When we reach a swish Bandra restaurant at the exact hour scheduled for lunch with Natalie Di Luccio and Mikey McCleary, we find Natalie already seated there. Mikey, though, hasn't arrived yet, and this leads to inevitable jokes about 'Indian Standard Time'. But to be fair to the New Zealander, he reaches only a few minutes later and immediately hits it off with Natalie, whom he knows from before. But the two haven't met in a while, their individual projects having kept them too busy to find the time. Mikey, 48, is a composer who dabbles in Bollywood projects such as Shaitan (2011) and most recently Ribbon, which released last month. Natalie, a 28-year-old Italian-Canadian, has made a mark in Bollywood too, as a playback singer in films like English Vinglish and Chennai Express. A Hindi video in collaboration with Raghu Ram is also just around the corner. She's recovered from an appendicitis operation only a few days ago, she tells us, and explores the menu with Mikey before they settle down for an engaging conversation.

Mikey McCleary and Natalie Di Luccio at a restaurant in Bandra West. Pics/Shadab Khan

Shunashir to Natalie: How did your relationship with India begin?
Natalie: Well, I remember I was in the library in McGill (a Canadian university where she studied) around 2009 and I had all my songs on Myspace at the time. I don't know if you remember Myspace?
Shunashir: I do remember it.
Mikey: Yeah, I do too.
Natalie: So this is then, okay? And I got a message on Myspace from someone from India, who said, "Hi, we'd like you to come to India and record on this fusion album on the chakras." But the whole thing didn't make sense to me at the time. So, I said, "Thanks; yeah, maybe one day." But I didn't know who that album was by. Long story short, they messaged me again and said, "Can you do some recording for us from Canada?" and I said, "Okay." Two months later, I get back home from school in Quebec and there's a CD in the mail; it's Sonu Nigam's Maha Ganesha album, which is what I sung for!
Mikey: Wow.

Shunashir: Yeah, wow. And how was it for you, Mikey?
Mikey: My relationship with India actually began because I was born here, in Chennai. My parents were missionaries in the country, in Andhra Pradesh. But anyway, let's fast forward. I moved to New Zealand when I was five years old, did my schooling there, got into music, moved to London and got a studio there. And one day, somebody knocks on the door of the studio, some Indian fellow, and says, "Hi, I'm your new brother-in-law." And this guy is Lucky Ali.
Natalie: Oh my gosh!
Mikey: Yeah, but he hadn't released anything then, so he wasn't known as a singer. He had come to do some sort of recording in Watford and said, "Can I come in and maybe, we can do some music together?" So, I said, "Okay, come back over the weekend," and that's how we recorded a couple of songs, Oh Sanam and Sunoh.
Shunashir: ...Which kind of changed the Indi-pop game at that point of time, at least in terms of videos.
Mikey: Right. And the Oh Sanam video was shot in Cairo, at the pyramids. And the woman who was dressed in the purdah, with everyone in India wondering who this person with blue eyes in Lucky Ali's big hit song is — that's my sister!
Natalie: That's so funny, and really cool.

(The food — poached pear and blue cheese salad, grand chicken Caesar salad, meatballs in creamy sauce and pizza American — arrives)
Mikey: Have you noticed how so many Mumbai menus suddenly have watermelon and feta salad?
Natalie: I think it's a Greek combination and you're right, it's everywhere now. But the pizza in Italy (which is where part of her family is from) is totally different from the one we get in Mumbai. They have less ingredients and the main thing is always the tomato sauce. You can tell the restaurant by its tomato sauce.

Shunashir: Have you not taken to Indian food?
Natalie: No, no. It's not that. But I am fonder of North Indian food because I find that it's a little sweeter in general, all your butter chickens and navratan kormas. And I think North Indian food is pretty much what you mean by Indian food elsewhere in the world, right?
Mikey: Well, do you know what the national dish in the UK is?

Shunashir: It used to be chicken tikka masala, but I'm not so sure about now.
Mikey: I think it still is. By "national dish" they mean the most commonly ordered dish in restaurants.
Natalie: I don't know why it is, but when I'm at home here, I don't like having cooked food as much. Maybe it's the weather?
Mikey: Yeah, it could be. You'll also see that countries that are hotter actually have more chilli in their food. That's because it's counter-intuitive. Chilli kind of cools you down, and brings the heat out.
Natalie: It's so funny how that works.

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, current affairs from Mumbai, local news, crime news and breaking headlines here

Download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go

In 1996, when lyricist Nitin Raikwar dropped by on the set of Aamir Khan's Ghulam, on the recommendation of actor and filmmaker Neeraj Vora, it was to craft gimmicky dialogues for Khan's next film, Sarfarosh. "They wanted me to write funny shayaris for one of the characters in the film," he says. The shoot was at Sanpada in Navi Mumbai, and due to a technical snag, the crew had plenty of time to kill. "I noticed that Aamir was relatively free at that point, so I went up to him and requested that he give one of the songs I had written a listen. He heard it, and immediately called director Vikram Bhatt. They both thought the song was unusual but nice," recalls Raikwar. That song was Aati Kya Khandala, eventually sung by Khan himself, becoming a number that would make it to every Bambaiyya Hindi song list after.

Nitin Raikwar, sought to capture the mood of Goa. Pic/Satej Shinde

Raikwar went on to continue to use the slang in some of his memorable songs including Apun Bola Tu Meri Laila from Josh (2000), Excuse Me Kya Re from Style (2001) and the iconic Khallas from Ram Gopal Varma's Company (2002). Raikwar has also worked on children's films, and penned lyrics for Chota Chetan (1998), Jajantaram Mamantaram (2003) and others like Pyar Tune Kya Kiya (2001), Aankhein (2002) and Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon (2003). "I think what worked for me at that point was the novelty factor. People dig variety. For instance, we may love our vada pav, but when the burger made an entry in early 2000, we started queuing up for it. It's the same with songs," he says. These days, Raikwar is working on his debut album for which he has collaborated with Shrikant Ahire, one of Maharashtra's foremost shadow dancers. He plans to release a single from it next month. The song is called Khan Sahab Apne Ladke Ko Sambhal. "I thought I'd write in a manner that people identify with. I can't write in a flowery and larger-than-life way. It's not me."

Apun Bola from Josh, which was written by Nitin Raikwar

Writing in tapori language was a skill that Raikwar developed after he moved to Mumbai from Pune in 1987. By then, he had already tried his hand at singing in orchestras, something his father wanted him to do since he was a successful show organiser. "But I didn't see myself singing in orchestras all my life. I was aware of the risk and struggle involved in Bollywood, but I was adamant to make it," he says. With little money to spend, Raikwar's story reads like that of so many others who move to Mumbai from smaller towns to try their luck. "When a man is struggling, he spends time with people who are like him. So I would sit at chai tapris and talk to rickshawallas, drivers and daily wage labourers. Because I'm talkative and an extrovert by nature, I could strike up a conversation with just about anyone. That's how I picked up the slang," he says. Even when he didn't have projects, Raikwar would write and seek feedback from his friends, some of whom were already working in the film industry as supporting actors. And it's through their assistance that he finally met Anil Kapoor on the sets of Ladla. "I consider that the turning point in my life.

Anil Kapoor felt I had potential and introduced me to directors and filmmakers," he says. Raikwar's first song was Teri Tirchi Nazar Main Hai Jaadoo for Anil Kapoor-starrer Loafer in 1996. But it was Aati Kya Khandala that earned him fame like no other. In fact, it helped him bag a Shah Rukh Khan film soon after. "I remember writing Apun Bola in 15 minutes after I heard the script. I wanted it to reflect Goan culture so I included words like kokum curry. You'll also find words like 'hoinga' and 'karenga', just the way a Catholic aunty would say them," he says.

In 2014, Raikwar had to put all work on the backburner for two years due to an illness. It began with bouts of headache, and he was later diagnosed with subdural hematoma of the brain. "The clots had to be removed through surgery. For a long time, I couldn't work because of the illness. I'm fine now, and hope to get back to what I do best," he says.

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, current affairs from Mumbai, local news, crime news and breaking headlines here

Download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go

London: Dog owners, take note! Your pet pooch may not only comprehend the words that you speak, but also how you say them, a new study suggests.

Researchers have found that dogs have the ability to distinguish vocabulary words and the intonation of human speech through brain regions similar to those that humans use.

Representational Picture

Attila Andics from Eotvos Lorand University in Hungary said that vocabulary learning "does not appear to be a uniquely human capacity that follows from the emergence of language, but rather a more ancient function that can be exploited to link arbitrary sound sequences to meanings."

Words are the basic building blocks of human languages, but they are hardly ever found in nonhuman vocal communications.

Intonation is another way that information is conveyed through speech, where, for example, praises tend to be conveyed with higher and more varying pitch. Humans understand speech through both vocabulary and intonation.

Andics and colleagues explored whether dogs also depend on both mechanisms.

Dogs were exposed to recordings of their trainers' voices as the trainers spoke to them using multiple combinations of vocabulary and intonation, in both praising and neutral ways.

For example, trainers spoke praise words with a praising intonation, praise words with a neutral intonation, neutral words with a praising intonation, and neutral words with neutral intonation.

Researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to analyse the dogs' brain activity as the animals listened to each combination.

The results show that, regardless of intonation, dogs process vocabulary, recognising each word as distinct, and further, that they do so in a way similar to humans, using the left hemisphere of the brain.

Also like humans, the researchers found that dogs process intonation separately from vocabulary, in auditory regions in the right hemisphere of the brain.

Lastly, and also like humans, the team found that the dogs relied on both word meaning and intonation when processing the reward value of utterances.

Thus, dogs seem to understand both human words and intonation. The researchers noted that it is possible that selective forces during domestication could have supported the emergence of the brain structure underlying this capability in dogs, but, such rapid evolution of speech-related hemispheric asymmetries is unlikely.

Humans are only unique in their ability to invent words, they said. The research appears in the journal Science.

Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by mid-day online. This story is taken from a syndicated feed & is published on AS IS basis.

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, current affairs from Mumbai, local news, crime news and breaking headlines here

Download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go

Astad Deboo explores the space at Studio Tamaasha in his show. Pics/Ritam Banerjee

"When you sit inches away from the performer, there could be an initial moment of awkwardness. But then it gets exciting, and a strong bond forms between the audience and the artiste. There is no getting away here," says acclaimed theatre director Sunil Shanbag about the dynamics of performing in an intimate space like Studio Tamaasha, which he founded in April last year.

This Saturday, the viewer-performer relationship will acquire a new dimension as ace dancer-choreographer Astad Deboo takes the stage at Studio Tamaasha to present a solo performance, Liminal: Below the Edge, specially designed for the Versova venue. "Sunil and I go back nearly 40 years. When I saw the space, I found it exciting and it called out to me. I do a lot of site-specific work, but this is the first time I am in such a compact space," says Deboo about the collaboration, adding that the performance deals with the turmoil, unrest and uncertainty we are experiencing today. The music has been composed by Michael Brook, Paul Giger and the late U Srinivas, The venue has a T-shaped stage with the audience seated on either side. Deboo's performance has been created to explore three different parts of the space. "A lot of work that I do is very controlled. If I am raising a leg, the viewer [in an intimate set-up] can see the movement vividly. It's an experience for the audience to see the performer up close," shares Deboo.

Shanbag believes that there is a certain openness to the way the studio can be used. But with Deboo, it was a different experience. "Astad is a master at using spaces. A lot of what one has learnt about space has been from watching him in the past. It felt perfectly natural to ask him if he would like to do something here. And he has the ability to make you see your own space differently."

Sunil Shanbag

How do they view the recent surge in the number of alternative performance spaces in Mumbai? "It is good to see that these spaces have sprung up. I find Sitara Studio in Parel interesting, too," says Deboo, who feels that intimate venues lend themselves well to previews of works in progress. Back from South America, where he and his company were invited to perform at the 25th anniversary celebrations of the festival of the Arts in Santiago, Chile, Deboo is creating a show suited for the Tao Art Gallery space in Worli.

Shanbag calls the development exciting. "It's adding to the richness of the cultural landscape of the city. But it's also a good time to point out that this is all created by the performing arts community, with no support of any kind," he says. "It's an amazing spirit. You go out there, find spaces, and make them performance-ready. Something good has to come out of this."

