Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif believes Shubman Gill has emerged as the best captain of IPL 2026 after Gujarat Titans registered a thumping win over Chennai Super Kings to boost their hopes of a top-two finish ahead of the playoffs. Kaif praised Gill’s leadership style, tactical clarity and the way he managed Gujarat’s bowling attack throughout the season.

Gill once again led from the front with the bat on Thursday, scoring 64 off 37 balls as Gujarat Titans posted a mammoth total of 229 against Chennai Super Kings in Ahmedabad. The GT captain now has 616 runs in 13 matches this season and continues to combine elite batting consistency along with captaincy.

IPL 2026, GT vs CSK: highlighted | Achievement:

Gujarat finally defeated CSK by 89 runs To make a strong comeback after the loss to Kolkata Knight Riders. Sai Sudarshan’s 84, Gill’s fluid innings and Jos Buttler’s explosive 57 took GT to a huge score in the first innings, but the bowlers bowled out Chennai for just 140 runs in 13.4 overs.

This defeat officially ended CSK IPL The 2026 campaign ended with 12 points from 14 matches. This is the third consecutive season where Chennai failed to qualify for the playoffs.

After the match, Kaif went to Ax and strongly supported Gill amid the ongoing debate over his leadership ability in T20 cricket.

“For me, Shubman Gill is the best captain in this IPL. The mark of a great captain is how he uses his bowlers. His bowlers have taken 108 wickets in 14 matches,” Kaif posted.

“RCB, PBKS, SRH, RR, CSK have been bowled out by GT bowlers, Gill has told his bowlers to stick to Test match line and length. Gill plays proper cricket – he has great batting technique and knows how to use his bowlers.”

Despite Gujarat’s strong campaign, Gill’s captaincy has been under heavy scrutiny, especially after he was dropped as India’s T20I vice-captain and was overlooked for India’s T20 World Cup 2026-winning squad. But the Gujarat captain has given a strong response to IPL 2026, both as a leader and a batsman.

Apart from becoming the third captain after David Warner and KL Rahul to score more than 600 runs in consecutive IPL seasons, Gill also joined an elite list along with Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar by scoring more than 500 runs in multiple IPL seasons as captain.

The innings against CSK also made him the seventh fastest batsman to complete 6000 T20 runs.

Speaking after the match, Gill said that Gujarat’s focus is on maintaining consistency rather than looking for anything extra to get into the playoffs.

“It’s about maintaining the good things and delivering game after game with the same impact. We don’t need to add anything else. But if we can continue what we are doing, it will put us in a good place,” Gill said.

Gill also admitted that the memories of GT’s defeat against the same opponent last season are still fresh in his mind.

He said, “After 12 matches, we were number one last season. We had lost the last two games. We played the last game against the same opponent. I think they scored around 230 and we got bowled out at 120 or something. So, there were some flashbacks coming in this game.”

How has been Shubman Gill’s GT captaincy in IPL 2026?

Shubman Gill’s second full season as Gujarat Titans captain has quietly turned into one of the strongest leadership campaigns of IPL 2026.

GT have looked one of the most balanced teams in the tournament and much of that has come from the clarity shown by Gill with his bowling rotation and tactical discipline. Gujarat’s bowling attack has dominated the opposition by sticking to tight lengths and disciplined lines rather than constantly chasing variations.

Their bowlers have now taken 108 wickets in 14 matches, with teams including RCB, Punjab Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings losing to GT this season.

Gill has also continued to perform well as the batting leader at the top of the order. Taking on the additional responsibility of captaincy, he has scored 616 runs at an average of 47.38 and strike rate of 161.68.

More importantly, the GT gained momentum at exactly the right time. The win over CSK marked their sixth win in the last seven matches as they head into the playoffs looking like one of the strongest contenders for the IPL 2026 title.

ipl 2026 | ipl schedule | ipl points table | ipl player stats | purple cap | orange cap | ipl video | cricket news | live score

– ends

The New York Knicks will face the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight in another important playoff matchup. Both teams are struggling for momentum in the series, so fans are keeping a close eye on the latest injury updates before tipoff. The biggest focus has been on Knicks star Jalen Brunson, who has been leading the team throughout the postseason.Brunson has played a major role for New York with his scoring, passing and leadership on the court. Due to his importance in the lineup, many fans wanted confirmation about his availability before tonight’s game against Cleveland.

