The ‘Greatest Of All Time’ debate in the IPL took a historic turn in 2025 when Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally ended their 18-year wait for glory. After defeating Punjab Kings by six runs in a nail-biting final at the Narendra Modi Stadium, the franchise transitioned from underachievers to defending champions. However, as the 2026 season approaches, the burning question remains: can they do what only Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians have achieved by winning back-to-back titles?

Legendary leg-spinner and former RCB captain Anil Kumble recently shared his candid thoughts on JioHotstar, offering a blend of caution and praise for the Rajat Patidar-led side.

Anil Kumble weighs in with a reality check for RCB

History is a harsh teacher in the IPL. Since the tournament’s inception in 2008, the pressure of a title defense has crushed many giants. Kumble was quick to point out that the road to a double is paved with immense psychological and tactical hurdles.

“It’s not going to be easy for Rajat Patidar’s RCB to win back-to-back titles,” Kumble remarked. He highlighted that the league’s high-stakes environment often sees defending champions become the hunted, with every team analyzing their 2025 blueprints to find cracks. Kumble emphasized that maintaining the same intensity after achieving a long-awaited goal is a feat only the most elite squads have managed.

Despite the warning, Kumble expressed confidence in the squad’s core. RCB’s 2025 triumph wasn’t just a fluke; it was built on a balanced XI featuring the likes of Virat Kohli, who remains the heartbeat of the team, and a disciplined bowling unit led by Krunal Pandya and Josh Hazlewood. The addition of Venkatesh Iyer in the mini-auction further bolsters their depth, though Kumble suggests the team might stick to their winning combination for the season opener.

Also READ: Sanjay Bangar picks his Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) playing XI for IPL 2026

Rajat Patidar’s leadership under the microscope

When Patidar was named captain for the 2025 season, the cricketing world was skeptical. Replacing a veteran like Faf du Plessis while standing in the massive shadow of Kohli was no small task. Yet, Patidar’s ‘USP’ his unflappable composure became the catalyst for RCB’s success.

Kumble admitted he was among those surprised by the appointment, initially expecting Kohli to return to the helm. However, he credited the RCB management for their foresight.

“He was identified as the skipper, and with the experience he had with Madhya Pradesh, he led really well. Now it will be challenging because expectations will be high. But he looks very composed and calm under pressure. That is his USP,” Kumble noted.

As RCB prepares to kick off their title defense on March 28 against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, the focus won’t just be on the big hits, but on Patidar’s ability to manage the champion’s weight. With the home crowd’s roaring support and a stable leadership group including Andy Flower and Kohli, the defending champions are well-equipped, even if the path to a consecutive trophy remains the toughest climb in franchise cricket.

Also READ: ‘Sarpanch Sahab’ Shreyas Iyer headlines Punjab Kings’ jersey launch for IPL 2026

India’s ‘accessible’ luxury watch segment is emerging as one of the fastest-growing segments as consumers increasingly upgrade to premium timepieces. The momentum is expected to accelerate further with the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement, which will gradually lower import duties to nil on European watches over the next four-five years, drawing greater interest from Swiss and other global watchmakers looking to tap India’s rising appetite for luxury, Rahul Shukla, VP and chief sales & marketing officer, Titan Company, told TOI. The Rs 4500 crore segment, which includes watches priced between Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, is growing at roughly 23%, and increasingly attracting niche global brands. Elaborating on the growth, he said “The India–EFTA trade agreement will help create a more enabling environment for the luxury watch market. While duty reductions may not necessarily translate into lower prices, they are likely to encourage deeper investments by global brands. Swiss watchmakers, in particular, are already stepping up their presence through large-format advertising at airports, stronger digital outreach and India-inspired designs that celebrate the country’s culture, art and heritage, all of which is helping expand the category.” Capitalising on this momentum, Alexander Shorokhoff, a German family-owned watch company, has entered India through Helios Luxe, the premium watch retail format of Titan. Alexander Shorokhoff is a niche player with “artistic’’ limited edition watches, sold in nearly 40 countries, with Germany and US as its leading markets, Alexander Shorokhov, CEO of Alexander Shorokhoff said. The business in the US has not been impacted by the geopolitical uncertainty linked to tariffs imposed by US president Donald Trump, he added.“Encouraged by the increasing traction for independent brands, we intend to deepen market reach by establishing 45 Helios Luxe boutiques across metros and select Tier 1 cities by next year, and 100 stores by 2030’’, Shukla added.Helios is the multi-brand watch retail chain from Titan, while Helios Luxe curates select brands in the Rs one lakh-plus segment.Meanwhile, the overall watch category, estimated at about Rs 26,000 crore, is growing around 18%, but higher-end segments are growing much faster in line with the premiumisation trend.

NEW DELHI: India all-rounder Shivam Dube went viral on social media after sharing an emotional moment with his father following India’s victory at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. In a heartfelt Instagram post, Dube shared pictures and a video of himself placing his winner’s medal around his father’s neck. His father, wearing an India jersey, appeared visibly proud as he held the medal. Dube captioned the post, “The real hero of my life,” which quickly resonated with fans online.