ON: February 10, 7.30 pm
AT: Studio Tamaasha, Bungalow No 76, Aram Nagar, Versova,
LOG ON TO: bookmyshow.com
ENTRY: Rs 354

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai, National and International news here

Download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go

Mayank Gandhi on ground at rural development projects

The Aam Admi Party (AAP) took the country by storm in 2012 and people believed they were looking at a new dawn. But "leaders are not what they seem like from far. When you go closer, you can see that they have feet of clay. What they project and what they actually are, are two different things", alleged Mayank Gandhi, former AAP leader and a founder member of the party, in an email interview, hours before his book AAP & Down: An Insider's Story of India's Most Controversial Party (Simon and Schuster India), co-authored by Shrey Shah, was released in the city yesterday.

At the book launch in Mumbai. Pic/Bipin Kokate 

Wake up, India
The tell-all was released to mark the third anniversary as the ruling party in Delhi. When we asked the Mumbai-based leader about his reasons for penning it, he said, "The primary purpose was to lay down the bare truth about what happened and how the country's citizens realised that democracy was more than just about voting during five-year elections. It is to also tell the youth who still harbour the hope of alternative politics coming from AAP that their dream is over."

In the book, besides Arvind Kejriwal and Anna Hazare, Gandhi focuses on those who worked behind the scene to shake the nation into consciousness. He elaborated, "As a young man, I had felt the pain of being betrayed when the Janata Party experiment failed, in which I had personally invested part of my life. I was insignificant then and inconsequential. Now, when the youth of the country are being betrayed all over again, I can feel their pain. And this time, I am not so inconsequential and would like to be a medium of letting the people know what happened and how."

A file photo of Arvind Kejriwal at an AAP rally in Delhi

Opportunity lost
Gandhi, who played a key role in AAP's formation, admits that writing the book was a tumultuous journey. From re-living the India Against Corruption (IAC) days to the crushing of dreams, "the only thought that came to my mind was the opportunity that we lost in transforming the nation". Gandhi believes that AAP failed because instead of maintaining the founding principles for which it received extraordinary support, the party decided to indulge in the three Cs — corruption, casteism and communalism — after it won Delhi by unprecedented margins. "This impatience and abandonment of ethics and morals was the biggest mistake it made," he said.

But despite losing focus, the IAC movement has given people the courage to assert themselves before authorities and politicians. "Counter hegemony has started appearing as people have understood the power of standing up to the wrongs," says the man who has decided to focus on development politics, and is now working for the development of rural India, starting with the Beed district in Maharashtra.

AAP & Down, which is a documentation of India's "second independence" struggle according to Gandhi, gives readers a chance to see how power changes man. "People who operate in the name of serving the poor, many a times are serving their personal ambitions and egos," the author said.

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai, National and International news here

Download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go

Shawna Pandya

While the world is already counting Dr Shawna Pandya in the league of Kalpana Chawla and Sunita Williams, the lady in question feels it's all "a bit premature".

Canadian scientist and astronaut, Dr Pandya, is known for her work as part of Citizen Science Astronaut (CSA) candidate with project PoSSUM (Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere) and PHEnOM (Physiology, Health and Environmental Observations and Microgravity) that she has been pursuing for two years now to understand several aspects of outer space, ranging from cloud formation to physiology and microgravity. She was one of the two candidates to be shortlisted from 3,200 people enrolled in the CSA programme.

While she has been working extensively in the field of outer space, and has in the past even worked with NASA, she clarifies that there has been "no announcement, flight assignment or selection of missions" [scheduled to take flight] yet. They will soon head off to a Mars simulation for two weeks though, that will help them prepare better for the mission, as and when it happens.

In a telephonic interview from Canada, where Dr Pandya is based, she tells us, "We are still developing our science and our mission. Our programme has done a phenomenal job of recruiting great candidates regardless of gender, ethnicity and country of origin. In fact, India has better representation in PoSSUM now. It is interesting that there is so much international representation in space programmes. It's not a competition to say, 'I will be the first such and such...' It's only about working with the passion and excitement."

Pandya is now part of a show on Sony BBC Earth titled Astronauts — Toughest Job In The Universe. Ask her what makes her job the toughest and she says, "I think everyone is serious and passionate about their job and consider it the toughest in the universe. This job, however, requires a tremendous amount of dedication and time. It's team-based and there is much risk involved. You cannot afford to let anyone down and that really raises the stakes."

Ever since she was a child, Pandya had been fascinated by space. "I remember when I was in grade seven, I'd read books on astronomy and the universe. I think that's where it all began for me," says the 33-year-old, who works as a general physician. When it comes to the areas that she has dabbled in, it's an extensive laundry list. From a black belt in Taekwondo to baseball, to motivational speaking, to walking the ramp and crooning as an opera singer, Pandya seems to have done it all. Ask her how does she pack in so much, and she says, "When I am asked this, I tell people, 'relax, I'm not doing all this in the same 24-hour period'. The trick is to prioritise what you do with your time, line up goals, set deadlines for yourself and act accordingly."

Pandya shares a deep connect with Mumbai and tries to visit the city once every five years. The last time she was here was last February. "I have most of my extended family here, my uncles, cousins and up until recently, my grandmother. There's no other city in the world like Mumbai, for me. There's so much going on here all the time but there's always something that comes out of the constant commotion. This city is always home away from home for me."

Also Read: Virender Sehwag Pays Heartwarming Tribute To Astronaut Kaplana Chawla

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Representational picture

Mangoes can be used for skin and hair in several ways as they are loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, all of which are good for the skin. Here are some amazing skin and hair benefits of mangoes.

Helps get a glowing skin: Mangoes are loaded with beta-carotene and Vitamin A. For a glowing skin, smear mango pulp on your face and leave it on for 30 minutes. Beta-carotene and Vitamin A present in mango help to revive the dull skin and turn your skin into a radiant one.

Helps fight acne: The beta-carotene in mango helps fight acne. The best time to apply mango pulp is at night. Apply a handful of mango pulp at night and keep it for an hour. Wash your face before going off to sleep. Alternately, boil a raw mango until the water is reduced to half. Use this water as facial astringent for drying up acne naturally. Use the mango astringent regularly on your face to get rid of acne, pimples and scars.

Helps get a fair skin: Beta-carotene in mangoes has a strong anti aging effect. In addition, Vitamin C in mangoes helps rest down collagen. Mangoes are a great way to reduce dark spots, freckles, acne scars and pigmentation. Apply mango pulp during summer to get a clear and fair skin that is free of blemishes, wrinkles, scars and acne.

Acts as a great exfoliating agent: Mango pulp when applied on skin along with glycerine or honey, helps to exfoliate dead skin cells. This, in turn, results in a smooth and glowing skin. Mix one spoon of mango pulp with one spoon of raw milk and two spoons of honey. Rub the paste on your face gently to remove blackheads and whiteheads. You can use mango scrub for removing dead skin cells and bring back the natural glow.

Acts as a natural peel off mask: We are aware of chemical peel off masks available in the market and their benefits on skin. Raw mango pulp is high in AHA (alpha hydroxyl acid) and Vitamin C, both of which are excellent peeling agents. Vitamin A does wonders to your skin and its deficiency can cause dullness, result in open pores as well as lead to eruptions on the arms, elbows and knees.

It is beneficial for hair: The seed of mango (soft part after breaking the outer hard seed) when kept in oil (any) for few days, and then applied, helps you to get rid of grey hair and prevents hair loss. When the same is mixed with fenugreek and yogurt, it serves as an excellent home remedy for dandruff.

Helps to form happy hormone: Mangoes contain a lot of tryptophan, which helps in the formation of the ‘happiness-hormone’ serotonin. A rise in happy hormone automatically cheers you up and brings back the natural glow on your face. Mango is thus called a happy fruit.
With inputs from Dr Apratim Goel, of Cutis Skincare Studio

Also Read: Mumbai Food: 8 Delicious Mango Dishes You Must Try During Summer

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

On the issue of missing emoji characters on Twitter, the micro-blogging platform has rolled out updated versions of its Twemoji designs for its Android users. This update appears to target users using the Twitter app on Android 4.4 KitKat to Android 7.1 Nougat, tech website Emojipedia reported late on Monday.

Over one-third of the users were reported to be still using Android versions dating back to 2014 or earlier leading to the lack of new emoji support.

The emoji implementation has been done using Google-owned "EmojiCompat library" that was created in 2017 to allow apps to support new emojis even on old systems, giving the app developers a choice of not having to choose Google's own emojis.

"At least 50 per cent of eligible Twitter users should now see this change, with the feature being enabled for more users over the course of this week," Emojipedia quoted Bryan Haggerty, Twitter Design Lead, as saying.

Users, however, would have an option to choose between the native and Twitter emoji set. This feature was being tested on select users since March before being officially rolled out.

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

In line with its efforts to help users identify original sources and authentic information on Twitter, the microblogging site plans to add new labels to the campaign accounts of political candidates, starting with those running in the 2018 US midterm general election.

The legitimate accounts of the candidates will be clearly identifiable with a small icon of a government building, Twitter said on Wednesday.

The label will appear on the Twitter Profile page of the candidate and alongside all tweets sent or retweeted by the account, Bridget Coyne, Senior Public Policy Manager at Twitter, said in a blog post.

Twitter is partnering with Ballotpedia, a non-profit, civic organisation that publishes nonpartisan information on federal, state and local politics to help identify the campaign Twitter accounts of candidates once they qualify for the general election ballot for an applicable office.

Labels will begin to appear after May 30 on the campaign Twitter accounts of candidates who have already qualified for the general election ballot for an applicable office, and provided Twitter with consent to apply the label, Twitter said.

Candidates running for state Governor or for the US Senate or US House of Representatives during the 2018 US midterm general election will qualify for the US election labels.

"This will continue on a rolling basis as states continue to hold primary elections and candidates officially qualify for the general election ballot," Coyne added.

"Providing the public with authentic, trustworthy information is crucial to the democratic process, and we are committed to furthering that goal through the tools we continue to build," Coyne said.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Michael Jackson

In the last few days, neurosurgeons Dr Sandeep Mohindra, Dr Manjul Tripathi and Dr Nishant S Yagnick, have all become mini celebrities at Chandigarh's Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGMIR). In between attending to OPD and other hospital duties, Mohindra and Yagnick have been fielding press questions, while Tripathi, currently in the UK pursuing a short course, has recorded a video to offer his version should the media approach. And, all this fuss is thanks to a 683-word paper that the trio submitted four weeks ago to The Journal of Neurosurgery which has been able to answer the question that many generations have pondered over: How did Michael Jackson manage his gravity-defying moves?

Blood on the Dance Floor
Mohindra, 45, and Tripathi, 39, have been working together for the last seven years. While Mohindra is an Additional Professor, Tripathi is an Assistant Professor and Yagnick, a registrar, has been with the institute for three years. Mohindra says the team of neurosurgeons at the institute had been reporting a lot of dance injuries — kids or amateur dancers coming in with spinal injuries from trying to copy dance moves off YouTube videos.

Dr Nishant S Yagnick and wife Shweta are amateur dancers, and regulars at contests and reallity shows

"While our textbooks have mechanisms of injury for certain sports or postures — say if you play cricket, this is the injury you are most prone to get, or this is how you will hurt yourself if you ride a bike without a helmet — not much research has been done in the field of dance. There are people turning on their heads and B-Boying, and when they come in with injuries, we wonder how they fractured these many vertebra in this specific way?"

The study began six months ago when Tripathi called in Yagnick, asking him to participate in a research to understand the bio-mechanics of certain moves. They zoomed in on MJ's anti-gravity lean which debuted in 1987.

Smooth Criminal
In the seventh minute of the video, Smooth Criminal, in which Jackson (then 29 years old), dressed in his trademark outfit, along with a group of dancers, leans forward — without bending his legs or taking any support — at an angle of 45 degrees. For the average human, this range is 20 degrees. "Medical science," says Mohindra, "fails when Jackson starts dancing."

