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IND v SA, 1st T20I: Ishan Kishan leads the way for India’s future batting template

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3 years ago

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Very rarely, one gets to pick positives from a loss in cricket. Despite India being handed a seven-wicket defeat by South Africa at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday, they had a big positive to pick — racking up 211/4 in their 20 overs, thanks to a super-aggressive approach with the bat, led by Ishan Kishan’s 76.

India’s approach with the bat was like an action sequence from a Hollywood flick — runs coming thick and fast, first coming through edges and then through scintillating stroke play.

None of the batters tried to play anchor; everyone yearned to be the aggressor and get the big hits, seen from the strike-rates of Kishan (158.33), Gaikwad (153.33), Pant (181.25) and Pandya (258.33), with Iyer’s strike-rate of 133 looking pale.

All five batters got their first boundary within the first 10 balls of the innings, clearly not in a mood to waste time at the crease.

It was in complete contrast to their outdated approach with the bat; one would anchor the innings and rest would play around him, a chief factor in their early exit from the Men’s T20 World Cup last year.

But, in New Delhi, Kishan, captain Rishabh Pant and vice-captain Hardik Pandya later on, showed how going from the word go, devoid of any fear or tension, can bring some phenomenal batting returns despite having a streaky start.

Kishan’s first boundary came when he was beaten in flight by Keshav Maharaj in the opening over, but the outer edge ran past short third man. Luck continued to be on India’s side as a neck-high bouncer from Anrich Nortje saw Ruturaj Gaikwad hook over fine-leg, with the top-edge coming into play.

Kishan and Gaikwad rode their incredibly good fortune through the rest of power-play, amassing 51 runs but never letting go of the aggressive approach despite being tested by some sharp seam movement from the pacers.

After Gaikwad fell to Wayne Parnell, Kishan struggled for fluency till the ninth over when Dwaine Pretorius arrived.

The first ball of the over, width on offer and Kishan played the late cut to get the boundary past fielder at point. When Pretorius tried to correct his length on the final ball, Kishan hammered it through cover to collect another boundary. It was just the over Kishan needed to break free and find his boundary-hitting groove, which reached its high point when Maharaj was re-introduced in the middle overs.

After reaching his fifty in 37 balls by slog-sweeping the left-arm spinner, Kishan unleashed carnage on Maharaj in the 13th over — two more sixes were dispatched to mid-wicket fence and were followed by two boundaries down the ground.

“Initially we knew that we cannot get going on this wicket. My plan was to target the loose balls. In T20Is, powerplay is very important. We need to respect good bowlers as Nortje and Rabada have done really well for their country. My plan was to keep playing my shots and make them change their line and length,” said Kishan about his knock of 76 in the press conference.

Though he holed out to long-on on the last ball of the over in trying to hit another six, Kishan had done his job of setting the base for Pant and Pandya to carry forward the big-hitting spree. He had support from the other end when Shreyas Iyer danced down the pitch thrice to dispatch Tabraiz Shamsi for three sixes towards the leg-side before slowing down and eventually being castled by Pretorius.

“When the left-arm spinner came onto bowl, I told Shreyas that I will take my chances and told him that he can attack when Shamsi was bowling, because you got to be smart at this level. We just planned and it went our way,” were Kishan’s words in the innings break on him and Iyer acing the match-up game against South Africa’s spinners.

Pant and Pandya, made captain and deputy respectively on the eve of the series opener, hit seven boundaries between themselves from overs 17 to 19 with some audacious shots to take India past 210-mark. The duo had spent their match eve effortlessly clearing the ‘V’ in a range-hitting practice and hence, it was no surprise to see them take Pretorius, Parnell and Rabada to the cleaners.

Only time will tell if what India did with the bat at New Delhi will kick-start a change in their approach to batting in the first innings, especially after the rested/injured stalwarts return. But, if one goes by the visuals of Thursday’s innings, they did make gains with the batting formula despite the result not being on their side.

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Crime

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

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2 days ago

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August 14, 2025

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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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7 days ago

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August 9, 2025

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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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2 weeks ago

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August 1, 2025

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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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