1st T20I: Jadeja's onslaught takes India to 161 for 7 vs Australia
Canberra, Dec 4: KL Rahul continued his impressive run in the shortest format with yet another fifty but it took Ravindra Jadeja's brilliant back-end flourish to take India to a fighting 161 for 7 against Australia in the first T20 International here on Friday.
The Indian vice-captain hit 51 off 40 balls but leg-spinner Adam Zampa (1/20 in 4 overs) and all-rounder Moises Henriques (3/22 in 4 overs) were brilliant between overs 11th and 15th, which shifted the momentum in favour of the home team till Jadeja came into play with a 44 not out off 23 balls.
During 11th and 15th over, India scored 22 runs and lost three wickets in Sanju Samson (23 off 15 balls), Manish Pandey (2 off 8 balls) and Rahul.
However, Jadeja (five fours and a six), who suffered from hamstring trouble, launched into Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc in the final two overs that yielded 34 runs taking Indian to a par-score at the Manuka Oval.
The Indians found Zampa difficult to get away as he conceded only one boundary while Henriques conceded just a six, cleverly varying the pace of his deliveries with a good mix of cutters and seam-up stuff.
Rahul, who hit five fours and a six, along with Samson and the dangerous Hardik Pandya (16 off 15 balls) were deceived by the pace of pitch where driving on the up wasn't an easy job.
Mitchell Starc (2/34) was also quick and incisive at the start but got hit during the death overs.
Four days of rest had done Starc a world of good as he found both his length and swing back at the start. At a scorching 145 clicks, he bowled one that shaped away from Shikhar Dhawan starting on middle-stump and knocking the off-stump back.
Rahul's first boundary was a mis-hit off Hazlewood over third-man, followed by a cover drive off Zampa.
Another streaky boundary off Sean Abbott was topped up by a regal pull-shot into the mid-wicket stands.
Inexperienced leg spinner Mitchell Swepson (1/21 in 2 overs) repeatedly bowled short but did snap a prized catch in rival skipper Virat Kohli (9) when a ball stopped on him and the result was a return catch off a leading edge.
But Rahul punished him and so did Samson, who rocked back to hit him for a six. Rahul's half century came off 37 deliveries.
However, as has been Samson's trait, he perished when Henriques bowled an off-cutter and the uppish cover drive. He was pouched by Swepson and India's innings went down south from that moment before Jadeja partially redeemed it.
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Bihar CM Nitish Kumar's son Nishant to enter politics, says JD(U) leader
Patna (PTI): The entry of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's son, Nishant Kumar, into politics has been finalised, and the decision will soon be announced formally by the JD(U), state minister Sharwan Kumar said on Tuesday.
The senior JD(U) leader said Nishant will be given a "bigger responsibility" in the party.
"Now, it's clear, and it has been finalised that Nishant Kumar will join active politics. The party will make a formal announcement in a day or two. Party workers have been demanding Nishant's entry into politics for several years. Now party workers and supporters are upbeat with the decision ahead of Holi," he told PTI.
"He will be given a bigger responsibility in the party. What responsibility he is going to get will be decided in a day or two," said the minister.
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Asked if Nishant can be sent to the Rajya Sabha, Kumar said, "Anything can happen."
Kumar, who has been a minister in the state cabinet for more than a decade, is considered very close to the CM.
Social Welfare Minister Madan Sahni said JD(U) workers have been demanding Nishant Kumar's entry into active politics for several years.
"Now, it has been finalised. We are quite happy with the decision," Sahni, also a JD(U) leader, told PTI.
Rural Works Minister Ashok Choudhary said, "It is a big Holi gift for the party's rank and file and also the people of the state. Nishant's entry into active politics will certainly benefit the party. He is a photocopy of our leader, Nitish Kumar."
JD(U) ally BJP also welcomed Nishant's entry into politics.
"I welcome the new generation to enter politics. I thank the CM for leading the NDA in the recent assembly elections. It is a matter of great happiness that Nishant Kumar will now enter politics with the support of the CM and his family, and we wholeheartedly welcome him," Industries Minister Dilip Jaiswal told PTI Video.
"He is certainly an educated young leader, holding a BTech degree, and is a well-grounded individual. Every event happens in its own time, and perhaps now the right time has arrived. His entry should be warmly welcomed," said the former state BJP president.
Five Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar will go to the polls on March 16. The last date for filing nominations is March 5.
The elections will be held as the tenures of JD(U)'s Harivansh Narayan Singh and Ram Nath Thakur, RJD's Prem Chand Gupta and Amarendra Dhari Singh, and RLM's Upendra Kushwaha are ending.
As per the latest tally in the state legislature, all five seats would now go to the ruling NDA. However, the RJD has decided to field its candidates to ensure the election is not decided unopposed.