The first thing that the trio found out was that a patent, registered under Jackson's name, made the move partially possible. "Along with fellow inventors, MJ developed a special shoe that had a slot in the heel. The triangular slot could engage a hitch member (a metallic peg, which emerged from the stage floor at just the right time), allowing the dancer to obtain the right amount of extra support to be able to lean forward beyond physiological limits. Alas, MJ's move was an illusionary trick." Yet, says Yagnick, even with this extra support, not everyone can do an MJ.

Dr Manjul Tripathi and Dr Sandeep Mohindra

Yagnick and his wife Shweta are both amateur dancers. While he has taken training in jazz and hip hop, his wife has added ballet, modern contemporary and Indian contemporary, to her repertoire. The couple regularly participates in reality shows, in fact in February they won a Punjab state-level contest. When the research idea was mooted, the couple tried to replicate the MJ lean, but realised that even with the support of the shoes, it was impossible. "We tried the angulation against the wall. Even when we held each other's feet and legs, we could not get his angulation," says Yagnick.

Speed Demon
There was then more to this. While studying various videos and trying to replicate the move, the doctors studied the muscles that come into play. To put it simply, when the human body leans forward, it's the core muscles (or the erector spinae muscles) that act like cables to support the suspended spinal column during the forward shift, preventing the body from toppling over. However, when the body leans further, the weight is transferred from the core to the to the ankle joints, "and strain is shifted to the Achilles tendon". The paper states: "This allows for a very limited degree of forward bending from the ankle joints, while keeping a stiff straight posture — unless you are Michael Jackson. Most trained dancers with strong core strength will reach a maximum of 25° to 30°..."

A] Drawings showing the "antigravity tilt" (>45° forward bend), the dance move introduced by Michael Jackson, in comparison to the normal limit of a human tilt (20° forward bend), as well as the conceptualized shoe designed by MJ and co-inventors. B] Shift of the fulcrum from the sacrum to the Achilles tendon in MJ's antigravity tilt; the pic on the right show MJ do the tilt in Smooth Criminal. Courtesy/Journal of Neurology

What then allowed Jackson to manage what few could? Several years of training and special exercises, not unlike perhaps what sprinters such as Usain Bolt perform daily. "If you see Bolt preparing for the 100 m dash, you will see the same forward bend," says Mohindra, adding, that for the most famous dancer in the world, the idea would have been to make his Achilles Tendon so strong that the two legs could hold his 60 kg weight when he shifted his weight on them. While the average tendon can hold 10k to 15 kg, for Jackson that weight almost doubled.

Heal The World
It could take months for a paper to get accepted by the Journal of Neurosurgery, but the curiosity of the gravity-defying lean is such that the journal's editor accepted it within 24 hours of submission. Not just that. Yagnick says they have been asked to continue the research with other dancers in order to understand where injuries originate and how some people, defy the spine. Hrithik Roshan, for instance, says Mohindra has scoliosis of spine i.e. an abnormal curve. "Yet, he is one of best dancers one has seen. He has, obviously trained his muscles to challenge these bio-mechanics."

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Ameya Davda and Devak Davda at the Sewri facility. Pic/Datta Kumbhar

If there is one problem that most of us perennially face in our daily lives, it is the lack of storage space. But, one man's problem could well be another man's opportunity. Entrepreneurs Ameya Davda and Devak Davda's startup, Space Valet, is a case in point. Their recently launched service aims to be a one-stop storage solution that offers private, lockable and secure self-storage units of various sizes to stash your belongings.

Home away from home
"Think of it as the sophisticated spare closet or stock room you've always longed for in Mumbai," says Davda who along with his cousin Devak came up with this idea when they returned to India after completing their studies abroad. "I was in California and Devak in London, and while we were there, we learnt how popular cell storage is among people. It's a 60-year- old concept and almost a 40-billion dollar industry," he adds. On returning to Mumbai, Davda teamed up with his cousin to launch the startup which they felt would be a good fit in an overcrowded city. They then conducted a survey to find out if people would avail of a service like this. "People are always on the lookout for additional storage space, more so in Mumbai," he says. The top reasons for self-storage rental, he observed, was the lack of storage space at home, temporary storage while moving, and storing things people don't want or need. The most popular things being stored are wedding outfits and furniture.

A walk-in closet

How it works
The process is simple. You either call up the facility or browse the website and find a suitable storage plan. You then order as many boxes as you need, and then pack and label your belongings. "You don't need to move a finger. Our tie up with Movers and Packers ensures a pick-up facility. When you want your stuff back, go online and click on the tab to recall the boxes," he explains. The plan starts from R299 a month and goes up to R11,000. Storage options range from boxes to a large store room. The key to the storage lies with the customer only. Cleanliness and security are common concerns among customers, according to the results of their survey. The facility, therefore, has a designated person to solely look after the cleanliness of the storage space. There's also a 24x7 security and surveillance to keep the goods safe. "We maintain the right kind of environment so that your possessions don't deteriorate over time," he says. Now, the big challenge for the duo is to popularise the concept. "We want to educate people that this is a viable solution to your space crunch."

Where: www.spacevalet.in
Price: Rs 299 onward
Call: 9930832832

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Ojas Adhiya, Nandini Shankar and Abhishek Borkar are poised to strike a chord with young urban listeners in Mumbai

For most youngsters, unfamiliar with Hindustani classical music, 'serious', 'formal' and 'boring' are popular adjectives used to define the genre. For as long as we can remember, Hindustani classical, that has given the world several legends, has been performed in sprawling auditoriums — there's not just discipline in the music, but in the attire and in environment as a whole. How would it be then, to see classical being performed in casuals? Turns out, that's not an outrageous thought anymore. First Edition Arts, a Mumbai-based performing arts company is poised to topple status quo with the sole aim of gathering more young, urban listeners. Under a musical series called Come Together, three young Hindustani classical musicians, will slip into casuals and perform for an audience gathered at Cafe Zoe. Starting June 10, this will be a regular series, one in every quarter. While the setting is all-new, the music won't take the fusion route. The first series will feature Abhishek Borkar on the sarod, Nandini Shankar on the violin and Ojas Adhiya on the tabla. The trio will present an instrumental concert in both solo and duet sets.

Catch them young
"When younger musicians try to strike a rapport with young listeners they take the fusion route. We are saying, you don't have to. This music is so exciting on its own, that the young can be hooked," says Devina Dutt, director, First Edition Arts. Six months ago, they had organised something similar at antiSOCIAL at Khar as an experiment, and they were sold out. "We weren't sure of what to expect. But it was a success." That gave them the impetus to take the idea on a larger scale. "The first two sets will be the sarod and tabla. In the third set, Abhishek will invite Nandini to jam with them on stage. The concert will span a little over an hour — not the standard two-and-a-half-hour performance. Young people haven't even heard classical music and they have discarded it. All we are trying to do, is give them a sense of how exciting and rigorous it is. But, in a short dose," Dutt says.

Abhishek Borkar

The protocols will be relaxed too. The bar will be open before and after the concert, and for 20 minutes during the interval. Food and drink services will be terminated during the performance, but, once served, guests can continue with their meal at their tables. "There was no sense in locating it in a space like this and sticking to the rigidity. But, at the same time the character of the music does require attention, it's not the kind that you can hear in the background," she adds.

Break the rules
Ever since the posters of the concert went out, a lot of Shankar's friends and followers on social media have shown interest. The posters, with their vibrant colours and friendly fonts, could well be mistaken for one for a standup gig. "Any new genre is an acquired taste. Over the last couple of years, I have noticed an increase in my young audience. Young listeners are always looking for something new and because most of them have not heard classical music, it is novel to them. If they are exposed to it, they will enjoy it," says the eighth generation violinist. The set-up, she believes, needs to change because "it is important that it appeals to you at first go. That's why the colourful posters. We need to speak the language they understand," adds the 25-year-old. After the concert, the audience can interact with the artists as well. "The milieu becomes more relatable, it's like hanging out with friends. That becomes easier when the age groups are similar. We want to connect on a personal level. In fact, that's the bit I am really looking forward to," adds Shankar.

Nandini Shankar

Tabla ace Adhiya would love to do a Q & A with the audience as well. "That way we can reach out to them and explain what classical music is all about. If they know a few things, they can enjoy it more. And it will all be done in an informal manner," says the 30-year-old who made it to the Limca Book of World Records as the youngest tabla player at the age of 4. Borkar points out that traditionally, Hindustani classical has always been somewhat "intimidating".

"It can appear too proper, rigid and posh, with its sherwanis and bandhgalas. Sometimes I feel even the artists themselves enjoy this air of exclusivity that further distances them from the audience," says the 25-year-old sarod player, adding that he was thrilled about the prospect of performing in casuals. "That's what I wear when I practice or record in a studio. So, why not at a concert? We are even thinking of getting some people to sit on stage if possible," he adds.

Distraction not a concern
The trio believes that the music will be enough to keep people from getting distracted. "It's a new thing for them too, to experience this kind of music in the given setup. And if someone is quietly eating and drinking at their table, that should not bother me. In the olden days, there would be baithaks in people's homes, where classical concerts would be performed. It's the same concept," Adhiya says. Spontaneity will be the key on D-day; the artists will reach the venue, gauge the crowd and accordingly choose the raagas. Borkar says, "I love getting people interested in an instrument they have not seen or heard before. The idea is that if they don't come to our concerts, why don't we go where they hang out? And just because it's unusual that doesn't mean it's wrong."

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Yashodhara Dalmia with Mashe and his family in the early 1980s. Pic/Maseeh Rahman

When art historian and curator Yashodhara Dalmia first met Jivya Soma Mashe in the early 1980s, the Warli artist had just started working on paper instead of the walls on which his peers and ancestors had for generations. "I found it inventive, brave and fascinating," says Dalmia, who authored The Painted World of the Warlis: Art and Ritual of the Warli Tribes of Maharashtra in 1988.

Traditionally associated with the rituals and ceremonies of the Warli community, who reside in the Maharashtra-Gujarat border, the art form found new horizons through Mashe, who passed away on May 15 in Ganjad village, Palghar. He was 84. On his passing away, he was remembered as the artist who popularised the folk art form, rendering figures on paper smeared with cow-dung or a red background, and nudging Warli into mainstream visual culture.

Mashe's The Fish Bowl

Cultural theorist and curator Nancy Adajania says that it is a misconception that Mashe 'popularised' or 'preserved' Warli. "He did neither. He invented Warli art, as we know it today. He was a pioneer," she says. Before him, there was no "Warli art" as such. In its ritual form, it was practised in the Warli community by its women, not men, who would paint on the walls of their houses, a sacred square with the fertility goddess, surrounded by human and animal forms. "But Mashe wasn't consecrating the goddess in his paintings. He was a witness to his times, using the existing vocabulary of the ritual form and creating a new one," she says.

Cultural historian, prof Jyotindra Jain, who included Mashe in his seminal exhibition Other Masters: Five Contemporary Folk and Tribal Artists of India (1998), says the artist went far beyond the conventional themes of Warli, infusing the form with a narrative quality. "In 1998, Jivya produced an epic work comprising two large paintings on wooden boards entitled: My Life. This work relates to memory — memory of fragmentation and fear," he says.

(From left) Former gallerists Kekoo and Khorshed Gandhy with Mashe (centre) at his 1975 solo exhibition at Chemould Pic/ChemoulD Prescott Road archive

Jain's observation cuts through common misconceptions about Warli being a simplistic 'folksy' art. In My Life, a bipartite work, Jain observes that in one section, Mashe ruthlessly depicts a railway line cutting a village in two, dividing the fields, the river, the families, and the community. The second section depicts the memory of Jivya's first visit to this city, arriving at the Mumbai Central railway station filled with an ocean of people. "Despite the limited vocabulary of thin, linear humans of the Warli idiom, Jivya powerfully characterises each figure, be it a coolie carrying luggage, a policeman chasing a thief, or a monkey jumping on to a roof," he says.

In his paintings, we find signs of modernity — schools, railway junctions, as well as a depiction of the crafty moneylender, observes Adajania. His themes may find growing relevance now, as they did then, particularly through what Adajania describes as 'an environmental ethic' — an interdependence of human beings with other living things. Recalling one of his most famous and captivating works, Fisherman, she says, "A vast cosmic net held by a speck of a human being overpowers the painting. But this is not an expression of a competition with the powers of the divine; instead, Mashe is transmitting an ethic of empathetic coexistence among species, even as he asserts his own artistic agency."

