India's hope pinned on Pant after yet another collapse, need 55 more to win 3rd Test
Mumbai (PTI): India's hope of averting a humiliating 0-3 whitewash at home for the first time rests on Rishabh Pant after suffering another batting collapse to struggle at 92 for 6 in pursuit of 147 at lunch on day three of the final Test against New Zealand here on Sunday.
The home team still needs another 55 runs to register a consolation win after having already lost the three-match series.
In yet another inexplicable collapse, India lost five wickets for mere 16 runs after New Zealand folded for 174, setting the hosts 147 to win on a spin-friendly pitch which largely remained docile in the morning session.
Ravindra Jadeja (5/55) had claimed the final wicket of Ajaz Patel to complete his second five-for and 10 wickets in the match.
At lunch, Pant was waging a lone battle on 53 not out off 50 balls with seven fours and a six, and has Washington Sundar on 6 for company.
Once again, Pant took charge to save the blushes for India with a knock that kept the game on tenterhooks, unleashing his rich arsenal of strokes to keep his side in the game.
But in yet another abject surrender at home India's star-studded batting line-up produced arguably its worst performance in time to remember.
India's shocking and inexplicable descent began with skipper Rohit Sharma's (11) erroneous attempt to play his signature pull shot off Matt Henry on a delivery which was barely waist-high.
As soon as Rohit's top edge went up, Henry broke into celebration knowing it was headed towards Glenn Phillips — one of the best fielders — who ran behind from midwicket to take a fine catch.
Coming off a fine 146-ball 90, Shubman Gill shouldered arms on a delivery from Ajaz Patel (4/43) expecting the ball to turn away but it straightened to crash into his off-stump.
He marched onto the ground once again with his bat on his shoulder, perhaps to exude confidence, but Virat Kohli (1) failed to reach the pitch of a floated delivery which took the edge of his bat to the first slip.
From the other end, Yashasvi Jaiswal (5) had watched some part of this surrender and he too became a part of it when he was beaten by Phillips (1/31) for a leg-before.
Sarfaraz Khan (0) went for a premeditated sweep shot on the first ball for the second time in the Test and paid heavy price too, top edging it for Rachin Ravindra to move in from deep square leg and complete a pair for the batter.
Jadeja (6) played second fiddle in a 42-run partnership with Pant in their bid to take India closer to the target but the all-rounder was caught brilliantly at short leg by Will Young off Patel.
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Telangana govt rejects Adani's Rs 100 cr donation for skills university
Hyderabad, Nov 25: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday announced that the state government will not accept the Rs 100 crore CSR donation committed by industrialist Gautam Adani for the Young India Skills University being set up in the state.
The CM's announcement came days after the indictment of the Adani Group chairman in a US court.
In a letter to Priti Adani, Chairperson of the Adani Foundation, the state government's Special Chief Secretary (Industries) Jayesh Ranjan said he has been "instructed by the chief minister not to seek the transfer of funds in view of the present circumstances and arising controversies".
While thanking Priti Adani for committing Rs 100 crore to the skills university, the official said the state government has so far not asked any of the donors for physical transfer of funds since the university had not received the IT exemption under Section 80 G. However, the IT exemption order has now been received recently.
Addressing a press conference here, Revanth Reddy said the decision was taken as the Congress government does not want to find itself in any unwarranted controversy amid the allegations against the Adani Group.
He said so far the Telangana government has not accepted a single rupee into its account from any organisation, including Adani Group, for the skills university being established to promote employment avenues for youth.
"I and my Cabinet colleagues do not want to be involved in unnecessary discussions and situations that would dent Telangana's image or my own," Reddy said.
Gautam Adani met the chief minister here on Octrober 18 and symbolically handed over a cheque for Rs 100 crore towards donation to the skills university.
Asked about the comments of BRS that the government should cancel the Adani Group's investment proposals in the state, Reddy said the government will have to take legal opinion for cancellation of any agreements as the other party can go to courts against unilateral termination of pacts.
On BRS working president K T Rama Rao's comments that the previous BRS regime did not allow Adani Group into the state, Reddy displayed photographs of former CM K Chandrasekhar Rao and Rama Rao with Gautam Adani to the mediapersons.
He also read out a list of Adani Group's investment proposals reportedly approved by the BRS government.
"Is he (Rama Rao) ready for a probe on these," Reddy asked.
When pointed out that the state government discussed investment proposals with the Adani Group though Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been raising questions on Adani for several years now, he said Congress is not against any investment proposal or corporate house but crony capitalism and violation of rules.
It is his responsibility to follow his leader when the latter is raising his voice on an issue, Reddy said.
