Gautam Gambhir and Arshdeep Singh (Image credit: Instagram)

NEW DELHI: India head coach Gautam Gambhir has strongly defended pacer Arshdeep Singh following his on-field altercation with Daryl Mitchell during the final of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, saying he would have been “absolutely fine” even if the bowler had not apologised after the incident.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The flashpoint occurred in the 11th over of New Zealand’s innings at the final in Ahmedabad. After Mitchell smashed Arshdeep for two consecutive sixes, the Indian pacer fielded the ball on his follow-through and threw it back towards the batter, with the ball striking Mitchell on the pads.

Although Arshdeep apologised to the New Zealand vice-captain after the match, the International Cricket Council later fined the pacer 15 per cent of his match fee for a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct. One demerit point was also added to his disciplinary record.Arshdeep was found guilty of breaching Article 2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which relates to throwing a ball at or near a player in an inappropriate or dangerous manner during an international match. The charge was levelled by on-field umpires Richard Illingworth and Alex Wharf, along with third umpire Allahuddien Paleker and fourth umpire Adrian Holdstock. Match referee Andy Pycroft imposed the sanction, which Arshdeep accepted, eliminating the need for a formal hearing.However, Gambhir played down the controversy and insisted the bowler’s reaction was a natural expression of competitive spirit.“That is okay. You’re representing your country. You’re bound to show aggression. There’s nothing wrong with that. No bowler likes to get hit for two sixes. And that is the kind of response I want to see from my players. And that there is nothing wrong. Or in fact, even if sorry is not said, I was absolutely fine with it. I was absolutely fine. He doesn’t need to say sorry. Yes, it’s good on him that he apologised. But on a cricket field, there are no friends. Neither are there any enemies,” Gambhir said in an interview to ANI.He also suggested that such moments are often exaggerated in the modern era due to social media scrutiny.“Your job is to represent your country. Your job is to win a game of cricket for your country. And you don’t want to get hit for two sixes. And that was fine. I thought we should not blow all these things out of proportion because these things used to happen before. Today, because of social media, things escalate a lot,” he added.The incident came in a match that ultimately ended in historic fashion for India, as the hosts crushed New Zealand by 96 runs to lift their third T20 World Cup title — becoming the first side to defend the trophy and win it on home soil.

TOI correspondent from London: Hindu and Sikh groups have criticised a non-statutory (not legally binding) definition of anti-Muslim hostility and the appointment of an “Islamophobia tsar” by the UK govt, saying it will foster resentment and marginalise other faiths.The Network of Sikh Organisations and the Free Speech Union are drawing up pre-action letters to send to UK communities secretary Steve Reed, ahead of challenging the definition via a judicial review. The Hindu Council UK (HCUK) has criticised the govt for not consulting other faiths.“All faiths and beliefs should be treated equally,” the Network of Sikh Organisations (NSO) said in a statement.“If the govt have a special working group for one faith, what about the others? If a special ‘tsar’ is appointed to protect the interests of one faith, why the exclusivity,” the NSO asked. “Criminal law provides protection for all religious groups. Why do we even need a non-statutory definition,” it asked.The NSO expressed concerns the definition would curtail free speech on important matters such as grooming gangs. “Could the Sikh objection to halal slaughter of animals be interpreted as ‘hostility’,” it said.The definition, introduced on Monday, defines anti-Muslim hostility as criminal acts including verbal harassment directed at Muslims because of their religion; treating Muslims as a collective group with fixed characteristics; and practices designed to disadvantage them. The ministry of housing, communities and local government (MHCLG) said it was needed because hate crimes targeting Muslims were “at record levels”.Vinod Popat, convenor of Hindu Community Organisations Group, has written to Reed asking why there is no recognition of Hinduphobia.“Harrow Siddhashram’s recent Holi celebrations were attacked by a group of 20 youths and yet the Harrow police statement seemed to have played down this vicious attack,” HCUK said in a statement.It referred to a sentence in the social cohesion policy paper “Protecting What Matters”, accompanying the definition, which claimed that the 2022 Leicester unrest was “partly linked to the import of nationalist rhetoric and religious extremism”.“This is misinformation,” HCUK said. “Hindu temples and homes were attacked.” It said Hindus had no faith in the implementation of this policy and said such misinformation was contributing to Hindus being attacked in Harrow and Wembley.

Former Team India cricketer Aakash Chopra has stated that Shubman Gill cannot become the T20I captain for the Men in Blue. The cricketer-turned-commentator made the comments after Team India secured a 96-run victory over New Zealand in Ahmedabad on March 8 to lift the T20 World Cup 2026 trophy.

