A virus is spreading in the Indian Premier League. This is a kind of virus which you do not catch, but leave. take him? No? Ok. We are talking about the catch-drop virus, which has taken over the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League. Big chances are falling short in every single match, effectively changing the fortunes of the game.

The latest example of the spread of the virus is Delhi Capitals’ match against Punjab Kings. Playing at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, the hosts scored a total of 264 runs, one of the highest ever scores in the history of the Indian Premier League.

dc vs pbks, IPL 2026: highlighted | Achievement:

Delhi were helped by a crucial chance dropped by KL Rahul in the third over of the game. Shashank Singh, posted on the leg side boundary, failed to catch a direct chanceThe ball fell from his hand.

Rahul punished Punjab hard by scoring 152 runs, which is the highest score by an Indian in the history of the tournament.

But once Shashank sneezed, sorry, the catch was missed, the virus spread. Delhi Capitals dropped six catches on the field That same evening.

One of them came from the bat of Shreyas Iyer in the 15th over. Iyer, who has a sensational record of remaining unbeaten while chasing big scores, got a lifeline from Karun Nair at long-off and moved forward. Guide your team to achieve the highest ever T20 target in the history of the tournament.

Delhi vs Punjab was not the only example. A total of 17 catches fell between the 2 matches played on 25 April. Later the same evening in the Rajasthan vs Hyderabad game, Jaipur missed several chances as SRH chased down 229 with ease.

It needs to be pointed out that the culprits in question – Karun Nair, Shashank Singh, or, for that matter, Lungi Ngidi, who stumbled badly while trying to take the catchNot a bad fielder. In fact, fielding is one of their most defining characteristics, and they are regularly placed in areas of high activity, also known as hotspots.

But somehow they continue to drop catches.

Continuous decline in catching efficiency since 2020

At this point, it should be pointed out that this catch-drop virus is not new. Since 2020, there has been a steady decline in catching efficiency in the Indian Premier League.

In 2020, 85 out of every 100 catches were being taken. IPL. This number had fallen to 76 out of 100 midway through IPL 2025. This year, it is likely to be even lower.

This means the problem isn’t just a few bad nights under the lights. This has turned into a pattern.

In an era where players are faster, fitter and more athletic than ever before, it seems strange that something as basic as catching has become such a recurring problem. But perhaps that is exactly the point. Catching up is not glamorous. It is repetition, sharpness, awareness and concentration. And when fatigue sets in, it’s often the first thing to disappear.

Why are so many catches decreasing?

Interestingly, Yuzvendra Chahal, one of the frequent patients of this catch-drop virus, had said at the beginning of the season that no one comes into the game thinking that they will drop a catch. They happen, and they’re just a part of the game.

Now check out this attempted catch by Chahal in Punjab’s match against Mumbai earlier this season.

Yes, brother Yuzi, no one wants to leave them. But of course closing your eyes before the ball arrives doesn’t help.

Shashank Singh, one of Punjab’s best fielders, has missed four of his last five chances. An opportunity he didn’t miss, he didn’t even try. He stood on the boundary and watched the ball cross the rope, despite the ball not being very far from his reach.

Is it a lack of awareness of the game?

India Today spoke to former IPL player Shrivatsa Goswami on this issue. Goswami, who was a sensational wicketkeeper during his playing days, was himself largely immune to the virus. Reacting to the number of catches dropped, the former Bengal star believed that it was down to one thing: awareness of the game.

When those players were on the field they were not switched on.

While this may explain the fielding efforts of players like Yuzvendra Chahal, whom teams often hide in easy positions, it does not explain this particular chance dropped by Washington Sundar.

While fielding at short midwicket, Washington dropped a dolly on the ball of Virat Kohli.

outcome? you guessed it.

Chasing the target of 206 runs, Kohli guided RCB with a stormy innings of 81 runs, which helped the team achieve the target in just 18.5 overs.

Sometimes, awareness is the answer. Sometimes, it’s just fatigue.

unforgiving schedule

Since Covid-19, cricketers have been stuck in an unimaginable calendar. At least one ICC event every year, multiple franchise tournaments around the world and a stressful bilateral schedule have forced players to live in a constant state of frenzy.

