The new BJP-led government in Tripura is keen to boost employment in the state by encouraging tourism around sick tea gardens and boost income of farmers by exporting an exquisite variety of pineapple to Dubai and Hong Kong.

Officials said that hotels, motels, restaurant and lodges will be created near sick tea gardens to encourage tourists to visit and stay there.

"These tea gardens, which are not doing too well in terms of business, are located in serene environment and are surrounded by natural beauty. Once infrastructure is created, tourists are sure to visit these places. It will help create local employment besides helping tea gardens market their produce," an official said.

He said the state government is keen to make Tripura famous within and outside the country for "queen" pineapple.

The Tripura Queen pineapple got the GI tag in 2015.

Officials said that production of queen variety of pineapple, known for its pleasant aroma, sweet taste and golden yellow colour, has faced some constraints as producers do not get a very good price owing to their facing problems in export.

"We have now decided to tap international market for this pineapple variety and have identified Hong Kong and Dubai as prime destinations for export. We are sure that the queen variety will establish itself in the international market due to its sweetness and unique aroma," an official said.

He said that transport arrangements have already been put in place for export of the pineapples and the state government has set an ambitious target.

"The purpose is to ensure that the farmers get double the price of their product. Today they are getting about 15 per pineapple but if their product is sold in foreign countries, they would get double the price of their produce," the official said.

Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb told IANS over phone that his government has taken various measures to boost agriculture and tourism sectors.

"Tripura has immense potential in agriculture and the tourism sector but it was not utilised in 25 years of CPI-M rule. We will make Tripura a world class tourism destination and would ensure that the farmers of the state get proper dues for their produce," he said.

"We are taking various measures. We are focusing on branding of some of our special produce. We are talking to every stakeholder and also trying to get into foreign markets," he said.

Deb said the steps are in line with the NDA government's efforts to double the farmers income by 2022.

Officials said that productivity of pineapple in Tripura at 18.73 tonnes per hectare is higher than the national average of 15.80 tonnes.

They said that people know about Assam tea and Darjeeling tea but Tripura, despite having special variety of tea leaves, has not been able to earn a similar reputation.

Tripura has a history of tea plantations going back to 1916 but these suffered during the spells of insurgency in the state. Some tea gardens have also faced problems related to infrastructure, modernisation and management.

The officials said that decisions to boost employment through tourism and agriculture export is in line with the BJP's pre-poll promises.

The party had assured to establish Directorate of Tea Gardens for scientific development of tea and facilitate the socio-economic development of tea plantation workers.

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Before you set out for the adventurous road trip on your holidays, it is imperative to carry certain things to make your life easier. A grooming kit, adequate liquids and insurance are the most important, suggest experts. Saunak Ghosh, Chief Marketing Officer at OneAssist Consumer Solutions Pvt Ltd, and Akshali Shah, Senior Vice President, Strategy, Sales and Marketing, Parag Milk Foods Ltd, have listed a few must-haves.

1. Backpack: When you're constantly tossing bags in and out of the car, they better be able to handle plenty of abuse. Certain bags available in the market are made in such a way that they sustain in all kind of weathers and situations.

2. Personal care kit: It takes extra amount of care to keep yourself well-groomed and hygienic. Always stay hygienic and carry the essential personal care kit on your road trip.

3. Hydration: Road trips in summer bring a lot of excitement and a need to keep our bodies energised and hydrated. Summer is the perfect time to try out different hydration drinks. Flavoured milk or buttermilk can be your helpful companions on the journey as it keeps you away from dehydration and gives instant energy, without compromising on the taste.

4. Insurance: Insuring your travel is something you would feel is unnecessary but you never know that taking a chance on it might become the biggest mistake committed. It is also advisable to insure your priced possessions like your phone, laptop, wallet, debit/credit/ATM cards. Usually taking insurance creates an image of a tedious office, hours of wait and long queues. But with protection and assistance services platforms you can do it within no time and insure all your possessions.

5. Spare chargers and powerbanks: Always arm yourself with spare chargers and powerbanks for worst case scenarios.

6. Emergency and first aid kit: Always have a first aid kit in your car. Also, keep a check on everything which is inside the first aid box and upgrade whenever you see the necessity. An emergency kit should contain battery booster cables, two light sticks, reflective vest, emergency rain poncho, warning triangle, whistle, tyre pressure gauge and window breaker.

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The recently-released Emma Stone film, Battle of the Sexes, takes a relook at the debate on gender equality. Four Indian women, all in a minority in their professions, share mantras to come up trumps at the workplace

Go beyond misogyny
Priyanka Kochhar, Model and professional racer
Motorcycling remains a male-centric field. I model for a living so that makes it even stranger for men to see me on a bike. Luckily, I am my own boss but for every motorcycle I ride or event I participate in, I'm usually the lone woman. It used to be intimidating at first because I knew I wasn't as well-read about the technicalities of motorcycles.

But now, after two years of BikeWithGirl [her Instagram account], many male riders have begun to see me as they see their colleagues. I'm happy to note that motorcycle brands treat me the same way they treat male bikers. Maybe my hunger to do this is what they see and not my gender. The way I've tackled misogyny is by going beyond it. It used to rile me up at one point.

But work still has to get done, so I figured there was no point mulling over it. It has been hard, there's no denying it. And yes, there are still some critics but I've received a lot of support as well.

Be proactive at work
Archana Savleram Hadawale, Code-maker and software engineer
I am the only woman in a team of 11 men. I love to accept challenges, and coding offers a new challenge every day, which is why I picked the profession. You press an enter key, and the world changes. I come from a simple family where no one is a post graduate.

It wasn't easy to pick software engineering. My parents weren't supportive at first; they wanted me to get a nine-to-five job and pay attention to household work too. They also didn't want me to stress too much due to a health condition. There is a solution for everything. I meditate to deal with the stress that comes with the job.

If someone says you can't do it, tell him or her, 'Maybe I can't, but I will sit with you to get it done.' Don't wait to get work, ask for it. Whenever I work late, I see to it that there is someone whom I can trust around. Having a good senior helps. Since I don't come from the same social background as my colleagues, my manager provides me guidance to tackle hurdles. In the end, your work will do the talking.

Women must support women
Devita Saraf, Technology entrepreneur
Technology is challenging, engaging and futuristic; it's why I chose this field. I have two challenges, one that I am a woman, and two, I am a leader; people don't take this combination seriously. Whenever I am meet somebody or am at a meeting with a retailer, I show that I am in charge.

Your confidence should be high and your words must carry weight. This helps people take you seriously. It gets difficult in towns and cities outside metros where the older generation might show disregard. But you need to react graciously as they may not have dealt with women in business.

The number of women in technology is increasing; I interact with several female technology graduates but many suffer from parental pressure to choose marriage over career. I push for women in my company; women must support other women. Several department heads in my company, be it corporate sales or R&D, are women. Technology is a good industry for women as you are known for your IQ, and if you walk the talk, men respect you.

Set up pro-women systems
Seethalakshmy Narayanan, Investment banker
The female:male ratio in my company is 10 women to 65 men. However, the men are supportive. It is important for workplaces to set systems in place to help women produce a solid output.

An action as simple as having a peon stay back for the safety of a woman when she is working late makes a big difference. Give your 100 per cent, no one will hold you back.

An article he had read a little over two years ago changed Rohit Ingle's life forever. It espoused the cause of veganism so persuasively that Ingle says he was convinced overnight to give up eating meat. "I can't remember where I read the article," he confesses. "But it had a very simple line - if you are an animal lover, you can't eat them. If you love someone, how can you be the cause of their misery?" he adds.