The young batter was appointed as India’s T20I vice-captain a few months before the Asia Cup 2025. However, the management left him out of the squad for the T20 World Cup. The selectors backed Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan at the top order, which proved crucial for the hosts to secure the trophy.

He Can’t Get the T20I Captaincy – Aakash Chopra on Shubman Gill

Aakash Chopra answered fan questions on his official YouTube channel. He stated that having one single captain across all three international formats is unlikely for the Indian team. Chopra added that it will be difficult for Shubman Gill to make a comeback in the T20I side.

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“It’s going to be difficult, although the Indian team thought that it would become easier if there were one captain for all three formats. However, it won’t happen at all,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

“I feel we won’t be able to do that because he is the Test and ODI captain, but he can’t get the T20I captaincy. At this moment, even his name coming is difficult because of the way the Indian team has been playing, especially the last four games,” he added.

We Shouldn’t Lose The Test Batter – Aakash Chopra

The veteran commentator said that the Indian team does not need an anchor. Chopra warned that Gill should absolutely not ruin his natural technique just to desperately force his way back into the shortest format of the game.

“When are you talking about 250, and that too in a World Cup, then you don’t think you need an anchor. Gill can adapt and change, but we shouldn’t lose Shubman Gill, the Test batter, in trying to find that, and lose the Shubman Gill who can become an absolute giant in ODIs. I think it’s going to be difficult for Shubman Gill,” he observed.

Shubman Gill to Lead Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026

The right-handed batter will return to action during the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 campaign. The highly anticipated tournament is scheduled to begin on Saturday, March 28. Gill will lead the Gujarat Titans (GT) franchise in the upcoming season.

The skipper will definitely want to perform exceptionally well this season to reclaim his lost position in the Indian T20I squad. During the 2025 edition, he scored 650 runs in 15 games at an impressive average of 50.00, including six half-centuries.

Last year, the Gujarat Titans’ campaign ended with a defeat against the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Eliminator. The opening batter will look to lead from the front once again.

Also read: Gautam Gambhir’s real face revealed by India batting coach: ‘He’s very clever…’

MUMBAI: The city on Wednesday saw a sharp drop in day-time temperatures, with the observatory at the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Santacruz station recording a maximum of 34.2°C, nearly 6°C lower than the previous day, when temperatures had soared to the 40°C mark.Data from automatic weather stations across the city also reflected slightly lower temperatures, though some eastern suburbs remained warmer. The highest maximum was recorded at Vikhroli (36.9°C), followed by Ram Mandir (36.2°C), Vidyavihar (34.5°C), Byculla (34.1°C), Tata Power Chembur (33.4°C), and Dahisar (33°C).The IMD Santacruz observatory recorded maximum temperatures of 34.2 deg C, which was 1.8 deg C above normal, while the IMD Colaba observatory recorded 34 deg C, which was 2.9 deg C above normal. Just a day ago, the maximum temperatures recorded by the IMD Colaba and Santacruz observatories were 35.4 deg C and 40 deg C, respectively, which were 4.3 deg C and 7.6 deg C above normal.IMD scientist Sushma Nair said the drop in temperatures was due to the early onset of the sea breeze and weaker easterly winds compared to the past two days. “The anticyclone that had persisted over south Gujarat for a prolonged period has also shifted,” Nair said. In its forecast early on Wednesday, the IMD stated that hot and humid weather conditions would persist, while for the remaining days of the week, dry conditions are expected to continue.This year, within the first ten days of March 2026, the weather bureau has issued three heatwave warnings for Mumbai, after the first alert was sounded on March 5. A heatwave warning was issued again on March 9 and 10. IMD issues a heatwave warning when the temperature of any coastal station touches 37°C or more, and at least two stations record departure from normal of at least 4.5°.Meanwhile, on Wednesday, minimum temperatures recorded by the IMD Colaba and Santacruz observatories were 24.4 °C and 23 deg C, respectively, which were 2.2 deg Cand 2.9 deg C above normal.

BENGALURU: From young professionals to experienced developers, techies are increasingly taking up freelance assignments to supplement incomes and build alternative career paths as the industry grapples with slowing hiring, rapid advances in AI, and growing uncertainty around traditional tech roles. For some, these gigs are side hustles alongside full-time jobs-reflecting a rise in moonlighting-while others view them as a potential pathway to full-time independent work if the job market weakens further. For Sharon Suresh, an engineering analyst with nearly a decade of experience, gig work has become a steady source of income. She earns around Rs 2,000 per hour for automation projects, working with clients as far away as Australia and Texas. Many of these assignments run for several months, allowing her to plan workloads and income more predictably.“When getting into gig work, it’s important to know where the opportunities are. I stumbled upon a platform called Superprof when I was in college and signed up initially just to earn some pocket money,” Suresh said. “Through that, I realised many businesses need help with digital transformation but don’t always know where to find the right talent. They turn to such platforms for freelancers, and there are plenty of well-paying projects available.” She says the flexibility of gig work has made it attractive for experienced developers as well.

