Bajrang Punia, World silver-medallist wrestler

Wrestling is a contact sport. When wrestling will resume, there is no way you can avoid physical contact. But I don't think there would be any hesitation. I don't see any change happening.

Sachin Tendulkar, cricket legend

Players will be wary for some time when it comes to using saliva [to shine the ball]. High fives and hugging your teammates will be avoided for some time. They will be conscious to begin with and may maintain social distancing.

Vijender Singh, India's only male boxer to win an Olympic medal

Athletes will be more cautious. Certainly, training abroad won't be all that easy. Less tournaments will happen and whenever they happen, I am not sure what the participation would be like.

Joshna Chinappa, Top squash player

I think I will have to be extra careful on flights as those are the main transporters of germs around the world. My first instinct after the game is to shake hands with the opponent but now things might change there also.

Bhaichung Bhutia, Former India football captain

Sports events will gradually come back to what they were before and can be held behind closed doors for now. Till the time a vaccine is out, I don't think they can have people inside as it involves a lot of risk.

Mahesh Bhupathi, Multiple-time Grand Slam winning former tennis player

Sport won't change. Things will be normal once COVID-19 goes away.

Abhinav Bindra, India's only individual Olympic gold-medallist

The post-COVID-19 world could be a blessing in disguise for India. There may not be so much foreign exposure and this may allow India to build proper sporting infrastructure.

MC Mary Kom, Six-time world champion and Olympic bronze-medallist

Once a vaccine is developed, things can go back to how they were before but until then, travelling will be less frequent, training will not exactly be a team thing and tournaments, I don't know how they will resume.

Text:PTI

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USA's skiing legend Lindsey Vonn may have retired from professional sport last year, but she hasn't lost her competitive streak.

In a video posted on social media, she takes on National Hockey League (NHL) star fiance PK Subban in a game of hockey at home. Olympic champion Lindsey and Subban got engaged in August 2019.

In the Instagram clip, Lindsey is seen vacuuming the house while Subban is playing with his hockey stick and a ball. Suddenly, Lindsey tackles him, using her vacuum cleaner (screengrab above) and after a brief tussle, Subban eventually falls to the ground.

"Things are getting competitive around here… #winnerwinner," Lindsey captioned her Instagram post which was viewed over 370,000 times on the photo-sharing platform.

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Former national-level kho-kho player and coach Ramesh Waralikar, 83, who served the game in different capacities over five decades, passed away at a city hospital on Thursday.

Prolonged illness

Waralikar, who had been unwell for the last couple of years, went on to become one of the finest kho-kho statisticians, given his vast knowledge of all the players and records associated with it.

Shrirang Inamdar, 65, the youngest kho-kho player to be honoured with the Arjuna Award at the age of 18, recalled his association with Waralikar during Maharashtra's victorious campaign in the national championship at Patiala in 1974. "I was leading Maharashtra for the first time and Waralikar sir was our team manager. His expertise and guidance helped us win that title. He was a genuine all-rounder. He served the game as a player, coach, selector, umpire, administrator, commentator and statistician. He was like Google. You could ask him anything and he would give you accurate details. Back then, without the internet, he manually kept every record of the game," Inamdar told mid-day from Pune.

A game of kho-kho being played at Dantewada village in Chhattisgarh. Pic for representational purpose only

India's women's kho-kho team captain Sarika Kale, who led the country to a gold medal at the 2016 South Asian Games in Guwahati, said Waralikar would readily share his kho-kho knowledge with everyone.

'Most helpful person'

"Though Waralikar sir was not associated with our team as a coach or manager or in any official capacity, whenever we would meet him, he would readily share tips with us. He had a unique style of explaining the nuances of the game. He analysed opposition teams well and always advised us on strategies," said Kale.

Fellow statistician Arun Deshpande doffed his hat to Waralikar. "He is the originator of kho-kho statistics in India. It's a challenge to maintain statistics of a sport that is not well documented but seeing his passion, we were inspired to continue collecting and preserving data associated with the game," said Deshpande, who has been working on kho-kho statistics with Waralikar since 1970.

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Three-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has offered his support to athletes using sport to make a political stand.

Lewis Hamilton

United States president Donald Trump last week suggested NFL players should be sacked by their clubs if they knelt in protest during the American anthem. Players from up and down the league have been kneeling during pre-match renditions of the Star-Spangled Banner - while the entire Pittsburgh Steelers team remained in the locker room when it was played ahead of their recent game with the Chicago Bears.

Anup Jalota is the man who's known as the Bhajan Samrat. He has sung the maximum number of religious songs in Hindi Cinema if one can jog off his memory. And he also participated in Bigg Boss 12 in 2018. And now, he's back with some candid and interesting revelations.

In an interview with Navbharat Times, he was asked about the possibility of his biopic in the future and whom would he like to see in the film. He said, "I think Ranbir Kapoor, one of the finest actors of Bollywood, will fit perfectly in my biopic. I have seen his work in Sanjay Dutt's biopic Sanju, and he has brought Sanjay's character alive on screen effortlessly and very convincingly." Since he spoke about Sanju, the film had multiple heroines that Dutt met in the course of his personal and professional journey.

Jalota stated how his biopic would also need a lot of actresses. "If my biopic is made then it will have four heroines because I had three weddings and later the chapter with Jasleen Matharu in Bigg Boss. By the way, Jasleen can do her own role and if the director wants, then I can also be a part of my biopic." And coming to which heroine he would like to see in his biopic, he had a very interesting answer.

He stated, "My relationship with my first wife Sonali Seth lasted for eight years. I think Kareena Kapoor Khan can be cast for her role. Then, I lived with my third wife Medha Gujral for 20 years before she passed away due to a cardiac arrest in 2014. She was 40 when I met her and whenever I think about an actress portraying Medha, Neena Gupta's face comes in my mind. Medha's face was very similar to Neena's and hence, she fits the role perfectly."

Well, that's a rather unique ensemble he has thought of! What are your thoughts?

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After Race 3 (2018), Jacqueline Fernandez had been missing from the scene, barring sporadic appearances in music videos with Badshah and Bigg Boss contestant Asim Riaz. So where has she been all this while? "For now, I am at a farm far away," she laughs, alluding to spending the lockdown at Salman Khan's Panvel farmhouse. "On a serious note, I went through a period where I needed to reinvent myself."

A still from Mrs Serial Killer

The actor considers Mrs Serial Killer, the crime thriller that dropped on Netflix yesterday, her first step in "rebooting myself." "I have always done mainstream films, and was tired of playing chirpy and superficial characters. I was keen to attempt something dark and complex. So when Shirish [Kunder, director] said that Manoj [Bajpayee] would be my co-star in Mrs Serial Killer, I jumped at the idea." Fernandez admits she was a bundle of nerves on the first day of shoot. "I was excited as well as petrified about working with Manoj. Going by his films, I felt he would be a strict actor. But we had a great time on the set. I had to unlearn several things while working with him."

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Amidst the perilous times of the pandemic, global artists assembled on a live platform for a charitable home-to-home fundraiser concert- I For India concert to raise money for GiveIndia COVID-19 relief fund on 3 May, 2020. Hrithik Roshan, was also one of the artists who was a part of this initiative and as a special sight, the actor sang a song with the accompaniment of a piano.

A source close to the event shared, "Hrithik spent over 7 hours practising the piano and singing. He is neither a professional singer nor a pianist but he put additional efforts and learnt the piano notes for this one, on his own." It is not easy to play the piano and sing together for someone who is new to both but Hrithik worked hard for this performance.

The objective of the philanthropic concert was to pay tribute to those who are working on the frontlines and to provide 100 per cent proceeds from the fundraiser concert to the India COVID Response Fund, to support on-ground relief efforts.

 

 

 

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So the equation goes as: Non pianist + non singer x 7 hours = 😐 (On phone speaker) and. 😬 (on headphones). . . I FOR INDIA. . Thank you Zoya and Karan and the rest of the team for initiating, conceiving, constructing , designing and assembling all of us together for something so needed and important. Proud. 👏. @zoieakhtar @karanjohar

A post shared by Hrithik Roshan (@hrithikroshan) onMay 3, 2020 at 11:19pm PDT

Amidst this lockdown, Hrithik Roshan who has music running in his family, has taken to it too and spends a lot of his time learning music on his own. The effort made by Hrithik was very evident in his heartwarming performance that won many hearts. The actor also urged and inspired everyone to mark their donations.

Through these challenging times, Hrithik has time and again extended his support to the fight against COVID-19. With this, another initiative, the actor continues to inspire everyone and spread positivity.

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Hina Khan is the classic example of been there, done that. In a career spanning over a decade, the actor has dabbled in fictional shows, reality TV and web series. Now, she has appeared in her first short film, Smartphone, available on the Ullu App. The short film has her essaying the role of a homemaker. The actor believes the film's message of women empowerment drew her in. "Suman [her character] showcases true women power. The film highlights how one should not underestimate anybody," she says.

