Revision as of 21:22, 24 June 2021

This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. Additional information may please be sent as messages to the Facebook community, Indpaedia.com. All information used will be gratefully acknowledged in your name.

1 India and the world: a summary of the year
- 1.1 The batsmen and the bowlers
2 India’s 2018-19 tour of Australia
3 Bangladesh series
- 3.1 Delhi T20I: Bangladesh beat India
4 India’s 2019 tour of the West Indies
5 India’s home series against South Africa
- 5.1 T20Is
  - 5.1.1 1st match
  - 5.1.2 Bengaluru: SAfrica win, level series
- 5.2 Tests
6 The best batsmen, bowlers, as in Feb
7 The notable players
- 7.1 As in October
8 The Pink Ball Test/ Nov
- 8.1 A success
  - 8.1.1 A marketing masterstroke
9 The KPL scandal
- 9.1 The first information
- 9.2 What happened on August 31?
10 Logos, insignias on sportswear
- 10.1 ICC on Dhoni’s military insignia

India and the world: a summary of the year

The batsmen and the bowlers

Nov 26, 2019: The Times of India

The best batsmen and bowlers of 2019
From: Nov 26, 2019: The Times of India

Team India is scaling new heights with every Test series it plays, consolidating its position at the top of the ICC World Test Championship. India have reached a whopping 360 points after completing the 2-0 series win over Bangladesh.

India’s dominance, at least for now, is so absolute that their tally is well above the total points recorded by all other teams put together (292). The second best team – Australia -- is on 116. In fact, such has been their performance that some experts have already anointed them as one of the finalists for the title match which will be played in June 2021 in UK.

India, who have won seven out of seven since the start of the Test Championship, have had the advantage of playing five of the ties at home where they are virtually unbeatable. And their two away Tests were against a ramshackle West Indies who proved cannon fodder. At home, South Africa, looking to rebuild the side, were feeble challengers while Bangladesh were never expected to trouble India in India.

However, the low degree of difficulty should not obfuscate the ease of execution with which India steamrolled West Indies, South Africa and Bangladesh. It has been a ruthless and mighty show by a team high on talent, skill, organization and ambition. The stellar show is reflected in the Test batting and bowling numbers for 2019. While there are four Indian batsmen in the top-10, if we look at the averages, the four Indians – Mayank Agarwal, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma – are in the top-5 with only Steve Smith ahead of the pack.

Among bowlers, only two Indians – Md Shami and Ishant Sharma – feature in the list but both are in the top-3 in terms of average as well as strike rate. If Jasprit Bumrah was fit – he has missed out on the five recent home Tests – he would have almost certainly featured in the list. Umesh Yadav, whose 23 wickets this year have come at only 13.65 per scalp, was unlucky to miss out.

In tougher climes, the performance graph will dip but you can be sure India will be a tough nut to crack.

India’s 2018-19 tour of Australia

NOTE:

For the remaining part of India’s 2018-19 tour of Australia, you may see Australia vs. India, cricket

Test matches

Sydney: Draw (rain affected)

Highlights

The Sydney test- highlights
From: January 8, 2019: The Times of India

Scoreboard- Test match- Sydney: Australia vs India, cricket
From: January 7, 2019: The Times of India

See graphics:

The Sydney test- highlights

Scoreboard- Test match- Sydney, 2018, Australia vs India, cricket

India win first-ever Test series in Australia

India vs Australia: India make history, win first-ever cricket Test series in Australia, January 7, 2019: The Times of India

India record maiden test series win in Australia- 2018-19; A timeline- 1947-48- 2018-19
From: India vs Australia: India make history, win first-ever cricket Test series in Australia, January 7, 2019: The Times of India

Indian cricket got its new seminal moment after talismanic Virat Kohli led the country to a maiden series victory on Australian soil, ending a 71-year wait to script a golden chapter in the game's history.

The fourth and final Test match at the SCG petered to a barren draw due to inclement weather but not before providing India with a 2-1 series win and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

It is a rare first Down Under for India since Lala Amarnath's side visited the country back in 1947-48 months after independence to face Sir Don Bradman's 'Invincibles'.

"Firstly, I want to say I've never been more proud of being part of a team, than this one right here. The culture we've built... our transition began right here, where I took over as captain, and I can't believe that after four years we've won here. Just one word to say, 'proud', to lead this team and it's an honour and privilege. The boys make the captain look good," an elated skipper Virat Kohli said after the mission was accomplished.

