Australian openers start well, reach 28/0 on rain-curtailed day one
Brisbane, Dec 14: Local hero Usman Khawaja and young Nathan McSweeney displayed sound defensive technique against Jasprit Bumrah but persistent rain played havoc with the opening day of the third Test, allowing only 13.2 overs of play in which Australia scored 28 for no loss against India, here Saturday.
The gloomy weather didn't allow any action after the rain-curtailed first session. The weather in Brisbane indicates a start-stop game throughout the next four days.
Khawaja (19 batting, 47 balls) and McSweeney (4 batting, 33 balls) traded aggression with caution but the senior left-hander still got a couple of boundaries when Mohammed Siraj pitched it short.
While India skipper Rohit Sharma would be happy that Australia didn't score way too many runs, his bowlers did not force the opposition openers to play more deliveries. A lot of deliveries were left from length.
Just when it seemed that Indian attack was getting into its groove, heavens opened up, putting brakes on the bowling momentum.
Bumrah (0/8 in 6 overs) bowled his least potent opening spell of the series so far.
Despite overcast conditions and enough bounce on offer, he didn't bowl too many wicket-taking deliveries in that six-over first spell while Siraj (0/13 in 4 overs) was guilty of occasionally pitching it short.
In case of Bumrah, he rightly pitched it up but there was very little hint of swing on offer due to high humidity and only on few occasions he was able to square up Khawaja while coming round the wicket.
The lines that they bowled, drifted towards the leg-side more often than not.
With not many probing questions asked, the first 25 minutes before the steady drizzle stopped proceedings saw Australia reach 19 for no loss.
While McSweeney defended dourly, Khawaja did pull Siraj for a boundary before the break and added one more after play resumed.
Before the first break, even Bumrah pitched more deliveries back of length, allowing the batters to leave them easily, trusting the bounce of the surface.
Siraj was removed after a three-over initial spell. It was Akash Deep (0/2 in 3.2 overs), who looked good first up, keeping the ball on the off-stump channel with his stock delivery that would dart in to put batters in uncomfortable positions.
During the hour's play, the highlight was how Khawaja dealt with Bumrah's first spell.
He defended well by dropping his bottom hand and trying to play as late as possible. The balls that went past Khawaja's outside edge weren't about being getting beaten but rather, he kept the bat close to his body, allowing the ball to deviate past the willow. He only played deliveries that were bowled into his body.
He knew that if they can manage Bumrah's first spell which is generally between six to eight overs, they can dominate other bowlers.
The second rain break came just when Akash an, Siraj had started pitching the ball further up, using the angles well.
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Commercial LPG price hike 'direct blow' to common man: CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the union government over the recent hike in commercial LPG cylinder prices, calling it a "direct blow" to the common man and warning that rising fuel and tax burdens were quietly fuelling inflation and hurting livelihoods.
In a post on social media platform X, the Chief Minister said the increase would severely impact tea shops, darshinis (Quick service restaurants), small hotels, bakeries and street vendors, who depend heavily on commercial LPG, and accused the Centre of pursuing selective economic logic while burdening citizens.
"The recent hike in commercial LPG cylinder prices by about Rs 111 is a direct blow to the common man. Tea shops, small hotels, bakeries and street vendors depend on commercial LPG. When its price rises, food becomes costlier, livelihoods suffer and inflation quietly enters every household," Siddaramaiah said.
Responding to the Union government's explanation that the LPG price rise was due to an increase in Saudi Contract Prices (CP), the Chief Minister questioned the inconsistency in fuel pricing.
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"The Union Government now argues that LPG prices have increased due to the rise in Saudi Contract Prices (CP). If that is the logic, an important question must be answered honestly by Narendra Modi on why have petrol and diesel prices not been reduced when global crude oil prices have been consistently falling?" he asked.
Siddaramaiah pointed out that while Saudi CP may fluctuate, global crude oil prices, the primary input for petrol and diesel, have softened. "Yet petrol and diesel prices remain unchanged, burdening citizens while generating record revenues. This selective application of 'international price logic' raises serious concerns," he said.
The CM also flagged what he described as fiscal injustice towards states, alleging that Karnataka contributes far more to the national exchequer than it receives in return.
"Karnataka contributes 4.5 to 5 lakh crore every year to the national exchequer, but receives barely Rs 60,000 crore in return, often delayed. This is not cooperative federalism, it is fiscal imbalance," he claimed.
He further criticised the Centre over rising railway fares, additional cesses and surcharges outside the GST framework, and what he termed as the shifting of welfare responsibilities to states.
Referring to the VB-G RAM G Act, Siddaramaiah said states were now being forced to bear nearly 40 per cent of the cost, increasing their financial burden.
"India cannot be built by squeezing its workers, taxing its poor, and weakening its States. Economic governance must be rooted in fairness, transparency and compassion, not selective justifications," he said, adding "a strong nation respects its people, empowers its States, and ensures growth is shared fairly."