If the story struck a chord with her, working with Akshay Oberoi and Kunaal Roy Kapoor was an enriching experience as they fed off each other's creative energies. "There's always something interesting to pick up from the way your co-actor works on himself during a shoot. We all learnt something from one another whether it was during our rehearsals or over conversations about our respective characters."

Hina Khan

Few actors can boast an easy transition from legacy television to streaming, but Khan believes every medium has been instrumental in helping her grow as a performer. "Every medium has been kind to me. After television where I was a part of some amazing shows [including Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai and Kasautii Zindagii Kay], digital entertainment and films gave me a grand welcome with Damaged 2 and Hacked respectively. At the moment, OTT platforms are producing impressive content. The diversity [they offer] is enriching for an actor."

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As an actor taking his initial steps into Bollywood, Avinash Tiwary knows that his next offering must be significantly noteworthy if he hopes to live up to the acclaim he received for his last film, Laila Majnu. Evidently then, he isn't willing to forgo the toil he put into understanding and acquiring the mindset of Dawood since early November when work on Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani's Dongri to Dubai first kicked off.

After the shooting was stalled in March when the lockdown was announced, Tiwary says being attuned to the character for the forthcoming leg, is becoming increasingly arduous for him. "I hope we start [shooting] soon so that I can finish it. I don't want to sit with this part for too long. As much as it is liberating to be on the OTT platform, it is suffocating to be in this mould and state of mind. It eventually gets to you because you can't live in that space forever."

It was across several sets in Mumbai that filming for the screen adaptation of Hussain Zaidi's book began, only to come to a halt on March 17. "A lot of portions are still to be shot. Now, we have no idea when we will roll again."

Having an artiste as fine as Kay Kay Menon to share screen space with implies Tiwary has abundant opportunity to grow while working on the offering. "When I started out as an actor in theatre, I would idolise him. I try and learn from everything he does on sets."

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It has been more than 40 days that the country has observed complete lockdown. People are finding various ways to keep themselves entertained and occupied during this time. We all know it isn't easy to keep ourselves calm in this difficult time, but all one can do is be patient.

Speaking about Bollywood celebrities, actors are doing their bit by educating their fans and sharing positivity among their followers. Preity Zinta, who is known for her bubbly persona, has been sharing some motivational posts, which will help you stay positive. Let's take a look at her quarantine chronicles through a series of social media posts.

In this one, Preity Zinta gave us some tips on working out at home and staying fit without hitting the gym. The post read, "A lot of people have been asking me for some simple but effective lower back and hip strengthening exercise.... so here it is. Make sure to keep ur core muscles squeezed and engaged. Squeeze ur butt muscles when u go up and breath. The more u do the better for you. Do 4 sets of 10 to start. Keep doing it till someone stops you like Bruno did to me. Hope this helps. #pzfit #day52 #Quarantine #lowerback #stayhome #staysafe #staystrong #ting [sic]"

Watch the video right away!

 

 

 

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A post shared by Preity G Zinta (@realpz) onMay 2, 2020 at 11:33pm PDT

It's not just working out that keeps her engaged the entire day. She has also been brushing up on her cooking skills. Her fruit custard turned out to be successful! Check it out.

 

 

 

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Brushing up my Desert making skills and trying to make the most of staying home during this crazy time. #fruitcustard #stayhome #staysafe #day48 #quarentine #ting

A post shared by Preity G Zinta (@realpz) onApr 28, 2020 at 9:59pm PDT

It seems like no quarantine chronicles are complete without some throwback memories. In one of the posts, Preity Zinta is seen washing a bike. Picture courtesy: Dabboo Ratnani.

 

 

 

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Can you believe this shoot took exactly 5 minutes. Thank you @dabbooratnani for always making my shoots so effortless 😘 #throwbackthursday #ting

A post shared by Preity G Zinta (@realpz) onApr 16, 2020 at 9:47am PDT

That's not it! Preity Zinta proved herself as the queen once again. Confused? The actress became the monopoly queen on one of the lockdown days!

 

 

 

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It’s good to be Queen 🤩 #monoplyqueen #day42 #boardgames #stayhome #staysafe #family #fun #ting

A post shared by Preity G Zinta (@realpz) onApr 22, 2020 at 8:04pm PDT

An older post shared by the actress had Preity Zinta's mother Nilprabha giving her a much-needed head massage. Do you know what's the highlight of the video? Preity's husband Gene asking, 'saasu maa, what are you doing? (mother-in-law, what are you doing). Isn't that cute?

 

 

 

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à¤ÂÂœà¥Âˆ माता दà¥Â€ 🤩🙏 Champi once again 👍Making the most of home quarantine 😘❤ï¸ÂðŸ¤Â— #Day15 #stayhome #staysafe #jaimatadi #ma #champi #navratri ðŸÂÂŽ¥ #mrgoodenough #patiparmeshwar ❤ï¸Â #Ting

A post shared by Preity G Zinta (@realpz) onMar 25, 2020 at 11:27pm PDT

Preity Zinta and Gene Goodenough tied the knot on February 29, 2016, and the duo celebrated their first wedding anniversary on February 29, 2020. Yes, the leap year!

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Arjun Kapoor has always appreciated eclectic content. The actor, who runs his own digital property Arjun Recommends through which suggests great content for people to binge on, is currently gorging on yesteryears acclaimed TV show Byomkesh Bakshi played by actor Rajit Kapur.

For Arjun, this show is like a whiff of nostalgia from his childhood. He says, "Whenever I could catch Byomkesh Bakshi as a kid, I remember I enjoyed it thoroughly. For me, Byomkesh was what a hero should be. Slick, super-intelligent, and charismatic, he is one of the best sleuths that I have seen on screen! I have been watching Byomkesh on TV again and it is pure nostalgia for me!"

Arjun lists his reasons why he loves this indigenous super-detective. "The best thing about Byomkesh was that he solved intelligent crimes and that really hooked me on. The writing, the cleverness of the cases really got me interested. The show still hooks you thoroughly and that’s what great writing, great acting can do. Great content has the ability to become timeless and universal," he adds.

Arjun secretly wishes to play a detective on screen. "Since then, I had always wanted to play a detective who saves the day and saves lives. I got to live my childhood dream by playing an undercover agent and saving the country in India’s Most Wanted! I still hope I get to play a detective on-screen one day!" says Arjun.

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There may not be a single soul who didn't like Irrfan Khan for some quality or the other. Be it his acting prowess, his expressive eyes, the magic in his voice, or for simply the kind of person he was, Irrfan was loved and admired by people across the world. 

When he left us on April 29, 2020, it felt like one of the darkest days Hindi cinema had seen. Messages of condolence and sorrow came in from the most unexpected corners of the world, further proving that Irrfan Khan was indeed a global icon.

Deepika Padukone and Irrfan shared screen space in the much-loved film Piku, which starred Amitabh Bachchan as well. The actress recently shared a video that shows her playing tennis with Irrfan, possibly on the sets of Piku. She remembered Irrfan with a broken heart emoji and wrote, "Please come back!"

 

 

 

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please come back!💔 #irrfankhan

A post shared by Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) onMay 8, 2020 at 8:27pm PDT

Dippy and Irrfan shared a close camaraderie, which was apparent in the effortless way they shared the screen in Piku, which released on May 8, 2015. And on the fifth anniversary of their film, Deepika shared a quaint photo of herself and Irrfan in one frame laughing their hearts out.

 

 

 

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लम्हे गुज़र गये चेहरे बदल गये हम थे अंजानी राहो में पल में रुला दिया पल में हसा के फिर रह गये हम जी राहो में थोड़ा सा पानी है रंग है थोड़ी सी छावो है चुभती है आँखो में धूप ये खुली दिशाओ में और दर्द भी मीठा लगे सब फ़ासले ये कम हुए ख्वाबो से रस्ते सजाने तो दो यादो को दिल में बसाने तो दो लम्हे गुज़र गये चेहरे बदल गये हम थे अंजानी राहो में थोड़ी सी बेरूख़ी जाने दो थोड़ी सी ज़िंदगी लाखो स्वालो में ढूंधू क्या थक गयी ये ज़मीन है जो मिल गया ये आस्मा तो आस्मा से मांगू क्या ख्वाबो से रस्ते सजाने तो दो यादो को दिल में बसाने तो दो -Piku Rest in Peace my Dear Friend...💔 #rana #piku #bhaskor @shoojitsircar @juhic3 #5yearsofpiku

A post shared by Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) onMay 8, 2020 at 1:45am PDT

Irrfan Khan will be missed for years to come, and will surely be never forgotten.

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Veteran Gujarati actor Arvind Trivedi, who became a household name all over India playing Raavan in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan, got emotional while watching the re-run of the popular mythological serial.

