Bengaluru: Despite Sarfaraz Khan's recent struggles to impress the selectors, his younger brother Musheer Khan grabbed the spotlight with a stunning century on the opening day of the 2024 Duleep Trophy. Playing for India B against India A at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Musheer’s heroic knock led his team’s recovery after a severe batting collapse.
Sarfaraz, who had earlier managed only 9 runs off 35 deliveries in India B's first innings, was seen cheering passionately from the dressing room as Musheer reached his century. The 19-year-old batter celebrated his milestone with energy, while his brother, along with teammates and the support staff, erupted in applause.
India B, put in to bat first, initially struggled to find momentum. The opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Abhimanyu Easwaran cautiously added 33 runs before Avesh Khan made the first breakthrough by dismissing Easwaran. What followed was a dramatic collapse, as India B was reduced to 94 for seven in just under 44 overs. Avesh, along with left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed and Akash Deep, shared the spoils with two wickets each.
However, Musheer took charge after the collapse, guiding India B back into the match. The Mumbai-based batter, who made his first-class debut in 2022, displayed maturity beyond his years. He formed a crucial unbeaten 110-run partnership with tail-ender Navdeep Saini. Musheer reached his century in style, finishing Day 1 at 105 not out from 227 balls, with 10 boundaries and two sixes to his name.
Musheer’s century on his Duleep Trophy debut places him among elite company. He joins the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, who made their mark in the same tournament 33 years ago. In that legendary encounter between West Zone and East Zone in Guwahati, a 17-year-old Tendulkar had scored 159, while Ganguly responded with an unbeaten 124. Musheer’s achievement adds a new chapter to this storied legacy.
This isn’t the first time the young Khan has found himself compared to the great Tendulkar. Earlier this year, Musheer broke Sachin’s record to become the youngest batter to score a century in a Ranji Trophy final. At 19, Musheer’s 140 against Punjab surpassed Tendulkar’s 1994-95 feat when he scored 136 in the final at the age of 21.
Musheer’s potential has been evident in other tournaments as well. He was the second-highest run-getter in the 2024 U-19 World Cup, where he scored 360 runs in seven matches, including two centuries in South African conditions. He also made a significant impact in the 2023/24 Ranji Trophy season, scoring his maiden first-class century in the quarterfinal against Baroda, which he converted into a double ton. He followed it up with a title-winning knock of 136 in the final against Vidarbha.
While Musheer’s journey is still in its early stages, his performances have already sparked discussions about his potential inclusion in the India Test squad, especially with the upcoming series against Bangladesh on the horizon. As he continues to make headlines with his consistent performances, the young middle-order batter from Mumbai may soon find himself knocking on the doors of the national team.
Musheer Khan brings up his 💯 🙌
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 5, 2024
A special celebration and a special appreciation from brother Sarfaraz Khan 👏#DuleepTrophy | @IDFCFIRSTBank
Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/eQyu38Erb1 pic.twitter.com/92lj578cAs
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Judge cites denial of home to Muslim girl, opposition to Dalit women cooking mid-day meals
Hyderabad, February 23, 2026: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said that despite repeated affirmations of constitutional morality by courts, deep societal faultlines rooted in caste and religious discrimination continue to shape everyday realities in India.
Speaking at a seminar on “Constitutional Morality and the Role of District Judiciary” organised by the Telangana Judges Association and the Telangana State Judicial Academy in Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan reflected on the gap between constitutional ideals and social practices.
He cited a recent instance involving his daughter’s friend, a PhD scholar at a private university in Noida, who was denied accommodation in South Delhi after her surname revealed her Muslim identity. According to Justice Bhuyan, the landlady bluntly informed her that no accommodation was available once her religious background became known.
In another example from Odisha, he referred to resistance by some parents to the government’s mid-day meal programme because the food was prepared by Dalit women employed as cooks. He noted that some parents had objected aggressively and refused to allow their children to consume meals cooked by members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Describing these incidents as “the tip of the iceberg,” Justice Bhuyan said they reveal how far society remains from the benchmark of constitutional morality even 75 years into the Republic. He observed that while the Constitution lays down standards of equality and dignity, the morality practised within homes and communities often diverges sharply from those values.
He emphasised that constitutional morality requires governance through the rule of law rather than the rule of popular opinion. Referring to the evolution of the doctrine through judicial decisions, he cited Naz Foundation v Union of India, in which the Delhi High Court read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding that popular morality cannot restrict fundamental rights under Article 21. Though the judgment was later overturned in Suresh Kumar Koushal v Naz Foundation, the Supreme Court ultimately restored and expanded the principle in Navtej Singh Johar v Union of India, affirming that constitutional morality must prevail over majoritarian views.
“In our constitutional scheme, it is the constitutionality of the issue before the court that is relevant, not the dominant or popular view,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also addressed the functioning of the district judiciary, underlining that trial courts are the first point of contact for most litigants and form the foundation of the justice delivery system. He stressed that due importance must be given to the recording of evidence and adjudication of bail matters.
Highlighting the role of High Courts, he said their supervisory jurisdiction under Article 227 of the Constitution is intended as a shield to correct grave jurisdictional errors, not as a mechanism to substitute the discretion or factual appreciation of trial judges.
He recalled that several distinguished judges, including Justice H R Khanna, Justice A M Ahmadi, and Justice Fathima Beevi, began their careers in the district judiciary.
On representation within the judicial system, Justice Bhuyan noted that Telangana has made significant strides in gender inclusion. Out of a sanctioned strength of 655 judicial officers in the Telangana Judicial Service, 478 are currently serving, of whom 283 are women, exceeding 50 per cent representation. He added that members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority communities, and persons with disabilities are also represented in the state’s judiciary.
He observed that greater representation of women, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, and sexual minorities would help make the judiciary more inclusive and reflective of India’s diversity. “The judiciary must represent all the colours of the rainbow and become a rainbow institution,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also referred to the recent restoration by the Supreme Court of the requirement of a minimum three years of practice at the Bar for entry-level judicial posts. While acknowledging that the requirement ensures practical exposure, he cautioned that its impact on women aspirants, especially those from rural or small-town backgrounds facing social and financial constraints, would need to be carefully observed over time.
Concluding his address, he reiterated that the justice system must strive to bridge the gap between constitutional ideals and lived realities, ensuring that the rule of law remains paramount.
