Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

India face welcome dilemma with return of skipper Kohli

India face welcome dilemma with return of skipper Kohli

Virat Kohli will return to lead India in the second Test against top-ranked New Zealand on Friday, posing a welcome selection dilemma for the hosts.

The Mumbai clash will mark Kohli's return after he stepped down as Twenty20 captain at the end of the World Cup last month and took a short break.


Shreyas Iyer's 105 and 65 in his debut Test, which ended in a draw in Kanpur against the Black Caps, has made it tough for Indian selectors to decide on their final XI.

"I think it's a good problem to have," Indian bowling coach Paras Mhambrey said Wednesday.

"We have so much talent -- speaks a lot about the state Indian cricket is in, and with youngsters coming up, we want to give them the opportunity.

"Someone like Shreyas comes in, gets a hundred and follows it up with a fifty, and that's fabulous. But sometimes you also have to go in with combinations that suit that particular wicket."

Ajinkya Rahane, who led India in the first Test of the two-match series, has struggled to score runs and averaged under 20 across 12 matches this year.

Top-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has made promising starts but failed to convert them into bigger scores.

"We know that they (Rahane and Pujara) have a lot of experience behind them, they have played enough cricket," said Mhambrey.

"We also know as a team that they are one inning away from coming good, so as a team, we are backing them.

"We know the value they bring to the team."

- Emotional for Patel -

New Zealand, the world Test champions after beating India in the title clash in June, denied the hosts a win in an enthralling five days of play in the opening match.

The final pairing of Rachin Ravindra and Ajaz Patel survived in dimming light as gutsy New Zealand held on for a memorable draw.

In Mumbai, Patel returns to his city of birth and where he played lot of cricket before his parents moved to New Zealand.

The 33-year-old spinner said he looked forward to playing at Wankhede Stadium, with many of his relatives watching from the stands.

"Definitely it is emotional," he said.

"I have come to Wankhede and watched a lot of IPL games... and I bowled to Mumbai a few times in their training sessions. It is pretty cool and quite nostalgic."

Patel, who has played 10 Tests for New Zealand since his 2018 debut, said it was the first time his relatives in Mumbai would be able to watch him play in person.

"Even back home my parents still haven't watched me play Test cricket," said the spinner, who claimed three wickets in the first match.

"Hopefully sometime soon they will be able to come and watch me as well."

More For You

The Alters: A unique sci-fi survival game with a dark twist

'The Alters' is more than just a survival game

YouTube/ 11 Bit Studios

The Alters: A unique sci-fi survival game with a dark twist

The Alters is a new science fiction game by 11 Bit Studios, the team behind Frostpunk. This game mixes survival gameplay with deep storytelling and emotional choices. Set in space, it follows Jan Dolski, a man trying to survive on a dangerous alien planet after a failed mission.

Surviving alone… or not quite

Jan is the only survivor of a space crew. He travels in a large, circular mobile base that moves across the planet’s rough terrain. Players must help Jan collect resources, build rooms in the base, and keep things running smoothly while dealing with dangerous weather and radiation outside.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jameela Jamil: Pixar’s Elio Offers Hope for Youth

Jameela Jamil says Pixar’s Elio brings a fresh message of empowerment for kids across the globe

Getty Images

Jameela Jamil says Pixar’s ‘Elio’ is the hope young people need in a chaotic world

At a time when the world feels chaotic and heavy, Disney Pixar’s Elio arrives with a message that couldn’t be more relevant: kids matter, and they’re stronger than they realise.

The animated film, which had its star-studded premiere in Los Angeles this week, follows an 11-year-old boy who accidentally becomes Earth’s ambassador in outer space. Directed by Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi, Elio is Pixar’s first feature with a Mexican-Dominican lead, voiced by Yonas Kibreab. His character’s journey from an outsider on Earth to a confident connector among aliens mirrors what many young people feel today: lost, overlooked, and searching for belonging.

Keep ReadingShow less
Apple India Reroutes 97% of iPhones to US Amid Tariff Push

Apple iPhones are seen inside India's first Apple retail store in Mumbai, India, April 17, 2023.

REUTERS

Foxconn sends 97 per cent of India iPhone exports to US amid tariff push

NEARLY all iPhones exported by Foxconn from India between March and May were shipped to the United States, according to customs data reviewed by Reuters.

The data showed that 97 per cent of Foxconn’s iPhone exports during this period went to the US, significantly higher than the 2024 average of 50.3 per cent.

Keep ReadingShow less
Child Fame Costs: HBO’s New Young Harry Potter Reboot Stars

The new trio cast as Harry, Hermione and Ron step into a world where childhood and fame rarely mix well

Instagram/harrypotter/Getty Images

From Hogwarts to headlines, the real cost of childhood fame for Harry Potter’s new stars

As HBO prepares to bring Harry Potter back to screens with a new television adaptation, excitement is high around the casting of Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, and Alastair Stout as the iconic trio of Harry, Hermione, and Ron. But amid the buzz, a quiet voice of caution has emerged. Chris Watson, father of original Hermione actress Emma Watson, is urging parents and the industry to tread carefully when it comes to child stardom.

Chris Watson is not speaking as a critic or industry insider but as someone who watched his daughter grow up inside a global franchise. Emma was nine when she landed the role of Hermione Granger, and what followed was a decade of public attention that reshaped her life. Her father remembers the shift vividly. “Her homework would go back to school on motorbikes,” he once said, pointing to the surreal logistics fame forced on them.

Keep ReadingShow less
Thunderstorms to Hit East & South-East England; Met Office

The warning indicates a high risk of disruption

Getty Images

Thunderstorms to hit East and South-East England as Met Office issues amber warning

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for thunderstorms across parts of eastern and south-eastern England, in effect from 20:00 BST on Friday to 05:00 on Saturday. The affected area spans from Eastbourne in East Sussex to Cromer in north Norfolk.

The warning indicates a high risk of disruption, with flash flooding, power cuts, and hazardous travel conditions expected. The Met Office warns that flooding of homes and businesses is likely, and delays or cancellations to bus and rail services are possible due to surface water and lightning strikes.

Keep ReadingShow less