Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has publicly backed Shubman Gill, linking the young batter’s rapid rise to a lesson he received early in his own international career from Rahul Dravid. Speaking on JioHotstar, Pathan recalled how Dravid prepared him for the demands of international cricket when he broke into the Indian team as a teenager.

“When I entered the Indian team at the age of 19, the great Rahul Dravid told me that you have come to the team, it is good, but the things would get tougher from here. I asked what to do in case things get tough. He told me you would get used to it,” Pathan said. Pathan believes the same process of adjustment and growth now applies to Gill, particularly after being handed leadership responsibilities at a young age. “Same can be said for Gill. He became captain, in that England series, he increased his average and authority within the team. Then he got the ODI captaincy, when that happens, you get an opportunity to grow a lot,” he added. Gill’s 2025 began steadily in the ODI format, with consistent returns in bilateral series before playing a key role in India’s ICC Champions Trophy triumph. He finished the tournament with 188 runs, highlighted by a century against Bangladesh. The defining phase of Gill’s year, however, came during his first full Test tour of England. With Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin unavailable, the burden of leadership fell heavily on the young Test captain. Gill responded with a historic series, scoring 754 runs in five Tests at an average of 75.40, including four centuries and a career-best 269. Pathan also addressed the weight of comparisons that follow elite Indian batters across generations. “He has a lot of talent. There will be always comparisons. Virat was compared with Sachin (Tendulkar), and now Gill is being compared to Virat, who has scored those 25,000–30,000 runs. I think he is fully capable of it. He has a fine range of shots,” Pathan said. Gill’s only notable setback came in T20 internationals, where a run of modest returns saw him score 291 runs in 15 innings at an average just over 24 in 2025, eventually missing out on selection for India’s T20 World Cup squad. Pathan views that phase as part of a broader learning curve. “The more responsibility and challenges he gets, he will grow more as a cricketer. I have seen that he is always ready for cricket. Always willing to learn. He has that attitude in him,” he said.

Mumbai: Vakola police have booked a 25-year-old mother of two for allegedly slashing her lover’s private parts with a sharp weapon after he refused to leave his wife and marry her. The incident took place after the New Year celebrations at her Santacruz residence in the wee hours of Thursday.The 42-year-old victim is the brother of the accused’s sister-in-law and they have been in an extramarital affair for seven years, said police. The woman, who has two children aged four and seven, is on the run.The victim was initially rushed to the nearby V N Desai Hospital, and later referred to Sion Hospital where he was immediately taken for surgery. “Our urology and general surgery teams operated on him soon after he was brought to hospital. He is recovering right now,” said Sion Hospital dean Dr Pramod Ingale.Police said the accused had wanted to marry the victim, but he refused to leave his wife and children. When his wife found out about their relationship, she started quarrelling with him. In his police complaint, the victim said that he then asked the accused to “understand the situation”. The accused then left for her hometown in Bihar, but returned a month later, on Dec 19.On Dec 24, the victim once again “tried to make her understand the siutation” as both had children and families, he told the police.Around 1.30am on Jan 1, the accused invited him to her residence “to have sweets” to celebrate the New Year. “When the victim tried to leave, she allegedly used a sharp object to slash his private parts even while her two children were sleeping in the room,” said a police officer.The victim, who was bleeding profusely, managed to escape and alerted his son and brother who rushed him to V N Desai Hospital. “Even when she was in Bihar, she would threaten him over the phone,” said the officer.Police have formed a team to nab the accused, who has been booked under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for causing grievous hurt by dangerous means and criminal intimidation.