In 2024, players got barely a week’s break between the IPL and the T20 World Cup. The story was almost the same in 2026 also. The World Cup ended on March 8, and players reported to IPL camps just a week and a half later.

Too much cricket is real. Fans feel it all the time. Probably it has affected the players also.

The IPL schedule itself is unforgivable. Delhi Capitals lost a heartbreaking match on Saturday. They will have to overcome the physical and mental fatigue from that defeat and prepare for the second match on Monday.

In such scheduling nightmares, teams often ask their first XI players to prioritize recovery. This means pool sessions, massages, muscle recovery, and just mentally switching off. This also means less fielding practice and less catching sessions.

And ultimately this is reflected in the game.

Mohammad Kaif, one of India’s best fielders, said that there is no doubt about it. If players do not practice their fielding skills will not improve. However, the bigger question is when exactly they should get the time.

Kaif said on his YouTube channel, “Fielding is like a hasty meal, it’s like breakfast. Constant traveling over a period of a month makes players tired. They use the breaks to massage, to recover. It means you are reducing your fielding load in training over time, and you concentrate on your specialist job, batting or bowling. You will see in every single IPL that as the tournament progresses, more and more catches are dropped. Are.”

This year, especially, there has been no respite from the heat waves across the country. In Delhi, the sun was so bright that you could hardly catch the ball if it went up in the air. The heat physically exhausted the players, causing them to suffer severe fatigue, dehydration and cramps.

Although dropping catches is no excuse, it would be unfair to solely blame the players without taking into account external factors.

Yes, the implementation is at fault. But so are the calendars, the heat, and the frustrating travel schedules.

Then again, the catch-drop virus isn’t really a secret. This is characteristic of a game that rarely stops, with players who are constantly traveling, constantly recovering, and constantly preparing for the next game before the previous one is completely over.

No one comes to a match with the desire to remove a sitter. No one is planning to become the next viral clip on social media. But in a relentless tournament like the IPL, sometimes the easiest chances turn out to be the hardest to retain.

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

– ends

tune in

Chennai: Nearly 20,000 more voters turned up at polling stations in 16 constituencies on April 23 compared to the 2021 assembly elections, at the peak of the second wave of Covid-19.On Saturday, after re-verifying polling booth data and adding postal ballots, the ECI put the total votes cast in Chennai at 24.41 lakh. Postal ballots – which include votes cast by the elderly at home, people on essential duty, election staff and police personnel – yielded 20,189 votes.With postal ballots, the increase in 2026 reaches 24,560 votes compared to 2021. The increase in voting percentage is not only because of SIR (Special Intensive Revision), which has reduced the city’s roll from 48 lakh to 28.3 lakh, but also because more people have come to vote in eight of the 16 constituencies.

This year’s trends show both continuity and change from 2021. Voting percentage was high in RK Nagar (90.56) and Perambur (89.74). But, while Perambur – where TVK leader Vijay is contesting – got 3,662 more votes than last time, RK Nagar polled 6,103 fewer votes. With 2.03 lakh votes, Perambur recorded the highest number of votes in the city, followed by Velachery with 1.83 lakh, a constituency that recorded the lowest turnout in 2021. Chief Minister MK Stalin’s Kolathur recorded 1.82 lakh votes. Apart from the third highest number of votes, Kolathur also recorded the biggest increase between the two elections, adding 10,726 votes. Election experts say these additions could prove crucial in a city where many constituencies have historically been decided by narrow margins. “This time we have a third player and the margins may narrow. This is a seat-by-seat election and who splits whose votes – and who manages to retain their base – will decide the outcome,” said Arun Krishnamurthy, election analyst at Krish Info Media.In 2021, DMK won T Nagar by just 137 votes; In 2016, Perambur was decided by a margin of 519 votes. In at least six constituencies – including Anna Nagar, Virugambakkam, Thiru-Vee-Ka Nagar, T Nagar, Harbor and Thiruvottiyur – the victory margin in 2016 was less than 5,000 votes. Yet, the civic engagement gap in the city remains glaring. This year too, 4.7 lakh people did not vote, which is slightly more than the number of voters in Madhavaram.GCC Commissioner J Kumaragurubaran said, “Sir, this is the best sweep program done by GCC. If we had worked hard with awareness, we could have reached 90%.”

