Former India captain MS Dhoni's presence in the current India squad for the WT20 is the biggest topic of debate at the moment. Many cricketers, current and former have their own views.

Former Indian cricketer Krishnamachari Srikkanth shared his views on MS Dhoni’s chances of making it to the Indian team for the 2020 ICC T20 World Cup on Star Sports 1 show Cricket Connected and said “I am not going to be diplomatic. I am talking about if I was the chairman of the selection committee, what would I do. If the IPL does not happen then his chances are very, very bleak. Because straightaway, in my opinion, KL Rahul will be the wicketkeeper-batsman. Rishabh Pant, I still think he might be a bit of a doubt, but I believe that Rishabh Pant is highly talented. So, I wouldn’t mind taking him along with the squad, but definitely, if the IPL doesn’t happen, then Dhoni will have a difficult time getting back into the team for the T20 World Cup. Let’s be very honest about it. He is absolutely fit, he is a legend, he is brilliant. I am a great fan of Dhoni myself. But the question is for the World Cup team. So you’ll have to put the Indian team first and then the individuals.

Meanwhile, former opening batsman Gautam Gambhir also expressed his thoughts on Yuvraj Singh’s recent comments pertaining to role models in the current team and said, “I agree with Yuvraj that there is a dearth of role models in the Indian team currently, like in the 2000s, we had Dravid, Kumble, Laxman, Sourav and Sachin to guide the team. It is important to have senior players around you who can help you when you’re going through a rough patch. Right now, I don’t think there are enough seniors in the Indian camp, who will set aside their self-interest to help youngsters.

Who are the role models in #TeamIndia’s dressing room?

Watch @GautamGambhir, @VVSLaxman281 and other experts weigh in on the discussion and much more on #CricketConnected!

⏳: Saturday, 7 PM
📺: Star Sports Network & Disney+Hotstar pic.twitter.com/fwsyqil4Wp

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) April 15, 2020

Another ex-Test opener VVS Laxman also shared his views on Rohit Sharma not featuring in Wisden Cricketers of the Year list said on Star Sports 1 show Cricket Connected, “I think anyone who follows the game of cricket will be surprised and shocked not to see Rohit Sharma’s name in those five players list. Because yes, The Ashes is an important series, the World Cup is bigger than Ashes. And someone who has scored five hundreds; remember the first hundred was on a tough wicket in Southampton against South Africa and none of the other batsmen got runs. And he played another important knock against Pakistan. I am really shocked and surprised, and every cricketer will be shocked and surprised by this announcement from Wisden.”

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With the nationwide lockdown extended to May 3, the Indian Premier League (IPL) remains in suspension. The T20 extravaganza was first postponed to April 15 by the BCCI.

Except one franchisee, all other seven are sweating over the losses they are going to suffer if the IPL does not take place this year. Chennai Super Kings are unperturbed as they are the only franchisee to have taken insurance cover first up. "We bought the insurance in the first week of March," a team official told mid-day on Tuesday.

It is learnt that CSK's insurance cover is worth approximately Rs 65 to Rs 70 crore. The three-time IPL champions will be able to make a claim to the insurance company only if the IPL is called off this year.

When asked whether the Coronavirus pandemic is covered in the insurance, the official said: "Our legal department is looking into it. We are in touch with the insurance company as well. We will be able to conclude things only when the BCCI takes a decision on the IPL. Pandemic is a new thing for everyone." CSK were lucky to finalise the insurance deal before the pandemic struck. The other franchises who mid-day spoke to, said they were still in talks with the insurance companies when the IPL was postponed.

Meanwhile, the BCCI is still exploring options of holding the cash-rich league this year.

'International' Premier League?

Though the Coronavirus pandemic has put the world's cricketing schedule in limbo and with concerns raised over the scheduled T20 World Cup in Australia this October, the BCCI is preparing all sorts of possible scenarios to hold the IPL. "Shelving the tournament will be a worst-case scenario," a BCCI source told mid-day on Tuesday.

A few possibilities have emerged. The first is the July-August window, where Team India are not scheduled to play any cricket. The BCCI is well-aware that rain could play spoilsport if the IPL is to be held in India during this period. To negate the weather threat, the BCCI is ready to move the IPL abroad if needed. "The IPL has happened on foreign land in the past (2009 and the first half of the 2014 edition), so why can't it be done this time too? Everyone wants the IPL to happen, there is no doubt about it," said the source.

"All that we require is just four venues to conduct matches. Whether to have a curtailed or a full-fledged IPL is a decision that will be taken when we cross that bridge," the source added.

However, taking the IPL overseas will not be an easy decision considering the travel restrictions that the Indian government may put in place. A franchise official, though, wasn't pleased with the proposed plan of playing abroad to beat the rains. "Monsoons will not affect the entire country. South India can definitely be explored. It would be crazy to play abroad especially when saving costs would be a major challenge for all teams," the franchisee official said. Thankfully for franchises, no sponsor has backed out so far.

Sept-Oct window

The window between September and October is also being explored by the BCCI if the Asia Cup is postponed. And if the T20 World Cup is postponed, then another window for the IPL opens up. "There is absolutely no harm in having the IPL if the T20 World Cup does not take place," the source said.

Franchises too are pinning their hopes on the T20 World Cup getting postponed. "That's the perfect window to conduct it. With Australia locked down for six months [till September] for foreign travellers, the T20 World Cup is surely in doubt," a franchisee official said.

The BCCI is also open to conducting the IPL after the T20 World Cup.

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VVS Laxman shares his views on players being part of IPL on Star Sports Hindi show Cricket Connected: “If you’re friendly with any Indian player it doesn’t mean that you are getting IPL contract. As a mentor, I’m on the auction table and we select players, those international players that have played exceptionally well for their country and can add value to the franchise. Friendship with any Indian player doesn’t ensure entry into the IPL.”

Former Cricketer VVS Laxman shared his views on IPL being held before the 2020 ICC T20 World Cup on Star Sports 1 show Cricket Connected and said, “I think some of the cricket boards will be encouraging the fact that IPL is a big tournament, and everyone acknowledges that. And just before the World Cup it will set the tone for a hectic cricket season. But I just hope that everything is normal, and no one is in danger. And once that happens, I am sure the IPL should kick off the cricket calendar.

VVS Laxman, former Indian cricketer, did not take too well with what ex Australian skipper Michael Clarke's comment of 'being nice to Indian players gets you an IPL spot.' VVS Laxman explained what it takes to get a contract in IPL as well as other topics as the IPL 2020 possibility before the T20 World Cup and more. 

Former Cricketer VVS Laxman sharing his thoughts on Michael Clarke’s comment on being nice to team India doesn’t get you an IPL contract exclusively on Star Sports show Cricket Connected, he said, “Just by being nice to someone doesn’t get you a place in IPL. Any franchise will look at the player’s caliber and value add to the team, which gives them desired results by winning matches/tournaments. These are the kind of players who get IPL contracts. So just being nice to someone will not earn you a spot in the IPL.”

Former Cricketer Krishnamachari Srikkanth reacts to Michael Clarke exclusively on Star Sports show Cricket Connected, he said, “You do not win matches just by sledging. Aussie’s loss is a loss, his statement was ridiculous I would say. If you ask Nasser Hussain or Sir Vivian Richards who are experienced players, you can never score runs or get wickets through sledging. You need to play good cricket and showcase determination; you need to bowl well to get wickets and bat well to achieve targets. Sledging cannot help in any way according to my opinion”

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The BCCI on Tuesday told IPL franchises that the event stands "postponed indefinitely" after the lockdown to combat the COVID-19 pandemic was extended till May 3, leaving no scope for the league to take place during its designated window. While the development hasn't been officially announced as yet but it is learnt that the BCCI has reached out to all the stakeholders, including the eight franchises and the broadcasters, to convey that the event stands "postponed and not cancelled".