Jalen Brunson’s injury status tonight vs. Cavaliers

Jalen Brunson is expected to play tonight against the Cavaliers. The latest available injury report shows no injury designation for the Knicks guard.Recent game coverage has New York’s injury report listed as “none”, which strongly suggests Brunson is available for the matchup. There is no latest injury information regarding the star guard prior to the game.Brunson has already been active during the series and has continued to lead the Knicks offense. While injury situations are always subject to change upon notification, the latest reports support that he is expected to be in the lineup tonight.

Jalen Brunson’s role and numbers this season

Brunson has been the focal point of the Knicks offense all season long. He handles the scoring stuff, also creates shots for his teammates, and keeps the momentum going when it matters, you know during those key moments. He’s also been putting up solid play in the playoffs, and he’s still one of the biggest reasons why New York remains competitive with those top Eastern Conference squads. And honestly, his leadership has become even more important to this Knicks roster, as they rely so heavily on his picks in tight games.

Projected Knicks Starters

Cavaliers current form and projected lineup

The Cavaliers continue to enter games with one of the strongest defenses in the Eastern Conference. Their balanced roster and inside scoring have created difficult matchups for opponents throughout the season.

Cavaliers got off to an early start

Donovan Mitchell remains Cleveland’s biggest offensive threat, while Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen continue to anchor the defense near the basket.

why tonight’s game matters

This match is important because both the teams are trying to capture the series. For the Knicks, having Brunson available gives them their top scorer and primary playmaker on the floor.For Cleveland, slowing down Brunson is one of the biggest challenges defensively. His ability to score in late game situations could be a major factor again tonight.

Cavaliers vs. Jalen Brunson final injury report

Jalen Brunson is expected to play tonight against the Cavaliers. The Knicks guard was not listed with an injury designation prior to the game in the latest available injury report.

Maurice Shelman, known online as Ant Jeff, was reportedly arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department on May 19 for aggravated murder. According to TMZ, Shelman was taken into custody by the LAPD’s Robbery Homicide Division and his bail was set at $1 million. The report quickly spread online as Ant Jeff had become a familiar face over the years through his podcast appearances and YouTube content. The arrest also surprised followers of the No Jumper podcast, where Ant Jeffs regularly appears. Along with podcasting, Shelman built an audience on social media through reaction videos, music releases, and interviews. Although officials have not publicly shared many details about the reported case, several No Jumper hosts reacted during the livestream and talked about the shock associated with the news.Maurice Shelman aka Ant Jeff made his online name through podcasts, music, and YouTube videos Maurice Shelman, 35, is known online as Ant Jeff. In addition to appearing on No Jumper, he also worked as a rapper and content creator. He regularly uploaded reaction clips, podcast discussions, and music videos to YouTube. Some of his songs include “In a Benz,” “In the Ghetto,” and “Cali Dreaming.” During a 2024 interview on the Rich at Heart podcast, Ant Jeff explained how his YouTube journey began unexpectedly. He said, “Yes, it happened by accident. So, if you look at the profile, or when my channel was created, it was created by my nephew in 2021.” He continued by explaining that he planned to focus on music after being released from federal prison. During the interview he said, “I already knew that when I got out, at the Fed, I was going to hear some music.” Ant Jeff also shared that he did not start actively using the channel until 2023, when he uploaded his first music video titled “Unruly”. From there, his online audience began to grow through music and podcast appearances. After news of the arrest became public, the No Jumper hosts reacted during a livestream covered by USA TODAY. One host, Moosman, said, “He’s like, sir, I’m just a podcaster, YouTuber, I’m so cool. So it was definitely disappointing to see that.” Another host talked about Ant Jeff’s recent online success and said, “He gave me a lot of advice on YouTube, showed me his YouTube earnings and told me how crazy he is with it.” The livestream host also noted that they were unable to immediately confirm details about the reported allegations through the court system. One speaker said the situation was “horrible to watch” and described the arrest as unexpected given that Ant Jeffs had recently been speaking out about improving his lifestyle and career.