Rohit Ingle while flagging off his journey from Ahimsa Fest this week. Pics/Sneha Kharabe

That message is what he now hopes to spread across the country, riding a cycle. Ingle embarked on his epic journey - and it can only be described as that - from Bandra on Thursday, a week ahead of World Vegan Day on November 1. The plan is to cover 19,000 km over one year, stopping not just at different state capitals, but especially in the hinterland. "Hardly anyone in India knows about veganism," he says, adding, "I'll pitch my tent at places like highway dhabas. There, I can interact with the customers and tell them more about what I am doing, hopefully inspiring some of them [to take up veganism] in the process."

Does he feel any apprehension? "Yes, I am nervous, I won't lie about that. But I am motivated by my cause. There are also people who will be there to welcome me at Ahmedabad and Surat initially, and that will hopefully give me further encouragement. So, as the journey goes by, I am sure this feeling will go away."

But, Ingle adds, he's not quite sure about how he will sustain himself financially to get through an entire year. "I have raised `60,000 [of his `3.5-lakh target] through crowdfunding. I have also received money from The Pollination Project, an organisation based in the US that has sponsored me for $1,000. So, I have around `1.3 lakh and can easily start my journey for at least three to four months."

After that, he hopes to keep going till November 2018, inspiring as many people as possible along the way. "See, the message is very simple - if you want to eat meat or wear animal products, an animal that doesn't want to die is definitely going to be killed. So, you have to keep that in mind."

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If you have played your favourite Kishore Kumar song or a Beatles classic umpteen times but do not know why you forget to press the stop button for some particular numbers, new research offers some clues. Listeners often engage and develop a "deep connection" with some of their favourite songs, said the study published in the journal Psychology of Music.

The study involved more than 200 participants who completed an online questionnaire about their experience listening to their favourite song, including how it made them feel and the frequency with which they played the song. The participants reported listening to their favourite song hundreds of times.

The mean among the sample was more than 300 times and this number was even larger for listeners who had a deep connection to the song -- something that was particularly likely if they had mixed emotions, such as "bittersweet," while listening. Certain features of the song were particularly important reasons why respondents listened many times, said Jason Corey, Associate Professor of Music at the University of Michigan in the US and a co-author of the study.

The most important features were the song's "melody," "beat/rhythm" and "lyrics", the study found. For songs that made listeners happy, beat/rhythm was especially important for relistening. Finally, the more times people listened to their favourite song, the more the listeners could hear it internally, the researchers said.

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A bottle gourd or dudhi as we call it is one of the healthiest vegetables. When it is fresh, the fruit has a light green smooth skin and white flesh. Doodhi is about 92 percent of water and minerals which keeps your body hydrated. The bottle gourd or doodhi has a long list of health benefits. Dr. Manoj Kutteri, Wellness Director at Atmantan Wellness Director lists some of them

• Cooked bottle gourd aids for better digestion. It is cooling, calming, diuretic and anti-bilious (reduces bile and stops indigestion). The B vitamins assist in increasing the body’s metabolic rate to better digest fats, proteins, sugar and carbohydrate.
• Like cranberries, bottle gourd supports the kidneys and the urinary system of our body by reducing burning sensation from high acidic urination. It also reduces the chances of urinary infection because it is alkalizing and has a diuretic effect. Consume if you have high creatine and uric acid.
• A nutritious vegetable for the female reproductive system.
• It is extremely popular for weight loss especially the bottle gourd juice.
• Bottle gourd is extremely popular for reducing high blood pressure and bad cholesterol in some people.
• Bottle gourd is known to combat excessive thirst in diabetic patients.
• The fiber and the minerals in the bottle gourd support healthy digestion and combats constipation, colic pain and ulcer.
• Helps to prevent premature greying and improve hair growth.
• The Vitamin C and Zinc in lauki prevent pre mature aging and wrinkles as well.
• Bottle gourd is recommended for reducing liver inflammation.
• Lauki juice taken with ginger or black pepper can help with respiratory health.
• Bottle gourd is over 90% water therefore it is easy to digest
• The vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre in lauki keep the body well-nourished and curb unnecessary appetite, especially if you drink its juice in the morning on an empty stomach.
• It also contains sodium, potassium, essential minerals and trace elements, which regulate blood pressure and prevent the risk of heart ailments.
• High in sodium and potassium, bottle gourd is also an excellent vegetable for people with hypertension.
• Mixing the juice with sesame oil provides an effective medicine for insomnia. Massage the scalp with this preparation every night.

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Did you know losing too much weight too fast can be harmful for your health? Losing weight is not always a euphoria moment, sometimes it can be bad for health. Thus, it is important is to understand the relationship between health and the correct body weight.

The market is flooded with options to lose weight - crash diets, supplements, pills etc. - all promising a rapid weight transformation. But are these quick fixes the right choice?

"Losing weight too fast means putting your health at risk. A slow and steady weight loss plan is always a good idea. This way you can lose the unwanted weight without any side effects. A lot of us get tempted with the lucrative promises of quick weight loss and end up harming our health drastically. This issue needs attention and a lot of emphasis should be put on this problem," said Dr. Pooja Chaudhary, wellness consultant, Healthians.

It is important to understand the concept of rapid weight loss. Losing weight around 0.45 kg-0.9 kg per week is a safe bet. But, losing more than that can be considered as rapid weight loss which can have an impact on the health.

The common ways by which people try to lose weight are:

1. Starvation Diets

2. Consumption of diet pills or supplements

3. Opting for very-low-calorie diets

4. Over-exercising

At the start of exercise plan or diet plan, people witness a sudden weight loss of 2-3 kg. This is actually the water weight. The initial sudden weight loss is normal. But after this initial loss, anything more than 0.45 kg-0.9 kg per week could brew trouble for you in the long run.

Here are various health problems, as suggested by Dr. Angeli Misra (Co- Founder of Lifeline Laboratory), that sudden weight loss can trigger.

Disturbing the Body's Equilibrium: Our bodies can adjust to the minor dietary changes and run smoothly but rapid and drastic changes can wreak havoc. Sudden weight loss causes electrolyte imbalance in the body. A sudden decrease in the food intake (by following crash diets) will lead to an unexpected reduction in the electrolytes level, particularly potassium and magnesium.

Heart Problems: Sudden weight loss can damage the blood vessels which further leads to fluctuations in heart rate, blood pressure, irregular heart rhythm, thus increases the risk of heart failure. Although exercises aid in weight loss, they are really dangerous for heart health.

Gallstones: The quick weight loss can cause the cholesterol in the liver to seep in the bile which can lead to the formation of stones. It is always wiser to lose weight slowly and follow a proper weight loss plan. Completely avoid those crash course diets and severe fasting as the greed of losing weight quickly can seriously affect our health.

Can indicate diseases like diabetes, cancer: If you are losing weight quickly without even trying, it can be an indication of serious diseases like cancer, diabetes, tuberculosis, celiac diseases, COPD, etc. Sudden and unexplained weight loss needs immediate and proper attention. It is extremely important to seek medical advice. Therefore, the key to a healthy weight -loss is maintaining a balance and losing weight slowly and steadily!¿ concluded Chaudhary.

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Missed out on last week's Green Humour? You can read it here.

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Scientists have developed the first ultrasound-firewall that can prevent hackers from eavesdropping on hidden data transmission between smartphones and other mobile devices. The permanent networking of mobile devices can endanger the privacy of users and lead to new forms of monitoring.

New technologies such as Google Nearby and Silverpush use ultrasonic sounds to exchange information between devices via loudspeakers and microphones. More and more of our devices communicate via this inaudible communication channel. Ultrasonic communication allows devices to be paired and information to be exchanged.

It also makes it possible to track users and their behaviour over a number of devices, much like cookies on the Web. Almost every device with a microphone and a loudspeaker can send and receive ultrasonic sounds. Users are usually unaware of this inaudible and hidden data transmission.

