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Conway’s Chennai connect began several years before he became a part of CSK

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Charismatic New Zealand batter Devon Conway is making waves in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Chennai Super Kings and, while the world may know him as a cricketer who migrated from South Africa to New Zealand, little is known about his other Chennai connect that happened nearly five years back.

The prolific run-getter’s association with the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side might have started after he was picked in the IPL mega auction this year, but many years back it was a former first-division cricketer with India Cements, Sriram Krishnamurthy — now a coach in New Zealand — who spotted him.

Sriram was then the batting coach of Wellington Firebirds when Conway moved from South Africa to Wellington in 2017 in search of a better growth in the sport.

“In a lot of sense, I know what it feels like to move to a certain place, especially New Zealand,” Sriram told CSK website. “The nervousness that you have when you move from one country to another, it takes time to settle in,” added the former cricketer, who himself moved from Chennai to the UK and then to Australia before eventually settling down in New Zealand in 2015, coaching several sides there.

“Moving from South Africa to New Zealand for good with the unknown of whether he (Conway) would realise his dream of becoming an International cricketer — it was a big decision. I had to give him as much information as possible,” said Sriram.

“Devon was different. He outlined his desire to do well for his club team first. There was a real desire from Devon’s side to say that ‘look I will do my hard work and along the way if I’m rewarded, that’s great’. That stood out for me straightaway. He was willing to put in that work without doubting himself or thinking too far ahead of what it could lead him to. This tells me that he’s a very strong personality.”

Interestingly, Sriram and Conway didn’t get to work with each other apart from a few indoor sessions in the initial few months as the former was away on New Zealand A tours. By the time they worked closely, in 2019 with Wellington Firebirds, Conway was already establishing himself in the New Zealand cricket circuit.

Conway made a dream Test debut, scoring a double ton at Lord’s against England early last year. He now averages more than 50 in each of the three formats in his brief international career.

Sriram says he was surprised when he came to know that Conway had been picked by CSK at the mega auction.

“I was surprised he got picked by Chennai Super Kings. I knew he was going to be picked, that was definitely a no brainer for the sort of player he turned out to be in International cricket over the last 12 months. I’ve had scouts from other franchises ask me about Devon. So I knew he would get picked… I was pleasantly surprised that he was picked by CSK!

“I’m happy that Devon is a part of CSK. I also know he’ll thrive in a team like CSK because his game is such that when there is calm around him, he possibly transcends the normal. He plays cricket at another level.”

Sriram said he was looking forward to watching Conway in the IPL next year, especially at Chepauk, the hub of Chennai cricket.

“Who knows with Covid and everything relenting, maybe next year, when IPL games are happening all over the country, how good would it be for me to be in Chennai and support him at Chepauk. And also to have the opportunity to take him to my house and show him around Chennai as well if possible. It would be a cool story.”

Crime

Two Held With ₹68 Lakh Cash Near India-Myanmar Border In Mizoram; Heroin Worth ₹78 Lakh Seized

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Aizawl: Two persons were arrested with Rs 68 lakh in cash near the India-Myanmar border in east Mizoram’s Champhai district, officials said on Thursday.

Acting on a tip-off, the Assam Rifles intercepted a vehicle at Zote village on August 11, they said.

Upon thorough checking, Rs 60 lakh in cash was recovered from two persons in the vehicle.

The duo, identified as Joseph Lalthansanga and Vanlalruati, could not state any proper reason why they were carrying such a huge amount of cash. They were subsequently handed over to the police for legal action, officials said.

In another operation, the Assam Rifles recovered 94.6 gram of heroin, worth Rs 78 lakh, from the village on Wednesday.

The drugs were handed over to the Excise and Narcotics Department, officials said.

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National

India’s AI Tech Spending Projected To Reach Rs. 92 Thousand Crore By 2028: Report

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India’s AI technology spending is projected to grow at an annualised rate of 38 per cent from 2023 to reach $10.4 billion (approximately Rs. 92 thousand crore) in 2028, a report said on Thursday.

Around 40 per cent of organisations in India have already implemented agentic AI, and close to 50 per cent are planning to use the technology within the next 12 months, IDC InfoBrief and UiPath said in a joint report.

In 2025, AI investments are focused on building the foundational infrastructure required to power transformative, high-value use cases.

According to the report, the adoption is surging, fueled by a tech-savvy workforce, expanding digital infrastructure, and government-backed initiatives.

Organisations’ spending on enterprise automation, multilingual AI models, and agentic deployments is driving this momentum further.

The benefits are already visible, as 80 per cent of Indian companies say agentic AI boosts productivity, while 73 per cent say it improves decision-making, the report said.

According to the report, agentic AI is gaining strong traction across the manufacturing, retail and wholesale, healthcare, and life sciences industries, which heavily rely on data and repetitive decision-making cycles.

“Agentic automation is rapidly redefining business operations across India. While enterprises in this region are embracing the full potential of AI agents to streamline workflows and autonomously execute complex business processes, trust and security remain barriers to widespread implementation,” said DebDeep Sengupta, Area Vice President, South Asia, UiPath.

Our agentic automation platform directly addresses these challenges, breaking down barriers to enterprise AI adoption by enhancing security and compliance, improving accuracy and reliability for agentic outcomes, Sengupta added.

About 69 per cent of Indian organisations are using agentic AI to enhance productivity, 59 per cent to drive personalised customer engagement, while 57 per cent apply it to risk and fraud detection, highlighting how agentic AI is being applied across front and back-office functions, the report highlighted.

“Becoming an AI-fueled business is no longer an option in today’s unpredictable climate. For many organisations, it’s fast becoming a strategic necessity,” said Deepika Giri, Associate Vice President, IDC Asia/Pacific.

Across the region, organisations are embracing agentic AI and agentic automation at scale, Giri added.

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Maharashtra

MUMBAI’S CRICKET MUSEUM SET TO OPEN SOON

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The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) is pleased to announce the upcoming inauguration of the MCA Sharad Pawar Cricket Museum in the second half of August 2025. Located at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, the museum is a tribute to Mumbai’s rich cricketing heritage and the legendary figures who have shaped its success.

At the museum’s entrance, visitors will be welcomed by life-size statues of Shri Sharad Pawar and cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar who remains one of Mumbai’s and India’s most iconic sporting figures. Gavaskar’s statue, in particular, stands as a symbol of excellence and dedication that will inspire aspiring young cricketers for generations to come.

The highlight of the museum is a priceless collection of rare and iconic memorabilia donated by Mumbai’s legendary cricketers. These historic items reflect the deep-rooted legacy of Mumbai cricket and its contribution to Indian and world cricket.

The museum also features a cutting-edge audio-visual experience centre, bringing to life the stories, milestones, and memorable moments of Mumbai’s cricketing journey.

“The MCA Sharad Pawar Cricket Museum is our heartfelt tribute to the stalwarts of Mumbai cricket and a testament to the visionary leadership of Shri Sharad Pawar. This museum stands as a living chronicle of Mumbai cricket’s unparalleled legacy, dedicated to preserving its rich history and inspiring future generations.

The statue of Shri Sunil Gavaskar, one of India’s greatest cricketing legends, will serve as a powerful symbol of excellence and determination. His monumental contributions to Indian and Mumbai cricket will continue to motivate young cricketers to dream big and aim high,” said MCA President Shri Ajinkya Naik.

“The MCA invites all cricket lovers and the public to visit and experience this one-of-a-kind tribute to Mumbai cricket” said Shri Abhay Hadap, Secretary MCA.

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