"Yes, the BCCI has intimated us that IPL has been postponed for the time being but they are hopeful of finding a window later this year as and when things normalise," a veteran franchise official told PTI on conditions of anonymity. It is understood that BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah were waiting for the government directive and once the lockdown was extended till May 3 on Tuesday, they saw no possibility of holding the IPL during its traditional April-May window. Ganguly had repeatedly made it clear that the game cannot be a priority given the crisis that the country is facing. India currently has over 10,000 positive cases with over 350 recorded deaths, making it virtually impossible for the government to lift any of the restrictions put in place last month.

The IPL was supposed to be held from March 29 to May 24. However, on March 13, the BCCI announced that the league would be postponed till April 15 due to the restrictions placed on the entry of foreigners, which ruled out any international participation. The only window for an IPL in the current year would be between September and November, provided Cricket Australia and the ICC agree to reschedule the T20 World Cup. The six-month travel restrictions in Australia end on September 30 if the situation becomes normal and the World Cup is scheduled in October-November. The other option is having a curtailed IPL in six weeks between September and early October as it's highly unlikely that the Asia Cup will happen. England are also unlikely to travel for their white-ball series in India.

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Former India batsman VVS Laxman took a jibe at Michael Clarke for his recent claims that Australian cricketers "sucked up" to India captain Virat Kohli for protecting their IPL contracts, saying just being nice to someone doesn't guarantee a spot in the cash-rich tournament. Clarke, a former Australian captain, raised several eyebrows after he claimed that there was a phase when Australian cricketers were so keen on protecting their IPL deals that they felt "scared" of sledging India skipper Kohli and his teammates and instead "sucked up" to them.

"Just by being nice to someone doesn't get you a place in IPL," Laxman, who also mentors IPL team Sunrisers Hyderabad told Star Sports on its show 'Cricket Connected'. "Any franchise will look at the player's caliber and value add to the team, which gives them desired results by winning matches/tournaments. These are the kind of players who get IPL contracts. So just being nice to someone will not earn you a spot in the IPL." Laxman, a veteran of 134 Tests, said as a mentor when he is on the auction table, those players are looked at who do exceptionally well for their country.

"If you're friendly with any Indian player it doesn't mean that you are getting IPL contract. As a mentor, I'm on the auction table and we select players, those international players that have played exceptionally well for their country and can add value to the franchise. "Friendship with any Indian player doesn't ensure entry into the IPL," Laxman, who amassed 8,781 Test runs, said without mincing any words.

VVS Laxman

Former India opener Krishnamachari Srikkanth also shot back at Clarke, terming his comments as "ridiculous". Srikkanth, who was part of the 1983 World Cup winning Indian team, said matches are not won by sledging. "You do not win matches just by sledging. Aussie's loss is a loss, his statement was ridiculous I would say," said 60-year-old Srikkanth.

Srikkanth, himself an aggressive player, said that sledging cannot help in any way. "If you ask Nasser Hussain or Sir Vivian Richards who are experienced players, you can never score runs or get wickets through sledging. You need to play good cricket and showcase determination; you need to bowl well to get wickets and bat well to achieve targets. Sledging cannot help in any way according to my opinion," he said.

Australian Test skipper Tim Paine had earlier hit back at Clarke, saying his team avoided provoking "any fight" with Kohli as part of its strategy to keep the Indian captain's bat quiet, not a ploy to save IPL contracts.

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They would have been striving together to make Rajasthan Royals win at this time of the year in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Instead, the coronavirus pandemic has forced the likes of Jos Buttler, Robin Uthappa, Varun Aaron and Riyan Parag to be at home and help the women in their lives.

"We have been home for three weeks now and we are loving it. He is also been doing lots of cooking. He has even done some cleaning for me," Louise Buttler said during a Rajasthan Royals social media interaction.

"It's been amazing to have Robin home for this long at a stretch. Robin's been cooking. He is trying his hand at cooking," said Shheethal, Uthappa's better half.

For 18-year old Riyan Parag, who impressed one and all last season, his mother Mithoo Barooah complained the Guwahati-born batsman has been into gaming all the time but it is good to be around him.

"I am actually loving it, having my kid around with me for so long. I also don't want him to be away from cricket as that's his passion. Not just that, he is gaming all the time which annoys me," Mithoo said.

Ragini, Aaron's wife, said she is getting used to the pacer's mess lying all around the house but also spending quality time with the husband.

"Spending time with my husband has been really great. It's the usual Varun Aaron mess all throughout the house."

The IPL has been postponed due to the lockdown getting extended till May 3.

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On the 13th anniversary of the VIVO IPL, Mumbai Indians’ lethal strike weapon Lasith Malinga was declared the Greatest of All Time (G.O.A.T) among bowlers in the storied history of the tournament by an esteemed jury by Star Sports on their flagship show Cricket Connected. The Sri Lankan veteran, part of an elite 10-bowler nominee list, pipped the likes of Dale Steyn, Ashish Nehra, Sunil Narine and Jasprit Bumrah for the award.

The highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 170 wickets in 122 matches, ‘Slinga Malinga’ has been one of those legends who changed the perception of T20 cricket and became one of the early heroes in a batsman-dominated format. Despite overcoming a string of fitness issues, Malinga has been able to deliver pinpoint toe-crushers coupled with skillful variations over the last 12 years of the VIVO IPL that made him one of the most threatening bowlers to face at any stage of the game, and the unanimous choice for the GOAT bowler. In fact, it was Malinga’s last over that gave Mumbai Indians their fourth title with a one-run, last-ball win in 2019.

Former England captain and Star Sports expert Kevin Pietersen, part of the jury, backed his decision to choose Malinga for the coveted award said on Cricket Connected, “I’m going with Lasith. You look at the numbers he has served up and the way he has consistently used that yorker, that makes everyone talk about it. Malinga is my guy. I would go with Narine, but he has bowled on wickets which helped turn. Also, he has been questioned on a few occasions for this suspect bowling action, so I am afraid to say that I am going with Malinga,”.

In addition, Malinga, the first Sri Lankan to claim four wickets in four deliveries, went past Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ashish Nehra, Ravichandran Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Imran Tahir and Yuzvendra Chahal, who were also part of the nominee list.

Besides winning Pietersen’s vote, Malinga also found favour among Star Sports experts Dean Jones, Mathew Hayden, Aakash Chopra, Graeme Smith, Simon Doull, Ian Bishop and Tom Moody, who all voted for the Sri Lankan as their first choice for GOAT – bowler.

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Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh on Monday said pressure of being a big money buy in the Indian Premier League (IPL) is felt when you don't perform and people talk about all that moolah going to waste, all the time.

Yuvraj still holds the record of being IPL's most-expensive buy. The 2011 World Cup hero went for a whopping Rs 16 crore to Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) in the 2015 auctions. Yuvraj did not have a good IPL that year, managing 248 runs in 14 matches at 19.07.

"The pressure is felt because of the big money. I won't say it changes a player. Now when you climb the success ladder, people try to drag you down," Yuvraj said during an Instagram Live with former teammate Mohammad Kaif.

"See the point is...pressure is there because when you get out and don't perform they say he is getting so much money and not performing. Negative news sells more and those things affect you. My advice to all youngsters would be to stay away from TV and newspapers," said the 38-year old, regarded as one of the all-time best white-ball batters.

Australian quick Pat Cummins became the second most-expensive buy in the popular T20 league in the 2019 auctions where Kolkata Knight Riders shelled out Rs 15.50 crore for him. The IPL is postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Yuvraj also spoke about his fielding and how he became such a great fielder. Yuvraj and Kaif were India's two best fielders during their playing days.