Mumbai: BEST bus drivers involved in accidents could be temporarily assigned alternative duties as a sensitisation measure to reinforce passenger safety awareness and accountability, undertaking’s general manager Sonia Sethi instructed the personnel department following the Dec 29 Bhandup mishap, where an AC electric bus rammed into pedestrains, killing four and injuring 10. Sethi’s directives apply to all electric bus drivers, including BEST on-roll and wet-lease operator drivers, who also have to undergo mandatory refresher and skill-upgrade training with immediate effect. The training focuses on defensive driving, safe handling of EV buses, speed regulation, braking behaviour, and overall road safety practices, an official said.BEST also undertook a comprehensive review of driver service records. Drivers with a history of default, repeated violations, or prior suspension were to be withdrawn from active driving duties forthwith and not deployed until further review and clearance as per norms.“A mobile driver training vehicle will be integrated into the training programme to cover all 27 BEST depots, to ensure uniform dissemination of safety practices and on-site sensitisation of drivers,” the official said.Officials said supervisors will conduct structured counselling sessions, with clear instructions on standard operating procedures. Drivers were directed to halt properly at designated stops and wait until the last passenger boarded safely before moving. An official said that passenger safety and pedestrian safety come before schedule pressure.Alongside operational checks, the counselling programme will also address driver wellbeing. Every driver will receive guidance, and any psychological or stress-related issues flagged during interactions will be handled through appropriate support.However, the safety push comes amid continuing operational strain. BEST’s own bus fleet dropped to 249, while wet-lease buses stand at 2,495. Driver shortage remains a challenge, with some contractual buses now being operated by full-time BEST drivers. In the Bhandup incident, the driver was provided by BEST to a private contractor operating the midi bus involved in the mishap.

GURUGRAM: Haryana’s annual sex ratio at birth (SRB), the number of girls born per 1,000 boys, climbed to 923 in 2025, the first time it has showed a gain since 2019.Alarm bells rang last year after it fell to 910, its lowest since 2016 when the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign was launched as a social campaign in a state with one of the lowest sex ratios in the country because of female infanticide.According to Civil Registration System (provisional) figures, the state registered 5,19,691 births last year, of which 2,70,281 were boys and 2,49,410 girls. Three districts reported an SRB of 950 or above, with Panchkula leading the state at 971, followed by Fatehabad (961) and Panipat (951).South Haryana districts like Gurgaon showed significant lag in SRBKarnal (944) and Yamunanagar (943) complete the top five. Sirsa (937), Nuh (935), Kurukshetra (927), Ambala (926), Hisar (926), Bhiwani (926) and Kaithal (924) were also above the state average.Health officials attributed the improvement to a series of crackdowns through 2025 against sex-selective abortions and sale of illegal medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) kits. An SRB of 923 is still low compared to other states but it’s the highest Haryana has achieved. Over the years, the annual average has fluctuated, rather than held steady.South Haryana districts around Delhi, including Gurgaon (901), showed significant lag. Faridabad (916), Rohtak (898) and Sonipat (894) were among the weakest performers. Rewari (882) was placed at the bottom.Panchkula saw the most notable long-term improvement, from 909 in 2015 to 971 in 2025, despite dips in between, including a fall to 915 in 2024. Fatehabad, which was at 893 in 2015, climbed to 961 last year as did Panipat, which was at 892 in 2015. Gurgaon, despite its weaker performance compared to these districts, also saw an improvement from 858 in 2015.After the fall in SRB in 2024, a state-level task force was set up in March, with officers from health department, police, women and child development, AYUSH, National Health Mission (NHM) and the Food and Drug Administration reviewing SRB weekly.“A total of 114 FIRs were registered under MTP Act and 16 under PCPNDT (Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques) Act in 2025. Ultrasound inspections nearly doubled from 3,072 in 2024 to 5,836 in 2025. Reverse tracking of abortions beyond 12 weeks among women with previous girl children was a key tool. From Oct 2024 to Dec 2025, 3,292 such abortions were reported through Asha workers, leading to 68 FIRs against clinics, chemists, peddlers and middlemen,” said Dr Virender Yadav, director of NHM, Haryana.Crackdowns on abortion kit sales intensified. FDA sealed 44 chemist shops last year and registered 59 FIRs, including 17 for online sales. More than 6,000 kits were seized. The number of abortions carried out beyond 10 weeks fell from 21,498 in 2024 to 14,204 in 2025. A total of 495 of the state’s 1,500 registered MTP centres were shut for violations.

