The Twenty20 format can be used to groom young talent and prepare them for one-dayers and Tests while not distracting players from winning games, stand-in India skipper Rohit Sharma said Wednesday.
Sharma, who is captaining the side in the second T20 against Bangladesh in Rajkot on Thursday with Virat Kolhi rested for the series, is leading a young Indian side with several veterans rested.
The hosts need to win to keep the three-match series alive after going down in the opening game by seven wickets.
"We want to try a lot of players to make them ready for the other formats," Sharma told a press conference.
"Because this is the format where these individuals can come out and express themselves so that they are ready for ODI and Test cricket."
Sharma has been one of India's brightest stars in limited-overs cricket, but also proved his mettle in the Test format after making a successful debut as opener in during his team's 3-0 sweep of South Africa.
Nicknamed "hitman" for his attacking style of play, Sharma -- who made his Test debut in 2013, six years after his first ODI match -- scored 529 runs with two centuries and a double ton in the three matches.
"We have seen a lot of players who have emerged from this format," Sharma said, adding players would learn valuable lessons even in defeat.
"But having said that, winning games is the first priority," he said.
Paceman Khaleel Ahmed and allrounder Shivam Dube -- who made his debut in Delhi on Sunday -- are just some of the players being trialled by the team's management with an eye on the T20 World Cup in Australia next year.
Sharma, 32, said the hosts could adopt a "different" approach with the bat and ball in the second match if they get a good pitch.
Erivo returns to the BBC dance show in a new role.
She will advise contestants during Movie Week.
The professional dancers are doing a Wicked performance.
She previously served as a guest judge.
The move ties in with her new film release.
Strictly Come Dancing has called in Cynthia Erivo for special duties. The award-winning performer will act as a guest mentor when the show holds its Movie Week. This marks a fresh job for Erivo on the programme after she previously served as a judge. She is expected to guide the celebrities through their big screen themed routines.
Strictly Come Dancing brings back Cynthia Erivo to guide celebrities in Wicked-inspired Movie Week performances Getty Images
What does a guest mentor do?
This is a new position created for the series. Erivo will visit the couples during their practice sessions. She will give them tips on how to sell a performance. Her job is to help them look more like film stars on the dance floor. When the live show happens, she will also join the judging panel to watch the results.
Cynthia Erivo takes over mentoring on Strictly Come Dancing to boost celebrities for high-stakes Movie Week Getty Images
Why choose Cynthia Erivo?
She knows her way around the Strictly ballroom. Producers brought her in to cover for judges before. People still talk about how she spoke to Rose Ayling-Ellis using sign language. That moment showed she understands how to connect with performers. She also has a new Wicked film in cinemas right now, which makes the timing work well.
Yes, the professional dancers have prepared something special. They will perform to As Long As You're Mine from the musical. Erivo sings that song in the movie version. The number will likely feature costumes and sets from the production. It should serve as a major moment during the broadcast.
The Movie Week episode airs this Saturday evening on BBC One. The competition is starting to get serious now. Some couples are already struggling to impress the judges. Having Erivo there might give someone the boost they need to avoid elimination this weekend.
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PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer on Thursday (2) called for a "robust" response by the head of London's under-fire Metropolitan Police after a BBC undercover report showed officers using excessive force and making racist and misogynistic comments.
"I've not yet seen the footage, but I've had it described to me, and it's shocking, and I'm glad the commissioner is responding. He needs to be very robust in his response," Starmer told reporters ahead of a meeting with European leaders in Copenhagen.
BBC reporter Rory Bibb spent seven months until January 2025 working in a civilian role as a detention officer in the custody suite of Charing Cross police station in central London.
The resulting BBC Panorama documentary, aired on Wednesday (1), exposed officers making misogynistic, racist and Islamophobic remarks, as well as using excessive force.
Metropolitan Police chief Mark Rowley condemned the behaviour as "completely reprehensible".
Anyone viewing the footage would be "upset and angry... seeing the racism, the misogyny, and the sort of relishing in using excess force on people who've been arrested", he said, adding that he was working urgently to have the officers dismissed.
He said that following contact with the BBC ahead of the programme 10 officers and staff had been suspended.
"They are suspended, they are not anywhere near the public any more, but I want them off the payroll and gone as quickly as possible," he told BBC radio.
The custody team at the Charing Cross station featured in the report has been disbanded, according to Rowley.
During the reporter's time undercover, "officers called for immigrants to be shot, revelled in the use of force and were dismissive of rape claims," the BBC said in a statement.
Several male police officers were secretly filmed making shocking statements, including that a detainee who had overstayed his visa should have "a bullet through his head", and that migrants from Algeria and Somalia were "scum".