Things turned out to be a bit of anti-climactic in the end as India had a fair chance of adding insult to the injury with a 3-1 victory margin as they got the home team to follow-on in their den for the first time in 30 years after scoring 622 in their only innings.

It was a 'freeze the frame' as the Indian team took a 'Lap of Honour' of the SCG with the both Indian and Australian fans cheering them.

"This is history and a terrific moment for Indian cricket," said country's greatest opener Sunil Gavaskar.

Top-performers

Such was the fragility of the Australian batting, a full day's play possibly could have been enough to win a record three Test matches in a single series in Australia had the heavens not opened up.

While Australian batting was severely handicapped due to the suspensions of their premier batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner but it can take nothing away from the heady achievement of Kohli's men, who have conquered an unchartered frontier with a lion-hearted display.

If this victory is put into perspective with some of Indian cricket's famous away series wins, it will be right up there both in terms of novelty as well as quality.

Alongside Ajit Wadekar's side's twin triumph in the West Indies and England in 1971, Kapil's Devils or Rahul Dravid's sides' winning the 1986 or 2007 series in England, the members of the current side have now successfully etched their names in record books.

Skipper Kohli, who has always focussed on the endeavour to make his team the best travelling side, has been finally able to walk the talk after the disappointments in South Africa and England where poor batting let the team down during some of the defining sessions.

In Australia however, it was a near flawless team effort from India, especially the bowling unit which has set it up for its batsmen for the better part of last year.

While skipper Kohli hit the best hundred of the series in terms of sheer class on a difficult Perth Stadium track, the unflappable Cheteshwar Pujara (521) and the unconventional Jasprit Bumrah (21 wickets) were the heroes of the memorable 'first'.

With their full focus on how to decode Kohli's genius, Australian team led by an out of depth Tim Paine realised late that Pujara has struck from the 'blind side' with his near perfect defensive technique and three hundreds.

However it was their batting that let them down and a one piece of statistic will scare the die-hard Aussie fans.

The highest score by an Australian batsman in the just-concluded four-match series is 79 by rookie opener Marcus Harris.

Leave alone a three-figure score, none of the Australian batsman could even cross the 80-run barrier, something that legends like Ricky Ponting, Shane Warne, Mike Hussey, Ian Chappell found difficult to fathom.

Whether it was the awkward angles along created by Bumrah along with some incisive movements, Mohammed Shami getting it to rip on occasions, Ishant Sharma hitting the right length over after over, India never had it so good in terms of consistency in overseas conditions.

Ravichandran Ashwin before he got injured and Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav also played their part to perfection as Indian bowlers put up relentless pressure on the home team batsmen.

While young Prithvi Shaw missed out due to an ankle injury, Mayank Agarwal made most of his chances after an eternal wait for the India cap with two half centuries.

Rishabh Pant with 350 runs and a sparkling hundred at the SCG with a record number of dismissals in an away series has now established himself as India's No 1 wicketkeeper in the Test format.

For Kohli, this series was more about his leadership choices rather than his insane batting efforts which was comparatively muted by his lofty standards.

His bowling changes were spot on and while team selection in Perth came under scanner, no one can question the intent of the Indian skipper, who has shown that he only plays to win a Test match.

No other Asian captain leave alone Indian captain has won four away Test matches in South Africa, England and Australia in a single calender year.

While India now gear up to switch format, Kohli's biggest takeaway will be the confidence before they start their preparations for the ODI World Cup.

How India won a historic Test series in Australia

Amit Kumar, January 7, 2019: The Times of India

Continuous rain in Sydney denied India a 3-1 series victory, but it couldn’t stop captain Virat Kohli from becoming the first ever Indian captain to guide India to a Test series victory on Australian soil. Customary hand-shakes were followed by leaps, fist pumps, hugs and high-fives – all this was captured in one frame after the Border-Gavaskar trophy was handed to Kohli and his boys. India ending a 71-year-old wait to win their first Test series in Australia. India played their maiden Test series against Australia in 1947 and were handed a 4-0 drubbing in the five-match series. In total, India have toured Australia 12 times (including the 2018-19 tour) and finally managed to lift the Test series trophy under Kohli’s captaincy.

India were dominant in all three departments – batting, bowling and fielding. India’s slip cordon, which always becomes a hot topic of discussion after almost every overseas tour also played a pivotal role in the team’s historic win.

