Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan (ICC Photo)

NEW DELHI: Following India’s 76-run defeat to South Africa in their Super Eights clash of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at the Narendra Modi Stadium, former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar analysed the team’s batting collapse and the challenges ahead, saying Abhishek Sharma has “passed the baton of zeroes” to the in-form Ishan Kishan.India were bowled out for 111 in 18.5 overs while chasing 188 after South Africa posted 187/7. Marco Jansen starred with 4/22 and Keshav Maharaj picked up 3/24. Despite Shivam Dube’s fighting 42, India never recovered from early blows, with Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma falling cheaply.

Nayar pointed to the unusual situation facing India’s top order and was critical of the openers’ display against the Proteas.“It’s going to be a very uncomfortable discussion between Ishan Kishan and Abhishek as to who takes the strike because suddenly he has passed the baton of the zeroes to Ishan Kishan, someone who was in prime form. But this is a problem for India,” Nayar told JioStar.He also spoke about the technical issues posed by quality off-spin and stressed the need for better planning in the upcoming matches.“There is definitely going to be a discussion about how they can overcome an off-spinner bowling to them because, keep in mind, when they take on the West Indies as well, Roston Chase is going to bowl in the powerplay to them. So they will want to come back with better plans,” Nayar said.“With the newer ball, when you hit the seam at times as a finger spinner, you can get that extra bounce, and that’s the tricky part. If it’s slightly slower in the air, like we saw there, and the ball hits the seam and deviates even a bit, that’s enough in T20 cricket to get you out because it creates doubt and can earn you a wicket,” Nayar added.Nayar’s remarks highlight India’s urgency to adapt against quality spin as they look to revive their semi-final hopes in the Super Eights.

Mumbai: Bombay HC rapped the chief officer (CO) of Mhada’s Mumbai Building Repairs and Reconstruction Board for cancelling an NOC given for redevelopment of a Tardeo building following a representation. Ten of the proposed sixteen floors of the building have been raised.“We find that there is an increasing tendency of persons to approach public officials who are vested with high powers, which can be exercised in respect of constructions and projects being undertaken which involve substantial investments and resources,” said Justices Girish Kulkarni and Aarti Sathe on Feb 17. Developer Kumar Agro Products Pvt Ltd challenged CO Milind Shambarkar’s Oct 13, 2025, order that cancelled the Sept 2019 NOC granted to two owners, Samir and Vaibhav Thakre, and directed the developer to cease all redevelopment work. The NOC was cancelled following a representation received from the advocates of Geetadevi Jadhav on June 18, 2025, who asserted 4/5th share in the property. The developer’s petition said under a Dec 1968 partition deed, the owners’ exclusive ownership rights stood crystallised in 2025.Senior advocate Vineet Naik, for the developer, said Jadhav made attempts to interfere with the construction by not filing a civil suit to assert her rights. She first approached BMC and a stop-work order was issued, which was stayed by HC. She simultaneously approached the CO. Naik said the CO’s order is patently illegal as the CO cannot wield authority to grant a declaration in respect of the legal rights of the parties and only the civil court can grant such a declaration. When Naik said it is a “recent trend” that parties do not take recourse to legal proceedings and approach such authorities, the judges agreed with him. The bench noted that the NOC was granted “far back” on Sept 20, 2019, and things proceeded under it, with construction reaching the 10th floor. “In such circumstances, it was an onerous duty of the officer concerned, before passing such drastic orders, to examine all issues and after obtaining legal opinion”, he could have appropriately exercised powers vested in him and “not such powers which a civil court can exercise...” Such an order “has set at naught” the valuable rights of the owners and the developer guaranteed under Articles 300A (property) and 14 (equality), it said. The judges said “there is wiseness (sic) which prevailed” after Mhada’s advocate, P G Lad, said the order shall be withdrawn and not be acted upon. Accordingly, they quashed and set aside the order as being withdrawn. They refrained from taking action like in a similar case where officers were directed to pay Rs 5 lakh fine. If such instances are repeated, there would be no option “for the court but to take a serious view of the matter qua the officials concerned”, the judges said.

As Chennai Super Kings (CSK) prepare for the upcoming IPL edition, the whistle podu fans have received both reassurance and a reality check. While CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan has confirmed that MS Dhoni will be available for the upcoming season, multiple reports confirm that the 44-year-old legend will not feature in every game.

Primary reasons why MS Dhoni won’t feature in every game of IPL 2026

1. Fitness and workload management at 44

The most compelling reason for Dhoni’s reduced participation is simply the physical demands of the game at his age. Dhoni, who turns 45 in July 2026, has been managing persistent knee and back issues over recent seasons. Wicketkeeping across tightly packed IPL fixtures – often with minimal turnaround time between matches – can take a significant toll on his body.

A senior CSK official spilled beans on the franchise’s approach: “We can confirm that he [Dhoni] is coming to Chennai and had confirmed his availability for the season. Whether he will play all games or not is something we can’t say at the moment.” The team management is expected to use Dhoni selectively through the long tournament to manage these physical demands.

2. Sanju Samson’s arrival provides reliable cover

The acquisition of Sanju Samson in a high-profile trade from Rajasthan Royals has transformed CSK’s wicketkeeping options. With Samson now in the squad, CSK possess a ready-made first-choice wicketkeeper who can seamlessly take over the gloves when Dhoni is rested.

