NEW DELHI: The cost of crude for Indian refiners has soared 93% since the conflict in the Gulf broke out on Feb 28 and hit $136.56 a barrel on Friday, eroding profits for domestic players ranging from IndianOil, HPCL and BPCL to Reliance Industries. Several countries, including the US, let retail prices rise in line with increase in crude prices. In India, oil companies have so far kept pump prices unchanged and have taken a hit on their margins after pocketing gains for months. It’s unlikely that govt, which has been raking in revenue, will make any changes until March 31 to ensure that taxes and fiscal balance are in line with budget targets.

Crude prices to remain volatile until ship movement normalisesWith elections due in four states and the UT of Puducherry, the political green light is unlikely until the last phase of voting on April 29. In the US, gasoline prices were estimated at $3.7 a gallon on Monday, according to AAA data. Since the war broke out, benchmark Brent crude has seen an increase of over 40%, while Russian Urals crude has risen by over 50%. The Indian basket — which comprises sour crude from Oman and Dubai, as well as the sweet grade of Brent Dated — was estimated at $70.9 a barrel on Feb 26 and rose to $127.2 on March 12, before soaring $9.3 a barrel, or 7.3%, to $136.5 on Friday, official data showed. India was in a sweet spot for months, buying discounted Russian crude, whose prices have now increased. The spike is on account of a global scarcity caused by Iran blocking the Strait of Hormuz, which accounts for 20% of global oil and gas supply. For India, the impact is even greater, as the narrow channel supplies around 60% of the energy processed in the country. Crude prices are expected to remain volatile until the movement of vessels from Hormuz is normalised. Brent rallied to a threeyear high of $120 a barrel on March 9 but cooled later after International Energy Agency members decided to release 400 million barrels from emergency reserves to try to quell soaring prices. Axis Bank chief economist Neelkanth Mishra, who is also a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the PM, said if crude remains around $100 per barrel for a year, India’s import bill would rise sharply and hurt the trade balance by about $80 billion, or 2.1% of GDP. In a recent report, ratings agency ICRA said prolonged conflict risks disruption of energy supplies and shipping routes, impacting India’s macroeconomic outlook and multiple sectors. It added that a $10 increase in the average price of crude oil for the year (vis-a-vis the baseline estimate) would raise the country’s current account deficit by 30-40 bps. Gita Gopinath, professor of economics at Harvard University, said higher crude prices will impact global economic growth. “If we are now looking at an average of $85 a barrel for 2026, then that could shave off around 0.3-0.4pp from global growth. Headline inflation could rise by 60 bps,” she posted on X on Sunday

Rajya Sabha elections Monday accentuated the opposition’s inability to hold its ranks, with absentee legislators costing the Grand Alliance a seat in Bihar, cross-voting delivering a bonus seat to BJP in Odisha and a dispute over ballot secrecy leaving the poll outcome in Haryana hanging. In Bihar, Mahagathbandhan’s lone candidate, RJD’s Amarendra Dhari Singh, lost after four opposition legislators — three from Congress and one from RJD — stayed away from the election. Had they voted, Singh would have secured 41 votes against the required threshold of 40, instead of the 37 he polled. Bihar last saw an RS vote in 2014, when JD(U) candidates Pavan Varma and Gulam Rasool Balyawi overcame crossvoting by party MLAs to defeat BJP-backed independents.