The commercialisation of Warli art these days, says Adajania, is a symptom of a chronic problem faced by these artists. "They are susceptible to exploitation, because there are two unequal economies in our art world — one for the contemporary artist, the other for the so-called folk artist," she says. As a practice running parallel to other contemporary practices, as Mashe's did with the Bombay Progressives, there is the continuing need to give the art form the place it deserves. Dalmia, when she remembers that first meeting with Mashe, says he was living in poor circumstances. He would soon become the first from his community to find recognition, both Indian and international, as an artist.

Mentored by Bhaskar Kulkarni, a senior member of Crafts Board, Mashe had his first solo exhibition in 1975 at Kekoo and Khorshed Gandhy's Gallery Chemould. It was the first time that an exhibition of an artist from an indigenous community was held at a contemporary art gallery. When the gallery shifted in 2010, from Kala Ghoda to Fort, the gallerists decided to bid farewell by revisiting Mashe's works, instead of a group show of any of the other stellar Modernists. "He was not just an artist who transported the ritual tradition into a parallel contemporary form of art, but also a man of vision. He could foresee that this art would convey the daily life of his people and his own life," says Dalmia.

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Nidhi Tiwari (in orange) with her crew

I have always felt that mobility is key to empowerment — especially where women are concerned," says Nidhi Tiwari, an extreme terrain driver. Let us explain her job profile by outlining a few of her achievements — she is the first Indian woman to drive from Delhi to London in 2015, and became the first Indian to drive to the Pole of Cold in North Eastern Siberia in 2016. She also founded Women Beyond Boundaries (WBB) in 2015, which focuses on undertaking extreme overland journeys. Recently, Tiwari led a crew of five female drivers to Upper Mustang in Northern Nepal, and they became the first crew of women drivers to reach Lo Manthang (the erstwhile capital of the Kingdom of Mustang).

With an average height of around 13,000 feet, the area hosts two of the higher peaks in the Greater Himalayas that stand above 8,000 metres — the Dhaulagiri and Annapurna. "No women drivers from anywhere in the world had ever driven up the treacherous road to Lo Manthang. But then, every journey is about pushing boundaries," says the 37-year-old, who has been now driving for 13 years. The women drove from Delhi and entered Nepal via Gorakhpur to reach Pokhara in two days, from where started the off-road section into the Mustang Valley. Mustang is infamous for its non-existent and challenging roads punctuated by numerous streams and nallah crossings. A particular section between Muktinath and Tsarang, though only 36 km, took them eight hours. And then they headed to Lo Manthang, which is located just 50 km short of the Chinese border.

Five women drove the cars to Mustang

Delhi-based Tiwari may have been be well equipped with what such a journey entails but as they drove, major challenges cropped up. Most of the crew were city drivers and they were all learning on the go. "It was a very steep terrain, with plenty of blind corners," she describes. For example, one had to be very careful where they placed the wheel — there were instances where the road had a gorge on one side, and a river bed on the other. "But the way they adapted to the terrain — that transformation was a very big high for me," says Tiwari of her team. This could do with the kind of training Tiwari is known to provide. Her WBB workshops aim to make women self-sufficient as far as driving goes. "It's all about self-maintenance. A woman has to be ready to fix tyres."

Tiwari also chose her crew with care, making sure she had a varied bunch on the trip. There was an academician, a physiotherapist, an IT professional, and an e-commerce expert. "Extreme terrain is seen as a man's forte. We have broken that misconception. It threw the spotlight on some critical gender questions that have hovered around driving, expeditioning and the extreme terrain overlanding space. Along with being the first women to get there, we are also the second set of Indian vehicles to get there. Isn't that something?"

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Pic Courtesy/Saffron and Pearls, Harpercollins India

As a 20-year-old, when Sarina Kamini first learnt that her Australian mother was suffering from Parkinson's, a part of her own Indianness, which her mother had so devotedly brought to the kitchen table at their home in Torquay, died. In a new book, titled Spirits in a Spice Jar (Westland Books, Amazon), Kamini says, it's possibly then that she had "stopped eating Indian food". It's ironic that while she attributes her Indian heritage to her father — he was Kashmiri — it was through her mum that she learnt the traditional family recipes, who in turn learnt how to cook Indian food from her mother-in-law, fondly known as ammi. Cooking these recipes would eventually be a way to heal, helping her make sense of the resentment she felt towards her mother's condition.

If Spirits in a Spice Jar traces the arc of a woman, coming to terms with the illness, another book, Saffron and Pearls: A Memoir of Family, Friendship and Heirloom (HarperCollins India) by Delhi-based Doreen Hassan, recounts how the author, who belonged to a Goan Catholic family, warmed up to her Hyderabadi husband's family and his rich food legacy. Last year, US-based Pakistani writer Bisma Tirmizi revisited her favourite dishes from the subcontinent through a journey of self-discovery of a young, obese girl, in the novel, Feast: With A Taste of Amir Khusro (Rupa Publications).

Doreen Hassan. Pic Courtesy/Saffron and Pearls, Harpercollins India

More writers are now exploring narratives around food, while showing how recipes too, are important to great storytelling. "I set out to tell the story of me, because I was so confused about who I was. I quickly realised that I couldn't understand mum unless I understood her connection to India. From my point of view, the connection was a mix of the material and the mystic [she loves the fashion as much as she appreciates the stories of faith], and food within our family is a real representation of that. Food ties my family to Hinduism through offerings and stories. So I had to write about Kashmiri food. Spices, for me, became the axis point where I could draw all of these thoughts together," says Australia-based Kamini.

Doreen says she started writing the book, with the intention of sharing heirloom recipes she had inherited after marrying her husband, Peter Toghrille Hassan, who is honorary Counsel General for the Russian Federation in Hyderabad. But, as she started work on the book, she "thought it might be interesting for people to know where the recipes came from". "That's how it turned into a memoir along the way," she says. Doreen believes that Hassan family's history is deeply influenced by food, and hence, it was crucial to the memoir too. "When people marry into a family, they often bring their own food traditions with them. It's fascinating to understand it," she says.

Sarina Kamini. Pic Courtesy/Kristy Jane Hoghton

In the book, she writes about the time she struggled with learning to cook, after she and her husband moved to Delhi from Hyderabad, with their two children. She, eventually went back to Hyderabad, and "met Peter's aunt, Zehra Alambardar, whom we called Phuppu Jani, and said, 'Please teach me how to make a few dishes.' She told me that she cooked by andaaz, or instinct. 'Beta, you have to watch and learn. I will make the dishes in front of you, and you write them down.'" That was how Hassan was indoctrinated into cooking.

She remembers the time when her husband invited the famous Pakistani singer Mehdi Hasan, to their home for dinner. "He was to sing at our home, and there would be 100 guests in attendance. I decided to make a Salim bakra, which is an entire goat, stuffed with eggs," she writes. Kamini says her fondest food memory is associated with paneer. "I'd always make sure I was close by when mum or dad began chopping the fresh paneer into pieces; I became adept at stealing bites," she says. Adding, "When I began cooking it for my own two boys, I, too, would have to shoo them away from the chopping block as they made attempts to sneak away with it. This kind of emotional continuity around food is what cements recipes into our hearts."

The Salim Bakra stuffed with chicken and eggs, and served with rice, which Doreen prepared for ghazal singer Mehdi Hasan

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Detroit: Become Human is driven by a melodramatic story set in the US city of Detroit in 2038. The story is told through exploring the day-to-day lives of three androids Kara, Markus and Conrad. How the story unfolds and where it progresses to is all determined by the choices you make while playing these characters. Actions performed affect the people around you and, in turn, affect your interaction with them. There are no wrong or right choices in the game. No matter what you choose, there are people who are going to get disappointed in you.

The story is divided into tiny slices where you play one of the three characters. At the end of the slice you get a story-tree where you can see where the choices you made changes the story and multiple branches where the story could have ended up. The good news is you can replay the game and explore all the different choices. The characters are all-player by actual actors and, needless to say, this game looks amazing, its as close to a real human as a game can probably be right now. The facial movements in the game are well constructed. The world too is carefully crafted with elements of the past integrated with something modern.

It's the way things are now modern integrated with older structures. The three characters you play are also very distinctive and come from different strata of society, giving you a peek of how life might be in the future. Kara for example is an android owned by a violent unemployed man who is bitter about the way his life has turned out, while Markus starts out with a well caring owner that treats him as an equal and Conner is an employee of Cyberlife, the company that makes and sells the Androids and is investigating why the androids are turning into deviants.

The plot is the oldest in the book, which is sad. But the way it plays out and the options you have to make along the way make it more than intriguing. Your choices at times will hurt your soul and that is the object of the game, to make you connect and feel for the choices you make and its consequences. Even the menu narrator doesn't spare you from the emotional drama.

When you start the game, you are greeted by a Cyberlife android that is constantly on screen talking to you. It will make you fill a survey and will slowly and steadily make you feel for it. As mentioned, the core of the game is the story, but there are a few puzzles, some timed single button combat situations also thrown in. But most of the time, especially at the start, you are doing menial tasks: press this to open the door, twist this to wash the dishes and more boring instructions. Even though it was slow and boring, it gave us a window in the life of a robot slave. We wish, however, along with the upgrade in the emotional status they were allowed to do more than just walking to places and activating things.

If we really had to complain about anything, it would probably be the dialogue. It's not bad by any standard, but if it was better, this game could have been something else. Most of the dialogue and reactions are what you would expect someone who just got in to script writing to write. The lines are not crisp and fail to provide a punch, you couldn't or rather wouldn't want to quote any of the characters in the game. If you are looking for a movie experience like no other, Detroit Become Human is perfect for you. It is jam packed with twists turns and is an emotional roller-coaster. Much like a binge worthy series you will want to play this in one go and then repeat till you have explored all options and it doesn't hurt that it looks so good.

Detroit: Become Human
Rating: 4.5/5
Developer: Quantic Dream
Publisher: Sony
Platform: PlayStation 4
Price: Rs 3,999

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Timut
At: The Clearing House, Ballard Estate

Pastry chef Husna Jumani sources timut from the Northeast. Pic/Bipin Kokate

It's not often that you come across a dessert with pepper. It's for this reason that Husna Jumani, head pastry chef at The Clearing House, decided to experiment with the timut, the popular Nepalese pepper, in their Greek yoghurt pannacota. "I had already tried using other varieties of pepper, so I thought timut would be a great addition because the flavour is pronounced. It is spicy, with hints of grapefruit," says Jumani, who sources it from the Northeast.

However, it's an ingredient that can work either way, she warns. "If used with the right combinations, it can elevate the dish like no other. Else, it will overpower the other ingredients." Apart from being a tricky ingredient, it's also an acquired flavour. "When people eat it, they might not recognise it or might not realise it's a spice. It has a spicy yet fruity undertone."

Green peppercorn and krachai
At: Izaya, Nariman Point

When restaurateur Farrokh Khambata launched Izaya last November, it wasn't just a new fine-dining address he was looking to introduce. What he also wanted to do was offer the diner an innovative range of spices. "It gets boring to cook with basil and bird eye chilies, when you are talking Thai food. I wanted to give things an overhaul," he says. He sought recourse in the aromatic, fresh green peppercorn, plucked from the Piper Nigrum vine, and the krachai or Chinese ginger, both found in Southeast Asia.

The green peppercorn is added at the end

At the restaurant, krachai finds its way into a sauce that accompanies the Australian barramundi or sea bass fillet, and the green peppercorn makes an appearance in the yakitori style-grilled chicken. Both are crushed on stone and added to the dish at the end.

Thai ginger. Pic/Bipin Kokate

"Certain spices like kadi patta require oil to bring out their essence, but not these," Khambatta adds. What gives these flavouring agents an edge is their freshness. "When it's in season, we use it fresh, which means that they have a short shelf life. But our dishes won't be the same without them."

