Former coach Rahul Dravid has made it clear that he is fundamentally not a fan of Gautam Gambhir’s idea of ​​eliminating the superstar culture within Indian cricket. Has been a vocal supporter of the trend of celebrating serious personal achievements until the very end Team success should be given more importance.

Although Dravid had no problem with Gambhir’s idea, he said that every game needs its fair share of heroes and individual accolades play a role in team success. The former India captain played in the era when Indian cricket had superstars like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag. This famous corps took Indian cricket to new heights.

So, Dravid said that in India, you cannot become a hero without the support of his performance.

“Any sport needs its heroes, and I don’t think people become heroes without performances. You don’t capture the imagination of a nation if you don’t perform well on the field, especially in India, where you get a lot of praise for what you do, but also a lot of criticism. There is a lot of scrutiny and constant focus on you. So becoming a legend or a superstar in India means you have done a lot of things right, and this In the process, you’ve also helped your team win,” Dravid told Wisden on the Scoop podcast.

Difficult to replace Rohit and Kohli

Dravid recently took note of India’s performance in Test cricket, which has not been the best under Gambhir. India faced whitewash in the home series Gambhir led against New Zealand And South Africa.

Dravid said that it will not be easy to replace players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and R Ashwin, but he is hopeful that the team will bounce back and perform well.

“The passion to perform well in red-ball cricket is definitely there. We have had a few series where we have not performed as well as the Indian team, and that could be the case. We are also missing some key players, some big names have retired recently – Rohit, Virat and Ashwin – and it is not easy to replace players like them. But Indian cricket is very strong. I am still confident that the Indian team will be competitive in every format. It may take a little time, but hopefully we can change that this season.” Will be able to do things around,” Dravid said.

Dravid also said that with a lot of white-ball cricket being played, it becomes difficult for players to switch between formats.

– ends

Superstar Rajinikanth continues to echo Mohanlal’s high praise at ‘Jailor’ audio launch. He praised Mohanlal as a “great actor” and an “astonishing” human being and highlighted their rare on-screen collaboration. This power pairing along with other industry stars boosted the pan-India appeal of ‘Jailor’ to a great extent and became a major talking point for fans eagerly waiting for their joint appearance.

Rajinikanthpraise of Mohanlal The focus has shifted to the ‘Jailer’ audio launch as the franchise continues to garner attention. At the event held in 2023, the Tamil superstar called Mohanlal a great actor and a good human being, a comment that still speaks to the respect given to their rare screen collaboration. their pair Nelson Dilipkumar‘Jailor’ became one of the biggest talking points of the film, which also brought together stars from different industries.

Rajinikanth’s praise for Mohanlal remains relevant

According to CinemaSnippets, Rajinikanth spoke warmly about Mohanlal during the ‘Jailor’ audio launch in Chennai. Mohanlal played the role of Mathew in the film, which was his first collaboration with Rajinikanth.Praising the Malayalam superstar, Rajinikanth said, “What a person he is? He is a great actor and he surprised me.”The statement stood out because ‘Jailor’ was built around a strong multi-industry cast. The film also stars Rajinikanth and Mohanlal along with Kannada star Shiva Rajkumar and Bollywood actor Jackie Shroff. Even before the release of the film, its first-look poster had created a buzz among fans.In the same event, Rajinikanth also talked about director Nelson Dilipkumar. He revealed that after criticism of Nelson’s previous film ‘Beast’, he had received calls from many people asking him to change the director. Rajinikanth said that he did not agree and decided to continue working with Nelson for ‘Jailer’.

The cast of ‘Jailor’ made the film a topic of discussion all over India.

Director Nelson Dilipkumar said that Mohanlal immediately agreed to be a part of ‘Jailor’ because of his admiration for Rajinikanth. That detail added more weight to the casting, as the film marked the first time the two superstars shared screen space. For fans of Tamil and Malayalam cinema, their coming together was not just another cameo but a rare moment that connected the two major film industries.Mohanlal played the character of Mathew in ‘Jailor’ and his first-look poster had created a lot of excitement even before the release of the film. His presence extended the film’s reach beyond Tamil audiences. With Rajinikanth leading the film and featuring Mohanlal in a pivotal role, ‘Jailor’ became a major talking point among fans who had waited for years to see the two actors together in a project.

Channel 5 steps into Commonwealth Games coverage as BBC 7 steps back after decades / Image: File

For the first time since 1954, the BBC will not broadcast the Commonwealth Games, marking one of the biggest changes to British sports television in decades.Instead, Channel 5 has secured the rights to broadcast daily highlights from the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games following a sublicensing agreement with TNT Sports.The decision officially ends the BBC’s 72-year uninterrupted relationship with the multi-sport event, a partnership that has survived changing generations, broadcasting revolutions and the rise of streaming platforms. The move is widely seen as a symbolic moment in the changing landscape of UK sports media.TNT Sports had already won the live rights for Glasgow 2026 last year, reportedly beating the BBC. The Warner Bros. Discovery-owned broadcaster will now provide more than 600 hours of live coverage across television and streaming platforms, including HBO Max.The Commonwealth Games begin in Glasgow on July 23, with organizers hoping the event can revive interest after years of uncertainty over the competition’s future.

