India’s captain Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli (PTI Photo)

Indian cricket’s next wave is being told, in no uncertain terms, that raw ability will only take them so far. What truly separates the elite from the rest is discipline, routine and an almost obsessive commitment to improvement. Ahead of India’s ongoing ODI series against New Zealand, that message was driven home by former India head coach Ravi Shastri, who pointed to Virat Kohli’s work ethic as the benchmark young captain Shubman Gill should aspire to match. Speaking during commentary in the first ODI at Vadodara, with Gill and Kohli batting together, Shastri chose not to dissect technique or shot selection. Instead, he focused on what happens away from the spotlight. Kohli’s greatness, he stressed, is rooted in habits built day after day, often unseen on match nights.

“The single-mindedness, the hunger. The willingness to push that body to the limits. And I have seen that in my time when I was with the team, his work ethics probably second to none. I have seen just the way he goes about his job, the number of catches he takes in the morning, the catches in the outfield, and the throws into the keeper’s gloves. Apart from his batting and everything else, it’s a routine,” Shastri said. Those routines were reflected on the field as India began the series with a four-wicket win over New Zealand at the Kotambi International Stadium to take a 1-0 lead. Chasing 301, India were powered by half-centuries from Kohli and Gill, followed by a calm finish from KL Rahul, who remained unbeaten on 29. Rohit Sharma set the tone early to become the first cricketer to hit 650 sixes in international cricket before falling for 26. Kohli then took centre stage, racing past 28,000 international runs and overtaking Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest run-scorer in international history. His 93 came as part of a crucial 118-run stand with Gill, who marked his return from injury with a fluent 56. Despite a brief collapse sparked by Kyle Jamieson, Rahul held his nerve at the end, sealing the chase with a six in the final over. Earlier, Daryl Mitchell’s composed 84 had anchored New Zealand to 300/8. As India now head to Rajkot for the second ODI, Gill finds himself leading a side that still features Kohli at the peak of his professionalism. The lesson, as Shastri underlined, is clear. Talent opens the door, but it is discipline and obsession with the finer details that keep players at the top.

Actress Sangeeta Bijlani continues to maintain her perfect figure even at the age of 65. Along with her regular exercise routine, the actor also opts for a healthy diet. Known for her radiant skin and well-maintained physique, the former Bollywood star recently shared a glimpse of her breakfast for her InstaFam. Her breakfast looked not just delicious, but it was also packed with nutritious superfoods. Here’s a glimpse…

Sangeeta Bijlani’s nutritious breakfast

In Sangeeta’s social media update, she posted a beautiful picture of her breakfast table. Her breakfast included chia seeds soaked in coconut milk, along with bananas and some nuts. She further enjoyed her breakfast with some soft-boiled eggs and a cup of green tea.Sangeeta Bijlani captioned the image, “Healthy breakfast (smiley face emoji): chia in coconut milk with banana nuts, seeds, soft-boiled eggs, and green tea.” Not to mention, the former actor’s social media is flooded with versatile healthy diet options.

This is Sangeeta Bijlani’s go-to snack.

According to a report in The Statesman, in a May 2025 post, Sangeeta Bijlani dropped a video of herself munching on something while in the car. The ‘Haatim Tai’ actress revealed that when she is hungry, her go-to snack is murmura sauteed in turmeric, cumin powder, curry leaves, and salt. Bijlani penned the caption, “Murmura sauteed in turmeric, cumin powder, curry leaves, and salt. My go-to snack whenever I’m hungry.

She previously shared another glimpse of her healthy mornings.

In a December 2024 post, Sangeeta took to her Instagram stories, where she shared a picture of her nutritious breakfast, which included pink guava, figs, pomegranate, pumpkin seeds, and some tea. “Healthy and happy morning to you all,” she wrote as the caption.

Sangeeta Bijlani’s career

Sangeeta Bijlani is known for winning the title of Femina Miss India 1980 and represented India at Miss Universe in 1980. She began her journey in the world of glamour with modeling at the age of 16. She got the tag of her popular name “Bijli” from her modeling days. The actress started her acting career starring in the film “Qatil” in 1988. She was then seen in films such as Tridev, Hatim Tai, Yodha, Khoon Ka Karz, Inspector Dhanush, Gunehgar Kaun, and Nirbhay.