Researchers from the St Polten University of Applied Sciences in Austria has developed a mobile application that detects acoustic cookies, brings them to the attention of users and if desired, blocks the tracking.

The app is, in a sense, the first available ultrasound-firewall for smartphones and tablets "The most challenging part of developing the app was to devise a method that can detect different existing ultrasound-transmission techniques reliably and in real time," said Matthias Zeppelzauer, who led the project.

Such ultrasonic signals can be used for so-called "cross-device tracking". This makes it possible to track the user's behaviour across multiple devices, and relevant user profiles can be merged with one other. In this way, more accurate user profiles can be created for targeted advertising and filtering of internet content.

Unlike their electronic counterparts when visiting web pages, up to now it has not been possible to block acoustic cookies.

"In order to accept voice commands, the mobile phone microphone is often permanently active. Every mobile application that has access to the microphone, as well as the operating system itself, can at any time without notice: activate the microphone of a mobile device, listen to it, detect acoustic cookies and synchronise it over the Internet," said Zeppelzauer.

Users are often not informed of this information transmission during ongoing operation. Only a permanent deactivation of the microphone would help, whereby the device as a telephone would become unusable. Researchers developed a procedure to expose the cookies and inform device users. For masking and blocking the ultrasonic data transfer, interference signals are transmitted via the loudspeaker of the mobile device.

Thus, acoustic cookies can be neutralised before operating systems or mobile applications can access them. Users can selectively block cookies without affecting the functionality of the smartphone. The masking of the cookies occurs by means of ultrasound, which is inaudible to humans.

"There is currently no technology on the market that can detect and block acoustic cookies. The application developed in this project represents the first approach that gives people control over this type of tracking," said Zeppelzauer.

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Dr Shilpa Agrawal

In Poland, women on their period were once asked to refrain from having sexual intercourse for fear that they would inadvertently kill their partners. Italian women had to steer clear of all contact with water, while Bolivian women were taught to avoid cradling babies so they wouldn't make them sick. The superstitions surrounding menstrual health are many, as this 2017 study conducted by Clue, a menstrual cycle-tracking app, indicates. The opinions become that much more vociferous when it comes to exercising while on your period. Whether for sanitary or health considerations, women have often been advised to lie low and take it easy during that time of the month.

"For ages, women have been shamed into silence about their periods, which breeds misconceptions. Many also suffer from cramps, migraines, nausea and bloating during their period, and are concerned that working out could harm their health. The truth, however, is that smart exercise plans and correct nutrition can go a long way in promoting menstrual health," says Arpita Boyd, certified fitness trainer and specialist in pre- and post-natal fitness. "Regular exercise is beneficial for women, especially those suffering from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal condition that affects up to 18 percent women around the world," says Dr Shilpa Agrawal, high-risk pregnancy and foetal medicine specialist at Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre. Regular exercise has been found to boost fertility, reduce insulin resistance, increase the body's metabolic rate and improve its composition, she says.

Munazza Habibulla

Fitness pros share tips on exercising during menstruation.

Swimming
"Women are often asked to refrain from swimming or water-related activities while on their period, ostensibly for sanitary reasons. However, swimming offers a number of benefits during those few days," says Munazza Habibulla of Swimming Matters. "The natural buoyancy of water prevents bleeding and also ensures that tampons stay in place," she elaborates.

Nisha Millet

Former Olympian Nisha Millet adds, "Competitive swimmers cannot afford to lose four days of training in a row. Women can safely enter the pool with a tampon — choose a size that works well for you — or a menstrual cup. Sanitary pads and panty liners, however, are strict no-nos." The only time when swimming should be avoided is when you are experiencing severe cramps, aches and pains.

Arpita Boyd

Weight training
The key to a successful weight training regimen during your cycle lies in understanding how your body reacts during the various phases, says Arpita Boyd. "The first 14 days are the follicular phase, during which women can achieve greater strength and produce more power. They are also likely to feel less pain and recover faster," she explains. The next fortnight is the luteal phase, during which your body's oestrogen and progesterone levels surge. Exercise may feel harder during this time due to bodily changes. To manage these, she recommends staying hydrated, avoiding foods rich in nitric oxide (spinach, beets, pomegranate), and increasing your protein intake. This, combined with the right stretches can ease symptoms and allow you to lift weights.

Sheetal Shah

Pilates
Sheetal Shah, founder of Core Pilates Studio, believes that the exercise form can greatly alleviate PMS symptoms such as bloating and cramping. "Pilates helps to stretch and open up the body, and also strengthens your deep abdominal muscles. Focusing on your breathing during these workouts can help alleviate tension in the body and promotes relaxation. Pilates also promotes the release of endorphins — the body's natural painkillers — which is another important reason why it works so well during your menstrual cycle," she says. Further, Pilates can help build lean long muscle and reduce the body's fat percentage, which normalises hormone levels and improves reproductive health, she adds.

Ishita Malaviya

Surfing
Ishita Malaviya is India's first female professional surfer and a big believer in not letting your periods get in your way of enjoying the surf. "I can surf just fine with a tampon, and always make sure to change frequently to prevent rashes and infections," she says. She claims to have never missed a day of surfing, even on the first day of her menstrual cycle.

Smiley Suri

Zumba
Zumba workouts offer many benefits to women on their cycle. Sucheta Pal, global brand ambassador for Zumba, shares, "The workouts focus on the hips and pelvic region, increasing core and trunk strength. Exercise also releases endorphins, which make regular workouts a must for women like me who suffer premenstrual hormone-induced mood swings." Pal often trains for several sessions at a stretch while on her period. "[According to gynaecologists] you lose only about four tbsp of blood during your entire cycle, which isn't that big a deal. You must learn to understand your body and modify your movements accordingly," she adds.

Sucheta Pal

Pole dancing
Pole dancer and trainer Smiley Suri found that pole fitness played a major role in managing her PCOS and thyroid condition, while also helping regularise her menstrual cycle. She recalls her instructor asking her to get on the pole on the first day of her cycle, even though she was experiencing cramps and felt bloated. "I was surprised at how much better I felt after the session," she admits. Although many instructors ask women to avoid inversions during their period, Suri believes that these can actually increase your flow and reduces cramps. She emphasises the importance of hygiene during this time.

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The Russian Government is reportedly considering the introduction of a number of new taxes, including a tax on hotel stays.

South Africa pacer Dale Steyn has revealed his favourite bowling spells. Steyn was doing an #AskDale session on Twitter and a fan asked him about his best spells in international cricket. The Proteas pacer replied: Nagpur (7 against India) and Wanderers (6 against Pakistan). Steyn picked up a seven-wicket haul against India at Nagpur in 2010 in the first Test of the two-match series.

His exploits helped South Africa defeat India by an innings and 6 runs. Steyn achieved the feat in the first innings after Proteas put up a mammoth score of 558/6. Steyn picked up the wickets of Murali Vijay, Sachin Tendulkar, S Badrinath, Wriddhiman Saha, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, and Amit Mishra to finish with figures of 7-51. In the Test match against Pakistan at Johannesburg, Steyn finished with figures of 6-8 in the first innings to bundle out the opponents for just 49. Steyn picked up the wickets of Mohammad Hafeez, Nasir Jamshed, Younis Khan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saeed Ajmal, and Rahat Ali.

In the second innings against Pakistan, Steyn took five wickets and South Africa won by 211 runs. Steyn announced his retirement last year from red-ball cricket, which he termed as the ultimate form of the game. Explaining his decision, Steyn said that it was in the best interest of prolonging his career. He continues to remain available for South Africa in both One-Day International and T20 cricket. The fast bowler represented South Africa in 93 Tests and took 439 wickets at an average of 22.95. Steyn became the leading wicket-taker for his nation in the longest format after he went past Shaun Pollock in 2019.