Nitish, Nitin win Rajya Sabha seats as NDA sweeps BiharIn Bihar, all five NDA candidates — outgoing CM Nitish Kumar, new BJP president Nitin Nabin, Union minister Ram Nath Thakur, Rashtriya Lok Morcha president Upendra Kushwaha and state BJP general secretary Shivesh Kumar — won the biennial elections to fill five Rajya Sabha berths that will be vacated on April 9. All 202 NDA MLAs voted, and no cross-voting was reported. Among the NDA candidates, Nitish and Nitin each polled 44 votes while Ram Nath and Upendra received 42 each. Shivesh had 30 first-preference votes, crossing the threshold on second-preference counting. In Odisha, 11 instances of cross-voting — eight by BJD members and three by Congress — handed BJP-backed Independent Dilip Ray the fourth Rajya Sabha seat, defeating BJD and Congress’s joint candidate Datteswar Hota. BJP nominees Manmohan Samal and Sujeet Kumar won comfortably, as did BJD’s Santrupt Misra. BJD, with 50 MLAs — including two suspended members — had the required strength in the assembly to win one seat on its own and had tied up with Congress’s 14 to secure a second. Cross-voting upended that arithmetic. BJD president and former CM Naveen Patnaik accused BJP of horse-trading, saying most non-BJP MLAs who backed the governing party had “criminal backgrounds”. CM Mohan Charan Majhi termed the remarks “immature” and said Patnaik had “insulted not just the MLAs by calling them criminals, but also the voters who elected them”. Odisha PCC president Bhakta Charan Das described the defection of three Congress MLAs — Sofia Firdous, Ramesh Jena and Dasarathi Gamango — as “unexpected”. He said the matter had been referred to the party high command. For Ray, the script was a familiar one. The former Union minister won a Rajya Sabha seat in 2002 under near-identical circumstances. On that occasion, he was contesting as an Independent after being expelled from BJD and was carried through by large-scale cross-voting. Haryana’s two-seat contest remained unresolved Monday night after both BJP and Congress lodged complaints with the Election Commission. Of 90 MLAs in the House, 88 voted. Both Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) legislators abstained, with Abhay Chautala citing a lack of confidence in either party. Each seat requires 31 votes to win. The three candidates are BJP’s Sanjay Bhatia, Congress nominee Karamvir Singh Boudh and BJPbacked Independent Satish Nandal. BJP has 48 seats in the assembly and Congress 37. The three legislators are Independents. BJP minister Krishan Kumar Bedi filed two objections, alleging that two Congress legislators failed to fold their ballots correctly, compromising vote secrecy. Till close to midnight, the presiding officer was awaiting chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s ruling on the dispute

England head coach Brendon McCullum (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Liam Livingstone has strongly criticised England’s team management, saying he felt a lack of respect and communication after being dropped from the national side in 2025. The England all-rounder revealed that he has not been part of the setup since March last year and now doubts whether he will return to the team under the current leadership.

Frustration with England management

Livingstone said he only received a brief call from head coach Brendon McCullum informing him that he had been left out of the squad for the West Indies series. The conversation, according to him, lasted barely a minute.“I asked why [I was dropped]. They said they wanted to try someone else. That was off Baz. Wrighty [outgoing selector Luke Wright] didn’t reach out, and Brooky [captain Harry Brook] sent me a text,” Livingstone told ESPNCricinfo.He also expressed disappointment with England’s managing director Rob Key for not communicating with him after the decision.“That probably sums that group up as a collective. Keysy [Rob Key] said nothing . [He] said I’ll speak to you in the summer. I actually rang him one day, and he said he was busy at a Test camp at Loughborough. And then I didn’t hear from him until the end of September,” he added.“That was a bit of an eye-opening experience about the group and the regime: if you’re in, you’re in, and if you’re not in, no one cares about you. That put my mind at ease that my cricket was going to be more enjoyable going forward.”

Struggles with role in the team

Livingstone also recalled asking McCullum for help during the 2025 tour of India when he was struggling with form. However, he felt the advice he received was not helpful.“I was asking for help, and pretty much all I got was that I care too much and I need to chill out a little bit, and everything will take care of itself,” Livingstone said.“When things don’t go right, of course, you’re going to care; if I didn’t care, then I probably wouldn’t want to play the sport.”Another issue for him was constantly being moved around the batting order.“One of my frustrations with playing for England was that whenever I went up the order, I did really well. And then the big boys would come back, and I was always back down at No. 7,” he added.“At the end of the day, I don’t want to be someone that’s a sixth bowler and batting at No. 7. I feel like it’s a waste of my talent, but that’s only my opinion.”

Looking ahead to the IPL

Livingstone, who will play for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League 2026, was not selected for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. However, he said he did not feel disappointed about missing the tournament.“I didn’t miss it one bit,” he said. “There wasn’t any part of me that was wishing I was playing in that team, to be honest.”The all-rounder now hopes a strong IPL season can help him revive his career and possibly earn another chance with England.“Hopefully, I can have a season like the season I had in my first year at Punjab [Kings, in 2022] where I felt like I was playing really well and won loads of games from No. 4,” he said. “[IPL] is a very different experience to anything else throughout the year; it’s a long time away from home – but if you give it everything you’ve got, it can repay you very nicely.”

