As Maharashtra gears up for the upcoming Assembly elections, national leaders take a backseat as state leaders become the focal point of the political landscape. With marquee leaders like Eknath Shinde of Shiv Sena and Devendra Fadnavis of BJP fighting for their own dominance, the role of regional leaders becomes crucial. Amidst this, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar faces the heat while Uddhav Thackeray struggles to establish himself as the real Shiv Sena leader. The Congress also adopts a localised strategy, leaving the NCP camp to rely on the master strategist, Sharad Pawar. With multiple factors at play, the Maharashtra elections have become a highly contested battle with each of the 288 constituencies being influenced by distinct issues.
During the second Test between India and New Zealand in Pune, young batsman Sarfaraz Khan's convincing plea to skipper Rohit Sharma to take a review resulted in the dismissal of Will Young, giving Ravichandran Ashwin his second wicket of the innings. Despite a controlled start, New Zealand captain Tom Latham's dismissal to Ashwin's wizardry put the Kiwis at 30/1. However, Khan and Virat Kohli's animated persuasion led Rohit to make the right call and contribute to Ashwin's impressive performance.
In a monumental achievement, spin maestro Ravi Ashwin has surpassed Nathan Lyon to become the leading wicket-taker in the history of World Test Championship. With a tally of 189 wickets in just 39 matches, Ashwin edged past Lyon's record of 187 wickets in 43 matches. He also equaled Lyon's total Test wicket tally of 530, drawing closer to the likes of Glenn McGrath and Anil Kumble in the overall Test cricket rankings. This impressive feat was achieved during India's ongoing Test match against New Zealand in Pune, where the visitors won the toss and chose to bat first.
After a disappointing performance by Bumrah in India's loss to New Zealand, Rabada climbs to the top of ICC Men's Test Bowling Rankings. While Australia's Josh Hazlewood takes the second spot, Bumrah drops to third. South Africa's win against Bangladesh, coupled with Bumrah's zero wickets in Pune, helped Rabada earn the No.1 spot. Meanwhile, Ravichandran Ashwin drops to fourth and New Zealand's Mitchell Santner makes an impressive move up to 44th.
After a crushing 113-run defeat at the hands of New Zealand in the second Test in Pune, India's chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship final have taken a major hit. It was the first time India had been beaten at home by New Zealand in a Test series, and this loss also resulted in a drop in India's WTC points percentage to 62.82, giving them a narrow lead over Australia. With other teams like New Zealand and Pakistan achieving big wins in their respective Tests, the race for the top spot in the WTC is intensifying.
After a disappointing loss to New Zealand in the Pune Test, Indian captain Rohit Sharma acknowledges that their batting performance was the main reason for their defeat. Despite an impressive performance from Yashasvi Jaiswal, India fell short of the target set by New Zealand, largely due to the brilliance of Mitchell Santner. The loss puts India in a difficult position as they head into the third and final Test, with hopes of avoiding a whitewash and earning points for the World Test Championship. Sharma remains optimistic about the team's chances and emphasizes the need to focus on the present and improve as a unit.
Despite a strong fightback from India, New Zealand managed to win the Pune Test by 113 runs, securing an unassailable lead in the three-Test series. This marks New Zealand's first-ever Test series win in India and only the third time a touring team has beaten India this century. Indian captain Rohit Sharma acknowledged the team's collective failure and hopes for a better performance in the next Test before their tour of Australia.
In the ongoing second Test of India vs New Zealand in Pune, Ravindra Jadeja showcased his exceptional fielding skills with a run out reminiscent of MS Dhoni's signature style. The incident, which happened on Day 3, saw Jadeja displaying excellent reflexes and awareness as he palmed the ball towards the stump, catching Will O'Rourke short of his crease. The comparisons with former India captain Dhoni were quick to arise, with fans taking to Twitter to express their admiration and love for both the players' remarkable abilities on the field.
Momentum shifted towards New Zealand as spinner Mitchell Santner took out the crucial wicket of Indian captain Rohit Sharma in the first innings of the second Test in Pune. With an uphill task of chasing 359 runs, India needed a solid start from their openers but Santner's sharp tactics and late ball release proved to be too much for Rohit. The former India coach and legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble praised Santner for outfoxing Rohit with his variations and astute observation of the batsman's movements. India's hopes of a strong opening partnership were dashed early, and the dismissals of Rohit proved to be a major setback for the team.
New Zealand bowler Mitchell Santner took an incredible seven wickets in India's second innings, leading his team to a stunning victory against the hosts in the second test match in Pune. Captain Tom Latham also played a crucial role with his knock of 86, helping New Zealand take a commanding 301-run lead with five wickets still in hand. This victory marks a momentous feat for the Black Caps, who have struggled to win in India for 36 years.