मुजफ्फरनगरज्ञानस्थली पब्लिक स्कूल, जानसठ में आयोजित अंतरसदनीय प्रतियोगिताओं ने विद्यालय परिसर को उत्साह एवं ऊर्जा से भर दिया। विभिन्न कक्षाओं के विद्यार्थियों के लिए आयोजित इन प्रतियोगिताओं में बच्चों ने चित्रकला, गणित प्रश्नोत्तरी और खो-खो जैसी गतिविधियों के माध्यम से अपनी प्रतिभा का प्रभावशाली प्रदर्शन किया। प्रतियोगिताओं का उद्देश्य विद्यार्थियों के बौद्धिक, रचनात्मक एवं शारीरिक विकास को प्रोत्साहित करना था।

स्कूल प्रबंधन के मुताबिक ऐसी गतिविधियों से न सिर्फ विद्यार्थियों में आत्मविश्वास बढ़ता है बल्कि टीम भावना और नेतृत्व क्षमता का भी विकास होता है।

चित्रकला प्रतियोगिता में युवा कलाकारों ने दिखाई कल्पना की झलक

कक्षा 3 से 5 तक के विद्यार्थियों के लिए आयोजित चित्रकला प्रतियोगिता में छोटे बच्चों की रचनात्मकता विशेष रूप से दिखाई दी। रंगों के माध्यम से विद्यार्थियों ने अपने विचारों को आकर्षक चित्रों के रूप में प्रस्तुत किया, जिससे प्रतियोगिता का माहौल सजीव हो गया।

कक्षा 3 से अदीना, सिमरत, माही, मोहम्मद रजा, याशिका, अगम खुराना और उत्कर्ष ने उत्कृष्ट प्रदर्शन किया और प्रथम स्थान पर रहे। कक्षा 4 से यशस्वी, ओजस्वी, आशवी कंबोज, तापसी तंवर, लवी और अरहान खान ने अपनी कला का प्रभावशाली प्रदर्शन किया।

कक्षा 5 के छात्र अवनि, हरमन, अनंत राज कौशिक, अपार सिंह, युसरा बतूल और सदफ़ ने अपनी रचनात्मकता से निर्णायकों को प्रभावित किया और प्रथम स्थान प्राप्त किया।

गणित प्रश्नोत्तरी में दिखाई गई तीव्र सोच और तार्किक क्षमता

कक्षा 6 से 8 तक के छात्रों के लिए आयोजित गणित प्रश्नोत्तरी प्रतियोगिता में चार सदनों – गंगा, यमुना, कृष्णा और कावेरी के बीच दिलचस्प प्रतिस्पर्धा देखी गई। प्रतियोगिता के दौरान विद्यार्थियों की त्वरित सोच और गणितीय समझ ने सभी को प्रभावित किया।

कड़ी प्रतिस्पर्धा के बाद कावेरी सदन ने शानदार प्रदर्शन करते हुए यमुना सदन को 10 अंकों से हराकर प्रथम स्थान प्राप्त किया। प्रतियोगिता के दौरान छात्रों का आत्मविश्वास और टीम वर्क विशेष रूप से सराहनीय था।

खो-खो प्रतियोगिता में रणनीति और गति का अद्भुत संगम देखने को मिला.

कक्षा 9 से 12 तक के विद्यार्थियों के लिए आयोजित खो-खो प्रतियोगिता ने पूरे कार्यक्रम को रोमांचक बना दिया। तेज गति और रणनीतिक खेल के कारण प्रतिभागियों के बीच कड़ी प्रतिस्पर्धा थी।

बालक वर्ग में गंगा सदन ने कावेरी सदन को मात्र एक अंक से हराकर प्रथम स्थान प्राप्त किया। वहीं बालिका वर्ग में यमुना सदन ने उत्कृष्ट प्रदर्शन करते हुए गंगा सदन को एक अंक से हराकर जीत हासिल की।

इस प्रतियोगिता ने छात्रों में खेल भावना और प्रतिस्पर्धी ऊर्जा को और मजबूत किया।

ऑपरेशन में विद्यार्थियों ने भी सक्रिय भूमिका निभाई

कार्यक्रम का प्रभावी संचालन कनिक, विदिशा एवं आरोही ने किया। कार्यक्रम को व्यवस्थित एवं आकर्षक बनाये रखने में उनकी प्रस्तुति ने अहम भूमिका निभायी.

