman’s release by Kolkata Knight Riders from the IPL, following directives issued by the BCCI, sparked widespread debate and criticism in Bangladesh. In the latest developments, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Sunday announced that the national team will not travel to India for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The Bangladesh government also ordered a suspension of all IPL broadcasts and telecasts in the country.Mustafizur, who previously represented Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings, has taken 65 wickets in 60 IPL matches. KKR bought him for a hefty Rs 9.2 crore at the IPL 2026 auction, making him the only Bangladesh cricketer to secure a contract this season. However, the BCCI issued a directive that led to his release.

Former Bangladesh batter Rajin Saleh believes the move will prove to be a major setback for Bangladesh cricket, especially given the strong cricketing relationship the country has shared with the Indian board.“Previously, many Bangladesh players like Mushfiqur, Taskin and Shakib played in the IPL. But this time, no Bangladesh player will play. It’s a big setback for Bangladesh cricket. Definitely, for Bangladesh, it’s a huge loss,” Saleh told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.“Politics should be kept aside and cricket should be played. We shouldn’t do it any other way. The ground may be different, but cricket is separate. Cricket should be played. Look, in India there are Hindus and Muslims — in fact, there are many Muslims. In Bangladesh, there are many Hindus too. My closest friends are Hindu as well. I have two friends, Shimmer and Tushar, and I always talk to them. Politics should remain separate from cricket. This situation is sad. Why does cricket get involved? Cricket should stay separate,” said Saleh, who played 24 Tests and 43 ODIs between 2003 and 2008.SECURITY CONCERNS FOR BANGLADESH TEAMBilateral relations between the two countries have remained strained since the mass uprising in Bangladesh in 2024 that led to the removal of then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.Citing security concerns, the Bangladesh Cricket Board has decided not to send its team to India for the T20 World Cup. The BCB said the decision was taken “to safeguard the safety and well-being of Bangladeshi players, team officials and board members.”

“Security is the main concern. If good security is provided to Mustafizur and the Bangladesh team, why not go? Definitely, they will go. How will the 25 players play in the World Cup? How will security be provided? If positive signals are given, why not? But there has been no word yet,” Saleh said.“The issue is that proper security cannot be provided. We share a good friendship with India. Bangladesh are preparing for the World Cup and practising. The board has taken a decision regarding India, and we are actually sad. We are hurt by this news and these developments. India are very important to us. Bangladesh have gained a lot from India. We have learnt a lot from India,” he added.

‘BANGLADESH WILL BEAT INDIA’The T20 World Cup will begin on February 7, with defending champions India set to face the USA in the opening match in Mumbai. The 20-team tournament will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka over 29 days across eight venues — five in India and three in Sri Lanka.A total of 40 group-stage matches will be played between February 7 and February 20, after which the top two teams from each group will advance to the Super Eights, starting on February 21. The top four sides at the end of the Super Eights will qualify for the knockout stages.In Group A, India are drawn alongside the USA, Pakistan, Netherlands and Namibia, and will take on arch-rivals Pakistan in Colombo on February 15. Group B features Sri Lanka, 2021 champions Australia, Ireland, Zimbabwe and Oman. Group C includes two-time champions England and West Indies, first-timers Italy, and Asian sides Bangladesh and Nepal. Group D comprises New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan, Canada and the UAE.If India and Bangladesh were to meet in the Super Eights, Saleh believes Bangladesh would emerge victorious, with Mustafizur playing the role of wrecker-in-chief in his team’s win.“Mustafizur will do well. I am confident. He is a good player and has been performing well. The IPL and world cricket will see him do well. If he plays against India, he should perform even better. Bangladesh should aim to beat India. I am sure Bangladesh will beat India if they meet in the Super Eights,” Saleh signed off.

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The era of the “Fab Four” is slowly transitioning, and a new dawn is breaking over Test cricket. The red-ball format, often questioned for its survival in the age of T20s, has found its guardians in a crop of fearless, technically gifted, and dynamic young batters. Fans are, in fact, witnessing a generational shift where players don’t just survive sessions; they dictate them. In recent years, as several modern-day greats near the twilight of their careers, a new crop of young stars has emerged with the skill set and fearlessness to dominate the red-ball format.

These players are not just surviving at the highest level; they are reshaping how Test cricket is played—combining classical foundations with modern aggression. Among the multitude of rising stars, three names have separated themselves from the pack, consistently turning match situations on their heads and piling up runs with an authority that belies their age. The conversation for the “next greatest” has narrowed down to a thrilling trident of talent: England’s Harry Brook, New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra, and India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Mark Waugh picks the next champion batter in Test cricket

The debate on who will rule the next decade of Test cricket is fierce, but Australian legend Mark Waugh has made his stance clear. When asked by Kayo Sports to identify the successor to the modern greats, Waugh didn’t hesitate to back the young Indian opener. He backed Jaiswal as the frontrunner, highlighting the Indian opener’s age, temperament, and early achievements in Test cricket.

At just 24, Jaiswal already boasts a double century and an average hovering around the elite mark of 50—numbers that underline both consistency and hunger for big scores. Waugh described him as a “special” talent and tipped him to join the elite club of champion Test batters in the years to come. Coming from a former great who thrived in the toughest conditions, such praise carries significant weight.

“There are three in the running: Jaiswal, Brook, and Ravindra. I am going with Jaiswal, 24 years of age. He has already got a double hundred and averages just under 50. There’s something special about this kid. I’ve got Jaiswal as the next champion batter joining the elite group. Brilliant player, so that’s my pick, the young Indian,” said Waugh.