NEW DELHI: While sympathising with a young man from UP who will lose his govt job because of its adverse order over his not declaring a pending criminal case against him at the time of recruitment, Supreme Court on Monday emphasised that sympathy cannot supplant the law as such disclosure is not a simple procedural formality but a basic requirement for public service. “There is a maxim in law to the effect that ‘ dura lex, sed lex’, which means the law may be harsh, but the law is law,” a bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and N K Singh said while quashing the order of Allahabad HC which had held that the non-disclosure was of “trivial nature” and his appointment could not be set aside on that ground. “It is also a settled position in law that sympathy cannot supplant law. As such, while we acknowledge that loss of a govt job is not an easy loss to come to terms with, at the same time awareness of consequences is a necessary component of actions,” the bench said. “Proper and complete disclosure in applications for govt employment is not a simple procedural formality, but a basic requirement rooted in fairness, integrity and public trust. Govt posts attract hundreds, and often thousands, of applicants for a single vacancy, each competing under the same stated conditions; scrupulous vetting of every candidate becomes imperative and essential to ensure a level playing field and to protect the credibility of the selection process. When an applicant withholds information about criminal antecedents, it undermines this process by depriving the appointing authority of the opportunity to make a fully informed assessment of suitability,” the bench said. While the law recognises that non-disclosure, depending on the nature of the offence and accompanying circumstances, may not invariably be fatal to a candidature, it nevertheless remains a serious lapse. “The gravity is significantly compounded when the non-disclosure is repeated, as it ceases to be accidental or inadvertent and instead reflects deliberate concealment. Such strikes at the core of trust reposed in candidates for public service, where honesty and transparency are indispensable attributes, and justify a far stricter view by the authorities,” it said. In the case before it, the person was appointed as Sahayak Samiksha Adhikari, but his services were terminated after it was found there were two pending criminal cases against him, which were not disclosed by him in the form. He approached Allahabad HC, whose single as well as division bench quashed his termination, following which state govt moved SC.

Bangladesh’s participation in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in India is now under serious doubt, with the International Cricket Council’s security report raising strong safety concerns. Youth and Sports Adviser Prof Asif Nazrul confirmed that the overall situation does not feel safe enough for Bangladesh to travel to India for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

ICC security report raises major red flags for Bangladesh

As reported by the Daily Sun Report, Nazrul revealed that the ICC’s own security review is not good in terms of security in India. Based on that assessment, the government felt the environment is not suitable for Bangladesh to play their ICC T20 World Cup 2026 matches in India.

The adviser also confirmed that the Bangladesh government has already sent two separate letters to the ICC on this matter and is still waiting for an official reply. Amidst this, ICC’s security team sent a letter to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) explaining the conditions under which security risks could increase even more during the much-awaited tournament.

Your daily dose of cricket!

Read Also: BCCI issues official statement as ICC snubs Pakistan, offers special plan for Bangladesh’s T20 WC games

Three major red flags for Bangladesh playing the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in India

According to Asif Nazrul, the letter mentioned three major red flags. The first was the possible selection of Mustafizur Rahman in the Bangladesh squad, which could raise safety concerns. The second issue was related to Bangladeshi fans moving around in public wearing team jerseys, something that could attract unwanted attention and create risks.

The third concern was the timing of the tournament, as the matches will be played at a time close to Bangladesh’s national elections, and this could further worsen the security situation. Taking all these points together, Nazrul has made it clear that it would be unrealistic to expect the Bangladesh team to play the T20 World Cup in India under such conditions.

Bangladesh Sports Adviser’s bombshell

Asif Nazrul said at a press conference: “If the ICC expects us to form a team by excluding our best bowler, to ask our supporters not to wear the Bangladesh national jersey, and to postpone Bangladesh’s national election in order to play cricket, then there can be no expectation more absurd, unrealistic, or unreasonable than this.

If the ICC expects us to form a team by excluding our best bowler, to ask our supporters not to wear the Bangladesh national jersey, and to postpone Bangladesh’s national election in order to play cricket, then there can be no expectation more absurd, unrealistic, or unreasonable than this.”

No compromise, no bias: Bangladesh issues strong warning to ICC

He said the atmosphere in India has become very unsafe for Bangladesh over the last 16 months due to rising communal tension and strong anti-Bangladesh feelings. He stressed that the issue around Rahman and the security warning sent by the ICC have removed all doubt. Given that, Nazrul said that Bangladesh cannot safely be in an “extreme communal environment.”

Read Also: Mohammad Nabi goes nuclear, distances himself from Mustafizur Rahman amid India-Bangladesh tensions

Since the former BCCI secretary Jay Shah is the current ICC chairman, the Sports Adviser said that Bangladesh will not tolerate any biased call. He said, “A sport or a tournament cannot be decided solely on the basis of market management. We will not make any concessions on this issue.”

Bangladesh rejects ICC’s India-only solution; pushes for Pakistan or UAE

Nazrul also revealed that ICC has informed Bangladesh that the tournament will not be shifted to Sri Lanka. Instead, the ICC suggested changing venues within India, but the Bangladesh government rejected this idea, saying, “If the venue is changed from Kolkata to somewhere else, that does not solve the problem. India remains India.”

The Bangladesh Sports Adviser further said that Pakistan or the UAE would be acceptable options to play their T20 World Cup matches and said that the government will release ICC’s security letter to the media at the right time.

He signed off by saying, “But where a player from our team cannot be allowed to play, and where India’s national cricket board bows to extremist communal forces and says that player should not be allowed to play—what greater proof does the ICC need?”

