Not Iyer or Gaikwad, India appoints new vice-captain for T-20I series against SA
Durban, South Africa: In the upcoming three-match T20I series against South Africa, Suryakumar Yadav will continue to lead the Indian cricket team in the absence of Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and KL Rahul. The first T20I is scheduled to take place at Kingsmead Stadium in Durban on Sunday, December 10.
Suryakumar Yadav successfully captained the Indian side in the recent five-match T20I series against Australia, securing a 4-1 victory. However, there is a notable change in the vice-captaincy for the South Africa series.
Despite the presence of Shreyas Iyer and Ruturaj Gaikwad in the squad who were the vice-captain during India’s series against Australia under Surya Kumar Yadav, the experienced all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has been appointed as the new vice-captain. The 35-year-old Jadeja is making a return to the T20I team after an absence since the Asia Cup 2022. His last T20I appearance for India was on August 31, 2022, against Hong Kong in Dubai, after which he suffered a back injury that kept him out until February 2023.
Jadeja, a key player in India's ODI World Cup 2023 squad, was not part of the T20I series against Australia. However, his inclusion in the T20I team for the South Africa series is seen as a strategic move with an eye on the T20 World Cup 2024.
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Karnataka procured 16 lakh expired RT-PCR kits during Covid wave: D’Cunha commission
Bengaluru: Justice John Michael D’Cunha’s committee has uncovered significant irregularities in the procurement of medical supplies during the Covid-19 pandemic, revealing that more than 16 lakh RT-PCR test kits purchased by Karnataka in 2022 under the BJP-led government were either expired or close to their expiry dates.
After irregularities in PPE kit purchases, ventilators have also come under the scanner, with the report highlighting discrepancies amounting to Rs 173.26 crore in purchases made by the Medical Education Department.
The commission has also found that the Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Ltd. (KSMSCL) that cancelled a supply order for one lakh Rapid Antigen (RAT) kits placed with a Singapore-based company in March 2020 — for delay in supplying — has not recovered the Rs 6.99 crore paid to the company towards the order, as reported by The Hindu on Thursday.
According to the 279-page report on procurements made by the KSMSCL that is compiled in part IV of the report, a payment of Rs 148.84 crore was made by KSMSCL to various suppliers and firms towards procurement of RT-PCR kits from 2020 to 2022.
The Commission’s report, as cited by the publication, stated that there were records indicating procurement of RT-PCR kits, RNA extraction kits and Viral transport media (VTM) of a total value of Rs 106.25 crore during the pandemic in Karnataka. However, according to the report, this procurement was made without administrative approval.
“Since the KSMSCL has failed to discharge its obligation and responsibility, the loss caused to the State exchequer to this extent is required to be replenished by the erring officers and/or officials of the KSMSCL as well as the officers and/or officials of the consignee designated laboratories who received the consignment,” the report said, pegging the losses due to expired kits supplied by companies at Rs 3.11 crore.
In response to the report’s findings, state Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao criticised the saffron party for profiting from the pandemic. He promised accountability for the irregularities involving PPE kits and ventilators, stating that those responsible would face punishment.
