Sports
IPL 2022: How Rohit Sharma boosted team-mate Ramandeep’s confidence

When Ramandeep Singh was picked up in the IPL 2022 mega auction by Mumbai Indians, he had played only 13 T20 matches for his state Punjab, apart from 10 List A games and one appearance in first-class cricket. But it was his skill-set, a seam bowling all-rounder, which caught the eye of the five-time champions. The real gamechanger for Ramandeep, though, was a talk with captain Rohit Sharma that boosted his confidence, something which he will never forget.
“What he’s spoken to me and explained to me is that the main thing is confidence, which will take you to the next level. And that confidence can’t be given by someone else, I have to bring it within myself. And through my performances, through my hard work, that confidence will get built up over time. I feel the X-factor is confidence, that is what will make the difference,” said Ramandeep in a video on Mumbai’s social media accounts.
Ramandeep made his IPL debut against Royal Challengers Bangalore and was understandably unable to sleep on the eve of the match after being informed of the same. When he walked on the field to bat, his heart was racing but the feeling of enjoying the moment calmed him down.
“MJ (Mahela Jayawardene) told me at the nets that I’ll probably be playing the next match. At night, there was obviously the feeling of, ‘I’m going to play the IPL’. It’s a platform I’ve been seeing since childhood and I’ll get to be there. Obviously, there was no chance of sleep coming. Everyone told me that this moment will not come again, so don’t take the tension of it, just live it and enjoy the moment. And that’s what I tried to do, to enjoy the moment as much as I could.
“My heart was racing before I had to go and bat, in front of such a large crowd. But as soon as I went in, everything calmed down. My focus was just on playing the bowler. There was Virat Kohli at slip, Glenn Maxwell at midwicket, and Dinesh Karthik as the wicketkeeper…but in the middle, I didn’t feel it.
“I was like, ‘I also have a bat in hand, and at the end of the day, the game is one of bat and ball.’ I felt proud of myself that I didn’t get flustered by whoever was standing around me and could tell myself I just have to play. That was a very good feeling.”
Though Ramandeep was left out of the eleven after the match against Bangalore, he never got the feeling of being left in the cold and credits Sharma as well as head coach Mahela Jayawardene for not letting him feel like that.
“The franchise didn’t let me feel down. MJ came to me and said, ‘This is a tactical change, nothing to do with your performance. We don’t judge people on one match here.’ And the main thing was, Rohit paaji used to tell me, ‘We are preparing you for this level and guiding you’.
“So obviously, if a legend like Rohit Sharma is coming and explaining things to you, half of the pressure is released automatically, just like that. Rohit paaji would give me tasks in the nets, that ‘You have to do this today. While bowling, bowl these slower balls and yorkers. Dominate while batting’.”
Ramandeep’s time of reckoning came in Mumbai’s last match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, when he picked 3/20 with the ball. But he has set his sights on dishing out all-round performances like the hard-hitting Andre Russell does for Kolkata Knight Riders. “For me it would be Andre Russell (to look up to). The way he’s playing for his team, I want to play for MI. I want to win games for MI like he does. He’s a 100 per cent perfect allrounder in batting and bowling. I want to be that cricketer.”
Apart from stalwarts like Sharma and Jayawardene, Ramandeep also has valuable support from his cousin brother Anmolpreet Singh in the same franchise. “You can’t ask for better than a brother to support you. He was always like, ‘This platform is such that you get to know what’s what only after playing. So even if there is a failure or two, you have to not let your guard down. Don’t worry’.
“I was also telling him the same! Obviously, support between brothers is really important. But MI is such a franchise that it’s really a family. Everyone is coming to you all the time, and everyone is there to support you. I would say everyone are brothers here.”
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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