स्कूल प्रशासन ने छात्रों की इस भागीदारी की सराहना की और इसे नेतृत्व कौशल विकसित करने का एक महत्वपूर्ण अवसर बताया।

प्राचार्य ने विद्यार्थियों को सर्वांगीण विकास का संदेश दिया

विद्यालय प्राचार्य दीपक कुमार धीमान उन्होंने छात्रों को प्रोत्साहित करते हुए कहा कि शिक्षा केवल पाठ्यपुस्तकों तक ही सीमित नहीं होनी चाहिए, बल्कि खेल और सह-पाठ्यचर्या संबंधी गतिविधियों में भाग लेना भी उतना ही महत्वपूर्ण है।

उन्होंने कहा कि ऐसी प्रतियोगिताओं से विद्यार्थियों में आत्मविश्वास, अनुशासन और सहयोग की भावना विकसित होती है, जो उनके भविष्य निर्माण में अहम भूमिका निभाती है।

शिक्षकों के सहयोग से आयोजन सफल रहा

कार्यक्रम को सफल बनाने में विद्यालय के शिक्षकों का विशेष योगदान रहा. कार्यक्रम को सुचारु रूप से संचालित करने में ज्योति, विपिन कुमार, कुमुद शर्मा, हैप्पी चौहान, साहिल, सुगंध व अंकित सक्सेना व अन्य शिक्षकों ने सक्रिय भूमिका निभाई।

स्कूल प्रबंधन ने भाग लेने वाले सभी विद्यार्थियों की सराहना की और भविष्य में भी ऐसे आयोजन जारी रखने का वादा किया।

President Donald Trump’s ambitious Golden Dome homeland missile defense initiative faces growing doubts over funding, congressional support and technical feasibility, even as top Pentagon officials insist the project is moving forward, according to a report by Politico.Senior Pentagon officials gathered at Fort Story, Virginia, on Thursday to show off progress on the program, which aims to create a nationwide shield against threats ranging from intercontinental ballistic missiles to drones. But behind the public optimism, the project faces enormous financial and political hurdles.

The Golden Dome system is expected to cost between $185 billion and $3 trillion, Politico reports, while the Pentagon is seeking $17 billion through budget reconciliation next year and only $400 million through the normal appropriations process.That strategy is already facing resistance from Republicans in Congress, who appear reluctant to trust reconciliation before the crucial midterm elections.Ken Calvert, chairman of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, told POLITICO, “There is [reconciliation] The most efficient, effective way to spend money? In my mind, no.”The Golden Dome concept is designed to protect the United States from multiple threats by using a network of existing and next-generation systems linked by artificial intelligence capable of sharing battlefield data in real time. Major components are expected to be operational by 2028 to meet Trump’s deadline.Leading the Pentagon effort, General Mike Guerlein defended the feasibility of the program.“To the skeptics, let me say this,” Guettlin said. “The Golden Dome can be achieved. It is not a single point of failure.” He said the project aimed to strengthen global stability “by creating deep doubt in the minds of adversaries. They will not win.”However, Guettlin acknowledged that many of the technologies involved are classified and declined to provide detailed expense details.“I can’t tell you exactly where the money is going,” he said, adding that the system would combine land, air and space-based assets. “We’re actually buying hardware. We’re not prototyping.”An initial component is already undergoing domestic testing, Politico reported. The Army’s Long Range Persistent Surveillance System installed at Fort Story uses a 360-degree sensor array to detect cruise missiles, drones and aircraft.However, lawmakers have expressed frustration at the lack of detailed consultation from the administration.Representative George Whitesides said that communications had not yet “reached the level of detailed spending plans.”He said, “I have no objection to not throwing a lot of money out there without having a very cohesive vision of what it should do.”Questions have also been raised on capacity. Guettlin recently warned lawmakers that space-based interceptors, considered the centerpiece of the shield, could be eliminated if costs become prohibitive.“We’re very focused on affordability.” Guettlin told the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee. “If we can’t do it affordably, we won’t go into production.”Golden Dome received about $23 billion through the summer reconciliation package last year, but Politico said those funds were delayed, frustrating defense contractors seeking the contract.Jeff Hanke, president of space systems at L3Harris Technologies, said the industry had expected the process to move faster.“We just have to continue to work with them, share with them, help them move as fast as they can.”Politico reported that the White House planned to move the Golden Dome into the base federal budget after 2027 through a dedicated “Golden Dome for America Fund”, with estimated allocations of $14.7 billion in 2028, $15 billion in 2029, $16 billion in 2030, and $15.8 billion in 2031.For now, the future of Trump’s signature defense project largely depends on a Republican-controlled Congress that remains cautious about another reconciliation fight. Acting Pentagon comptroller Jules Hurst said alternative options were already being considered.“If the White House and Congress decide reconciliation is not right, we will go back to the White House and work with Congress to develop a new strategy.” [path]Hurst said.