Kohli in England, Pujara in Australia

If Kohli was the batsman to watch out for in the England tour last year, Pujara didn’t leave a single stone unturned to send the Australians on a leather hunt. The Saurashtra batsman was the highest run-getter in the four-match series with 521 runs in 7 innings at an average of 74.42, including three centuries to his name. With a highest-score of 193, Pujara signed off the series, reclaiming the tag of ‘The Indian Wall’. Pujara was awarded the Man of the Match and Man of the Series trophies.

Fantastic Bumrah

India's bowling coach Bharat Arun said Jasprit Bumrah's unconventional bowling action makes him one of the most difficult bowlers to read in the world and the unorthodox pacer proved that with an impressive show on Australian soil. Once touted as an injury-prone bowler, due to his unorthodox bowling action, Bumrah claimed 21 wickets in the 4 Tests at an average of 17.00, including one five-wicket haul.

With his second overseas century (after his first vs England), the Delhi lad has cemented his place in the Indian side in a short period of time. After Dhoni’s sudden retirement from Tests, the Indian team experimented with many options but nothing worked in their favour. Wriddhiman Saha, Parthiv Patel and Dinesh Karthik were tried, but they couldn’t do much for the team. When the opportunity knocked on the door of young Pant, the wicket-keeper batsman grabbed it with both hands. The 21-year-old finished the Test series as the second-highest run-getter, scoring 350 runs in 7 innings at an average of 58.33, including a brilliant unbeaten 159 in the Sydney Test.

Time for a new opener?

Mayank Agarwal’s long wait to don the Indian Test jersey finally came to end when he was called-up for the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Agarwal was thrust into the squad following the failures of KL Rahul and Murali Vijay and the youngster had an impressive maiden outing. The Karnataka batsman scored a brilliant 76 runs off 161 balls, sorting out India's opening woes to some extent and gave India a solid platform in the Melbourne Test. The 27-year-old kept his sublime touch intact in the SCG Test as well when he scored a magnificent 77 at the SCG. In two Tests, Agarwal scored 195 runs at an average of 65.00.

The Top Indian players

Pujara, Bumrah performance headline India's epic triumph in Australia, January 7, 2019: The Times of India

The Top Indian players
From: January 8, 2019: The Times of India

Cheteshwar Pujara's finest hour of glory in overseas conditions was complemented by Jasprit Bumrah's superb skill-set, the duo standing taller than the rest in India's maiden Test series win on Australian soil.

What made their performance more special was that they were able to overshadow even Virat Kohli, who has always stood head and shoulders above his peers in adverse conditions.

Pujara, who didn't have a lot of noteworthy performances outside the sub-continent, finished with 521 runs in four Tests, which included three hundreds with a top score of 193 and an average of 74.42.

No one deserved the 'Man of the Series' award more than the dependable No. 3 from Saurashtra, whose dogged hundreds at Adelaide and Melbourne made it easy for the likes of Bumrah (21 wickets) and Mohammed Shami (16 wickets) to press home the advantage against a below-par Australian batting line-up.

Such has been Pujara's dominance, that skipper Kohli's aggregate of 282 runs paled in comparison.

Top performers who led India to historic series win-Infographic-TOI

However, if a threadbare analysis is done on the quality of the five hundreds that Indian batsmen struck during the series, Kohli's century on a virgin Optus Stadium track, rated "average" by the International Cricket Council, was the best.

Rishabh Pant, with his 159 not out did his case no harm, emerging as the second highest run-getter with 350 runs to his credit.

One of the biggest takeaways from the series was rookie opener Mayank Agarwal (195 runs) holding his own at the biggest stage with half-centuries at the MCG and SCG.

On the bowling front, Bumrah's emergence as a force to reckon with in red-ball cricket has been one of the reasons that India starts on even keel in any Test series across SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) countries.

Bowling from a eight-step run-up with a slinging action, Bumrah was lethal as he rocked the Aussies in their own den with raw pace and incisive movement off the pitch, creating all sorts of confusion in the minds of the batsmen.

With a workhorse like Ishant Sharma (11) and Mohammed Shami, who can every now and then produce a wicket-taking delivery, the Indian pacers accounted for 50 out of the 70 Australian wickets during the series.

Ravindra Jadeja came back for the last two Test matches of the series, picking seven wickets and scoring a half-century, again giving proof of his all-round utility.

Wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav shrugged off the disappointment of his inauspicious performance at the Lord's during the England series, with a maiden five-for outside India, prompting coach Ravi Shastri to call him a serious option for Test matches in all conditions.

Mayank and Kuldeep's emergence as potent Test weapons could certainly be ominous signs for the Tamil Nadu duo of Murali Vijay and Ravichandran Ashwin.