"I was very athletic. I was quick. But fielding i did not have too much idea. In the first Ranji match I was playing, I was 15-16 years. I misfielded and next day article came out Yuvraj Singh 'gateway of India'.

"My father read that. He said now I will see how you don't improve your fielding. Then I started getting better and body also got stronger."

Talking about the famous 2002 NatWest Series final win against England where Yuvraj and Kaif shared a match-winning 121-run stand for the sixth wicket, Yuvraj said: "My lesson from that game was that you can't relax at any time. England had thought they had won the game. You can't give up. You have to keep trying."

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Fast bowler Jaydev Unadkat said that he feels fortunate to have played with former Australian captain Steve Smith and even played under the star batsman early on in his career. Smith was captain of Rising Pune Supergiant when Unadkat had his breakthrough season in the 2017 Indian Premier League (IPL).

"Ever since I have played under him, or for that matter since he has known me, he has backed me to the fullest," said Unadkat in a video interview with his Rajasthan Royals teammate Ish Sodhi on the IPL side's Facebook page.

"I am grateful that this happened to me at that time of my career when I was still trying to make a name for myself. I had confidence in myself but you know how important it is to have the captain's confidence. That happened in the 2017 season. I have been a big fan of his captaincy and obviously of him as a player."

The 28-year-old rejoined Smith at the Rajasthan Royals in the 2018 season where he also shares the dressing room with England trio Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Jofra Archer. Unadkat said that he tries to learn from all of them and spoke about how Stokes tried to motivate him when he was feeling low on confidence.

"These guys are not just good on the field, they are pretty lively even in the dressing room," said Unadkat.

"I have been speaking to Jos and Smithy when he was captain. I've had Ben coming to me and giving a nice piece of advice when I have not been confident about my own game and that has boosted me. Jofra was also of equal help, talking about what his mindset is when I asked him in the nets."

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The VIVO IPL has been home to some of the greatest tactical brains in the game and on the 13th birthday of the glamorous tournament, Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming was declared the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT) among coaches by an esteemed Star Sports jury on the latest episode of their flagship show Cricket Connected. Another CSK veteran, Shane Watson, one of the most decorated all-rounders in the storied history of the tournament, was nominated as the G.O.A.T all-rounder on the show.

The 47-year-old former New Zealand captain Fleming, who has been with the Yellow Army since its inception, got the nod ahead of Mahela Jayawardene and Trevor Bayliss, who had won two titles each with Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders respectively. Fleming’s chemistry with captain MS Dhoni, who has also been part of CSK since 2008, was key to the team’s success. The Blackcap southpaw, who played in the inaugural edition in 2008, took over coaching duties and has since shepherded CSK to three title wins (in 2010, 2011 & 2018), despite the team being suspended from the league for two years. Under his tutelage, Rising Pune Supergiants also reached the VIVO IPL final in 2017.

Speaking about the greatness of Fleming, former England skipper Kevin Pietersen said on Star Sports’ show Cricket Connected, “You are only as good as your players. I have played under Fleming at the Melbourne Stars. I love him for what he has achieved. To have that longevity to be in a cut-throat environment for such a long time is just a standout achievement.”

Besides, Jayawardene and Bayliss, Fleming also surpassed Tom Moody, Rahul Dravid and Shane Warne, who was the coach and captain when Rajasthan Royals won the inaugural crown in 2008, in the pecking order. Fleming managed to get 81% of the votes in his favour. Right from Peterson to Ian Bishop and his country-mate Scott Styris, Fleming garnered 18 out off the 22 votes.

Meanwhile, Shane Watson topped an elite nominee list that included Andre Russel, Dwayne Bravo, Jacques Kallis, Kieron Pollard, Yusuf Pathan, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja and Irfan Pathan. The last two years have been nothing short of phenomenal for Watson, the first player to win Man of the Tournament in the VIVO IPL, twice. Having featured in 134 VIVO IPL games so far, the 38-year-old sublime batting all-rounder has amassed 3575 runs at an excellent strike-rate of 139.53. Despite having to overcome a string of fitness issues, Watson has punched above his weight to take the Yellow Army to many a famous win. In the 2019 final, he nearly carried CSK to another title, despite a bloodied knee.

Speaking about Watson’s greatness, former England captain Kevin Pietersen said on the latest episode of Star Sports’ show Cricket Connected, “He has been such a player that if his bowling has gone off, his batting has become a lot better. I have played with him for a couple of years. He would have bowled so much faster had he not had so many back issues as a youngster. When he was younger, he used to bowl really fast.”

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir too showered praise on Shane Watson’s all-round abilities on Star Sports 1 Hindi show Cricket Connected, “If we talk about the past 12 years, for me Shane Watson is the best player because he has done magic with Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings. No doubt, his bowling was on a decline in the latter half of his career, but he had an overall impact on the game. He was an excellent player when he used to play for Rajasthan Royals. He not only used to bowl with the new ball but also batted in the middle order. If you ask me the same question two to three years down the line, Andre Russell will win, hands down. But right now, I will go with Shane Watson.”

Ex-New Zealand pacer and renowned commentator Danny Morrison lavished praise on Watson on the show. He said, “I live in the land of Shane Watson. It’s Kevin Pietersen’s all-time favourite city. Brisbane is where’s Watto’s from, he’s loved to bits and pieces. He is a guy you will want to have in your line-up.”

In addition, Star Sports experts Scott Styris, Dean Jones, Brad Hogg and Simon Doull all ensured Watson topped their list of GOAT batsmen.

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Michael Vaughan has revealed that many former England players were jealous of Kevin Pietersen after the latter bagged a huge contract with the Indian Premier League (IPL).

In 2009, Royal Challengers Bangalore had bought Pietersen for $1,550,000, which made him the highest-paid IPL player along with Andrew Flintoff at that time.

"I think there was a lot of jealousy," Vaughan said in an interview with foxsports.com.au. "And the players will completely deny it now but I think there was at the time when Kevin was on a massive contract.

"There were all sorts of whispers and rumours of cliques in the team. There was a little band of a few; Graeme Swann, Tim Bresnan, (James) Anderson, (Stuart) Broad and Matt Prior. The whispers were they were on one side and Kevin was kind of standing on his own on the other side," the former England captain said.

The 45-year-old further said that while Pietersen was off the view that playing in the IPL would further the development of the one-day team, England players felt he was going after money.

"It wasn't anything other than that Kev (Kevinn Pietersen) around that time wanted to go to the IPL. That's how it all started to blow up and that's when those factions came into play," said Vaughan.

"He was saying to the team he wanted to play because it would further the development of the one-day team and all the one-day players would get the chance to play there and improve their game. They deemed that he just wanted to go for the money. He was on a big contract while not many of the other players were even getting sniffed at.

"It was very much Kevin against the team in terms of that one," he added.

During the course of the interview, Vaughan also said that Pietersen should have never played for England again after the infamous Text-gate scandal in 2012.

Pietersen, who was born and brought up in South Africa, was accused of sending texts to South African during a Test series between the two teams against his captain Andrew Strauss and a few of his team-mates.

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World Champion PV Sindhu was on Wednesday unveiled as one of the ambassadors for Badminton World Federation (BWF)'s 'i am badminton' awareness campaign. The campaign provides a platform for players to express their love and respect for badminton by advocating and committing to clean and honest play. Sindhu, an Olympic silver medallist, said playing clean and honest is very important in any sport. "This message starts with one voice. If we as ambassadors can highlight this, then I think this will spread to more players," said the 24-year-old Indian.