In a video circulating on social media, Trivedi, who is in his eighties now, is seen watching the 'Sita Apaharan' (Kidnapping of Sita) episode with great attention. The video has gone viral on the internet.

In the video, Trivedi folds his hands in the end. The scene got him very emotional, as per a report by timesofindia.indiatimes.com.

Have a look:

 

 

 

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So touching. 84 year old veteran #ArvindTrivedi ji watched his #Ravana role after 30 years & seeks forgiveness from others 🙏🙏

A post shared by @ koro_na_hunter onApr 12, 2020 at 7:54am PDT

Amid the ongoing 21-day nationwide lockdown, the popular mythological series is being re-telecast on Doordarshan.

Ramayan aired in 1987-1988 and is created, written, and directed by Ramanand Sagar. The show was a television adaptation of the Indian Hindu epic of the same name.

The show was a game-changer for Indian television, hooking the nation to the show. Sunday mornings were never the same for families in India after the first episode of "Ramayan" aired on television. The impact was such that the actors associated with the show, continue to live under the shadow of their characters, with people remembering them for the roles they played in the show, which narrated the life story of Lord Ram and Sita.

The role of Ram was played by Arun Govil, Sita played by Deepika Chikhalia, Lakshman was played by Sunil Lahiri, and Hanuman by late Dara Singh. It also featured Sanjay Jog, late Vijay Arora, Sameer Rajda, late Mulraj Rajda and late Lalita Pawar.

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The popular sitcom Office Office is back on television, and actress Asawari Joshi, who played the role of Usha ji in the show, went down memory lane recalling how her co-stars would play pranks on her on the set, and added how she learnt many things from her veteran co-star Pankaj Kapur.

Kapur plays a retired schoolmaster named Mussaddi Lal Tripathi, and the evergreen show narrates his struggles to get work done in corrupt offices in a satirical manner.

"The most mischievous one on the set was Sanjay Mishra, who was the master of quick comebacks. He played pranks on me every day. I was always the prime target of all pranks, and one day everyone decided to play a prank on me while we were in the middle of a reading session.

"They made me scream in the middle of the session by making me think that a mouse was under my chair!" she recalled.

Asawari also shared that she was called "production ka eklauta damaad" (the sole son-in-law of the production guys) on the sets.

"Being the only woman in the cast, all the men used to pull my leg and called me 'production ka eklauta damaad', because I had all the perks -- such as an individual room and a personal stylist -- like a pampered son-in-law. While Sanjay, Manoj (Pahwa) and Hemant (Pandey) were the notorious gang who played pranks on me, they also became really good friends. Deven (Bhojani) was fairly quiet on the set and very sincere towards his work. I feel we all learned the most from Pankaj ji, and during the entire journey of 'Office Office', I witnessed his immense dedication towards work," she reminisced.

The show is currently re-running on Sony SAB. The decision to bring back the show came in the wake of the good response that the re-telecast of several old popular TV shows among new-age audiences has seen during the coronavirus lockdown.

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Prince Narula and Yuvika Chaudhary are setting couple goals, and no one can deny that! The duo is simply smitten by each other, and can't get enough of it. As the country is under lockdown, many celebrities have been sharing encouraging videos of them spending time at home and finding multiple ways to keep themselves occupied, away from boredom.

Prince Narula too shared a video of him being a fun husband during the time of lockdown. But his prank didn't turn out as he planned! The Roadies judge was trying hard to make his wife laugh with a lighthearted game. As the video proceeds, it seems like Yuvika didn't like the prank, at all! Take a look.

In fact, when the Ex-Bigg Boss contestant shared the video, he wrote, "Prank video having fun with my wife @yuvikachaudhary. Video k baad mera kya haal hua dakheye is video main [sic]"

 

 

 

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A post shared by Prince Yuvika Narula (@princenarula) onApr 15, 2020 at 5:29am PDT

OMG! Nobody saw this coming, did you? Well, Prince Narula, don't trouble your wife, especially during the lockdown time.

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Actor Gurmeet Choudhary became a household name after playing Lord Ram in the 2008 TV show "Ramayan". If given a chance, he would like to revisit the character, but for a film. It's been a while since the audience saw him in a mythology show. Asked if the genre still interests him, Gurmeet told IANS: "I'd definitely like to do (a mythology project) if I like it. The audience saw me as TV's Ram, but I'd really like to do a film called 'Ramayan', and I'd like this film to reach all over the world." Looking back at the show, he shared that he didn't want to copy actor Arun Govil, who originally played the role in Ramanand Sagar's blockbuster mythological series "Ramayan" way back in the eighties.

"When I was very small, I had watched Ramanand Sagar's 'Ramayan'. But I remembered very less about it. As I grew up, my dad would narrate stories of 'Ramayan'. So story-wise I knew it. When finally 'Ramayan' was given to me, I had a thought that before doing another 'Ramayan' if I watch the 80s 'Ramayan' then as an actor...Arunji had acted really well. Had I seen his version of Ram again then there might have been chances of me copying him. Every actor can understand that he needs to do his own style, so I tried to act in my own style," he recalled.

And he gave a lot to playing Ram in his show, which has been brought back on the small screen by Dangal TV. "I had given many auditions and then mock shoot happened. During that duration, I got many ideas on how to play my version of Ram. While shooting for 12 hours, I used to be in that character only," he said. He focussed on his character's walking style and smile.

"Everyone used to tell me to switch on and off (the character) otherwise I'd become a brahmachari (celibate) or quit acting but I have always believed that as an actor, it was one character that very few people got the opportunity to play. I gave my 200 percent," said Gurmeet. "Ramayan" brought him fame but there was also a fear of getting typecast.

"It generally happens that when actors do mythology shows, they get typecast. But I got saved. I didn't get typecast. It didn't happen suddenly though. I had prepared myself," he said. Talking about moving on from the character, he said: "Once 'Ramayan' got over, I did some reality shows. So people saw me and said 'he is young, wears jeans, T-shirt, dances and does action. Then I won 'Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa' and participated in 'Nach Baliye', did 'Punar Vivaah' and then due to God's blessings, I got films. 'Khamoshiyan' was my first film. Mahesh Bhatt had launched me. My film journey started there," said the "Paltan" actor.

In fact, prior to the announcement of the lockdown in March, he was shooting for a film, which he would like to wrap up once work starts again.

"I really like black coffee. So I'll have that in a coffee shop. The shooting of my film 'The Wife' was happening in Jaipur. We had shot 50 per cent of the film. I really liked the film's script. So after coffee, I'd catch a flight and complete its shooting," he said.

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After a series of doodle honouring coronavirus warriors, Google launched a new series since April 27 where they have been urging people to stay home and play games amid the COVID-19 crisis. Today, google shared an interactive doodle featuring the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy.

It’s day 2 of our throwback #GoogleDoodle series...

Today, crickHIT for 6 in our 2017 Doodle game celebrating cricket! 🏏🦗#GoogleDoodle → https://t.co/hokoBrGUtO pic.twitter.com/NSFpjSmbjg

— Google Doodles (@GoogleDoodles) April 28, 2020

The doodel features the letter G where a person can be seen donning a Chef's hat as he uses a rolling pin in place of a bat while the letter E shows another person ready to bowl to the batsman like a bowler. When one hovers over the final doodle, it shows the message, "Stay and play at home with popular past Google Doodles: Cricket (2017).

The game provides you a virtual experience of playing cricket at a stadium

Once clicked on the animation, google takes the user to a game where one can play cricket on a pitch. The 2017 ICC Champions Trophy doodle was originally shared to celebrate the launch of the ICC Champions Trophy. the interactive feature gives you the surreal feeling of being in a stadium while playing the sport.

Explaining the motive behind launching the 10 game series to be played at hime, Google said, "As Covid-19 continues to impact communities around the world, people and families everywhere are spending more time at home. In light of this, we're launching a throwback doodle series looking back at some of our popular interactive Google Doodle games!"

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After sharing an interactive doodle featuring the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, on Monday, Google shared throwback game from 2016 in order to urge people to stay at home and keep themselves entertained by playing these games. Scoville is part of the latest series that Google launched last week urging people to stay home and play games amid the COVID-19 crisis.

It’s day 6 of our throwback #GoogleDoodle series...

Today, spice it up with our 2016 Doodle game celebrating pharmacist & inventor of the Scoville scale, Wilbur Scoville! 🌶️🥵#GoogleDoodle → https://t.co/FhX0mtZxBU pic.twitter.com/RNW8UhGfAN

— Google Doodles (@GoogleDoodles) May 4, 2020

The latest doodle is in honour of celebrated pharmacist Wilbur Scoville. The doodel was first published on January 22, 2016 to celebrate the Scoville's 151st birthday. Wilbur Scoville is well known for his Organoleptic test which he invented back in 1912 while working at the Parke-Davis pharmaceutical company. The test measures the heat of several chilli peppers.

