Latest news with #Ranji
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Bowled by Jadeja, Bumrah had him...: Karun Nair sparks last-minute concern, gets pulled aside by coach for brief chat
The race for the vacant No. 3 spot is heating up, and the returning Karun Nair could most likely take the spot in the opening game against England in Leeds, which begins on June 20. But ahead of the big game, that could mark his return to the India XI after eight years, Nair was seen in considerable discomfort in the penultimate net session before the Headingley Test. Nair earned his long-awaited comeback following a record domestic season, where he clobbered a plethora of runs in both Ranji and Vijay Hazare Trophy. He then vindicated the selectors' trust with a double century in the India A game, which certainly put him ahead in the race against Sudharsan for a role in India batting line-up. However, a RevSportz report on India's penultimate training session for the Test series at the Headingley Stadium claimed that the 33-year-old was not at his very best on Wednesday. Neither did he look confident against pacers like Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, who troubled him with deliveries outside the outside off, not did he manage to settle against the spinners, who eventually forced him to play a few uncharacteristic shots. He was even clean bowled by Ravindra Jadeja during the sessions. "Nair appeared slightly under-confident in the nets. Starting off at the pacers' net, he struggled against the pace and accuracy of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, who bowled with intensity and control. Deliveries outside off stump caused him trouble, leading to several tentative defensive strokes," read the report. "He then moved to the spin nets, where he faced Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, along with a couple of local Yorkshire bowlers. Nair was dismissed a couple of times, including once clean bowled by Jadeja. In an attempt to break free, he tried a few uncharacteristic strokes — including reverse sweeps. Such strokes do not come naturally to a batter like Nair and one could clearly see that the shots were a result of the frustration building inside him." Matters worsened for the Karnataka batter when a Prasidh Krishna delivery struck him on the ribs. But Nair did not give up. The report further said that batting coach Shitanshu Kotak pulled him aside for a brief chat, after which he showed some improvement by playing straighter. India will hope it was merely an off day for the veteran batter, who has been touted for a place in the India XI for the match against England. The team will have their final net session on Thursday at the same venue. The report also added that the India bowlers had an extended batting session on Wednesday, with the likes of Kuldeep and Bumrah padded up to take on local howlers and a few teammates in Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar.
India Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- India Today
Rohit Sharma gifts Ayush Mhatre signed bat ahead of India U-19's England tour
Rohit Sharma gifted young Mumbai sensation Ayush Mhatre a signed bat ahead of his tour to England as part of the India U-19 squad. Mhatre, who caught everyone's attention with his performances for CSK in IPL 2025, will be captaining the Indian team during their tour of England. The Mumbai youngster is known to be an ardent fan of Rohit and shared an image with the India ODI skipper ahead of the tour. Mhatre was seen posing with Rohit in the Instagram post while proudly holding the autographed bat from the veteran opener. Mhatre also posted a heartwarming message along with the picture, thanking Rohit for his gift. advertisement"A bat, a blessing, and a memory of a lifetime — thank you Rohit da," said Mhatre on Instagram. The India U-19 squad will be touring England from June 24 to July 23 and will play five Youth ODIs and two multi-day games against the England U-19 side. India U-19 Squad for England tourAyush Mhatre (Captain), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Vihaan Malhotra, Maulyarajsinh Chavda, Rahul Kumar, Abhigyan Kundu (Vice-Captain & WK), Harvansh Singh (WK), R S Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, Khilan Patel, Henil Patel, Yudhajit Guha, Pranav Raghavendra, Mohammed Enaan, Aditya Rana, Anmoljeet Singh. What Mhatre said about sharing dressing room with RohitadvertisementMhatre has already had the privilege to share the dressing room with Rohit when the veteran turned up to play a Ranji game for Mumbai against J&K earlier in the year. Rohit replaced the youngster in the lineup for Mumbai, but Mhatre went on to write a heartwarming message to his idol. Mhatre said he started playing cricket while watching Rohit bat and it was an unreal moment to now share the dressing room with him. "Started playing cricket by watching him bat on television to sharing a dressing room with my idol was such an unreal moment. Lots of learning to take forward," said Mhatre. Rohit is now taking a break from the game after announcing his retirement from Test cricket ahead of the England tour. The ODI skipper will next be in action when India travel to Australia for a white-ball tour. Must Watch
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Shedge to lead Mumbai's Emerging Team to U.K.