Expect buzz, emotion and box-office momentum in 2026 from Bengali cinema. With sequels, franchise favourites, real-life narratives & fresh stories in the pipeline, the slate brings star power, new talent and moving talesKeu Bole Biplobi Keu Bole DakatDirector: Pathikrit BasuCast: Jeet, Tota Roy ChoudhurySynopsis: The film marks Jeet’s return with a character-driven narrative. It explores the duality of Ananta Singh – a revolutionary to some, an outlaw to others – through themes of justice, rebellion and moral ambiguity. Weaving Ananta’s freedom-fighter past with a crusade against corruption, the film has the tone of an emotional journey that questions power and ethics in changing times.Bike Ambulance DadaDirector: Vinay MudgilCast: Dev, other cast members yet to be announcedSynopsis: Inspired by the life of Padma Shri Karimul Haque, the film sees Dev stepping into Karimul’s shoes. The story follows Haque’s work supporting the villagers in and around Dhalabari by bringing sick people to hospital in his motorcycle ambulance. Dev’s performance is expected to balance realism with presence, telling the story of Karimul’s struggles, sacrifices and heroism.

Vijaynagar’er HireyDirector: Chandrasish RayCast: Prosenjit Chatterjee, Aryann Bhowmik, Pushan Dasgupta, Satyam Bhattacharya and Sreya BhattacharyyaSynopsis: The third instalment of the Kakababu series is coming back after four years, raising the stakes with a mystery set in Hampi. Blending suspense, intellect and emotion, the film also marks Chandrasish’s entry as a director in the franchise.

Saptadingar GuptodhonDirector: Dhrubo BanerjeeCast: Abir Chatterjee, Ishaa Saha, Arjun ChakrabartySynopsis: The fourth instalment of the Guptodhon franchise marks Sona Da’s return after 2022. The film returns with the original cast and this time is set to have a more suspenseful tone. The story will showcase themes of treasure hunting, escaping the villain, chasing hidden clues and sniffing out a high-stakes adventure. It promises to blend mystery, action and intrigue for all the franchise fans.

Bhanupriya Bhooter Hotel Director: Aritra MukherjeeCast: Mimi Chakraborty, Soham Mojumdar, Bonny Sengupta, Swastika DuttaSynopsis: Set inside a haunted hotel inspired by a colonial-era homestay in Kalimpong, this horror-comedy is rooted in the supernatural. The film will also reflect on the human mind, exploring fear, connection, and the absurdities of life through laughter and suspense. The narrative promises to be chaotic, funny and with a feel-good plot.

Hok Kolorob Director: Raj ChakrabartyCast: Saswata Chatterjee, John Batyacharyya, Om Sahani, Rohaan BhattacharjeeSynopsis: This film marks a bold return to a subject that once stirred intense public discourse, exploring student politics, rebellion, hope, and identity through a contemporary lens. With a gripping mix of emotion and suspense, a host of fresh talent is set to bring energy and authenticity to the screen, complemented by a multi-composer music line-up.Screen presence: the unmissable films of ’26KorpurDirector: Arindam SilCast: Rituparna Sengupta, Bratya Basu, Lahoma Bhattacharya and Arpan GhoshalSynopsis: With Rituparna and Bratya as leads, the film is set to be a political thriller loosely based on the disappearance of Manisha Mukherjee, the deputy controller of examination of Calcutta University. The film will also explore a murder mystery spanning a decade involving an education scam in the city, all while blending historical timelines of 1997 and 2019. The film also marks the fresh pairing of Lahoma and Arpan.

Mon Maaney Na Director: Rahool MukherjeeCast: Ritwik Bhowmik, Hiya Chatterjee & Soumya MukherjeeSynopsis: The film marks Hiya and Ritwik’s Tollywood debut. The story follows a carefree man confronted by his true feelings during his best friend’s wedding. This love triangle has an emotionally layered yet contemporary narrative, bringing relatability and an unconventional take on love to the screen.