While skipper Kohli made it clear that Ashwin's regular fitness breakdowns in foreign conditions is a cause for concern but the burly off-spinner will still be a handful when India start playing in familiar terrains at the end of this year.

But it could well be the end of the road for Vijay, a veteran of 61 Tests and nearing 35 years of age.

After a nightmarish series in England, Australia was no better for the right-hander, who till 2017 was India's most technically accomplished opener.

With only 49 runs in four innings, Mayank playing a stellar hand and Prithvi Shaw waiting in the wings, it is bad news for Vijay.

KL Rahul, with 57 runs from five innings, has also had an extended run of bad patch but age is on his side and the talent is unquestionable.

One of the batsmen who have had modest returns is vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, who scored 217 runs in four games at an average of 31, with two half-centuries.

While his place may not be under imminent threat, Hanuma Vihari's gritty show and ability to bowl occasional off-breaks would force the Mumbaikar to keep his guard up.

What worked for India

January 8, 2019: The Times of India

1 INDIA’S SRI LANKAN IMPORT

The temporary hiring of former Sri Lankan first-class cricketer Nuwan Seneviratne as a left-arm throwdown specialist — the opposite number of right-arm throwdown specialist Raghu — proved to be a shot in the arm for the team. Initially hired to help the One-day team to counter the Pakistan attack at the Asia Cup, Seneviratne travelled to Australia with a one-point responsibility — help India prepare against Mitchell Starc who finished his series without a single fifer.

2 ‘CHE’ GETS HIS SPACE

Ahead of the series, as India prepared to get their batting order right, a team meeting was called to take stock of the options at hand. Prithvi Shaw had been ruled out and India found themselves one step forward, two steps back. Skipper Kohli and coach Shastri then handed the task of seeing off the shine to Cheteshwar Pujara. “Just go out there and meditate. You’ll have to be the last batsman getting out. Runs are secondary. Play time,” is what Shastri said and Pujara did what he does best — facing a total of 1258 deliveries for his 521 runs, a good 52.4 overs per Test.

3 MAYANK’S LONG-AWAITED DEBUT

Following India’s win, Ravi Shastri ‘thanked the media for its support’ and no one could miss the sarcasm in his tone.

But if it was not for the media questioning Mayank Agarwal’s non-inclusion at every step, it could have been a different story. Agarwal finally got his moment under the sun when India had no choice after KL Rahul and Murali Vijay kept flopping. Agarwal became the first Indian opener to get a half-century on debut in Australia.

4 BHARAT ARUN, 12TH MAN!

The bowling coach, who has worked behind the scenes for a full year now, hardly sat in the dressing room during the last two Tests. Constantly talking to the pacers fielding in the deep, Arun ensured the bowlers got enough feedback on how the spells were going. Chats to pump up the adrenaline, a ringside view of the wicket and a lowdown of the Aussie batting order came in handy as India’s pace attack — for the first time — looked more threatening than Australia’s on Australian soil.

5 JADEJA, THE ‘CAPABLE’ ALL-ROUNDER

The thinktank didn’t quite trust his services on a juicy Perth deck, on which Nathan Lyon picked a bagful of wickets. But come the next Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the ever-capable Ravindra Jadeja sprang into action, from picking up crucial wickets to scoring utility half-centuries, throwing in from the deep and bringing a great amount of positive energy to the side. A five-wicket haul in Melbourne and a half-century in Sydney – the all-rounder was back in his elements. The sword dance in Sydney after completing his half-century seemed well-deserved.

ODIs

Indian batsmen with 1,000 runs or more in ODIs in Australia- Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne: 2019
From: January 19, 2019: The Times of India

MS Dhoni's average over 2009-19; highest average in successful chases- MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers
From: January 19, 2019: The Times of India

See graphics:

Indian batsmen with 1,000 runs or more in ODIs in Australia- Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne: 2019

MS Dhoni's average over 2009-19; highest average in successful chases- MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers

Sydney: Australia wins

January 13, 2019: The Times of India

Scoreboard, ODIs-Sydney, India vs Australia, 2019
From: January 13, 2019: The Times of India

ROHIT CENTURY IN VAIN AS OZ SEAMERS ENSURE 34-RUN DEFEAT FOR INDIA IN FIRST ODI

Paceman Jhye Richardson took 4/26 as Australia finally gave their fans something to smile about with a 34-run victory over India in the first ODI on Saturday despite a magnificent 133 from Rohit Sharma. It was only Australia’s fourth win in 20 ODIs going back to June 2017. The home batsmen, spearheaded by Peter Handscomb’s 73, posted a competitive 288/5 off their 50 overs and when India stumbled to 4/3 inside four overs, it looked like being a rout.