Ajamoda
At: Olive Bar and Kitchen, Bandra

The lifecycle of the ajmoda plantsown at the restaurant. Pics/Ashish Raje

A couple of months ago, one of the chefs at Olive Bar and Kitchen, stumbled upon ajamoda or wild celery seeds on a trip to Kolkata. Curious, he decided to plant it and see what comes of it.

"It's only been four weeks since we decided to use it as a brine for the tuna jerky, because of its intense flavour," says head chef Rishim Sachdeva. A well-known Ayurvedic medicinal herb, the ajamoda belongs to the ajwain family and is native to West Bengal. The restaurant sources it from Vrindavan Farms in Palghar.

"We braise it and add it when the brine goes from warm to cold," he says. Interestingly, the guests have taken note. "Those who have tasted the dish have made it a point to tell us that there's something unique about the taste."

Pasilla Oaxaca
At: Xico, Kamala Mills

Chef Jason Hudanish with a range of spices at Xico. Pic/Bipin Kokate

Chef Jason Hudanish wanted to introduce the pasilla Oaxaca at Lower Parel's Xico for more reasons than one. "It's a dark red chill — smokey and fruity with a heat level that is sharp but not overwhelming. Also, it can be used in just about anything — soup, stew, rice or salad," he says. What works against it though, is that it's fairly expensive and not readily available unlike the more common pasilla pepper, a dried chili used in traditional Mexican mole sauces.

The pasilla Oaxaca is produced only in the hilly Oaxaca region of southern Mexico. Here, it is used to make the hearty tortilla soup and borracho salsa, their table side sauce. Apart from pasilla Oaxaca, you'll also find that the achiote, a red paste made from grinding Annatto seeds with oregano, cumin, cloves, allspice berries, black pepper and salt. "It's powerful and pungent. We use it in the slow roasted pork, but warn people before serving it," he says.

Peela Masala
At: All Elements, Khar

The peela masala has been concocted using 12 different spices. Pic/Bipin Kokate

All Elements might be a young, two-month old café, but the cooking techniques it employs are age old. In fact, the peela masala used to spice up the seafood and vegetarian appetisers, is a legacy dating back three generations.

"My grandmother, Harbans Bedi, created this spice mix using 12 ingredients that she would source from local shops in Mazgaon. For me, she's the real mistress of spices," laughs proprietor Gudiya Chadha. The ingredients include star anise, coriander seeds and clove, among others. Understandably, the flavour is strong and hits you the moment you open the lid of the container. "A pinch is all you need. Else, it will overpower the dish."

Gudiya Chadha

Sassafras powder
At: Toast and Tonic, BKC

Pic/Ashish Raje

At Toast and Tonic, most marinades and mixes are prepared in house, using indigenous ingredients. The sassafras powder, therefore, is an exception. Also called a Gumbo filé powder, it comes from a sturdy tree in Louisiana.

At the restaurant, you'll find the powder stored in glass jars. "It is popular for creole and cajun cooking. We use it for both, flavour and texture in traditional gumbo, because it not only thickens the broth, but also lends it an earthy flavour," says sous chef Chirag Makwana. Filé powder is generally added at the end of cooking, or stirred into hot gumbo right before serving. They also sprinkle a pinch on their prawn flatbread for flavour.

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Anand Ahuja and Sonam Kapoor

Remember when a "candid" photograph at a wedding meant pictures of the couple and guests stuffing their faces with food? Well, thank God, that seems to have changed. If the recent celebrity weddings — Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja's, or Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma's, or even Meghan Markle's with Prince Harry — are anything to go by, awww-inducing candids are here to stay. Did we all not drool on those candids from #everydayphenomenal, as the Kapoor-Ahuja wedding was branded on Instagram? We spoke to three photographers who explain the art behind the perfect candid.

'Never doctor a moment'
Anand Rathi, who along with his team at Reels & Frames, is the one who showed us perfect moments from #Sonamkishaadi. Rathi has won several awards globally, and is seen as one of the pioneers of 360-degree wedding films. He says that the photographer has to learn the art of being invisible, and still be omnipresent. "The toughest part is to not stand out but still roam around freely. So we stick to the dress code of the wedding," he tells us, adding that he never likes to over-dose on flash.

Anand Rathi

"You can't doctor a moment. If you missed that perfect moment when the bride smiled at the groom, it's okay. Just be ready to capture the next one." His favourite moment from the Kapoor-Ahuja wedding was when Anand kissed Sonam on the cheek. "Nobody asked them to do that!" In the end, Rathi says that photographer needs to be ready with his equipment, but also a smile. "People always respond to friendly faces."

Log on to reelsandframes.in

'It's not our job to gather people'
THE most important thing to do is get comfortable with the bride and groom. You need to understand them, but even they should know that when they are hiring me, they will get an artistic style, and they need to be okay with that," says Monisha Ajgaonkar, founder and director, The Photo Diary.

The photographer, who has been popular on the on the wedding circuit for a while now, is known for her edgy and different pictures. The JJ graduate started out by shooting a concert she attended to impress a girl she had a crush on, and then diversified when she photographed a friend's wedding.

Monisha Ajgaonkar

"We get all the main shots as candids; we don't really do the 'posey' pictures — a we are not there to gather people around. That's not candid!" Her favourite shot in recent times was when she shot a bride dressed in a Cindrella gown in Kodaikanal. "She was just walking, and I said stop. And, it was perfect!"

Log on to thephotodiary.net

'It's like catching a fish — A hit or miss'
Nikhil B of Tell-A-Tale Studios feels that a good candid is a culmination of many points. "You need to know fashion photography, and also be well-versed with a documentary style. You need to have knowledge of product shots, and how light works. It all looks effortless but a lot of work goes behind it."

Tell-A-Tale was founded by Nikhil and photographer Mamta Kalambe, both visual artists who specialise in wedding photography along with making food videos. Nikhil says that taking the perfect candid is like going fishing — you may get a great picture or you may end up with nothing.

Nikhil B

"It's a hit or miss. The main thing is to remain aware at all times, keep watching without intruding. It's like ice hockey terminology — always have your sticks on the ice. Be ready." His favourite shots are taken usually during the time of varmala, because as he says, he loves "capturing the emotion and excitement that comes when the garlands
are exchanged."

Log on to tell-a-tale.in

Russian and Japanese government representatives met in Tokyo on March 27 to begin negotiations on updating their double tax agreement.

Swiss Federal Councillor Johann N Schneider-Ammann will this month travel to Russia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and the US, with the aim of further developing Switzerland's bilateral trade relations with each country.

Russia's Energy Ministry has announced that changes to the tax treatment of the oil industry will take place, but potentially not until 2019.

Can I Open account with zero brokerage company for share buy/sell.Whether it is safe? Please clarify..

Coronavirus fears have spooked the investors worldwide with BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty falling over 25% this month, in line with many other global indices.

After sharp corrections in three trading sessions on March 9, March 12, and March 16 by 5.1%, 8.1% and 7.9% respectively, the Sensex crashed by an overall 22% this month.

Let's dive a bit deeper and look at how the impact has been on individual sectors...

1. While all sectoral indices are in a sea of red since the outbreak of coronavirus, here's a look at the worst hit sectors since coronavirus outbreak:

   Sector	Since 1 March (%)	Since 1 Jan (%)
   BSE Metal	-30%	-45%
   BSE Bankex	-31%	-37%
   BSE Oil & Gas	-24%	-36%
   BSE Auto	-24%	-36%
   BSE Finance	-30%	-36%
   BSE Realty	-31%	-36%
   BSE Capital Goods	-25%	-33%
   BSE Power	-22%	-32%
   BSE Basic Material	-26%	-32%
   BSE Consumer Discretionary	-24%	-28%
   BSE IT	-25%	-27%
   BSE FMCG	-18%	-22%
   BSE Consumer Durables	-24%	-20%
   BSE Healthcare	-15%	-15%
   BSE Telecom	-18%	-14%

   *Note that prices are as on 19 March 2020
2. As you can see in the table above, metal sector has been hit the worst on year-to-date (YTD) basis. Note that, the sector has been witnessing selling pressure since last two years. The coronavirus situation has only exacerbated the situation.
3. Another sector that is largely impacted is banking and NBFCs. After being the most preferred in the Indian equity indices for over half a decade, things have changed for stocks in the financial sector. In India it is a double blow for financial sector in the form of YES Bank fallout and prolonged slowdown which increased the chances of credit quality deterioration.
4. To put things into context, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were heavily positioned in the Indian financial space, and stocks in the sector witnessed maximum inflows during good times. Downward spiral for financial sector began since IL&FS crisis.
   
   Both, BSE Bankex and BSE Finance Index have plunged over 30% since the beginning of the month.
5. Shares of most hotel, leisure and airline firms have tumbled over 60% year-to-date, as the coronavirus outbreak across the world has forced people to cancel vacation plans. India also stand to lose foreign tourists due to the entry restrictions that have been put in place. And this has meant things getting worse for hotels and airlines sector.
6. Out of the 90 stocks listed on BSE from tourism, hospitality and film distribution segments, only 15 have given positive returns YTD.
7. Another sector that's facing the brunt is the automobile sector. Coronavirus couldn't have come at a worse time for India's auto sector that is battling a prolonged slump in demand. The virus outbreak has added to the pain, hitting production and lowering the demand even further as consumer spending is unusually low. Reportedly, the correction in the auto index is now close to what was seen during the 2008 global financial crisis. BSE Auto Index is down 36% on a YTD basis.
8. The fall in other indices like FMCG, consumer durables, capital goods and IT is relatively moderate as they do not have any direct impact of the pandemic. However, they too have been witnessing selling amid the sharp correction in Indian share markets.
9. Interestingly, Indian pharma has been doing much better than the overall index. Since the beginning of March 2020, the Sensex is down by 26% while the BSE Healthcare index is down only by 15% (till 19 March 2020).
   • One factor is the rupee weakness which has weakened well beyond the Rs 75/$ mark. A weak rupee helps exporters and pharma obviously benefits.
   • Another factor is the spread of the novel coronavirus has led global investors to rush for pharmaceutical stocks recently, on back of a rise in demand for generics and branded generics leading to shortages and over-pricing for drugs.
10. However, as the markets took a breather on Friday, the sectors that rallied the most were BSE FMCG, BSE IT and BSE Oil & Gas indices, gaining over 8% each.

What do you think will be the long-term impact for these sectors? Well, you can let us know by dropping your views in the comments section below.

While most sectors have been falling, our co-head of research, Tanushree Banerjee believes in long term, Indian auto ancillaries, textiles, chemical companies, Pharma R&D contract manufacturers, will all be the major beneficiaries of what she calls the Rebirth of India megatrend.

Also, in times like these, our special report, How to Trade the Coronavirus Crash, will help you get a grip on the current market situation...and figure out ways to profit from it.

This is the most comprehensive report on how to trade the coronavirus, both from a short-term and long-term perspective. I strongly recommend you read it now. Claim your FREE copy here...

Happy Investing!

Working out, washing utensils, watching movies and playing Ludo online -� these are some of the few activities which ace Indian batter Smriti Mandhana is indulging during the lockdown period in place as the country battles the coronavirus outbreak.

In a one-minute 38 second video shared by the BCCI, Mandhana has revealed her day to day activities in order to make sure how she makes the most of the lockdown period currently in place in the entire country.

WATCH📽ï¸Â: Lockdown Diaries with Smriti Mandhana 👊

Workouts, troubling her brother, Ludo & a lot more. @mandhana_smriti reveals how she is keeping herself engaged indoors🏠🏋ï¸Â‍♀ï¸ÂðŸ‘Œ

Full Video 👉 https://t.co/e7EyhdNh3h

— BCCI (@BCCI) April 13, 2020

She is working out as per the training schedule given by Team India trainer. "Staying fit is very important, so I am working out. I keep in touch with the trainer and receive the feedback. He keeps sending us (all Indian players) all the workouts that we need to follow."

"The other thing I like is spending time with my family. We love playing cards. I help my mother with cooking. I guess washing utensils has become a part of my daily routine. However, my favourite pass time is to trouble my brother," said the left-handed Indian batswoman.

"The third thing which is love is watching movies. I am a big movie buff. So, I make sure I watch two-three movies a week, not many because I don't want to get addicted. I want to spend time with my family.