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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.

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Former Indian captain and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly on Wednesday recalled the historic Test victory against Australia at Eden Gardens in Kolkata in 2001.

A user had shared the celebratory moments from the 2001 Test. On that post, Ganguly commented, "What a win." In that Test, India clinched a 171-run win over Australia and became the third team in the history of Test cricket to win a match after being forced to follow-on.

Australia had made 445 in their first innings, courtesy Steve Waugh's brilliant hundred. However, it was Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh who stole the show at Kolkata with his spectacular seven wickets, including the first hat-trick in India's Test history.

In its first innings, India folded for 171 runs and were asked to follow-on by Australia. The Sourav Ganguly-led side played cautiously in the second innings and lost three wickets for 115 runs. India lost Ganguly in the 67th over of the innings, with the side getting reduced to 232/4.

Rahul Dravid joined VVS Laxman in the middle. The next 104 overs were a nightmare for the Aussies as the Indian duo stitched a 376-run stand to revive the innings and helped the team stage a dramatic comeback in the match.

Dravid scored 180 runs, while Laxman slammed 281, his highest score in Test cricket. India gave a target of 384 runs to Australia. However, the Waugh-led side were not able to achieve the target and bowled out for 212, handing India a massive win.

Harbhajan was again the pick of the Indian bowlers as he scalped six wickets. The Eden Gardens Test is best remembered for India's miraculous revival in the second innings and Laxman's knock of 281 runs, which was one of the most marvellous innings played in the modern era. Laxman's stunning innings also halted Australia's record of 16 successive Test wins.

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It is common for any captain to have a favourite player and when it came to Mahendra Singh Dhoni, it was Suresh Raina, who enjoyed unstinted backing from the former India captain, feels Yuvraj Singh. One of India's greatest limited-overs cricketers, Yuvraj remembered how Dhoni faced selection dilemma when he had to choose two out of him, Yusuf Pathan and Raina in the playing XI during the 2011 World Cup.

"Suresh Raina had a lot of support then, because MS used to back him. Every captain has a favourite player and I think Mahi really backed Raina at that time," Yuvraj said told 'Sports Tak'. Ultimately all three players made the playing XI (although Yusuf was dropped from playing XI mid-tournament) with Yuvraj playing a pivitol role in winning the title. "Yusuf Pathan was also performing well at that time and even I was doing well and was also picking wickets. And Raina was not in a good touch then," he said.

"They did not have a left-arm spinner at that time and I was picking wickets so they did not have any choice," he added. The swashbuckling batsmen also revealed questions were raised over the bat he used to famously hit Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over during the 2007 T20 World Cup, leading the match referee to check the willow. "The Australian coach at that time came to me and had asked if there was a fibre behind in my bat and asked if it was legal. Has the match referee checked it? So I told him to get it checked."

"Even (Adam) Gilchrist asked me who made our bats. So match referee had also checked my bat. But honestly, that bat was very special for me. I have never played with a bat like that. That one and the 2011 World Cup bat, there were special." Yuvraj was lavish in his praise for Sourav Ganguly for nurturing young talent and picked the BCCI President as his favourite skipper. "Dada would be my favourite captain. He supported me a lot, the most. We were young also so he nurtured the talent," Yuvraj said.

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Wicket-keeper batsman Parthiv Patel on Tuesday revealed that he got really disappointed when he was not picked in the Indian squad for the 2007-08 Australia tour.

Patel also said that he knew he was fighting for the second wicket-keeper slot, but was disappointed after not being picked in the squad.

The wicket-keeper batsman was doing an Instagram Live session with former pacer RP Singh.

"It is important to be at the right place at the right time. When the team got selected for Australia tour in 2008, I was competing for the second wicket-keeper slot as Dhoni had cemented his place as first choice pick. I was disaapointed when I did not get picked in the squad," Parthiv told RP Singh during the session.

"Dilip Vengsarkar was the chairman of selectors, he called me and said you have been performing well, keep at it and then he told me that I was not selected for the Australia series," he added.

In the 2007-08 series, Australia defeated India 2-1, but the four-match contest was marked with controverseies.

The second Test of the tour at the Sydney Cricket Ground is commonly known as the 'MonkeyGate Test' as it saw a fiery on-field contest between Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds.

In the Instagram Live session, Parthiv also said that all wicket-keepers in the country knew that they cannot be selected as first choice keepers as MS Dhoni had made the place is own.

"We all were competing for the second-wicket keeper slot. At that time, I used to think of giving my best in every match I play, you knew the reality thaat the skipper of the side is wicket-keeper, so you cannot be selected in the squad as first choice," Patel said.

Parthiv has played 25 Tests, 38 ODIs for India. He had made his debut in 2002 against England at Trent Bridge and he created the record for being the youngest wicket-keeper to play the game of cricket.

He was just 17 years and 153 days old at that time and had eclipsed the previous record of being the youngest wicketkeeper, previously held by Pakistan's Hanif Mohammed (17 years and 300 days).

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India's top-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara misses playing badminton on the outdoor courts. Sporting action across the world is on pause due to the coronavirus pandemic and in India a nationwide lockdown in place till May 3 has imposed restrictions on movement of people.

Pujara, used to enjoy badminton outdoors apart from cricket. Now he plays with his wife or with his Saurashtra team-mate Jaydev Unadkat. "Usually when I am at home in Rajkot, we go and play badminton on weekends on proper courts. That is something I am missing," ESPN Cricinfo quoted Pujara as saying.

"With my wife - she wants to learn. At times if Jaydev Unadkat is in Rajkot, he is a decent badminton player, so I play with him," he added. Pujara also revealed that he is very competitive when it comes to playing badminton and he cannot let anybody win.

"No, no. I can't allow my wife to win. I can't allow anyone to win against me at badminton. That is not possible. I've been telling her that she has to get better at it and win that way. I don't want to lose to make her happy that she has beaten me. As a sportsperson your mentality is to make sure that the other person becomes stronger than you," Pujara said.

Pujara was supposed to be in the UK, playing for Gloucestershire, at this time of year, but all plans have been tossed away due to the coronavirus pandemic.

He had signed a deal in February to represent the county for the first six matches of the championship. He was set to become Gloucestershire's first Indian player after Javagal Srinath in 1995.

But with the first seven rounds of the Championship postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, and international travel severely limited, he will be unable to fulfil his deal. The batsman was last seen in action during India's two-match Test series against New Zealand.

Swashbuckling India opener Rohit Sharma believes the presence of David Warner and Steve Smith will make the tour of Australia later this year a "different ball game" for the his side, which is also at its best right now. India won the 2018-19 Test series 2-1, their first in 71 years of touring Down Under, but it came against a depleted Australian team which didn't have Warner and Smith, who were both serving a one year ball-tampering suspension.

"I was looking forward to the New Zealand series but unfortunately, injury (calf muscle) happened at the wrong time," Rohit told 'India Today' on Wednesday. "I can't wait to go to Australia and play the Test matches there. Australia in Australia with those two guys will be a different ball game," India's white ball vice-captain said.

For him, opening is a challenge that he has relished and a testimony to that was his stupendous start against South Africa at home. However, he has been ready for the job since the 2018 Australia tour when the team management gave him enough hints. "I was told you might be opening in Tests as well. It was two years ago. I was preparing myself from then onwards," he said.

For him, watching the game from the dressing room is no fun. "You wanted opportunity, everybody wants to be out there in the middle. I wanted to play and not watch the game. "When the chance came along, I was ready. There were some technical aspects, I needed to be aware of," he said. Rohit said the Australia series will be an exciting one as this Indian team is currently playing its best cricket.

