Sports
IPL 2022: Hardik Pandya’s captaincy has been a big part of our success, says Vikram Solanki

In the newbies Gujarat Titans’ impressive run in the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL), the captaincy skills of Hardik Pandya has been a vital cog in the wheel, speaking to the bowlers and having good communication with everyone in the team.
Hence, it wasn’t surprising that on the eve of Qualifier 1 match against Rajasthan Royals at the Eden Gardens, Vikram Solanki, Gujarat’s director of cricket, acknowledged that Pandya’s captaincy and involvement in the game has played a huge part in the success of the side in the tournament.
“He has grown as a leader. He has taken to the captaincy very well. He has been very giving of his time and has really sort of involved. That is what exactly is paying off. He is having conversations with each and every bowler. Of course, someone like a Shami needs no guidance. But it is always useful to have a connection or understanding of what they are planning to do,” said Solanki in the pre-match virtual press conference.
“Hardik’s display of captaincy is actually interacting with the bowler, which is just quick communication playing out and making sure that our plans are in place and everybody is on same sort of page. What I will add again is to reiterate the fact that Hardik’s captaincy has been a big part of our success. He’s absolutely been involved in every aspect of our campaign and long may he continue to do so,” added Solanki, a former England batter.
In the form of Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha, Gujarat have found a dependable opening pair though the latter has been the aggressor of late in power-play. Solanki quashed suggestions that the opening pair of Gill, in particular, and Saha are a weak point for the side, citing the former’s 63 not out off 49 balls and carried his bat through the innings on a tough Pune pitch against Lucknow Super Giants.
“I would disagree with it because the partnership created by Shubman and Wridhhi has been a very good one for us. What you are saying about Shubman’s performance, it is incorrect according to me. Shubman has made so many match-winning contributions on his own abilities. For example, you can see the match against LSG, the way he handled his knock and controlled the whole innings, he gave us a chance to put up a defendable score, and then we were able to win the match.”
“I am in total disagreement with your assessment. As far as opening partnership is concerned, at the moment, Wriddhi (Wriddhiman Saha) and Shubman are an ideal combination. They compliment each other in their style of play and having Wriddhi around Shubman works very well because they communicate and have a good understanding, which works well for our opening partnership.”
In three out of Gujarat’s four losses in the league stage, top-order collapses of the side stood out as a common thread. Losing wickets back-to-back was also something which Pandya had said they would like to avoid in the playoffs after Gujarat’s loss to Bangalore in their final league match.
Asked about what has been his discussion with the batting group on avoiding wickets back-to-back, Solanki explained, “It’s a good question. But it is a common held view across all ages that there is no value in losing wickets. Jab se cricket chala hain, yeh baat toh pakki hain ki agar aap wicket lose naa kare, toh you are in a better position. (Since the time cricket has begun, it’s absolutely certain that if you don’t lose wicket, you are better placed). If you happen to lose wickets in a cluster, you always put yourself under pressure.”
“It’s not necessary that anyone in management, coaching or captain has to have discussion with the players on this. Players are experienced, they are playing IPL and international cricket and are well-versed with exactly what is required. There are obvious dangers in losing wickets in a cluster; it’s a given matter. That said, sometimes when it happens, you have to react and respond to that. There is no sort of signs to it and no surety that you will lose wickets in a cluster.”
“You can manage risk, certainly evaluate what is appropriately required at that time. But then, that’s a fine balance as well. We are playing T20 format and are constantly needing to balance risk and actual mindful batting, which is a common thing. I assure you all teams will be exactly of the same mindset: don’t lose wickets in a cluster, give ourselves opportunity to create partnerships and make use of it by putting the opposition under pressure. It’s exactly the same phase.”
National
Ahmedabad plane crash: Gujarat govt intensifies relief, insurance, identification efforts

