T20 against South Africa: MS Dhoni unlikely as selectors ready to persist with Rishabh Pant
New Delhi, Aug 28: Mahendra Singh Dhoni may have put his international retirement on hold but he is unlikely to be selected for India's three-match T20 home series against South Africa starting September 15 in Dharamsala.
The team for the series is expected to be picked on September 4. The remaining two games will be played at Mohali (September 18) and Bengaluru (September 22).
In all likelihood, the squad that blanked West Indies 3-0 is likely to be retained (subject to fitness) and the selection committee wants to continue building towards World T20 in Australia in October 2020.
"There are only 22 T20 Internationals before India play their first World T20 game and selectors are clear in their vision that it's time to move forward," a senior BCCI official privy to developments in selection committee told PTI on Wednesday.
"They are planning on getting a pool of three keepers ready for limited overs, especially T20s," he added.
It is still not clear whether the BCCI brass or the selection committee will speak to Dhoni to enquire about his plans like they did before the West Indies tour when the former captain informed that he would be taking a break to serve his regiment in Territorial Army.
"Retirement is an individual decision and selectors or for that matter, no one has any right to decide on that front. But they have every right to decide the roadmap for the 2020 World T20 and that's to give Rishabh Pant maximum chances," the official explained.
It is learnt that the second and third option for the selection committee is Sanju Samson, whose batting is considered to be on par with Pant and India A regular Ishan Kishan.
While Pant remains the first choice across formats, the selectors are also factoring in the fitness and workload management.
A few members of the selection committee will be in Thiruvananthapuram for the A series and Samson's performance will be keenly watched as he has made the squad for the last two List A games.
As far as batting is concerned, the selection committee believes that Samson is ready for top level cricket but his wicket-keeping is still work in progress.
"Pant scored a fifty in the last T20 that he played. Ishan Kishan is in the A set-up. Do we even have an option of looking back when we need consistent big hitters on big Australian grounds?" the official questioned.
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Bengaluru building collapse: Seven more bodies recovered; owner, contractor held
Bengaluru, Oct 23: Seven more bodies were recovered during search and rescue operation after an under-construction building collapsed at Babusapalya here, taking the death toll to eight, police said on Wednesday.
Teams from the fire and emergency department, National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force have been pressed into rescue operations since the incident occurred during heavy downpour on Tuesday.
Three people have been arrested in connection with the incident, they said.
"Muniraja Reddy under whose name the building was being constructed, his son Bhuvan and the contractor Muniyappa who was building it have been arrested in connection with the incident," a senior police official said.
"Permission was only for construction of a four-storey building but seven floors were being constructed," he said.
One body was recovered by the rescue team on Tuesday.
"Seven more bodies have been recovered and six workers were injured."
Those killed in the incident hailed from Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
Search operation is underway to trace two more people who have been reported missing since the incident and are suspected to be trapped under the rubble, the official said.
Thirteen workers have been rescued so far, he said.
Meanwhile, Assistant Executive Engineer Vinay K has been suspended by the city's civic body BBMP in connection with the incident with immediate effect for serious dereliction of duty, officials said.
Lokayukta Justice B S Patil, who visited the spot, termed it as an "unfortunate incident" and assured that all necessary actions will be taken to ensure that such incidents do not happen.
"It is an unfortunate incident. Eight innocents have lost their lives. There is suspicion that two more people are still trapped. Who is responsible for it? Why it happened? Who is at fault?. We have registered a suo moto case. We have come here for inspection," he told reporters here.
He said that the inspection revealed that there was no license. When such a big building was coming up, there was no sanctioned plan nor license. The building was being constructed illegally.
"It is said that the building was being constructed for the last two years. Still the BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) officials have not tried to stop it. We have to come to know prima facie that no notice was served when the construction was on from foundation to the fourth floor," he said.
Patil said buildings should not be constructed illegally and that the constructions have to be done with proper license. The officials should not remain silent when unauthorised constructions are underway and then issue notice after they are completed.
"We have inquired assistant executive engineer , zonal commissioner and joint commissioner and prima facie, we have come to know that there is lapse on part of officials, they will be served notice and they will be summoned. Such a tragic incident should be an eye opener for Bengalureans," he said.
"If the constructions are stopped, the question of demolition will not arise. Such incidents should not happen again and we will take all necessary actions," he added.