NEW DELHI: Amidst calls by the US for a multinational naval coalition to secure the Strait of Hormuz, India Monday backed its own direct engagement with Iran for safe passage of ships, with external affairs minister S Jaishankar saying these talks have yielded “some results”. The ministry of external affairs (MEA) said there had been no talks with US or any other country on Washington’s proposal for deployment of warships to escort vessels through the key energy route. Iran has so far allowed two India-flagged ships to cross the Strait, but 22 more Indian vessels still await clearance. Jaishankar, in Brussels for a meeting with counterparts from EU countries, told Financial Times there was no “blanket arrangement” with Iran on safe passage and “every ship movement is an individual happening”. “I am now engaged in talking to them and…(it) has yielded some results… If it is yielding results for me, I would naturally continue to look at it,” said the minister.

The remarks by Jaishankar – seeking reason and coordination with Iran – came a day after President Donald Trump said that the US was engaged with 7 countries for deployment of warships to secure the vital shipping route. The president has also warned NATO of a “very bad future” if allies don’t help the US in its efforts. However, countries like Germany and the UK have expressed little interest in getting dragged into a wider conflict. The Indian government also denied that India was among the countries that was in talks with the US on this issue. “We are aware of this matter being discussed by several countries. We have not yet discussed it bilaterally,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. According to Jaishankar, from India’s perspective, it’s better to reason and coordinate with Iran to reach a solution. “So, if that sort of allows other people to engage, I think the world is better off for it,” added Jaishankar. PM Narendra Modi had spoken to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on March 12 and stressed safety and security of Indian nationals, along with the need for unhindered transit of goods and energy. However, India has not yet condemned the US-Israel attacks on Iran and its efforts as BRICS chair to forge a consensus for a joint statement on the conflict have not borne fruit yet. Jaishankar also denied there was any exchange with Iran on the Hormuz safe passage issue and said he had engaged with Iran based on the 2 countries’ relationship and a “history of dealing with each other”. Official sources described as baseless reports that Iran had sought release of its 3 US-sanctioned ships, which India had seized earlier, in return for safe passage through Hormuz. Jaishankar, however, said these were still early days and India still had many ships that were waiting to cross the Strait that is under Iran’s control. “So, while this is a welcome development, there is continuing conversation because there is continued work on that,” he said. The minister spoke about the still escalating conflict in the West Asia region in meetings Monday with his counterparts from the EU, Germany, Greece and Cyprus.

NEW DELHI: The signing of Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed by Sunrisers Leeds, an outfit owned by the Sun TV Network headed by Kavya Maran, has sparked a major controversy in India, drawing a sharp reaction from legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar. The former captain said Indian-owned franchises should refrain from signing Pakistan players, arguing that such payments could indirectly contribute to harm against India.

Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Abrar was bought for £190,000 during the inaugural men’s auction of The Hundred in London, making him the first Pakistani cricketer to be picked by an Indian-owned team in the competition. The move triggered strong backlash online, with the franchise’s social media accounts facing heavy criticism and even a temporary suspension.Writing in his Mid-day column, Gavaskar said the outrage was understandable given the long-standing stance taken by Indian cricket since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, after which Pakistan players were effectively barred from the Indian Premier League. “The furore created by the acquisition of a Pakistani player by the Indian owner of a franchise in The Hundred is hardly surprising,” Gavaskar wrote.He argued that payments made to Pakistan players ultimately flow back to their government through taxes. “The realisation that the fees that they pay to a Pakistani player, who then pays income tax to his government which buys arms and weapons, indirectly contributes to the deaths of Indian soldiers and civilians is making Indian entities refrain from even considering having Pakistani artistes and sportspersons,” he said.Gavaskar added that whether the payment comes from an Indian company or an overseas subsidiary, the responsibility still lies with the owner. “If the owner is Indian then he or she is contributing to the Indian casualties. It’s as simple as that,” he wrote, questioning whether success in a franchise tournament was more important than national sentiment.He also warned that fans could express their anger publicly. “It won’t be a surprise that for every game that this team plays there will be massive demonstrations by Indian fans protesting at this hard-to-believe buying,” Gavaskar said, adding that crowds might even boycott matches despite the presence of star players.Meanwhile, Sunrisers Leeds head coach Daniel Vettori defended the decision as a purely cricketing one, explaining that the franchise moved for Abrar after missing out on England leg-spinner Adil Rashid during the auction. According to Vettori, Abrar’s variations and ability to strike in powerplays made him an attractive option, particularly at Headingley.India board vice-president Rajeev Shukla also clarified that the Board of Control for Cricket in India cannot intervene in the matter as the signing involves a foreign league, leaving the final call to the franchise itself.

Pakistan’s ODI team could soon witness a change in its batting order as former captain Mohammad Hafeez proposed two potential replacements for Babar Azam at the crucial No 3 position. Hafeez’s comments came in the wake of Babar’s underwhelming form in the 50-over format, which recently led to his exclusion from Pakistan’s ODI squad during their tour of Bangladesh.