Ahmedabad, June 16: In the wake of the tragic Air India AI-171 crash, which claimed 270 lives near Ahmedabad, the Gujarat government has swiftly ramped up rescue, relief, and administrative support measures to assist grieving families and ensure a streamlined response to the crisis.
District Collectors have personally reached out to the families of victims, while nodal officers have been appointed across districts to oversee the disbursement of insurance and compensation to legal heirs. These officers, drawn from district-level accounting departments and relevant government bodies, are tasked with ensuring that claims are processed efficiently and empathetically.
To facilitate insurance processes, a joint coordination cell has been set up at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, in line with IRDAI guidelines. New India Assurance has taken the lead for general insurance claims on behalf of the General Insurance Council, and HDFC Life has been designated to handle life insurance claims. Alongside LIC, both companies have established help desks at the hospital to assist families with documentation, claims guidance, and other support.
Meanwhile, district authorities are actively aiding insurance teams by providing key documents, including the passenger manifest, to accelerate claim verifications. Twelve dedicated teams are working in rotational shifts to conduct DNA sample collection and matching. As of now, 250 blood samples have been collected from relatives and local residents.
So far, 62 DNA matches have been confirmed, and 35 mortal remains have been handed over to the respective families — 27 after DNA verification and eight through other forms of identification. Only three passenger identifications remain pending, with relatives currently en route from the United Kingdom to submit samples.
To ensure the dignified and smooth transfer of mortal remains, more than 250 nodal and assistant nodal officers have been deployed. These officers remain in touch with families throughout the process — from initial contact and DNA collection to the final rites — ensuring transportation of remains under police escort, handing over personal belongings, and staying present until funerals are complete.
More than 850 medical personnel, including 100 staff members at the trauma centre, have been deployed as part of the emergency medical response. This includes both permanent hospital staff and additional manpower mobilised specifically for this crisis. Counselling services are also being offered to families coping with trauma.
For families arriving from other states, the Gujarat government is coordinating with State Emergency Operation Centres across the country. Regular contact has been established with nodal officers in other regions to provide logistical and emotional support to affected relatives. A team from Air India remains stationed at the Civil Hospital round-the-clock to assist families. Free air travel arrangements are being provided to relatives based on individual needs.
The Roads and Buildings Department has arranged for accommodation and ground transportation to ensure that visiting families face minimal inconvenience. To manage inquiries and streamline support, state-run helplines and control rooms have been receiving and acting on calls from across the country. Over 1,700 calls have been registered as of Sunday evening, with authorities maintaining active coordination across all departments involved.
General
New Tatkal Ticket Booking Rules 2025: Indian Railways Announces Compulsory Aadhaar Authentication From July 1; What It Means For Passengers

New tatkal ticket booking rules from July 1: In a big move, Indian Railways has announced that from July 1, 2025 onwards, only Aadhaar authenticated users will be able to book tatkal train tickets. The Railway Ministry has issued a directive on June 10, 2025, to all railway zones, stating that this requirement aims “to ensure that the benefits of the Tatkal Scheme are received by the common end users.”
The official communication specified that “With effect from 01-07-2025, tickets under Tatkal scheme can be booked through the website of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)/ its app only by Aadhaar authenticated users.”
Furthermore, the ministry has stipulated that from July 15, 2025, passengers will need to complete an additional Aadhaar-based OTP authentication step for Tatkal bookings.
New Tatkal Ticket Rules 2025 Explained:
- From July 1, 2025, train tickets under the Indian Railways’ Tatkal scheme will be exclusively available for booking through the IRCTC website or its mobile application only for passengers or users who have completed their Aadhaar authentication process.
- Additionally, starting July 15, 2025, the ministry has mandated that travellers must undergo a supplementary Aadhaar-linked OTP verification process whilst making Tatkal reservations.
- The directive additionally outlined restrictions for Indian Railways’ authorised ticketing agents regarding Tatkal bookings.
- These agents will face a prohibition on securing first-day Tatkal tickets during the initial 30-minute period of the booking window. The restriction applies from 10.00 am to 10.30 am for air-conditioned classes and from 11.00 am to 11.30 am for non-air-conditioned classes.
The Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) and IRCTC have received instructions from the ministry to implement required system alterations and relay these updates to every zonal railway division.
National
PM Modi flags off Vande Bharat train service to Kashmir

Jammu, June 6: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off the Vande Bharat train service from Katra town to Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir as hundreds of enthusiastic people greeted him.
The PM flagged off the Vande Bharat train and interacted with the children on board the train at the Katra railway station.
PM Modi keenly heard the views of the children about the Vande Bharat train service before waving a green flag to inaugurate the service.
As the train chugged from Katra railway station, the air was filled with slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’.
Vande Bharat train has state-of-the-art facilities to suit the extremes of weather in the union territory.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi inaugurated the Chenab Railway Bridge, after which he visited the photo exhibition highlighting technical hardships faced during the construction of the Bridge.
PM Modi interacted with the engineers and the skilled workers who braved all odds of weather and topography to complete the World’s tallest Bridge at 359 metres, 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower of Paris.
The PM congratulated the engineers and workers for braving all odds to complete the construction of the Bridge in a record time, which is a marvel of engineering excellence.
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, MoS (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh and J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah accompanied the Prime Minister when he visited the photo exhibition.
PM Modi showed keen interest in understanding the technical problems faced during the construction of the Bridge.
The CEO Railway Board, Satish Kumar, briefed the PM during the photo exhibition. Satish Kumar accompanied the PM when he inaugurated the Chenab Bridge while he went round the inaugural track.
PM Modi was informed that the maintenance of the Katra-Srinagar railway track is totally mechanised, making it the first such railway track in the country. This makes the track the safest in the country.
The Prime Minister also inaugurated the Anji Khad cable-stayed Railway Bridge, which is the first of its kind railway bridge in the country.
The PM walked across the bridge holding the national flag, and also went across the bridge in a railway coach. L-G Manoj Sinha, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, and CM Omar Abdullah were with PM Modi.
While the PM physically flagged off the Katra-Srinagar train, he will flag off the Srinagar-Katra train through virtual mode.
The PM will also lay the foundation stone and inaugurate projects worth Rs 46,000 crore.
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