"Breaking Bad" star Bryan Cranston says he's recovered from coronavirus
Los Angeles: "Breaking Bad" star Bryan Cranston has revealed that he was diagnosed with coronavirus but has now recovered and donated his plasma.
The actor uploaded a video on Instagram in which he could be seen donning a mask.
Cranston said he had COVID-19 a "little while ago" and considers himself "very lucky" that he only had "mild symptoms".
"I wanted to announce that I had COVID-19 a little while ago. Very lucky, very mild symptoms," Cranston said.
"So I thought maybe there's something I can do, so I started a program (at UCLA Blood and Platelet Center) so hopefully the plasma donation can help some other people," he added.
In the caption for the video, Cranston said his symptoms included "a slight headache, tightness of chest and (loss of) taste and smell".
"I was pretty strict in adhering to the protocols and still... I contracted the virus. Yep. It sounds daunting now that over 150,000 Americans are dead because of it," the actor wrote.
"I was one of the lucky ones... I count my blessings and urge you to keep wearing the damn mask, keep washing your hands, and stay socially distant. We can prevail but ONLY if we follow the rules together," he added.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide has topped 17 million.
According to a tally by Johns Hopkins University, the US leads the count with 4.4 million, followed by 2.6 million in Brazil and 1.5 million in India.
The US also has the highest number of deaths with 152,055, followed by 91,263 in Brazil and 46,084 in the UK.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Like Rohit and Virat, Sanju can''t be replaced: Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag
Jaipur (PTI): Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag on Thursday said Sanju Samson's void cannot be filled in his side, likening the challenge to replacing stalwarts like Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli.
Sanju, who led the Royals from 2021 to 2025, was traded to Chennai Super Kings in a pre-season move, with Ravindra Jadeja coming in as part of the deal.
"If you talk about Sanju bhaiya, we never think about replacing the kind of player he is," Parag told reporters in a pre-season press conference here.
"We can perhaps look for someone with a similar skillset or have someone bat in his position...
"It’s like there is no replacement for Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma... In the same way, there is no replacement for Sanju bhaiya because he is such a good player,” Parag said.
Having represented the franchise for 11 years across two stints, Sanju was RR's most successful captain and leading run-scorer, having guided them to the IPL 2022 final and the playoffs in 2024.
His stature has only grown manifold following a stellar T20 World Cup campaign, where he struck three successive match-defining half-centuries to power India to a historic treble and title defence.
India defeated New Zealand by 96 runs in the final with Sanju being adjudged the Player-of-the-Tournament.
Rajasthan Royals had a forgettable last season, enduring 10 defeats to finish ninth in the 10=team standings.
Parag, who has been picked as the captain following Sanju's exit, said RR lost far too many close matches last year and the 2008 winners need better strategy and planning.
“This year, the focus is to plan better and finish games, which we couldn’t do in the previous edition," he said.
"We need to plan well. Last year, there were about 5-6 games which we lost in the last over or even on the last ball. Had we been able to convert those, or had we calculated better, this question (if RR would try anything new) would not have been asked because we would have qualified (for knockouts) by winning those matches," he said.
"I think that in every T20 game, there are 3-4 decisions that you have to make which change the course of the game. If we take those small decisions with strategy and planning, this year will be different," Parag added.
He further expressed his gratitude to the franchise for keeping their faith in him despite several seasons of struggle.
"I was here when I was just 17 and I have seen all the ups and downs, though more downs than ups till now. I want to thank Rajasthan Royals for supporting me and understanding the cricketer I am,” Parag said.
Sangakkara backs Parag -- the skipper
=====================
The Royals’ director of cricket and head coach Kumar Sangakkara said he has always “admired” Parag as a cricketer and he was picked as a skipper after a robust round of interviews with other candidates.
"It was about trying to find the best person who can lead the Rajasthan Royals. I (first) met Riyan when he was a teenager and have admired him as a cricketer. He's right (when he says) he has gone through a lot and seen a lot," Sangakkara said.
"The most striking thing for me was (to see) how reflective and mature he has become."
“To select a captain once Sanju decided to leave, it was very important that we explore all options. We had shortlisted some candidates that we had a very strict interview process for. Riyan knows the questions were hard. At the end of the day Manoj (Badale) and I sat down and it was evident that the right choice to lead Rajasthan was Riyan,” Sangakkara added.
