The Hindu Morning Digest, December 24, 2023

Jammu and Kashmir government initiates legal action after three civilians picked up by Army found dead

A day after four Army jawans were killed in an ambush by unidentified terrorists in the Poonch-Rajouri area of Jammu and Kashmir, three civilians who were picked up allegedly by the Army for questioning were found dead on December 22 with multiple injuries. Five more persons have been admitted to hospital with serious injuries. A relative of one of the deceased civilian told The Hindu that the three men were tortured to death and the families were asked to collect the bodies from an Army camp on Friday evening.

Priyanka no longer U.P. in-charge; Sachin Pilot to handle Chhattisgarh

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is now a Congress general secretary “without any assignment portfolio” while Sachin Pilot will be the general secretary in-charge of Chhattisgarh as part of a major organisational reshuffle that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge carried out on Saturday .Ms. Vadra was in charge of Uttar Pradesh earlier. The much-awaited reshuffle displays a sense of urgency in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha poll and comes just two days after a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party’s highest decision-making body.

Row over Calcutta High Court judge’s husband being quizzed by Bengal CID

At a time when the Trinamool Congress government and its leaders are defending allegations of corruption before the Calcutta High Court, the husband of a sitting High Court judge has alleged torture by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the West Bengal Police. Pratap Chandra Dey, husband of Justice Amrita Sinha, was summoned for questioning by the CID earlier this week and his allegations have triggered a political row. Justice Sinha is hearing a number of cases including those related to the State recruitment scam and allegations against Trinamool leader Abhishek Banerjee.

BJP devises micro-level plans to increase vote share in 2024 Lok Sabha elections

Chaired by BJP president J.P. Nadda, the meeting was attended by national office-bearers, morcha presidents and those in charge of particular States as well State-level generation secretaries of organisation, with the Prime Minister addressing the gathering on Friday and Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday. Plans by the BJP to reach out to at least 10 crore people by the time the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is inaugurated on January 22 was also discussed.

Dhoni to resume training in the next few weeks: CSK CEO

Chennai Super Kings skipper M.S. Dhoni is set to resume training in the next few weeks as part of his preparation for the 2024 IPL, according to the franchise’s CEO, K.S. Viswanathan .The former India skipper underwent surgery on his left knee after leading the Super Kings to a fifth IPL title earlier this year. The 42-year-old was often seen sporting knee strapping during the 2023 edition and struggled a bit, especially while running between the wickets. Giving an update about Dhoni’s fitness, Viswanathan said, “He is doing well now. He has started his rehab and is working in the gym. And, probably in another 10 days, he will also start working in the nets.”

Air India’s 1st wide-body A350-900 aircraft lands in Delhi

Air India’s first wide-body A350-900 aircraft, sporting new brand livery, arrived in New Delhi from European aviation major Airbus’ Toulouse facility in France. The aircraft, registered as VT-JRA, touched down at the national capital’s Indira Gandhi International Airport at 1346 hrs, making the Tata Group-owned airline the first aircraft operator in India to have this type of aircraft in its fleet, a statement said. The delivery flight is operated using a special call sign AI350, it said.

Sai Sudharsan always looking to learn and improve, says Hemang Badani

Rising star Sai Sudharsan has had a stellar run in the last 12 months. He has won the TNPL, Deodhar Trophy, Irani Cup, and County Championship (playing for Surrey) this year. His batting exploits in the 50-over Vijay Hazare tournament helped Tamil Nadu make the knockouts, which culminated in his India call-up for the ODI series against South Africa .In his debut against South Africa in the first ODI, he looked very comfortable facing a strong Proteas’ bowling unit and scored a match-winning half-century in tough conditions.

Jarange-Patil announces another hunger strike next month in Mumbai; Maharashtra CM says SC to take up hearing on Maratha quota

Granting a nearly month-long reprieve to the Eknath Shinde-led government concerning the Maratha reservation issue, pro-quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil on Saturday announced an indefinite strike at Azad Maidan in Mumbai from January 20 to intensify his demands for reservation to the community. Mr. Jarange-Patil was addressing a mega rally in Marathwada region’s Beed district. In his address, he said that “crores of people from the Maratha community” will march to Mumbai on January 20.