"You are playing the sport for yourself. You need to be happy about it. You have to play it very clean and that is very important to me." It has been five years since BWF's Integrity Unit was formed and this time the campaign has been at the forefront of the governing body's efforts to communicate its approach towards integrity. Besides Sindhu, other ambassadors include Canada's Michelle Li, Chinese duo of Zheng Si Wei and Huang Ya Qiong, England's Jack Shephard, Germany's Valeska Knoblauch, Hong Kong's Chan Ho Yuen and Germany's Marc Zwiebler, who is Athletes' Commission Chair. "It's hoped such a concerted effort will not only raise awareness across the entire badminton landscape but encourage players to be active participants in shaping the integrity of the sport," the BWF said in a release.

Former elite players who have fronted the campaign since 2016 include BWF President Poul-Erik Høyer, BWF Para Badminton Athletes' Commission Chair Richard Perot, and superstars such as Saina Nehwal, Viktor Axelsen, Hendra Setiawan, Christinna Pedersen, Chen Long, Misaki Matsutomo and Akaya Takahashi. "Every player has the right to compete in clean and fair sport. Match fixing, match manipulation and doping are contrary to the spirit of sport. As an ambassador, we all play an important role in safeguarding the future of badminton," Høyer said. "Our youth and Para badminton players are perceived to be at greater risk of match manipulation and doping due to their lack of exposure on the international circuit. "The idea of the 'i am badminton' campaign is for us as role models to share our experiences with these target groups so they have a heightened level of awareness on the importance of anti-match manipulation and anti-doping."

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IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore's Director of Cricket Operations Mike Hesson returned to New Zealand on Tuesday after being stranded in India for over a month amid the nationwide lockdown to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The ex-New Zealand player and coach had arrived in India on March 5 for the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League but was stuck in the country after the lockdown was imposed and all flights were suspended.

"What a wonderful sight after spending over a day on a bus to get to Mumbai airport. The staff on @FlyAirNZ were simply outstanding on our return to New Zealand," Hesson tweeted. He also thanked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the New Zealand Embassy in India, New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

"Special thanks to Down pointing backhand index @NZinIndia @MFATNZ @narendramodi @jacindaardern #repatriationflight #india #NZ" he added. To stem the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, India and New Zealand had announced lockdowns in their respective countries last month, alongside travel restrictions, forcing the 45-year-old to stay in Bengaluru.

While India remains in lockdown till May 3, New Zealand eased its stringent measures on Tuesday. The IPL, which was originally scheduled to get underway on March 29, has been suspended until further notice due to the pandemic.

The cornavirus outbreak, that originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has infected over 30 lakh people across the world while killing more than two lakh.
All sporting events, including the Tokyo Olympics, have either been cancelled or postponed.

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West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has revealed that he has never received the family type atmosphere that he gets at the Indian Premier League franchise Chennai Super Kings' camp. Bravo was doing an Instagram live chat with CSK when he said the team welcomes you like an 'extended family'.

"From the very first day when I joined the team, I got that sense of family atmosphere. Every player who joins CSK feels the same way," said Bravo. "You are welcomed here like an extended family. I have played a lot of cricket, but I don't think you can get another team or environment like in CSK," he added.

The right-handed batsman has led Caribbean Premier League (CPL) franchise Trinbago Knight Riders to three titles. The all-rounder said he has tried to inculcate the CSK culture into the TKR side.

"It's important that you have a management team, the owners, the captain's everyone understands you. They understand its a sport and you don't perform every time but they give you that opportunity to bounce back," said Bravo.

"The good thing with CSK is that it allows everybody to be themselves. We all enjoy each other's success, whoever is performing, we celebrate all performances together," he added.

CSK have won the IPL three times in 2010, 2011, and 2018 respectively.

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You cannot blame Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for missing their favourite son in action during what would have been the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Had COVID-19 not wreaked havoc, the cash-rich T20 league would have been in full swing and all eyes would have been trained on Mahendra Singh Dhoni, returning to cricket after a sabbatical.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

#WhistlePodu ðŸ¦ÂðŸ’› VC: @sakshisingh_r @mahi7781

A post shared by Chennai Super Kings (@chennaiipl) onMay 5, 2020 at 6:04am PDT

Dhoni, CSK's decorated captain who led India to 2007 T20 and 2011 ODI World Cup triumph besides shepherding the Yellow Brigade to three IPL crowns, has not played competitive cricket since India's 2019 World Cup semi-final loss to New Zealand.

The 38-year old was supposed to make a much-awaited comeback in the IPL and had also attended CSK's camp before the deadly virus forced sport across the world to come to a grinding halt.

CSK, on Tuesday, shared a video where Dhoni is seen spending time with daughter Ziva and his dog at his lawn in Ranchi with his back towards the camera.

"#Thala @msdhoni's back...quite literally so! Smiling face with smiling eyes #WhistlePodu," CSK captioned the tweet, crediting Dhoni's wife Sakshi for capturing the video.

The veteran wicketkeeper batsman is also seen giving the dog some catches with the ball with Ziva for company.

Meanwhile, dashing England wicket-keeper batsman Jos Buttler has said that Dhoni has always been a big idol and while playing in the IPL one lesson for him has been how the former India skipper manages all the fanfare and still performs in crunch situations.

"MS Dhoni has always been a big idol of mine and chaos is always going around him, people wanting a bit of him, the cricket and the noise.

"....it is such a great lesson to just watch him and see first hand how to manage all that thing if you have to perform at the top level and perform in those crunch moment, that certainly has been one of the massive pluses," Buttler said in an interview to Lancashire Cricket with Warren Hegg.

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Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Mitchell Starc all found a place in Sunrisers Hyderabad captain David Warner's all-time Indian Premier League (IPL) XI. However, Warner left out the likes of Yuvraj Singh, his former Australia teammate Shane Watson and Mumbai Indians duo Kieron Pollard and Lasith Malinga from the squad.

In an interview with commentator Harsha Bhogle for Cricbuzz, Warner chose himself and Rohit as openers of the line-up. Kohli comes in at no.3 while CSK stalwart Suresh Raina slots into the no.4 position.

At no.5 and no.6 come big hitting all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Glenn Maxwell. CSK skipper M.S. Dhoni comes in at no.7 and is also the wicketkeeper of the side.

Warner's Australia teammate Mitchell Starc comes in at no.8 while MI fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah comes next. Warner then selected Ashish Nehra at no.10 and couldn't choose between wrist spin duo Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal for the no.11 spot.

Warner also spoke about the similarities he seems to share with Kohli on the show. "I can't speak for Virat, obviously, but it's almost like we got this thing in us when we go (out to the middle) we need to prove people wrong, prove someone wrong," Warner said.

"If you're in that contest, and if I'm going at him for example, you're thinking, 'Alright, I'm going to score more runs than him, I'm going to take a quick single on him'.

"You are trying to better that person in that game. That's where the passion comes from," he added.

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There was a time when a certain Mahendra Singh Dhoni from Ranchi made his long-hair look a fad, especially after the dashing wicketkeeper batsman bludgeoned a 123-ball 148 against Pakistan in an ODI at Visakhapatnam on a sultry April afternoon in 2005.

Dhoni never looked back from there and in 2007, when he was asked to lead a young Indian team in the inaugural T20 World Cup in South Africa, he made history by leading India all the way to lift the crown. The long hair basking in the afterglow of new-found success, Dhoni held aloft the title after India beat Pakistan in a nerve-jangling final.

Dhoni fanatics still love reminiscing his long hair days, and the decorated former India captain's Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, Chennai Super Kings, on Thursday made them take a trip down memory lane by sharing an old photo where Dhoni is seen with the likes of Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, L. Balaji and Venugopal Rao, all of them clad in formals.

"Men in blue, in various shades of grey before all the #yellove started and this is nothing but GOLD! Circa 2005, Sri Lanka," CSK said in the tweet with the photo on their official handle.