The reputation of UK policing has been in tatters since the 2021 kidnap, rape and murder of marketing executive Sarah Everard by a serving Met officer who was later jailed for life.
In another shocking case, an officer from the same unit last year received 36 life sentences for a "monstrous" string of 71 sexual offences, including the rapes of 12 women.
In the year to March 2024, nearly 600 officers in England and Wales were sacked.
The Met alone in January 2023 revealed that 1,071 officers in the 40,000-strong force of staff and officers had been under investigation for domestic abuse and violence against women and girls.
England and Wales has a police workforce of more than 147,000 across the 43 forces.
Lahore-based alt-jazz band fuses South Asian classical, jazz, and hip-hop.
Sarangi virtuoso Zohaib brings centuries-old tradition into modern grooves.
UK debut at Union Chapel won over South Asian diaspora audiences.
Barbican show promises richer textures, extended improvisation, and cinematic moments.
Collaboration with legends like Ustad Noor Bakhsh bridges generations and heritage.
Let's get one thing straight: you can't pin Jaubi's sound down. It's a mash-up, sure: Hindustani classical rhythms, the freefall of jazz, hip-hop's grounding beat. But for them, it's never about genre. It's all gut feeling. Speaking exclusively to Eastern Eye ahead of their Barbican show on 3 October, the Lahore-based band opened up about their philosophy, their roots, and why improvisation feels like a conversation, not a performance.
Why “whatever” is more than a name, it’s their musical philosophy
It all starts with the name: Jaubi. It's Urdu for "whatever." Or "whoever."
"It's a philosophy," they say. "It means that when we sit down to create, we're not thinking, this has to be jazz, or this needs to sound like traditional South Asian classical music. We're just expressing what feels true in that moment." In an industry that feeds on neat boxes, that's not just a name; it's a rebellion.
This philosophy manifests in a sound that connects cosmic dots. It's the yearning of John Coltrane crashing into the beat science of J Dilla and the narrative flow of Nas. At its heart is the soulful cry of the sarangi, played by Zohaib, a seventh-generation carrier of that rare lineage.
So how do you honour centuries of tradition while plugging it into a modern context?
"We're conscious of honouring the tradition," they explain. The goal isn't forced modernisation. "The goal isn't to modernise the sarangi, but to create a dialogue between past and present, showing it can exist alongside a bassline or drum loop without losing its soul. In that way, the tradition is protected by being kept alive and relevant, not locked away."
Jaubi brings centuries-old sarangi to modern beats
The intimate, human centre of Nafs at Peace
This dialogue is captured perfectly on their album Nafs at Peace. The album cover, a photo of Ali Riaz Baqar's mother praying, is its intimate, human centre. The title track sonically maps an inner journey. "It begins sparse and unsettled—loose rhythms, open spaces, almost like a mind in turmoil... By the end, everything locks together in harmony. It's not triumphant, but a calm and quiet resolution."
This raw, honest sound wasn't lab-grown. Their seminal session with UK jazz figure Tenderlonious and pianist Marek Pędziwiatr was a one-day, improvised gamble.
Jaubi: the band proving South Asian music can break every rule
"We weren't sure how these worlds would meet: Marek's piano, Tenderlonious' sax, our tabla, guitar, and sarangi." The initial anxiety was palpable. But then, the first notes. A response. An instinctive conversation began. "About halfway through the day, we hit a deep groove, a moment where everyone locked in and that's when we knew it was working. From there, the sessions flowed effortlessly."
For Jaubi, the path of a song is never pre-destined. "The melody always leads for us and everything else builds around it," they say of their writing process. "When I write, I usually start with a melodic idea... From there, the vibe naturally takes shape. We never force it into a category but we just follow where the melody wants to go."
Lahore’s sound goes global with Jaubi’s improvisation
Finding a sense of pride in heritage
This 'whatever' philosophy is resonating powerfully far from home. Nobody knew how their UK debut at Union Chapel would go over. But the reaction? It cracked the place open. "The response was overwhelming, particularly from the South Asian diaspora. Many people came up after the show saying it felt like hearing the sounds of their childhood reimagined in a new way." One conversation crystallised their mission: "Someone who said they'd never seen the sarangi on a stage like that before. They felt proud and emotional, like their heritage was being celebrated rather than just preserved."
Now, they're preparing for the Barbican. "We are expanding the live setup with richer textures, more percussion, deeper bass, and space for extended improvisation. It will feel bigger and more immersive, almost cinematic at times." The moment they want to etch into memory? "If there is one moment I hope people carry with them, it is A Sound Heart. When we play it live, there is a point where everything aligns, and you can feel the whole room breathing with the music."