The interactive Scoville game

In the Scoville game, one has to throw ice-cream balls at the animated peppers in order to win the game. When one hovers over the final doodle, it shows the message, "Stay and play at home with popular past Google Doodles: Scoville (2016). Once clicked on the doodle animation, google takes the user to a game where one can play the interactive ice-cream and peppers game.

While launching its 10 game series to be played at home amid the coronavirus outbreak, Google Doodle said, "As COVID-19 continues to impact communities around the world, people and families everywhere are spending more time at home. In light of this, we’re launching a throwback Doodle series looking back at some of our popular interactive Google Doodle games!"

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After sharing an interactive doodle featuring the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy and honouring celebrated pharmacist and researcher Wilbur Scoville, Google on Thursday shared a throwback game from 2017 thereby urging people to play musical games at home amid lockdown.

It’s day 9 of our throwback #GoogleDoodle series...

Today, boogie down with legendary beats & take our 2017 Doodle game celebrating the birth of Hip Hop for a spin! 🎚ï¸ÂðŸŽ¶#GoogleDoodle → https://t.co/sM4kky8Opq pic.twitter.com/Dct0hGa1ON

— Google Doodles (@GoogleDoodles) May 7, 2020

The latest doodle animation is part of Google's series that the giant search engine launched last week urging people to stay home and play games amid the COVID-19 crisis. A treat for music and especially hip hop fans, the 2017 game lets users mix music samples from legendary tracks on their interactive turntables.

While sharing the animated doodle with their followers on Twitter, Googel Doodle tweeted, "Today, boogie down with legendary beats & take our 2017 Doodle game celebrating the birth of Hip Hop for a spin!"

In order to play the game, one has to mix the beats with the help of the crossfader which can be operated with the help of the mouse. Once clicked on the animation, google plays a short animated film showcasing the history of Hip Hop music featuring the voiceover of Hip Hop icon Fab 5 Freddy.

A screengrab of the Hip Hop musicla game

Google also narrates the story of Jamaican-American DJ Kool Herc, who played an instrumental role in the birth of Hip Hop music. Since the last one week, Google has been sharing throwback pictures including Halloween, Loteria, Scoville and Fischinger among others. When one hovers over the final doodle, it shows the message, "Stay and play at home with popular past Google Doodles: Hip Hop (2017).

While launching the interactive series last week, Google said, "As Covid-19 continues to impact communities around the world, people and families everywhere are spending more time at home. In light of this, we're launching a throwback doodle series looking back at some of our popular interactive Google Doodle games!"

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New Delhi: The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on Thursday said it played a vital role in controlling the gas leakage and rescue operations during the styrene gas leakage in LG Polymers in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam.

The central paramilitary force, in a statement, said the CISF Fire Service Wing of VSP Vishakapatnam along with one foam tender immediately rushed to the spot and joined the operation with local authorities and the state fire service.

"On Thursday, styrene gas leakage occurred in LG Polymers plant, Gopalapatnam, Visakhapatnam (AP). On receiving information from local police, personnel of CISF Fire Service Wing of VSP Vishakapatnam rushed to the spot and joined the operation," the CISF said in a statement.

It said gas affected 20 people were rescued and rushed to hospital.

"Additional Breathing Apparatus Sets, spare cylinders were sent to the spot for rescue operations by CISF Unit VSP Visakhapatnam. Later at about 9.45 a.m. as per the request of local authorities, the hydraulic platform with additional CISF Fire Service Wing personnel was sent to the spot to join the operation to stop the gas leakage."

It said the CISF Fire Service Wing personnel with foam tender actively participated in the joint operation with local authorities and state fire service to stop the gas leakage.

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Arjun Kapoor has always appreciated eclectic content. The actor, who runs his own digital property Arjun Recommends through which suggests great content for people to binge on, is currently gorging on yesteryears acclaimed TV show Byomkesh Bakshi played by actor Rajit Kapur.

For Arjun, this show is like a whiff of nostalgia from his childhood. He says, “Whenever I could catch Byomkesh Bakshi as a kid, I remember I enjoyed it thoroughly. For me, Byomkesh was what a hero should be. Slick, super-intelligent, and charismatic, he is one of the best sleuths that I have seen on screen! I have been watching Byomkesh on TV again and it is pure nostalgia for me!”

Arjun lists his reasons why he loves this indigenous super-detective. “The best thing about Byomkesh was that he solved intelligent crimes and that really hooked me on. The writing, the cleverness of the cases really got me interested. The show still hooks you thoroughly and that’s what great writing, great acting can do. Great content has the ability to become timeless and universal,” he adds.

Arjun secretly wishes to play a detective on screen. “Since then, I had always wanted to play a detective who saves the day and saves lives. I got to live my childhood dream by playing an undercover agent and saving the country in India’s Most Wanted! I still hope I get to play a detective on-screen one day!” says Arjun.

Also Read: An overwhelmed Arjun Kapoor wishes a frontline doctor on her birthday as she pens an emotional note

A day back, Deepika Padukone and late Irrfan Khan's film Piku completed five years. Irrfan's demise is still being mourned by his friends, colleagues and fans. Deepika took to Instagram to share a video of herself playing tennis with the actor. "Please come back," she wrote.

The video was taken on the sets of Piku. Deepika, who had a deep fondness for Irrfan like all of us, earlier paid a tribute to him with the song 'Lamhe Guzar Gaye', from the same film. Along with that, she also shared a throwback photo from the sets.

View this post on Instagram

please come back!???? #irrfankhan

A post shared by Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) on May 8, 2020 at 8:27pm PDT

Irrfan, who was battling cancer for the past two years, spent half of this time in London, getting himself treated. Despite not being in the best of health, he shot for Homi Adajania's Angrezi Medium, which also remains his last theatrical release so far. Irrfan breathed his last on 29th April, at a Mumbai hospital and is survived by wife Sutapa Sikdar and two sons.

Real Sociedad said Saturday they were cutting players' wages by up to 20 percent in an attempt to stabilise the club's budget during the coronavirus crisis. "An agreement has been reached with the first team for the reduction of their wages by 20% in case the league does not resume this season, and by 5% in case the season can start again," said a club statement. "This decision, taken with all of the parties concerned, helps us avoid traumatic measures for the rest of our employees and helps to balance the club's economic objectives in the face of a drop in income suffered after the suspension of competition."

Real Sociedad also announced a 20% refund on season tickets for its supporters. At the time of the La Liga suspension last month, Real Sociedad were in fourth place in the championship. They had also qualified for the Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao in Seville on a date still to be decided. Real Madrid had already announced wage cuts, estimated by Spanish media to be 10% if the season resumes and 20% if the league is abandoned. Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have cut salaries by 70%. Spain is one of the worst-hit nations by the virus which has already claimed more than 16,300 lives in the country. bur/dr/dep/clv/dj/mwt again," said a club statement.

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Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard is in lockdown in the UK due to the Coronavirus but that hasn't stopped him from keeping in touch with Playboy model, Laura Bragato (right). Italian Laura told British tabloid, The Daily Star that Jesse has been texting her while in self-isolation. "I spoke to Jesse yesterday, and he is staying home like the rest of us. He is safe. In Italy here we are all in lockdown, it's been one month and I hope everything is going to start again here. When it's over, I can't wait to travel. I want to spend my summer in Spain and London" Laura said on Tuesday.

Jesse Lingard

Laura became famous in 2018, when she claimed that her 'lucky' behind would help Italy beat England in the FIFA World Cup. The match ended 1-1 but her pre-match comments, hoping for Jesse to score, saw her earn lakhs of online fans instantly.

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Most international football might not be played until 2021 due to Coronavirus pandemic travel restrictions and the need to give club competitions the chance to resume, a FIFA vice president has said. Victor Montagliani, a Canadian, who is president of the governing body for North and Central America and the Caribbean, has been heading a FIFA working group formulating plans to deal with the implications of the world's biggest sport being largely shut down since last month.

FIFA already has called off matches between countries that were due to be played in March and June. Montagliani, CONCACAF's president, believes the September, October and November windows for national team matches could be scrapped. "I personally think that might be a bit of a challenge, not so much because of just the health issues around the world and the various degrees of preparedness, but also committing to international travel as soon as we come back," Montagliani told The Associated Press.

Montagliani

"I think that domestic football is a priority. September is still in the books, but I would garner to say that I'm not sure it's there on solid ground the way things are trending right now." The return of fans into packed stadiums could be dependent on a vaccine for the COVID-19 disease being ready—and that might not be until 2021. "If we get the green light to play a football match. I highly doubt that first football match will be with fans. I just can't see that. I think that would be taken a massive risk," he said in a video interview from Vancouver, British Columbia.