"The best thing which I love doing the most at home is sleeping. I make sure I sleep for at least 10 hours to keep myself happy the entire day," she added.

The star Indian batswoman also urged people to stay indoors during the lockdown. "Stay home, stay safe and keep yourself physically and mentally fit."

India has been in lockdown since March 25, a step taken in order to stop the spread of coronavirus which has so far claimed more than 300 lives in the country. However, with an upstage in number of infected people, the lockdown is likely to be extended further after Tuesday.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

India cricketer Hardik Pandya is not just an entertainer on the cricket field but off it too.

On Tuesday, a video of Hardik Pandya surfaced on Instagram where he is seen entertaining his social media followers alongside fiancee Natasa Stankovic.

In the video that went viral, Hardik Pandya asks Natasa Stankovic, "Baby, main kya hoon tera? [who am I to you]." The Serbian model-actor hesitates for a bit before replying: "Jigar ka tukda [a piece of my heart]" after which both burst out laughing at her accent. Take a look at the video below.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

@hardikpandya93 blood💥💯#hardikpandya #nature #nature #naturalhairstyles #naturephotography #photo #photographer #photography #photooftheday #photoshoot #photographylovers #photoshop

A post shared by hardikpandya_93 🔵 (@hardikpandya_93_blood) onApr 12, 2020 at 7:15pm PDT

Hardik Pandya and Natasa Stankovic's dating rumours began in early 2019. Hardik Pandya shocked the world when he announced that he proposed to Natasa Stankovic on New Year's Day 2020 confirming that they were engaged.

Natasa Stankovic has appeared in many reality shows, most notable ones being, Bigg Boss 8 and Nach Baliye 9.  

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

Indian cricket team head coach Ravi Shastri on Wednesday urged people to beat coronavirus by staying at home and by maintaining social distancing. He termed the virus 'mother of all World Cups' and asked people to combat this disease together and win the World Cup of humanity.

Taking to Twitter, Shastri shared a video post where he cited cricket examples to aware people about the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic. "As I would know, sports teaches you life lessons that can be applied to just about anything you want to pursue in rest of your life. Today the COVID-19 has put us in a situation where we got our backs to the wall. To combat this coronavirus is like chasing a World Cup where you give your everything in trying to win it. What's staring you at the face is no ordinary World Cup. This is the mother of all World Cups where not just eleven are playing but 1.4 billion are in the playing arena and competing. Guys we can win this. For that, we have to observe the basics. You have got your Prime Minister leading from the front ahead of the curve like other countries have farmed out," Shastri said.

Stay Home, Stay Safe! 🙏#Lockdown2 #COVID19 #StayHome #IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/JQTZVib2in

— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) April 15, 2020

"You have to obey the orders that come from the top: be it centre, state or the frontline workers who are risking their lives. Two orders that stand out: staying home and maintaining social distancing. It is not easy but to win the game you got to go through the pain to break the chain and see the gain. Come on, guys! let's do it together. Let us get out there in a bruit force of 1.4 billion and beat this corona and get your hands on the World Cup of humanity. Let's do it," he added.

With 1,076 new COVID-19 cases reported in the last 24 hours, India's tally of coronavirus cases has risen to 11,439, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday.

Out of the total tally, 9,756 cases are active while 1,306 patients have been cured/discharged and migrated. With 38 new deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the death toll rises to 377.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

India women’s cricketer Smriti Mandhana posted this picture to her two million Instagram followers, enjoying lunch with her parents during the Coronavirus lockdown. “Nothing compares to Maa ke hath ka khana and Papa ki kahaniya sunna [food cooked by mom and listening to dad’s stories],” she captioned the post that went on to receive nearly four lakh ‘likes’ within a few hours.

See the full post below.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Nothing compares to Maa ke hath ka khana and Papa ki kahaniya sunna😇🥰

A post shared by Smriti Mandhana (@smriti_mandhana) onApr 14, 2020 at 9:48am PDT

Smriti Mandhana is part of the Indian women's cricket team and is one of the most instrumental batswomen in the team. Smriti Mandhana won the  International Woman Cricketer of the Year in 2019. In the same year, Mandhana also became the third-fastest women's player to score 2,000 runs in ODIs. At age 22, she was also the youngest women's T20I captain for India eves. She has 4 centuries and 17 fifties in women's ODIs.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

Fast bowler Ishant Sharma said that he can't pick between his seven-wicket haul at Lord's in 2014 and the fifer he took in India's maiden pink ball Test against Bangladesh in November 2019.

"Both of them are equally memorable," Ishant said in a video tweeted by his Indian Premier League side Delhi Capitals. "Taking seven wickets at Lord's is obviously something I can't forget. And taking those five wickets with the pink ball also I can't forget because after 12 years I had taken a five-wicket haul."

Ishant's 7/74 was crucial in India recording a historic win at Lord's over England in 2014. It was the first time in 28 years that India had won a Test at the famous stadium.

Ishant's career went through many troughs after that before he resurfaced and became an integral part of the fierce pace battery that Virat Kohli's team now possesses alongwith Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami.

In the pink ball Test against Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens, Ishant blew the opposition away in the first innings and ended up with figures of 5/22. It was his first fifer at home since 2007.

Ishant last played for India at Wellington in their first Test against New Zealand before his ankle injury resurfaced. He was expected to play for Delhi Capitals in the 2020 edition of the IPL but it has been postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

India's limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma has become brand ambassador of 'CricKingdom', a cricket academy based here which will also facilitate coaching through its online platform after the global COVID-19 pandemic subsides.

CricKingdom's online platform "will connect student, coaches, academies and facilities into an integrated ecosystem'. It will help in booking of coaches, ground/nets along with management of academies. "CricKingdom seeks to merge the time-tested theories that has produced legends in the game along with modern scientific training methodologies," Rohit was quoted as saying in the press release.

"The vision is far-sighted and it seeks to make every aspect professional and structured," said Rohit, who is also being proposed to be a Director. The academy also has Mumbai medium pacer Dhawal Kulkarni as one of its mentors. There are at least 20 coaches associated with this venture and most of them have worked at the grassroots and junior level. Notable names include Pradeep Ingale, Parag Madkaikar, Subhash Ranjane and Prathamesh Salunkhe. The coaching on offer is for four categories -- from 5-8 years, 8-13 years, 13 years and above and club and elite level cricketers.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

YouTube is becoming more than just a great ally during the Coronavirus-caused lockdown. On Friday, ace cricket statistician Mohandas Menon stumbled upon something that could force a change in the record books if dug deeper.

Menon happened to watch a Pathe Films news clip of the 1936-37 Ashes Test in Brisbane, where Gubby Allen’s Englishmen were in early trouble against Don Bradman’s Australia on a sticky wicket.

Arthur Fagg, who came in at the fall of TS Worthington’s wicket, is seen being caught by a short midwicket fielder. However, in the scorecard of that Test, Fagg is mentioned as caught behind by Bert Oldfield off Ernest McCormick for four.

Worthington departed, caught by Oldfield off the first ball in the Test.

Arthur Fagg

“While watching the 1936/37 #Ashes series - the 1st Test at Brisbane (4 Dec 1936), I find that England’s Arthur Fagg in the first innings was caught by a fielder at short mid-wicket and not by wicketkeeper Bert Oldfield. But all sources since then, ie in the last 83-and-a-half years have recorded it in the scorebooks as ‘caught Oldfield’. Time to change this error,” wrote Menon on his Facebook page. When this writer asked Menon what made him compare the footage to the scorecard, he replied: “Usually, when I watch old film clippings, I keep the scorecard ready so I can match the unknown players who are batting, bowling or fielding.”

There is a small possibility that the producers of the newsreel may have got the batsman wrong and the scorecard is right, but with Australians being no slouches when it comes to digging up archives (one Aussie recently found coloured footage of Bradman’s last competitive game at the Sydney Cricket Ground in February 1949 in his garage), this case is worth digging up. If the footage is right, will there be a change in Oldfield’s 130 Test dismissals?

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

Team India boasts of a fast-bowling attack that skipper Virat Kohli says he is proud to lead. And the man who has been an integral part of the transformation of a young attack into world beaters is Mohammed Shami. Having started off under former skipper MS Dhoni, Shami is now the leader of the pack under Kohli. While bowlers tend to get slower as a Test match progresses, Shami is someone who gets better with each passing session and has time and again shown that he can be a match-winner in the second innings for Team India. So what is his area of focus when he has that ball in hand?

"I try to ensure that my pace doesn't fall below the 140kmph mark, but my focus is on the seam and swing. I have always tried to make sure that these two things remain perfect. I can bring pace with my physical strength and you can always work on it by doing strength training. But I have always given priority to swing and seam and never for a minute let them take a backseat," he smiles.

"As you keep playing, you learn a lot of things. It is all about following one process after the other. So, when you have learnt one trick and mastered it, you then move to the next one and work on that. In the beginning, I didn't have much idea about reverse swing. But slowly I came to understand what the process of reverse swing is all about and how it can be an integral part of a pace bowler's armoury," he explained.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Australia opener David Warner is making most of the forced break by spending quality time with his family at home as the cricket world remains on a standstill due to coronavirus outbreak. On Saturday, Warner shared a TikTok video in which he is dancing with his daughter on a popular Bollywood track.

The Australian batsman, who this week only joined TikTok, shared a video where he is seen moving his body with her daughter -- who is wearing an Indian dress -- on 'Sheila Ki Jawani'. He captioned the post, "Indi has asked to also do one for you guys! please help me someone."

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Warner (@davidwarner31) onApr 17, 2020 at 11:37pm PDT

Earlier this week, Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan had also posted a video of him dancing with his son Zoravar on a popular Bollywood song "Daddy Cool". "Life is so much fun with this mastikhor insaan! Sachi bolu toh daddy aur beta dono hi cool! Love this little one," Dhawan had captioned the video on Instagram.

Warner also shared a video with wife Candy Warner:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Two battler Tik Tik parents #help us lol @candywarner1

A post shared by David Warner (@davidwarner31) onApr 18, 2020 at 11:37pm PDT

In normal circumstances, Warner would have been currently involved with the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) which now stands "indefinitely suspended" due to COVID-19 pandemic which has claimed more than 1.4 lakh lives across the world thus far.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

Reminiscing the old days, Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya on Monday shared a classic throwback picture with brother Krunal.

In the 2011 photo, the duo are smiling while posing for the camera with a 'desi swag.'

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Throwback to 2011 😅 How time changes @krunalpandya_official Swag mera desi hai

A post shared by Hardik Pandya (@hardikpandya93) onApr 20, 2020 at 6:42am PDT

"Throwback to 2011, How time changes @krunalpandya_official, Swag Mera desi hai," Hardik captioned the post on Instagram.

The flamboyant all-rounder, who was out of the Indian team due to back injury, made a comeback during the South Africa tour of India.

The first match of the series got washed out due to rain, and the series was eventually postponed following the outbreak of coronavirus.

Pandya made his ODI debut against New Zealand at Dharamsala in October 2016.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all sporting action across the world has been stopped including the 13th edition of the IPL.

On April 16, the IPL 2020 was suspended till further notice due to 'evolving global health concerns'.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Former India batsman and Zimbabwe coach Lalchand Rajput has created a training module encompassing both the physical and mental aspects, and is monitoring his players' progress through the use of technology. Like in India, the lockdown to contain the COVID-19 pandemic has been extended in Zimbabwe, too. "We have given a training programme to the players. The activities we have included are the ones which can be done at home like skipping, side to side running and thera bands. We have also included stretching and Yoga activities," Rajput told PTI.

According to Rajput, he shared the training-cum-fitness programme with the team's trainer and Zimbabwe cricket director of coaching, who shared it with the players. "Skipper Sean Williams messages me sometimes about what he does, also one-two others are also in touch with me. Not all players are from Harare (a prominent city)," he added.

Citing an example, he said he has asked the batsmen to follow a simple drill - put a ball inside a sock and hit it indoors. According to the Zimbabwe head coach, there are some players who reside in bungalows and he has asked them to do short sprints inside its premises. "I have asked the trainer to follow up with the players on a day-to-day basis and he informs me on weekly (basis) about the development," he added.