BENGALURU: Any space agency will tell you that every rocket launch comes with anxious moments, no matter what the record is. Yet, India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) failing twice in consecutive attempts won’t be easy for Isro to digest given its workhorse’s record. PSLV has had 64 missions, of which four, including Monday’s PSLV-C62, failed to put the spacecraft in orbit, and one in 1997 placed the payload on a lower orbit than the intended one. When a launcher is seen as proven, scrutiny can soften. But back-to-back failures need to be treated as a structural warning – not bad luck – as they suggest deeper issues, whether with quality control, supply chains, testing protocols, or configuration management. When PSLV-C61 failed last year, it brought down the rocket’s success rate from 95.2% to 93.7%. Now, it has slipped further. Isro told TOI on Monday that the failures have affected the collective morale of the team. “It would have been different if any other launcher failed, but a PSLV failure worries us,” said a scientist. An analysis of setbacks shows that PSLV-C62’s failure could have been caused by unresolved issues from the failed PSLV-C61 on May 18, 2025. In both cases, PS3, or the third stage – a solid motor that provides a high-energy boost after the second stage burnout – suffered a glitch. While Isro has not made the previous failure analysis committee (FAC) report public, TOI has learnt there was a fall in chamber pressure of the motor case. The PSLV-C62 will now be analysed by another FAC. Isro said there was disturbance in the “roll rate” during the final stages of PS3 burning on Monday, and that caused a deviation. Failures before 2025 all point to different glitches. The first setback was on Sept 20, 1993 when PSLV-D1, the rocket’s first mission, failed due to a guidance system error during the separation of PS2 (a liquid stage). Isro launched again on Oct 15, 1994, and thereon PSLV showed no glitch until Sept 29, 1997, when PSLV-C1 mission became a “partial success”. Here, the pressure regulator on PS4 (which uses twin liquid engines) failed, resulting in the satellite being placed in a lower-than-intended orbit. The 1997 glitch has not repeated. The next failure came 20 years later, in Aug 2017, when the PSLV-C39 mission failed. In this case, the problem was with the heat shield, which has since been rectified. After the PSLV-C39 mission, the launch vehicle had 21 successful flights before the failure last year, followed by Monday’s.

Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)

Ajinkya Rahane has offered a rare, close-up look at what truly sets Virat Kohli apart, drawing from years of sharing the dressing room with him and playing under his leadership. According to Rahane, Kohli’s greatness goes far beyond visible passion or the hunger for runs. The real difference, Rahane said, lies in attitude, one that is often misunderstood from the outside. Speaking on Cricbuzz, Rahane explained, “However much we talk about Virat Kohli is never enough. But I have seen him very closely, how he goes about his batting. We talk about his passion and his intent each and every time. But I feel for me what stands out is his attitude. Attitude of learning, attitude of never giving up. People outside think Virat is arrogant, but he is not. He gets into the zone.” Rahane revealed that Kohli’s behaviour before matches has frequently been misread. In the days leading up to a game, Kohli tends to withdraw into his own space, limiting conversations even with teammates. Rahane stressed that this silence has nothing to do with ego. It is simply how Kohli prepares.

“I saw him two days before the game. He’ll hardly talk with people, even with the teammates. That’s what actually gets him into the zone,” Rahane said. “He’ll always wear his AirPods or try and listen to whatever he wants to and what he likes to get into the zone.” Rahane admitted that this approach initially puzzled many players. “Initially it took all the players a little bit of time. Why is he doing that? But then I got to know that he’s actually getting into the zone while not talking to the players or while not talking to anyone,” Rahane added. Beyond preparation, Rahane highlighted Kohli’s relentless work ethic and constant desire to improve, even after achieving everything in the game. “His attitude is amazing. His work ethics are amazing,” Rahane said. “Every time you see him, you see something different. He always wants to change. He always wants to improve and always wants to contribute for the team.” These reflections come at a time when Kohli continues to rewrite record books. During the first ODI against New Zealand, a match-winning 93 took Kohli past Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest run-scorer across all international formats. Kohli now has 28,068 runs since debuting for India in 2008, with only Sachin Tendulkar ahead on the all-time list.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced a 25% tariff on countries doing business with Iran, stepping up pressure on Tehran over its violent crackdown on nationwide protests.Trump said the tariffs would take effect immediately. In a social media post, he wrote, “Effective immediately, any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America.” “This Order is final and conclusive,” he added.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had earlier said, “One thing President Trump is very good at is always keeping all of his options on the table,” adding, “airstrikes would be one of the many, many options that are on the table for the commander-in-chief. Diplomacy is always the first option for the president.”The US president has repeatedly warned Iran over its treatment of protesters and has threatened military action if the violence continues. On Monday, Trump said Washington was closely monitoring the situation and considering possible military retaliation. When asked how the United States would respond if Iran were to strike American military bases, he said, “we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said Iran appeared to be nearing a red line he had set, adding, “they’re starting to, it looks like.” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States and Israel of attempting to destabilise Iran by fomenting unrest. While pledging that the government would hear public grievances, he warned against violent protesters and urged Iranians to stay away from “rioters and terrorists.”The decision comes as unrest continues across Iran, where activists say security forces have used deadly force against antigovernment demonstrators. At least 648 people have been killed since the protests began, with the toll expected to rise. More than 10,600 people have been detained over the past two weeks, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.