Raipur, Dec 4: India batter Ruturaj Gaikwad, who scored his maiden ODI century in the second match against South Africa, said he felt “quite confident” about adapting to the No. 4 position, which he had never played in the 50-over format, adding that he felt privileged to receive such trust from the team management despite being a regular opener.

Gaikwad, who had batted 86 times in List A cricket but never below No. 3, started the series with 8 off 14 balls in Ranchi before scoring 105 off 83 balls at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium.

His innings, which he said was his best across formats and levels, was laced with 12 fours and two sixes, at a strike-rate of 126.51. He reached his fifty off 52 balls, before accelerating in superb fashion to get his first ODI century in just 77 deliveries.

“The team management told me that I would be batting at No. 4 this series. I feel it’s a privilege to have that kind of confidence from the management towards an opener. So I took it that way,” Gaikwad said at the post-match presser.

“In the one-day format, even when I was opening the innings, I always tried to make sure that whenever I was set, I was able to bat till the 45th over and capitalise after that. So I knew somewhat how to play between overs 11 to 40, how to rotate strike, what the boundary options were. So I was pretty much confident about how I could go through the innings.

“It was just a matter of how I could play my first 10-15 balls, and after that, the process remains the same. I have been working really hard, and obviously been in good touch as well. So I wanted to make sure that whenever I am set, I make it a big one,” he added.

Gaikwad also stitched a huge 195-run third-wicket stand with batting stalwart Virat Kohli, who scored his second hundred in as many games and overall his 53rd ODI ton.

Asked about his partnership with Kohli, Gaikwad said it was a moment he dreamed of. “I have been able to witness him since last one week now,” he said. “Whatever practice sessions we have had, he is batting unbelievably well… the amount of time he has and how he is able to convert it in the match as well. And even this game, I enjoyed a lot. Mostly, I was trying to be in my zone and not really think about how he is batting or how he is able to score runs,” he said.

Gaikwad continued, “The chat in between was very clear. We had set 5-5, 10-10-run target and discussed how to manoeuvre the gaps or how to hit those boundaries, how we can rotate strike.

“So the chat was around that. I think we had really good running between the wickets as well. Obviously, you dream of these kinds of moments and to be able to have that kind of partnership, I really enjoyed a lot.”

But Kohli and Gaikwad’s centuries went in vain as a clinical and collective effort from South Africa guided the visitors to a series-levelling four-wicket win in the second in Raipur.

Mumbai: The Mahayuti government sought to clear the air over its submission of a flood relief proposal to the central government, after opposition leaders raised objections citing a Lok Sabha reply.

A political storm erupted after Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Omraje Nimbalkar alleged that the state had failed to submit a detailed report to the Centre for financial assistance. NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar supported the claim, pointing to a report submitted on November 27.

Responding to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s clarification that Parliament questions are compiled 30–35 days in advance, Pawar argued that the Centre’s reply included details only up to November 26.

Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule released an official communication stating that the state government had indeed submitted a detailed flood loss assessment report to the Centre.

The memorandum submitted to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) details damages from heavy monsoon rains across Maharashtra, including Marathwada, Vidarbha, Konkan, and Western Maharashtra.

The letter outlines losses to crops, livestock, homes, infrastructure, and transportation, along with displacement and loss of life, and is signed by Principal Secretary Vinita Vaid Singal of the Department of Relief and Rehabilitation.

The state government has announced a relief package exceeding ₹31,000 crore, with ₹11,000 crore to be directly credited to affected farmers’ bank accounts. Minister Bawankule added that Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan confirmed the Centre had received Maharashtra’s proposal on time.

Palghar, Maharashtra: The Mira-Bhayandar–Vasai Virar Police rescued two young girls on Monday, December 1, from the custody of a Bangladeshi woman allegedly running a prostitution racket from her rented flat in Mira Road.

Acting on a tip-off, Senior Police Inspector Sheetal Mundhe of the Women Atrocities Prevention Cell & Special Juvenile Protection and Care Unit received information that 39-year-old Sultana Momotaj Saiyyad was operating a sex racket from her residence at Gaurav Woods Phase-1 in Hatkesh, Mira Road (East). According to officials, Sultana sent photographs of girls to prospective clients on WhatsApp and arranged sexual services in exchange for money.

After verifying the information and completing legal formalities, a decoy customer was sent to the location. Police conducted a raid in the presence of panch witnesses. Sultana was detained after she allegedly accepted ₹12,000 as payment for arranging two girls for sex work. Both victims were immediately rescued and placed under protective care at the Rescue Foundation in Kandivali (West), Mumbai.

A second accused, Bhagyashree Lohar, alias Guddi, a resident of Chembur, is currently absconding. Efforts are underway to trace and arrest her.

Based on a complaint filed by Police Constable Ghanshyam Khairnar, the Mira Road Police registered an FIR under Sections 143(3) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, along with Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956.

The operation was carried out under the guidance of Commissioner of Police Niket Kaushik, DCP (Crime) Sandeep Doiphode, and ACP (Detection) Madan Ballal. The team included officers from the Women Atrocities Prevention Cell, Special Juvenile Protection Unit, and Cyber Cell.