Why did the BBC go away?

The reason behind this decision is the deepening financial crisis facing BBC and a major change in its sports strategy.The broadcaster has recently announced plans to cut 1,800 to 2,000 jobs as part of a £500 million efficiency program aimed at tackling rising financial pressures. The sports budget is expected to be hit hard, forcing the corporation to reconsider which events it can continue to fund.According to reports, BBC executives decided not to pursue the highlights package after discussions with TNT Sports. The broadcaster is now prioritizing digital clips and young online audiences over expensive traditional rights deals.BBC sports director Alex Kay-Zaleski has reportedly focused heavily on digital-first content strategies, particularly football clips and streaming-friendly rights packages. Over the past year, the BBC has invested in Bundesliga football, Women’s Champions League coverage, home nations World Cup qualifiers, Six Nations rugby and Champions League highlights.The corporation’s changing priorities are already visible elsewhere. The BBC recently stopped broadcasting the University Boat Race, which has moved to Channel 4, while its upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage will reportedly be presented from the Salford studios rather than on location in North America.Critics argue that the Commonwealth Games debacle raises questions about whether the BBC is gradually withdrawing from its traditional public service broadcasting role in sports.

Channel 5 expands sports portfolio

For Channel 5, the deal represents another major step into mainstream sports broadcasting.Over the past year, the network has aggressively expanded its sports portfolio, acquiring the rights to England men’s T20 cricket internationals, Club World Cup coverage and weekly NFL games. The Commonwealth Games highlights package further strengthens its growing position in free-to-air sports television.Meanwhile, TNT Sports sees Glasgow 2026 as a major win after losing a number of key assets, including some international rugby and Champions League rights, in recent years. The company now controls a powerful Olympic and multi-sport portfolio that includes the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.The Glasgow Games themselves face great uncertainty. Australia had originally planned to host the event before withdrawing due to rising costs, forcing Glasgow to step in as replacement host. Despite continued funding support from the Australian state of Victoria, the small event operates in difficult financial circumstances.Nevertheless, Commonwealth Games officials are insisting that the event’s future is stable.Chief executive Katie Sadleir described the broadcast partnership as a “historic moment” for the Games. He also pointed to the recent decision to award India the hosting of the 2030 Commonwealth Games as evidence that the competition still has long-term momentum.

glasgow 2026

The BBC’s loss at the Commonwealth Games is much more than a sporting event.This reflects the rapid change in how sports rights are bought, sold and consumed in the UK. Traditional public broadcasters are increasingly struggling to compete financially with global media giants and streaming-focused companies that are willing to spend heavily on premium sports properties.At the same time, broadcasters are pursuing younger audiences through clips, streaming subscriptions and digital engagement rather than long-term television coverage.However, for millions of British viewers, the Commonwealth Games had long been associated with the BBC’s familiar presentation style, iconic theme music and free nationwide access. Glasgow 2026 will now test whether audiences are willing to embrace the new broadcasting era.

File photo: Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: The BJP on Saturday stepped up its attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by posting a series of allegations regarding his foreign trips over the past 22 years, claiming there was a huge mismatch between his declared income and expenditure on foreign trips.In a series of posts on Twitter, the BJP claimed that Rahul made “54 traceable foreign trips” to destinations including London, New York, Italy, Germany, Qatar, Vietnam, Cambodia, Maldives and Dubai, while also describing it as a “secret Oman trip”.The ruling party alleged that the total estimated cost of these trips was around Rs 60 crore, which included first class travel, private charter, five-star hotels, entry expenses and security arrangements.The BJP further claimed that the former Congress president’s declared income in the last decade was around Rs 11 crore.The party said a Southeast Asia trip in 2015 reportedly cost Rs 4.5 crore, which it claimed was “5.2 times” its annual declared income for that year.‘Who paid for your globetrotting?’, BJP further questioned Gandhi.

BJP raised questions on FCRA, tax and disclosures

In a series of detailed posts, the BJP questioned the source of funds behind Rahul’s foreign trip and alleged possible violation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) and income tax laws.The party claimed that no public records exist showing approval from the Union Home Ministry under Section 6 of the FCRA, which mandates MPs and political functionaries to seek prior permission before accepting foreign hospitality.BJP said in one of its posts, “Foreign sources footing the bill for an Indian opposition leader at a sensitive time? This is a serious violation of the FCRA.”The party also alleged that there was no reflection of travel expenses in the Congress MP’s income tax returns, Lokpal declarations or asset disclosures, questioning the absence of bank statements, foreign exchange records and expenditure details.The BJP further cited a CRPF communication dated September 10, 2025, alleging that many of Rahul’s foreign trips were carried out without disclosure of mandatory security protocols. The party has linked the issue to Gandhi’s recent visit to Oman earlier this month.

BJP leaders demanded clarification

On Friday, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju had described the allegations as “very serious” and urged the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha to disclose details of his foreign trips to the concerned authorities.“My request to Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party is to please follow the rules and provide the requisite information to the authorities,” Rijiju told reporters.He said MPs are required to inform the home and external affairs ministries as well as the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha secretariat about foreign tours, especially when foreign hospitality is involved.Rijiju also cited Section 6 of the FCRA Act, which said there are provisions for punishment if foreign hospitality is accepted without informing the authorities.

Congress rejected the allegations

Earlier, Congress had rejected BJP’s allegations as politically motivated. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the saffron party was trying to divert attention from the economic and foreign policy issues facing the country.Meanwhile, Congress shared an AI-generated video of PM Modi and raised questions on his foreign travel expenses.Another Congress leader Manickam Tagore accused the BJP of running a “humiliating campaign” instead of addressing unemployment, inflation and border concerns.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit China on May 19 for a two-day visit, the Kremlin announced on Saturday, soon after US President Donald Trump’s high-profile visit to Beijing ended.According to a Kremlin statement, Putin will hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on ways to “further strengthen the comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation” between Moscow and Beijing.The two leaders are also expected to exchange views on “key international and regional issues” and sign a joint declaration at the end of the talks.Putin is also scheduled to meet Chinese Premier Li Kiang to discuss economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.

This visit is after Trump’s visit to Beijing

The Kremlin’s announcement came just a day after Trump concluded the first visit to China by a sitting US president in nearly a decade. The visit was dominated by discussions on Taiwan, trade relations and the ongoing Iran conflict.Taiwan emerged as one of the most sensitive issues during Trump’s meetings with Xi. The Chinese leader reportedly warned that mishandling the Taiwan issue could lead Washington and Beijing to conflict. Trump later said aboard Air Force One that he had not yet decided whether to move forward with a major US arms package to Taiwan after hearing Xi’s objections.Trump also said he and Xi discussed Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, with the US president claiming that Chinese leaders agreed that Iran should not have nuclear weapons and that the strategic waterway should remain open.

China-Russia relations in focus

China has maintained close ties with Russia since Moscow launched a military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. While Beijing has repeatedly called for peace talks, it has refrained from condemning Russia’s actions and continues to describe itself as a neutral party.China has also denied Western accusations that it is providing Russia with arms or military equipment for the Ukraine conflict. Instead, Beijing has accused Western countries of prolonging the war by continuing to arm Ukraine.China has become Russia’s major economic partner in recent years, especially after Western sanctions isolated Moscow from many global markets. Beijing remains one of the biggest buyers of Russian fossil fuels, helping keep Russia’s economy afloat amid sanctions pressure.Trump’s visit to China saw both Washington and Beijing talk about building more “constructive” and stable relations, although major differences over Taiwan, trade and geopolitical tensions remain unresolved.

New Delhi: Delhi-based businessman and husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, robert vadraDelhi’s Rouse Avenue Court granted bail on Saturday. Enforcement DirectorateThe money laundering case is related to the controversial Shikohpur land deal of Gurugram.The court granted him relief on a personal bond of Rs 50,000 with one surety and fixed the next hearing in the case for July 10.The case pertains to alleged irregularities in a land transaction in Shikohpur village in Haryana and is being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).Speaking to reporters after getting bail, Vadra expressed his faith in the judiciary and raised questions on the functioning of the agency.“I believe in the judicial system of this country. I know that the ED is being managed by the government and the ED will continue to run on the instructions of the government. So, this is not fair on the part of the ED. But I believe in the judicial system of the country. I am here, I have nothing to hide. So, I will always be here and answer all the questions. Whatever formalities there are, I will complete them. So, it is all good… If we are winning the elections, if we “Doing well and people, I still want my family, by default I have to deal with it. I have the ability to cope and I have nothing to hide.”The case pertains to a 2008 land transaction in which Vadra’s company, Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd, purchased about 3.5 acres of land in Gurugram’s Shikohpur village from Omkareshwar Properties for about Rs 7.5 crore. The land was later sold to real estate giant DLF for a much higher amount after the mutation process and grant of commercial license became the subject of investigation.The Haryana government had earlier ordered a probe into the deal, focusing on possible irregularities in land licensing and financial gains arising from the transaction. Later the ED initiated a money laundering investigation on the basis of the crime registered in the case.Vadra, husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and said the allegations against him are politically motivated.