Rohit, who missed the final Test to go home for the birth of his first child, celebrated his return to the tour with a 138-run partnership with MS Dhoni (51) to get the innings back on track, however, and while he was batting, India had a chance.

Left-arm finger spinner Kuldeep Yadav was the pick of the Indian bowlers with 2-54 but it was the Australian seamers who were to leave the most decisive mark on the contest. Debutant Jason Behrendorff removed Shikhar Dhawan in the first over and Richardson drove home the advantage by sending Virat Kohli and Ambati Rayudu back inside three balls.

Rohit, though, would not be cowed and he clubbed a huge six — one of six in his 129-ball innings — high into the member’s stand to move into the seventies before reaching the hundred mark for the 22nd time with two runs behind square. His celebration of a seventh ton against Australia was subdued as there was still plenty of work to do and once he holed out to Glenn Maxwell in the deep off Stoinis, the match was effectively over. Richardson also removed Ravindra Jadeja and Dinesh Karthik for his best bowling figures in ODIs and the tourists finished on 254-9.

“I’m very pleased,” said Finch. “The youngster Jhye is full of confidence and he’s got some pace.”

“We’re not very pleased with the way we played,” said Kohli. “That wicket was about 300-plus par. Rohit played outstandingly well and MS supported him but I thought we could have done better with the tempo of the game and we fell short.” The series resumes in Adelaide.

Adelaide: India won

January 16, 2019: The Times of India

Scoreboard, ODIs- Adelaide, India vs Australia, 2019
From: January 16, 2019: The Times of India

Just like old times, MS Dhoni pulled off a tight finish for India to silence his critics after captain Virat Kohli laid the foundation for a series-levelling six-wicket win against Australia with his 39th ODI hundred here on Tuesday. Chase master Kohli could not take his team to the finishing line this time but Dhoni (55 off 54) and Dinesh Karthik (25 off 14) rose to the occasion with an unbeaten 57-run stand off 34 balls, taking India home with four balls to spare. Australia scored 298-8 after opting to bat.

Man of the match Kohli was dismissed in the 44th over after making 104 off 112 balls with five fours and two sixes. Dhoni, who has been coping a lot of criticism for his waning finishing skills, turned back the clock and took India past the finish line with a final over six.

The third and final ODI will be played in Melbourne.

India got off to a frenetic start with Shikhar Dhawan hitting five boundaries in his 28-ball 32. He put on 47 runs for the opening wicket with Rohit Sharma (43). The latter had another strong outing, adding 54 runs with Kohli for the second wicket as India crossed 100 in the 18th over. But just when things were going smoothly, he mishit a pull off Marcus Stoinis (1-46) to be caught in the deep.

Ambati Rayudu (24) then came to the crease, and while he added 59 runs with Kohli for the third wicket, it was obvious that the number four batsman struggled for timing.

Kohli, meanwhile, was in cruise mode, rotating strike and picking the odd boundary with ease as he reached fifty in 66 balls. The star batsman stayed in the same mode as the asking rate climbed. But it was Rayudu who tried attacking the bowling and perished instead, caught in the deep off Glenn Maxwell (1-16) in the 31st over.

Dhoni then joined Kohli, and the duo put on 82 runs for the fourth wicket, with clever rotation of strike as India crossed 200 in the 37th over to keep pace with the asking rate. Kohli changed gears as he hit two immaculate sixes through pure timing, and reached his hundred off 108 balls. It was his sixth ODI hundred against Australia.

The turning point came in the 44th over though, when Australia masterminded Kohli’s dismissal through some clever field placement in the deep. He holed out to Maxwell off Jhye Richardson (1-59).

Dhoni then took over and put on a match-winning partnership with Karthik. In doing so, he turned back the clock to lead India to a tense finish, and completed his second consecutive halfcentury in as many matches, 69th overall, off 53 balls.

The veteran’s running between the wickets, laced with two sixes as the only boundaries, finished things off in style for India. Earlier, Shaun Marsh scored his seventh ODI hundred to take Australia to a challenging total. Marsh arrived at the crease at 26-2 and scored 131 runs and added 94 runs off 65 balls with Glenn Maxwell (48 off 37 balls).