"I'm pretty sure it'll be a phased in approach, just like the rest of society is going to be is then in terms of us trying to get back to normal here."

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UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said Monday that leagues across Europe were ready to return to action behind closed doors in a bid to limit the damage caused by coronavirus. Football leagues have been suspended since mid-March due to the pandemic which has claimed more than 100,000 lives throughout the continent. But the head of European football believes that playing would be an important step towards a return to normal life and avoid heavy financial losses for leagues.

"I believe there are options that can allow us to restart cup championships and to complete them," Ceferin said in an interview with Italian daily Corriere della Sera. "We may have to resume without spectators, but the most important thing, I think, is playing games. "It is early to say that we cannot complete the season. The impact would be terrible for clubs and leagues. Better to play behind closed doors than not at all. "In such hard times it would bring happiness to people and a certain sense of normality even if the games can only be seen on TV. "All activities are being organised to start again, everyone needs to find their lives. "If safety measures are respected and if the authorities give the green light, the training could resume like the rest. "Further consent will be needed for matches." Ceferin said that if leagues returned "soon enough" then Champions League and Europa League matches could "be played in parallel" with no date limit for the finals.

The Slovenian said he was not in favour of the season going into September and October as it "would have a heavy impact" on the 2020-2021 campaign. "We can finish, but we must respect the decisions taken by authorities," he continued. "The priority is the health of fans, players and coaches." As for countries who have decided not to finish the season, Ceferin said that UEFA "will review the cases". "Such decisions were not made alone," he said. "Football is interconnected, we have seen how important it is for UEFA and leagues to work in good cooperation. The executive committee will review the cases." He added: "Leagues are the revenue base for clubs nationwide. If completed, the financial consequences will be limited. "UEFA, on the other hand, will lose a lot of money for postponing Euro 2020."

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England football star Jesse Lingard's model friend Laura Bragato is hoping the Manchester United player likes her latest pictures from a shoot for Playboy magazine.

Italian Laura, who shot topless for the magazine's Croatian edition before the global lockdown, told British newspaper Daily Star: "I haven't shown him [Jesse] the pictures yet but for sure he will appreciate them like all my friends."

Jesse Lingard

Laura met Jesse during the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and the pair have since kept in touch via text messaging. "I spoke to Jesse recently, and he is staying home like the rest of us. He is safe," Laura added.

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Arsenal's squad will be allowed back to their training ground from next week, although the club stressed they would still have to maintain British government guidelines designed to combat the spread of the coronavirus. The Premier League side's players will have access to training pitches but on a strict rotational basis that will see them uphold social distancing measures. "Players will be permitted access to our London Colney training grounds next week," said a club spokesperson. "Access will be limited, carefully managed and social distancing will be maintained at all times.

"All Colney buildings remain closed. Players will travel alone, do their individual workout and return home." This week saw Arsenal become the first Premier League club to agree a coronavirus pay cut with their players as manager Mikel Arteta and his stars slashed their wages by 12.5 percent. There are reports Arsenal, whose yearly wage bill is around £230 million ($286 million), will give players their money back in the event that they bridge an eight-point gap and qualify for the Champions League when football restarts. Football is currently suspended indefinitely in England, with the UK under lockdown.

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Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo flew back to Italy on Monday after almost two months in Coronavirus lockdown in his native Madeira, Portugal, but he is continues to help with donations during this COVID-19 pandemic.

Lokomotiv Moscow's Portuguese player Joao Mario has told British tabloid, The Sun that Cristiano is donating money to lower league players in Portugal, who are financially hit due to the pandemic.

"It's a bad situation for everyone but in these kinds of situations, it's worse. They [Portugal's lower league players] really need our help. Cristiano presented us an initiative for us all to help especially those players that are struggling, that do not have professional contracts," said Joao.

Meanwhile, Manchester City star Bernardo Silva said, "Ronaldo suggested that Portugal players should donate 50 per cent of their Euro 2020 qualification bonus towards a players's fund in the Portugal Football Federation."

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Former Barcelona player Xavi Hernandez is certain of ex-teammate Lionel Messi featuring in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 as he said that the Argentine has still got "five or seven very good years left in him".

"He's still got five or seven very good years left in him," Goal.com quoted Xavi as saying during an Instagram chat with another ex-Barca forward, Samuel Eto'o.

"He takes good care of himself and he can keep playing until he's 37, 38 or 39. He'll play at the Qatar World Cup, I'm sure," he added.

The 32-year-old Messi scored 24 goals this season in all competitions before coronavirus pandemic brought the football season to a standstill.

Xavi also expressed his desire to manage Barcelona saying that it is his dream to coach the club.

"In January, it wasn't the right moment. I had conversations with Eric Abidal [Barcelona's sporting director] and Oscar Grau [Barcelona chief executive] and a big offer, but it wasn't the right moment. I need a bit more experience. Coaching Barcelona is my dream. I'd like to do it one day. I've said that many times," he said.

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Gold has indeed proven itself as an effective hedge against any downside risk. It has seen a sharp rise in the price rally since the first case of Novel Coronavirus was reported in November 2019.

In the beginning of March, gold prices fell marginally, however it is on the upswing and has retained its level above Rs 40,000 per 10 grams.

Graph: Gold's rising uptrend

Gold started to ascend last year when the US and China trade talks began and escalated in trade war, followed by similar trade wars of the US with other nations.

These events have proved to be favourable for the momentum of the price of Gold. It played its role of a crucial hedge and store of value when other asset classes had witnessed high volatility and posted marginal returns.

Some of the other factors that have supported gold are...

• The outbreak of COVID-19 with no evident containment yet
• Economic uncertainty and fears of a virus-led global recession
• Global GDP growth revised downwards and for across regions
• Easy monetary policy action (of reduction in interest rates and stimulus packages) and an accommodative stance adopted by the central banks across the world to support growth
• A crash in the oil markets due to lack of demand and excess supply with storage problems
• A record-high global debt-to-GDP of nearly US$ 255 trillion (over 322% of global GDP) - 40 percentage points higher than at the onset of 2008 global financial crisis according to the Institute of International Finance (IIF), as the world is fighting the COVID-19 pandemic
• The US Presidential elections later this year, in November 2020
• Increased stock market volatility
• The potential risk to the inflation trajectory.

[Read: Coronavirus Has No Antidote. Your Bad Investments Could Have.]

Besides, the lockdown brought upon due to COVID-19 pandemic is going to hurt the economy for a couple of quarters badly which will amplify the credit risk. The economic activity will slow grind to full capacity, prompting furloughs and pay cuts, and job losses across sectors, which will affect the credit line as the number of defaulters will rise because cash strapping will be seen.

Recognising the risk stemming from the bottom hit economy, where the growth projections by the IMF are almost 1.9% due to the CoVID-19, the NPAs of banks and NBFCs are expected to increase.

[Read: How the COVID-19 Extended Lockdown Has Made Investments in 'Banking Funds' Very Risky]

Until the COVID-19 pandemic is contained and economic uncertainty prevails, the spotlight will continue to be on gold owing to the financial uncertainty it brings along. Even the IMF Global Financial Stability report highlights an increase in the level of risk among multiple global metrics and, therefore, the importance of owning gold in one's portfolio.

Hence, in my view, in the current situation consider allocating some portion of your investment portfolio to gold and its equivalents. This year buying gold in a physical form from your preferred jeweller or gold merchant may not be possible amidst the COVID-19 extended lockdown. But you can always consider Gold Exchange Traded Funds, Gold Saving Funds, Sovereign Gold Bonds, and/or Digital Gold, which are smart and unconventional ways of investing in gold.

Recently the Government of India, in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India, decided to issue Sovereign Gold Bonds. The Sovereign Gold Bonds will be issued in six tranches from April 2020 to September 2020 as per the calendar specified below:

Each of the tranche is offered for a limited subscription period, having a maturity tenure of 8 years and a lock-in period of 5 years

With an initial investment amount of Rs 20,000, resident individuals, Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs), Trusts, Universities and Charitable Institutions can subscribe to SGBs. The application can be also made by the guardian on behalf of the minor. One can purchase units from the secondary market as well.

The issue price of the SGB will be Rs 50 per gram less than the nominal value when applied online and the payment against the application is made through digital mode.

On maturity, the Gold Bonds shall be redeemed in Indian Rupees and the redemption price shall be based on a simple average of the closing price of gold of 999 purity of previous 3 business days from the date of repayment, published by the India Bullion and Jewellers Association Limited.

In order to encourage passive but direct gold investment, as an alternative to purchasing physical gold, Modi led Government sanctioned a Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme in November 2015. Under this scheme, investors have to pay the issue price in cash and the bonds will be redeemed in cash on maturity. The Bond is issued by the Reserve Bank on behalf of Government of India.