U.S. Federal Reserve’s rate cuts come into view as inflation retreats

Federal Reserve policymakers are set to start the new year with fresh evidence that their 2022-2023 interest-rate hike campaign put U.S. price pressures firmly in retreat, with data on Friday showing that by some key measures inflation is now at or below their 2% goal. Traders broke out the champagne after a government report showed the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index fell 0.1% in November from October, responding to the first decline on that measure since April 2020 by boosting bets not only that the Fed will begin reducing borrowing costs in March but will continue to cut them throughout the year.

Turkey says 12 soldiers killed in clashes with Kurdish militants

Twelve Turkish soldiers have been killed in the past two days in clashes with Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants in northern Iraq, the Defence Ministry said on December 23. The military carried out air strikes on PKK targets, “neutralising” at least 13 PKK militants on Saturday in ongoing clashes, the ministry said in a statement on social messaging platform X. Turkey typically uses the term “neutralised” to mean killed. The ministry also said seven militants had been killed on Friday.

Liquor in GIFT City: Congress, AAP slam Gujarat’s BJP govt. over decision

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Opposition Congress on Saturday clashed over the Gujarat government’s decision a day earlier to allow liquor in GIFT City, which partially overturned the State’s strict prohibition policy. The State government, on Friday, lifted the ban on liquor in the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT) to provide a “global ecosystem”. While the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party said it was an unfortunate decision that would ruin the youth, the BJP said it would provide proper environment for the development of business in the region.

U.S. court rules Twitter breached contract over failure to pay bonuses

A U.S. federal court ruled on Friday that social media company Twitter, now branded X, violated contracts by failing to pay annual performance bonuses it orally promised its workers. The breach-of-contract lawsuit was brought by former employer Mark Schobinger in June. The lawsuit said Twitter had promised workers a 2022 performance bonus if they stayed with the company through the final possible payout date, which was the first quarter of this year. The court threw out Twitter’s attempts to have the case dismissed, ruling that Schobinger’s claim of breach of contract under California law was valid.

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From Bhadohi to Roseau, India’s latest opening sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal hums a happy tune

Yashasvi Jaiswal wasn’t born when Titanic was released.

James Cameron’s classic remains one of the most loved films of our time, 26 years after it reached cinemas and garnered a record 14 Oscar nominations. One of Titanic’s highlights was the song, My Heart Will Go On. Sung by Celine Dion, it was the theme song of the film and is one of the largest-selling singles of all time.

It is Jaiswal’s favourite song (that it was picturised on his favourite actress Kate Winslet is an added attraction). Listening to the song makes him happy.

He is particularly fond of the song’s opening lines — Every night in my dreams/ I see you, I feel you. He often hums those lines.

He must have done it quite a few times when he watched, from a distance, the bright lights at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, on a night of an IPL match or an international game. As he listened to the noise from the stadium, he would imagine, one day, the fans there would be cheering for him.

Rajasthan Royals batter Yashasvi Jaiswal celebrates his century during the IPL 2023 match between Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians.
| Photo Credit:
File photo

That dream came true in spectacular style a couple of months ago as he smashed 124 off just 62 balls for Rajasthan Royals against Mumbai Indians. That was his first hundred in the IPL, something he must have been looking forward to ever since he was picked by the Royals for Rs. 2.4 crore, 12 times his base price.

He was just 17 then, and the onset of the coronavirus was just a few weeks away. Because of the pandemic, the 2020 edition of the IPL was staged in the UAE.

Ahead of the tournament, Jaiswal sounded understandably excited as he spoke to this correspondent over phone from Dubai. “Being part of the IPL is an amazing feeling,” he said. “I have already learnt how different the senior level is from the junior.”

His transition to senior cricket was smooth enough. He had made a double hundred for Mumbai against Jharkhand in the Vijay Hazare Trophy tournament in 2019 at Bengaluru. His 154-ball 203 made him, at 17 years and 292 days, the world’s youngest-ever double-centurion in List A cricket, in which only six other Indians had scored a double hundred before him. He had broken a record that stood for 44 years, and by three years (the previous record belonged to South African Alan Barrow).

Yashasvi Jaiswal after scoring 203 against Jharkhand in the Vijaya Hazare Trophy match.

Yashasvi Jaiswal after scoring 203 against Jharkhand in the Vijaya Hazare Trophy match.
| Photo Credit:
File photo: SUDHAKARA JAIN

A few days ago, Jaiswal had an opportunity to take an even more significant record off another South African. In the Dominican capital of Roseau, he was looking good enough for a double hundred when Alzarri Joseph produced a thin outside edge.