CSK’s wicketkeeping depth extends beyond Samson. The franchise also has Urvil Patel as backup, along with 19-year-old Kartik Sharma – a ₹14.20 crore recruit who is being groomed as a future finisher alongside Shivam Dube  This embarrassment of riches behind the stumps gives CSK the tactical flexibility to preserve Dhoni for high-impact situations without compromising team balance.

3. Impact player rule reduces Dhoni’s batting workload

The Impact Player rule, which has been in effect over the past two IPL seasons, has fundamentally altered Dhoni’s role in the team. He has not been required extensively as a batter in the middle overs, with his appearances largely limited to situational cameos in the death overs.

This reduced batting workload has allowed Dhoni to conserve energy while still providing his invaluable presence on the field. The team management is likely to continue this approach in IPL 2026, deploying Dhoni primarily as a finisher in short bursts rather than expecting him to bat through extended innings.

Also READ: CSK recruit Rahul Chahar announces separation from wife Ishani Johar ahead of IPL 2026

The Chepauk guarantee: Dhoni to play all matches at home

While rotation is expected throughout the season, one factor appears certain: Dhoni will feature in all home matches at the MA Chidambaram Stadium  His presence at Chepauk remains an emotional and commercial draw, with the crowd’s energy often shifting momentum in CSK’s favour the moment he walks onto the field.

As IPL 2026 approaches, fans can expect to see Thala in yellow – just perhaps not in every single match. The strategy represents a sensible balance between maximising Dhoni’s impact and ensuring the 44-year-old legend remains fresh for the moments that matter most.

Also READ: EXPLAINED – Why CSK legend MS Dhoni has been ordered to pay INR 10 Lakh by Madras High Court?

Mumbai: The Congress’s decision to contest alone in most parts of Maharashtra during the recently concluded local body elections offered the party a mixed lesson. While the results fell short of expectations, leaders believed the solo run helped revive its fading grassroots network — a point that came up during Rahul Gandhi’s brief visit to Mumbai on Saturday. Leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi visited Mumbai on Saturday, appeared before a court in Bhiwandi in connection with a criminal defamation case linked to remarks made during the 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign, and held an unplanned meeting with senior Congress leaders in Mumbai during his spare time to review the party’s performance in the recently concluded local body elections. During the meeting, leaders told Gandhi that the solo run helped revive the party’s fading grassroots network. Leaders present said the discussion turned candid, with Gandhi expressing disappointment over the party’s electoral showing, particularly in urban pockets, including Mumbai.Gandhi, held a separate review meeting with Maharashtra Congress President Harshwardhan Sapkal to assess organisational weaknesses and strength. He also spoke to Mumbai party chief Varsha Gaikwad about the party securing fewer seats in the city than anticipated. Party sources said leaders pointed to a severe lack of resources and organisational preparedness in several constituencies as a major reason for the underwhelming performance.Leaders said Gandhi instructed them to reconnect with people directly by taking up local civic issues and returning to street-level agitations. Internal politics also surfaced during the discussions. Several leaders raised concerns about seat-sharing decisions, particularly leaving certain crucial wards to the Prakash Ambedkar led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA). A senior leader present said the Colaba area, where a relatives of the Assembly Speaker was contesting, an example of poor political judgement as the Congress given seats in that area to VBA, and leaders argued such decisions weakened the party’s local presence at prominent area and confused workers on the ground.Despite the disappointing results, Gandhi reportedly told party leader to expedite the alignments of local level party office bearer with an emphasis on strengthening booth-level committees, addressing civic grievances, and regaining credibility among voters by raising local public issues aggressively.

NEW DELHI: The expected surrender of CPI(Maoist) de-facto general secretary Thippiri Tirupahii alias Devji, alongside another central committee member Malla Raji Reddy alias Sangram, is like “the proverbial last nail in CPI(Maoist) coffin”, according to sources in the counter-Naxal establishment.Devji is likely to be joined by other cadres working closely with him as he comes overground and joins the mainstream – an announcement by the Telangana Police to this effect is expected on Tuesday or Wednesday. The remaining Maoist cadres – now believed to number around 300 across all affected areas, and mostly operating in disjointed groups of 10-12 each, in some cases even 4-5 – too may have little ideological baggage or stomach to continue facing bullets after their top leader throws his hat in the ring, according to a senior IPS officer engaged in anti-Maoist operations.Sangram, being in his seventies, was not known to be active of late, but his surrender, like Devji’s, signals the weakened hold of CPI(Maoist) ideology. Coming after the round of surrenders by politburo member Mallojula Venugopal alias Sonu, as also central committee members Chandranna, Ramder, Rupesh and Sujata, the latest one involving their top leader is seen as a potential signal to the Maoists still on the ground to toe the line. “With the top leadership, always dominated by Telugu veterans who once swore by the ideology of violent, Left-wing extremism, and motivated others to ‘fight and oppose’ the state, choosing pragmatism over ‘dying upholding the ideology’, the junior cadres will have no motivation to continue leading a difficult life in the jungles,” said an officer.With Devji and Sangram’s impending surrender, the only member of the top CPI(Maoist) politburo and central committee still active is Misir Besra. Besra, who looks after the eastern regional bureau of the CPI(Maoist), is the only non-Telugu face in the organisation’s decision-making hierarchy. He has been on the run since his close aide Anal da was killed in Jharkhand last month. Besra is possibly hiding along the Jharkhand-Odisha border, and the forces are on his trail. “Chances are that he will take a cue from Devji’s surrender and follow suit,” an officer said.Meanwhile, multiple operations are going on simultaneously along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana-Odisha-Jharkhand axis, to keep up pressure on the remaining Maoists to surrender or face neutralisation by the security forces.