Above: A new sticker to accompany my new pin! For worthwhile and obvious reasons, Emerald City Comic Con was cancelled this past week. (It’s been tentatively rescheduled for August.) So, like many folks for whom that convention is a tentpole of their business year, I did all the usual prep for the show, but didn’t […]

His 1955 song Tutti Frutti, with the lyric ‘awopbopaloobop alopbamboom’, and a series of follow-up records helped establish the genre and influence a multitude of other musicians

Little Richard, one of the pioneers of the first wave of rock’n’roll, has died. He was 87.

Richard – whose real name was Richard Penniman – had been in poor health for several years, suffering hip problems, a stroke and a heart attack.

Epidemiologists use the term to describe tragic excess deaths – but for Covid-19 it seems to be the de facto government policy

There’s a term we use in epidemiology to capture the essence of increases in deaths, or excess mortality, above and beyond normal expectations: “harvesting”. During heatwaves, or a bad season of influenza, additional deaths above what would be normally seen in the population fit this description. Harvesting usually affects older people and those who are already sick. Generally, it is viewed as a tragic, unfortunate, but largely unpreventable consequence of natural events. It carries with it connotations of an acceptable loss of life. It is, in a sense, what happens as part of a normal life in normal times. But the word also has darker connotations: those of sacrifice, reaping, culling. As such, while it may appear in textbooks of epidemiology, it doesn’t occur in national influenza strategic plans or national discourse. The concept of harvesting is restricted to epidemiological circles.

But what if politicians promote the notion of harvesting (while declining to use the term) where it is not a “natural” consequence of events but a direct consequence of government policy? What if the medical and nursing world do not accept harvesting in these circumstances? What if a policy that results in harvesting cannot be articulated because it is unacceptable to the broader population? This is where we have got to with the coronavirus pandemic. Nowhere better exemplifies this tension between a policy and its popular acceptance than the effects of coronavirus in nursing homes.

Would-be cyclists keen to exercise during the lockdown have cleared stores of their stock

Isabel had not ridden a bike since university 10 years ago when lockdown motivated her to seek out two wheels. But half a dozen cycle shops in south London gave her the same answer: no chance. We’re out of stock.

One or two said they could sell her a high-spec racing bike for a price in the region of £1,000. The others advised her to place an order, wait a couple of weeks for the bicycle to be delivered from the manufacturer, then another week or so for it to be built by the store. And there was no option to try before buying.

Latest figures from public health authorities on the spread of Covid-19 in the United Kingdom. Find out how many confirmed cases have been reported in each of England’s local authorities

• Coronavirus - live news updates
• Find all our coronavirus coverage here
• How to protect yourself from infection

Please note: these are government figures on numbers of confirmed cases – some people who report symptoms are not being tested, and are not included in these counts.

Can't think of a better way to keep oneself entertained while on a road trip, with a buddy. This is just a great portrayal of the friendship between Richard Hammond and James May. 

People from an ethnic minority are disproportionately affected by covid-19. Researchers say the reasons are rooted in existing social and healthcare inequalities

Demand for milk has dropped with the closure of cafes and restaurants during the coronavirus crisis.

The self-styled "king and queen of rock 'n' roll" - who inspired Elvis and The Beatles - dies at 87.

DESIGN WAS so much easier before I had clients. I assigned myself projects with no requirements, no schedule, no budget, no constraints. By most definitions, what I did wasn’t even design—except that it ended up creating new things, some of which still exist on the web. Soon I had requirements, schedules, and constraints, but most […]

The post Design is a (hard) job. appeared first on Zeldman on Web & Interaction Design.

Having done actioners like "Force", the "Commando" franchise and "Junglee", actor Vidyut Jammwal, who is known for his high-octane stunts on screen, says his next "Khuda Hafiz" is a hardcore romantic film.

"'Khuda Hafiz' is a romantic movie. It's a true story of a man who is madly in love with his wife, and gets married in 2009 during the recession. They go abroad and get a job. (The story is about) how this girl gets picked up and how the guy gets her back. It's a hardcore, true romantic movie with a little action," Vidyut told IANS.

The shooting of the film has taken place in Uzbekistan, Mumbai and Lucknow.

Directed by Faruk Kabir, the romantic-action-thriller co-stars Shivaleeka Oberoi, who recently made her debut in "Yeh Saali Aashiqui", opposite late Amrish Puri's grandson Vardhan Puri.

