"Many Guys Have Leapfrogged Him": Ex RCB Star's Blunt Kohli T20 Verdict

It is imperative for Virat Kohli to score big runs in the upcoming IPL to secure a berth in India's T20 World Cup-bound squad because a few other players have leapfrogged the star batter in the last couple of months, reckoned former South African pacer Dale Steyn. Kohli has not played for India since the T20I series against Afghanistan at home in January, skipping the ensuing five-match Test series against England owing to family reasons. "I think, look, it's very important that he scores runs because it will put him in a good frame going to the World Cup.

"There're many guys who have leapfrogged him recently because he's taken a bit of a break and there're many contenders that are possible to take to that World Cup (squad)," Steyn said in an interaction during the ‘Star Sports Press Room.' Kohli has, infact, played just two T20Is since the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.

However, Steyn, who is taking a break this year from IPL coaching duties with Sunrisers Hyderabad because of family commitments, said Kohli's experience might come handy for him when the selectors sit to pick the India squad.

"I look at runs the same way that you look at someone's bank balance, so to speak. Virat has got stacks and stacks of runs that he stored up over many years.

"It is going to work when India is looking to pick a team that goes to the World Cup. They're going to look for guys who have been there and done that and that's something Virat has done," said Steyn.

The 40-year-old Steyn also said it will be a challenging task for Hardik Pandya to step in as Mumbai Indians captain in place of Rohit Sharma, who had led the team to five IPL titles.

"I think it will be challenging ... the whole dynamics of leaving Mumbai and then coming back to Mumbai. I hope they have some sort of camp a month before the IPL. So, anything that's bothering anyone kind of gets ironed out before the first game." However, Steyn said Mumbai should do well under Pandya, who had led Gujarat Titans to the IPL title in 2022.

"You've got big personalities, guys who have done the decision making before and now in a different role. It might be that little needle that we might not be able to see or hear on TV. But these international cricketers know how to put aside the ego, and I think Mumbai will be just fine," he added.

Australian pacer Pat Cummins will be another new captain in this year's IPL as he has been assigned to lead Sunrisers, who had secured the services of the 30-year-old for a whopping Rs 20.5 crore in last year's auction.

Australian batter Steve Smith, however, said Cummins will do fine as captain as the price tag will not add any pressure on him.

"I think he'll do a great job for Hyderabad while working with Daniel Vettori (SRH head coach). They've got a great rapport as they had worked together in Australia when Dan was the assistant coach.

"And yeah, he seems to play extremely well when he's got a leadership role as well. So, I'm looking forward to seeing how Hyderabad fares this year," said Smith.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Pulkit Samrat And Kriti Kharbanda Are Now Married. See First Pics

Congratulations, Pulkit Samrat and Kriti Kharbanda. The couple, who got married on March 15, shared pictures from their dreamy wedding ceremony on Saturday and stunning can't even begin to describe them. The bride wore a pastel pink lehenga, while Pulkit Samrat wore a pastel green outfit. The couple captioned the post, "From the deep blue sky, to the morning dew. Through the low and the high, it's only you. From the start to the end. In every now and every then. When my heart beats different. It's got to be you. Constantly, consistently, continually, You."

See the pictures from the wedding here:

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Kriti Kharbanda and Pulkit Samrat have co-starred in the 2018 film Veerey Ki Wedding. They also shared screen space in the comedy film Pagalpanti, which released in 2019. Kriti Kharbanda worked with Pulkit Samrat in Bejoy Nambiar's Taish, which also featured Harshvardhan Rane, Jim Sarbh, Sanjeeda Sheikh and Abhimanyu Singh.

Kriti Kharbanda has starred in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu films. She has featured in films such as Housefull 4 and Pagalpanti. She was last seen in 14 Phere, co-starring Vikrant Massey.

Pulkit Samrat is the star of Fukrey series of films. He has also featured in films like Dolly Ki Doli, Bangistan, Sanam Re, Junooniyat and Haathi Mere Saathi to name a few. He also featured in Ekta Kapoor's TV serial Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.

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"My Name Is Not In IPL. My Father Tells Me...": Sarfaraz's Brother Musheer

An IPL contract might be on top of cricketers' bucket list, but Mumbai's teenaged Ranji Trophy hero Musheer Khan is happy that he went unsold during last year's player auction because it gives him some more time to "understand" the T20 format. The 19-year-old, who became the youngest Mumbai batter to score a hundred in a Ranji final eclipsing the mark of legendary Sachin Tendulkar, was confident of making his mark in the IPL in due course.

