Ravindra Jadeja shines with bat to give India 95-run first-innings lead
Nottingham, Aug 6: And the sword came out again, this time meaning Ravindra Jadeja has justified his selection in the team, which gave India a priceless first-innings lead of 95 runs over England in the first Test here on Friday.
The chatter around all-rounder Jadeja being preferred over specialist off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin would stop for the time being as the optimistic visitors focus on things more important to take them closer to victory and a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
By the time the two teams took tea break on the third day, England were 11 for no loss in their second innings.
While opener K L Rahul laid the foundation for the visitors with an 84 off 214 balls, Jadeja snatched the initiative with his characteristic enterprise, hitting eight fours and a six in his 56 off 86 deliveries at Trent Bridge.
With it, the lively cricketer has paid in full the faith the team management showed in him while making the big move to leave out the seasoned Ashwin from the playing XI at the expense of a man who can bat a little better than the off-spinner, who himself is no mug with the bat in cricket's top-flight.
For England, medium pacer Ollie Robinson emerged as the most successful bowler as he bagged an impressive 5/85, leading the team out in the presence of legends such as James Anderson, who finished with figures of 4/54 from 23 overs, not bad for a 39-year-old. Actually, too good as he is now third in all-time bowlers' list behind Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne with 621 wickets.
Among his wickets were the team's top scorer Rahul and the top batsman Virat Kohli.
The Indians were up to the task, especially the likes of Rahul and Jadeja, while Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah contributed useful runs, something that will not suffice for the flamboyant wicketkeeper-batsman, who fell prey to a trap laid by Robinson.
Earlier, Rahul continued to defy the England bowlers with dogged determination as India overtook the home team's first innings score in another rain-hit opening session.
In that time, Jadeja's knock included a delectable back-drive off Sam Curran's bowling and an on-drive off Stuart Broad.
The Indian lead remained slender at lunch after England scored 183 on the first day, but it still gave India the psychological advantage as they tried to build on it.
It was another rain-hit day with the first 95 minutes featuring only 11 deliveries due to a steady drizzle.
However, Pant (25 off 20 balls) was ready to take off from where he had left in Southampton, during the World Test Championship final against New Zealand.
Just like at the fag end of the second day, the flamboyant left-hander charged down the track to hit Anderson for a boundary through cover region. The objective was to smother any outswing (Anderson's inswing) and reach to the pitch of the deliveries.
When Robinson dug one short, he played the hook shot while not being in control but the thick edge had enough power to carry it for a six.
Robinson knew that Pant was living dangerously and kept a short cover to lay a successful trap.
A length ball stopped as Pant committed on the drive without reaching to the pitch of the delivery and the short cover was in business.
Rahul, however, was unfazed as he played close to his body and left most of the deliveries on the fourth and fifth off-stump channel. But he did bring his cover drive out of the closet when he sent a Broad delivery to the boundary.
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Karnataka School Edu Dept prohibits children from being made to dance to obscene songs
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka School Education Department has issued a circular strictly prohibiting children from being made to dance to obscene songs in educational and cultural programmes.
It stated that such dances would negatively impact students' mental health and moral values. It will create indiscipline and harm the sanctity of education.
"All the Deputy Directors (Administration) of the state's School Education Department have been asked to take strict measures to prevent children or students from dancing to obscene songs in all government, aided and unaided schools in the state," the office of the commissioner of the School Education Department said in a recent circular.
"If it is found that children are being made to dance to obscene songs, appropriate action will be taken against the headmaster or management of such school," it added.
The department also listed certain measures in this regard, which include: strictly prohibiting children from being made to dance to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes; selecting songs that are inspiring, positive, instilling national pride in children and reflecting the greatness, dignity, values, culture, and morality of the state.
Stating that the school headmaster and management are responsible for selecting songs and dances for cultural programmes, it said, they should also ensure that students wear decent clothes in dance or cultural programmes.