The film is produced by Kumar Mangat Pathak and Abhishek Pathak and co-produced by Sanjeev Joshi, Aditya Chowksey and Murlidhar Chhatwani. It will be distributed pan-India by Anand Pandit Motion Pictures and Panorama Films.

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While the COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), the Navi Mumbai police department is having a tough time dealing with rumours. In last four days, rumours claiming Janta Curfew or a complete lockdown resulted in a panic-like situation in various parts of Navi Mumbai. However, alert cops managed to tackle the misinformation by alerting the citizens and booked two people.

Despite the systematic management and strategy, COVID-19 cases in NMMC and Panvel Municipal Corporation area are on the rise with more than 250 cases in Navi Mumbai Police Commissionerate area.

"On the night of April 27, a message was posted on a WhatsApp group that, as cases of Coronavirus had increased in Kamothe, to break the chain, a complete lockdown or Janta Curfew was announced from April 30 to May 3. The message further said that only medical shops and hospitals would function," an officer from Kamothe police station said.

"A police officer was part of the group who alerted us and we immediately started verifying the message which was fake. So we summoned the group admins Amol Shitole and Ganesh Shinde, who were questioned and booked," added the officer.

But as a result of the message, on April 28, several residents came out to buy groceries and other household items. To contain the situation, cops went to every shop and stores to assure people.

The same panic-like situation was observed at Kopar Khairane and Juinagar on Wednesday, after the same message with the name of 'Corona Nirmulan Samiti' went viral – with the only difference being the location. As soon as the message went viral, grocery stores ran dry within a few hours. "We don't know the origin of these messages. But some people deliberately spread such messages, which not only spreads panic but also hampers our tireless work of almost a month" a senior police officer said.

Speaking with mid-day, Sanjay Kumar, Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner said, "We have noticed the spread of messages in the social media groups of non-existent curfew and are dealing strongly with such rumour mongers. People should keep track of official accounts and words about such important decisions."

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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday night amended its previous order and allowed reopening of standalone electronics and hardware shops in the city during the coronavirus-enforced lockdown. Civic commissioner Praveen Pardeshi said there was an urgent need to keep such shops open to some extent. "It has been observed that many essential and life- saving medical equipment, IT systems related to health systems and machines,vehicles are in a state of disrepair due to closing down of electronics and hardware shops.

"Hence, there was an urgent need to keep such shops open to some extent," read the BMC's amended order signed by Pardeshi. Pardeshi directed all assistant commissioners of wards to permit one standalone electronic and hardware shop on each road to remain open during the lockdown. According to BMC officials, in view of the order some electronics and hardware shops could be opened from Thursday.

On Tuesday night, Pardeshi, in an order, had directed closure of all non-essential services, including liquor shops, in the city.

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Jacqueline Fernandez, who is spending her quarantine time with Salman Khan at his farmhouse in Panvel, recently shared a picture of the superstar from his workout session on her Instagram profile. A shirtless Salman looks all bulked up in the picture as he sweats out at his gym.

Sharing the picture on her Instagram account, the Kick actress wrote, "Gifted or just very hard-working?? I feel he's grateful for everyday and respects the position the Almighty has given him @beingsalmankhan to all the Salman Khan fans, there’s a lot more to come, stay tuned, stay safe! #lockdown #pyaarkarona (sic)".

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jac’kill’ine Fernandez (@jacquelinef143) onMay 1, 2020 at 5:43am PDT

Recently, Salman posted a photograph on Instagram where Jacqueline can be sneakily seen clicking his picture as he was busy with his workout. "Jacky got caught taking a pic chori chori Chupke chupke... she took one more after that which she will post on her own," Salman wrote with the image.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Jacky got caught taking a pic chori chori Chupke chupke... she took one more after that which she will post on her own! @jacquelinef143

A post shared by Salman Khan (@beingsalmankhan) onApr 28, 2020 at 10:30pm PDT

In a recent interview, Jacqueline talked about her days of quarantine and how she has been spending time at the place. She said, "At the farm, I ride horses, swim, run and do yoga to keep myself fit. Being amidst nature has never felt so good. This lockdown has helped me devote more time to activities that I enjoy. This includes reading, too."

And just like any other actor, she is also missing her closest friends and family, she says, "Earlier, I wouldn't be so much in touch with them, but lately, I have been spending a lot of time with them, though virtually."