सुनहरे खेतों के बीच पसीना बहाता एक किशोर, हाथ में हँसिया, चेहरे पर सादगी और दिल में बड़ी जीत का एहसास। यह तस्वीर है जोनिश कुमार की, जिन्होंने हाईस्कूल में 95.20% अंक हासिल कर जिले में तीसरा और पूरे उत्तराखंड में 12वां स्थान हासिल किया था, लेकिन रिजल्ट के दिन भी वह खेतों में मजदूरी करते रहे।

India is adopting a strategic approach in its trade relations with China, aiming to expand exports and strengthen domestic manufacturing, while gradually reducing its dependence on Chinese inputs. A senior government official told PTI that the focus is on maintaining a balance rather than completely breaking away from Beijing. The executive said that while India is increasing exports to China by strengthening domestic production and diversifying its supplier base, it is not possible to continue to depend on Chinese inputs. “Although India does not desperately need to break away from China, it is building its capacity in terms of flexible supply chains as well as increasing its export potential,” the official said.The official said that India imports raw materials, intermediate goods and capital equipment from China on a large scale. These include auto components, electronic parts and assemblies, mobile phone components, machinery and related parts, and active pharmaceutical ingredients, all of which deliver finished products, contributing to domestic manufacturing and exports. “Whatever China is supplying is the backbone of India’s production. Some consumer durables are also coming but are less in number,” the official said. Trade data reflects this dependence along with increasing export momentum. India’s exports to China to increase by nearly 37% to $19.47 billion in 2025-26 from $14.25 billion in 2024-25. In contrast, imports from China increased by 16% to $131.63 billion from $113.44 billion during the same period, widening the trade deficit from $99.2 billion to $112.6 billion. For perspective, exports in 1997-98 were only $0.71 billion and imports were $1.11 billion. Sectors such as printed circuit boards, electrical equipment, telephone systems, shrimp, aluminum ingots, black tiger shrimp, ships and some agricultural commodities have seen export growth in the last financial year. Nevertheless, the official indicated that India needs to further broaden its export basket to increase its share in China’s imports. Also, the growth in imports is driven by demand for electronics, electrical machinery, pharmaceutical ingredients, APIs, auto parts, telecommunication equipment, industrial machinery, computer hardware and peripherals, organic chemicals, batteries, plastic raw materials, residual chemicals and bulk drugs. “All these goods are ultimately going into our industrial process, as we are industrialising, imports will naturally increase,” the official said. To correct this imbalance, the government is increasing efforts to promote domestic manufacturing. The production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme remains an important part of this effort, helping businesses build value chains within the country, although industries still require imported capital goods and intermediate inputs. Additionally, the government is identifying products where dependence on China is high and cost competitive, and exploring sourcing options from markets such as Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and the European Union. An Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) has been set up to keep a close watch on trade flows and take corrective action, if needed. The panel includes representatives from the Department of Commerce, Department of Revenue, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Directorate General of Foreign Trade and Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics.