A little perspective first. When Yuvraj Singh first batted in an international match, at the ICC Knockout – precursor to the Champions Trophy – in October 2000, Virat Kohli was an 11 year old that few outside of Rajkumar Sharma’s West Delhi Cricket Academy were even aware of.
MS Dhoni was about to be posted to Kharagpur Railway Station as a Travelling Ticket Examiner. Hardik Pandya, the latest all-round option in the Indian side, was seven.
That morning at the Gymkhana Club Ground in Nairobi, Yuvraj betrayed no signs of beginner’s nerves.
“In his first international innings, 18-year-old Yuvraj Singh displayed astonishing poise, thrashing Australia’s star-studded attack for 84 from 80 balls,” said the Wisden Almanack.
“No other batsman reached 40 ... Yuvraj, whose father Yograj played one Test for India, was in the thick of things again, taking a marvellous catch off [Ian] Harvey and running out [Michael] Bevan with a direct hit.”
His 150 on Thursday was his first three-figure knock for India in nearly six years, since an epic 2011 World Cup campaign where he outshone even Sachin Tendulkar.
It was his second match in Indian ODI colours since being dropped at the end of 2013, and a fitting riposte to those that had queried his selection after some indifferent efforts in the Twenty20 format.
Over 16 T20 innings in 2014 and 2016 – years that saw India fall tantalisingly short – Yuvraj managed just 266 runs.
His strike-rate was a run a ball, pitiful for a man who had smashed Stuart Broad for six sixes in Durban in the inaugural global tournament.
The consensus, even within the cricket fraternity, seemed to be that Yuvraj’s race was run.
Kohli, however, had always been a fan. And with India’s ODI form having been so patchy since the run to the World Cup semi-final in 2015, the selectors were tempted to try an experienced hand to shore up a malfunctioning middle order. It helped Yuvraj that he had an excellent Ranji Trophy season with Punjab.
The format did not matter, nor did the quality of the opposition. It did not escape attention that he was striking the ball with something like the fluency of old.
In Cuttack, England found out just how well. Some of the shots through cover and mid-wicket were a throwback to the halcyon years, when few timed a cricket ball better.
There was also delicious irony in the fact that the match-changing partnership of 256 was with Dhoni, who many, including Yograj Singh, who in the past accused Dhoni of scuttling his son’s career.
As much a fan as Kohli is, Yuvraj, who turned 35 on December 12, is unlikely to be viewed as a long-term option.
In June, India defend the Champions Trophy in England. The objective for now is to put the strongest team on the park for that. When he bats like he did in Cuttack, Yuvraj makes the cut easily.
Once the Champions Trophy is over, the emphasis will switch to the 2019 World Cup, also in England.
The likes of Manish Pandey and Karun Nair will come into the mix, as will Rishabh Pant, the Delhi wicketkeeper-batsman whose big hitting is exciting people in much the same manner that Yuvraj did at the turn of the millennium.
For now though, the man and his supporters can savour the most improbable of comebacks.
“‘Fierce’ should be his middle name,” wrote Hazel Keech, the actress who married him last November, in an Instagram post.
“150 runs from 127 balls, Man of the Match, India won 2-0 against England in ODIs. Not forgetting coming back from CANCER, getting his health and fitness back post chemo therapy and finally being in the ODI team after all of that. Throw in a wedding somewhere. That, ladies and gentleman, it what it looks like to never give up. There’s the difference in surviving cancer and beating cancer.”
You will not find too many dissenting voices in India right now.
Despite obstacles, T20 World Cup for the blind goes ahead
These days, you cannot stroll too far in any of the major Indian cities without Kohli’s face peering down at you from some advertising hoarding or the other.
Now installed as India’s captain across all three formats, Kohli is enjoying the kind of pan-Indian adulation that was once the sole preserve of Sachin Tendulkar.
Ajay Kumar Reddy could walk down the main street in any of the same cities and be completely ignored. Only the observant few would note that his vision was impaired.
Reddy will captain in the Twenty20 World Cup for the blind, a tournament that had enjoyed the support of Anurag Thakur in the days before he was fired as president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
With just over a week to go for the opening match, featuring India and Bangladesh in New Delhi, officials from the Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) are still scrambling for funds.
The money promised them by Thakur is now held up, with the BCCI in a state of administrative paralysis.
“Considering the logistics like the accommodation for the players and staff, looking after the travel arrangements, the costs involved are high,” said GK Mahantesh, the CABI president, at a media briefing in Bangalore on Friday.
Fortunately for him, despite scant assistance from the Indian government, the Karnataka state authorities have pledged 10 million Rupees (Dh540,000) for the smooth conduct of the tournament.
The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), whose long-time supremo, Brijesh Patel, had to resign earlier in January – after the Supreme Court insisted that the BCCI follow the recommendations of the Lodha Committee set up to reform it – are supporting the competition by hosting 10 of the 45 matches at Alur, on the outskirts of Bangalore.
The final, however, will not be far from the madding crowd, with the Chinnaswamy Stadium in the heart of the city playing host.
India are the defending champions, and awareness about the competition has increased as a result of television promotions. The organisers have also roped in Rahul Dravid, legendary batsman and all-round nice guy, as a brand ambassador for the event. Two Delhi stalwarts, Ashish Nehra and Gautam Gambhir, have also lent their faces and voices.
Reddy and others like Prakasha Jayaramiah, his deputy, may never become household names, but thanks to the tireless efforts of the organisers and advocates like Dravid, they too will enjoy two weeks in the sun.
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2.0
Director: S Shankar
Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films
Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Specs – Taycan 4S
Engine: Electric
Transmission: 2-speed auto
Power: 571bhp
Torque: 650Nm
Price: Dh431,800
Specs – Panamera
Engine: 3-litre V6 with 100kW electric motor
Transmission: 2-speed auto
Power: 455bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: from Dh431,800
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The struggle is on for active managers
David Einhorn closed out 2018 with his biggest annual loss ever for the 22-year-old Greenlight Capital.
The firm’s main hedge fund fell 9 per cent in December, extending this year’s decline to 34 percent, according to an investor update viewed by Bloomberg.
Greenlight posted some of the industry’s best returns in its early years, but has stumbled since losing more than 20 per cent in 2015.
Other value-investing managers have also struggled, as a decade of historically low interest rates and the rise of passive investing and quant trading pushed growth stocks past their inexpensive brethren. Three Bays Capital and SPO Partners & Co., which sought to make wagers on undervalued stocks, closed in 2018. Mr Einhorn has repeatedly expressed his frustration with the poor performance this year, while remaining steadfast in his commitment to value investing.
Greenlight, which posted gains only in May and October, underperformed both the broader market and its peers in 2018. The S&P 500 Index dropped 4.4 per cent, including dividends, while the HFRX Global Hedge Fund Index, an early indicator of industry performance, fell 7 per cent through December. 28.
At the start of the year, Greenlight managed $6.3 billion in assets, according to a regulatory filing. By May, the firm was down to $5.5bn.
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
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Normcore explained
Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.
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Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
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Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
