Keshav Maharaj becomes first South Africa spinner to take 200 Test wickets
Bulawayo, Jun 29 (PTI): Stand-in skipper Keshav Maharaj on Sunday became the first spinner from South Africa to take 200 Test wickets, reaching the landmark on the second day of the first match against Zimbabwe here.
The 35-year-old, who has been playing Test cricket for the past nine years, has gradually grown into the team's lead spinner in the five-day format.
Maharaj achieved the feat when he dismissed his Zimbabwe counterpart Craig Ervine in the 34th over, stumped by Kyle Verreynne.
Maharaj has been South Africa's highest wicket-taker among slow bowlers since going past former off-spinner Hugh Tayfield's tally of 170 scalps.
Left-arm spinner Maharaj now has 202 wickets from 59 Tests, with 11 five-wicket hauls and one 10-wicket match haul.
Maharaj also has 631 wickets from 166 matches in First-Class cricket.
Zimbabwe were all out for 251 in response to South Africa's first-innings total of 418 for nine declared, with Maharaj returning figures of 3/70 in 16.4 overs and Wiaan Mulder finishing with 4/50 in 16 overs.
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Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.