Sharing the bill with legends like Ustad Noor Bakhsh and Amrit Kaur is a lesson in itself. "Playing alongside them feels like being part of a living tradition… What we take away most is their sense of presence. They do not rush, they let the music breathe. It reminds us to listen closely and to focus on expression rather than complexity."
Jaubi: redefining South Asian music, one note at a time
Looking to the future
This entire journey is rooted in Lahore, a city they describe as "alive with sound right now," pointing to a vibrant underground scene and artists like Maanu, Natasha Noorani, and the Mekaal Hasan Band.
Looking ahead, the legacy they want, true to their name is about opening doors. "In the next decade, we hope Jaubi's legacy is about possibility." It always comes back to doors left unlocked. A way for traditions to breathe new air, for jazz maps to include Lahore, and for some kid somewhere to think, "I can do that too."
Their final word on it? "We want younger musicians to feel free to experiment, whether they pick up a centuries-old instrument or make beats on a laptop. If our journey inspires even a few people to take risks and create something honest, then we have done our job."
Catch them on 3 October at the Barbican. Listen for the point where it all clicks into place. It's the sound of "whatever" finding its perfect, unforgettable voice.
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India's Mohammed Siraj (R) celebrates with Yashasvi Jaiswal (L) after taking the wicket of West Indies' captain Roston Chase during the first day of the first Test cricket match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 2, 2025. (Photo by R.SATISH BABU/AFP via Getty Images)
RED-HOT Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah led India's bowling charge with seven wickets between them as the hosts dismissed the West Indies for 162 on day one of the first Test on Thursday (2).
A depleted West Indies won the toss in Ahmedabad but the Indian attack struck regular blows at the start of the two-match series to bowl out the visitors in 44.1 overs in the second session.
Siraj returned figures of 4-40 to extend his tally of Test wickets to 27 this year, having played a key role in India's 2-2 draw in England.
After an initial first spell of 3-19 in seven overs, Siraj returned in the second session to get one more wicket and was ably supported by Bumrah.
Number seven Justin Greaves top-scored with 32 before being bowled by Bumrah.
Skipper Roston Chase (24) and Shai Hope attempted to revive the innings after the West Indies slipped to 42-4 in the first hour of play.
India's Jasprit Bumrah (R) celebrates with Yashasvi Jaiswal (L) after taking the wicket of West Indies' Justin Greaves during the first day of the first Test cricket match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 2, 2025. (Photo by R.SATISH BABU/AFP via Getty Images) www.easterneye.biz
Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav bowled Hope for 26 to end the 48-run fifth-wicket stand at the stroke of lunch.
Kuldeep got his second to wrap up the innings as early tea was called.
Earlier, Siraj drew first blood when he got Tagenarine Chanderpaul caught behind down the leg side for a duck with wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel taking a good catch.
Bumrah had opener John Campbell caught behind for eight.
The decision was denied by the umpire but replays suggested the ball grazed the bat and India reviewed in their favour.
Siraj kept up the onslaught as he bowled Brandon King for 13 when the batsman attempted to leave an incoming delivery.
West Indies were swept 3-0 at home by Australia this year and were bowled out for 27 in the third match, the second-lowest score in Test history.
They have been forced into late changes after injuries to pace bowlers Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph, and are a pale shadow of the team that once dominated cricket.
MINISTER for equalities, Seema Malhotra, this week hosted a race equalities meeting at Downing Street and pledged to work for a fairer society, ahead of Black History Month, observed in October.
Ethnic minority leaders and representatives from the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), the British Business Bank, the West Midlands Combined Authority, the National Police Chiefs' Council and Avon and Somerset Police attended a meeting of the Race Equality Engagement Group (REEG) on Monday (29).
Its chair is Baroness Doreen Lawrence.
Malhotra said, “No one should be held back or denied opportunities because of their race.
“I am committed to working closely with the group to remove barriers, strengthen accountability and help create a fairer society for communities up and down the country.”
Improving access to investment for ethnic minority led businesses and the Police Race Action Plan were on the agenda for the meeting.
“The Race Equality Engagement Group is working to ensure ethnic minorities' voices are heard having their say on the issues that matter most to them. I look forward to working with members to bring about real and lasting progress on race equality,” said Lawrence.
“Collaboration between ethnic minority communities and the government is crucial in this current climate.”
The REEG, set up in March, aims to strengthen the government's links with ethnic minority communities.
An Equality (Race and Disability) Bill is set to be introduced to address mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting for large employers, which the government believes would be a significant step towards greater workplace equality.
Black History Month is marked in October and celebrates the contribution of black and ethnic minority leaders, activists and pioneers.