The time has arrived for Indian cricket to cast its net far and wide to find fast bowlers and their ilk. The non-availability of the phenomenal achiever Jasprit Bumrah for the two-Test series in Sri Lanka — part of the ICC World Test Championship cycle — is, to put it euphemistically, a massive blow. India is placed fifth on the WTC points table, and the Shubman Gill-led team will be hard-pressed to get its act together in the absence of Bumrah as the spearhead. Talking about the larger picture, and given Bumrah’s plight in the last couple of years, India should embark upon an undertaking to unearth talents for multi-day examinations at the highest level. Bumrah’s limbs are constantly asking questions after eight remarkable years of sending down 1671.5 overs (10031 balls) in 52 Tests, with returns of 234 wickets at a mind-boggling economy rate of 2.77 an over! After his debut in 2018, the fast bowler with a unique action has missed 28 Tests for various reasons; 18 in the last five and a half years. With Mohammed Shami also out of contention, India’s fast bowling stock consists of Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and young Gurnoor Brar, who is yet to be capped. The selectors have options for white-ball cricket, but clearly the basket doesn’t have many for the rigours of Test match cricket. Since January 1, 2021, the selectors have chosen 15 fast bowlers, giving opportunities to achievers in domestic tournaments, but only Krishna appears to have made the cut with 25 wickets in seven Tests. And so Krishna is a tyro in a way; he needs a lot more under his belt to play the lead role. With Bumrah laid low, sort of alarm bells are ringing for Indian cricket.

They were a far cry from their best. Yet, the likes of high jumper Anil Sarvesh Kushare, long jumper Murali Sreeshankar, and triple jumpers Praveen Chithravel and Selva Prabhu Thirumaran set the field events on fire during the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.  Decathlete Tejaswin Shankar brought joy by winning a bronze. After the jumpers sustained the interest for a few days, India’s premier achiever in track and field for close to a decade, Neeraj Chopra, was the cynosure of all eyes in the Javelin throw The champion thrower of the spear was not a firm favourite to win the gold, with Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage closing the contest in the final with an 89.75 m in his second attempt, the only legal effort in six in the showdown. Chopra won the silver and Yash Vir Singh the bronze. Elsewhere in the track events, Gulveer Singh clinched the 5000m bronze and 10000m silver to prove that India has the wherewithal to shine in the long distance running events. He was the first Indian to win two medals in individual events at the Commonwealth Games. While the men picked up nine medals, only Seema Kaliramna (Bhiwani, Haryana) in the women’s progressed for a podium finish – in the discus throw. Only seven of the 29 entered (without the 4×400 men’s relay) ended up winning medals. The sprinters Gurindervir Singh and Animesh Kujur found the going tough within the 100m and 200m dash. India’s medal count, in track and field, at Glasgow was a modest 10 without the yellow metal. Very soon the athletes will compete in a difficult competition at the Asian Games in Japan. Gurindervir and Animesh will get a big opportunity to showcase their gifts.

Following his surprise win in Bihar’s Bankipur bypoll, Jan Suraaj Party founder and election strategist Prashant Kishor described his win as a “message to the BJP.”  PK, who had arrived on the election management scene in 2014 by handling the election of PM Narendra Modi, has now managed to enter the state legislative assembly in his home state exposing the underbelly of the BJP. Responding to his win, Kishor asserted that he could succeed only because “people of Bihar want a good CM” someone who can improve education, create employment opportunities for the youth, and ensure that the children of Bihar do not have to migrate elsewhere for work. He even suggested that the BJP leadership should change the Bihar CM before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. PK’s Jan Suraaj Party which drew a blank in November 2025 assembly elections has suddenly seen an upswing in its fortunes? The NDA had won 202 of 243 seats. So what has happened in the intervening nine months that has altered the mood of people in Patna? According to PK the reason for the change in people’s mood is because BJP leadership opted for Samrat Choudhary, son of former RJD leader Shakuni Choudhry and habitual party hopper, as CM. Modi-Shah zeroed in on Samrat because of his backward Koeri caste. This has resulted in a huge resentment among upper castes who have traditionally backed the BJP. PK had cited Samrat’s alleged criminal antecedents as an election issue.  Bankipur has a sizable student population and could have also been swayed by Jantar Mantar protests. Many may have been influenced by PK’s promises to create better educational facilities. Patna, being a Kayastha dominant seat will any day value creation of an equipped education hub. BJP sources, however, insist that Bankipur was lost mainly because the RJD actively transferred its votes to the JSP.

As the Independence Day weekend of 14 August 2026 approaches, two films stand locked in a high-stakes clash: Emraan Hashmi’s Awarapan 2 and Sunny Deol’s Batwara 1947. One rides on 19-year-old cult nostalgia; the other on patriotic scale, Aamir Khan’s production muscle and AR Rahman’s score. Yet trade circles and social chatter note a striking imbalance. While Batwara 1947’s trailer, dropped on 28 July, generated immediate heat and “Gadar vibes,” Awarapan 2 has struggled to sustain comparable mass visibility despite a planned promotional runway. Hashmi’s lead track record largely explains the caution. Since Raaz 3 in 2012, his films have largely underperformed. Selfiee in 2023, Ground Zero and Haq in 2025 were disappointments. Supporting turns in Tiger 3 and the Telugu hit They Call Him OG earned praise and box-office association, but they did not restore the “opening power” once associated with the serial-kisser phase. Audiences have grown selective; nostalgia alone no longer guarantees footfalls when recent leads have disappointed.  Against this backdrop, Awarapan 2’s campaign has been steady but restrained. The teaser arrived on 29 June and drew warm fan response for its brooding tone and reworked Toh Phir Aao. Songs followed: Ve Junoon on 7 July and Yeh Awarapan by Arijit Singh on 21 July. A motion poster on 29 July teased the return of Tera Mera Rishta. Vishesh Films had signalled a month-long push centred on music and character. Yet the music has not delivered the expected chart dominance the original album still enjoys. Has Emraan lost hope? Awarapan 2 still holds the advantage of an emotional core and a loyal following that turned the 2007 original into a cult phenomenon long after its theatrical failure. Whether that converts into theatre numbers is a moot point. For now, the marketing gap is real and it mirrors the star-power gap Emraan has been trying to close for over a decade.

The holy Kaveri, considered the Ganga of the South, takes birth in Karnataka and wends her way to the Thanjavur Delta in Tamil Nadu considered the rice granary of India. But politicians of both these States are playing out a despicable game over water sharing. Now, a new threat is now emerging …the planned Megadatu dam that will definitely impact the TN farmers and their livelihood. But even before this looming threat, a new chapter in the bitter political flexing of muscles is making news. The new CM of Karnataka DK Shivakumar has already sounded the conch of battle saying water will not be released for TN. When J Jayalalithaa undertook a fast on the Marina Beach, Kalaignar opposed it severely …justifying that diplomacy was better as Tamils in Karnataka would be targets of violence. Despite so many political stunts no party has cobbled a lasting solution. On his way to Delhi to file TN plea for water, TVK Minister for Legal Affairs, Nirmal Kumar shared “insights” of the politics being brazenly played by M K Stalin and DKS. According to Nirmal Kumar, Stalin had met DKS in Karnataka. He alleged that their bonhomie went beyond party ideology. When in power DMK did nothing to resolve the Kaveri problem. Chennai South DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran targeted LoP Rahul Gandhi who was on a two-day visit to Mahabalipuram. Gandhi had ranted about the “Ettappans” (Judas) of TN. Maran flayed the Congress saying, “Trust is sold for power by these poisonous snakes”. He was obviously targeting the Congress which had kicked the DMK ladder for alliance with Vijay’s TVK. But as they say man proposes …and nature disposes. Suddenly the monsoon fury in Kerala flooded the Kabini river, a tributary of the Kaveri. The holy Kaveri swelled up with uncontrolled inflow …a big threat to Karnataka. And the hatches had to be opened…the waters gleefully rushed down to the delta, 3500 cusec per day …Mere politicians cannot overcome nature.

Ranbir Kapoor’s first full look as Lord Rama in the Ramayana trailer has left many feeling underwhelmed. Where the Animal trailer exploded with raw intensity, unforgettable screen presence and a character that lodged itself deep in the audience’s mind, this one feels strangely ordinary. The impact that was expected for a film of this magnitude simply isn’t there. Ranbir looks regular, slightly out of sync and artificial. He does not inhabit the element of Rama. The dialogue delivery stays flat and familiar, carrying no novelty or divine authority. For a project this massive, some experimentation with the character was essential. Instead, the costumes and overall presentation lean into excess artificiality, giving the frames a fake, ordinary sheen that has triggered mixed reactions. The problem is compounded by timing. Audiences are still under the spell of Ranbir’s Animal avatar. That performance was so brilliantly etched and embedded in public memory that anything following it was always going to be measured against that high. Earlier, the shift from romantic hero to intense action figure felt digestible. After Animal, however, this Rama comes across pale and weak. The gravity and quiet power the role demands are missing. Ramayana is ultimately the story of Rama. Technicians, scale, VFX and a formidable Ravana where Yash is clearly commanding attention, will support the film. Yet the central figure must carry the emotional and spiritual weight. Right now, Ranbir’s Rama does not rise to that mark. The trailer has grandeur, but the soul of the protagonist feels diluted, leaving viewers hoping the final film rediscovers the force that Animal delivered so effortlessly.

It seems Odisha’s political leadership led by CM Mohan Charan Majhi and bureaucratic leadership led by Industry Secretary Hemant Sharma are in the spotlight. Both have managed to woo big investments into the state thus beating the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh led by Chandrababu Naidu. It may be recalled that Lakshmi N Mittal who had originally zeroed-in on Odisha for huge investment in greenfield steel plant changed his mind at the eleventh hour and shifted it to Andhra. To make it up, Odisha is consolidating its position in other sectors. A case in point is power. Tata Power has finally selected Odisha and not Andhra Pradesh to set up its clean energy solar ingot and wafer facility in Tata SEZ Gopalpur. The investment is pegged at around Rs 6700-10,000 crore. It is said the Odisha government offered Tatas huge concessions and incentives to bag the project. According to Odisha Industry Minister Sampad Charan Swain, Odisha has emerged as the second-highest investment destination in the country after Andhra Pradesh under Utkarsh Odisha initiative.

The Tata Group has demonstrated terrific support to sustain the Tata Mumbai Marathon, a long-distance running endurance competition that spellbinds Mumbai once a year! The TMM, promoted by Procam International’s dynamic duo in Anil Singh and Vivek Singh, and held on the third Sunday of a new calendar year with a melange of cultures, is easily the best sporting event of the year and several corporates, including the IDFC FIRST Bank, the Maharashtra Government and its departments, and several others deserve a  pat on their back and “shabhaash” encomiums. The Tata Sons and Tata Consultancy Services are the two top-of-the-drawer brands that have sponsored the marathon, which has raised well over Rs 500 crore for charitable causes in India. It’s their unstinted support that has enabled the event to be accorded the Gold Label Race badge. The African runners – from Kenya and Ethiopia – have dominated the marathon – with a prize money pool of $ 389,524 for the January 2027 race — for many years. They lend admirable quality to the premier race over 42 km and other races like the full marathon, half marathon, Open 10k, Dream Run, Senior Citizen and Disability Run. Air India Express got on board for the 22nd edition and joined others like ASICS, AMARON, Bisleri, Red Bull, Vedanta, Trident Hotel, United Way Mumbai and Sir H N Reliance Foundation Hospital, all of whom take pride in supporting the race that’s run through the city’s iconic localities and landmarks like the Coastal Road and the Worli Sea Link. The African runners take away a substantial part of the money, and the Indian runners too, mostly from the armed forces. In three years, the TMM will complete its silver jubilee, an occasion for Mumbaikars to celebrate memorably.

Hotel Ritz Carlton in Pune was witness to a high-profile political gathering on July 29. It once again endorsed Maharashtra’s culture in which personal and political factors are kept apart. The occasion was the betrothal of deputy CM Sunetra Pawar’s son Parth with Kainaat Dara. As announced earlier, the wedding will take place on 27 February next year. The prominent among those present were Nationalist Congress Party patriarch Sharad Pawar with wife Pratibha, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CM Eknath Shinde, NCP bigwigs Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare as well as a score of VIPs. The occasion had heightened political suspense since contrasting reports have been emanating from both NCP factions about their possible merger. While Pawar himself has discounted any such development, certain leaders are said to be hopeful even now. The engagement ceremony was fraught with emotion with memories of Parth’s late father Ajit Pawar, who died in a plane crash in Baramati. The probe in the mishap is still on. The atmosphere was silent for a minute as Parth broke down while bowing to his father’s portrait. Care was taken to ensure that nothing was left to chance. For instance, a NCP leader had called on Karveer Peeth Shankaracharya a couple of months ago to seek clearance about holding the ceremony since certain quarters believe that a sacred event should be celebrated in a family which is in bereavement within one year or only after three years. All eyes now will be on the day of the wedding.

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leader Abhijeet Dipke is the focus of anti-BJP parties in Maharashtra. Even former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has sought his time and invited him to Matoshree when the young agitator visits Mumbai. On his part, Abhijeet has started lobbing one political missile after another against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah. Besides threatening another mass agitation if the demands of the fledgling outfit are not honoured, Abhijeet has taken a cautious stand by declaring that CJP does not support violence. His modest apartment in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar in Marathwada is the new place of attraction. Senior minister Sanjay Shirsat from the Shiv Sena (Shinde) was among the first to call on Abhijeet. Both families have a long-time relationship, it was stated. Shirsat has demanded police protection for Abhijeet. Soon thereafter, Sena (UBT) leader Chandrakant Khaire reached the residence of the new youth icon and made a call to Uddhav. Both conversed for a little while and Uddhav invited Abhijeet to Matoshree. He is said to have replied in the affirmative.  Unfazed by the spotlight on him, Abhijeet has reiterated all his charges against Modi and Shah. Meanwhile, the subject of curiosity about Abhijeet is the young girl who was seen with him after the Delhi agitation was called off.