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Pics for representational purposes

A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology revealed that problems in the bedroom might or might not spell doom in a long-term relationship, as it entirely depends on what a couple believes.

The researcher analysed sexual belief systems of 1,900 individuals and discovered that people fall into two sections when it comes to their sexual beliefs. There is one group that believes strongly in ‘sexual destiny’ and feels that sex should be all about sparks and twisted bedsheets devoid of nurture. There is another group that nurtures the relationship and believes more strongly in sexual growth. They also develop different ‘sexpectations’ at the same time. The later group treats sex as a tree that requires appropriate care and a patch of bad sex between a lovey-dovey couple can be fixed with little patience.

Sexual destiny is a word which implies that sex will happen with time. On the other hand, growth belief is something that considers the relationship as a plant that requires water, nurture and care. Those who believe in growth belief are seen to put in time and effort to make their sexual lives work. Sexual growth believers move with the flow of passion in their relationship and do not think that their relationship is doomed. They rather try to make things work out and do such acts that can boost their sexual relationship.

 
Representational image

The research also found out that if one partner is high on sex growth beliefs, both the partners benefit from this. Whether one can have a great relationship if things are falling apart in their bedroom, also vary from group to group. Those in the destiny belief gang, are in the worst condition in this case. However, when sexual destiny believers see that their sex life is not going well, they consider their relationship to be not ‘okay’.

The researcher concluded saying that there is a honeymoon phase of around 2-3 years where sexual satisfaction is high amongst both the groups. The benefit of believing in sexual growth becomes clear after this initial phase.

31/01/2020

Tom Hardys much-anticipated "Venom" sequel has been delayed by eight months amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

The second instalment in the action-fantasy series, directed by Andy Serkis, was slated to release on October 2, 2020.

The sequel, officially titled "Venom: Let There Be Carnage", will instead launch eight months later on June 25, 2021, reports variety.com.

In 2018, "Venom" introduced Hardy as Eddie Brock and Venom. It follows the popular Marvel anti-hero as he transforms from a go-getter journalist to the powerful alien symbiote. The film put the conflict of good versus bad in the centrestage.

Serkis is directing Sony's follow-up to "Venom", which sees Hardy again assume the alien symbiote. The first film became a surprise box office hit, earning $855 million globally. Woody Harrelson, Michelle Williams, Reid Scott and Naomie Harris will also appear in the sequel.

By postponing "Venom" until next year, Sony has reshuffled nearly every movie scheduled to release in 2020. The studio already pushed back many of its major films, including "Morbius" (from July 31, 2020, to March 19, 2021), "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" (from July 10, 2020, to March 5, 2021) and Tom Holland's "Uncharted" (from March 5, 2021, to Oct. 8, 2021).

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Amid the lockdown, veteran actor Richard Gere has welcomed his second child with wife Alejandra Silva. According to Spanish magazine Hola!, they are now parents of a baby boy, reports dailymail.co.uk. It is believed that they are enjoying the new addition to their family at their ranch outside New York.The reports that Gere, 70, Silva, 37, were expecting their second child first surfaced in November. The immensely-private couple never officially confirmed the news.

The couple got married in April 2018, and announced they were expecting their first child together in August that year. Silva and Gere, who met in 2014 at a luxury Italian boutique hotel Silva bought with her former husband, welcomed son Alexander in February 2019. Ahead of the birth that time, Gere said he was "not all at" worried about becoming an older parent, and wanted to be a "hands-on dad".

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Actor Tom Hardy, 42, had to havily work on his look in order to play gangster Al Capone in the upcoming biopic "Capone", as revealed in a new behind-the-scenes photo.

Photographer Greg Williams shared a new behind-the-scenes photo of Hardy that shows his transformation to play an aging Capone after an extensive make-up process, reports dailymail.co.uk.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Capone May 12 Chasing Fonzo ♠ï¸ÂðŸ”¥

A post shared by Tom Hardy (@tomhardy) onMay 2, 2020 at 12:12pm PDT

Hardy also took to Instagram to share the new poster for "Capone", which will release digitally on May 12.

Williams also praised the "amazing make-up" by Audrey Doyle, who served as the make-up and prosthetics designer to Hardy on the movie.

Capone was 48 years old when he died in Palm Island, Florida in January 1947, so the make-up aged the 42-year-old actor slightly for the role.