Men in blue, in various shades of grey before all the #yellove started and this is nothing but GOLD! Circa 2005, Sri Lanka. 😍 #WhistlePodu #OnceUponAWhistle pic.twitter.com/k5uqC1EEhi

— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) May 7, 2020

The seven-match ODI series in Sri Lanka saw Dhoni come of age and top the run-scorers' chart scoring 346 runs at 115.33 with a highest score of 183 not out, which is still his highest in 50-over cricket.

India, led by Rahul Dravid, had won the ODI series 6-1.

Dhoni has led India to the 2011 ODI World Cup triumph on home soil as well as the 2013 Champions Trophy victory, and is regarded as one of the greatest players to have played the game. The 38-year old has been on a break since India's semi-final exit in the 2019 World Cup and was supposed to return in the IPL which has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Mahi Malini Pujari says initially she would avoid interacting with guests, but has now grown more confident

Last year, restaurant manager Josein Fernanda found herself in a tough spot when a colleague spotted a bodice and a bunch of padded bras in her bag while they were working on a cruise liner in Goa, where she was working as a manager. The 44-year-old, born a boy in Mumbai's Lamington Road area, says she has always felt like a girl and would clandestinely cross-dress. But, it was a secret that Fernanda had zealously guarded until then. "My boss called me and said, 'I don't want this news to leak. So stop indulging in this.' Well into my 40s, I had reached a point where I couldn't conform to society anymore. There was an overwhelming sense to come out of the closet," she says. Fernanda resigned from the job and returned to Mumbai, liberated but uncertain about what the future held.

Shonali Mude, a former runner-up at Miss Trans Queen 2017 joined in January this year. Mude, who might have in another gender made it as a model or an actor, says jobs for transgender are limited. Having gone to auditions at fashion weeks, Mude says she had no luck. She now works as a floor attendant

Being in the public eye
When we meet Fernanda on a weekday afternoon at Third eye Cafe, located on the ground floor of Palm Galleria Mall, Navi Mumbai, she is sitting near the bar with her laptop. The wall facing her reads, 'Be the Change You Want to See'. Wearing a black blazer with slim fit pants and glinting earrings, Fernanda - formerly known as Innocento - has finally embraced change. She chanced upon the cafe while browsing through YouTube, and got in touch with the owners. She now proudly identifies herself as a woman. Along with her, five other trans-women found their lives transformed when were hired as staffers at the restaurant. The cafe currently has six transgender employees, five of whom work as table attendants, while one works as the manager. The restaurant employs around 20 persons.

Josein Fernanda - formerly known as Innocento - finally came out of the closet on learning of this job in January

"As the name suggests, the restaurant was launched with the intention of providing the third gender an opportunity to lead a more respectable life," says co-owner and architect Nimesh Shetty, who started the venture with his partners Prasad Shetty and Nitesh Kandarkar. Nimesh, 27, conceptualised the cafe almost six years ago while working on an architectural thesis around building a community centre for the transgenders. As envisioned, the cafe would be part of the centre. He even conducted a survey to understand whether people would visit a place like this during the thesis. "A lot of people said yes, we accept the third gender. But, are you willing to accept your sister or closest friend as a transgender? That's when people fumbled. This is something we want to work on," says Shetty, who hails from a family of hoteliers.

A typical day
At the restaurant, we see Mahi Malini Pujari, 24, on her feet taking orders and interacting with guests. She's aware of the reaction her presence normally invites - raised eyebrows, unflinching stare, giggles and sometimes nonchalance - but she has learnt to take it all in her stride. In fact, when a bunch of guests arrive, she's the first to guide them to the table and make them comfortable by offering water and exchanging pleasantries. "Initially, I wouldn't utter a word to the guests. I'd take orders and do clearances. I didn't have the confidence to initiate or a hold conversation," says Pujari. The make-up is minimal, just enough to make her look fresh-faced. The 24-year-old worked at Arzoo Foundation, a de-addiction and rehabilitation centre situated at Palghar. Before that she would beg on the streets and in trains. "I joined the hijra community in Bandra after I left home. I didn't even complete my Std X because my parents gave me an ultimatum: 'either I behave like a boy or leave'," she says. Pujari chose the latter. She now lives in an apartment provided by the owners, in Vashi along with the other staff. While the response from the hijra community to her choice of a new career has been fairly encouraging, her family has still not accepted her. "I've let it go," she says.

Know your food
In almost two months' time, Pujari has upped her social skills and also memorised the menu. A part of the credit goes to Fernanda, who the staff treats as 'didi'. "Of course, they need to know how conduct themselves in public. Along with that, she must know the food that we serve here and what goes into its making like the back of their hand. The guests always check with the server first," says Fernanda.

Spread over eleven pages, the menu is extensive with sections separating Italian, Oriental and Indian cuisine. Currently, the restaurant doesn't serve alcohol but it's in the pipeline. We order the beetroot falafel made with parsley pesto, tahini yoghurt and pomegranate for R199. The portion is impressive and scores well on the taste front. "Many come here for the novelty value. But, they'll return only if the food and service is good," says senior staffer Shonali Venkatesh Mude, a former runner-up at Miss Trans Queen 2017, who joined in January this year. Mude, who might have in another gender made it as a model or an actor, says careers as a transgender are limited. Having gone to auditions at fashion weeks or even advertisements, where she'd have to portray a woman, Mude says she had no luck. "I wanted a job where I'd get a steady income."

A group of women sitting next to our table have dropped by from Nerul during lunch hour to celebrate a colleague's birthday. That's the overt reason. The real one is to experience what's it like to be served by transgender staff. "I don't mean to treat them as specimens, but we wanted to experience this. I'm happy that we're finally getting to see them in mainstream jobs. Till now, you would see them begging inside trains," says Divyani Fulzele, who works at an IT firm. When they're about to leave, they compliment Mude and promise to return. This time for the peppy vibe and the food. "Compliments work as a confidence-booster. While I'm more educated and experienced than the rest, there was a trepidation about how it'd pan out. But I like coming to work," smiles Mude, who lives with her partner in Khargar.

Setting an example
In 12 months, owner Nimesh Shetty has interviewed over 600 transgenders for the job by seeking help from NGOs and transgender activist Gouri Sawant. "Actually, it's they who interviewed me because they had more questions than I did. It's natural, because they are leaving their comfort zone and for an all-new territory," he adds. He admits some quit the job within weeks because of adjustment issues. "It's a high-pressure job, where sometimes you clock in 10-12 hours. Some couldn't deal with that," he says.

Shetty feels the challenges of being transgender are different from what gay men or women face. "Here, we are talking about survival. Many get thrown out of the house when they come out." For now, Shetty is hopeful that the restaurant will inspire others to follow suit. "We don't want to capitalise on this as a gimmick. The goal is to inspire."

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Representational Image

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation's (NMMC) rodent control is nothing but a lie. According to residents, it's their most convenient way to mint money, because over the years the problem in the area has just got worse. Even after repeated complaints regarding the matter, the civic officials never turned up to solve the issue. However, the civic body claims that they have already killed 6,71,975 rats so far this year, for which Rs 1.46 crore had been allotted.

Trapping rats
According to the civic body's official data, in the period 2016-17, it killed 7,10,555 rats in Navi Mumbai, for which Rs 1 crore was spent. It was less than what they had spent in the year 2015-2016 (Rs 1.22 crore).

Speaking to mid-day about the ways in which rodents are killed, Vaibhav Zunjare, Navi Mumbai rodent control officer, said, "Rats usually lay eight to nine eggs in the holes they stay. After locating the holes, we inject a poisonous liquid that kills them. However, we can count the number of rats killed only when they are trapped in cages. The number for this year is 5,000."

