After India snatched the 2024 T20 World Cup from the jaws of certain defeat, fans started wondering how much higher can the team really soar. Well, they did take a leap alright. Sadly, it has been straight down.
It was supposed to be the start of an exciting new era, with Gautam Gambhir as the coach and a new set of players getting ready to take the team forward.
However, within a span of less than six months, Indian cricket has been shaken to its core, losing every major assignment and going on an unprecedented run of losses across formats.
An unexpected ODI series loss in Sri Lanka, followed by a historic Test whitewash at home to New Zealand and then a meek surrender of the Border Gavaskar Trophy to Australia has put enormous strain on the team and management.
Not only did India mess up a golden chance to qualify for the World Test Championship, but also ruined the balance of the team with abrupt retirements (Ravichandran Ashwin) and voluntary dropouts (Rohit Sharma).
No one knows where the team will land over the coming days. The next major assignment is the Champions Trophy, which is sure to decide the immediate future of several players.
But before that, there is a full white-ball series between India and England. The five T20 and three ODI tour begins in Kolkata on Wednesday and will provide both teams an excellent opportunity to iron out any flaws before the Champions Trophy, which will be held in similar conditions in Pakistan and UAE from February 19.
Time running out for Gambhir
While the spotlight is rightly on ageing and misfiring batting stars Rohit and Virat Kohli, questions are being asked by the Indian board about the dramatic fall in performance under coach Gambhir.
The former opener and two-time World Cup winner came in making all the right noises, with invigorating remarks about putting the team first, moving away from the star culture, and so on.
While the T20 team has benefited in the absence of senior players, going on a stunning run of 22 wins in 22 matches, the longer format teams have nose-dived.
The disastrous form of Rohit and Kohli, the overdependence on Jasprit Bumrah, and the sudden spurt in dressing room leaks and talks of mistrust within the camp mean the team is at a breaking point.
India have not lost a T20 series to England in a decade, and judging by recent results, could end that streak as well. If India lose both the T20 and ODI series to England, it will mark the beginning of the end of Gambhir’s short yet explosive tenure as coach.
Only victory in the subsequent Champions Trophy will provide Gambhir any breathing space, with the new Indian board management running out of patience with the senior players and management.
Jacob Bethell the next superstar
England have a seemingly endless supply of quality young white-ball players, but Jacob Bethell is a class apart.
On paper, he is a handy all-rounder but in reality, he is a top quality left-handed batsman who is also a reliable left-arm spinner.
There are players who simply look the part. Bethell’s stance and technique point to his tremendous potential. He is only 21 and has already made quite the impression in red and white-ball cricket.
He scored three fifties in as many Tests in New Zealand batting in the top order in a victorious campaign for his team. He has easily transitioned to T20 cricket, putting in sizeable contributions with bat and ball for Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League.
The tour of India could well establish him as the lynchpin of England’s white-ball team as his spin could become even more effective. Bare in mind, the Champions Trophy will also be held on Asian wickets, making him arguably the most vital member of the English contingent.
Time for Archer to rise
England have waited a long time to get Jofra Archer back on the field following a tremendous introduction to the international stage that culminated in the 2019 ODI World Cup triumph.
Multiple injury setbacks and surgeries have derailed a once promising career, with England hoping to extract whatever they can from the 29-year-old’s body in white-ball cricket.
Archer still harbours hopes of playing all formats, but realistically speaking, white-ball cricket is where he can look to deliver for an extended period.
Archer will, however, have to show that he can consistently bowl at high pace in successive matches. Otherwise, he might find it difficult to be a guaranteed starter going forward.
Archer and Mark Wood offer extreme pace options for England, which sits perfectly well with the reliable seamers of Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse. What’s more, almost all England bowlers are handy batsmen.
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Museum of the Future in numbers
- 78 metres is the height of the museum
- 30,000 square metres is its total area
- 17,000 square metres is the length of the stainless steel facade
- 14 kilometres is the length of LED lights used on the facade
- 1,024 individual pieces make up the exterior
- 7 floors in all, with one for administrative offices
- 2,400 diagonally intersecting steel members frame the torus shape
- 100 species of trees and plants dot the gardens
- Dh145 is the price of a ticket
'The Batman'
Stars:Robert Pattinson
Director:Matt Reeves
Rating: 5/5
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Checks continue
A High Court judge issued an interim order on Friday suspending a decision by Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots to direct a stop to Brexit agri-food checks at Northern Ireland ports.
Mr Justice Colton said he was making the temporary direction until a judicial review of the minister's unilateral action this week to order a halt to port checks that are required under the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Civil servants have yet to implement the instruction, pending legal clarity on their obligations, and checks are continuing.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
SUNDAY'S ABU DHABI T10 MATCHES
Northern Warriors v Team Abu Dhabi, 3.30pm
Bangla Tigers v Karnataka Tuskers, 5.45pm
Qalandars v Maratha Arabians, 8pm
In The Heights
Directed by: Jon M. Chu
Stars: Anthony Ramos, Lin-Manual Miranda
Rating: ****
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Envision%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKarthik%20Mahadevan%20and%20Karthik%20Kannan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20The%20Netherlands%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Technology%2FAssistive%20Technology%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%241.5%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2020%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204impact%2C%20ABN%20Amro%2C%20Impact%20Ventures%20and%20group%20of%20angels%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
FIXTURES (all times UAE)
Sunday
Brescia v Lazio (3.30pm)
SPAL v Verona (6pm)
Genoa v Sassuolo (9pm)
AS Roma v Torino (11.45pm)
Monday
Bologna v Fiorentina (3.30pm)
AC Milan v Sampdoria (6pm)
Juventus v Cagliari (6pm)
Atalanta v Parma (6pm)
Lecce v Udinese (9pm)
Napoli v Inter Milan (11.45pm)
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
More from UAE Human Development Report:
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Top 5 concerns globally:
1. Unemployment
2. Spread of infectious diseases
3. Fiscal crises
4. Cyber attacks
5. Profound social instability
Top 5 concerns in the Mena region
1. Energy price shock
2. Fiscal crises
3. Spread of infectious diseases
4. Unmanageable inflation
5. Cyber attacks
Source: World Economic Foundation
Specs
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Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amit%20Joshi%20and%20Aradhana%20Sah%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECast%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shahid%20Kapoor%2C%20Kriti%20Sanon%2C%20Dharmendra%2C%20Dimple%20Kapadia%2C%20Rakesh%20Bedi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
