India all out for 180 in pink ball Test against Australia
Adelaide (PTI): India were all out for 180 at dinner on the opening day of the pink ball Test against Australia here on Friday.
India lost six wickets in the second session after they were reduced to 82 for 4 at tea.
Rishabh Pant (21), captain Rohit Sharma (3), Harshit Rana (0), Ravichandran Ashwin (22), Jasprit Bumrah (0) and Nitish Reddy (42) got out in the post-tea session as Australian bowlers continued their domination on the first day of the second Test.
Pacer Mitchell Starc was the wrecker-in-chief for Australia as he took six Indian wickets for 48 runs.
India squandered a promising start after opting to bat as they lost the plot within a few overs before tea.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, who hit a century in the first Test, was out for a duck in the first ball of the match, while his opening partner KL Rahul was dismissed for 37.
Star batter Virat Kohli, who had also hit a hundred in the Perth Test, was dismissed for 7, while Shubman Gill was out for 31 off the bowling of Scott Boland just before dinner.
Brief Scores:
India: 180 all out in 44.1 overs (Nitish Reddy 42, KL Rahul 37, Shubman Gill 31; Mitchell Starc 6/48).
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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."