Also READ: IPL 2026: Not Yashasvi Jaiswal! Robin Uthappa names his two picks for Rajasthan Royals’ captaincy

How the trio changed the red-ball scene?

While Waugh has made his pick, the reality is that all three of these cricketers have fundamentally altered the landscape of Test cricket. They represent a modern evolution of batting where defense is solid, but attack is the primary instinct.

• Jaiswal (The domineering opener): Jaiswal has redefined what it means to open in Test cricket for India. Unlike the traditional approach of seeing off the new ball, he treats it as a scoring opportunity. His ability to convert starts into “Daddy Hundreds” and double centuries at a rapid clip has solved India’s long-standing desire for a destructive left-hander at the top. His fearless lofted shots against world-class fast bowlers have forced captains to spread fields early, disrupting the rhythm of opposition attacks.
• Brook (The Bazball engine): Brook is the personification of England’s aggressive “Bazball” philosophy. He doesn’t just score runs; he scores them at a demoralizing pace. With a strike rate that rivals ODI cricket and a propensity for massive scores—including a triple century that showcased his hunger—Brook has proven that you can score fast without being reckless. He has made the middle order a launchpad rather than a consolidation zone.
• Ravindra (The elegant accumulator): Named after Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, Ravindra carries the burden of that legacy with grace. He brings a classical, fluid elegance to the trio. After a record-breaking ODI World Cup, his transition to red-ball cricket has been seamless. He offers a calm counterpoint to the aggression of Jaiswal and Brook, dismantling bowling attacks with precision timing and supreme technique rather than brute force. He has become the linchpin of the Kiwi batting lineup, capable of playing long, match-saving innings in foreign conditions.

Also READ: Alastair Cook names the top 4 greatest opening batters of all time

Mumbai: A 74-year-old woman, retired from a reputed national level educational institution, was threatened with arrest in a fake money laundering case by fraudsters who pretended to be Delhi crime branch police and CBI officers and cheated her of Rs 4.62 crore. The accused asked the septuagenarian to send all her money to them for ‘scrutiny’, assuring it would be returned to her once it is cleared.The senior citizen on Tuesday lodged an FIR with the west region cyber police station against the unidentified accused. The crime took place between Oct 11 last year and Jan 4 this year.On Oct 11 last year, the complainant first received a WhatsApp video call from an unidentified person who said he was from the Telecom dept. The accused told her that a sexual harassment case was registered against her. When the woman refused her involvement in any wrong act, another person identifying himself as Sushil Kumar Gautam, IPS, Delhi police, asked her to lodge a complaint. The accused told her that her Aadhaar card was used in opening a bank account which was then used in money laundering and that there were illegal financial transactions of Rs 6 crore. The officer told the woman that a case of money laundering was registered against her for it. The complainant told the ‘officer’ that she did not have any such bank account, as mentioned by the accused. The accused told her that one person ,Sandeep Kumar, had been arrested in the money laundering case and she can also be arrested any time. He threatened her and asked her to answer his questions or they would come to her house to arrest her and her family members. He asked her not to tell anyone about this investigation and if she told anyone, they would be arrested too. The accused then collected information about her bank accounts, savings, fixed deposits etc. A fake CBI officer told her that it was a sensitive case. The complainant again requested that she had no involvement in any crime. The accused then asked her to send all her money to them for ‘security procedure’. Scared, the woman sent Rs 4.62 crore over 10 transactions to various accounts provided by them.When she called them up for a refund, the accused gave her evasive replies and demanded more money. This is when she got the number of the Delhi police from the internet and contacted them to inquire about IPS officer Sushil Gautam. She was told there was no officer in the Delhi crime branch with this name and that she had been cheated.

Shreyanka Patil (PTI Photo/Atul Yadav)

BENGALURU: Eleven months is a long time — even longer in sport. It was a period that nearly derailed young all-rounder Shreyanka Patil’s career.Rehabilitation replaced matchdays, and recovery milestones mattered more than wickets. Yet the prolonged time away from the field also brought with it important life lessons.Having missed key moments with both the Indian team and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Shreyanka is set to return in RCB colours this week as the Women’s Premier League (WPL) season gets underway.The 23-year-old opened up about the grind behind her comeback and the lessons the injury taught her during a virtual media interaction on Wednesday.“I thought it was just a one-off injury and I’d be back in a couple of months. I never imagined I would be away from the field for more than a year,” Shreyanka said. “Missing out on the WPL was a big blow, and then missing the World Cup hurt me a lot.”The injury, however, allowed the Karnataka player to interact with several cricketers, including Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav. Shreyanka recalled picking Bumrah’s brains on the sidelines of a session at the Centre of Excellence (CoE).Shreyanka found an unlikely source of strength in Bumrah’s words, drawn from his own battles with time away from the game. His advice on patience, trusting the process, and not rushing the body helped her navigate the toughest phase of recovery.“He told me, ‘It’s okay — what you’re going through, everyone will go through. You’re facing this at a very young age. Don’t fight it — just be in it,” Shreyanka said. “That was lovely advice, because he’s also gone through a lot.”Shreyanka returned to the field after 11 months last September, turning out for the Barbados Royals in the Women’s Caribbean Premier League. She described the moment as a fresh beginning.“I was excited. When I bowled the first ball, I said, ‘I’m fine now.’ All my nerves eased down,” she recalled.Shreyanka also spoke about her reaction to being retained by RCB. “I was at a loss for words. I was shocked because they placed their trust in someone who hadn’t played for almost a year,” she said.Although RCB will play all their matches away from their home ground, the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, this season, Shreyanka believes fan support will remain unwavering. “Wherever we go, we have our fans,” she signed off.RCB will take on the Mumbai Indians in the tournament opener on Jan 9 in Mumbai.