No step taken
Avdoot Chavhan, a resident of Koparkhairne sector 7, where NMMC claims to have killed 1,10,371 rats, said, "I'm living here for the past six years, and till date, I've not seen a single NMMC worker installing a cage to kill rats. Every morning we get the smell of dead rats, that might have been killed by street dogs."

Requesting anonymity, an NMMC official said, "The corporation spends lakhs of rupees every year to repair the furniture of the main office building, as rats damage them."

Team inefficient
When contacted, Santosh Shetty, former Navi Mumbai corporator, said, "The reason for the inefficiency of the rodent control unit is that they don't know how to trap rats. They also don't have even manpower for the work."

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The flower tattoo on the woman's right forearm is the only identifier

Deja vu seems to have struck the Rabale MIDC police. Close to a year after they found the headless body of a murdered woman who could be identified only because of a tattoo, another such case has come to light, this time of a woman, whose body was found highly decomposed, with the only mark of recognition being a flower tattoo on her right forearm.

The highly decomposed body was found on April 9

The police found the body on April 9, after being alerted by the control room about a foul smell emanating from a sewer carrying industrial waste close to Airoli railway station. When a team visited the spot, they saw the highly decomposed body of a woman with maggots all over it. Her face was beyond recognition. A closer examination helped cops lay hands on their only clue - the tattoo.

The woman was wearing this kurta

Dumped or hacked
Speaking to mid-day, inspector P Jadhav of Rabale police station said, "We saw the upper body on a dry surface, while her legs were submerged in the sewer water. The deceased was removed from the water and upon examination, the tattoo was found on the forearm. A dupatta was also found around her neck. Prima-facie, we suspect the deceased might have been known to the assailant and that the body could have either been dumped or the accused may have hacked the woman to death."

Armed with only the flower tattoo on the right forearm of the deceased, and a picture of the chudidar and decomposed body, policemen have fanned across Mumbai, Thane and neighbouring areas looking for some clue from the missing persons register, whose description could match with that of the remains.

Limited clues
A parallel investigation is being done by the local crime branch, who also visited the spot. Tushar Doshi, deputy commissioner of police (crime) said, "We have limited clues in hand. We could not find any tailor's name on the greenish yellow Punjabi kurta that the deceased was wearing. We could not find anything concrete from the spot, as there was a lot of muck and waste in and around the area where the body was found; it was already in a decomposed state."

The local police have already started showing the tattoo to tattoo artists in and around the area. Cops are also checking if a bar dancer or woman employee from the MIDC industrial area have gone missing in the last few days. Meanwhile, the autopsy has thrown up details about the way the woman was killed. The remains were sent to the NMMC hospital's Vashi post mortem centre. During the course of the procedure, autopsy surgeon Dr Bhushan Jain confirmed the woman was strangulated to death and had also suffered a head injury. Dr Jain said, "The incident might have happened around three to five days ago, as the upper body and face had been eaten up by maggots. The body was in a highly decomposed state. The death was due to strangulation and head injury."

Ante mortem injuries
A source at the police station said prima-facie it seems that the deceased might have been between 30-35 years old, the injuries on the body were ante mortem (before death) injuries and a dupatta, possibly worn by the woman, was used to strangulate her. Since the body was partly submerged in water, early signs of decomposition were visible on the lower remains, whereas the upper remains were highly decomposed. Rabale police have registered a case of murder and destruction of evidence against unknown assailant(s).

Also Read: Navi Mumbai headless torso case: Horrific details of the brutal murder

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Navy and private firm divers search for Bidre's remains in Bhayander Khadi. Pic/Hanif Patel

Day 1 of the search for assistant inspector Ashwini Bidre's mortal remains with the help of the hi-tech magnetometer was unsuccessful. Navy divers with the help of their private counterparts carried out a five-hour long search with the machine, but found only a gunny bag, which, the police said, was filled with sand. The search operation will continue on Wednesday.

"Search operation began around 12 noon; five Navy divers and two private ones scoured specific locations in Vasai Creek with the magnetometer, but didn't find anything significant," said a police source.

After searching for five hours, experts then carried out a scanning of the creek for a couple of hours. They zeroed in on nine possible locations, of which two had given out strong signals of having metal underwater. "Day 1 hasn't given anything significant. Search will be continued on Wednesday," said DCP (crime) Tushar Doshi.

The Navi Mumbai Crime Branch is probing the murder of Bidre, allegedly killed by inspector Abhay Kurundkar on April 11, 2016. According to co-accused Mahesh Phalnikar, the main accused had dismembered her body and put the parts in a metal trunk, dumping it in Vasai Creek. Investigators are searching for that trunk.

Also Read: Ashwini Bidre Murder Case: Trunk Filled With Body Parts To Be Traced With Iranian Magnetometer

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Jitendra Patil

Nine days after Jitendra's death in the UAE, his family was able to bring his body back home and perform the last rites on Friday night. The company where Jitendra Patil, 28, worked, arranged for his elder sister Swapna and her husband Parag Patil to travel to Ajman, UAE, and helped them with the formalities to bring the body back. Jitendra had allegedly jumped to his death. mid-day had reported this, 'My son did not jump: UAE govt must probe' (May 21).

'Still doubt it'
Parag said he and his wife flew to UAE on May 23 and the visa and travel expenses were borne by Jitendra's company. The company staff also helped complete the formalities with police and the hospital. "We learnt from them that Jitendra committed suicide from a building where his friend lived. He would often visit his friend's place and practice playing the piano there. On May 15, he visited him and practiced the piano. On the morning of the 16th he jumped to his death from the building. He sustained injuries to his neck and head that caused his death," Parag said. He added, "But we still doubt whether he jumped. I might go back to the UAE and get this investigated."

"Finally we could hold Jitendra's funeral and believe his soul will get mukti. We could also get his belongings from his room and office, which we will keep as his memory," said Swapna. She said his colleagues only praised his hard work and pleasant nature.

Job offer to brother
Parag added that Jitendra's company has cleared all his dues too, and paid them his two month's salary. He said they offered a job to his brother with good remuneration. Another brother-in-law of Jitendra, Santosh Patil, said that his parents were very poor and his elder brother's earnings are not sufficient for the family's financial needs. He said, "Our government should help the family financially." mid-day tried contacting Jitendra's office in UAE by email but received no reply.

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The Vashi plot where NMMC hacked trees and dumped a different soil to prepare for plantation of new trees

Ever heard of trees being hacked to develop a "tree belt"? Perhaps, it happens only in India, in this case, Mumbai. The forest department is livid, and has raised an objection to stop work, after the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation hacked down over a 100 trees of rare species without the department's mandatory permission (as the trees fell in the buffer zone of holding ponds).

The ironic justification given for the hacking is the development of a tree belt under the Centre's AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation). Vashi residents are mighty upset, having watched NMMC officials hack more than 100 trees. A social activist and resident of Navi Mumbai, Rohit Malhotra, said, "We have been keeping an eye on NMMC officials working on this project; so far, nearly a 100 trees, maybe more, have been cut, all done using people's hard-earned money.

The Vashi plot from where NMMC hacked trees

"When I asked NMMC officials why they were cutting trees for a tree belt, they said they wanted to plant 'good and useful' trees, like of fruits and flowers... The hacked trees are local; this soil is suitable for them, not others. Now, they have added debris of a different soil over the natural one... How will they grow and sustain trees of other regions?"

Under AMRUT, NMMC has planned development of a green space in plot no. 45, sector 10 A, Vashi. The R2-crore project will have a plantation of fruit-bearing trees and shrubs, a lawn and walkways. Chief Conservator of Forests N Vasudevan, who heads the department's Mangrove Cell, said, "NMMC has already cut down nearly a hundred trees that were in a buffer zone. They should have taken permission from us. But they didn't acquire an NOC or even sent a request, just suddenly started the work. Hence, we asked their officials to stop."