"Capone" follows the last year of the mobster's life, as he settles down in Florida after spending 10 years behind bars.

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Canadian tennis ace Eugenie Bouchard, 26, has agreed to go on a date with a random online fan for a charitable cause. The fan will pay her an amount which she will donate to feed hospital staff battling the Coronavirus pandemic.

After Genie put out a message on Twitter that she felt like "quarantine would be a lot more fun with a boyfriend," she received many messages from fans.

So, in an Instagram Live chat with sportscaster Allie LaForce, she decided to pick a viewer named Bob, who initially offered to pay GBP 400 (approx Rs 36,000) for the date.

LaForce however, upped the stakes further, demanding GBP 2,410 (approx R2 lakh), the expenditure to feed hospital staff on the tennis player's behalf. Bob agreed and Genie said yes. Interestingly, Genie asked Bob to get some toilet rolls along, to which, Bob agreed but offered an extra GBP 800 (approx Rs 72,000) if she spoke in a British accent.

An embarrassed Genie replied: "Why are you doing this to me, Bob? I'm going to say yes but I have no skill whatsoever in imitating accents."

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Canadian tennis ace Eugenie Bouchard's tendency to pick dates online is set to become the theme of an upcoming Hollywood romantic comedy.

According to report in The Canadian Press, a script based on Eugenie's date with one of her Twitter followers, John Goehrke, who won a bet on the 2017 Super Bowl, is already being worked upon.

The couple continued to meet thereafter for more dates. However, this story has an update with Eugenie, 26, recently deciding to go on another random date with an online fan.

During an Instagram chat last week, Eugenie, agreed to go on a date with a fan named Bob, who donated GBP 3,210 (Rs 2.7 lakh) to help feed hospital staff battling the Coronavirus pandemic.

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Canadian tennis beauty Eugenie Bouchard shared this picture taken at a beach destination with her 2.1 million Instagram followers and captioned it: "Bored."

Later, she wrote: "If I had known someone was taking a pic I would NOT have done my hair like Thomas Jefferson," to which an online user replied: "@geniebouchard Thomas has cute hair! So what."

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

bored

A post shared by Genie Bouchard (@geniebouchard) onMay 2, 2020 at 1:21pm PDT

Meanwhile, another one asked: "@geniebouchard why? it's perfect. and no way TJ ever looked that good in a bikini."

And the third one said: "@geniebouchard but kinda younger cuter version of Thomas Jefferson."

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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.

 

 

 

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@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.  

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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.'

 

 

 

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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'.

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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.

 

 

 

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#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."

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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.

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Australia's world number one pacer Pat Cummins finds India's middle-order mainstay Cheteshwar Pujara the toughest batsman to bowl at in Test cricket and called him a "pain in the back" for his team.

With his solid batting at number three, Pujara had played an influential role in India's historic triumph Down Under in 2018-19. Cummins held Pujara in high esteem when asked which batsman he found toughest to bowl to during a Question & Answer session that was arranged by the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA).

"There are a lot of them out there, unfortunately. But I am going to go with someone different, and he is (Cheteshwar) Pujara from India. He was a real pain in the back for us," Cummins said. The unassuming Pujara had helped India claim their maiden Test series victory in Australia last year by amassing a staggering 521 runs at an average of over 74 with three hundreds and a half-century. Cummins recalled the difficulty the Australian bowlers faced in dislodging Pujara.

"He (Pujara) was an absolute rock for them in that series. (He was) really hard to get out. Just ultra concentration all day, day after day. He is the hardest one in Test cricket so far, I think," Cummins added. Pujara was named the Man of the Series for his stellar showing, proving to be the player that made all the difference.

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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.

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Veteran Kiwi batsman Ross Taylor on Friday claimed the top honour on the final day of the 2020 New Zealand Cricket Awards, winning the prestigious Sir Richard Hadlee Medal for the third time while Tim Southee was named Test Player of the Year. The virtual ceremony also saw Canterbury umpire Kim Cotton's meteoric rise through the officiating ranks recognised with the GJ Gardner Homes New Zealand Cricket Umpire of the Year award. Taylor had a great season, he helped guide the Blackcaps to a second successive ICC Cricket World Cup Final. He surpassed Stephen Fleming's all-time Test runs scoring record for New Zealand and became the first cricketer to play 100 international games in each of the three formats.