At the other end of the spectrum are young professionals entering the workforce through freelance projects. D S Chinmayi, a final-year mechanical engineering student, began taking up freelance IT assignments to build her portfolio even before graduating. Over the past year, she has completed five projects.Meanwhile, hourly rates for IT gig workers vary widely depending on skills and project complexity. At student-focused gig platform TimbuckDo, the average pay for skilled gig workers ranges between Rs 850 and Rs 1,500 per hour. Roles involving deeper technical expertise or specialised tasks such as cybersecurity or testing tend to command the higher end of the pay spectrum. By contrast, entry-level design or basic development tasks typically fetch around Rs 450 to Rs 550 per hour as AI tools increasingly automate routine work.Globally, freelance rates have increased 11% year-on-year, according to HR consulting firm ManpowerGroup.India’s technology gig economy is set for strong growth in 2026, with hiring expected to rise nearly 60% from last year as companies rely more on project-based talent, according to Randstad Digital.

NEW DELHI: Jitesh Sharma admits that being left out of India’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup squad was disappointing, but that setback soon felt insignificant compared to the personal loss he suffered shortly after. The wicketkeeper-batter lost his father, Mohan Sharma, on February 1 after a brief illness, a moment that changed his perspective on everything.“When I got the news of my non-selection, I was a little bit disheartened. I am also a human. I can feel sad and bad. But later on, as time went by, the sad time becomes short,” Jitesh told PTI during an exclusive interview.

The disappointment of missing the global tournament soon gave way to a far deeper emotional challenge.“But later on, my dad got ill. And he passed away on 1st of Feb. So, I was with him for seven days. Afterward, I got to know that my dad needed me more than the World Cup. After that, I didn’t have any sad feeling, any regret or anything for anyone or for myself also. I am not angry or anything,” he said, with the sadness evident in his voice.“I was grateful that God gave me the opportunity to stay with my dad for seven days. So, I was able to take care of him. And I enjoyed watching the World Cup on TV at home. It’s a very different feeling. It gives you lots of pressure rather than playing. And I was very happy for the boys.”With his father gone, the responsibility of being the eldest son has become a defining part of his life.“I can’t forget that thing and I don’t want to forget that thing because he is not there anymore. When you lose your dad, after a few days you get to know that you are now responsible for taking decisions in your family as the elder son.“And that’s it – to take care of your mother, brother and family. So, I’m someone who can’t show my feelings to them and can’t be weak in front of them because they are looking at me while playing cricket also. And I have to accept it,” Jitesh said while reflecting on how life sometimes delivers its toughest challenges.Grief, he admits, does not arrive all at once but settles in gradually, leaving behind a permanent void.“It hits after some time. I’m not coping with anything. I’m just accepting that my dad is not there anymore. There is a portion of my heart that is empty now. It will be empty till my death because of my dad.”Cricket, however, has also taught him resilience, helping him move forward despite the pain.“And I have learned to carry myself with that sorrow and that hollowness during practice. Because no matter how much I want, I can’t forget that thing. Because it’s your father, right? He is my hero for my life.”“If he was alive today, he would have told me to go and practice. Don’t worry about me. So I always bring this thing to my mind that if I’m in sorrow or pain, what he would have told me? I think he would have suggested me to go and play the game. And I’m very proud of it.”Jitesh also drew parallels with his India teammate Rinku Singh, saying he understands the emotional strength required to return to the field after personal setbacks.“That’s the same thing Rinku must have felt. That’s why he was able to come on the ground again. And it’s a very big thing.”‘Why can’t three keepers play together?’On the cricketing front, Jitesh remains pragmatic about team combinations. With wicketkeeper-batters like Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan also in contention, he said he would be happy to adapt to any role if it helps the team.“I think of it from a different perspective. I take it from a different perspective — that by doing my own work, why not two keepers be in the playing XI and the third play as a finisher? Exactly, that can also happen. Why not?”Learning from Virat KohliJitesh also spoke about the inspiration he draws from watching Virat Kohli up close at Royal Challengers Bengaluru, admitting that matching the former India captain’s intensity is not easy.“Just observing small things, you can learn a lot. And it can be a life-turning decision or life-turning observation. Because the way he prepares, starts his day, not just practice, I think it’s very impressive. Still, I’m 32 and I can’t match his energy.”