NMMC Additional Commissioner Mohan Dagaonkar said, "The cut trees are Subabul; these are not indigenous, just wild trees that serve no purpose. We will plant nearly 8,400 fruit- and flower-bearing trees in their place. The forest department has asked us to submit a letter; once we do that, we'll restart the work."

Rs 2crore
Cost of the project

8,400
Number of new trees NMMC plans to plant

Also Read: NMMC Offers Reward To People Who Report Illegal Debris Dumping Within City Limits

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Did an ex-Navy lieutenant die of a fall in the bathroom or because his sons and relatives killed him over a property tussle? The Kharghar police will seek answers to just that, after the Panvel judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) court on July 2 ruled in the favour of the deceased's youngest son, and directed them to file a murder case against three other sons and three relatives. The case was finally registered on July 7.

The court was acting on the case of merchant navy captain Jagjit Singh, 47, who has alleged his brothers Kuljit Singh, 58, Kuldeep Singh, 54, and Kulmit Singh, 50, and three other relatives killed his father, ex-Navy lieutenant Sarjit Singh Virk, 86, at Kharghar on April 16.

Smelled a rat
Jagjit smelled a rat soon after his brothers called him around 10.47 am on April 16, to inform him that their father had died after falling in the house. A grief-stricken Jagjit was not in the condition to listen to anything immediately after getting the tragic news.

Sarjit Singh with wife Anup Kaur

"But after gaining composure," he told mid-day, "I called Kulmit asking how he [Sarjit] passed away. Kulmit passed the phone to our brother Kuldeep. While he was speaking, Kulmit kept prompting him to tell me that father fell inside the bathroom and succumbed to his injuries."

"I was in Mohali. My brothers said they will take some time to complete the formalities, and that I shouldn't rush to Kharghar. The next day, I got a text message from Kulmit saying they're going to perform my father's final rites. I begged them to wait until I reached through text and WhatsApp messages, and also called the pradhan of the Kharghar Gurudwara and Kharghar cops to tell them about my situation and my objection to the final rites. As a result of that, they waited till I reached Kharghar," Jagjit added.

Injuries on the face
On April 18, Jagjit went to the Kharghar police station, where cops showed him the post-mortem reports and other documents. He was then taken to the mortuary of the Vashi municipality hospital to see his father.

That's where Jagjit saw injuries on his scalp and cheek and three broken teeth. He clicked some pictures. "When I saw the injuries, I was confident that these marks were not caused by some accidental fall; he was hit by something. I had a word with cops, but they refused to entertain my grievances, so I went to court," added Jagjit.

Greed for property
Jagjit's suspicions against his brothers are based on a history of rifts he's had with them over their alleged greed for family property. According to his statement to the cops, Jagjit said, "In 2015, my mother Anup Kaur passed away. She'd distributed her property and some money equally among her four sons, but my brothers Kulmit and Kuldeep siphoned them off. Also, from October 2016 to February 2017, they forced my father to transfer Rs 26 lakh from our joint account to their accounts. I had filed a criminal case against them in Lambi police station, Punjab on April 11for the same."

"Also, my father was witness to attempts made by the same brothers to transfer my share of ancestral land to their name. In the meantime, they took father to Kharghar last year and cut off our communication. After he moved there, the only thing I heard about him was news of his death. I am suspicious of my brothers and other relatives having killed my father to hide their wrongdoings," alleged Jagjit. mid-day reached out to Kulmeet Singh Virk for comment, but he remained unavailable.

Case filed
Jagjit had gone to the cops with his allegations, but they'd turned him down, after which he went to court. His advocate Naresh Pradhan said, "We'd gone to the Panvel JMFC with whatever proof we had, presented our case and told the court that an investigation needs to be done. The court found substance in our demands and asked Kharghar cops to investigate the matter."

Senior inspector of Kharghar police station, Pradeep Tadir, said, "According to the direction of JMFC, we have filed a case against Kuljit Singh, Kulmeet Singh, Kuldeep Singh and three other relatives under sections 302 (murder) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code on July 7. We'll ask for a detailed opinion from our forensic experts to seek clarity. The primary report had suggested that the death was natural and occurred due to a fall."

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A part of the ceiling in Vashi's Raguleela Mall which is one of the prime centres of attraction collapsed on Tuesday afternoon. There was no report of any casualty or injury. The mall is flocked by thousands of people every day for shopping during the weekends and festivities.

Horrible pictures from #Raghuleela Mall #Vashi. Hope Noone is hurt@mid_day pic.twitter.com/1dEQkOdrO3

— Anuraag Kamble (@AnuragANK) July 24, 2018

"Panic gripped when a part of the ceiling fell down at around 12:25 pm. Security officials have asked people who were inside Raghuleela Mall to stay inside their shops," an eyewitness told as reported in Latestly.

Entire POP of Raghuleela Mall, Vashi fell down few minutes back pic.twitter.com/DQxJqJuNhK

— mumbaikars (@Anish67929937) July 24, 2018

It is not clear whether the collapse has anything to do with heavy rains in the city. Further details were awaited.

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The Navi Mumbai Crime Branch has taken over the probe into the death of a 21-year-old man there during the Maratha quota stir last week. During the violence that erupted in Kopar Khairane area of Navi Mumbai during the Maratha reservation agitation on July 25, Rohan Todkar was assaulted by a mob. He later succumbed to his injuries in the state-run JJ Hospital at Byculla in Mumbai on July 27.

An official said that a murder case had been registered at Kopar Khairane police station against unidentified persons. "The case has been handed over to the Navi Mumbai Crime Branch. Investigations into the incident are underway. No arrests have been made so far," Tushar Doshi, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) told PTI.

Todkar's cousin sister, Shital Shinde, speaking to PTI yesterday, had said that Todkar had ventured out, along with his friends, on July 25 and then got caught in the violence. The youth's last rites were carried out in his native Khonavali village in Patan tehsil in Satara district after authorities assured his family that the culprits would be arrested and compensation would be provided.

Edited by mid-day online desk with inputs from PTI

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Abhay Kurundkar, the prime accused in the murder of assistant inspector Ashwini Bidre-Gore, had called cops attached to the Thane (Rural) commissionerate and left an "anonymous tip-off" to search for the body of a policewoman, who had "jumped" from the Bhayander bridge. Cops along with three local fishermen and eight to 10 unknown people carried out the search in Vasai creek for nearly five days with no luck.

And this, allegedly, is what Kurundkar wanted — it was a test of sorts by him to check if he had managed to make the body disappear and if it would remain untraced. This has come to light after the recent recording of statements of cops and fishermen by the Navi Mumbai police, who are investigating the April 2016 murder, for which senior inspector Kurundkar and three others have been arrested.

Ashwini Bidre-Gore

More questions
Interestingly, none of the cops from Thane (Rural) has been investigated or questioned why they didn't make a diary entry for such a massive search operation, or why they didn't investigate the 'unknown' officer from Thane police who gave the tip-off.

On the other hand, Michael Valetin Malya, his brother Jacob, and one more fisherman at Vasai told cops that they received a call from Kurundkar, seeking help to search for a body.

"This clearly indicates a few things — the seven cops attached to Thane (Rural) police knew that a police officer has given the tip-off; they carried out a search but didn't think it necessary to inform their superiors; also, the officer who received the call didn't bother to inquire who the caller was, all of which is strange," said an officer privy to investigation details, adding, "It appears cops deliberately hid the caller's identity."

'Dereliction of duty'
The Navi Mumbai police have taken down statements of more than 70 people in the case, including the Thane (Rural) cops. Bidre-Gore's family recently met the newly-appointed Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar and put forward various complaints regarding loopholes in the investigation left by then investigating and supervising officers.