Dube played an important role in India’s title-winning campaign, especially in the final against the New Zealand national cricket team, where he smashed 26 runs off just eight balls. Throughout the tournament, he contributed with both bat and ball as India secured their third T20 World Cup title.After the celebrations, Dube had an unusual journey home. Unlike most international cricketers who travel by chartered or business-class flights, he had to take a 3rd AC train from Ahmedabad to Mumbai because all flights were fully booked. Speaking about the experience, he explained that he had tried to arrange flights for himself and his family but couldn’t find any seats.“There were no flights available, so I decided to take an early morning train from Ahmedabad to Mumbai. We could have gone by road, but the train was quicker,” Dube told The Indian Express.To avoid attention at the station, he disguised himself with a cap, mask and full-sleeved T-shirt. He also planned his timing carefully to avoid crowds. “I told my wife I would wait in the car until five minutes before the train’s departure, then rush to board,” Dube added.Soon after reaching Mumbai, he celebrated the historic win with his family, sharing the special moment with the man he calls his biggest inspiration.

US stock indexes traded mixed to lower in choppy dealings on Friday morning as the fallout from the war with Iran kept pressure on oil prices and added to concerns about the global economic outlook.The S&P 500 slipped 0.2 per cent after rising as much as 0.9 per cent earlier in the session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 34 points, or 0.1 per cent, at 11:06 am Eastern time, while the Nasdaq composite declined 0.4 per cent, AP reported. The uneven movement follows heavy market turbulence earlier in the week, putting major indices on course for a third consecutive weekly loss.Energy markets remained in focus. Brent crude, the global benchmark, traded above $100 per barrel, though marginally lower than Thursday’s close of $100.46. It has surged more than 37 per cent this month. US crude rose 0.1 per cent to $95.83 a barrel after settling at $95.73 the previous day and is up roughly 43 per cent this month.Oil prices have been volatile since the conflict began, with Iran’s actions effectively halting cargo traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route that normally carries about a fifth of the world’s oil supply. Producers have cut output as shipments remain constrained. Analysts have warned that if the disruption persists, crude prices could rise to around $150 per barrel.While the International Energy Agency said members would release a record 400 million barrels from emergency reserves, some economists believe the move may offer limited reassurance to markets. President Donald Trump earlier signalled that additional steps could be taken to ease pressure on oil flows, following the administration’s decision to temporarily allow India to purchase Russian crude.Fresh economic data added to investor caution. The Commerce Department reported that consumer prices rose 2.8 per cent year-on-year in January. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, climbed to 3.1 per cent from 3 per cent in the previous month, marking the highest level in nearly two years. Despite this, consumer spending and incomes both increased by 0.4 per cent during the month.The University of Michigan’s latest survey showed consumer sentiment dipped to its lowest reading of the year as petrol prices rose following the outbreak of war. Separately, the Labour Department said job openings rose to nearly seven million in January, exceeding economists’ expectations.Data also confirmed that the US economy grew at a subdued annual rate of 0.7 per cent in the October–December quarter, revised down from earlier estimates.“GDP and the job market have been expanding, but the rate of change has been slowing, which leads to concerns about the overall economy — and that was even before we stared a war in the Middle East, which spiked the price of oil,” Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer for Northlight Asset Management, said in an email.Sectoral trends were mixed on Wall Street. Financial and healthcare stocks supported the broader market, with JPMorgan rising 1.1 per cent and Eli Lilly gaining 1.6 per cent. Software firm Adobe dropped 6 per cent despite beating revenue and profit forecasts, while Ulta Beauty tumbled 10.5 per cent after reporting weaker-than-expected quarterly earnings.Bitcoin climbed 4.6 per cent to around $72,777, lifting shares of cryptocurrency-linked companies such as Coinbase Global, which rose 2.4 per cent, and Strategy, up 4.9 per cent.In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.25 per cent from 4.26 per cent late Thursday, though it remains higher than the 3.97 per cent level seen before the conflict began.Overseas markets showed mixed trends. European indices moved higher in early trade, with Britain’s FTSE 100, Germany’s DAX and France’s CAC 40 all gaining modestly. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.2 per cent, with technology stocks among the biggest losers as SoftBank Group declined 4.5 per cent.

