New Delhi: Indian pacer Mohammed Shami responded sharply to former cricketer and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar's prediction regarding his price tag at the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction. Manjrekar had suggested that Shami, who was released by Gujarat Titans ahead of the auction, may see a decline in his auction value due to his injury history.

The 34-year-old, who returned to competitive cricket last week after a year-long recovery from knee injuries, was the subject of analysis by Manjrekar, who raised concerns about the bowler's injury-prone nature.

“There will definitely be interest from teams, but given Shami’s injury history—and this recent one took a significant amount of time to recover—there’s always a concern about a potential breakdown during the season. If a franchise invests heavily and then loses him mid-season, their options become limited. This concern might lead to a drop in his price tag,” Manjrekar said on Star Sports.

In response, Shami took to Instagram on Thursday, addressing Manjrekar’s comments. "Baba ki jay hoooo. Thoda sa gyan apne future ke liye bhi bacha loo kaam aayega Sanjay G? Kisi ko future janna ho to sir se mile," Shami posted, which loosely translates to, "Hail Baba. Save some knowledge for your future too, it will be useful Sanjay ji. If anyone wants to know the future, they should meet sir."

Shami, acquired by Gujarat Titans for Rs 6.25 crore in the 2022, had a standout 2023 season, claiming 28 wickets in 17 matches at an average of 18.64 and winning the Purple Cap.

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Madikeri: A 62-year-old man was killed in a wild elephant attack in Sangayyapura village, under Ganaguru Gram Panchayat limits in Somwarpet taluk, triggering anger and concern among local residents.

The deceased has been identified as Ponnappa. According to officials, he was heading to his agricultural field for routine work when a wild elephant suddenly attacked him, killing him on the spot.

Following the incident, Assistant Conservator of Forests Gopal, Range Forest Officer Shailendra, Deputy Range Forest Officer Shravana Kumar, and forest staff including Eeranna, Venkatesh, Praveen Kumar, Ranjith and Vedamurthy visited the site. Officers from the Somwarpet Police Station, including the Circle Inspector, were also present. A case has been registered in connection with the elephant attack.

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Local residents expressed resentment over repeated wild elephant incidents in the area, stating that the situation had gone out of control. They urged forest authorities to take immediate and effective steps to prevent further loss of life.

As villagers protested and demanded concrete action, forest department officials assured them that measures such as installing a solar-powered fence would be taken up to reduce human-animal conflict in the region.