India brought in debutant Mohammed Siraj in place of Khaleel Ahmed. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (4-45) and Mohammed Shami (3-58) exerted themselves on proceedings with the new ball, and didn’t let the Australian openers get away quickly.

299/4

India’s total is the second highest successful ODI chase by a team in Adelaide, behind the 303/9 by Sri Lanka vs England on Jan 23, 1999.

4/45

Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s figures, his best ODI bowling performance vs Australia. This is his first four-wicket haul in SENA countries (SA, Eng, NZ and Aus) in ODIs.

Melbourne: India wins ODI and ODI series

Melbourne: India won the ODI (and ODI series) against Australia
From: January 19, 2019: The Times of India

See graphic:

Melbourne- India won the ODI (and ODI series) against Australia

Australia tour

Commentaries

Kohli's on-field antics angered Langer

When Virat Kohli's aggressive celebrations during 2018-19 tour made Justin Langer feel like a punching bag, March 18, 2020: The Times of India

NEW DELHI: Australian coach Justin Langer has revealed that he felt like a "punching bag" after Virat Kohli's aggressive celebrations during India's 2018-19 tour while also calling out the "double standards" when it comes to sledging in cricket.

India, led by Kohli, enjoyed an unprecedented summer Down Under, winning the Border Gavaskar Trophy 3-1, their first-ever Test series win on the Australian soil. It was followed by a 2-1 victory in the ODIs, while the T20 series ended in a 1-1 draw.

During the series, Australia, who were determined to patch up their severely dented image in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal, had decided to not engage with the Indian captain verbally during the series.

However, Kohli's on-field antics angered Langer but he could not be expressive about it.

"I remember that afternoon (feeling) like a punching bag. We can't fight back because it felt like we had our hands behind our backs and we just had to take it," Langer said in Amazon's recently released docu-series titled 'The Test'.

"You must be feeling the double standards the way their captain is carrying on and we sort of have to be careful. Imagine if we behaved two out of ten (of) that," he said.

Langer asked his players to take on Kohli but warned the hosts not to cross the line between banter and abuse.

"There is a difference between abuse and banter. There is no room for abuse. We don't need to abuse him but there is banter where you stick up for your mate."

On day four of the second Test at Perth, Kohli and his Australian counterpart Tim Paine were involved in a verbal spat. That was time Paine thought he had enough.

"I sort of just had enough and thought you also have to stand up for yourself and your teammates and that was one of the reasons I thought, 'no, I'm the captain, it's my turn, I have to stand up and show him we're here for the fight'," Paine said.

Paine was at the receiving end just after he had gone out to bat. "If he messes it up, it's 2-0. Who's gonna talk then?" Kohli was caught saying by the stump microphones.

Paine did not hold himself back and replied "You've got to bat first, big head”.

Bangladesh series

Delhi T20I: Bangladesh beat India

Partha Bhaduri , Nov 4, 2019: The Times of India

Scoreboard, T20Is- New Delhi, India vs Bangladesh, 2019
From: Partha Bhaduri , Nov 4, 2019: The Times of India

Eventually, this battle of two young teams was always going to be decided by the experienced hands. Bangladesh’s senior batsmen stood up to be counted, India’s did not. As if to slam home the point, captain Mahmudullah slammed a six off debutant Shivam Dube in the last over to give Bangladesh a very impressive seven-wicket win.

India got the situations they had been craving for but they did not have the personnel for it. Bangladesh bowled better, planned better and executed better and now have a 1-0 lead in the series. Comments from their skipper and batting coach in the days leading up to this game suggested India were waiting for just the sort of T20 trial that they got at the Ferozeshah Kotla.

First, be forced to bat first on a slowish pitch on which you would rather set a target. India have, after all, been better at chasing targets then setting them. And secondly, see if your inexperienced bowling lineup, hopefully aided by a bit of canny captaincy, could successfully defend, in the dew, a fair-to-middling total against a Bangladesh team in flux.

Unfortunately, India failed to add the X-factor on both counts, ensuring the first win for Bangladesh in nine T20Is against India. In the largely young team missing two senior players in Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim (60 not out of 43) and Soumya Sarkar (39 off 35) knew their presence would be of vital importance in the chase of 149, and their 60-run partnership off 55 balls gave Bangladesh a glimpse of the possibilities.

In the last five overs, with Bangladesh needing 50 with these two at the crease, it was poised either way. The lofted strokes were unfurled in a bit to get a move on. Then, with 35 needed off 19, Khaleel produced a dream slower delivery, clattering Sarkar’s stumps as the batsman attempted in vain to work it to the point region. Suddenly, it seemed India were still in the game, but Mushfiqur would have none of it, and India’s nerves would fail.

