Gautam Gambhir back in IPL as Lucknow franchise's 'Team Mentor'
New Delhi, Dec 18: Former India opener Gautam Gambhir was on Saturday appointed mentor of the new Lucknow franchise ahead of IPL 2022.
The southpaw, who is also a member of parliament, had captained KKR to two IPL titles during his playing days.
"Thanks a lot to Dr Goenka and the RPSG Group for presenting me this wonderful opportunity in their setup.
"The fire to win a contest still burns bright inside me, the desire to leave a winner's legacy still kicks me 24x7. I will not be contesting for a dressing room but for the spirit and soul of Uttar Pradesh," Gambhir said in a statement.
Owner of the yet to be named franchise, Sanjiv Goenka welcomed Gambhir into the RPSG family.
"Gautam has an impeccable career record. I respect his cricketing mind and look forward to working with him," he said.
The 40-year-old played 58 Tests, 147 ODIs and 37 T20Is for India.
Gambhir, who has also captained Delhi Capitals (erstwhile Daredevils), has been in talks with Goenka for sometime and it is expected that he will play a massive role at the auctions.
Andy Flower has been primarily roped in because he has already worked with the Lucknow franchise's captain-in-waiting KL Rahul, who is expected to be picked at the draft where the new teams will get three choices -- two Indians and one foreign player.
Gambhir was considered one of the finest among IPL captains during his time at the KKR, who won the silverware in 2012 and 2014.
However, once KKR released him and he returned to Delhi where he had started in 2008, things didn't pan out as he would have thought and midway into the league, had to relinquish captaincy to Shreyas Iyer and also dropped himself from the team due to shoddy batting form.
But no one can deny Gambhir's shrewd tactical brain and it is widely believed that even before the deal was inked, he had been giving valuable inputs to Goenka's core recruitment team on squad composition.
While the management is sure to depend on Flower on the overseas recruits, Gambhir will certainly be in charge when it comes to picking the core Indian set-up.
While former Test opener Aakash Chopra, on his official twitter handle, has literally announced Rashid Khan as their overseas recruit, some of the other names that they are looking at includes Ben Sokes, Marcus Stoinis and Kagiso Rabada.
Rahul looks a certainty if both parties agree on a final price unless the soon-to-be India white ball vice-captain wants to go in at the auction, where he would likely fetch an astronomical bid, perhaps the highest in the history of IPL.
The second Indian player could be Ishan Kishan because of his multiple skill level (keeping and batting), but the likes of last year's Purple Cap winner Harshal Patel or leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who are very successful shortest format players can't be ruled out either.
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CCTVs in police stations: SC asks amicus to convene meeting on utilisation of funds
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that a meeting be convened on May 6 to deliberate on the aspect of utilisation of funds by the states on installation of CCTVs in police stations across the country.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta asked senior advocate Siddhartha Dave, who is assisting it as an amicus curiae in a suo motu matter concerning lack of functional CCTVs in police stations, to hold a meeting on May 6 with the Centre, all states and Union Territories.
"We are of the view that a meeting be convened by the amicus, as done earlier, in which the home secretary of the central government or his nominee not below the rank of joint or additional secretary and the home secretary of states/Union Territories will participate," the bench said.
The issue cropped up after the amicus flagged the aspect of utilisation of funds by the states.
Dave told the bench that in UTs, the Centre gives 100 percent funds while in hilly states, the central government gives 90 percent funding.
He said in remaining states, the Centre gives 60 percent while the rest 40 percent funding is by the respective state.
"Why don't we get responses of the states only on utilisation of funds?" the bench said.
The top court suggested that the amicus can convene a meeting with the Centre, states and UTs on the issue.
It posted the matter for hearing on May 13 and said that a report be submitted before it.
On April 7, the Centre told the top court that all issues concerning installation of CCTVs in police stations would be sorted out within two weeks.
Attorney General R Venkataramani had told the bench that he was taking stock of the issue and a lot of things were happening.
On February 26, the apex court directed the Centre and others to participate in a meeting to deliberate upon the feasibility, modalities and implementation framework of the issues, including creation of a centralised dashboard and standardisation of CCTV infrastructure in police stations.
The top court had earlier directed registration of a suo motu case over the lack of functional CCTVs in police stations after taking cognisance of a media report.
The apex court had in 2018 ordered the installation of CCTV cameras across police stations to check human rights abuses.
In December 2020, the top court directed the Centre to install CCTV cameras and recording equipment at the offices of investigating agencies, including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
It said that states and UTs should ensure that CCTV cameras were installed at every police station, at all entry and exit points, main gate, lock-ups, corridors, lobby and reception, as well as in areas outside the lock-up rooms so that no part was left uncovered.
The top court said that CCTV systems must be equipped with night vision and have audio as well as video footage.
The court made it mandatory for the Centre, states and the UTs to purchase such systems which allow storage of data for at least one year.