Rajput, who has been a manager with the Indian cricket team, said he has asked the players to also follow the programme given by the psychologist to keep their mind free of any negativity. Rajput has asked the Zimbabwe cricket board to give at least a month's time for training when sporting activities resumes.

"Once the action resumes, it won't be feasible to immediately start the tours as they will need practice," said Rajput, who also thanked Zimbabwe Cricket for providing help. On a personal front, Rajput headed home following the Zimbabwe tour of Bangladesh.

Rajput, who has also coached Afghanistan and domestic teams, is enjoying spending time with his family.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

India captain Virat Kohli has said that he has learnt to stay calm and patient ever since his wife Anushka Sharma has come in his life. The couple met in 2013 and got married in 2017.

"To be honest the patience bit I have learnt ever since me and Anushka met each other. I was a very impatient before," said Kohli on Tuesday as he and Anushka spoke about their lives and careers in an online session with students on how to get motivated.

"The learnings from one another that we have had, looking at her personality, looking at her composure in situations has really inspired me to fight it out. Even when things are tough you have to swallow your ego and keep being there in adversity, keep fighting your way out and eventually you will find a way.

"So that's what I have seen her do and I have learnt from that," he added. The 31-year-old also revealed that once he "howled" through the night after getting rejected by his state side.

"The first time I was rejected in the state selections, I remember it was late at night and I just cried," Kohli said.

"I howled till about three in the morning and I could not believe it. Because I scored well, everything was going perfectly for me. I performed till I reached that stage and I was rejected.

"And I kept asking my coach for two hours, why didn't it happen? And I couldn't make sense of it. But when there is passion and commitment, that motivation comes back to you," he added.

Kohli, who made his debut for Delhi in 2006, broke into the international scene in 2008. Since then he has played 86 Tests, 248 ODIs and 82 T20Is in which he has scored 7240, 11867 and 2794 runs respectively and is now counted among the greats of the game.

He, like other cricketers, is currently enjoying the forced break with his family amid to the nation-wide lockdown in place due to coronavirus pandemic.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Over the years Ajinkya Rahane has faced several bowlers on different surfaces across the globe, but playing against England speedster James Anderson in his home country has been the most challenging task for the India Test vice-captain. While insisting that every bowler in international cricket is challenging, facing Anderson in English conditions was the toughest for Rahane by his own admission.

"(But) especially talking about one particular bowler - James Anderson in England is really challenging. He knows the conditions well. He (Anderson) is the one," said Rahane on an Instachat live chat orgainsed by his employer 'Indian Oil' on Tuesday. Rahane, who has amassed over 4000 runs in Test cricket and has a century in England, the West Indies apart from India, emphasised on the need to be mentally fit during the coronavirus-forced lockdown period.

"(At) this point of time, it is important to be positive mentally. Mentally, I'm visualising my cricketing stuff, batting. As an international athlete, cricketer, it is important to be mentally fit," said Rahane, who revealed that he is a Black belt holder judoka. Sporting activities across the globe, including cricket has come to a grinding halt because of the pandemic. Even this year's cash-rich Indian Premier League has been postponed indefinitely due to the deadly disease, which has claimed nearly 1,78,000 lives globally and more than 640 in India.

Even though he is disturbed by the suffering of people, Rahane looked at the positive side of the lockdown. "First of all, definitely this is a sad thing, which is happening. But, looking at the positive side, I'm getting time to spend with my daughter and family. My daughter is six-and-a-half months old, I'm lucky to be with her," the right-handed batsman said. He also said that batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and tennis ace Roger Federer are his role models and meeting the multiple-time Grandslam champion at the 2015 Australian Open was a fanboy moment for him.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

The COVID-19 pandemic has not just made cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar realise the importance of freedom to do simple things in life. It has also left the record-breaking Indian batsman a bit worried about the impact it will have on his beloved sport.

In an interaction with mid-day over the phone on the eve of his 47th birthday on Thursday, the former India captain said he is expecting the sport to change where the dynamics of shining the ball is concerned. He also felt it will be strange to see matches being played before empty stands when action resumes.

Edited excerpts from the interview:

How do you see cricket when normalcy comes around?

Time will tell. You can't put saliva on the ball so how are you going to shine the ball as much? Those landing marks leave dry patches on the ball. How do you cover that all the time with sweat instead of saliva and still maintain the shine? If you are not going to shine the ball frequently then how will the ball swing? All these elements will come into play, which nobody is familiar with. So the game could change.

To get the ball to reverse [swing], you keep one side dry and then you keep shining the other side. So, how shiny would that other side be will also determine how much the ball is going to swing or reverse. As you keep shining one side, the other side gets automatically lighter.

Cricket boards are contemplating hosting matches in front of empty stands…

It's going to be strange because you are used to having crowds around and that noise, that buzz inside the stadium. When you hit a boundary or a six or pick a wicket, the crowd also becomes a big part of your celebration. You draw energy from the crowd when you hit a boundary. So, all that won't be there and it's going to be strange. It's like watching Wimbledon with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal playing but there are no spectators. It's going to look strange and feel different for sure.

Would you recommend closed-door matches?

This is the government's call, especially the health ministry. We have to follow their guidelines. Whatever they feel is safe should be done. I've tried to do the same things with whatever directives have been given. We have also tried to spread the message on our social media platforms. There are a lot of rumours floating around. It's important to convey the right message to everyone and show them the complete picture because rumours can sometimes disrupt your thought process and make you think otherwise.

How would you have handled this situation in your playing days and what's your advice to youngsters who are eager to be on the park again?

I would continue my training and I'm sure all players are continuing their physical preparations. But sometimes, it's good to give yourself a break after a reasonable long season. So it's good to get that break for a while and then come back to action. There are two elements—batting and bowling. One has to prepare yourself by practising various drills. The other would be to practise mentally by doing visualisation and mental drills. Both these elements coming together from a good combination for preparation. I fully understand that nothing beats being on the field, hitting the ball again. If someone who is thinking otherwise—that this is a period where I can't do much except sit back and relax—those guys will be caught napping.

What has the lockdown made you realise?

The freedom we have to do simple things in life. Like, the last time I met any outsider—that includes my friends—was March 15. So, it's a long time. The most important thing is freedom, the freedom to be what you like and go out, do certain things which you are not able to do now. These are different kind of circumstances, completely unprecedented. I cannot instruct elderly people, so my friendly message to them would be: You wished well for me for such a long time and prayed that I don't get out and stay at the crease. So, my wish for you is, not to get out too—from your homes. That way, you will be safe and secure. So, follow the government's guidelines and let's stay safe.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

India cricketer Krunal Pandya, 29, Instagrammed a fun video, enjoying of a unique version of table tennis with his brother, Hardik in their room.

With their double bed forming a table and a rolled up blanket playing the role of a net, the two brothers are seen using their hands as racquets as they play TT with a soft ball (screengrab above). "#PandyaBros in action in a different sport. @hardikpandya93 and I are always competitive with each other. Who do you think won this round?," Krunal captioned his post that got nearly 40,000 views within a few hours.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

#PandyaBros in action in a different sport 😏 @hardikpandya93 and I are always competitive with each other 🤪 Who do you think won this round?

A post shared by Krunal Pandya (@krunalpandya_official) onApr 23, 2020 at 5:00am PDT

Interestingly, former India pacer Munaf Patel replied with a cheeky comment: "No cheating, KP please."

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has joked that a cup of coffee proved too costly for him and he now drinks green tea instead in an Instagram live chat with wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik. Pandya was referring to the controversy he landed in due to his comments on the television show Koffee With Karan in early 2019.

"I don't drink coffee, I drink green tea instead. I drank coffee only once and proved to be too expensive for me. I can bet that Starbucks would not have such an expensive coffee. Since then I stay away from coffee," he said in the live chat which also featured his brother and fellow all-rounder Krunal.

Pandya was caught in a maelstrom of controversy in early 2019 due to his remarks on the chat show in which he had appeared with teammate KL Rahul. It led to both being briefly suspended from the Indian team.

Pandya has since got engaged and while his return to the Indian team has been hampered by injuries and the ongoing coronavirus lockdown, he is expected to play for the team at the T20 World Cup later in the year should it go through.

He also said that he would be okay with the 2020 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) being played behind closed doors. The season has been postponed after the Indian government extended the ongoing lockdown in the country to May 3 amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"It will be different. We are used to playing in front of them as the feeling of competition comes with the crowd," said Pandya in an Instagram live chat with Dinesh Karthik.

"I've played in the Ranji Trophy without crowds, and it feels different. To be honest, if that [IPL behind closed doors] happens, it will be a smarter option. At least people will be entertained at home," he said.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Former Indian captain Kapil Dev said that his new bald look with a beard is inspired by West Indies great Viv Richards whom he described as his hero and 2011 World Cup-winning Indian captain M.S. Dhoni.

"I had seen Sir Vivian Richards on your Instagram. He is my hero so (I thought) why not? I'll follow my hero. I also saw Dhoni who is also my hero and he had cut his hair after winning the World Cup. So I thought why not, now I have the chance so I did it," Kapil said in a video tweeted by Chennai Super Kings.

Richards respond to the CSK tweet, saying: "Hahaha You took the right inspiration my friend @therealkapildev (sic.)"

Dhoni had famously cut off his long locks after winning the 2007 World T20 and even sported a semi-bald look after winning the 2011 World Cup.

Kapil's bald look with a beard is also quite similar to what Richards has carried for the better part of his retired life. The two have faced off on the field a number of times, most prominently in the final of the 1983 World Cup in which Kapil's rather unheralded Indian team stunned the mighty West Indies and won the trophy.

It was only the third time that the tournament was being held and the first time that a team apart from the West Indies had won it.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh recalled how former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff angered him that led to the southpaw hitting six sixes off Stuart Broad during the inaugural edition of the ICC World T20 in 2007.

Yuvraj slammed six maximums in one Broad over during his majestic 14-ball 58 which ultimately proved to be the difference between the two sides as India won the match by 18 runs.

"Freddie was just being Freddie - he said a few words and I said a few words back," Yuvraj said during a BBC podcast.

"I was just happy the six sixes came against England because I got hit for five sixes by Dimitri Mascarenhas a few weeks earlier in an ODI.

"When I hit the sixth six, obviously the first look was at Freddie but the second look was at Dimitri, who gave me a smile."

Yuvraj also recalled the subsequent conversation with Stuart Broad's father Chris. He revealed Broad senior asked him for a signed jersey for 'almost' finishing his son's career.

"His dad, Chris Broad, is a match referee and he came up to me the next day and said 'you almost finished my son's career and now you need to sign a shirt for him'," Yuvraj said.

"So I gave my India jersey and wrote a message for Stuart saying, 'I have been hit for five sixes so I know how it feels. For the future of England cricket, all the best'.

"Stuart is one of the best bowlers in the world now. I don't think any bowler from India could get hit for six sixes in an over and then have such a fantastic career," he added.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Australia cricketer David Warner has been on fire on social media by sharing various photos and videos on Instagram and Twitter as well as being part of many live sessions on these sites.

David Warner’s wife, Candice is also not too far behind. Quite a social media enthusiast herself, Candice Warner Instagrammed this picture to her 2.2 lakh followers, having swapped costumes with her husband David. “Switching it up on a Monday. @davidwarner31 looking the goods in my old costume #fun #switchitupchallenge,” she captioned her post.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Switching it up on a Monday. @davidwarner31 looking the goods in my old racing costume. #fun #switchitupchallenge

A post shared by Mrs Candice Warner (@candywarner1) onApr 26, 2020 at 10:55pm PDT

Candice Warner's Instagram post received over 30,000 ‘likes’ within a few hours. Candice was a professional Ironwoman and surfer before becoming a model.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

Senior India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin's deal with English county side Yorkshire Cricket Club was on Monday cancelled by mutual consent amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) recently suspended all forms of professional cricket till July 1 due to the pandemic which has wreaked havoc across the globe. Ashwin, who signed for the club in January, was expected to play in the majority of the remaining County championship fixtures. It would have been the 33-year-old's third county stint, having represented Worcestershire and Nottinghamshire in the past.