With the Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme, the risks and costs of physical storage are eliminated. Plus, it is free from issues like the costs of making charges and purity, as in the case of gold in jewellery form. But these bonds are held in the books of the RBI, or in demat form to eliminate even the risk of loss of scrip, etc.

Sovereign Gold Bonds will generate market returns linked to the price of gold, so there may be a risk of capital loss if the market price of gold declines. Moreover, these bonds will provide interest income at the rate of 2.50 per cent (fixed rate) per annum on the amount of initial investment to investors and will be redeemable.

The minimum investment allowed is 1 gram, while the maximum buying limit is a subscription of 4 kg for individuals, 4 kg for Hindu Undivided Family (HUF), and 20 kg for trusts and similar entities notified by the government from time to time per fiscal year (April - March).

These bonds are sold through offices or branches of Nationalised Banks, Scheduled Private Banks, Scheduled Foreign Banks, designated Post Offices, Stock Holding Corporation of India Ltd. (SHCIL), and the authorised stock exchanges, either directly or through their agents.

Do note, that the interest on the bonds is taxed as per the provisions of the Income-tax Act, 1961. If you hold the SGB till maturity the capital gains tax on redemption of SGB is exempted. But if you sold the bond in the secondary market after three years, long term capital gains (LTCGs) tax is applicable and it will be taxed at 20 per cent with indexation. And if sold before three years, a short-term capital gains (STCGs) tax will be applicable according to the income tax slab.

What should the investors do?

Defeating the Coronavirus and surviving is everyone's core focus and having liquidity, those who have an adequate contingency fund are looking for investments.

Equity and debt markets are yet to see any signs of revival despite the stimulating relief measures provided to uplift the slowing of economy but investing in gold can prove to be worthy for your portfolio.

[Read: What Could Be the Potential Impact of a Lockdown on Your Mutual Fund Portfolio? Know Here...]

Even the bond prices were at all-time lows, which are inversely proportional to gold as well. In my view allocate at least 10-15% of your entire investment portfolio to gold and hold it with a long-term investment horizon.

Remember gold offers an effective hedge during global uncertainty and a shield against inflation. Most importantly in your portfolio, it serves as a diversifier.

PersonalFN is a Mumbai based personal finance firm offering Financial Planning and Mutual Fund Research services.

Disclaimer:
The views mentioned above are of the author only. Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. The author and Equitymaster do not claim it to be accurate nor accept any responsibility for the same. The views constitute only the opinions and do not constitute any guidelines or recommendation on any course of action to be followed by the reader. Please read the detailed Terms of Use of the web site.

Rafael Nadal thinks the global nature of tennis means there is little chance tournaments will go ahead any time soon as sport continues to be paralysed by the coronavirus pandemic. Novak Djokovic also anticipates a lengthy delay before tennis can be played even behind closed doors, with the world number one expecting players to have to wait a "few months". The French Open, which Nadal has won a record 12 times, has been postponed until September, shortly after the US Open, while Wimbledon was cancelled earlier this month for the first time since World War II.

But the prospect of either grand slams at Roland Garros or Flushing Meadows being played with fans appears increasingly remote. "Tennis is a global sport," Nadal told Spanish radio station Onda Cero on Wednesday night. "We go from country to country and a lot of people have to move around.
"It seems difficult to me for any big tournament to be played in the short or medium term."

Football's major leagues are preparing to play behind closed doors for several weeks to complete their seasons and avoid losing considerable sums of money from broadcasting contracts. But tennis tournaments are more reliant on fans for their income, making it more complicated to stage competitions in empty stadiums. "It is not an easy decision," Djokovic told the same programme.

"I am ready but I think we have to wait a few months." "If you could play behind closed doors, I would be delighted but I think it's very difficult," added Nadal.

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The ATP and WTA, along with the International Tennis Federation and organisers of the four Grand Slams (Tennis Australia, the Federation Francaise de Tennis, All England Club and United States Tennis Association) are planning create a 'Player Relief Programme' to provide assistance to the coronavirus-impacted players.

"With so much uncertainty around when it will be safe to restart the professional tennis tours, the international governing bodies of world tennis can confirm they are in discussions to create a Player Relief Programme to provide much-needed assistance to the players who are particularly affected during this time of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis," ITF said in a statement on Tuesday.

"These discussions have been progressing well and details are being finalised with an announcement expected in the near future. Already agreed is that the ATP and the WTA will administer the Player Relief Programme and all seven stakeholders will make a significant contribution," the statement added. IFT further said: "We know that for our players, as well as for so many people worldwide, there is the need for financial support for those who need it most and we look forward to finalising and sharing the further details of a plan in due course."

The London-based governing body has also announced the creation of player panels for those competing on its World Tennis Tour. "The panel will provide a forum for players to provide their input and have their say on how the tour is run and will be a further opportunity for the ITF to engage with the player community," ITF said. The men's and women's players will each elect a panel of seven current player members, who will have voting rights.

Men's players with an ATP ranking of below 350 and women's tennis players with a WTA ranking not higher than 151 will be allowed to nominate a fellow player or stand in the election.

All professional tennis activities remain suspended till July 13 due to coronavirus outbreak which has so far claimed more 1.7 lives across the world.

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The U.S. Tennis Association is warning folks: "No Bryan Brothers chest bumps." That was among the suggestions from the USTA on Wednesday, when it offered return-to-play guidelines to help players and people running tennis facilities know when " and how " the sport should resume at the amateur level as coronavirus lockdown restrictions ease.

The USTA thinks it will be safe to again play tennis "in some cities and states sooner than in others." One of the recommendations is to maintain social distancing by staying 6 feet apart from other people " and, therefore, to avoiding playing doubles, because it "could lead to incidental contact and unwanted proximity." The group that runs the U.S. Open went on to add: "If you do play doubles, avoid all incidental contact, no Bryan Brothers chest bumps and no whispering to each other from a close distance to strategize."

American twins Bob and Mike Bryan have won 16 Grand Slam titles in men's doubles together and celebrate wins by jumping simultaneously and bumping chests. All professional tennis has been suspended at least until mid-July. The U.S. Open is still scheduled to begin main-draw play in New York on Aug. 31.

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Former tennis champion and convicted child rapist Bob Hewitt on Friday walked out of jail after he was granted parole, the South African correctional services ministry said. Australia-born Hewitt was convicted in May 2015 of raping two girls aged 12 and 13 in the early 1980s, and of indecently assaulting a 17-year-old girl in 1994. He was sentenced to six years imprisonment and has been incarcerated at a jail in the coastal Eastern Cape province.

Hewitt, 80, served the minimum sentence period required before he was considered for parole. "We can confirm the parole placement and the parolee is now home," the ministry spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo told AFP. The disgraced former tennis star's previous attempts to get his sentence reduced were thrown out by the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court in 2016.

Born in Australia, Hewitt has lived in South Africa for most of his life. The former multiple Gram Slam doubles champion's name was removed from the International Tennis Hall of Fame after a series of sexual abuse allegations against him surfaced in 2013.

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Novak Djokovic has apparently broke confinement rules in Spain by going back to a tennis court. Djokovic posted a video on Instagram showing him exchanging shots with another man at a tennis club in the coastal city of Marbella, where the Serb has reportedly stayed. Djokovic filmed the video while hitting shots and wrote he was "so happy to play on clay...well, just for a bit with my phone in the hands."

Spain on Monday loosened some of the lockdown measures that had been in place since mid-March because of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing professional athletes to return to practice. But sports facilities are supposed to remain closed at least until next week in most parts of the country, with the exception of training centres for teams in professional leagues in sports such as soccer.

The Spanish tennis federation said in a statement on Monday that professional players in Spain were allowed to exercise by themselves or with a coach, but not yet on a tennis court. It said it would work on a set of guidelines to inform players and clubs about what they would be permitted to do beginning next week.
The federation's statement did not appear to be related to Djokovic's appearance on the court in Marbella.

Requests for comment made to the federation and to Djokovic's staff late on Monday were not immediately answered. It was not clear if Djokovic, the reigning Australian Open would be subjected to fines or sanctions if it was confirmed he broke the lockdown rules.

The No. 1-ranked Djokovic recently said he was against taking an anti-Coronavirus vaccination if it became mandatory to travel once the pandemic subsides, though he later said he was open to changing his mind.

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A fund for tennis players hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic has been created, the sport's governing bodies announce, adding that they had contributed more than $6 million (5.3 million euros). In a joint statement, the ATP and WTA tours, the International Tennis Federation and the four Grand Slam tournaments -- the Australian Open, Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open -- said the Player Relief Programme will support those "who are facing unprecedented challenges due to the global impact of COVID-19".

With the tennis season suspended until at least July 13, some "800 ATP/WTA singles and doubles players" are in need of financial support, the statement continued, with eligibility for the fund determined by a player's ranking and previous prize money earnings. The fund can also be donated to via initiatives including auctions, player donations and virtual tennis games, added the governing bodies, who last month announced talks about creating the programme.

