Shikhar Dhawan hits fifty before Australia bowl India out for 255
Mumbai, Jan 14: Shikhar Dhawan hit a half-century before Australia pulled things back to bowl India out for 255 in the first ODI of the three-match series here on Tuesday.
Dhawan looked in great touch during his 91-ball 74 and, in the company of K L Rahul (47), shared a second-wicket stand of 121 runs off 136 balls to set the base for India's total. However, India failed to capitalise.
Sent into bat, India were dealt an early blow when they lost Rohit Sharma (10), caught by David Warner at mid-off off Mitchell Starc (3/56).
Rahul joined Dhawan at the crease and the duo played fluently without much trouble against a formidable Australian attack.
After adopting a cautious approach initially, Dhawan upped his ante and started to play his shots, while at the same time gave due respect to the good deliveries.
Dhawan showed his class and played all kinds of shots to register his fifty in 66 balls with a single off leg-spinner Adam Zampa (1/53) in the 20th over.
Soon after reaching his fifty, Dhawan got a reprieve when he was dropped by Warner at midwicket off Ashton Agar (1/56).
The two went about their business in style, picking up runs off bad balls before both departed in consecutive overs.
Just three short of his fifty, Rahul gave a straight forward catch to Steve Smith at covers off Agar and then, in the next over, Dhawan was caught by Agar off Pat Cummins (2/44).
While Rahul hit four boundaries during his 61-ball knock, Dhawan's innings was laced with nine fours and one six.
Dropping himself to No. 4 to accommodate both Dhawan and Rahul in the side, Virat Kohli (16) was in attacking mode from the onset, but didn't last long as Zampa took a sharp catch off his own bowling to dismiss the Indian skipper.
Shreyas Iyer followed suit when Starc induced an edge an over later and Alex Carey did the rest behind the stumps.
Rishabh Pant (28) and Ravindra Jadeja (25) shared 49 runs for the sixth wicket before the duo perished in consecutive overs as India lost the plot.
Towards the end Kuldeep Yadav (17) and Mohammed Shami (10) struck some useful boundaries.
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Annamalai questions Naxals surrender policy in Karnataka
Udupi (Karnataka), Jan 11: Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai has raised concerns over the Naxal surrender and rehabilitation policy in Karnataka, questioning its effectiveness and transparency.
Annamalai, who had served as Superintendent of Police (SP) in Udupi between January 2015 and August 2016 and as SP Chikkamagaluru, considered a hotbed of Naxals in Karnataka, in 2018, had convened a press conference in Udupi on Saturday.
According to him, while the policy aims to reintegrate former Naxals into mainstream society, doubts persist regarding its implementation.
He pointed out that surrender and encounter cases have sparked widespread speculation, with many questioning the circumstances under which these events unfolded.
"The recent Naxals surrenders, under the leadership of the Chief Minister, raise several questions. The process, which involves surrenders in the presence of the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police, appears to have been made too easy for Naxals," he said.
Annamalai also questioned the credibility of the surrender process, stating that the government's approach could create doubts about the policy's integrity. He cited the case of Vikram Gowda's encounter, which has triggered concerns among locals.
"There are reports that the Chief Minister himself was involved in the surrender process, and weapons were displayed in a remote forested location. The public is finding it difficult to believe this narrative," he added.
The remarks come amid growing debates on the handling of Naxal issues in Karnataka, with political leaders and activists weighing in on the government's approach to surrender.
Annamalai was in Udupi to launch "Samvidhana Badalayisisddu Yaaru?" (Who changed the Constitution?), authored by Vikas Kumar P, at an event organised by the Citizens for Social Justice today.
Taking to 'X' post the event, Annamalai wrote, "This book highlights the numerous amendments made during the Congress regime, which sought to undermine our citizens' fundamental rights, civic liberties, and even the very meaning of the Preamble."
He had also posted on X that he met today and received blessings from the current Paryaya Swami, His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Sugunendra Theerth Swamiji, of Jagadguru Sri Madhwaachaarya Moola Mahaa Samsthaanam, Shri Puthige Matha, Udupi.
