Day 2 Lunch: Gill, Reddy take India to 427 for 4
New Delhi (PTI): Skipper Shubman Gill treated the West Indies bowlers with utter disdain while inching closer to his 10th Test hundred as India piled on the visitors’ misery, reaching 427 for four at lunch on the second day of the second Test here on Saturday. At the break, Gill was batting on 75 in company of Dhruv Jurel (7 batting).
Even as Yashasvi Jaiswal (175, 258 balls) was unfortunately run-out at the start of the day, Gill's concentration didn't waver with his boundary count reaching 11 fours along with a maximum, going into the break.
Nitish Kumar Reddy (43 off 54 balls), promoted to get some valuable batting time and prop up the score in quick time, added 91 for the fourth wicket in just 17.1 overs.
The best shot of the morning session and that too by a distance was the one that brought up Gill's second fifty of the series. With a packed off-side field, Jayden Seales bowled on middle-leg with Gill flicking it through the vacant mid-wicket region. When Justin Greaves was brought into the attack, his lack of pace allowed Gill to step out and loft him over mid-wicket for his first six.
Gill, who had decided to defend during the final hour of the opening day, came out with a different mindset.
It only helped that Anderson Phillip sprayed all over and was hit for a flurry of boundaries. A delivery on the pads was quickly dispatched behind square on the leg-side.
In his next over, Phillip was cut square of the wicket -- one a bit late behind square and the other in-front with same intent that produced same result. There was an on-drive and when the keeper was brought up to the stumps with '7-2' off-side field, he stepped out and hit over extra cover.
Reddy started with a cover drive off Seales and then hit another couple of fours by deliberately opening the bat face, guiding the ball through the slip cordon. After being dropped by Phillip off Warrican's bowling, Reddy thumped the same bowler over long on fence for a six. He repeated the same shot in his next over.
The only possible mode of dismissal for Jaiswal (175) seemed to be a run-out, and that’s exactly how his marathon innings ended following a mix-up with Gill, who sent him back after the batter had crossed more than halfway down for a quick single.
Gill could be held partly responsible as it was Jaiswal’s call after he had pushed the ball slightly to the right of mid-off. Had Gill trusted his partner and continued running, the single looked very much on, with Jaiswal already sprinting towards the danger end.
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.
Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