The virus has caused havoc to the calendar, with Wimbledon cancelled for the first time since World War II and the French Open postponed until the end of September. The United States Tennis Association will decide in mid-June whether or not the US Open will take place in New York. However despite the financial difficulties facing hundreds of players, the idea of a relief fund was dismissed by world number three Dominic Thiem, who said last month he would not give lower-ranked players his money.
"Quite honestly I have to say that no tennis player will be fighting to survive, even those who are much lower-ranked," Thiem said, speaking of a separate fund idea revealed by Novak Djokovic.

"None of them are going to starve ... I would rather give money to people or organisations that really need it."

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Even before the term globalisation was coined, the city of Mumbai had neighbourhoods that were multicultural and yet lived in complete harmony. Director-actor Akshay Shimpi's upcoming play Mumbai – The City United, cashes on that beautiful diversity that has now become the nerve of the city. Shimpi says, "As an artist and Mumbaikar, we love this city. It inspires us. Many artists have expressed how the city has served as their muse. Their love has found shape in their respective art form. We have compiled their literature, poems, articles, paintings, plays and songs in this play as a tribute to our beloved city." The play has stitched together songs, skits and readings of stories from the glorious past of the city's literature.

Shimpi and his team acquired works of renowned artists in various languages. When asked why he chose to go with a multilingual play, he says, "Thanks to its cosmopolitan nature, Mumbai, over the years, has developed its own language. In fact, it has its own dialect, and there's also Hindi, which is spoken across the country. Using multiple languages was one way to reflect the true spirit of the city."

Shimpi and Dhanashree Khandkar who have written and performed the play

The cast will be performing songs by yesteryear folk artists such as Vasant Bapat, Anna Bhau Sathe, Patthe Bapu Rao to name a few. Their songs talk about various historical movements in the city such as the shutting down of mills, for instance. These verses have been woven into the script that touches upon the culinary and architectural heritage, festivals and even the city's underbelly.

Shimpi believes that Mumbai is so vast and varied, everyone has a different interpretation of what the city means to them. As for him, he says, "Whenever I'm asked to describe the city, I take reference from the folktale where seven blind men were asked to describe an elephant. For someone, it was a long tube (trunk) while for someone else it was a curtain like a flap (ear). For me, Mumbai is that elephant's stomach. It is so big that it can always accommodate everyone."

When: January 27, 7 pm
Where: Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh, Charni Road, Kele Wadi, Girgaon
Entry: Rs 150
Call: 9619336336

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The cast rehearsing at The Cuckoo Club

If you ask anyone, which part of the wedding they enjoy the most, chances are that the 'sangeet' would be a popular choice. Especially, in a city like Delhi that is known for their great Indian weddings. Prerna Chawla and Shikha Talsania's upcoming play Dekh Behen takes on this larger-than-life grandeur of a wedding that is taking place at a plush Chhattarpur farmhouse.

What makes this Akvarious production extra special is that this play has been put together by an all-girl team. Talsania says, "Dekh Behen is a kitschy, light-hearted story of five bridesmaids catching up hours before they are to put up a rehearsed item number at the Sangeet ceremony, in a big fat Delhi wedding. It's a bittersweet comedy about daughters, girlfriends, mothers, sisters, wives, and getting through one bloody 'shaadi ka function'." Playing the lead character, the bride's brattish sister, is YouTube superstar Mithila Palkar who used to be an active member of Thespo. While she always wanted to act on stage, she found her space backstage doing play readings. Speaking about her role Palkar says, "Riya belongs to a rich Punjabi family from Delhi. She's intelligent but inevitably a brat. But, she is also trying to figure out life as it happens to her and is battling a perpetual conflict of principles and emotions, like most of us, in our early 20s, do. So, 'rich brat' aside, I can relate to Riya."

The play has been written by Dilshad Edibam Khurana and Tahira Nath Krishnan. Khurana says, "Dekh Behen is a fun story that also touches upon a lot of issues that are common among friends or siblings. Through the course of the story, these issues get discussed and ironed out. But at the end of the play, you will go will go back home with a smile on your face." One can easily relate to the title and the poster of the play, thanks to the popular 'dekh behen' memes. So, is that the connect, we ask Talsania. She says, "The title came up during a coffee break conversation, while we were doing another play. Come and watch the play, you'll see why it's an apt title."

When: February, 1-4, 8 PM
Where: The Cuckoo Club, 5AA Pali Hill, Bandra West
Entry: Rs 400
Call: 9619962969

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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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With the fate of the IPL hanging in balance, the future of former skipper M.S. Dhoni has been the talk of the town since the cash-rich league was set to be the platform to decide if Dhoni will make a return to the Indian team for the World T20 in Australia. And former opener Aakash Chopra feels it is highly unlikely Dhoni will play for India again.

"MS Dhoni has not told anyone anything. He has a different story. What almost everyone thinks is that he might return to the Indian team if he performs well in the IPL. But I personally feel he played his final match for India at Manchester against New Zealand," he said in a YouTube video with former Pakistan skipper Ramiz Raja.

"Since then, he has not made himself available to the team. He has not been dropped. I feel he has made up his mind that he is no longer going to play for India."

But the former opener feels there can be a change in stance if either BCCI President Sourav Ganguly or the team management calls for his services.

"Unless, of course, Sourav Ganguly, Virat Kohli or Ravi Shastri pick up the phone and tell Dhoni to help the team out in the T20 World Cup. If they tell Dhoni that they want him to play the World Cup, then there is a chance he could return," he said.

"Otherwise, in my opinion, Dhoni has made up his mind that 'I am not going to play, I don't need a farewell match. I came quietly, I will leave quietly'. He doesn't need grandstanding. He is not that kind of player."

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Former cricketer Mohammad Kaif on Wednesday backed MS Dhoni to play in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, saying that the wicket-keeper batsman has 'a lot of cricket' left in him and ruling him out will be 'unfair'.

"See, people may have eyes on Dhoni that how he is going to play in the IPL (Indian Premier League) and then there will be talks of the T20 World Cup but my view is different from others. I do not judge Dhoni based on his IPL form. He is a great batsman and he is fit now. He wants to play IPL, do captaincy and is showing his availability. He has a winning mentality and knows how to win games under pressure," Kaif told ANI.

"So, I think ruling him out will be unfair. See a lot of cricket is still left in Dhoni and when a player plays for this long, there are ups and downs in his career. It happens with every cricketer, not just Dhoni," he added.

Dhoni last played competitive cricket during the 2019 World Cup. India was knocked out of the tournament after suffering a semi-final defeat at the hands of New Zealand. Dhoni was run out in the 49th over after scoring 50 runs. After his dismissal, India failed to chase the 240-run target.

Despite Dhoni failing to take India over the line, Kaif termed him a 'champion player'.

"The semifinal of World Cup which we lost, everyone was expecting Dhoni to win it but it did not happen. So, from there on, people thought that Dhoni should not be there. But for me, Dhoni is a champion player. People should look at Dhoni's record in the last 10 to 15 years. See, the current form is important but at the same time his form was not that bad that you rule him out," Kaif said.

The ICC T20 World Cup 2020 is scheduled to be played between October 18 and November 15 at seven venues across Australia.

As the nationwide lockdown as been extended to May 3 due to the coronavirus, the IPL has been postponed indefinitely. "IPL 2020 season has been postponed indefinitely," sources within BCCI told ANI on Wednesday.

Kaif feels that postponing the league is the right decision as life is more important than sports at the moment.

"In the present scenario, life is more important than sports. I think the decision of BCCI is right. When the situation improves, we will think of sports. Sporting events all over the world have either been postponed or cancelled. In our country, cases are rising. So, as of now, the situation is not under control. So I think it's the right decision because at this stage first priority is to beat coronavirus and save the people," he said.

When asked about his views on the window for IPL, Kaif said: "I feel when things are sorted out and there is the possibility of games to be played, then they (BCCI) will look for options."

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The threat of online corrupt approaches does not cause much anxiety to BCCI's head of Anti Corruption Unit (ACU) Ajit Singh, who says Indian players are well aware of the modus operandi of fixers and are quick to report anything suspect. The ICC ACU head Alex Marshall, in an interview to 'The Guardian', said that prolonged lockdown and players using various social media platform could lead to corrupt approaches being made and people need to tread carefully. Singh said BCCI ACU is in control. "...we have made our players aware about the way people approach you and modus operandi through social media. We have told them 'look this is how they (potential fixers and bookies) would approach you'," the veteran IPS officer told PTI in an interaction. "(They will) try and behave like a fan and then try to meet you through someone who may be your acquaintance," he added. "Somehow these elements try and touch base with players. Most of them (India players), whenever it happens, they do report to us that I have got a contact."