The 36-year-old was once again the glue in the top-order, amassing 1,389 runs across the three formats in a season in which he played in all but one of the Blackcaps' 32 internationals, from England to Sri Lanka, Australia and at home. Taylor reflected on the influence of the late Martin Crowe who was instrumental in developing the right hander's Test technique and helping him to set his goals. "I'm sure he would be proud of this. Marty was able to pass on a lot of his experience and wisdom which has played a massive part in my career," Taylor said.

"It was always something that he always pushed me to do (break records). I think he would probably be surprised at how well I have done. But I've been fortunate to be helped by a lot of people over the years and I guess when you win awards like this it's nice to be able to thank them," he added. On the other hand, Southee claimed 40 wickets from eight Tests, including 14 in the two-Test wins against India, in Wellington and Christchurch.

In the four Tests, the Kiwis won during the judging period, he took 25 wickets at an average of 16.40.

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India pacer Shardul Thakur, 28, cannot remember when he last spent a summer break at his home in Palghar, where he is catching up with old neighbours and childhood friends thanks to the Coronavirus-caused lockdown. Thakur was in the Indian team for their last ODI series before the lockdown—three games in New Zealand—where the hosts won 3-0. In three games, Thakur claimed four wickets including 2-60 while opening the bowling in the second ODI at Auckland. It was in this game that he slammed a 15-ball 18 (3x4) at No. 8, but it couldn't help India cross their 274-run target; Virat Kohli's men falling short by 22 runs.

Thakur has played a solitary Test (against the West Indies at Uppal in 2018), but a groin strain restricted his participation to just 10 balls. He has played 15 T20 internationals but has yet to establish himself in the team, partly due to injuries.

Apart from providing a lowdown on his lockdown schedule, Thakur opened up on his batting evolution, his aim of becoming a bowling all-rounder, the hot debate about applying saliva on the ball and his views on social media trolls.

Edited excerpts from the interview.

How are you dealing with the lockdown?

I can do sprints in my backyard. There are certain workouts that can be done inside, which I do regularly. In my verandah, I practise my action from just one or two steps. The purpose is to ensure my body and mind do not forget what I have been doing. When I step on the field, these drills will make it a bit easier to start again. It will be very difficult if I don't do anything during the lockdown.

You played some useful knocks during the T20Is against Sri Lanka and the limited-overs series in New Zealand. How has your batting evolved?

I have either batted at No. 9 or 10 for Mumbai. There were some guys, who never believed in my ability but when I played under coach Chandrakant Pandit, I made some useful contributions with the bat. He encouraged me to focus on my batting. But unfortunately, he left. I kept telling the Mumbai team management that I can bat at No. 8, so we don't need an extra batsman to increase the depth in the batting. But there are a lot of other factors that determine that [playing XI]. Honestly, I always feel I got very less opportunity with the Mumbai team to prove my worth as a batsman. To be a bowling all-rounder, I expect my state team to promote me. During the injury period [foot surgery], I decided to make a conscious effort to bat. I would visualise various situations to bat in and what would be my approach. In the Indian team, they always back me and I've been told that I will bat at No. 8.

How did the Indian team management come to know about your batting ability?

I practised in the nets. The team management believed that I could bat and always encouraged me. They saw my potential, my hunger, and backed me. There was a conscious effort in the nets, genuinely wanting to contribute in other depart-ments for the Indian team.

Are you aiming for an all-rounder's role?

In my head, I am already a bowling all-rounder, but I have to dish out some strong performances for the people to recognise it. I will have to go out there and prove it. That's the plan.

What's your view on avoiding the use of saliva or sweat on the ball as a Coronavirus-related precaution?

I am pretty okay avoiding saliva on the ball for some time, till COVID-19 [pandemic] settles down completely. The dynamics of bowling will definitely change, there is no doubt about it. But the sport has always evolved, so I am sure some new ideas will come up; within the rules of the game of course.

You were trolled after going for 227 runs in the three ODIs v NZ. This happened after a decent performance in the T20I series [eight wickets in five matches v Kiwis]…

I am new to the international circuit; I'm learning. It has been an up and down curve, but what I get to learn from it is important. I have no problem with people criticising me, but there are our family members, near and dear ones on social media as well and they also read the abuse and harsh language against us [players]. The family gets affected the most as they are not used to it. So, they [trollers] should think twice before writing anything on social media.

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