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.

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.

Mumbai: Mumbai woke to a crisp, pleasant Thursday morning marked by clear blue skies, cool winds and a gentle winter nip. However, a thick blanket of smog clung to the city, reducing visibility and signalling a sharp rise in pollution levels. Despite the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting clear skies and temperatures between 19°C and 34°C, the deteriorating air quality overshadowed the otherwise ideal winter conditions.

The spike in pollution comes amid Mumbai’s ongoing construction boom. Dust from private real estate projects and large-scale government works, metro corridors, bridges and road-widening projects continues to fuel high concentrations of suspended particulate matter. As infrastructure deadlines accelerate, so has the struggle to keep the city’s air breathable.

By today morning, AQI.in recorded Mumbai’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) at 258, placing it firmly in the ‘unhealthy’ category. The jump was major compared to the more manageable levels observed earlier last month. Residents across several areas reported the familiar effects of elevated PM2.5 exposure: burning eyes, throat irritation, headaches and a distinct, acrid smell in the air. From high vantage points, the city’s skyline looked washed out and distant, mirroring the widespread impact of the pollution surge.

Several pockets emerged as pollution hotspots. Wadala Truck Terminal led with a startling AQI of 376, classified as severe. Chembur followed at 328 and Deonar at 315, continuing their trend of high industrial emissions. Business districts such as BKC (302) and coastal areas like Colaba (300) also hovered near severe levels, reflecting the combined impact of traffic congestion, commercial activity and coastal humidity trapping pollutants.

Even suburban areas, though relatively better, remained affected. Charkop recorded an AQI of 107 and Govandi 183, both in the poor range. Other zones such as Bhandup West (217), Parel–Bhoiwada (230) and Malad West (233) stayed firmly in the unhealthy bracket. While the severity varied across areas, a greyish haze persisted across most of Mumbai, making the pollution problem unmistakably citywide.

For context, AQI between 0–50 is considered Good, 51–100 Moderate, 101–150 Poor, 151–200 Unhealthy, and anything above 200 falls into the Hazardous zone. With multiple localities crossing into severe levels, Mumbai’s air quality crisis continues to overshadow the season’s pleasant chill, leaving residents concerned about the long winter ahead.