By Sai Ishwarbharath B and Abhirami G
BENGALURU, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Wipro's AI initiatives have increased productivity equivalent to the output of 20,000 employees, who have since been redeployed ‌within the Indian IT firm, its chief technology officer said.
The comments come as India's $315 ‌billion software services industry grapples with adoption of AI, which is reshaping hiring, software development and contracts.
Wipro, with about 243,000 employees in June, is shifting to a "human-AI operating model," with more than 100,000 employees receiving advanced AI-related training and certifications, Sandhya Arun said in an interview.
"It could be the same engineer managing a bunch of agents, deployed on other projects or being trained for some other role. It doesn't ‌necessarily mean person-to-person replacement by an ⁠agent."

#employees #ishwarbharath

Bengaluru: The BCCI's decision to send a full-strength squad to the Asian Games later this month has brought one name into focus - Jasprit ***** rah. The premier India pacer has not played for India since the second ODI against England in Cardiff in July, when he limped off after suffering an impact injury to his left knee. He has since been undergoing rehabilitation and is part of India's squad for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, although his participation is subject to fitness clearance.

With the Asian Games in ***** an beginning later this month, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar believes the tournament could provide ***** rah with valuable game time ahead of India's next major ***** ignment, the New Zealand tour.

The Asian Games, then, is the perfect opportunity for ***** rah to ease back into competitive cricket before that series. "There's a fair gap between the Asian Games and the New Zealand series, so playing ***** rah in the Asian Games is actually a good idea because he has to get some bowling under his belt. In Sri Lanka, we heard Mohammad Siraj was not quite in rhythm because he hadn't played enough in competitive matches. The bowlers need to get some overs and ***** rah getting them is very essential," Gavaskar said.

Although Shreyas Iyer has lost six of the seven T20Is he has led India in this year, Sunil Gavaskar backed him. "He's very experienced as a captain, having led Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings. I don't think there should be any pressure on him at the Asian Games. "

'Asian Games ***** le defence won't be easy'

Gavaskar was quick to add that the ***** le defence won't be an easy ride for India. "It's going to be tough because it's a T20 tournament. Bangladesh are in form, Pakistan are always dangerous and Sri Lanka are a terrific team, not to forget Afghanistan, so it's not going to be easy at all," he said. Gavaskar pointed out that the Asian Games will be a huge learning experience for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. "To be able to meet sportspersons from other sports from across Asia can be an absolute treat. For Sooryavanshi, I hope it turns out to be even more inspirational because he will get to rub shoulders with athletes who he's looked up to."

(This interaction was facilitated by Sony Sports Network)

#asian #easy #sunil #zealand

BENGALURU: In 118 minutes and 81 ******* , Vaibhav Sooryavanshi offered a glimpse of the raw talent that has made him one of Indian cricket's most sought-after prospects. The southpaw backs his big-hitting ability irrespective of the format and his fearless approach was on full display as the East Zone opener smashed 92 (7x4, 7x6) against Central Zone on Day 2 of their Duleep Trophy semifinal at the BCCI Centre of Excellence here on Monday.

At 15 years and 157 days, Sooryavanshi became the youngest player to score a 50 in the tournament, breaking Central Zone's Laxman Singh's record of 16 years and 23 days, set in January 1969.

The innings was more than just a record. Since his Ranji Trophy debut in 2024, the teenager had managed 215 runs from nine first-class matches. While he has built strong credentials in white-ball cricket, the longer format remains a stern test. Sooryavanshi was in no mood to let a red-ball challenge pass without making a statement.

The first session was all about his attacking display. After getting off the mark with a risky single, the left-hander struck his first boundary with a stylish square drive. That was merely an appetiser, as he repeatedly looked to score in the V against the pacers, including Yash Thakur, whom he deposited over the bowler's head for his first six. His 18 singles were as much a sign of maturity as his seven sixes were of his power.

His domination helped East Zone race to 64 in the first 10 overs. On 40, Sooryavanshi was handed a reprieve when Yash Rathod dropped a straightforward catch off Saransh Jain. The batter made the most of it, bringing up his half-century off 42 ******* with a six over long-on.

What stood out was not just the power, but the range. One particular ******* ault on pacer Aryan Pandey was striking. Charging down the track, Sooryavanshi smashed the ball straight back over the bowler's head for his fourth six.

Such was his command that it seemed to matter little who was bowling. Off-spinner Saransh Jain, who recently made his India Test debut, was dealt with equal confidence, conceding a four and a six as Sooryavanshi raced towards the nervous nineties in the 25th over.

However, he was left distraught when another attempt at a maximum landed in Arshad Khan's hands at deep mid-wicket off Harsh Dubey, leaving him eight runs short of his maiden first-class hundred.

Along with Abhimanyu Easwaran's 69, Sooryavanshi's 92 formed the backbone of a 161-run opening stand that helped East Zone reach 266, exactly matching Central Zone's first-innings total. Central were 45/3 at stumps.
Brief scores: Central Zone 266 & 45/3 in 20 overs (Mukesh ******* ar 2-14) vs East Zone 266 all out in 57 overs (Abhimanyu Easwaran 69, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 92; Aryan Pandey 3-43, Yash Thakur 3-66, Harsh Dubey 4-66).

#central

MUMBAI: When the Duleep Trophy semifinals began at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru on Sunday, 19-time champions West Zone were conspicuous by their absence.

West crashed out after a 52-run defeat to North Zone in a low-scoring quarterfinal, with North posting 251 and 222, while West managed 187 and 234.

Former Mumbai first-class cricketer Amit Dani, who coached West Zone this season, believes the tournament's knockout format needs a rethink.

"I suggested to the BCCI that it should seriously consider not having knockout matches until the final in the Duleep Trophy. It's the first tournament of the season and players are often a bit rusty. Even if North Zone had been knocked out after just one game, it wouldn't have been fair on their players either," Dani told TOI.

Dani argued that the current format limits opportunities for players and selectors alike.

"The selectors wanted to watch Tanush Kotian, but they got to see him in only one match. It was a difficult wicket where the ball was gripping and turning, making batting tough. Players need more games. With the final scheduled only on Sept 6, there is room for one more league match," he said.

Despite the early exit, Dani found plenty of positives in West's campaign. He reserved special praise for Musheer Khan, whose 96 in the fourth innings was the highest score of the match.

"On that wicket, it was a top-quality knock. It wasn't easy to bat there, but Musheer showed superb temperament and skill," Dani said.

He felt Anshul Kamboj's brisk 60 in North's first innings and Ruturaj Gaikwad's run-out while batting on 66 in the chase proved decisive.

"For us, Musheer, Tanush and Tushar Deshpande stood out. Tushar bowled with real fire and intensity. I hope all three are considered for India A or the Rest of India squad for the Irani Cup," Dani added.