First, Krunal Pandya, hero with the bat in the dying moments when Indian batted, had an ordinary time in the field, dropping Mushfiqur in the 18th over at the deep midwicket boundary, just after the batsman had clattered Chahal for four. That over yielded 13, and then Mushfiqur sealed the deal, improvising four consecutive boundaries off Khaleel – off a short cutter, a fuller ball, a low full toss and one outside off. Mushfiqur stayed back and pulled, he scooped one fine, he drove and he even managed to edge one to the backward point fence. Bangladesh needed just four off the last over, and they got it with three balls to spare.

Before the washed-out first T20I against South Africa in Dharamshala, regular skipper Virat Kohli had harped on the importance of clipping India’s long tail. Enter Krunal and Washington Sundar, who gave India’s batting some impetus in the dying overs, pulverizing 30 runs off the last two, including 16 off the last, to boost the total to 148 after a sluggish start.

The Bangladesh off-spinners kept a lid on things in the middle, and the early fall of Rohit Sharma set the tone for India’s innings. Shikhar Dhawan had the right ideas, bat long on this pitch, but he let the innings sag a bit with his 42-ball 41. Neither Shreyas nor Pant could carry on till the end to give the bowlers more of a defendable total, and the spin lineup lacked the killer punch.

As it stands, India’s combination for next year’s T20 World Cup remains at an embryonic stage.

India’s 2019 tour of the West Indies

T20Is

Lauderhill: India beat the West Indies

August 4, 2019: The Times of India

India made heavy weather of a modest run chase after debutant pacer Navdeep Saini led an impressive bowling display but still managed to beat West Indies by four wickets in their first T20 International match here on Saturday. Chasing 96 for a win, India huffed and puffed before reaching the target with 2.4 overs to spare. None of the batsmen contributed big with opener Rohit Sharma top-scoring with 24 while captain Virat Kohli and Manish Pandey making 19 each.

Man of the Match Saini claimed three wickets for 17 while Bhuvneshwar Kumar took two wickets to restrict West Indies to 95 for 9 after they were put in to bat.

India struggled in their run chase too, and they were reduced to 32 for 2 in the seventh over with opener Shikhar Dhawan (1) and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant (0) dismissed cheaply. Rohit’s 24 came from 25 deliveries with the help of two fours and two sixes on a pitch which was not easy to bat on.

Veteran off-spinner Sunil Narine (2/14) did not allow India to get off to a good start by removing Rohit and Pant in consecutive deliveries in the seventh over. Pant was out the first ball he faced while playing an irresponsible shot.

Manish Pandey was out in the 12th over and Kohli followed him two overs later as India found themselves in a spot of bother at 69 for 5 in the 14th over with 27 runs still needed.

Krunal Pandya (12) added 19 runs with Ravindra Jadeja (10 not out) before he was out in the 16th over. But the target proved too small in the end as Washington Sundar (8 not out) hit a six to take India to 98 for 6 to wrap it up the match in 17.2 overs.

Earlier, Saini claimed three wickets in an impressive spell as India restricted a reckless West Indies to a paltry 95 for 9. PTI

India beat the West Indies again

August 5, 2019: The Times of India

Scoreboard, West Indies vs India, Lauderhill (Florida), 2019- II T20I match
From: August 5, 2019: The Times of India

India beat West Indies by 22 runs under the DLS method in the second T20 International to seal the threematch series here on Sunday.

Batting first, India scored 167 for five and then had West Indies struggling at 98 for four in 15.3 overs when thundershowers struck. The DLS par score was 120. Earlier, batting first, Rohit Sharma topscored with 67 off runs off 51balls, setting India up for a challenging total before Krunal Pandya (20 off 13 balls) and Ravindra Jadeja propped up the innings by smashing 20 runs in the final over, which was bowled by Keemo Paul.

In the process, Rohit became T20 internationals' most prolific six-hitter, going past Chris Gayle with 106 maximums. He struck six fours and three sixes in the match.

Sent into bat, India were off to a quick start as they reached 50-run mark in the seventh over, with Rohit doing the bulk of scoring. Rohit found the gaps with ease, clipping Paul off his pads for a six over deep midwicket. The World Cup highest scorer then swept him for a four as the Indians upped the tempo.

Keemo Paul gave West Indies their first breakthrough when he bowled Shikhar Dhawan with the Indian scorecard reading 67 for one in the eighth over.

