Fit-again Hardik, Dhawan, Bhuvneshwar back for South Africa ODI series
Ahmedabad: All-rounder Hardik Pandya returned to the Indian squad for the three-match ODI series against South Africa after a six-month injury lay-off along with fit-again senior opener Shikhar Dhawan and seasoned seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
This is the first selection meeting under new chairman Sunil Joshi.
However, vice-captain Rohit Sharma is yet to fully recuperate from his calf muscle injury and is expected to return to action during the Indian Premier League later this month.
Pacer Shardul Thakur and all-rounder Shivam Dube were dropped from the squad that played the ODIs in New Zealand while veteran Kedar Jadhav made way for young Shubman Gill, who played his last ODI more than a year back.
Pandya's comeback was eagerly awaited by the team management after he underwent a back surgery. He proved his fitness with some blazing innings in the DY Patil Corporate T20 tournament under the watchful eyes of former chairman of selectors MSK Prasad.
Dhawan, who suffered a shoulder dislocation during Australia ODIs is also fit along with Bhuvneshwar, who underwent a sports hernia surgery in London.
Dhawan's comeback meant exit for Mayank Agarwal, who wasted three chances in New Zealand while Prithvi Shaw's positive batting has won him the vote of team management which enabled him to retain his place in the side.
The three ODIs will be played in Dharamsala (March 12), Lucknow (March 15) and Kolkata (March 18).
India's ODI squad: Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Virat Kohli (C), KL Rahul, Manish Pandey, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Yadav, Shubman Gill.
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Only allegation-free individuals to handle Hajj pilgrims: Delhi High Court
New Delhi: In a recent ruling, the Delhi High Court stated that individuals with no allegations of deceit should be entrusted with the responsibility of handling pilgrims keeping in mind the sanctity of Hajj.
Justice Subramonium Prasad highlighted the provision in the Haj Policy, granting the Central Government authority to bar Hajj Group Organizers (HGOs) against whom complaints of misconduct have been lodged, particularly concerning their dealings with pilgrims.
The court's stance came in response to a plea filed by Al Islam Tour Corporation challenging the Centre's decision to blacklist it for ten years, starting from Hajj 2021. This decision followed a complaint from a Hajj pilgrim, accusing the corporation of defrauding him in 2013 by accepting Rs. 13 lakhs for pilgrimage expenses but failing to refund the money upon cancellation.
Dismissing the plea, the court noted that the petitioner wasn't registered as an HGO for Hajj 2018 and thus shouldn't have been involved in any Hajj-related activities without proper registration.
The court underscored the significance of the Hajj pilgrimage for many Indians, often being a once-in-a-lifetime journey for the less privileged who may spend their entire savings on it.
Furthermore, the court said that while the majority of Indian pilgrims obtain permission from the Hajj Committee, some experienced private tour operators are also authorised to facilitate the pilgrimage.
Considering the objectives of the Hajj Policy and the seriousness of the complaint against the petitioner, the court deemed the imposed penalty justified and saw no need for modification.