Ajo Ardhangini Director: Kaushik GangulyCast: Jaya Ahsan, Churni Ganguly, Kaushik SenSynopsis: Sequel to the 2023 film, Ardhangini, the film carries the emotionally charged story forward. The story picks up after 1.5 years, and revisits themes of love, identity, and unresolved relationships, while unveiling a deeper truth that remained untold earlier. With the same lead characters, the addition of a pivotal new character, the film promises a fresh emotional conflict making the narrative more layered. This film blends continuity with new tension — offering a tale that takes the audience through the characters’ turmoils.Emperor Vs Sarat Chandra Director: Srijit MukherjiCast: Abir Chatterjee, Mimi Chakraborty, Rudranil Ghosh, Kanchan Mullick, Divyani MondalSynopsis: Set against the charged political climate of 1926, the film revisits the legacy of Pather Dabi — a work that once shook the foundations of colonial authority and stirred public conscience. By weaving historical context with the spirit of resistance that led to the novel’s ban, the narrative is shaped by a compelling exploration of dissent, identity, and ideological struggle. This period drama will also see director Srijit Mukherji set into the role of a music composer.

Phool Pishi O EdwardDirector: Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad MukherjeeCast: Sohini Sengupta, Raima Sen, Arjun Chakrabarty, Koneenica BanerjeeSynopsis: Set inside a guarded royal household where inheritance, memory and silence hold dangerous power, the film draws viewers into a mysterious world where every relationship in the narrative guards a secret. With a strong ensemble cast, the film is set to tell a gripping tale that slowly peels back layers of the past, exposing how its shadows continue to shape the present.Sources say that Khadaan 2 & the sequel to Bohurupi are also in the pipeline

Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has opined that the individuality of ODI cricket is lost somewhere between Test cricket’s enduring value and the rising dominance of T20 cricket. He has also shown concern over how individual stars like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma draw people towards the ODI tournaments, which people do not witness otherwise.

In recent times, T20 cricket around the globe has earned special importance. Ravichandran Ashwin has also noted the same and has opined that the excessive rise of T20 cricket due to its global fanbase and the value of Test cricket is squeezing space for 50-over tournaments.

ODI Cricket is losing its prominence—Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin placed himself in the audience seat and claimed that he is concerned about the future of the ODI format with the retirement of senior cricketers like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

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“I am not sure about the future of ODI after the 2027 World Cup. I am a little worried about it. Of course, I am following the Vijay Hazare Trophy, but the manner in which I followed SMAT, I am finding slightly difficult to follow,” Ashwin said on his Hindi YouTube channel, Ash Ki Baat.

He stressed the audience’s preference towards watching more of T20s, alongside giving some space to Tests, but no space for ODI cricket. “I feel it is going towards slow death,” said Ravichandran Ashwin bluntly.

Ashwin highlighted the significance of big names like Rohit and Virat in making the game relevant

Ashwin highlighted the importance of big names in every format of the game. He has proved how Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy has drawn the attention of people, and as a result, many other young cricketers have also gotten the deserved spotlight.

“Look, Rohit and Virat came back to the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and people started watching it. We have known that sport is always bigger than individuals, but at times these players need to come back to make the game relevant,” he observed.

However, on the other hand, Ashwin talks about the changing nature of the one-day format. He claimed the format, which previously gave batters some time to settle down, has now evolved.

“One-day cricket, once upon a time, was an amazing format because it gave a player like MS Dhoni, who would take singles for 10-15 overs before he went berserk at the end,” he said.

According to Ashwin, that style has all but disappeared. “You don’t have players like that anymore, and there isn’t any requirement to play like that, as you are playing with two new balls and five fielders inside the circle,” he said

Ravichandran Ashwin urges ICC to rethink its approach to ODI cricket, comparing it with the FIFA World Cup

The former Indian veteran spinner has pointed out that the ICC needs to rethink its approach for the format and acknowledge the importance of revenue simultaneously.

“The ODI format has become redundant, and to top it, the ICC needs to see how they are conducting these World Cups. Every year, there is an ICC tournament for revenue generation patterns, but then look at how FIFA is doing it,” he said.

He has further opined that too many international fixtures have acted like an overkill in cricket; hence, Ravichandran Ashwin suggested a structure like football, where teams and players are busy in franchise leagues, and the anticipation for a World Cup builds around the four-year gap between two such tournaments.

“If you really want to make ODI cricket relevant, then just play these leagues and play the ODI World Cup once in four years, so when people turn up for events, there will be a sense of expectation,” he said.