Promising all-rounder Suryansh Shedge will lead a 17-member Mumbai Emerging team on a four-week exposure tour to the United Kingdom, starting June 28. Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) secretary Abhay Hadap announced the squad and the tour fixtures while spelling out the objectives of the tour at a press conference on Monday. Shedge, who has all but cemented his place in the Ranji Trophy, will have three more teammates — Musheer Khan, Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Himanshu Singh — with Ranji caps for company for the five two-day and four one-day matches against various opponents. 'Most of the players have middle-class background, so it's a huge step by the MCA to organise the exposure trip,' Shedge said. 'I have always been a busy cricketer. I like to contribute with the bat, the ball and in the field. Captaincy has presented me with another aspect to remain involved in the game. I am looking forward to adapting in alien conditions and helping all my teammates to learn as much as we can in these nine games.' Besides competing and training at various venues, the team will also visit Lord's. Shedge, who will tour England for the first time, stressed all the players were excited to relish the experience, 'where we saw the World Test Championship final earlier in the week'. The squad: Suryansh Shedge (Capt.), Vedant Murkar (vice-capt.), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Ayush Vartak, Ayush Zimare, Himanshu Singh, Manan Bhatt, Musheer Khan, Nikhil Giri, Pragnesh Kanpillewar, Pratik Yadav, Prem Devkar, Rishikesh Gore, Harsh Aghav, Harshal Jadhav. Prince Badiani, and Zaid Patankar. Coach: Ramesh Powar; assistant coach: Deepak Patil; manager: Armaan Mallick; physiotherapists: G. Suresh Kumar and Vinayak Parteki; analyst: Shankar Tanna.
Indian Express
7 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Around Town: Inside Girgaon Chowpatty's 100-year-old Café General, which has survived World Wars, seen Independence, and is now a college favourite
If you've ever been in and around Girgaon Chowpatty, chances are you've passed Cafe General — a landmark that has stood for over a century. Once a go-to for daily essentials, it later became a popular tea-and-snack stop, and for the last 50 years, it's been a beloved spot to enjoy a chilled beer and a hearty meal while overlooking the Arabian Sea. And, if you've dropped by in recent years, you've likely been greeted by the ever-smiling, polite Rustom Sheriar Irani — a hospitality graduate and the third-generation custodian of the cafe. Turning the wheels of time In the early 1900s, a young Rustom Sheriar Irani — the current owner's grandfather — migrated from Iran and set up a provision store named Cafe General & Stores opposite Girgaon Chowpatty. Like most Irani stores of the time, it stocked everyday necessities: chocolates, butter, biscuits, soaps, razors, and toothpaste. During World War II, financial pressures forced them to downsize the establishment to its current size. 'My father, Sheriar Rustom Irani, would tell me how they had to shut shop by 6 pm. It became difficult to pay the rent, so they decided to cut back,' shared Rustom. After Independence, the provision store slowly transformed into a cafe. 'My father must have been 18 or 19 when he joined the business. My uncle, Shapur Sheriar Irani, followed soon after. They began serving tea, coffee, samosas, bun maska, mutton pattice, sandwiches — the works,' he said, recalling how regulars would settle in with a newspaper and bun maska. Over time, the duo expanded the offerings and, by the 1980s, turned it into a full-fledged restaurant and bar. Mughlai, Indian-Chinese, and, most importantly, Parsi cuisine became staples. 'They also added an air-conditioned section and an ice cream parlour. I remember coming here after school just for a mango or raspberry duet,' he laughed. Having served generations, Cafe General has built a loyal clientele. 'People often come and share stories — how their parents dined here, then they did, and now they bring their kids along. It's always very nostalgic,' Rustom shared, adding that among them was Jackie Shroff. 'When he was living in Walkeshwar's Teen Batti chawl, he would often drop by for a meal. This was before his modelling career took off. We've also had several cricketers over the years, especially Ranji players,' he added. Let's talk contemporary Rustom's own journey with the cafe began during his college days. As a student at Dadar Catering College, he would stop by for a couple of hours. After graduating, those hours stretched and eventually turned into full-time responsibility when his father and uncle passed away a little over a decade ago. 