Most of the top players, with millions of followers, have been very active online with Q and A sessions on twitter, interactive chats on instagram and Facebook live. So is the BCCI's ACU team tracking the online content? "Whatever can be tracked online, we do that. But obviously the physical verification part of going out and checking locations is out of question in times of a lockdown," he spoke about practical problems. "But if something comes to our notice, it automatically goes into our database and once lockdown is over, we will verify those if the need arises." Singh said the easiest aspect of tracking social media content is that it doesn't require too much manpower. "A few men who know their jobs can do it pretty well," the former DGP of Rajasthan said. But Singh said that, in his two year stint, all current India players have been honest and upright, very aware about their responsibilities. "We are not adversaries of players. The players and ACU are one team. It's the people who are trying to corrupt the games, they are the ones we need to track down." He said that both tracking social media and physical verification of corrupt approaches has its own set of challenges.

"Those who were trying to corrupt the players with physical presence and those using fake IDs on social media handles, converge at some point," he said. "Either it's the same person with a fake ID who tries to approach the player or uses someone on his behalf. So there is a pattern of convergence. One has to follow both the lines," he added. Singh said even former players have approached the ACU when they have found something unusual. "There have been things coming from current players and also retired players. There has been information coming from them. Things that they doubted, which look suspicious. "Any information is useful. Even if it's a false alarm, it raises the awareness level of the players as well as the skills of the team investigating it," the retired top cop said. There are some structural plans for the BCCI's ACU which will only materialise once normalcy returns after the COVID-19 pandemic. "Every zone will have a zonal head as it had been said earlier. A few zones don't have zonal heads, so we will fill those posts," he said.

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Former India cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s wife Sakshi Dhoni is quite an active celebrity on Instagram.  Sakshi Dhoni's posts on Instagram always gets the attention of her fans and this time its no different.

While on lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sakshi and husband MS Dhoni are busy spending their time at their home in Ranchi. Sakshi Dhoni, who is famously known by her dear ones, for her playful and fun-loving nature, shared a photo of her about to bite MS Dhoni's toes while he is busy on his cell phone. “Times when you crave attention from #mrsweetie!” Sakshi captioned her post that received over three lakh ‘likes’ within a few hours.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Times when you crave attention from #mrsweetie !

A post shared by Sakshi Singh Dhoni (@sakshisingh_r) onApr 19, 2020 at 3:40am PDT

MS Dhoni and Sakshi Dhoni are one of the biggest star couples in the world of cricket today. MS and Sakshi Dhoni were childhood friends and share a close bond. They got married in 2010 and had a baby named Ziva, five years later, in 2015.

MS Dhoni's future in cricket is the biggest topic these days as he last played a match was in the 2019 World Cup semifinals against New Zealand. Away from the game since then, Dhoni has been making most of his free time spending it with his wife Sakshi, daughter Ziva and family.

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Cricket is rightly considered as a religion in India and is the most celebrated sport in the country. Whoever makes a career in cricket has one longing wish to play for the country and Indian cricketers rightly inspire with their story and innumerable achievements. With a dream to become a cricketer since childhood, Jeel Pareshbhai Gajipara grew up looking at his hero Mahendra Singh Dhoni's journey as a sportsperson. Gajipara born on October 24, 2001, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat is a notable name in the cricket. Since his school, he was fascinated by the sport after which he decided to make become a cricketer.

Currently, he is pursuing his B.Com from GLS University. The young and good looking guy also loves to do modeling. However, he considers cricket as his only passion in life. He has played for both domestic as well as international tournaments. He has played for many tournaments from Nepal, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, and Hyderabad. The batsman has also created many records for himself including his smashing batting of 97 runs from 32 deliveries for the Mumbai domestic team. Some of his other best scores include 136 runs in 67 deliveries, 116 runs in 71 deliveries and 177 runs in 122 deliveries respectively.

These batting scores totally show his love for the sport and prove that he is here to stay. His hard work and passion for cricket will one day surely fulfill his dream. Calling MS Dhoni as his idol, Jeel has a dream of playing for India and be successful as the former Indian skipper. "Before playing for India, I want to play in the IPL (Indian Premier League)", he quoted. For his achievements, Jeel was also featured in a Gujarati newspaper and had his interview on E24 news channel. The young blood's journey is commendable and we hope to see him play for the Indian Cricket Team one day.

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Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith on Tuesday said his country will welcome back former Kolpak players willing to be part of the domestic structure as he sees it as a possible way to provide more depth to the national team. Kolpak registrations, which give sportsmen from countries with associate trade agreements with the European Union the same rights as EU workers, are set to be terminated at end of 2020 following the UK's exit from the EU.

Dozens of South African cricketers have signed lucrative contracts with county cricket sides over the years but this automatically disqualifies them from playing for the national team. "With Kolpak coming to an end, I guess the willingness is always to have our best players in the system. It is up to the players to come back into the system and to make decisions on their careers," Smith, who was recently appointed as Director of Cricket by his Board, said. "From our perspective, we want to encourage all our best players to play here domestically, and then give themselves the opportunity to be selected for the national side," he was quoted as saying in 'Sky Sports'.

Kyle Abbott, Wayne Parnell, Rilee Roussow and Duanne Olivier are among the more prominent names to have taken Kolpak deals over the years, while Dane Paterson, who played two Tests against England in January, is the latest to do so. "We don't ever want to exclude players from being part of our system and we understand that the landscape of the world game is very different now to what it was," Smith said. "Open minds and how we look at these things is going to be key to how we keep our best players ¿ how we keep them motivated and in our game."

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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.

With the entire world currently fighting the coronavirus pandemic, athletes across sports are utilising time to make the most out of the forced break. Delhi Capitals opener Prithvi Shaw recently revealed what he has been spending time during the nationwide lockdown. "I've been working out a bit indoors and shadow practicing to maintain my fitness levels. I've also been helping my father in the kitchen. I can cook eggs quite well and I'm trying to learn a few new things. I've been playing some PUBG too," Shaw said on Tuesday during an Instagram LIVE session on the franchise's official handle.

Talking about the importance of mental health in such unprecedented times, Shaw said: "Mental strength is very important at this time, given that we are all restricted indoors. A lot of us don't have patience for things in life, so now is a great time to work on it." "Everyone should find something to do that they like, and work towards perfecting that. That process in itself will help one grow calmer and become more patient." Shaw also spoke about the 2019 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) where Delhi Capitals finished third, having made it to the play-offs after a seven-year gap.

"On and off the field, our team was like a family," he said. "We had Ricky (Ponting) Sir, Dada (Sourav Ganguly), (Mohammad) Kaif Sir to help us with anything – the environment was perfect." When asked to recall a funny anecdote from the season gone by, Shaw spoke about how Ponting had once scared him by ordering him to take ten rounds of the Feroz Shah Kotla as he had reported slightly late for a pre-training team meeting.

"I was looking for some new spikes in the dressing room that day and reached the ground a bit late," he said. "I completed the entire training -- fielding and batting sessions -- and had no energy left to run ten rounds of the ground. Luckily, I didn't have to. Turns out Ricky Sir just wanted to scare me off for my late attendance that day!" The 20-year-old, who spent a part of 2019 serving a doping ban, reflected on his time away from the game and the lessons learnt.

"It was a mistake. And the period away from cricket was a torture," he said. "Doubts and questions arise, but I kept the faith and belief. I spent some time in London where I was working on my fitness, as I wasn't allowed to bat anywhere.

"When the ban got over, and I returned to domestic cricket, I was hungrier than before. I picked up my bat and realised I hadn't lost my touch at all. If anything, that time off made me a more determined person," he added.

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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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The current crop of players cannot be compared to the likes of Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and other past stars, according to former Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf.

Yousuf, who faced the Indian team a number of times in bilateral series across formats and in the World Cup in his playing days, said that in the past, all teams had a few players who were of high quality.

"In the past, teams, such as India, Australia and South Africa, had three-four quality players in the side. India, for example, had players like (Rahul) Dravid, Sachin (Tendulkar), (Virender) Sehwag, (Sourav) Ganguly, (VVS) Laxman and Yuvraj Singh. These six batsmen were playing in a single team," said Yousuf during a TV show as quoted by Cricket Pakistan.

"The current Indian team does not have such batsmen. You can't compare the current players (such as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma) with the class of Sachin and Dravid," he said.

Kohli is constantly rated as the best batsman in the world. In ODIs, he is the second highest run-scorer for India of all time with 11,867 runs in 248 matches at an average of 59.33. He is only behind Sachin Tendulkar who scored 18426 runs in 463 ODIs and is ahead of the likes of Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh despite having played far lesser ODIs than them.

Rohit Sharma has scored 9115 runs at an average of 49.27. In Tests, Kohli is the sixth highest run-scorer of all time with 7240 runs at an average of 53.62 in 86 matches.

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