#west #musheer #first

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi captain watch: How did the 15-year-old fare as East Zone's stand-in skipper in Duleep Trophy semi-final? originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi took over as East Zone's stand-in captain on Day 1 of the Duleep Trophy semi-final.
The 15-year-old India star replaced Ishan Kishan, who left the field with a thumb injury.
The Central Zone were bowled out for 266 at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has spent the past 18 months collecting records **** ody his age had any business holding, and Bengaluru has produced another. The 15-year-old has taken charge of East Zone in the Duleep Trophy semi-final against Central Zone, his first captaincy role in senior first-class cricket.

#sooryavanshi #zone #semi

Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has opened up about his bowling spell in East Zone's opening Duleep Trophy 2026 match, saying he always enjoys bowling and joking that captain Ishan Kishan did not know he was a "wicket-taker."

Sooryavanshi, who was named East Zone vice-captain for the tournament, made an impact with the ball in the second innings against North East Zone. The left-arm spinner took two wickets in a three-over spell as East Zone completed an innings and 210-run win on Tuesday.

Speaking in a video shared by BCCI Domestic, Sooryavanshi said batters enjoy bowling just as much as bowlers enjoy batting.

"If you ask any batter, they always enjoy bowling. A batter always enjoys bowling and a bowler always enjoys batting equally," Sooryavanshi said.

The teenager said Kishan brought him into the attack because East Zone needed a breakthrough, but added that the captain did not know what he was capable of with the ball.

"Opponent team's wickets weren't falling, so I was asked to bowl two or three overs. Ishan bhaiya felt like he was taking a risk, but he didn't knew that I am a wicket-taker," he added.
Sooryavanshi's spell changed the innings quickly.

He first dismissed Kishan Lyngdoh, who was caught at deep covers while trying to play an aerial shot. Three ***** later, he got left-handed batter Imliwati Lemtur to edge behind, with Kishan taking the catch behind the stumps.

The Bihar youngster said he knew he had only three overs to bowl and wanted to make the most of them.

"I had only one thing in my mind: that even if I take five wickets, I'm only going to get to bowl three overs only. So (the plan) was to bowl as well as I can and target one spot only and finish my spell well."

The Rajasthan Royals batter did not have much success with the bat in the match. He scored eight in East Zone's only innings but said contributing with the ball made up for it.

"It was a lot of fun because batting didn't go so well in the match. So, contributing with the ball was great. And of course, when a batter takes a wicket, there's no greater enjoyment than that, so it was a lot of fun!" he concluded.

Sooryavanshi now has four wickets in First-Class cricket.

East Zone have qualified for the Duleep Trophy semi-finals and will face Central Zone at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 2 in Bengaluru. The match starts at 9:30am on Sunday, while the final begins on September 6.

#only #batter

Bengaluru: While the Indian cricket team made its Asian Games debut in Hangzhou in 2023, its first appearance at a multi-sport event came at the 1998 Commonwealth Games. In Kuala Lumpur, a star-studded side featuring Sachin Tendulkar, Anil ***** ble, VVS Laxman and Harbhajan Singh bowed out in the league phase. Twenty-five years later, Laxman returned to the multi-sport arena, this time as coach, guiding India to gold in Hangzhou.

Now, as the Shreyas Iyer-led Indian team prepares to defend its ***** le at Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi Prefecture, ***** an beginning with the quarterfinals on Sept 28, Laxman spoke exclusively to TOI of the unique appeal of multi-sport events, India's Asian Games campaign and the experience of being part of the cricket team's journey from its first CWG appearance to maiden Asian Games gold.

"My first experience of a multi-discipline event was at the 1998 Commonwealth Games. The whole experience of being part of the Indian contingent feels really great, and that kind of experience every young cricketer should get. It's great that I've had that opportunity both as a player and coach," said the head of cricket at the BCCI Centre of Excellence.

Recalling the Hangzhou experience, the former batting great said, "Obviously, it's not like your mainstream cricket series or tournaments that we've been part of since we started playing for the country. The Asian Games was a great experience and exposure because not often do we get to visit the Games village, meet a sportsperson from other disciplines, interact with them, see how they train and prepare. A group of us went to support the Indian badminton team, which was fantastic."

India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are the seeded teams making the quarterfinals directly, with Afghanistan, ***** an, Nepal, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Oman fighting for the other four knockout berths.

While India will start favourites, they can ill afford to take the other teams lightly, with Nepal giving them a run for their medal in the previous edition before India won by 23 runs to make the semifinals.

India will play a match against ***** an and train in Tokyo for three days before heading to the host city. Laxman pointed to the match against Nepal and said, "One thing which we have learnt playing the game is never underestimate your opponent."

Beyond the game, Laxman believes it is about knowledge sharing.

"Given the experience and the exposure the Indian cricketers have, at the end of the match it's also about sharing that experience with players from other countries. After Nepal ran us close in the previous edition of the Asian Games, their coach invited me to talk to the team, which was an opportunity to share knowledge. It's not just me, but that's the way the entire group of players will approach the experience," Laxman stated.

#experience #nepal #hangzhou

Aug 28 (Reuters) - BioNTech SE said on Friday it has decided to ‌terminate the mid-stage trial of ‌its experimental mRNA-based cancer vaccine for patients with a type of colorectal cancer, sending the German firm's U.S.-listed shares down nearly 9%.
An independent data safety monitoring board, responsible ‌for overseeing the ⁠safety and integrity of the trial, recommended discontinuing treatment of ⁠patients and terminating the study.
The immunotherapy, autogene cevumeran, is being jointly developed by BioNTech and Roche's Genentech. The trial was evaluating ‌it as an adjuvant monotherapy in patients with high-risk stage II or stage III colorectal cancer whose tumors had been surgically removed but who remained ctDNA-positive.
In ‌its most recent review of the available data of this trial, the board identified a ‌numerical imbalance in overall survival between treatment arms in this specific patient population and noted that further trial continuation was ‌unlikely to change the efficacy outcome.
(Reporting by Sriparna Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar)

#patients #colorectal

NEW DELHI: When Ishan Kishan walks out to bat, the image that usually comes to mind is that of a left-handed batter hitting big sixes, playing brutal pull shots and putting bowlers under pressure. Kishan is known for his aggressive style in white-ball cricket. But on Tuesday, the 28-year-old made it clear that he also loves the challenge of red-ball cricket.

The East Zone captain led his team to a massive innings and 210-run win over North East Zone at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 2 in Bengaluru.

"I enjoy red-ball [cricket] very much. I think people don't believe me when I say that smiles, but it's, I'm being very honest, I really do enjoy red-ball cricket," Kishan told Cricinfo.

Kishan has played 32 ODIs and 55 T20Is for India, apart from 134 IPL matches. His last of two Test appearances came in July 2023. Despite his limited opportunities in Test cricket, his love for the red-ball format remains strong.

"It's always fun to be part of it because I love that challenge when, you know, yes, it's easier to bat on flat tracks and it's fun as well, but the competition which goes around in Test match[es] is some different-level thing," he said.