Pakistan suffered a 2–1 series defeat in the three-match ODI contest, and Babar’s absence reignited discussions around the team’s middle-order stability. Amid the debate, Hafeez suggested that the team management should start exploring alternative options ahead of the next major ICC event.

Mohammad Hafeez names 2 picks as replacement of Babar Azam in ODIs

Taking to social media, Hafeez named Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique as two players capable of filling the No 3 role in ODIs if Babar is unavailable due to injury, rest, or form. According to Hafeez, Pakistan must think proactively about its batting combination with long-term goals in mind, particularly the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2027 scheduled to be held in South Africa.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Hafeez wrote that Masood, who boasts an impressive List A average above 50, could be a strong candidate for the position. He also mentioned Shafique as another technically sound batter who could slot into the role if the team decides to move beyond Babar temporarily.

“Shaan Masood (53 Ave) or Abdullah Shafiq could be better option as no3 batter in ODI format if Babar Azam is injured or rested for some reasons. Considering next World Cup in South Africa,” Hafeez wrote on X.

Also READ: Pakistan lodge complaint over controversial DRS call as Bangladesh clinch series with thrilling win in 3rd ODI

Babar’s dip in ODI form raises concerns

Babar has long been regarded as Pakistan’s premier batter in limited-overs cricket, but his recent numbers in ODIs have raised concerns among fans and analysts. Once ranked among the top ODI batters in the world, the right-hander has struggled to maintain the high standards he set earlier in his career.

Although Babar finally ended a lengthy international century drought with a hundred against Sri Lanka in November 2025, his overall performance across recent ODI innings has been below expectations. Over his last 30 ODI innings, he has averaged around 35 with a strike rate of 78.55—figures that fall short of his outstanding career average of 53.73. Such numbers have inevitably triggered debate about whether Pakistan should experiment with new players in key batting positions.

Also READ: Pakistan selector questions undisclosed injuries of Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman during T20 World Cup 2026

NEW DELHI/KOLKATA: A day after it substituted Bengal chief secretary and principal secretary (home) with its own choices, EC Monday replaced the DGP and Kolkata Police commissioner, among others. Hours after announcing the assembly poll schedule for Bengal along with those of three other states and a UT, the poll panel late Sunday night shunted out Bengal chief secretary Nandini Chakravorty, replacing her with 1993-batch IAS officer Dushyant Nariala. Principal secretary (home) Jagdish Prasad Meena was replaced with 1997-batch IAS officer Sanghamitra Ghosh. Chakravorty took over as chief secretary on Jan 1 and was the first woman appointed to the post in WB. She was also the state’s first woman home secretary. This is the first time WB’s top bureaucrat has been changed ahead of an election. On Monday, EC ordered another reshuffle, shunting out DGP Peeyush Pandey and replacing him with 1992- batch IPS officer Siddh Nath Gupta. Kolkata Police commissioner Supratim Sarkar was replaced by Ajay Kumar Nand, a 1996-batch IPS officer. EC’s overriding powers to shift officers directly engaged in the conduct of polls stem from Article 324 of the Constitution, which places the entire election machinery in a poll-going state or UT under its “superintendence, direction and control”. The 2021 assembly and 2024 LS polls in Bengal also saw transfers of the DGP and senior officials identified as “too close to the party in office”.

“CEC Gyanesh Kumar had at the EC presser Sunday assured that elections in Bengal would be violence-free and peaceful. In pursuance of this objective, EC appointed/ transferred senior police officials, including the DGP and Kolkata Police commissioner,” an EC official told TOI. Sources indicated more transfers at the district level in the days to come, to be done in consultation with Bengal special observer N K Mishra.Also making a change in the crucial post of ADG and IGP (law and order) — with a direct role in curbing political clashes and violence as well as ensuring judicious deployment of security forces for poll security — Election Commission replaced incumbent Vineet Goyal with 1995-batch IPS officer Ajay Mukund Ranade. Natarajan Ramesh Babu, a 1991-batch IPS officer, was ordered to be posted as DG correctional services. In its orders, EC made it clear that these officers have been barred from all work related to the Bengal elections. Changes in the police setup during an election season are not unprecedented. Before the 2019 LS polls, the commission had replaced Anuj Sharma with Rajesh Kumar as Kolkata Police commissioner. Since the 2016 assembly polls, Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has brought back transferred officers to their previous posts after the elections were over.