"My name is not in the IPL. But I don't feel disappointed. My father tells me to play Test cricket and play for Team India. IPL will eventually happen, if not today then tomorrow," Musheer told PTI Video recalling the words of his father and formative coach Naushad.

"It's good that I got another year to prepare for the IPL. I will understand T20 cricket more, and how I should prepare for this format," said Musheer, who has so far played just five First-Class matches.

Musheer embossed his name on the Ranji final against Vidarbha recently with a 136 in the second innings that helped Mumbai set a massive target of 538. It eventually helped Mumbai land their record-extending 42nd title in the Ranji Trophy.

Understandably, Musheer drew inspiration from his elder brother Sarfaraz, who made his India debut in the third Test against England at Rajkot last month.

"I am really inspired by my brother because of his dedication and the way he bats. Our batting style is similar. He told me before the game (Ranji final) to think of it as a normal match and not to take too much pressure." "From outside, it may feel like a normal match but on the field, we feel pressure on the field. He told me to back my skills and follow the process," he added.

Musheer, who was also the leading run-scorer in the ICC Under-19 World Cup earlier this year including two hundreds, was quite chuffed after Mumbai's Ranji Trophy triumph after a gap of eight years.

"It's a matter of pride that we have amassed 42 titles. Many great players have played here (for Mumbai). I feel very proud that I have played for Mumbai and won a championship.

"I also want to thank the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) and congratulate them because they have provided us with a lot of support. I hope they continue to back us in the same way," he said.

The elegant right-hander lauded veteran pacer Dhawal Kulkarni, who retired after the Ranji Trophy final.

"The support he has given to Mumbai cricket, the things he has done for Mumbai, it's incredible. The speech he gave ahead of the final was a real motivation for all of us.

"It was his last match. We were emotional and we wanted to win the trophy as a gift to Dhawal bhai. We wanted him to leave happily. He took the last wicket (of Vidarbha) of the match and everything came out perfectly," he noted.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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AAP-Congress United In Delhi, BJP Drops 6 Of 7 MPs As Candidates

The BJP's two lists of candidates for the Lok Sabha election send a clear signal - anti-incumbency is high on the leadership's mind as it finalises poll picks. The party may be dismissive of the Opposition's challenge in public, but the 267 nominees finalised so far suggest that it is brainstorming over every seat. And nowhere is this more evident than in national capital Delhi.

The BJP won all seven seats in Delhi in the 2014 and the 2019 elections. Despite the winning streak, the party has changed six out of its seven candidates, singer-turned-politician Manoj Tiwari being the only survivor among sitting MPs.

Out of the MPs who were dropped, Harsh Vardhan, Meenakshi Lekhi, Ramesh Bidhuri and Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma had recorded back-to-back victories in 2014 and 2019. The others dropped are cricketer-turned politician Gautam Gambhir and singer Hans Raj Hans.

BJP leaders have stressed that winnability is the key factor behind the selection of candidates. Mr Bidhuri and Mr Verma, it is learnt, lost marks for controversial remarks that put the party in a spot. Mr Gambhir had earlier said that he had urged the party leadership to relieve him of his political duties so that he can focus on cricket assignments. Soon after he was dropped as a candidate, Mr Vardhan, too, announced that he is quitting politics.

The six new faces the BJP has chosen for the Delhi seats are Bansuri Swaraj, lawyer and daughter of BJP stalwart, late Sushma Swaraj, Yogendra Chandoliya, Harsh Malhotra, Leader of the Opposition in Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, businessman and traders' leader Praveen Khandelwal and Kamaljeet Sehrawat. Barring Bansuri Swaraj, the other five candidates are seasoned politicians with significant experience at the organisation level.

Why Manoj Tiwari Survived

One of the most popular stars in the Bhojpuri film industry, Mr Tiwari started his political career with the Samajwadi Party before moving to BJP. He was elected to Lok Sabha from North-East Delhi in 2014 and repeated a victory in 2019. Mr Tiwari, who has also served as Delhi BJP president, has a considerable following among migrants from the Purvanchal region that spans eastern Uttar Pradesh and western Bihar. Between the 2014 and 2019 elections, Mr Tiwari's winning margin jumped by a whopping 2 lakh votes.

Mr Tiwari was also at the forefront of the BJP's offensive against the Aam Aadmi Party government over the now-scrapped liquor policy.