The match against North East Zone was Kishan's 65th first-class appearance. His previous first-class game was against Baroda in the Ranji Trophy in November 2025. In the nine months between the two matches, Kishan played 59 games across international and domestic cricket, including the IPL.

As someone who has played plenty of white-ball cricket, he admitted that moving back to the red ball was not easy.

"Situations will get tricky," he said in Bengaluru, where the Duleep Trophy is being held. "It will not be easy for us as players to just move around from white ball to red ball, red ball to white ball; change of format, change of gameplay, but that is the fun part about this game," Kishan said.

He spoke about the pressure and challenges that players deal with away from the field.

"You need to understand, as a sportsman, life can be harsh on us. It just looks very simple, like [a] player just comes here, plays their matches, and they leave. It's not like that. They go around, they keep on thinking, there's so much going on in their head every time."

But Kishan believes players cannot keep making excuses if they want to succeed.

"If you want to make it big," Kishan said, "you want to make it count, you can't have many excuses. But at the same time, I feel you should just think about getting better and not cry about things which you cannot control."
Kishan's innings in the match lasted only four runs. He reached out for a wide ball and tried to guide it behind point before being caught behind.

The wicketkeeper-batter admitted that the shot came naturally and he immediately regretted playing it.

"I was in the middle of the shot, and I was like 'what the heck I was trying to do!' I should know this is [a] Test [first-class] match and I need to leave a few **** . So

BENGALURU: Some spinners rely on guile and variety, others on subtle change of pace. Abid Mushtaq prefers a simpler route to success— hit the right areas, make batters play and wait for them to commit mistakes.

The Jammu and Kashmir leftarm spinner was at his methodical best against West Zone on Day Two of the Duleep Trophy at the BCCI Centre of Excellence here on Monday. On a red-soil pitch he described as his "favourite", Abid claimed a five-wicket haul to bowl West out for 187 in 65.4 overs.

North Zone, who secured a 64-run first-innings lead, were 107/4 at stumps, stretching their advantage to 171 runs.

Abid admitted he got "goosebumps" when he saw the red soil, a surface he has only started training on regularly over the last 3-4 three years in J&K. He made the most of the familiarity, producing a spell built on accuracy rather than elaborate variations.

The 29-year-old, who was also invited to bowl in the Australian team's nets ahead of the 2023 BorderGavaskar Trophy in India, kept attacking the stumps and forcing batters to play.

Three of his five wickets — Shivalik Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Urvil Patel — came via LBWs. Gaikwad and Urvil fell within three ****** of each other, leaving West reeling at 70/5 in the 28th over.

"I bowled at the stumps as there was a lot of help on the wicket. I always try to land in good areas and not give away runs. I also use the crease. When it comes to bowling in red soil, I'm confident," Abid said.

His figures of 11-5-13-3 in the first session summed up his approach. He gave the batters little to work with and had already castled Prithvi Shaw on Sunday evening.

Abid, who has taken 63 wickets in his last three Ranji Trophy seasons, kept varying his angle, bowling from both sides of the wicket without compromising on his discipline.

Musheer Khan (31), who showed considerable patience against him, and Shams Mulani (52) briefly stemmed the collapse with a 63-run sixth-wicket partnership. But Abid returned to dismiss Tushar Deshpande (18), completing his five-for.

Anshul Kamboj (2/38) and Arshdeep Singh (3/53) also contributed with the ball as North Zone tightened their grip on the quarterfinal.
At the adjacent ground, Shahbaz Ahmed produced an allround performance to put East Zone firmly in control against North East Zone.

Resuming on 100, the left-hander went on to make 167 as East amassed 467 in 112.5 overs. His innings built on the foundation laid by Sudip Gharami's 146 on the opening day.

Shahbaz then took 3/20 as North East were bowled out for 111, with Abhijit Sarkar returning 5/20.

Forced to follow on, North East reached 7/0 from the only over possible before stumps.

Brief scores: North Zone 251 & 107/4 in 21 overs (Ayush Badoni 39*, Abdul Samad 30; Shams Mulani 2/34, Tanush Kotian 2/22) vs West Zone 187 in 65.4 overs (Shams Mulani 52, Musheer Khan 31; Abid Mushtaq 5/39, Arshdeep Singh 3/53, Anshul Kamboj 2/38).

East Zone 467 in 112.5 overs (Shahbaz A

After BCCI dissolves national selectors' role in picking zonal teams, sanctity of the tournament comes under scanner

CHENNAI/NEW DELHI: A few days before the Duleep Trophy got underway at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru on Sunday, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia announced that the final will be shifted to MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The reason given was that there will be fans who will come to watch the match, which doesn't happen in the CoE.

Chennai is a cricket-crazy centre. But when you ask those who 'book' their IPL tickets long before the event, whether they would be interested in attending the Duleep final, the standard query is: "Will Shubman Gill play?"

Gill, in this case, stands for all the stars of Indian cricket. The Duleep final is from Sept 6-10, and it will be interesting to see that those who are not part of the Afghanistan T20 series starting on Sept 12 turn out at MAC.

That said, the primary purpose of the inter-zonal tournament is to check out the best performers in the Ranji Trophy go head-to-head against each other. The relevance of the tournament, especially after the inception of IPL, has diminished drastically. Yet, it remains a stepping stone for a lot of players.

The tournament's sanctity has been up for debate with the selection process. The BCCI, in the last decade, has often tried playing the tournament with national selectors picking the India 'A', 'B' and 'C' teams.

This year, the board has reverted to the inter-zonal format and has kept the national selectors out of the equation. The result? Delhi opener Sanat Sangwan, who scored 828 runs in seven Ranji Trophy matches, was on Sunday, benched by the North Zone management and instead middle-order batter Yash Dhull was played as an opener. The Central Zone team has only one player from semifinalist Uttarakhand while Madhya Pradesh was the only team from the zone to have qualified for the quarterfinals. There have been a few debatable selections in the South Zone team as well.

Former national selector Devang Gandhi believes that a national selector has to be involved in the selection process if the sanctity of the tournament is to be saved. "When we were selectors from 2016-2021, BCCI had given us the responsibility of picking the Duleep Trophy to maintain continuity in a player's development. If the opener with the highest runs in the country doesn't get to play Duleep Trophy, it defeats the purpose of the tournament. The board must at least ensure one selector from each zone is present in planning their respective zonal teams. Otherwise, politics at the state **** ociation level can crop up. There's no accountability if BCCI selectors are not used," Gandhi told TOI.

"Today we are seeing Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain as products of domestic cricket. If that structure is compromised, then it will be difficult to see such journeys," Gandhi added.

TOI understands that the selection committee has been asking for a greater role

Australia hit back strongly after their shock defeat in the first Test against Bangladesh, winning the second match by an innings and 51 runs in Mackay on Sunday. Mitchell Starc starred with 10 wickets as Australia completed the Test inside two days.
Australia's win created a rare piece of Test cricket history. The Mackay Test was only the 28th Test to finish in two days from the 2632 Tests played so far.

