IPL 2018: Rahane replaces Smith as captain of Rajasthan Royals
New Delhi: In the aftermath of the recent ball tampering controversy which forced Australia skipper Steve Smith to step down, his IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals on Monday also stripped Smith of the captaincy and named Ajinkya Rahane to lead the side in the upcoming Indian Premier League.
The Royals, returning to the IPL fold after serving a two-year ban on charges of corruption, had on Sunday sought time to take a final call ahead of the start of the 11th edition of the cash-rich league.
"Ajinkya Rahane has been an integral part of the Royals family for a long time now and he understands the culture and values of our team. We have absolutely no doubt that he will be a great leader of the Rajasthan Royals," the team's head of cricket Zubin Bharucha said in a statement.
"The incident in Cape Town has certainly disturbed the cricketing world. We have been in constant touch with the BCCI and taken their counsel. Furthermore we have been in regular contact with Smith."
"It's in the best interest of the Rajasthan Royals that Smith steps down as captain so the team can get ready for the start of the IPL without the ongoing distractions." he added.
Welcoming Rahane as the captain of the team, Ranjit Barthakur, executive Chairman, Rajasthan Royals, said: "Ajinkya Rahane has stepped up as a leader whenever he has been given the opportunity, be it for India or at Rajasthan Royals."
"We consider him the right candidate to lead the side this crucial season when the team is coming back to the IPL after two years. We wish him all the best.
"Governance and security are the prime policies that we as a franchise have taken into consideration and hence Rajasthan Royals' management is working towards deploying the best of governing and security methodologies to deliver the very best for the game of cricket in Jaipur," added Barthakur.
Rajasthan Royals will launch their season with an away fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 9 followed by their first home game in Jaipur on April 11 where they will host Delhi Daredevils at Sawai Mansingh stadium.
The IPL starts April 7 with Mumbai Indians facing Chennai Super Kings in Mumbai.
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App biker harasses woman doctor for cancelling ride, arrested
Kolkata, Nov 2: A woman doctor of a private hospital in Kolkata lodged a police complaint on Saturday accusing an app biker of sending her pornographic videos after she cancelled the booking since he was getting too late, an officer said.
The accused was arrested within a few hours of the victim filing the complaint.
The accused was slapped with different sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for sexual harassment, outraging a woman's modesty and criminal intimidation, he said.
The doctor, associated with a private medical facility in the southern part of the city's Jadavpur area, booked the app bike at 8 pm from the hospital.
Initial probe revealed that the accused app-biker had called the doctor at least 17 times and sent her sexually explicit content on WhatsApp after she cancelled her booking, the officer said.
The rider also allegedly threatened her with dire consequences.
"The doctor first filed an e-complaint with the Police Commissioner and the Joint CP Crime. She also sent an email to the cyber cell before lodging a complaint with the Purba Jadavpur Police Station," the officer said.