ALSO READ: “Why can’t we arrange that?” – Ex-India star questions BCCI over Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s ODI future

BENGALURU: Following a dispute mirroring the Aravalli controversy, members of a Supreme Court-appointed panel will inspect Bannerghatta National Park Friday after a plea against a 2018 govt move to cut the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) around Bengaluru’s green backyard. The park is facing pressure from mining and real estate interests eyeing its contiguous landscape. At the core of the standoff is govt’s move to drastically shrink ESZ from 268.9sqkm to 168.8sqkm and curtail its width from 4km to just 1km.A group of citizens and activists led by K Belliappa had approached Supreme Court in May 2025, arguing the reduction undermines the purpose of an ESZ. On Friday, members of the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC), led by Chandra Prakash Goyal, will survey the park and speak to senior Karnataka officials, including the chief secretary, to assess the ecological impact of the reduction.

Vanishing buffer

In a preliminary notification in June 2016, the Union environment ministry had in consultation with the state proposed declaring 268.9sqkm around BNP as ESZ. However, the final notification of Nov 2018 sharply curtailed the protected area – a decision the petitioners alleged was influenced by real estate developers and mining and quarrying interests. They contended that several ecologically sensitive pockets surrounding well-documented elephant corridors were excluded from the final notification. Kiran Urs, a member of the Bannerghatta Nature Conservation Trust (BNCT), said ESZ reduction appeared to be an attempt to legitimise existing ecological violations. “The pockets excluded from the final notification contain active quarries, and there were efforts to build a township along the boundary, which will inevitably exert immense pressure on the ecosystem,” Urs alleged. Somashekhar, a farmer from Kaduchikkanahalli near the park, claimed he came under pressure to sell his land even after the final ESZ notification. “However, I continue to hold my land and grow ragi,” he said. Keerthan Reddy of BNCT described the park as one of the best ecological gifts for a burgeoning Bengaluru. “No other city can boast this vast green landscape in its backyard, dotted with a salubrious population of tigers, elephants, leopards, and countless other species of flora and fauna. The city is already witness to rising incidents of human-animal conflict, and violations like these would only add to the problem,” Reddy cautioned.

Thane: The Mahayuti alliance partners — BJP and Shiv Sena — have made a strong early impact in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) and Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation elections, securing 10 unopposed victories, so far. Of these, six candidates belong to BJP and four to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, giving the ruling alliance a clear initial advantage even before polling.On Thursday, six candidates were declared elected unopposed in Dombivli — two from BJP and four from Shiv Sena. This came a day after three BJP candidates were elected unopposed on Wednesday, taking the total tally to nine in the KDMC.On Thursday, BJP candidate Manda Subhash Patil from Panel 27A was declared elected unopposed after her sole rival, advocate Suvarna Mhatre from Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), withdrew her nomination. Mhatre had joined MNS after being denied a ticket by BJP.In Panel 24, which comprises four wards with a total of 16 seats, all Shiv Sena (UBT), the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and independent candidates withdrew their nominations, clearing the way for Jyoti Pawan Patil from BJP and Ramesh Mhatre, Vishwanath Rane, and Vrushali Ranjit Joshi from the Shiv Sena to be elected unopposed.In Panel 28A, Shiv Sena’s Harshal More won unopposed after other candidates withdrew their nominations. Harshal is son of Shiv Sena MLA Rajesh More.In the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation elections, BJP candidate Sumit Patil from Panel 17 was elected unopposed. Patil, who is the nephew of former MP Kapil Patil, benefited after three candidates withdrew their nominations and two were disqualified during scrutiny.Earlier, on Wednesday, BJP candidates Rekha Rajan Chaudhary (Ward 18A, Kalyan East), Asavari Kedar Navre (Ward 26C), and Ranjana Mitesh Penkar (Ward 26B) were elected unopposed in KDMC. Independent candidate Gayatri Gavande, who was preparing to contest against Penkar, had her nomination rejected during scrutiny for reasons not officially disclosed, according to election officials.Reacting to the spate of unopposed victories, former MNS MLA from Kalyan Rural, Pramod (Raju) Patil, alleged misuse of power by the ruling alliance. He claimed that candidates were pressured to withdraw through intimidation and the use of money and political influence. Patil also criticised the panel system, alleging it was designed to benefit strong ruling-party candidates and discourage opposition contestants.