'I like experimenting with food. I always cooked at home, but after my culinary education, I started tweaking the dishes here,' he said. Take the crispy paneer, for example — now topped with a creamy white sauce, bell peppers, and olives. Sizzlers got an upgrade too: four chicken lollipops over a bed of rice, crowned with a slice of cheese. The menu slowly expanded to include pizzas, burgers, and other fast food items. Among the dishes we tried and enjoyed were the chilli paneer, and the veg shashlik — a colourful medley of batter-fried vegetables on rice, topped with a sweet-and-spicy Indian-Chinese sauce. The cafe also runs a Gupta Kulfi franchise, with their kulfis and towering faloodas being a major draw. Served both inside and from a road-facing counter, these treats are best enjoyed with a view of the sea. The falooda, rich and indulgent, easily satisfies the sugar cravings of two to three adults. Unlike many Parsi eateries that are fading away due to a lack of successors, Cafe General has not only survived but evolved. 'The clientele has changed. Now we get younger, college-going crowds,' said Rustom. Families still come for dinner and on weekends. The interiors reflect this shift. Redone six years ago, the old marble-top tables and bentwood chairs have given way to cafe-style seating. Posters about beer, Harley-Davidson signs (Rustom and his brothers-in-law are biking enthusiasts), and a patch of faux grass with a 'Cafe General' signboard now add to the vibe. Still, one wall is dedicated to the past — with black-and-white photographs of Cafe General and the Chowpatty shoreline. And the menu, while ever-growing, continues to honour its Parsi roots. Their coconut-based curry — mildly spiced and available in vegetarian, chicken, or other variants — is a must-try. So is their salli boti, a Parsi classic: tender mutton in a rich tomato-based gravy, topped with crisp potato salli. Hearty and nostalgic. What's next? 'Hopefully a second branch,' Rustom said with a smile. The plan has been in the works for a while. He's considering locations between Bandra and Andheri, hoping to reconnect with customers who've since moved to the suburbs.
Time of India
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
New fitness plan for Tamil Nadu's Ranji Trophy hopefuls
CHENNAI: In a bid to ensure the Tamil Nadu men's probables for the Ranji Trophy are in the best shape at the start of the domestic season, the Robin Singh-led TNCA Academy and new head coach M Senthilnathan have devised a programme with focus on fitness and workload. As part of the programme, the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) franchises have been requested to let certain players follow the prescribed routine on their 'rest' days. 'After the players join the Ranji Trophy camp around the start of September, I want to use the time to hone their skills, formulate strategies and prepare for the matches ahead. We cannot allot a lot of time just for fitness,' Senthilnathan told TOI. 'We will try to follow the same (programme) at the beginning of the next TNCA first division campaign and during the Buchi Babu tournament (invitational red-ball event hosted by the TNCA). We want to set a base and gradually improve the players' fitness so that they report fully fit before the domestic season,' Senthilnathan added. Senthilnathan, who replaced L Balaji at the helm, said that the TNPL franchises have considered the bigger picture – TN performing well in domestic tournaments – and have been 'cooperative'. The first leg of the TNPL concluded on Wednesday in Coimbatore, while the second phase will begin on Friday in Salem. 'The TNCA had a summer camp for about 40 boys. The selectors then prepared a list of other boys, including the regulars. The plan is to monitor them during the TNPL. We have been in touch with the teams, players and coaches,' Senthilnathan said. 'On an average, the players have three days in between the TNPL matches, and we want them to make the best use of those. We have asked the players to follow the routine on certain days. While the TNCA Academy trainers have created a fitness routine, I have prepared a workload plan for batters and bowlers.' For Senthilnathan, 'volume' is key. 'A batter may face a maximum of 300 balls during the course of the TNPL. We do not know the number of balls he plays in training. Similarly, the fast bowlers will not have enough overs under their belt. When they are asked to suddenly bowl about 15 overs in a day (in a Ranji match), they struggle and get injured sometimes. We do not want such things to happen,' Senthilnathan explained. No Ranji group games at Chepauk The MA Chidambaram Stadium will not host any Ranji group games due to outfield renovation. 'Until the end of the T20 World Cup next year, there will be no other matches at Chepauk. The renovation work will get over in January and the TNCA will then have to hand over the venue to the ICC,' said a TNCA source. It means that the MAC stadium will miss out on Ranji group matches for the second season in a row. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