Mumbai: Bangladeshi national Mardy Liton, 38, who changed his name to Liton Das to obtain an Indian passport fraudulently, was stopped at Mumbai International Airport on March 11 at 8 am before he could board flight AI-2354 to Bangkok, Thailand, to meet his girlfriend, a Bangladeshi national working there.Sahar police said Liton was caught by immigration officials after he reached the airport from Goa, and his Indian passport was found to be red-flagged with “DRILS STATUS”, which means damage, revoke, impound, lost and stolen.Liton was stopped by assistant immigration officer Swaminath Date on suspicion after noticing the DRILS status alert and the passport issued by a border city of West Bengal. He was later arrested. When questioned, Liton confessed that he entered India illegally through the borders in 2018 and obtained the Indian passport in 2022 from West Bengal using fake Indian documents after paying Rs 50,000 to an agent, police said.Liton stayed in West Bengal and obtained the passport in 2022 before travelling to Goa, where he worked in a hotel as a waiter without being caught by local police.“The immigration officials decided to verify Liton when he went to the counter for check-in stamping to fly to Bangkok to meet his girlfriend. The officials took him for questioning when they found the alert DRILS status. It typically refers to a system or code indicating a negative or adverse action against the passport holder. When a passport is marked with a “DRILS” status (often seen as “DRILS Status (Revoked)” or “DRILS Status (Impounded)”), it means the passport is invalidated, and the holder is barred from travelling,” said a police officer of the Sahar police station.In the complaint, Date said: “The Immigration Check System observed that the said passport was issued by the Kolkata Passport Office and bore a “DRILS STATUS.” When questioned, he said he entered India from Bangladesh in 2018 via the Haridaspur Immigration Check Post. Initially, he stayed in Kolkata, West Bengal; subsequently, he informed us that he settled in Porvorim, Goa. While residing in Shantipur, West Bengal, he, with the assistance of a local agent, obtained documents serving as proof of citizenship under the name Liton Das and a passport in 2022. With the passport, he travelled to Bangladesh two times and once to Bangkok,” said the officer.

The mist-covered hills of Mussoorie have found a new reason to glow this week as Indian spin sensation Kuldeep Yadav prepares to embark on his most important second innings yet. Following India’s historic triumph at the T20 World Cup 2026, the ace cricketer is trading the cricket pitch for the mandap, celebrating his union with childhood sweetheart Vanshika Chaddha.

As the calendar turns to March 13, 2026, the quiet serenity of the Queen of Hills has been replaced by the rhythmic beats of dhol and the fragrance of fresh henna. Social media is currently awash with heartwarming snippets of the couple’s mehendi ceremony, offering a rare, intimate look at the man behind the legendary wrong-un.

Kuldeep Yadav and Vanshika Chaddha enjoy joyful mehendi ceremony with family in Mussoorie

The pre-wedding festivities kicked off at a luxury private resort in Mussoorie, where the crisp mountain air provided a refreshing backdrop to the colourful ceremony. In the viral visuals, Kuldeep appeared every bit the dapper groom-to-be, while Vanshika radiated a natural glow, her hands intricately adorned with traditional mehendi designs. The couple, who have known each other since their childhood days in Kanpur, shared candid moments that captured a decade-long bond blossoming into a lifelong commitment.

Vanshika, an administrative officer with the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), has long been Kuldeep’s anchor away from the spotlight. Their love story is refreshingly grounded; while Kuldeep hails from Lal Bungalow in Kanpur, Vanshika grew up just three kilometers away in Shyam Nagar. The mehendi ceremony perfectly reflected this simplicity, blending deep-rooted traditions with the breathtaking modern aesthetics of a Himalayan retreat. Family members were seen joining in folk songs and laughter, creating a soulful atmosphere that underscored the couple’s preference for an intimate, meaningful celebration over a media spectacle.

Here’s the video:

The happiness of Kuldeep Yadav and Vanshika Chadha during his mehendi ceremony in Mussoorie.

Kuldeep Yadav marrying his childhood friend.❤ pic.twitter.com/Zp8G3veP64

— Sonu (@Cricket_live247) March 13, 2026

Also READ: Kuldeep Yadav’s royal wedding invite goes viral; Here’s what we know

Rinku Singh and Bhuvneshwar Kumar join in with their families at Kuldeep’s wedding event

No Indian wedding is complete without a touch of family from the field, and Kuldeep’s special day saw his closest teammates in attendance. Explosive batter Rinku Singh, a fellow Uttar Pradesh native and one of Kuldeep’s closest friends, was spotted adding his signature energy to the event. Accompanied by his family, Rinku was seen engaging in playful banter with the groom, proving that the camaraderie of the locker room translates perfectly to the wedding floor.

Also gracing the event was veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Arriving with his family, ‘Bhuvi’ brought a sense of seasoned warmth to the festivities. The presence of these cricketing stalwarts turned the private ceremony into a mini-reunion of the Indian squad, as they celebrated their teammate’s milestone just weeks after their global T20 success.

With the main wedding scheduled for March 14 and a grand reception to follow in Lucknow on March 17, the excitement among fans is at an all-time high. As Kuldeep prepares to exchange vows, it’s clear he has found a partner who values the man behind the jersey, making this victory in Mussoorie his most cherished one yet.

Rinku Singh and Bhuvneshwar Kumar with their families at Kuldeep Yadav’s wedding event — UP cricketers together. pic.twitter.com/bjDRK6ur57

— Sonu (@Cricket_live247) March 13, 2026

Also READ: Date and venue details of Kuldeep Yadav’s marriage with childhood friend Vanshika Chadha