In simple terms, only around 1.1% of all Tests have ended within two days.

The numbers show how rare such short Tests have been. From 1877 to 1946, 15 of the 275 Tests played during the period finished in two days.

There was not a single two-day Test between 1947 and 1999, even though 1,233 Tests were played during those 53 years.

Since 2000, 13 of the 1,124 Tests have been completed in two days.
The Australia-Bangladesh Test is the 28th two-day Test in history. The previous one was Australia's Test against England in Perth in November 2025, which also ended inside two days.

India have been involved in three two-day Tests in recent years.

India beat Afghanistan in Bengaluru in 2018 and England in Ahmedabad in 2021, with both matches finishing inside two days. India's Test against South Africa in Cape Town in January 2024 also ended in two days, with India winning the match.
No.
Teams

#played

NEW DELHI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's much-anticipated Duleep Trophy campaign got off to a disappointing start on Sunday as the teenage batting sensation was dismissed for just eight against North East Zone at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 2 in Bengaluru.

Opening the innings for East Zone alongside Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sooryavanshi began brightly, smashing back-to-back boundaries before his brief stay at the crease came to an abrupt end.

The 15-year-old attempted to continue his aggressive approach but edged Bishworjit Konthoujam's delivery to Joseph Lalthankhuma at gully. The North East pacer had the last laugh with the final delivery of his first over, leaving Sooryavanshi walking back after just six ***** .

WATCH:
North East Zone won the toss and opted to bowl first, giving Sooryavanshi an opportunity to make an impact in a format in which he is yet to establish himself.

The teenager was named East Zone's vice-captain, with Ishan Kishan leading the side, and entered the quarterfinal with considerable attention on him following his exploits in T20 cricket.

However, his first-class numbers remain modest. Sooryavanshi has played eight first-class matches for Bihar and has batted in 12 innings, scoring at an average of just over 17 with a highest score of 93.
133437321
The Duleep Trophy represented a significant opportunity for the youngster to gain valuable experience in red-ball cricket, particularly against a North East Zone side featuring an inexperienced attack.
East Zone boast considerable experience elsewhere in their lineup, with skipper Kishan joined by India pacer Mohammed Shami, Abhimanyu Easwaran, ***** ar Kushagra, Shahbaz Ahmed and Mukesh ***** ar.

Sooryavanshi's inclusion and appointment as vice-captain had nevertheless made him one of the biggest talking points surrounding the quarterfinal.

East Zone will face either Central Zone or South Zone in the semifinal at the same venue from August 30 if they progress.

#north #duleep #trophy #easwaran

Bengaluru: India's Saransh Jain, Manav Suthar, Auqib Nabi and Sarfaraz Khan, who are all in Sri Lanka for the ongoing Test series, are proof that selectors don't deny consistent domestic performers. India's domestic cricketers can draw inspiration from such journeys as they head into the Duleep Trophy, the curtain-raiser for the domestic season, at the BCCI Centre of Excellence from Sunday onwards.

The spotlight will be on 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The Bihar boy has already made his T20 debut after a stunning IPL 2026 season. There have been questions about whether the big-hitting batter has the patience and composure to play in the longer format. His 207 runs in eight first-class matches do not justify his skill set. At this juncture, the upcoming domestic seasons in red-ball cricket ******* ume greater significance.

#Bengaluru #auqib

Duleep Trophy 2026-27: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi miserably fails on debut vs North East zone originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was dismissed for just eight runs on his Duleep Trophy debut against North East Zone.
He struck two early boundaries before falling to a well-set-up delivery from Bishworjit Konthoujam at gully.
His modest first-class average of just over 17 highlights how much this red-ball test still matters for him.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's debut in the Duleep Trophy didn't deliver the kind of statement innings many had expected, with the young batting prodigy managing only eight runs against North East Zone at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 2 in Bengaluru.

#debut

NEW DELHI: "Arey nahi nahi!" Sanat Sangwan bursts into laughter when asked if his father was a fan of Sri Lankan batting legend Sanath Jayasuriya and whether that inspired his name.

The 25-year-old southpaw has been Delhi's most consistent batter in the last two domestic seasons. Sangwan managed only 385 runs in his debut Ranji Trophy season in 2024-25, but his stay at the crease gave Delhi's fragile batting line-up some ******* urance. The only problem was that he was not able to convert his starts. He turned that around in the 2025-26 season, amassing 828 runs at an average of 69, including three hundreds.

Sangwan explained the hard work behind those runs, which has earned him a spot in the North Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy, starting from Sunday (August 23) at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.

"You have to put a lot of effort into preparing for red-ball cricket during the off-season. Conditions are different, and as an opener, it is always difficult while facing the new ball. And sometimes you might have to walk out to bat in the afternoon or sometimes even when the lights are not good. So keeping all things in mind, I prepare more for red-ball cricket during the off-season," Sangwan said in a select media interaction organised by Delhi Premier League's (DPL) franchise South Delhi Superstarz.
"I prefer to go to the nets at around 8 am when there is a little moisture on the wicket. I try to replicate the conditions that I get in matches. I practise a little earlier because the more I practise in difficult conditions, the easier it becomes to adapt. I ask the net bowlers to start with a new ball. Then, after an hour, I give them another new ball. I try to face more new ******* in the nets so that the situation doesn't feel easy for me in a match," he explains his preparation.

While talking about his preparation for red-ball cricket, Sangwan goes into the details of his training and love for the format, and also explains why it gives him so much joy.
"I love this format. From the start, you see the opener go out to bat with the new ball. Then the conditions get better, and then the second new ball comes again. There is a lot in this format. It is a difficult format. It tests your skill, patience and fitness. The result is not in your hands. You can come back at any time. If you take two or three wickets quickly, or have a good partnership with the bat, you can change the game. I have worked a lot on my cricket since I was 19. Red-ball cricket is my favourite format," he says.
Sangwan isn't soothing to the eyes like other southpaws. His cover drives are not as elegant as any other left-handed batters, but he knows how to put a price on his wicket, has a great temperament and his batting mantra is pretty simple: "Tire the bowlers in the first hour."
"In red-ball cricket, I try to select my shots according to what I have prepared. I don't play the cover drive early in my innings. I try to avoid cutting the ball

NEW DELHI: The last time Qamran Iqbal played competitive cricket, it took him nearly 2,800 kms and a frantic 15 hours to get there. Called up at short notice, the 24-year-old endured a chaotic journey that has stayed with him ever since. This time, though, there is no last-minute scramble. Iqbal arrived at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE) four days before the Duleep Trophy, giving himself time to settle in and prepare for the challenge ahead.

