Rohit Sharma issues stern warning after T20 World Cup triumph, credits 'three pillars' for success
Mumbai: Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma, fresh off leading the team to victory in the T20 World Cup in June, has sent a strong message to the cricketing world, asserting his unyielding determination to secure more titles. Speaking at the CEAT Cricket Rating Awards in Mumbai on Wednesday, where he was named the Men’s International Cricketer of the Year, Rohit credited three key figures—former head coach Rahul Dravid, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah, and Chairman of Selectors Ajit Agarkar—for India’s recent triumph.
Rohit, who became the first Indian captain since MS Dhoni to win a T20 World Cup, emphasised the importance of these "three pillars" in the team's successful comeback after a disappointing loss in the 2023 ODI World Cup final. "It was my dream to transform this team and not worry too much about the stats or the results, but to create an environment where players could perform freely," Rohit said. He highlighted the crucial support he received from Dravid, Shah, and Agarkar in achieving this vision.
As India shifts focus to the upcoming Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the World Test Championship (WTC) final in 2025, Rohit expressed his relentless drive to add more trophies to his collection. "There is a reason I won five IPL trophies. I'm not going to stop because once you get the taste of winning, you don't want to stop," Rohit stated, highlighting his commitment to continuing India's winning streak.
India’s preparation for the Champions Trophy hit a rough patch with a 0-2 series loss to Sri Lanka earlier this year, marking Gautam Gambhir’s first assignment as the new head coach. The team will have one final ODI series against England in February 2025 before the ICC tournament.
In Tests, India faces a packed schedule, starting with five matches at home against Bangladesh and New Zealand, followed by the Border-Gavaskar series in Australia. If India maintains their dominance, particularly at home, they are likely to secure a spot in the WTC final, regardless of their performance in Australia.
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
