Transition or no transition, seniors in team are incredibly hungry: Gambhir
Mumbai (PTI): India's head coach Gautam Gambhir on Monday put up a stout defence of under-pressure skipper Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli, saying they are still "incredibly hungry" to perform and will bounce back in Australia.
Gambhir also dismissed theories that he is under pressure after India's 0-3 whitewash at home against New Zealand.
"There are incredible people in the dressing room who have done a great job," Gambhir said during the pre-departure press conference.
"I am not feeling the heat. It's an honour and privilege to coach the Indian team."
The first Test starts in Perth on November 22.
When asked if he feels pressure like Duncan Fletcher's time when team was in transition, he replied: "I am not thinking about transition but the five Test matches. Transition or no transition, if that has to happen, will happen but I see some incredibly tough characters in that dressing room who are hungry to do well."
The coach informed that Jasprit Bumrah, as the designated vice-captain, will lead the side if in the series-opening Perth Test if Rohit Sharma is unavailable for personal reasons.
He also said the team has options in KL Rahul and Abhimanyu Easwaran for the opener's slot.
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T'gana BC panel seeks reports over infant's death, family alleges caste abuse
Hyderabad (PTI): The Telangana Commission for Backward Classes on Monday sought reports from state government officials on the death of an infant following alleged assault and caste abuse against her family members in Nagarkurnool district while visiting a temple fair.
In separate letters, Commission Chairman G Niranjan urged Endowments Department Commissioner S Harish and Nagarkurnool district Collector Badavath Santhosh to furnish the reports within three days.
Niranjan drew the officials' attention to media reports on the death of the two-month-old baby at Kummera village in the district and alleged caste discrimination and denial of entry to the temple fair to the baby's family belonging to a BC community.
BJP OBC Morcha's state unit president G Anand Goud alleged inadequate response by the police in the incident and demanded a transparent investigation into the incident.
Alleging that the deceased baby's father was attacked in the incident, he also demanded action against the attackers.
Goud told reporters that BJP's state unit president N Ramachander Rao would visit the village on February 24 and meet the baby's family members.
Meanwhile, a BRS delegation met DGP B Shivadhar Reddy and demanded a comprehensive inquiry into the incident.
The BRS leaders sought action against a person who allegedly attacked the infant's parents.
BC associations have held protests over the past few days regarding the alleged caste discrimination against the deceased infant's family members.
Police said on Sunday that four persons were arrested in connection with the cases registered after the family alleged that the baby died following an "assault" by a group of villagers. The family also alleged that they were abused in the name of caste in the incident on February 18.
However, a villager, part of the group, lodged a counter-complaint with the police the same day, alleging that he was attacked with stones during a scuffle with the family, sustaining a head injury, following which a case was registered.
The infant died on February 21 and her mother, who belongs to an SC community, also lodged a complaint alleging her daughter died due to the physical assault on the family by some villagers, police said.