Chennai: In the fishing hamlet of Nettukuppam in Ennore, around 150 houses have been battling life and health problems for the past several years – dust, wheeze and year-round damp roofs with black-brown deposits. The reason? Barely a kilometer away, near the North Chennai Thermal Power Station, heaps of fly ash mixed with river sand in the floodplain of Kosasthalaiyar river have not been cleared even as four years have passed. National Green Tribunal Orders were given to remove them.These fly ash particles – a powdery residue produced when coal is burned in thermal power plants – are the same residue from the leak in Tangedco’s fly ash slurry pipelines in 2017, when thousands of tonnes of toxic ash flowed into Ennore Creek and Kosasthalaiyar.“Problems arising from the proximity of fly ash have become a part of the lives of villagers living within a radius of 4-5 km. Children show symptoms of wheezing at night,” said Aravindan, a resident of Nettukuppam.While the NGT had ordered removal of fly ash deposited in creeks, river beds and flood plains and fixing leaks in pipelines carrying ash slurry, a visit times of India Ennore and surrounding settlements revealed that Tangedco was lagging behind.In a 1.5 km stretch of floodplains along the Ennore Pipeline Road – which houses Tangedco pipelines – ash-mixed river sand is spread across acres. Hot water seeped from at least two holes along the side of the pipeline, and many parts were rusted. Residents said the Kosasthalaiyar desilting work is incomplete in many parts, mainly near Athipattu Panchayat. “Flying ash along the Buckingham Canal will also need to be cleared. During low tide, fishermen can see ashes beneath the river bed,” said resident-activist Srinivasan.Tiruvallur Collector M Prathap, who last year had launched projects worth ₹28 crore to desilt the river, said, “About 80% of the first phase has been completed. Since it is an ongoing project, we will have to seek approval to start the second phase.”The thermal plant produces 2,000 tonnes of fly ash every day. While dry ash is stored in silos inside the plant complex, wet ash (mixed with water) is dumped into an ash dyke (pond) at Seppakkam through four pipelines. From there, the ash is picked up by the cement and construction industries, and the water is filtered and returned to the plant through two recovery pipelines.Tangedco officials said that since the court order, 12.39 lakh tonnes of ash has been removed in a phased manner by issuing tenders and in coordination with the water resources department. “All ash pipelines have been replaced although the deadline has been missed. Only the recovery pipelines (carrying water) are old, but their leaks have been plugged. As far as removal of fly ash is concerned, only selected parts are yet to be removed and tenders will be issued for this soon. Some tenders are on hold due to the recent elections,” said an official.Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board member-secretary E Saravanakumar said the Manali-Ennore Restoration and Rejuvenation Council, which was formed in 2024, keeps pollution levels under control. “Joint chief engineers conduct regular inspections. There has been no leakage of fly ash since the incident in 2017,” he said. However, a TNPCB engineer said that the water pipelines do leak from time to time, but all fly ash pipelines have been replaced and strengthened with cement holdings.Environmentalists say that there is a need for complete reform in this area. “At the ash dam, the lack of proper lining causes the ash to seep into the ground – and then into the canals as well,” said Durga Murthy, a volunteer with the Save Ennore Creek campaign.The state government conducted a study with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras to strengthen the ash pond and reduce pollution, but progress has been minimal. Govinda Rao, managing director of Tamil Nadu Power Generation Corporation Limited, said, “The study has been completed. Efforts to strengthen it will begin soon.”This has become a livelihood issue for fishermen. Devan, a resident fisherman, said, “There was a time when crabs and prawns used to be in abundance here. Now, even the fish have been poisoned.”