Jaiswal was thus caught behind for 171. On a slow track where patience and technique were always going to reward a batter handsomely, especially against a West Indies attack that looked as different as possible from the intimidating ones of the 1980s and 90s, he could have broken Jacques Rudolph’s record as the youngest to score a Test double hundred on debut. The South African was 21 years 355 days when he made an unbeaten 222 against Bangladesh at Chattogram in 2003 (It may be noted that he had played in the ‘unofficial’ Test at Centurion in 2001 following the ball-tampering and excessive appealing incident).

Jaiswal may not have broken Rudolph’s record, but he broke several, nevertheless, as he became the 17th Indian to score a hundred on Test debut. Perhaps the most significant among his records is that it is the longest innings by an Indian on Test debut. He batted for 501 minutes and faced 387 balls.

That shows his determination and temperament. It also shows that he is suited for the rigours of Test match cricket (even in these exciting times of Bazball). And remember, he is a young man who likes to get on with his act and is blessed with an array of shots and supreme self-confidence (he holds the record for the fastest IPL fifty – off 13 balls).

RR’s Yashasvi Jaiswal celebrates scoring the fastest IPL fifty runs during the IPL 2023 match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals.

RR’s Yashasvi Jaiswal celebrates scoring the fastest IPL fifty runs during the IPL 2023 match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals.
| Photo Credit:
File photo: K.R. DEEPAK

The fact that he adapted himself adequately in his very first innings – which also fetched him the Player-of-the-Match award – augurs well for the future of India’s Test cricket. And it certainly won’t hurt having a quality left-hander at the top of the order as well.

Jaiswal’s style resembles that of probably India’s finest left-hander – Sourav Ganguly. Little wonder he is called Baby Ganguly.

Unlike Ganguly, who was born into a rich family in Kolkata, life hadn’t been easy for Jaiswal. When he was 12, he left his village in Bhadohi (Uttar Pradesh) for Mumbai, where he had to sleep in a tent and sell snacks to make some money. He had to get up early to train before the more privileged boys arrived and he would spend the night shadow practising.

Mumbai’s tradition of blooding them young saw him play for the senior side and he turned heads with his sensational show in the Vijay Hazare tournament in 2019. The following year, he was the leading scorer and the Player-of-the-Tournament at the Under-19 World Cup in South Africa.

India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal plays a shot during the ICC Under-19 World Cup Final between India and Bangladesh.

India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal plays a shot during the ICC Under-19 World Cup Final between India and Bangladesh.
| Photo Credit:
File photo

Runs have continued to flow from his bat, in every format. He had three consecutive hundreds in the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy, made 497 runs at an average of 99.40 in the Duleep Trophy last year, and scored a double hundred and a hundred for Rest of India in the Irani Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh earlier this year. He took that form into the IPL, in which he smashed 625 runs at an average of 48.07 and a strike rate of 163.61.

Now it was up to the national selectors. They did the right thing: they picked a player when he was in top form. Then the team management in the West Indies did the right thing too: they found the opener’s slot for him, moving Shubman Gill to one drop.

Now, Jaiswal had to do the right thing, too. He did, didn’t he?

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Decoding Dhoni: Next season will be about figuring how to manage team from dugout

Mahendra Singh Dhoni was numb. He didn’t raise his head even as Ravindra Jadeja had started sprinting towards the dugout and his mates in canary yellow responding in kind.

Maybe Dhoni was trying to process it all after a gruelling two months. Moeen Ali hugged him and the contours of his face was devoid of any emotion. Maybe there was a storm brewing in his mind during those last six balls and it was the calm after-effect.

Dhoni has just guided CSK to a fifth IPL trophy in 11 final appearances and he remained unfazed. Job done, what’s the fuss about. He couldn’t suppress his wide grin as an ecstatic Jadeja jumped on to his lap and engaged in a bear hug.

There were conjectures about their relationship deteriorating after Jadeja had to relinquish CSK captaincy mid-season in 2022, but as they say in Hindi, “anth bhala toh sab bhala” (all’s well that ends well).

If Dhoni is involved, one would never know what actually transpired. Because what happens in ‘Dhoniland’ stays in ‘Dhoniland’. Ask any CSK faithful, and he would vouch that it’s an old concrete jungle saying.