The Congress-AAP Alliance Factor

Under a seat-sharing understanding within the INDIA Opposition bloc, the AAP and the Congress will be contesting four and three seats in Delhi, respectively. In the 2019 polls, the AAP and the Congress had a vote share of about 18 per cent and 22 per cent, respectively. The BJP had nearly 57 per cent votes. In 2014, the AAP had about 33 per cent vote share and the Congress over 15 per cent. The BJP knows that this time, the Opposition vote will not get divided, thanks to the INDIA alliance. And it is in no mood for a break in its 7-0 streak.

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Government Blocks 18 Streaming Platforms In India Over 'Obscene' Content

The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B) has taken action, in coordination with various intermediaries, to block 18 OTT platforms publishing "obscene," "vulgar," and, in some instances, "pornographic content".

19 websites, 10 apps (7 on the Google Play Store and 3 on the Apple App Store), and 57 social media accounts associated with these platforms have been disabled for public access in India, an official statement from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said on Thursday.

Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur has repeatedly emphasized the responsibility of the platforms to not propagate obscenity, vulgarity and abuse under the guise of 'creative expression'.

On March 12, Mr Thakur announced that 18 OTT platforms publishing obscene and vulgar content had been taken down, the release said.

The statement further added that the recent decision was taken under the provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000, in consultation with other ministries of the Government of India, and domain experts specializing in media and entertainment, women's rights, and child rights.

"A significant portion of the content hosted on these platforms was found to be obscene, vulgar, and portrayed women in a demeaning manner. It depicted nudity and sexual acts in various inappropriate contexts, such as relationships between teachers and students, incestuous family relationships, etc. The content included sexual innuendos and, in some instances, prolonged segments of pornographic and sexually explicit scenes devoid of any thematic or societal relevance," the statement added.

The content was determined to be prima facie in violation of Sections 67 and 67A of the IT Act, Section 292 of the IPC, and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986, the release said.

One of the OTT apps amassed more than 1 crore downloads, while two others had over 50 lakh downloads on the Google Play Store. Additionally, these OTT platforms extensively utilize social media to disseminate trailers, specific scenes, and external links aimed at attracting audiences to their websites and apps. The social media accounts of the concerned OTT platforms had a cumulative followership of over 32 lakh users, it said.

The Ministry of I&B consistently conducts sensitization efforts with OTT platforms and their self-regulatory bodies established under the IT Rules, 2021 through meetings, webinars, workshops, etc, the statement said.

The Government of India remains committed to fostering the growth and development of the OTT industry. Several measures have been undertaken in this regard, including the introduction of the Inaugural OTT Award for Web Series at the 54th International Film Festival of India, collaboration with OTT platforms in the media and entertainment sector, and the establishment of a light touch regulatory framework with an emphasis on self-regulation under the IT Rules, 2021, the release said.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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On Gill 'Replacing' Virat In Key Role, R Ashwin's 'Uncomfortable' Verdict

Indian cricket team batter Shubman Gill enjoyed a brilliant run of form in the recently concluded five-match Test series against England with two crucial centuries. It was a great outing for the youngster who faced a lot of criticism since replacing Cheteshwar Pujara at No. 3. It was a new challenge for Gill as he mainly opened the batting for India in other formats and he did not score a lot of runs in the beginning. However, he proved his mettle against England and his knocks were crucial in clinching the series victory. While his batting has been praised a lot by experts and fans alike, Ravichandran Ashwin pointed out another key role where he replaced Virat Kohli and have shown brilliant promise.

“Short mid-wicket is Virat Kohli's position. It is very difficult to replace him. Virat and (Suresh) Raina. (Shubman) Gill started off there in the first test, and he looked very uncomfortable. By the final Test, he got it (like Vijay says to Sivakarthikeyan). He also took a catch of (Ben) Duckett on covers. It shows that he wants to improve his game on a day-to-day basis, and he's working on it,” Ashwin said.

Ashwin also said that Gill is bound to be the "next superstar of Indian cricket" as he has handled the pressure on his 'journey' brilliantly.

“I give extra praise to Shubman Gill because he has seen the ups and downs of the game. People discussed his position in the XI. He had a few technical issues of his own. He came past all that to become what he is today, like how gold is molten from flames and water. And for somebody who is bound to be the next superstar of Indian cricket, as people project, this is a very important journey for him. He has handled the pressure, and massive applause is for him,” said Ashwin.