READ ALSO: EXCLUSIVE | 'Redemption? No. It was a responsibility': BCCI president Mithun Manhas opens up on J&K's rise
Iqbal is one of six members of Jammu & Kashmir's Ranji Trophy-winning side picked for North Zone, and they will open their campaign against West Zone from Sunday. "My last Bengaluru trip was something else," Iqbal tells TimesofIndia.com.
Six months ago, on February 23, a day before the Ranji Trophy final, Qamran Iqbal was relaxing at his home in Srinagar when, around 3 pm, his phone rang. Jammu and Kashmir needed him in Hubballi, nearly 2,800 kms away, after opener Shubham Khajuria was ruled out with an injury.

The 24-year-old immediately embarked on a cross-country journey, arriving at the venue barely an hour before the toss. Less than 24 hours after receiving the call-up, Qamran produced the innings of his life, scoring an unbeaten 160 in the second innings to steer Jammu and Kashmir to their maiden Ranji Trophy ******* le, defeating Karnataka on the basis of the first-innings lead.
"Everything happened suddenly," he says.

"I left Srinagar that same night. I took a late-night flight and travelled through Delhi and Mumbai before reaching Hubballi. I arrived around 8 in the morning on match day and went almost straight to the ground. A day earlier, I was somewhere else and suddenly I was playing a Ranji Trophy final. It felt a little strange.

"I wasn't feeling pressure as such, but there was some travel fatigue. Still, it was fine because everyone in the team contributed. It was truly a team effort, and that's why we won. It was a dream come true for the entire team. Winning the Ranji Trophy was a special feeling for everyone ******* ociated with Jammu and Kashmir cricket. It felt really good," he continues.
The youngster, who once opened the batting alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal for India Under-19, cherishes the Ranji Trophy triumph but insists it is only the beginning. Having been named in North Zone's 15-member Duleep Trophy squad, he is determined to achieve bigger things.

"I want to achieve a lot more in my cricket career. Winning the Ranji Trophy for the first time made me very proud, and I was happy that I could contribute to the team's success. But this is only the beginning. I want to achieve much more," he says.
Earlier this year, Aqib Nabi, in an exclusive interview with TimesofIndia.com, spoke about how the arrival of P. Krishnakumar as bowling coach helped transform his bowling. Qamran also credits the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket ******* ociation management,

AB de Villiers believes Virat Kohli took India's batting success in overseas Test cricket to another level, while crediting Sachin Tendulkar for first showing that Indian batters could thrive in conditions traditionally considered difficult for players from the subcontinent.

The former South Africa batter and Kohli's ex-Royal Challengers Bengaluru teammate was speaking after India's 165-run victory over Sri Lanka in Galle on Wednesday.

De Villiers acknowledged Tendulkar's pioneering role but argued that Kohli went a step further in establishing himself as an outstanding overseas Test batter.

"I think of someone like Sachin Tendulkar way back, who started that trend for India. Yet, he wasn't as strong as someone like Virat Kohli, who was even better. But Sachin was the first guy to show that as a subcontinent batter, you can do well in bouncy and seaming conditions. Virat took that forward and raised the bar," said de Villiers on his YouTube channel.

Tendulkar remains the highest run-scorer in Test cricket, having accumulated 15,921 runs in 200 matches before retiring in 2013. Kohli, who retired from Test cricket in May 2025, ended his career with 9,230 runs in 123 Tests, placing him 19th on the all-time list.

The statistics, however, suggest Tendulkar still holds the edge when it comes to performances away from home. Of his 15,921 Test runs, 8,705 came outside India, accounting for around 55% of his total. He is also the leading run-scorer among batters in overseas Test cricket.

Kohli scored 4,774 runs in 66 Tests outside India.

The comparison remains in Tendulkar's favour even when the focus is restricted to SENA countries: South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia. Tendulkar amassed 5,387 runs in 63 Tests in those countries at an average of 51.30, including 17 centuries and 23 fifties.

Kohli, meanwhile, scored 3,661 runs in 46 Tests in SENA conditions at an average of 42.08, with 12 centuries and 14 fifties.

De Villiers' ******* sment therefore appears to focus less on the raw numbers and more on Kohli's wider influence on Indian Test cricket. During Kohli's tenure, India established itself as a formidable side overseas, setting higher expectations for performances outside home conditions.

According to de Villiers, that influence has carried into the current generation, with batters such as KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal following the path laid by Tendulkar and Kohli.

"Because of that, there are quite a few players now like [KL] Rahul and [Devdutt] Padikkal, who have started to up that trend and follow in the footsteps of a Virat and a Sachin," he added.

De Villiers did, however, identify overseas batting as an area where Rahul needs to improve. Despite praising the Karnataka batter's technique and importance to the Indian side, he pointed out that Rahul averages only 34 away from home.

"KL is a guy with a sound technique and is a big ******* et in that Indian lineup. But he averages only 34 away f

Devdutt Padikkal marked his return to India's Test setup in style, smashing his maiden Test century during the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Cricket Stadium. The left-hander, who has won two IPL ***** les with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, produced a fluent and ***** ured knock at No. 3 to make a strong case for himself in India's middle order.
Padikkal became only the second Indian left-handed batter in the 21st century to score a Test century from No. 3, after former captain Sourav Ganguly. Ganguly had scored 136 against Zimbabwe in Delhi in 2002.

Overall, Padikkal is the sixth Indian left-hander to score a Test hundred from the No. 3 position. The list is led by Vinod Kambli with four centuries, followed by Ganguly with three, while Salim Durani, Bapu Nadkarni, Ajit Wadekar, Eknath Solkar, Surinder Amarnath and now Padikkal have one each.
Padikkal's century also ended a prolonged wait for an Indian batter to score a Test hundred from No. 3. The last Indian to achieve the feat was Shubman Gill, who scored a century against Bangladesh in Chennai in September 2024. Since then, India had used seven different batters at No. 3 across 19 Tests, with the position collectively averaging just 27.28 and producing only five scores of 50 or more in 35 innings.

The 25-year-old had also enjoyed a productive 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season, averaging 60.33, and carried that confidence into Galle. After reaching his century, Padikkal celebrated with a fist pump and a punch of the air before removing his helmet and raising his bat towards the crowd and his teammates.

India captain Shubman Gill congratulated him in the middle, while head coach Gautam Gambhir applauded from the dressing room. BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar was also present at the venue and joined in the celebrations.

#test #padikkal #Indian #score

India captain Shubman Gill has denied reports of a communication gap between the team management and the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, saying the two sides have remained in regular contact over the fitness of injured players.

Questions were raised after three players initially included in India's squad for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka were ruled out before the series.

Speaking to the media on the eve of the first Test, Gill said the team management had been closely following the rehabilitation of players at the CoE.

"There is a constant communication with them. Unfortunately Sai Sudharsan did not improve as much as we liked as we can't take risks in Tests. But we are confident of our 15 (players)," Gill said at the pre-match press conference.

Gill said the five-day nature of Test cricket meant India could not risk playing players who were not fully fit.

"The Test match is for 5 days. If it's one-day or T20, then it's a different story. But in the Test match, you don't want to take a risk. I feel that in the Test match, you have more opportunities with other players (to come back)."

He explained that players have several opportunities to contribute during a Test, even if they do not start well.

"For example, if you don't play well on the first day, you get another chance. So, the players have more chances to come back. So, keeping that in mind, we were a little disappointed (with Sai and ****** rah)."

"But it didn't affect the morale of the team that much that they didn't get the first 11. I feel that whoever is in our 15 or whoever we give a chance in our playing 11 in any condition, they can play well and win the game," he said.

India will begin the series with Ravindra Jadeja as their only all-rounder, with Washington Sundar still recovering from injury.

Gill backed young all-rounder Manav Suthar to contribute if he gets an opportunity during the series.

"I think that's where someone like Manav coming in. He's got the ability with the bat. Of course, you need a bit of experience, you need some belief and confidence and that will only come once you're out there playing, when you score some runs.

"And hopefully he does that in the series."
133249055

#test #gill #come

India's growing injury crisis has raised fresh questions over the functioning of the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE), with former cricketer Mohammad Kaif expressing surprise that the world's richest cricket board has struggled to recruit some of the world's leading medical and rehabilitation professionals.

The latest setback came with Sai Sudharsan being ruled out of India's upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka due to a toe injury. He joins Jasprit ****** rah, Harshit Rana, Nitish ****** ar Reddy and Washington Sundar on the list of players unavailable for the Sri Lanka series because of injuries.

The repeated injury setbacks have frustrated the BCCI, particularly as several players have had to make trips to the CoE in Bengaluru for rehabilitation. The issue also came into focus when BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia travelled to Bengaluru to discuss the situation with CoE head VVS Laxman.
Laxman, during a press conference, revealed that the BCCI has been facing difficulties in finding the right personnel for the CoE. According to him, the board had approached several candidates, but some potential appointments fell through at the final stage.

The revelation has now drawn a strong reaction from Kaif, who questioned how the BCCI, despite its enormous financial resources, has been unable to bring some of the best medical professionals and physiotherapists into its setup.

"There was a statement from VVS Laxman that they had approached several people. Those things were being worked out, but at the last minute, they turned it down. So, what I am trying to say is that whatever is happening needs to be fixed. I am not an expert on this. The experts appointed by the BCCI need to do their job. But I am telling you that it is having a significant impact," Kaif said on his YouTube channel.
Kaif admitted that he was particularly surprised by the situation given the financial strength of the BCCI and the attractiveness of working with Indian cricket.

"Now, I am surprised because so many people are eager to work with the BCCI. We have so much money that if we call someone, they will come running. They do, don't they? Just look at the players. Players leave their countries' matches to come and play in the IPL. They come, don't they?" Kaif said.

He further questioned why the BCCI had not been able to finalise contracts with leading physiotherapists and medical experts.

"So, I was a little surprised that we haven't been able to work things out with some of the world's best physiotherapists and medical professionals and get them to work with the BCCI. I am surprised because we pay so much. We offer such good contracts. If someone comes and works here, they are bound to make a lot of money. They get paid very well," he added.

The timing of the concerns is significant, with India heading into a two-Test series against Sri Lanka without several key players. The series begins in Galle on August 15.

#BCCI #several #injury

NEW DELHI: Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has opened up about an incident that led to his expulsion from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru in 2000.

Harbhajan, who was among the first group of trainees at the NCA, recalled how he tore up a diet chart after repeatedly complaining that the food being served did not match the prescribed diet. He said the incident was later used as the reason for his removal.
Harbhajan said the NCA had a fixed diet plan for its trainees, but the food served did not follow the chart. According to him, repeated complaints did not lead to any change.

The former India spinner said his frustration eventually boiled over and he tore the diet chart.

"Waha se mujhe nikaal diya gaya. Woh meri galti nahi thi. Main aaj bhi is baat ko khule aam kehta hoon, kyunki woh hamara haq tha. Jo hamara khaana tha, woh achha nahi tha. [They removed me from there. It was not my mistake, I say this openly even today. It was our right. The food was not good there]," the former India spinner said on cricketnextofficial.

"Wahan jo rules aur regulations the, woh yahi the ki humein bahut kuch padhaya ja raha tha, sikhaya ja raha tha. Ek chart lagaya tha, ***** ein tha ki ye diet honi chahiye, expert ki diet ke hisaab se humein woh diet milni chahiye. Lekin woh khaana mil nahi raha tha. [Back then, the rules and regulations were such that we were told and taught a lot, and a chart was put up for the diet. But we were not getting food as per that diet. Despite complaining many times, the food did not improve. So one day I tore that chart. This was my only mistake, that I tore the chart]" Harbhajan said.

Harbhajan said he believed his decision to speak up was necessary because the problems with the diet plan would not have been addressed otherwise.

"But maybe till someone does something like this, things don't change. I was fighting for the rights. If I had not stood up, even today the same diet plan would have been followed. The plan changed, I was also removed, that is a different thing, but it was not my fault. There were some people in the BCCI who did not want someone who could stand up and question them," Harbhajan added.

IDundefined Caption not available.

IDundefined Caption not available.

IDundefined Caption not available.

Harbhajan went on to become one of India's most successful spinners. He represented India from 1998 to 2016 and finished his international career with more than 700 wickets across formats.

He played 103 Tests and took 417 wickets, including 25 five-wicket hauls and five 10-wicket match hauls.

In 236 ODIs, Harbhajan claimed 269 wickets, including three five-wicket hauls. He also played 28 T20Is and took 25 wickets.

#diet #chart

Aug 10 (Reuters) - Tata Consultancy Services has received alerts alleging the ‌possible exposure of certain employee-related ‌data, India's largest IT firm said on Monday, adding that there was no indication that customer data or systems have been impacted.
The information referenced ‌in the alerts ⁠appears to be over-four-year old and limited to basic ⁠employee information, TCS said in a statement, without offering further details including who has issued the alerts and ‌when.
TCS said it has had safeguards in place for over two years against the manner in which this attack was carried out. Its ‌own operational systems have not been impacted, the IT firm said.
"Based on the current ‌review, these controls remain effective, and the Company continues to monitor the environment closely," it said.
(Reporting by ‌Kashish Tandon and Haripriya Suresh in Bengaluru; Editing by Janane Venkatraman and Mrigank Dhaniwala)

#alerts #data #systems

NEW DELHI: With India's growing injury list putting the spotlight on the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE), its head VVS Laxman has pushed back against the scrutiny surrounding the Bengaluru-based facility, insisting that injuries are an unavoidable part of a cricketer's career and that the focus should be on monitoring players rather than finding scapegoats.

The CoE has come under increasing scrutiny in recent weeks amid concerns over rehabilitation timelines, fitness ******* sments and communication between its sports science team and the national selection committee. Several key players are currently dealing with injuries, with Jasprit ******* rah, Sai Sudharsan, Harshit Rana, Nitish ******* ar Reddy and Washington Sundar among those facing fitness concerns.

Laxman, however, defended the institution's broader role, stressing that it should not be reduced to a rehabilitation centre.

"CoE is not merely a rehab centre. There are bigger roles to play for it in helping cricketers achieve excellence," Laxman said at a press conference in Bengaluru on Sunday.

His comments come at a time when the CoE's injury-management programme is under renewed examination, particularly with India set to begin a crucial Test series against Sri Lanka on August 15.
Laxman also refused to attribute India's injury problems to any individual or department, arguing that injuries are an inherent part of professional sport.

"Injuries are part and parcel of any player's career. That's why monitoring system is very critical. And we don't use the term blame then we will be trying to find scapegoats," he said.

The CoE chief pointed towards the facility's monitoring systems and the measures being used to ******* s players continuously, rather than relying solely on conventional fitness tests.

"Yo Yo test cannot be done when a player is part of the series, so we have introduced Bronco test by Adrian, so that the fitness can be monitored continously," Laxman said.

He cited ******* rah and Sudharsan as examples of players whose fitness was ******* sed through multiple parameters before decisions were made on their availability.

"Jasprit ******* rah and B Sai Sudharsan were picked as subject to fitness. We move them from one parameter to other before giving the clearance to play. The communication between CoE and team management is quite seamless," he added.

The comments are significant given the uncertainty that has surrounded the availability of both ******* rah and Sudharsan for the Sri Lanka Tests.

Both players were initially included in India's squad subject to fitness, but the CoE's medical and sports science experts ultimately opted for caution after ******* sing their respective conditions.

Bumrah's absence is particularly significant, with the fast bowler's knee continuing to cause problems after an impact injury. Fluid retention has required additional recovery time, forcing India to prepare for the series without one of their most impo

India injury crisis: BCCI secretary to visit COE in Bengaluru amid fitness crisis in Indian cricket team originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia will visit the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru on Sunday.
The visit comes amid a spate of injuries that has rocked the India cricket team.
Saikia is set to meet Head of Cricket VVS Laxman to review injury management.
The mounting injury crisis in Indian cricket has prompted action from the very top, with BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia set to visit the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The trip is aimed at taking stock of a situation that has left the national side badly depleted.

#BCCI #visit

MUMBAI: In a big blow to India, their in-form No. 3 batter Sai Sudharsan has been ruled out of the upcoming two-Test series in Sri Lanka due to a toe injury, TOI has exclusively learnt.

Sudharsan did not take the flight when the Indian team took off from Mumbai for Sri Lanka on Tuesday (August 4), and thus missed the ongoing three-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka Cricket XI in Colombo, which began on Friday (August 8). Sudharsan's untimely injury could open the door for middle-order batter Sarfaraz Khan, who has consistently done well for Mumbai in domestic cricket over the past few years.

"Sai has been at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru for the past few days to undergo treatment for his toe injury. His injury has almost healed, and he was thus confident that he would be declared fit today and travel to Sri Lanka. However, he still hasn't sufficiently recovered from his injury to be declared completely fit for this series. His recovery may take slightly longer," a source in the BCCI told TOI on Saturday.

It's learnt that the CoE's medical team has now become extra cautious after a few cases emerged, pacer Harshit Rana being a classic example, of players breaking down despite being cleared by the BCCI facility.

The left-hander's injury is a big setback for India considering the fact that he had slammed back-to-back centuries for India A during their shadow tour of Sri Lanka last month. A prolific batter for Gujarat ******* ans, where he opened alongside India's Test captain Shubman Gill in the IPL, Sudharsan is regarded as a key member of the Test side, with India's team management looking to give him an extended run at No. 3. The Tamil Nadu batter has featured in seven Tests and scored 383 runs at an average of 39, with three half-centuries.

However, providing huge relief to India on a day when Sudharsan was ruled out, replacing him at the critical and pivotal No. 3 spot, Karnataka batter Devdutt Padikkal slammed an unbeaten century (103 not out at the time of writing this) and is thus the favourite to bat at the one-down position in the opening Test of the series in Galle, which begins on August 15. Ironically, Padikkal too is a left-hander.
Meanwhile, in a relief for India, it's learnt that India's Test captain Shubman Gill's finger injury, which he suffered while batting in the nets, is "minor," and he will be fit in time for the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. The finger injury forced Gill to miss the ongoing warm-up match as a precautionary measure.

"Gill's injury isn't serious. It's like a bruise you get when your finger gets stuck in the door. He will be fine soon," a source tracking developments told this paper.

#test #series

Former India opener Aakash Chopra believes Bhuvneshwar ******* ar's lack of regular 50-over and first-class cricket could prove to be a major hurdle if he is to force his way into India's plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup.

While praising the veteran seamer's performances in the IPL, Chopra said preparing for a 50-over World Cup requires sustained workload management, something that cannot be achieved by playing only T20 cricket.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra was asked about the World Cup prospects of both Bhuvneshwar ******* ar and Mohammad Shami.

"One thing goes against Bhuvi. I love him to bits, and I want him to play for India again, but when you don't play Ranji, your workload becomes limited. There are a handful of matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. In ODI cricket, you have to bowl 10 overs and field for 50 overs in a match. It's a lot of workload."

Bhuvneshwar has not featured in a first-class match since January 2024 and last played a List A game in December 2023. Despite that, he has enjoyed an impressive run with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, playing a key role in their back-to-back IPL ******* le-winning campaigns.

Chopra stressed that excelling in the IPL alone should not be the basis for selection in a 50-over World Cup.

"It's not easy in a tournament like the World Cup where you have to keep playing continuously. Not only the World Cup, but you will have to be a part of every ODI game from a year earlier. You will have to start playing him from now on."

According to Chopra, if the selectors are serious about including Bhuvneshwar in their long-term plans, they need to bring him back into the ODI setup immediately.

"He is not a bad option, but it will be a mistake unless we give him at least one year to get ready. If you pick someone for the 50-over World Cup based on him bowling four overs in the two months of the IPL and a month of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, no matter how good that person is, it will be wrong."

He also suggested that Bhuvneshwar should feature in the upcoming ODI series and even the T20I ******* ignments if he remains under consideration for the 2027 World Cup.
Comparing Bhuvneshwar with Mohammad Shami, Chopra felt the latter currently has a stronger case because he has continued playing red-ball cricket, including the Ranji Trophy, where he claimed 37 wickets. Shami is also set to feature in the upcoming Duleep Trophy.

However, Chopra maintained that Bhuvneshwar had the better IPL season.

"It's the same thing for Shami, although he has played the Ranji Trophy and picked up 37 wickets. He is going to play the Duleep Trophy now as well. So Shami has a slightly better case to make, but the truth is that if we do man-to-man marking in the IPL, Bhuvneshwar ******* ar is ahead of him in that respect."

Chopra believes the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand could provide a clear indication of India's plans.

"My understanding is that the selectors, captain, and coach

NEW DELHI: Flustered by the frequent injury breakdowns of players in the Indian team, the medical team at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru is looking to resurrect its fitness programme. TOI understands that the CoE is finally working on standardising base fitness parameters after it emerged that the non-definitive customised fitness tests for players were identified as a core reason for the drop in the overall fitness standards.

The Indian team went through a change in fitness testing drills after Adrian Leroux replaced Soham Desai as the strength and conditioning coach last year. It is learnt that the BCCI medical team, which includes the CoE and the Indian team, has struggled to work in sync to ***** s the fitness of players. Since Leroux took over, it was decided that the Bronco test would be the primary test to judge fitness instead of the Yo-Yo test.

The Bronco test, which is a more agility driven test, didn't have a base parameter till now. TOI has learnt that the BCCI medical team has rolled out a figure of 5.15-5.20 minutes as a base figure to complete the ***** orted drills to be declared fit enough to be selected after the debacle in white-ball tour of Ireland and England. Earlier, the BCCI had set 16.5 as a marker to clear the basic Yo-Yo test. The CoE has also set 9-10 minute mark to complete the 2 km running test which is known as the 2K test.
"The Indian players are not used to the Bronco test. Over the last year, the CoE had set different base parameters for players. It has now emerged that certain senior players were given much comfortable targets to meet to clear fitness tests. The CoE staff had also cleared players like Harshit Rana and Nitish ***** ar Reddy to make sure it was delivering players according to team management's needs," a BCCI source told TOI.

TOI has learnt that the team management and BCCI, led by secretary Devajit Saikia, has questioned Team India physio Kamlesh Jain for the repeated breakdowns and overall dip in the fitness standards. The team management is also not happy with players cramping so frequently even in the favourable English weather.

"Kamlesh has been told that he shouldn't worry about any player's stature and flag anything that he doesn't find satisfactory. It has been seen that the mobility of some of the players in the field has been questionable. Senior batters are struggling to push their running between the wickets as they bat longer. The number of slow fielders has increased," the source said.
It has been observed that regular India players have not been prepared for the new fitness drills. For instance, someone like Mohammed Siraj was recently caught off guard by the sudden fitness tests at CoE before leaving for Sri Lanka.

"It is only now that contracted players have been handed the base parameters of the new tests. The Test regulars were caught off guard by the programme given to them at CoE. The players who are not part of the Test team are now starting t

RCB' **** le winning captain Rajat Patidar has been appointed captain of the Central Zone squad for the 2026 Duleep Trophy, with Rinku Singh named his deputy for the prestigious domestic tournament, scheduled to be held at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru from August 23 to September 10.

The leadership duo brings together two of Central Zone's most experienced batters. Patidar, who captained Royal Challengers Bengaluru to back-to-back IPL **** les, will now look to guide Central Zone in the season-opening first-class competition, while Rinku will serve as vice-captain.
Among the notable inclusions is off-spinning all-rounder Saransh Jain, who is also part of India's Test squad for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka. However, Jain is expected to miss at least the opening phase of the Duleep Trophy as he remains with the national team. With Washington Sundar ruled out of the first Test, Jain is among the leading contenders to make his Test debut in the series opener at Galle, beginning on August 15. The second Test is scheduled to start in Colombo on August 23, the same day the Duleep Trophy gets underway.

Central Zone have **** embled a balanced squad featuring several established domestic performers and exciting young talents. Apart from Patidar and Rinku, the batting unit includes Aryan Juyal, Aman Mokhade, Kunal Chandela, Yash Rathod and Ayush Pandey, while the all-round department is strengthened by Harsh Dubey, Arshad Khan and Saransh Jain.

The bowling attack features Zeeshan Ansari, Aryan Pandey, Yash Thakur and Nachiket Bhute, while Aryan Juyal and Kunal Singh Rathod have been named as the wicketkeeping options.
The Duleep Trophy will once again mark the beginning of India's domestic red-ball season, with all matches set to be played at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru between August 23 and September 10. The tournament continues in its zonal format and is expected to feature several Indian internationals and emerging talents from across the country.

Central Zone squad: Rajat Patidar (captain), Rinku Singh (vice-captain), Aryan Juyal (wicketkeeper), Saransh Jain, Aman Mokhade, Kunal Chandela, Zeeshan Ansari, Aryan Pandey, Arshad Khan, Ayush Pandey, Yash Rathod, Harsh Dubey, Kunal Singh Rathod (wk), Yash Thakur and Nachiket Bhute.

Stand-by players: Amandeep Khare, Mayank Mishra, Saurabh Rawat, Bhargav Merai, Kunal Yadav and **** ar Kartikeya.

#patidar #zone #duleep #rinku

New Delhi: On March 27 this year, Saransh Jain posted photos and videos on Instagram, thanking former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh for the valuable lessons he learnt during a five-day camp at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.

In the caption, Saransh mentioned a line Harbhajan Singh told him that touched him the most. It read: "Kuch paane ke liye kuch khona nahi, kuch karna padta hai (To achieve something, you don't have to lose something, you have to do something)." Saransh further wrote: "These aren't just words. They were deeply felt and will stay with me."
Now, months later, the 33-year-old has earned his maiden India call-up.

"He is a very humble guy who knows exactly what he needs to do. I wish him all the very best because this is a special moment for him, his family and everyone who has supported him," Harbhajan told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.

Saransh, who has played extensive First-Class cricket and has been a regular for Madhya Pradesh, impressed the selectors with his consistency during the domestic grind and was recently rewarded with an India A call-up. In his outing for India A against Sri Lanka A, Saransh picked up seven wickets in the two unofficial Tests. In the second match, he claimed six wickets and scored an unbeaten 70 in the first innings, paving the way for India's 10-wicket victory.
"He has worked incredibly hard and spent many years in domestic cricket, which, in many ways, is tougher than people realise. Bowling long spells of 40 or 50 overs across a match teaches you a lot. The more you bowl, the more you learn," says Harbhajan, while lauding Saransh's domestic grind.

Washington Sundar's injury opened the door for Saransh. With Ravindra Jadeja, Manav Suthar and Kuldeep Yadav in the squad, Saransh is the fourth spinner but the lone off-spinner. If he goes on to make his debut, Saransh will become the first India player to debut after the age of 33 since Robin Singh in 1998.

"At 33, he is still young for a spinner, but he now has the experience of bowling to some of the best players of spin in domestic cricket. I am grateful that I got the opportunity to spend four or five days with him," says Harbhajan, backing Saransh to do well.
Over the years, Saransh's flight, dip and high-arm action have proved difficult for batters to pick. Those are exactly the attributes that caught Harbhajan Singh's attention during the specialist camp for off-spinners at the CoE.

"The first thing I noticed was his action. He has a very good action and keeps things simple. He isn't trying too many fancy variations. He has a lot of experience, an excellent seam position and tremendous control. Those qualities make a big difference," says Harbhajan.

"Experience teaches you to trust your strengths and bowl the right line and length consistently. What impressed me the most was his attitude. His mindset is always about taking wickets. Today, many bowlers are focused on simply getting thr