The club also announced the termination of contracts for its other two overseas players, South African spinner Keshav Maharaj and West Indies batsman Nicholas Pooran. "Firstly, I really appreciate the players' understanding in this matter. We have been in regular contact with the players and their agents throughout this Covid pandemic. They have been extremely professional and appreciate the uncertainty facing counties at present," Yorkshire's Director of Cricket, Martyn Moxon said.

"We hope that we will be able to see them at Emerald Headingley in the future," he added. Maharaj had agreed to re-join the White Rose for their opening two Specsavers County Championship fixtures against Gloucestershire and Essex. While Pooran had agreed a second stint at Emerald Headingley after agreeing to re-join as Yorkshire Vikings' Vitality Blast overseas player for the 2020 campaign. However, with the COVID-19 outbreak forcing a cricket shutdown in UK until May 28, means the trio will not be able to play for the club this season.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

He has been a model sportsman all his life and it was hardly a surprise when Sachin Tendulkar became a guide to the young Prithvi Shaw, helping him deal with life on 22 yards and off it during a rough patch. The 20-year-old Shaw had a sensational Test debut as the second youngest Test centurion from India before an ankle injury and a failed dope test kept him out for 16 months. Some disciplinary issues have also been talked about quite often in Indian cricket circles for some time now. It was at this point that Tendulkar came into the picture and mentored Shaw as he negotiated a very precarious phase of life during which nascent careers can go southbound.

"Yes, it's true. I have had a number of interactions over the years with Prithvi. He is a very talented player and I am happy to help him. I spoke to him about cricket and also about life beyond cricket field," Tendulkar told PTI during an interaction. However, Tendulkar was not comfortable when asked what exactly was discussed during his multiple sessions with Shaw. "I believe if a youngster has approached me and sought guidance, there should be an element of confidentiality attached to it, at least from my side. So, I would not like to tell you what the discussions were," the iconic batsman said. But Shaw, of late, has been very vocal about the guidance he got from the senior Mumbikar.

"That's fine. If Prithvi wants to speak about it, it's his choice." Tendulkar said that he has always been open to guiding youngsters who would seek him out individually. And there are a number of others, with whom he speaks on a one-on-one basis apart from Shaw. "I have spoken and guided a lot of youngsters at an individual level. I have maintained that if anyone feels that I can be of any help in guiding them about their game, I am always open to the idea," the maestro said.

Not only Shaw, even India captain Virat Kohli sought Tendulkar's suggestions as recently as the Pink Ball Test against Bangladesh in November last year. "I spoke to Sachin paaji on the evening of the first day and he made a very interesting point as well. Probably with the pink ball, you have to treat the second session like the morning session when it's getting darker and the ball starts to swing and seam. "So first session you invariably play like you play from lunch to tea in a normal timing Test match, then the second session would be like a morning session and the last session is like that evening session," Kohli, who became India's first pink ball centurion, told mediapersons.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

On Wednesday when the world came together to mourn the death of veteran Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan who died with a colon infection, Yuvraj Singh, who had also made a return from cancer before finally calling curtains on his illustrious career in 2019, opened up about his struggle against the dreadful disease. Talking about it, Yuvraj Singh took to Twitter to say he 'knew the journey and the pain' well enough and paid tribute to acclaimed actor Irrfan Khan.

"I know the journey I know the pain and I know he fought till the end some are lucky to survive some don't I'm sure you are in a better place now Irfan Khan my condolence to your family. May his soul rip," Yuvraj, who starred in India 2007 T20 and 2011 ODI World Cup wins, said Yuvraj on Twitter.

I know the journey I know the pain and I know he fought till the end some are lucky to survive some don’t I’m sure you are in a better place now Irfan Khan my condolence to your family. May his soul rip

— yuvraj singh (@YUVSTRONG12) April 29, 2020

Yuvraj Singh later posted a video of Irrfan Khan from one of the advertisements he appeared for which is quite inspirational and resonates at a time like this. Yuvraj also wrote, "This clip seems like a fitting tribute to the man who thought and inspired so many out there that success is not a hand down, and that if you worked hard enough you will shine against all odds coz talent and hardwork always prepares ordinary people for an extraordinary journey."

This clip seems like a fitting tribute to the man who thought and inspired so many out there that success is not a hand down, and that if you worked hard enough you will shine against all odds coz talent and hardwork always prepares ordinary people for an extraordinary journey. pic.twitter.com/OV6V5sfUSr

— yuvraj singh (@YUVSTRONG12) April 29, 2020

Irrfan, who had been admitted in Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection, since Tuesday, passed away on Wednesday morning.

The actor has been ailing ever since he was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour a while back, and has been under medical attention for the same. He even went abroad for treatment.

Ever since the news of his untimely demise broke on social media, various people from all walks of life came together to pay homage to the late Irrfan.

Besides Yuvraj Singh, other sports stars such as Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, Saina Nehwal, Sunil Chhetri and Virender Sehwag also took to the micro-blogging site to pay homage to the 'Life of Pi' actor.

Irrfan Khan last appeared in the 2020 Bollywood film Angrezi Medium alongside Kareena Kapoor Khan, Deepak Dobriyal and Radhika Madan.

Inputs from IANS

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Batting maestros Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Virat Kohli have made a cut to former Australia batter Michael Hussey's "Best Enemies XI" in Test cricket.

Hussey picked Sehwag and former South African captain Graeme Smith as openers in the batting line-up which consists stalwarts like Brian Lara, Tendulkar, Kohli, Jacques Kallis and Kumar Sangakkara.

The bowling unit included South Africans Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, England's James Anderson and legendary Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.

The left-handed batsman, who played Test cricket for Australia from 2005 to 2013, however didn't included his former Chennai Super Kings teammate MS Dhoni.

"I wrestled with this one between Kumar Sangakkara, MS Dhoni and AB de Villiers. But I think the latter two have got more impact in the shorter formats T20s and ODI," Hussey said while picking the Best XI of opponents he has played against in Test cricket on "The Unplayable Podcast".

"Sangakkara had immense impact in Test cricket," he added.

Hussey played a total of 79 Tests, 185 ODIs and 38 T20Is in which he scored 6235, 5442 and 721 runs respectively.

Michael Hussey's 'Best of Enemies' XI: Virender Sehwag, Graeme Smith, Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Jacques Kallis, Kumar Sangakkara, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, James Anderson, Muttiah Muralitharan.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

India head coach Ravi Shastri and his counterparts with the A and junior teams discussed future plans for their respective sides in an online interaction, making use of their time at home amid a national lockdown. National Cricket Academy (NCA) head Rahul Dravid was the man behind the initiative and senior team support staff comprising Shastri, bowling Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar were a part of this interaction last week.

"It wasn't an online coaching class. You can say it was an interaction where you give ideas and listen to the mindset and plans of other coaches. There has only been one such session but it is likely to be a regular affair," an NCA official told PTI. The online session was also attended by junior and NCA coaches including Paras Mhambrey, Narendra Hirwani, Abhay Sharma and Sitanshu Kotak.

"If senior coaches like Shastri, Arun and Sridhar are also part of the interaction, you are bound to learn something from their rich international experience," the official said. "At the moment, it is a lockdown so it was easier to organise this. It remains to be seen how often it can be done when things are normal and the Indian team is on duty," the official added.

The aim was to bring in more synergy in the work of national teams (senior, India A and under-19). All global sporting activity has come to a standstill due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no clarity when the Indian team will take the field next, having played last in New Zealand in the first week of March.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Australia opener David Warner is making most of the time he is getting to spend with his family due to the coronavirus pandemic which has brought the entire cricketing calendar to a grinding halt. On Thursday, Warner posted yet another Tik Tok video in which he and his wife Candice are dancing on a popular song 'Butta Bomma'. The couple can be seen swaying to the hook steps of the song. "It's tiktok time buttabomma get out of your comfort zone people lol Candice Warner," the Australian opener captioned the video on Instagram.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

It’s tiktok time #buttabomma get out of your comfort zone people lol @candywarner1

A post shared by David Warner (@davidwarner31) onApr 29, 2020 at 11:58pm PDT

The song is a popular number from Telegu movie Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo and featured Allu Arjun along with Pooja Hegde. Earlier this week, Warner had upload a hilarious video featuring Candice in which they are seen switching 'jobs'. The video started with Warner in full kit and his wife virtually kayaking just beside him. Then they switch characters and Warner is seen wearing his wife's swimsuit and she, on the other hand, is in full Australian ODI kit.

Before that, Warner had shared a TikTok video in which he was dancing with his daughter on popular Bollywood track 'Sheila Ki Jawani'.

In normal circumstances, Warner would have been currently leading Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League but due to COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament stands indefinitely postponed.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly is deeply saddened and intimidated by the devastation caused because of the COVID-19 pandemic and has equated the unprecedented crisis to playing a Test match on a dangerous wicket. The decorated former player opened up on life under lockdown due to the novel coronavirus pandemic that has claimed over 2.40 lakh lives across the world while infecting more than 34 lakh people. "This situation is a Test match on a very dangerous wicket. The ball is seaming and spinning as well - the batsman has very little margin of error," Ganguly said while speaking on '100 Hours 100 Stars', an initiative started by Fever Network.

"So, the batsman has to score runs and keep his wicket safe with this little margin of error, and win this Test match," he added. A winner of innumerable fierce battles during his playing days when there was no dearth of fearsome fast bowlers and quality spinners, Ganguly was tempted to draw a parallel between the tough moments in the sport and the health crisis. "This is very difficult, but we hope that we will win this match together," he added. Ganguly expressed his sadness at the number of lives lost in the pandemic and the irreparable damage that it has caused. "I am really upset seeing the current situation, because so many people are suffering outside. We are still struggling to understand how to stop this pandemic," he said. "This atmosphere all over the world has really bothered me. We don't know how, when and where it came from - we all were unprepared for this," he added. Not just upset, Ganguly conceded he cannot help feeling a big scared of what's unfolding because of the disease. "People are being affected by this so much. There have been so many deaths. This situation upsets me, and I also feel scared," he said.

"People come to my house to deliver groceries, food, so I feel a little scared as well. So it's a mixed feeling. I just want this to end as quickly as possible," he added, He said cricket has taught him to face tough situations in life and the importance of staying alert at all times. Asked how he keeps himself positive, the former captain said: "Cricket has taught me a lot. I faced real life, high-pressure situations. You have to make runs and there is just one ball left. "If you make one wrong move, one wrong footwork, you will not get another chance. These kind of situations make you alert and aware about real life situations," he said. The BCCI chief, though, also added that he is getting to spend a lot of time with his family after a long time. "It's been a month into the lockdown. I didn't mind it earlier. Earlier, I wouldn't get time at home like this. My lifestyle involved travelling for work everyday. "For the past 30-32 days, I have been at home with my family, spending time with my wife, daughter, my mother and my brother. "I have got a time like this after long, so I am enjoying myself," he said.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Former India chief selector MSK Prasad listed out the differences between Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma as captains. Speaking during an online live video session, Prasad states the three have altogether different styles of captaincy that has brought so much success over the last few years.

"If you look at fundamental styles, leadership has got so many different styles. These three (Dhoni, Kohli, Rohit) are three different guys and I am sure all three are equally good," Prasad said in an interview uploaded on Fancode app.

"They are three guys who have three different styles. Mahi is absolutely cool, you never know what is there in his mind until it is executed, he's very very cool, and very very accommodative whereas Virat is pretty clear. He's at you all the time, he's very clear in his mind what he wants. If you are talking about Rohit, he's more of an accommodative sort of a guy. He definitely has that empathy towards other players and he thinks from their hats," he said.

Prasad also spoke about the Dhoni's future with Team India. He revealed they had a discussion regarding Dhoni taking some time off from the game and that is why they backed youngster Rishabh Pant in that position.

"We had a discussion and Mahi (Dhoni) didn't want to play for some time. So we moved on and picked Rishabh Pant and we have been backing him. Now KL (Rahul) has also done extremely well in the matches that he played in New Zealand," Prasad said.

"So it would have been nice if the IPL was being played and we would have seen old glimpses of Mahi but now it's a very tricky situation."

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever