Rohit Sharma joins Mumbai Ranji squad for practice ahead of J&K clash
Mumbai: India’s Test captain, Rohit Sharma, has taken a significant step towards rediscovering his form by joining Mumbai's Ranji Trophy team for a net session at Wankhede Stadium. This decision follows an underwhelming performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where India suffered a 1-3 series defeat against Australia. Upon his return, Rohit resumed training immediately, practising at the MCA-BKS ground to sharpen his skills for upcoming challenges, including the Champions Trophy.
Mumbai are set to face Jammu & Kashmir in the next round of the Ranji Trophy, beginning on 23 January. Although Rohit’s participation in the match is yet to be confirmed, he has opted for rigorous net sessions to regain his touch with the red ball. According to sources within the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), a decision on his inclusion in the playing XI will be made soon.
Rohit last featured in the Ranji Trophy in 2015 against Uttar Pradesh. His decision to practise domestically comes after a difficult tour of Australia, where he managed just 37 runs in four Tests at an average of 10.93. The disappointing series also marked Australia’s reclaiming of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after a decade.
India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, has emphasised the importance of domestic cricket for players committed to the red-ball format. He has expressed his belief that participating in tournaments like the Ranji Trophy is essential for honing skills and producing quality Test players. Rohit’s return to domestic cricket aligns with this sentiment, as does the suggestion that Virat Kohli, another player struggling in Tests, should consider rejoining the Ranji circuit. Kohli’s last appearance in the Ranji Trophy was in 2012.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Delhi court sentences Haryana gangster Vikas Gulia, associate to life imprisonment
New Delhi (PTI): A Delhi court has sentenced Haryana gangster Vikas Gulia and his associate to life imprisonment under MCOCA provisions, but refused the death penalty saying the offences did not fall under the category of 'rarest of the rare cases'.
Additional Sessions Judge Vandana Jain sentenced Gulia and Dhirpal alias Kana to rigorous imprisonment for life under Section 3 (punishment for organised crime) of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
In an order dated December 13, the judge said, "Death sentence can only be awarded in 'rarest of the rare cases' wherein the murder is committed in an extremely inhumane, barbarous, grotesque or dastardly manner as to arouse umbrage of the community at large."
The judge said that on weighing the aggravating and mitigating circumstances, it could be concluded that the present case did not fall under the category, and so, the death penalty could not be imposed upon the convicts.
"Thus, both the convicts are sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for life and to pay a fine of Rs 3 lakh each, for committing the offence under Section 3 of MCOCA," she said.
The public prosecutor, seeking the death penalty for both the accused, submitted that they were involved in several unlawful activities while they were on bail in other cases.
He argued that the accused had shown no respect for the law and acted without any fear of legal consequences, and therefore did not deserve any leniency from the court.
The court noted that both convicts were involved in offences of murder, attempt to murder, extortion, robbery, house trespass, and criminal intimidation. Besides, they had misused the liberty of interim bail granted to them by absconding.
It said, "The terror of the convicts was such that it created fear psychosis in the mind of the general public, and they lost complete faith in the law enforcement agencies and chose to accede to the illegal demands of convicts. Despite suffering losses, they could not gather the courage to depose against them."
The court noted that Gulia was involved in at least 18 criminal cases, while Dhirpal had links to 10 serious offences.
It underlined that MCOCA had been enacted "keeping in view the fact that organised crime had come up as a serious threat to society, as it knew no territorial boundaries and is fuelled by illegal wealth generated by committing the offence of extortion, contract killings, kidnapping for ransom, collection of protection money, murder, etc."
Both accused persons had been convicted on December 10 in a case registered at Najafgarh police station. The police filed a chargesheet under Section 3 (punishment for organised crime) and 4 (punishment for possessing unaccountable wealth on behalf of member of organised crime syndicate) of MCOCA.