"As a team, we are playing best cricket right now, everybody wants to take the game back to the opposition. If it happens (amid the COVID-19 pandemic), it will be a great series to be part of," he said. The tour is planned between October and January but there is speculation on whether it can be conducted smoothly amid the global heath crisis which hasn't shown any signs of being under control as of now.

Former skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq believes the difference between India and Pakistan teams during his playing days was that Indian players played for themselves while Pakistani players played for the team.

"When we played against India, their batting was more powerful than us on paper. But even our batsmen scored 30 or 40 runs, it was for the team, but for India, even if they scored 100 runs, they played for themselves," Inzamam said during the chat show with Ramiz Raja on YouTube.

"So, that was the difference between the two sides," he added.

Inzamam, who represented the national team in 120 Tests, 378 ODIs and 1 T20I between 1991 to 2007, played at a time when Pakistan used to dominate India on the cricket field.

However, in recent times, the tables have turned with India having an upper hand over their Asian neighbours.

Overall, Pakistan and India have played 59 Tests, 132 ODIs and 8 T20Is against each other in which India have won 9, 55 and 6 matches respectively while Pakistan have emerged victorious in 12, 73 and 1 games respectively.

When it comes to 50-over World Cup, India have won all the seven matches they have played against Pakistan. In T20 World Cup, India have won four out of five matches against Pakistan while the remaining one yielded no result.

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Veteran batsman David Warner believes Australia's upcoming limited-overs tour of England will be scrapped because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Australians were scheduled to play three one-dayers and three Twenty20 matches against England in July. But last week the England and Wales Cricket Board delayed the start of their season until July 1 at the earliest and players may need some warm-up cricket before returning to the international arena.

There has been speculation the tour could be delayed until September, but Warner was doubtful if it would go ahead. "At the moment it's highly unlikely we're going to go over there given what's happened in England," Warner told cricket.com.au. He said the fact British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had been hospitalised with COVID-19 showed the gravity of the problem in the host nation.

"He's back up on his feet now and that's fantastic news, but there's a lot more to this than just sport being played," Warner added. Australia have already cancelled a two-Test tour of Bangladesh in June, and a limited-overs home series against Zimbabwe is also in doubt. Australia are due to host the Twenty20 World Cup in October-November, for which the International Cricket Council has said it is "exploring all options".

Cricket Australia is particularly keen to go ahead with a Test series against India due to be played after the T20 tournament, warning this month it could lose hundreds of millions of dollars if it were scrapped.

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Former Australia cricket captain Michael Clarke is reportedly still seeing fashion designer Pip Edwards, but doesn't want the world to know. According to British tabloid, The Daily Mail, Michael was spotted at Pip's apartment, but made a dash for it moments later.

Michael, nicknamed Pup, and Pip broke up earlier this month as the former cricketer was not too happy about the publicity that accompanied their relationship.  However, on Monday morning, he was spotted with Pip at Sydney's Bondi Beach.

It is learnt that the couple emerged from Pip's home in a black car at around 9am and drove to a nearby juice bar. Pip, who turned 40 on the day, then headed to collect their order, but on noticing the paparazzi, left in a huff, forgetting to pick their drinks.They then drove back to her place from where Michael took off on his motorbike. Later, Pip returned to the juice bar and picked up three juices.

Michael separated from his wife of seven years, Kyly in September last year. They have a daughter Kelsey Lee, four.Pip has a teenaged son Justice.

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Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal could have a part of his three-year anti-corruption ban suspended when the judge heading the Cricket Board's disciplinary Panel gives out his detailed judgement soon, a source in the PCB has said.

After the hour-long hearing of the panel held on April Monday in Lahore, where Umar appeared himself to plead his case, Justice (retd) Miran Chohan announced a three-year ban on the batsman for failing to report corrupt approaches.

"People are jumping to conclusions about the three-year ban but the detailed order is yet to come out. Umar might eventually get a three-year ban with two years suspended or something like that," the source told PTI.

He said there are chances the judge will suspend most part of the three-year ban given the clauses under which Umar has been charged by the Anti-Corruption Unit and also given his past track record.
"Umar could get a suspended sentence in his three-year ban because this will also test him as an individual to see how he behaves and conducts himself in future," the source said.

"When majority part of a ban is suspended, the player has to be careful with his behaviour or he could end up being banned for the entire duration of the ban,¿ he explained.

Umar has the right to appeal against the panel decision 14 days after he gets a copy of the detailed judgement. His appeal will be heard by an independent adjudicator to be appointed by the board.

Two years ago, the Anti-Corruption Tribunal of the PCB, headed by Lt. General (retd) Tauqir Zia, had also banned Sharjeel Khan for five years with half of the sentence suspended, which allowed him to make a comeback in the Pakistan Super League 5 in February.

Umar was suspended from playing in the PSL 5 on February 20 by the PCB in the spot-fixing approach case.

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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

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president and former skipper Sourav Ganguly on Thursday expressed grief over the demise of the two Bollywood legendary actors Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan Khan and said that he will miss them.

Taking to Twitter Ganguly wrote, "One life .. live to the fullest and happiest .. nothing else matters .. just a reminder. Will miss u both."

One life .. live to the fullest and happiest .. nothing else matters .. just a reminder . Will miss u both pic.twitter.com/BgpruQOy02

— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) April 30, 2020

India Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane also extended condolences over the passing away of the two great actors of the cinema industry.

"First Irrfan Khan ji and now Rishi Kapoor ji. Feel really sad about this huge loss for all of us. May their soul rest in peace," Rahane tweeted.

Actor Rishi Kapoor's family on Thursday issued a statement on his demise detailing how the veteran remained jovial and determined to live to the fullest right through two years of cancer treatment. He passed away at 8:45 am IST, the Kapoor family said.

In September 2019, Rishi and wife Neetu returned to India after almost a year in New York for his cancer treatment. During this time, the couple was visited by scores of celebrities from Deepika Padukone to Priyanka Chopra and many others.

Rishi Kapoor was admitted to the Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai on Wednesday. In September 2019, the veteran actor returned to Mumbai after staying in New York for almost a year for cancer treatment. He was last seen in the 2019 film 'The Body' alongside Emraan Hashmi and Shobita Sobhita Dhulipala.

This has been a terrible week for the Indian film industry. On Wednesday, ace actor Irrfan Khan had also passed away, aged 53. The internationally renowned actor passed away at Mumbai's Kokilaben Hospital while battling rare cancer.

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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.

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Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma recently had a candid chat with former Australian pacer Brett Lee about what he’s doing in order to keep himself busy during the lockdown on Star Sports’ show Cricket Connected. Rohit Sharma went on to address the issue of space in Mumbai on streets as well as houses. Rohit said, "I wish I had enough place to play indoor cricket, but unfortunately in Mumbai, the place is very secluded, and you have to stick to your apartment. We are not as lucky as you guys where you have your own backyard to play."

"In Mumbai, it’s very expensive to get your own house where you have your own backyard. I live in an apartment and I am lucky to have a little balcony where I can run around and do some activities that my trainer has given me. I am trying to follow whatever little I can. Hopefully, the gyms will open soon, and I can go there," Rohit added.

"But I am missing hitting the ball, that’s for sure. As you know, I like to hit big, so space is not enough. I just can’t wait to go out there and start hitting the ball."

Born and brought up in Mumbai, Rohit Sharma is also the captain for the IPL franchise Mumbai Indians and has won a record 4 IPL titles with the team.