China’s race to build a permanent base on the Moon is accelerating, putting additional pressure on the US and affecting the future direction of Moon exploration. with International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) The program, in collaboration with China and Russia, seeks to build an operational research facility on the south pole of the Moon, with existing missions being used to test technologies to achieve this. NASA’s Artemis program has also not been immune to difficulties such as delays and redesign. It can be seen that the current race is not just for flags but for sustainable bases on the Moon.

from china International Lunar Research Station moving forward rapidly

It is also important to acknowledge that the Chinese approach has recently become much more organized and systematic. Thus, the country’s International Lunar Research Station, built jointly with Russia, seeks to develop a manned scientific station close to the moon’s south pole region by 2035.As can be seen in the long-term plan made by the China National Space Administration, this process will take place in several stages. As a result, Chang’e-7 is expected to explore ice water resources around Shackleton Crater, while Chang’e-8 will use lunar soil to test different construction techniques. Ultimately, “in-situ resource utilization” will enable astronauts to build structures, produce oxygen, and even generate fuel directly from lunar resources.The ILRS program has also gained an increasing number of international partnerships. Orbit Codex reports in its article that more than 17 countries and several research organizations have already joined the project.Speaking about the presentations hosted by Wu Weiren, the chief designer of China’s lunar exploration program, Global Times heard experts discuss various topics related to the ILRS. One of them was a nuclear reactor intended to ensure permanent operation on the Moon.

NASA’s Artemis Moon program faces increasing pressure

While the roadmap for Chinese space exploration looks increasingly stable, NASA’s plans under the Artemis program are constantly changing. The US will continue its efforts to land astronauts on the lunar surface, but the deadline will now be 2028.An important part of the Lunar Gateway was supposed to be the center of NASA’s activities. Despite this, the organization decided to adjust the project and focus on building a moon base on the ground rather than on top of it.According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, the future Artemis Base Camp will at first look like a “junkyard of the future” by the time it becomes operational.The political climate in the United States is also increasingly supportive of the idea. According to a report prepared by senate committee Regarding the NASA Authorization Act of 2026, the bill explicitly calls for NASA to build a permanent moon because “space is not just symbolic; it is strategic. The NASA Authorization Act ensures that America, not China, will lead the next era of exploration,” said Senator Cruz.Now it is not only a competition for exploration, but also a competition over strategically important areas, including the south pole of the Moon with reserves of water ice.

Why is the Moon’s south pole so important?

The South Pole of the Moon has emerged as the focus of the present-day space race due to its potential resource availability. Scientists at Cornell University believe that permanently shadowed areas of the South Pole contain frozen water that could provide drinking water, oxygen production and the creation of rocket fuel.In addition to the scientific importance, studies regarding future settlement on the Moon have shown that the polar regions may actually be safe for astronauts to stay for a long time. According to a study on micrometeoroids and their impacts in the Artemis era, the Moon’s poles experience fewer micrometeoroids than other areas. From a purely economic point of view, the South Pole could prove quite beneficial.

The new space race is about sustainability, not prestige

Unlike the Cold War-era moon race of the 1960s, the current rivalry is about establishing something more permanent. China and the US don’t just want to take their astronauts to the lunar surface. Rather, they want to establish operational stations beyond Earth. Artemis Accords And the ILRS collaboration has managed to establish two competing visions for Moon exploration. The US-led coalition approach competes with an alternative revolving around China’s rapidly growing Moon mission program.There is much speculation as to whether China can truly remain “two steps ahead” of the United States. After all, NASA has a large amount of accumulated technical expertise and has many commercial partners, such as SpaceX. At the same time, it cannot be denied that China’s well-intentioned steps regarding the Moon have been successful in attracting global attention. For decades now, the Moon has represented past accomplishments. For the first time, it represents the future.

