Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Kohli urges high-flying India to be 'ruthless'

Captain Virat Kohli has called on his players to be "ruthless" after the crushing one-day series win over Australia took India top of the world one-day rankings to add to their number one Test status.

A five-wicket win in the third game of the five-match series on Sunday (24) gave India an unassailable 3-0 lead over Steve Smith's Australia.


It also stretched India's winning streak to a record 12 matches across all formats.

Kohli's side have been on a roll for the past year since regaining the number one Test spot with a 3-0 home whitewash of New Zealand.

The in-form captain has led from the front with 1,137 runs in 21 50-over matches this year, ahead South Africa's Faf du Plessis as the highest one-day scorer in 2017.

Kohli praised his team after the latest win against the once mighty Australians, who have been outplayed in India. Smith's team also lost a Test series 2-1 in India this year.

"Credit to the whole squad for the series win, but the journey stops only after the final game," said Kohli, the top ODI and T20 batsman in the International Cricket Council (ICC) ratings.

"We may give opportunities for people from now, but all 15 guys know that we got to be ruthless once we step onto the field," Kohli added.

The series has seen new Indian stars emerge, with all-rounder Hardik Pandya and left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav making an instant impact.

While Pandya's crucial 78 led the team's run chase in Indore, Yadav impressed with his maiden hat-trick in the second international.

However legendary spinner Bishan Singh Bedi believes India have not been tested by opposition teams, barring the Champions Trophy final in June against Pakistan which they lost by 180 runs.

India won 10 of their 13 Tests on home soil in the 2016-17 season and then went on to rout hosts Sri Lanka over nine games in all three formats.

"Realistically speaking Indians are not even fielding their best XI and beating the opposition hands down, whether it is Sri Lanka or Australia," Bedi said.

"We are loving the ratings, but if we are a little more pragmatic then you will realise that the Indian team in the last year or so haven't been stretched by the opposition.

"Just that one game in the Champions Trophy final against Pakistan, other than that we have not seen them in a tight situation.

"We will get to know the character of the team when they come out of a tight situation," Bedi added.

Left-arm spinner Axar Patel returns to the Indian squad in place of Ravindra Jadeja for the final two ODIs that will be played in Bangalore and Nagpur on Thursday (28) and Sunday (1).

Patel, who sprained his ankle at the start of the series, will join Chahal and Yadav as the third spinner in the 15-man squad.

More For You

Harvey Weinstein

Weinstein is currently serving a 16-year prison sentence in California

Getty Images

Harvey Weinstein found guilty of assault in retrial, jury undecided on rape charge

Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has been found guilty of committing a criminal sexual act against one woman in his New York retrial. The 73-year-old was acquitted of another count of the same charge relating to a second woman.

The jury did not reach a verdict on a third charge of rape involving a third woman. Weinstein had pleaded not guilty to all three charges, maintaining that all sexual encounters were consensual and denying any assault.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer says scenes of Air India plane crash 'devastating'

Keir Starmer. (Photo by JORDAN PETTITT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Starmer says scenes of Air India plane crash 'devastating'

PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer on Thursday (12) expressed his anguish following a plane crash involving a London-bound Air India flight with 53 British nationals among 242 on board, shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport.

"The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating,” Starmer said in a statement.

Keep ReadingShow less
Major air crashes in India

FILE PHOTO: Officials inspect the wreckage of an Air India Express jet at Calicut International Airport in Karipur, Kerala, on August 8, 2020. (Photo by ARUNCHANDRA BOSE/AFP via Getty Images)

Major air crashes in India

INDIA has witnessed several major air disasters over the decades, reflecting both the challenges of aviation safety and the complexities of its growing air traffic. While many flights operate safely each day, a few tragic incidents have left lasting impacts on the nation’s aviation history. Below is a list of some of the most significant plane crashes that have occurred in India.

1. Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision (Nov 12, 1996)
A Saudi Boeing 747 and a Kazakh IL-76 cargo plane collided mid-air near Delhi due to communication failures. All 349 people on both aircraft died, making it the deadliest air disaster in Indian airspace.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jasbinder

Join Jasbinder at Barnes Children’s Literature Festival

Exciting Debut at Barnes Fest!

Readers and families in London are in for a culturally rich, story-filled experience as Jasbinder Bilan, one of the UK’s most acclaimed children’s authors, headlines an exciting event at the Barnes Children’s Literature Festival. Taking place on Saturday, 21 June at the Barnes Green Centre on Church Road, London SW13 9HE, the event will offer young audiences the exclusive opportunity to meet the Costa Children’s Book Award winner and hear about her latest novel, Naeli and the Secret Song. Known for blending adventure, history, and folklore into captivating tales for young readers, Bilan’s newest book promises to enchant and empower children with themes of identity, bravery, and the magic of self-discovery.

Organised as part of the UK’s largest dedicated children’s literature festival, the interactive session will be tailored for children and families, giving them the chance to connect directly with the author. Jasbinder will introduce Naeli and the Secret Song, a beautifully written historical adventure set against a richly imagined landscape, infused with cultural heritage, ancient songs, and mysterious secrets. Young readers will not only get to hear excerpts from the book but also take part in a vibrant Q&A and creative activities designed to ignite their imaginations and deepen their love of storytelling.

Keep ReadingShow less
summer cold vs Covid

Protect yourself and others during the warmer months

iStock

What to know about Covid 19 new variant symptoms and summer colds

Colds and respiratory viruses are usually associated with winter, as colder weather drives people indoors and lowers the body’s natural defences. However, illnesses are still affecting people during the warmer months — and this summer, it could be down to a common virus or a new strain of Covid-19 now being monitored in the UK.

So, what’s behind that runny nose or sore throat, and how can you tell the difference?

Keep ReadingShow less