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Top Australian batsman Marnus Labuschagne on Monday said that he and his team would be "pretty devastated" if India don't make the trip Down Under for a Test and limited-overs series later this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

India's tour of Australia will begin with a T20 tri-series in October and is scheduled to end with a four-match Test series in December. The speculation about the tour is due to the travel restrictions currently in place and the uncertainty surrounding how long it would take to control the pandemic.

Replying to a query on the tour in an online press conference, Labuschagne said: "Well, it would mean that we are not playing cricket which is pretty devastating for myself, the rest of the team and for the country."

In between, there is the T20 World Cup, scheduled for an October 18 start, but the mega event's future is also shrouded in uncertainty due to the global crisis.

Australia has reported significant drop in positive cases with parts of the country relaxing lockdown rules. Just over 6,800 people have tested positive for the virus with less than 100 deaths in the country so far. Labuschagne lauded Australia's healthcare system and its response to the crisis so far.

"Australia has done very well with the quarantine and isolation, so we've been able to get our number down relatively quickly. With a limited amount of deaths and our healthcare system has been so good during this time," he said.

Labuschagne, currently placed at No.3 in ICC Test rankings after a brilliant year, hoped that Australia's control over the pandemic would be enough to ensure that India tour without any hassles.

"Hopefully, because of all that good work we can actually get India over here in 3-4 months or 4-5 months," he said. "Everything is changing so quickly, so it's really hard to put my finger on how everything's going to pan out. Hopefully, it pans out well but if it doesn't it will be very disappointing."

In the meantime, Labuschagne, who has enjoyed a breakout year in Tests and ODIs, is working on sharpening his skills during this forced break. "The way things have unfolded has been awesome. For me it's been about, one, taking it all in and being really happy and proud of that," Labuschagne said.

"But also then looking at, 'righto, how I can get better?' and looking at different parts of your game on and off the field that you can work on to make sure you're continually getting better," he added.

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Amidst the break from cricketing events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, legendary Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Yousuf picked his favourite Indian batsman of the current era.

During a recent Question and Answer session on social media with fans, Yousuf was asked to name his favourite Men In Blue cricketer.

The legendary middle-order batsman then picked Indian skipper Virat Kohli and swashbuckling batsman, Rohit Sharma, as his favorite cricketer.

Rohit, who is now the vice-captain of the ODI team, has played 224 ODIs, 108 T20Is, and 32 Tests so far. The limited-overs vice-captain has so far scored 14,029 runs across all formats.

In the longest format, he has also reinvented himself as the batsman started opening the batting in Test cricket last year. Rohit is the only player in the world to have three double tons to his name in ODI cricket.

He also holds the record for the highest individual score in the 50-over format as he played a knock of 264 runs against Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens.

On the other hand, Kohli is widely hailed as the run-machine and has many records under his belt.

In 86 Test matches, he had 7,240 runs studded with 27 centuries and 22 half-centuries. In 248 ODIs, he has amassed 11,867 runs with an average of 59.33.

In the shortest format of the game, he has played 82 games in which he slammed 2,794 runs at an average of 50.80 with the help of 24 fifties.

Both Rohit and Kohli would have been in action for their respective franchise had the Indian Premier League (IPL) commenced from March 29.

However, the tournament has been suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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Sourav Ganguly, former India skipper and the current president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday shared a throwback picture of him training at the Lord's Cricket Ground.

Ganguly shared the picture on his Instagram account and captioned the post as: Memories .. training at Lords day before my test debut in 1996".

 

 

 

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Memories .. training at Lords day before my test debut in 1996

A post shared by SOURAV GANGULY (@souravganguly) onMay 6, 2020 at 4:06am PDT

The left-handed batsman made his Test debut against England in 1996 at the Lord's Cricket Ground. In his opening Test, Ganguly came out to bat at number three and played a knock of 131 runs from 301 balls, studded with 20 fours.

His innings helped India post a total of 429 runs and gain a lead of 85 over the hosts England. England managed to hang on in the second innings for a draw.

Over the years, Ganguly went on to become one of the most successful Indian skippers. Under his leadership, India defeated Pakistan in Pakistan for the first time in a Test series. He also guided India to the finals of the 2003 Cricket World Cup.

Ganguly played 113 Tests and 311 ODIs. The swashbuckling left-handed batsman scored 18,575 runs across all formats in his international career. In October 2019, Ganguly became the president of the BCCI.

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Out-of-favour wicketkeeper-batsman Parthiv Patel does not consider himself unlucky to have played in the same era as Mahendra Singh Dhoni as he knows that the former captain grabbed his opportunities way better than him. Patel last Test appearance for India was in 2018, while the last time he played an ODI for the country was way back in 2012.

"I don't see myself as unlucky to be playing in the Dhoni era. I started my career before him, and I had the opportunity to perform before him," Patel, 35, said during an interaction with Fever Network. "Dhoni came in to the team because I did not have a couple of good series and I was dropped. I know people can say it just to gain sympathies that I was born in the wrong era. But I don't believe that," he added.

"Whatever Dhoni has achieved was something very, very special and he achieved because he made sure of the opportunities he received. I don't feel unlucky at all," Patel asserted.

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It is premature to talk about resumption of cricket but India's tour of Australia later this year is likely to go ahead, BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal said on Friday, downplaying the logistical issues likely to arise because of the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure that the high-profile tour, starting in October, goes on as scheduled, Dhumal said quarantining of Indian players upon their arrival is a possibility even though it is not feasible before every overseas assignment. "You can't be sure of the situation prevailing at that point of time. As of now the Australia tour is on because nobody has called off that tour and same for T20 World Cup," Dhumal told PTI.

"The need for quarantine ahead of Australia tour only arises if the preceding T20 World Cup doesn't take place. If the World Cup happens, then players would have already completed their quarantine." Dhumal said isolation before the start of the tour can only be a one-off. "If quarantine becomes a norm before every tour then it would be difficult to organise games," he said.

Dhumal then went on to list the bigger logistical challenge that awaits Australia -- the T20 World Cup in October-November."...would it be possible for Australia to have so many teams (16) coming in and quarantining for two weeks? Players will be out of cricket for so long and further two weeks of quarantine and then straightaway to go into T20 World Cup. Who would be interested? So there is no clarity. "Once the situation improves and the lockdown ends, then we will see keeping the safety and health of our players in mind as that is paramount," said Dhumal.

India are scheduled to play four Tests Down Under with Cricket Australia considering an additional one. Dhumal said the five-Test series idea was discussed before the lockdown but Cricket Australia could now change its mind considering the severe financial impact COVID-19 has had on the board. If India tour doesn't take place, Cricket Australia could lose as much as 300 million Australian dollars. "The India-Australia tour is more likely to happen because it is further away and logistically it easier to organise. We will have to see what government guidelines are at that point (both India and Australian government).

"How will the team travel? There is no clarity on international travel and if we can get an exemption. We dont' know as of now. The picture is ho hazy that we can't decide anything," said Dhumal. On Cricket Australia's idea of an additional Test, Dhumal said:"As far as the fifth Test goes, that discussion happened before the lockdown. When cricket resumes, (we will see) whether any country would like to host an additional Test or have two T20s instead, which is likely to generate more revenues.

"There is a possibility that request comes from Cricket Australia only." Former Pakistan cricketers, including Shoaib Akhtar and Saqlain Mushtaq, have called for resumption of Indo-Pak cricket as the world deals with the outbreak. Former Australian spinner Brad Hogg has also proposed an Indo-Pak Test series later in the year.

Dhumal rejected all such talk. "People are talking about unthinkable things right now...They can think whatever they want to but it is for the board to decide.

"In an ideal situation, we would want to take Test cricket to a different level but given the situation, we are not even sure when T20s and ODIs can take place next," he said.

