Shashi Tharoor slams Indian Cricket Team's selectors for sidelining Sanju Samson again
New Delhi: The exclusion of Sanju Samson from India's T20I squad has sparked controversy, drawing criticism on social media. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) revealed the squad for the upcoming 5-match series against Australia, with uncapped Jitesh Sharma selected as the second wicketkeeper-batter alongside Ishan Kishan. Samson, who has experienced intermittent inclusions in the team recently, found himself sidelined once again.
The decision raised eyebrows, prompting Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor to express his disapproval. Tharoor, the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, questioned the omission of the Kerala-born cricketer and suggested that, in the absence of senior players, Samson should have been named the captain for the series against Australia. Tharoor also inquired about the absence of spinner Yuzvendra Chahal from the squad.
"This is truly inexplicable. Sanju Samson should have not just been selected, he should have led the side in the absence of all the seniors. His captaincy experience with Kerala and Rajasthan Royals is more current than SKY’s. Our selectors need to explain themselves to the cricket-loving public. And why no Yuzvendra Chahal either," posted Shashi Tharoor on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
Following their participation in the World Cup 2023 final, India is set to face Australia in a T20I series beginning on Thursday. Under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, India will compete in a five-match T20I series against the newly crowned world champions.
The T20I squad for the Australia series features a mix of new and experienced players, with Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, and others getting an opportunity. Notably, experienced wicketkeeper Sanju Samson did not secure a place in the squad.
The first T20I between India and Australia is scheduled for Thursday in Visakhapatnam, with the series concluding at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on December 3.
India’s T20I squad for Australia series: Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad (Vice-Captain), Ishan Kishan, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (Wicketkeeper), Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Shivam Dubey, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar.
This is truly inexplicable. @IamSanjuSamson should have not just been selected, he should have led the side in the absence of all the seniors. His captaincy experience with Kerala and @rajasthanroyals is more current than SKY's. Our selectors need to explain themselves to the… https://t.co/W251o89jzs
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) November 21, 2023
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T'gana RTC strike: Talks between govt, employees successful
Hyderabad (PTI): Talks between employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (RTC) who were on strike and the state government concluded successfully on Friday as the government agreed to the key demands of the workmen.
Following a day-long marathon of talks between the leaders of the employees' Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the cabinet sub-committee, the government announced after midnight that it acceded to the demands, including a merger of RTC with the government, 11 per cent pay revision and elections to the employees' unions.
A committee comprising officials and employee leaders would be appointed over the merger of RTC with the government, it said.
The RTC management has also agreed to address the remaining issues as well, an official release said.
The employees would call off their strike and the RTC buses would hit the roads shortly, it said.
The employees had been on an indefinite strike since April 22 over a series of demands, including the merger of RTC with the government.
Earlier in the day, a driver of the RTC, who attempted suicide on April 23 during the strike, died at a hospital here in the early hours of Friday.
Shankar Goud, a 55-year-old driver, set himself ablaze by pouring petrol at Narsampet in Warangal district when the employees were staging a protest on Thursday in support of their demands.
Goud suffered serious burns, was initially admitted to a state-run hospital in Warangal, and later shifted to a super-speciality hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment.
"He succumbed (to injuries) at about 1.30 am on Friday," a senior official said.
The driver’s body was taken to his relative’s village, Muttojipet in Warangal district, for funeral rites.
Tension prevailed in Muttojipet as his family members and RTC employees attempted to take the body to the Narsampet bus station, where he worked, to enable his colleagues to pay their last respects. However, police did not permit this, citing law-and-order concerns.
This led to a deadlock before the funeral could proceed.
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticised the Telangana government for not allowing the body to be taken to the Narsampet bus station.
Kumar, Minister of State (Home), visited Muttojipet village in Warangal district, where the funeral was held, and paid homage to Goud.
“They (family members) want to take the body to the bus depot for five minutes. Is the RTC bus depot in Pakistan or Bangladesh? They are emotionally attached to taking the body there. The government is hurting sentiments and creating fear among RTC employees,” Kumar told reporters.
He also expressed anger at the police for not allowing the body to be taken to the bus station and staged a protest, according to a release from his office.
RTC employees and BJP workers attempted to take the mortal remains in an ambulance to Narsampet, but were stopped by the police.
Later, after discussions with the police, the family members and RTC employees agreed to conduct the funeral in the village.
Sanjay Kumar, stating he would abide by the family’s decision, left the village after the funeral was conducted there.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh, a house, and a government job would be provided to the kin of Goud.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the employee’s death and conveyed deep condolences to the grieving family, according to the release.
The RTC employees’ JAC had earlier announced an agitation programme from April 24 to 29, including silent marches and submission of memorandums to MLAs and other leaders.