Pune: A large increase in fishing pressure, coupled with climate-related changes, could seriously impact sardine numbers off the country’s south-west coast.Researchers from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) and the National Center for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) have warned thousands of coastal families dependent on India’s sardine fishing after studying more than five decades of fishing data off India’s west coast. The team found that large-scale climate change has affected the winds and ocean conditions that determine food availability and breeding conditions for sardines.India is one of the largest marine fish producers in the world. Sardines constitute a large part of the country’s catch.The researchers said moderate changes could be absorbed, but warned that overfishing could lead to drastic declines in sardine numbers. The study led by IITM scientist Vinu Valsala has been published in the journal “Ecological Modeling”. This is the first model of its kind developed for the Indian coast. Other scientists involved in the study include Inaconda Veera Ganga Bhavani and Faseela Hamza.The researchers reached the conclusion after building a climate-driven population model for the Indian oil sardine (Sardinella longiceps), called BIOFIM. When run against real landings data from 1965 to 2017, the model reproduced real-world swings in sardine catches, including a well-known crash in sardine counts between 1980 and 2000 and subsequent recovery.Oil sardines are not just a food source. They are a vital link in the marine food chain – what scientists call “forage species” – feeding on the plankton at the bottom of the chain and, in turn, feeding larger fish, sea birds and marine mammals.One discovery that surprised researchers was what most affected the numbers of sardines. “We examined the role of sea surface temperature, air temperature and atmospheric pressure and found that atmospheric pressure emerged as the strongest factor associated with year-to-year variation in sardine numbers,” Valsala said.The researchers said this link probably works through winds and ocean conditions. “Changes in atmospheric pressure affect wind patterns and ocean currents off the southwest coast of India. These, in turn, affect coastal upwelling – a process that brings cool, nutrient-rich water to the surface and helps support marine food chains,” Valsala said.The study also found that sardines grow best within a relatively narrow temperature range of the upper 75 meters of the ocean, averaging 25.5–26.5°C. During hot periods, when temperatures rise beyond that limit, feeding conditions become less favorable. The researchers observed that periods of low sardine biomass, including 1980-84, 1996-98 and 2014-17, coincided with temperatures above 26.5 degrees Celsius, which they say could provide clues about how future ocean warming might impact the fishery.Valsala said, “We found that the fishery remained relatively stable with small changes, but a sharp decline in sardine numbers is projected if fishing pressure increased by 40-50%. We also found that when both fishing and natural mortality increased simultaneously, fish populations declined significantly, which shows how environmental stress and fishing can affect long-term sustainability.”Oil sardines have a lifespan of approximately two and a half years, making them vulnerable to disruptions in reproduction and survival.

Sue Jacquot, known online as Grammacrackers, reportedly tripped while doing a lengthy Minecraft livestream to help raise money for her grandson’s cancer treatment. The 81-year-old Twitch streamer has been live for over fifteen days and is trying to beat Minecraft without ending the stream. Her challenge immediately gained attention online as many viewers were impressed by her effort to help her 17-year-old grandson during his difficult health battle.Things turned scary in the early hours of May 19 when the police suddenly arrived at her house after someone allegedly made a fake emergency call. According to Grammacrackers, approximately five SWAT vehicles, twenty police cars, drones, and several armed officers showed up on his property. The officers entered the house and woke her up while she was sleeping. Although the situation could have been very dangerous, Grammacrackers later surprised the audience by saying that he actually thought the experience was “A little fun.”

Grammacrackers remain positive after Minecraft fundraiser disrupted due to surprising swatting

Grammacrackers talked about the incident in a video uploaded to their YouTube channel. She said that she was in deep sleep when the officers entered her house. Recalling that moment, he joked about meeting A “Beautiful Policewoman” And said that everyone treated him well during this situation.She also told that after everything happened, her family hugged her tightly, which made her emotional. According to Grammocrackers, all the attention from her children and grandchildren made her feel loved during the scary moment. He even said that he enjoyed riding in the police car afterward.The Twitch streamer first began creating online content in October 2025. While Minecraft became his most popular game, he also played Rocket League, Roblox, and Fortnite. Last month, he also celebrated receiving his first Fortnite Victory Royale. Nevertheless, Minecraft remains a favorite game among his loyal audience, which is why many people continue to watch his nonstop challenge streams.Online users immediately reacted with anger and concern to the swatting incident. Many people expressed how disturbing it was that someone targeted an elderly woman who was trying to raise money for her grandson’s treatment. Others hoped that the additional attention from the news would help bring more viewers and donations to her fundraiser.Even after the horrific experience, Grammacrackers didn’t stop their Minecraft challenge. Instead, the 81-year-old streamer kept moving forward, and showed viewers that she wasn’t ready to give up anytime soon.