Dhumal said if the IPL doesn't take place, the board will take a hit of Rs 4000 crore. "If IPL doesn't take place the revenue loss will be Rs 4000 crore. In case, we lose the home season also, that will also be a substantial amount. BCCI is also facing huge losses. If IPL doesn't happen then we will be in a very big problem," said Dhumal. If the T20 World Cup doesn't take place in October-November, staging the IPL is a possibility in that window.

"If the situation improves by that time (September-October), we also have think about T20 WC and Asia Cup and accordingly take a call. For a full-fledged IPL to happen, you have to have at least 45-50 days. Whether we get the window, it is still a question mark."

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A UK court on Monday dismissed fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya's appeal against extradition to India.

"We consider that while the scope of the prima facie case found by the Senior District Judge (SDJ) is in some respects wider than that alleged by the respondent in India. There is a prima facie case which, in seven important respects, coincides with the allegations in India," a part of the order by the UK court read.

A CBI spokesperson confirmed to ANI that the "UK high court dismissed Mallya's appeal against his extradition to India." The 64-year-old businessman had begun the lengthy appeals process in the UK court in February this year against an order to extradite him to India to face multiple charges relating to the collapse of Kingfisher Airlines.

It followed a ruling by a lower court -- the Westminster Magistrate's Court -- in December 2018 - that Mallya should be sent to India to face the charges, including one of money laundering to the tune of Rs 9,000 crore. The businessman fled India in March 2016 and has been living in the UK since then.

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The novel Coronavirus outbreak has created an atmosphere of uncertainty but everybody has been trying to create hope in some way or the other.

This picture is of two fairy penguins standing side by side and comforting each other which watching the Melbourne skyline.

The Twitter user captioned the images, "Couldn't stop thinking about these penguins enjoying the Melbourne skyline together. So I found the original photographer and apparently they're both widowed. I can't handle it."

 

 

 

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Pinguins Part 2. “... Love is the only game in which we win even when we lose” The way that these two lovebirds were caring for one another stood out from the entire colony. While all the other penguins were sleeping or running around, those two seemed to just stand there and enjoy every second they had together, holding each other in their flippers and talking about penguin stuff. Pain has brought them together (see PART 1). I guess sometimes you find love when you least expect it. It’s a privilege to truly love someone, paradisiacal when they love you back. 📸 @tobiasvisuals • (Even though it is very similar to the previous image I thought it’d be a pity to not share it with you guys)

A post shared by Tobias Baumgaertner (@tobiasvisuals) onApr 13, 2020 at 5:01pm PDT

He also explained that the penguins had been standing on the rock for hours. He clicked the pictures about a year ago but shared them once again so that people could enjoy the heartwarming moment during such times.

According to him, it was a volunteer who revealed that the white penguin was an "elderly lady" who lost her partner and the one to the left was a "younger male", who lost its partner too.

"During times like this, the truly lucky ones are those that can be with the person/people they love most. I captured this moment about a year ago. These two fairy penguins poised upon a rock, overlooking the Melbourne skyline and were standing there for hours, flipper in flipper, watching the sparkling lights of the skyline and ocean. A volunteer approached me and told me that the white one was an elderly lady who had lost her partner and so did the younger male to the left. Since then they meet regularly comforting each other and standing together for hours watching the dancing lights of the nearby city. I spent 3 full nights with this penguin colony until I was able to get this picture. Between not being able or allowed to use any lights and the tiny penguins continuously moving, rubbing their flippers on each other's backs and cleaning one another, it was really hard to get a shot but I got lucky during one beautiful moment. I hope you enjoy this moment as much as I did. #lovewillalwayswin." (sic)

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Amid the coronavirus gloom, a Turkish man is giving netizens a reason to smile with his unique antics and helping attitude. The man identified as Burak Soylu dresses up as the famous Marvel superhero Spiderman to help his neighbours amid the global pandemic.

In Turkey, a man named Burak Soylu has been going around dressed like Spiderman.

He drives around in a Beetle, buys milk and groceries for the elderly, and delivers it to their doorsteps.

When he was asked why, he said "My superpower is doing good for the neighborhood." pic.twitter.com/KAYm3hyPyb

— Goodable (@Goodable) April 17, 2020

According to a Twitter post shared by Goodable, just like the 'friendly neighbourhood' Marvel superhero who helps people with his superpowers, Burak dresses up in a Spiderman suit and goes around helping his neighbours, especially elderly people by distributing milk, groceries and essentials at the doorsteps.

In the pictures shared by Goodable, Burak can be seen buying vegetables from the market and delivering it to those in need of help at a time when most countries have imposed a lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus. While speaking to Goodable, Burak said that his superpower is doing good for his neighbours.

you forgot to add his best pictures.. here they are pic.twitter.com/9feElnkjg5

— Serhan (@serhanbilgin) April 18, 2020

Twitter user Serhan also shared some breathtaking pictures of Burak as Spiderman driving his Beetle and even posing on a tractor. Since the time it was shared, the post has garnered over 10,000 re-tweets and about 4,000 likes.

And he's masked and gloved too! Good one, Spidey! 👏👏👏👏👏

— Omowunmie (@molarah26) April 17, 2020

The post, which has gone viral now has garnered tons of appreciation from netizens. While some Twitterati lauded Burak for helping the elderly amid coronavirus crisis, others talked about how Burak was spreading the safety message by wearing a costume that includes a face mask and hand gloves which are highly important to combat COVID-19.

Now that's what I call a friendly neighborhood spiderman..

— Dequondre Agee (@DequondreA) April 18, 2020

One user said, "And he's masked and gloved too! Good one, Spidey!" while another user commented, "Now that's what I call a friendly neighborhood spiderman..." A third user jokingly said, "So can we say Superman costume is Coronaproof? Hahaha." Talking about the Turkish spiderman's noble cause, a fourth user said, "He also visits disabled kids school and presents toys along with mask."

Here's how netizens reacted to Turkish spiderman's noble work:

Spiderman! Spiderman!
Helps the elderly how he can!
Drives around, in his car!
Buys some food, drives it far!
Look out! Here comes a helpful man!

— Cleodora Silvestri (@drakkenmensch) April 18, 2020

This is truly theirs FRIENDLY NEIGHBOURHOOD SPIDERMAN. pic.twitter.com/Mye8pKyvJo

— AbeAbeStudio (@StudioAbe) April 18, 2020

Quality bloke!! Humanity need more people like this!

— The Darge Knight (@DargeKnight) April 18, 2020

😆So can we say Superman costume is Coronaproof? Hahaha 😂

— Özlem (@icbukeydis) April 19, 2020

This is humanity's at its finest

— jack (@jackdilnessa) April 18, 2020

Isn't the Turkish Spiderman living by the well-known proverb of the Marvel superhero, "With great power comes great responsibility".

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Four tigers and three lions have tested COVID-19 positive at the Bronx Zoo in New York, authorities announced, weeks after a Malayan tiger at the facility was confirmed positive and six other big cats were said to be exhibiting similar symptoms. On April 5, the Wildlife Conservation Society that runs the New York zoo, reported that one tiger had tested positive for the new coronavirus, the first known COVID-19 infection found in a big cat, reports Efe news.

The first big cat, a four-year-old Malayan tiger named Nadia, developed a dry cough and loss of appetite in late March, while Nadia's sister Azul, two Amur tigers, and three African lions also showed the same symptoms. "We can confirm that the three other tigers in Tiger Mountain and the three African lions that exhibited a cough have also tested positive for COVID-19," the zoo said in a statement on Wednesday.

The test was done by using a faecal sample so that the animals did not have to be placed under anesthesia, as with the Malayan tiger. "The faecal tests confirmed our suspicion that all seven cats had the infection, and also determined that one tiger at Tiger Mountain that never developed a cough was also positive for the disease," it added. The wildlife centre said that "all eight cats continue to do well. They are behaving normally, eating well, and their coughing is greatly reduced".

"We tested the tigers and lions out of an abundance of caution and will ensure any knowledge we gain about COVID-19 will contribute to the world's continuing understanding of this novel coronavirus," said the zoo officials. "The testing of these cats was done in veterinary laboratories and resources used did not take from those being used for human testing," they added.

It is still believed that the animals were infected by an asymptomatic staff member who had contact with the animals before developing symptoms. As of Wednesday, two pet cats in New York state have tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the first domestic animal cases detected in the US. Both animals live in different areas of New York state, the current epicentre of the pandemic not only in the US but worldwide.

They have mild respiratory problems and are expected to recover soon, according to a statement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Veterinary Services Laboratories of the Department of Agriculture.

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Keeping calm and focused towards the task in hand is a recommended recipe for success. A journalist from US is being lauded for doing the same. News reporter Kirsten Welker was reporting a live event and remained unfazed even after dodging two light stands that fell near her becuase of strong windy conditions.

Welker wearing a mask was reporting live from Washington DC on a windy day when two tall lighting fixtures fell near her. However, she calmly dodged the falling stands and continued with her reporting, which has impressed netizens across the globe. Ever since the clip went viral, Welker is being hailed as a legend and received several appreciating comments for her commitment.

With many people sharing the clip, even Welker responded to comments she received in a witty manner. When a sports news website shared the clip saying, “First-round pocket presence”, here’s how she responded:

Put me in, coach!

cc: @Eagles https://t.co/OF3IaULCv2

— Kristen Welker (@kwelkernbc) April 22, 2020

The clip that has received more than 1.4 million views and over 23,600 likes on Twitter was retweeted more than 3,600 times. Users commenting on the video posted about how Welker handle the situation with presence of mind.

“If you can dodge a light stand you can dodge a ball”

— Robert Kurhajetz (@rkurhajetz) April 22, 2020

Legend!

— Jesse Jones (@JesseKIRO7) April 23, 2020

That looks like a scene from a supernatural thriller! Bravo Kristen!

— Roger Clark (@RogerClark41) April 22, 2020

Handled like a BOSS! Booyah!

— SRH (@Bijouxforu) April 23, 2020

She didn’t miss a beat. 👍🌟

— C Colcombe (@ColcombeL) April 22, 2020

pic.twitter.com/FYs4vXJVqV

— Watch Dog (@Usefulnotes_) April 22, 2020

What do you think about the video?

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A four-year-old Indian girl in Dubai has become one of the youngest in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to have recovered from the novel coronavirus after walking free from hospital last week, it was reported.

The girl, known only as Sivani, was given a fitting send off by medical staff at Al Futtaim Health Hub on April 20, 20 days after being admitted on April 1, the Gulf News report said.

Sivani contracted the virus from her mother - a front line health worker - who fell ill in March.

Both Sivani and father dad were also tested despite not having any symptoms and, unlike her father, Sivani was found to be positive.

The girl and her mother were kept in the same facility, but concern was greater for the minor who had also fought off a rare type of kidney cancer last year called ganglioneuroblastoma.

Being a cancer survivor, doctors made extra precautions.

"Sivani had undergone chemotherapy sessions only last year and hence her immune system was still weak," Gulf News reported citing Tholfkar Al Baaj, group medical director at Al Futtaim Health Hub and the consultant in family medicine who treated Sivani, as saying.

"The doctors were concerned as she was at higher risk of developing a severe form of the disease and therefore, we had put her under close monitoring. Fortunately, she did not develop any complications from the infection," he added.

Sivani remained under treatment for 20 days before two consecutive negative swab tests rendered her all clear. She will now undergo 14-days quarantine at home.

Her mother remains under observation and was expected to be released soon.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended a fertiliser factory completion ceremony, state media reported on Saturday, his first public appearance after 20 days of absence that sparked rumours about his health.

North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim cut the tape at the ceremony marking the completion of Sunchon Phosphatic Fertilizer Factory in Sunchon, north of Pyongyang, on Friday. Photos released by KCNA showed Kim, dressed in a dark Mao suit, cutting the red ribbon during the ceremony and talking to accompanying officials with a smile on his face.

"All the participants broke into thunderous cheers of 'hurrah!' extending the greatest glory to the Supreme Leader who has brought about a new change in the development of Juche-based fertilizer industry and has led the grand revolutionary advance for strengthening self-supporting economy to a victory with his outstanding leadership," KCNA said. Juche is the concept of self-reliance.

Kim was also quoted as expressing "satisfaction about the wonderful creation". In a report last week, CNN had said that the US was looking into intelligence that Kim Jong-un was in "grave danger" after surgery.

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As a last ditch effort to prevent his extradition to India, embattled liquor baron Vijay Mallya on Monday filed an application in UK Supreme Court to prevent implementation of an earlier order that made his return to India imminent.

The application came after a gap of almost two weeks after the London High Court on April 20 rejected a similar application and ordered his extradition to India to face enforcement authorities there in connection with a Rs 9,000 crore bank fraud and money laundering case involving his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines.

The UK Supreme Court is expected to hear the matter later this week. Legal experts said that if the application is rejected by Supreme Court as well, then UK Home Secretary would have to sign on Mallya's extradition papers within 28 days.

Mallya's application in Supreme Court came on the last day when such an appeal could be made in the top court. The 64-year-old businessman was given 14 days to file such an application against the order of High Court. The high court dismissed his appeal against a Westminster Magistrates' Court extradition order certified by the UK Home Secretary.

Legal experts quoted above said it is unlikely for Mallya to get a reprieve from Supreme Court as it would only look as constitutional issues and may not tamper with high court's order if other aspects are in order.

This should be music to the ears of enforcement agencies in India who have been waiting for a long time get hold of the fugitive businessman. The ED has attached several properties of Mallya in the last few years under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Mallya is being investigated by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the loan fraud case.

He was arrested by the UK authorities on April 20, 2017 on the request of the Indian investigative agencies.

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[Source: Research & Innovation] Armed with a novel biosensor that uses acoustic waves to detect tumour DNA, an EU-funded project could increase the precision and affordability of cancer diagnosis and help make personalised treatment a reality for more patients.

On the same day the Court ruled against Fiat's appeal, the EU General Court has decided that Starbucks was not in fact granted a selective tax advantage in a Dutch tax ruling, contrary to a European Commission conclusion.

A new tax treaty incorporating the latest international tax standards was signed by France and Luxembourg on March 20.

International tax developments could have a negative impact on Luxembourg's tax revenues and economy, the International Monetary Fund has said in its latest Luxembourg country report.

The Government of Luxembourg has published in its Official Gazette the law for the introduction of the new intellectual property tax regime.

Bill of law no. 7278, providing for the implementation of new value-added tax grouping rules in Luxembourg, entered into force on July 31, 2018. The bill was approved by parliament on July 26.

On December 18, 2018, Luxembourg's parliament approved legislation that will implement the European Union Anti-Tax Avoidance Directive.

Enhancements to Luxembourg's network of double tax agreements to mitigate base erosion and profit shifting will become effective from August 1, 2019.

Luxembourg's Government Council, comprising government ministers, has approved legislative changes to the territory's VAT regime to introduce the four quick fixes to improve the functioning of VAT rules in the European Union.

The Luxembourg direct tax administration has published a circular including comprehensive guidance for the recently introduced changes to the special tax regime for intellectual property income.

On August 8, 2019, the Government of Luxembourg submitted to parliament draft law to implement the requirements of the second European Union Anti-Tax Avoidance Directive (ATAD 2), which tackles hybrid mismatch arrangements.