Manoj Tiwary announces retirement from all forms of cricket
Kolkata (PTI): Former India batsman Manoj Tiwary on Thursday announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, drawing curtains to a very unique career.
Tiwary, who played 12 ODIs and three T20Is between 2008 and 2015, ventured into politics even while he remained an active cricketer, and became a minister of state for sports and youth affairs in West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's state cabinet.
But during the 2022-23 domestic season, the 37-year-old returned to play for Bengal and guided the team to the final where they went down to Saurashtra at the Eden Gardens. It was also Tiwary's last First-Class game.
"Goodbye to the game of cricket," Tiwary wrote in an Instagram post while announcing his retirement.
"This game has given me everything, I mean every single thing which I had never dreamt of, starting from the times when my life was challenged by different forms of difficulties.
"I will always be grateful to this game and to the GOD, who has always been by my side throughout," said Tiwary.
The right-handed batsman made 287 runs from 12 one-dayers that includes a hundred against West Indies at Chennai in December 2011.
Tiwary finished his First-Class career just 92 runs shy of the 10,000-landmark (9908 runs) and averaged 48.56 with 29 centuries in a glittering 19-year career. He made his debut under Deep Dasgupta in 2004 against Delhi at the Eden Gardens.
He scored 5581 runs from 169 List A games at an average of 42.28.
An aggressive middle-order batter, Tiwary faced selection blues with the India think tank under MS Dhoni preferring a left-hander in Suresh Raina, who was also his protege in Chennai Super Kings.
As fate had it in store for him, Tiwary was dropped for 14 ODIs after scoring the century against the Windies.
Tiwary made 65 runs and took four wickets in two matches when he made his return but he was dropped again. Injuries also took a toll on his career.
He was also a member of the Kolkata Knight Riders' maiden IPL triumph in 2012 and struck the winning runs in the last over to seal a 191-run chase against the CSK.
Tiwary also represented Delhi Daredevils, Kings XI Punjab and Rising Pune Supergiants in the IPL. Overall, he has played 183 T20s, scoring 3436 runs at a strike rate of 116.43.
Tiwary also thanked his childhood coach Manabendra Ghosh, his former teammates and his family.
"Manabendra Ghosh, my father figure like coach, has been the pillar in the cricketing journey. If he had not been there then I would have not reached anywhere in the cricketing circle. Thank you Sir and wish you a speedy recovery, as your health is not keeping well.
"Thank you to my Dad and Mom, they both never put pressure on me to focus on my studies rather they encouraged me to continue in cricket. Big thank you to my wife, @roy_susmita7 who has always been on my side from the time she came into my life," he wrote.
Tiwary first gave up captaincy in 2018 but played for Bengal despite battling with injuries. He made a foray into politics when he joined the ruling Trinamool Congress in 2021 ahead of the Assembly polls in Bengal.
He was then handed a ticket from Shibpur constituency from where he won and went on to succeed his former Bengal captain Laxmi Ratan Shukla as the MoS sports.
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In phone call, PM Modi, US President Trump resolve to promote global peace, security
New Delhi, Jan 27 (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on Monday vowed to work towards a "trusted" partnership between India and US and advance global peace and security in their first phone conversation since the American leader's inauguration last week.
Modi and Trump exchanged views on global issues, including the situation in West Asia and Ukraine, and deliberated on measures to boost bilateral cooperation in areas such as technology, trade, investment, energy and defence, an Indian readout said.
The two leaders agreed to meet soon, it said.
"Delighted to speak with my dear friend President @realDonaldTrump @POTUS.
Congratulated him on his historic second term," Modi said on 'X'.
"We are committed to a mutually beneficial and trusted partnership. We will work together for the welfare of our people and towards global peace, prosperity, and security," he said.
In a statement, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said the two leaders "reaffirmed" their commitment for a "mutually beneficial and trusted partnership".
"They discussed various facets of the wide-ranging bilateral Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and measures to advance it, including in the areas of technology, trade, investment, energy and defence," it said.
"The two leaders exchanged views on global issues, including the situation in West Asia and Ukraine, and reiterated their commitment to work together for promoting global peace, prosperity and security," the PMO said.
"The leaders agreed to remain in touch and meet soon at an early mutually convenient date," it added.
It is not immediately known whether the issues of immigration and tariff figured in the talks.
Like in many countries, there have been some concerns in India as well over the Trump administration's approach on immigration and tariff.
President Trump has already talked about slapping "100 per cent tariffs" on the BRICS grouping, a bloc that includes India too.
It is learnt that the phone call was initiated from the Indian side.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said last week that India is looking for "bolder, bigger and a more ambitious" relationship with the US and indicated its readiness to work with the Trump administration to address issues like illegal immigration and trade.
The phone conversation between Modi and Trump came six days after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held separate meetings with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz in Washington.
Jaishankar also attended the Quad foreign ministers' meeting in the American capital. The meeting was the Trump administration's first foreign policy engagement.
At a media briefing in Washington on January 22, Jaishankar said his meetings signalled that the Trump administration "prioritising" the bilateral relationship with India.
The external affairs minister also said that there was agreement between the two sides about the need to be bolder, bigger, and more ambitious about the bilateral relationship.
Asked about the Trump administration's policy on tariff and immigration, Jaiswal said on Friday that India is looking at addressing issues in a constructive manner.
"Our approach has always been to address issues in a constructive manner which is in keeping with the interests of both countries," he had said at his weekly media briefing last week.
"We remain in close communication with the US administration and would like to continue to work towards strengthening our economic partnership further," he said.
India is also keen to continue cooperation under the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) that was launched during the tenure of the Biden administration.