"This is a dereliction of duty... none of them [the cops who carried out the search] has been inquired or questioned about the act," said Raju Gore, husband of the deceased.

"Also, no investigation has been done to find out who were the eight to 10 people who posed as relatives and went with the fishermen for the search. We want the investigation to make note of it and go in this direction, so that these officers can be made accused too."

Also read: Ashwini Bidre murder case: Fellow cop and lover identified as killer

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Forest department is utterly displeased with the way the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) is going about implementing its tree belt project. On Friday, a range forest officer carried out a panchnama, a copy of which is with mid-day, listing the violations so far.

The panchnama states that the tree plantation done by NMMC contractors is inappropriate — the forest department had warned that plantation should be at least 50 metres away from the buffer zone surrounding the mangroves; and yet, it has been done right next to the boundary. The contractors have also allegedly cut the grown trees improperly and dumped the debris amid the mangroves.

Seeing red over green
An environment activist of Vashi, Rohit Malhotra, said, "NMMC removed 200 trees from the plot opposite Fortis Hospital, while dozens of fully grown and numbered trees inside the Rajiv Gandhi Joggers Park adjoining this plot have been felled, on the ground that were Subabul trees. All this has been done with much impunity... I had lodged a complaint with Prakesh Choudhary, range forest officer of Thane Division, who then deputed range officer Pandurang Gaikwad to survey the site. Mr Gaikwad has prepared the panchnama."

Residents had emailed their complaint to Dinesh Kumar Jain, chief secretary of Maharashtra, who has forwarded it to secretary of the forest department for necessary action.

A forest officer, confirming all violations, said, "I shouted at the contractors when I saw that some trees that were not on the list had been cut. Also, they removed soil from around others in such a way that the trees have tilted.

"However, senior forest officers have refused to sign the panchnama, saying they will settle the matter." "NMMC had taken permission from us to cut the Subabul trees in June 20... But I didn't know they dumped the debris amid mangroves. Also, the plantation in the buffer zone was done without our knowledge. I will visit the spot and decide on further action," said Choudhary.

The other side
NMMC Commissioner N Ramaswamy said, "We took all required permissions to cut the trees and for the project. About this particular complaint, I will check and take action accordingly."

The violations

• Planting trees close to mangroves, in violation of buffer zone distance restrictions
• Hacking full-grown trees inappropriately
• Dumping the cut parts amid the mangroves

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The Way of the Cross, a re-enactment of the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is a visual reminder of his agony, pain, suffering, and death on the Cross. On the eve of Good Friday, over 300 parishioners of Sacred Heart Church gathered to witness and participate in the Stations of the Cross. Retracing the steps of Christ, more than 300 Catholics and bystanders walked the streets of Vashi singing hymns of praise and prayers.

The Friday's mass commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Mount Calvary in Jerusalem, nearly 2,000 years ago. The next major event will take place on Sunday morning when the 'Passion Week' ends with the Easter Sunday festival which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Here's how the parishioners conducted the station of the cross in Mumbai:

Jesus laying in his mother's lap

The enactment of the station of the cross depicts Jesus in pain and agony

Parishioners walk along with the station of the cross as they recite hymns and prayers

On Good Friday, thousands and lakhs of Christians will be out in large numbers and overflow the local churches as they participated in the Good Friday mass.

Today, in Kerala, local churches were overflowing as thousands of Christians participated in the Good Friday mass. Of the around 3.4 crore population of Kerala, Christians number 61.41 lakhs, composed of 29.94 lakhs males and 31.47 lakhs females. The chief priest, who conducts the day's mass, along with a large number of the laity re-enact Jesus' journey with the worshippers moving to each station singing hymns as the story of the betrayal, arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Christ is narrated by the priest.

The most important ritual in this mass is the drinking of 'choruka' - a decoction made of bitter gourd juice and vinegar - by all the devotees. When the Good Friday mass reaches its last lap, the priest pours out a spoon of 'choruka' into the mouth of each and every person attending the mass.

At the end of the Good Friday mass in Kerala, those attending are served 'kanji' - the steaming hot gruel made of rice along with mango pickle and a serving of pulses. To know the full story read here.

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Shah Rukh Khan is one of the only actors who knows how to keep his fans and followers happy and elated. He has been entertaining everyone for the last 30 years and 2019 was the only year ever since his debut that we didn't see any of his films in the cinemas. His last few films may not have fared the way he and the fans wanted, they are still excited about his next.

In yet another #AskSRK session that he held on Twitter, he spilled the beans on almost everything, even the colour of his toothbrush. Yes! Some of the questions and answers were terrific. One of the first ones was expectedly about how the actor is spending time amid the lockdown. This is what he replied- "Inspite of contributing to the population boom, having three kids to be with is a treat. They r in all shapes and sizes, so the day goes by being with them each for a couple of hours. Then spend rest of the day cleaning up their toys!" (sic)

Have a look right here:

Inspite of contributing to the population boom, having three kids to be with is a treat. They r in all shapes and sizes, so the day goes by being with them each for a couple of hours. Then spend rest of the day cleaning up their toys! https://t.co/WrG0ppqMoL

— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) April 20, 2020

The next one was about his next film and this is something all his fans are desperately waiting for. He tweeted- "It's obvious I will do some films...it's obvious they will be made..and it's obvious you all will know." (sic) Read it right here:

Don’t tire yourself. It’s obvious I will do some films...it’s obvious they will be made..and it’s obvious you all will know. https://t.co/kxUNExGoQJ

— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) April 20, 2020

A fan wrote- "SRK movie a day keeps Corona away." To which he said- " Hope we overcome the virus...faster than the number of movies I have done. Insha Allah." (sic):

Hope we overcome the virus...faster than the number of movies I have done. Insha Allah https://t.co/FYai9ZYx07

— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) April 20, 2020

And lastly, when someone asked him to choose between Martin Scorsese and Christopher Nolan, the man wrote- "Wow both are awesome and I have met them...but Raju apna sa lagta hai...nahi?" (sic):

Wow both are awesome and I have met them...but Raju apna sa lagta hai...nahi? https://t.co/EuSsrTHtx5

— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) April 20, 2020

Was this an announcement on the sly that his next director could be Rajkumar Hirani? We are waiting for the next session and an official announcement!

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Kartik Aaryan has a knack to take social media by storm with his remarkable videos and post and even his hit series. After seeking help from the netizens to help him to decide whether he must remove his facial fuzz or grow a quarantine beard, the actor now leaves us in splits with a fun video with his sister Dr. Kritika.

Kartik Aaryan has posted an adorable video where he's showing his displeasure as he comps into a roti made by her sister. The perfectionist that the actor is believes in not taking this lightly and decides to teach his sister a lesson, obviously all in a joke. Kritika who's seen with a rolling-pin in her hand is animatedly flung around by Aaryan and almost thrown out of the balcony. Aaryan ends the video looking nonchalant with the harsh (and obviously funny) treatment and the rolling pin in his hand.

The actor has captioned the video wittily saying, 'no compromises on quality!' Now that's one funny video that made our not-so-happening-Sunday, brighter and better. These siblings are always seen pulling each other's leg and always indulging in tomfoolery like any normal siblings do. We love this actor and his amazing sense of humour.

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

No Compromise on Quality😇 #KokiToki

A post shared by KARTIK AARYAN (@kartikaaryan) onApr 19, 2020 at 4:34am PDT

Kartik Aaryan has been doing every bit to fight the pandemic and educate the masses. His internet-breaking show Koki Poochega has been trending on all platforms ever since its inception. Moreover the actor's heroic act to pledge Rs 1 crore to the PM Cares Relief Funds, is truly commendable. Kartik Aaryan's wit and his nobles' causes are truly making him a true-blue hero in every sense in these tough times. Hats off to the youth icon!

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