Did the world see moistened eyes? Perhaps yes. But there won’t be any overt display of emotions. It was all about process and execution with precision. A lot of pluck, and yes, a bit of luck, too.

He quietly trudges onto the field. Pats unlucky Gujarat Titans bowler Mohit Sharma’s head. He knows how it feels to come so near and yet miss out. Remember Old Trafford where he was setting it up ala Dhoni style. That’s why Dhoni is special and eminently relatable. He can relate with failures as much as he can with success.

Mohit is someone who learnt the ropes of top-flight bowling under Dhoni at CSK before fading into oblivion and then making a grand re-entry this IPL.

In the meantime Jadeja does a TV interview and dedicates his performance and win to “MS Dhoni”. The Motera stand, resembling a sunflower, erupts, but is it a hint that the end is near.


Also Read | IPL 2023: How DJ Zen created magical moments for MS Dhoni with Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan hits

The question has followed Dhoni to every city and different people had asked him in a different manner. The street-smart player that he is, he always gave a cheeky reply, like one to Danny Morrison where he joked that he is already forcing him to retire, or at a promotional event where he said that any announcement would make things go haywire.

Have we seen the last of him? Maybe or maybe not. Only time will tell how he copes with a damaged knee when is nearing 43.

“If you circumstantially see, it’s the best time to announce the retirement. The easy thing for me to say is thank you and retire. But the hard thing to do is to work hard for nine months and try to play one more IPL season. The body has to hold up.

“The amount of love I have received from CSK fans, it would be a gift for them to play one more season,” Dhoni said before receiving his fifth trophy.


Also Read | M.S. Dhoni signing shirt was an ‘emotional moment’ for me, says Sunil Gavaskar

The love of Chennai fans has been unconditional and Chepauk has been his amphitheatre, and he has been the hero as well as the main protagonist for them.

“The way they’ve shown their love and emotion, it’s something I need to do for them. It’s the last part of my career. It started over here and the full house was chanting my name. It was the same thing in Chennai, but it will be good to come back and play whatever I can,” Dhoni assured all those who braved rain, changed itinerary, burnt hole in their pockets, and were present to hear him speak well past midnight.

So will it be a practical decision or an emotional one if Dhoni, who would be pushing 43 next year, decides to play another season of a gruelling two-month tourney? It is easier said than done in professional sport but Dhoni wants to bide time. On the face of it, it might seem emotional because CSK isn’t just another team for Dhoni, which pays him a fat pay cheque. It is an emotional investment.

Going into the next decade, he will only be making all cricketing decisions and as a quick learner, work alongside Rupa Gurunath to also understand the business of running a franchise.

But those who have seen Dhoni, they know that N Srinivasan, the venerable CSK owner, is the former India captain’s life coach and he has learnt one thing from him: if possible, always bide time, and take it deep, on and off the field.

So if another IPL is 10 months away and he has to keep himself cricket-fit for at least three months in the lead-up to the next edition, he will try and do it.

“The kind of cricket I play, they feel they can play that cricket. There’s nothing orthodox about it and I like to keep it simple,” Dhoni said.

As Stephen Fleming pointed out after the match. Dhoni’s training sessions are on need basis.

“I can assure you that he has done no wicket-keeping practice during the IPL. It is all natural. He tried to do a keeping session with Devon Conway, who is an international wicketkeeper, and it was almost comical,” Fleming said.

“Today was phenomenal, the style he does it with is awesome. That stumping is MS Dhoni at his best. It is nature, he has learned from tennis-ball cricket and it is just pure skill,” Fleming added.

The impact player rule will give Dhoni a chance to maybe keep wickets for 20 overs but not use himself as a batter save a few occasions.

“Look, he knows, his power-hitting game is long gone. Like on Monday, he came ahead of Ravindra Jadeja. You could say it’s because of maintaining the left-right combination but even then he took a chance because 15 balls were left.

“Had Jadeja gone out before him and got a first-ball duck, Dhoni might not have been able to finish the game,” a former CSK player told PTI when asked how the skipper thinks.

So will he play next season? “My hunch is that he won’t play as a batter any more. He would perhaps still play a few games and check if he can run the team from dugout without being on the field. The moment, he cracks that code, he won’t play anymore. For that if you read Fleming’s words, he would try to fit in Devon Conway in that slot,” the former player said.

After all, MSD is CSK and CSK is MSD.

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