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Opinion: It's Time To Focus On The Real Issues Facing India's Farm Sector

Some groups representing farmers have gone on agitation yet again, a little over two years since they laid siege around Delhi, which was withdrawn after the three contentious farm laws were repealed. At the top of their list of demands this time is the revision and legalisation of the minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

Each year, the Union government fixes Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for 22 mandated agricultural crops and Fair and Remunerative Price, or FRP, for sugarcane, on the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).

Such procurement is limited to altogether 23 crops and, again, largely confined to paddy and wheat. It benefits only 10-12% of the peasants in the country and does not cover all states. The Union government undertakes procurement through the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state agencies. Under this policy, whatever food grains are offered by farmers within the stipulated period and conforming to the specifications are purchased at the MSP.

Additionally, oilseeds, pulses, and copra of fair average quality (FAQ) are procured from registered farmers under the umbrella scheme of PM-AASHA, as per its guidelines at MSP in consultation with the state government concerned as and when the market price of these produce falls below MSP.

MSP Benefits Vary

But MSP benefits are not uniform across the country. For example, in Bihar, where the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Act was repealed in 2006, farmers sell their produce to the state-run Primary Agriculture Credit Society (PACS), which procures at MSP. However, procurement by the PACS has been extremely low in Bihar. Many farmers, even some agents, travel to Punjab from Bihar every year to sell wheat and paddy in mandis. This despite the administration's efforts to keep them away from mandis during the buying season.

The system thus creates disparity across regions.

Ballooning Food Subsidy  

Incidentally, food subsidy comprises a major part of the total expenditure by the Department of Food and Public Distribution. The subsidies constitute approximately one-ninth of India's total budget expenditure of Rs 45 lakh crore for the current financial year, ending March 31.

Food subsidy serves as a means to protect farmers against a decline in market prices and provide consumers with affordable food grains through the Public Distribution System (PDS).

India's agriculture sector accounts for 15% of the country's gross value added (GVA) and is the largest source of employment. However, the farm sector has been ailing for quite some time. While it employs more than half of the workforce, the average monthly income of farmers is pegged at around Rs 10,300.

The MSP Formula

Protesting farmers are demanding that MSP be made a legal right. They demand compensation at the rate of C2+50, while the government is offering a price calculated on A2+FL and adding 1.5 to it. Here, A2 represents input costs of a particular crop, including seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, leased-in land, hired labour, machinery, and fuel. A2+FL means adding the value of family labour to input costs. C2 represents comprehensive cost, which includes A2+FL added to the imputed rental value of owned land, plus interest on fixed capital and rent paid for leased-in land. The demand is to revise MSP and offer C2 with 50% added as profit against expenses.

Land rentals vary across regions or states and according to their location. Thus, it would be extremely difficult to assess the actual impact of any MSP revisions after accounting for C2+50.

The total food grain production in the country for the year 2022-23, as estimated by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, was a record 3,296.87 lakh tonnes. As has been the case, rice and wheat accounts contribute most to the food basket. 

However, a government-appointed committee is currently looking into the aspect of MSP and other issues related to farmers' welfare.

MSP Regime Alone Not Enough To Tackle Farm Distress

Unfortunately, agrarian reforms have not been addressed till now. Around 85% of farmers are small and marginalised, with an average landholding size of less than 2 hectares. Most of them lack access to both production and post-production functions, such as technology, quality inputs at reasonable prices, seed production, units of farming machinery, value-added products, processing, credit, investment, and, most importantly, markets.

Such farmers are at the mercy of middlemen, even if they manage to access the Agricultural Produce and Livestock Market Committee (APMC) yard to avail government benefits. In fact, many of them - or their family members - do off-jobs as part of a rural employment scheme called the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to make ends meet. They don't have meaningful access to modern market systems. Such privileges have remained confined to a small group of wealthy farmers.

Add to this the fact that MSP is among the factors responsible for the distortion of cropping patterns, contributing to stubble burning. Farmers often prioritise crops that fetch higher MSP, neglecting those essential for rotation to benefit the soil.

Inflation, WTO Obligations: Other Concerns

Moreover, there's the issue of MSP fuelling inflation. In August last year, key government departments expressed their concerns over a proposal to hike MSP for kharif crops in the 2023-24 season. According to reports, these concerns ranged from inflation to meeting World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations and addressing labour shortages and rising wages.

It's high time that the parties concerned reach an agreement and address the issues affecting farmers comprehensively, rather than approaching them in a piecemeal manner. MSP, by no means, is a panacea.

(Jayanta Bhattacharya is a senior journalist writing on polls and politics, conflict, farmer and human interest issues.)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

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