Two quite overs followed as Indian captain Virat Kohli joined Rohit, who broke the shackles with a six over deep midwicket, Sunil Narine being the bowler, and then brought up his 17th half-century in this format with a single to long-off.

Nicely getting underneath the flight of left-arm spinner Khary Pierre, Kohli got going with a neat six.

Well settled at the other end, Kohli's deputy Rohit then smashed Carlos Brathwaite for a six and four as India's hundred came up in the 13th over. PTI

India win match; bag T20I series 3-0

August 7, 2019: The Times of India

Rishabh Pant silenced his critics by scoring a 42-ball 65 which helped India thrash West Indies by 7 wickets in the final T20 International here. He was ably-supported by skipper Virat Kohli, who hit an authoritative 59 off 45 balls. With the win, India clean swept the T20I series 3-0. Earlier, Deepak Chahar’s incisive swing bowling was countered by Kieron Pollard’ attacking half-century and Rovman Powell’s cameo as West Indies put up a fighting 146/6 against India in the third T20 International here on Tuesday. Rajasthan seamer Deepak (3-1-4-3) made full use of his only opportunity on this tour, taking three wickets his first two overs to leaving West Indies tottering at 14/3. He got the ball to swing both ways as he removed pinchhitter Sunil Narine (2), Evin Lewis (10) and Shimron Hetmyer (1).

However, Pollard counterattacked with great gusto, hitting as many as half-a-dozen sixes in his 45-ball-58, his first half-century for the West Indies in seven years. Along with Nicholas Pooran (17), who played the second fiddle, Pollard added 67 for the fourth wicket as the Caribbeans looked to have recovered from their initial slump.

However, Navdeep Saini came back for his second spell to first dismiss left-hander Pooran with an off-cutter (legcutter for the batsman) which was edged to Rishabh Pant behind the stumps. Saini (2/34 in 4 overs), who had trapped Pollard leg-before with a dipping full-toss in the first game, then bowled a slower delivery that pegged back the middle stump, breaching through his bat and pad.

However Powell smashed his way to an unbeaten 32 off 20 balls to prop up the Windies total. PTI

ODIs

First ODI rain- hit; India wins the second

August 13, 2019: The Times of India

Wickets a byproduct of tight bowling, says Bhuvi

Port of Spain:

India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar said dot balls, and not wickets, were on his mind in the second ODI against the West Indies as he believes that an economical spell never goes unrewarded. Bhuvneshwar scalped four wickets for 31 runs in India’s 59-run win over the Caribbeans, which gave the tourists a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after a washed-out opener.

“When I came to bowl I was just thinking I have to bowl economically, get more dot balls. I feel getting wickets is a byproduct of bowling tightly. I wasn’t thinking much about the result because we knew if we get one or two wickets we will be back in the game,” Bhuvneshwar said of the rain-curtailed match.

‘Virat badly wanted the hundred’

India skipper Virat Kohli laid the foundation of the triumph with his 42nd ODI hundred. Kohli ended his 11-innings century drought with a 120-run knock off 125 balls to help India to 279 for 7. Shreyas Iyer also chipped in with a fine knock of 71.

“From Virat’s expression you could see that he badly wanted to score a hundred not because he was out form but because he was getting out in the 70s and 80s and he’s always known for scoring big runs,” Bhuvneshwar said. Kohli’s last hundred was against Australia in March. Since then the Indian skipper was among the runs, notching up five half centuries in the World Cup, but failed to reach a ton. “The wicket wasn’t easy, when Virat came back to the dressing room he said after the ball gets old it’s not easy to score runs,” Bhuvneshwar added.

West Indies lost wickets at regular intervals but looked well within sight of the target with Nicholas Pooran (42) and Rostan Chase (18) in the middle. However, Bhuvneshwar changed the complexion of the game in just one over.

In the 35th over, he first dismissed Pooran and then leapt to pull off a stunning catch to send Chase back. “I just caught it. I wasn’t expecting it. Pooran’s wicket was the main wicket for us because we all know he can change the game.” PTI

Brief scores: India 279/7 in 50 overs: (V Kohli 120, S Iyer 71; Brathwaite 3/53) beat West Indies 210 in 42 overs (revised target 270 in 46 overs): (E Lewis 65, N Pooran 42; Kumar 4/31).

Result: India won by 59 runs on DL method

Third ODI also hit by the rains

August 15, 2019: The Times of India

Chris Gayle may have played his last international game given the theatrics by cricket's showman and the send-off accorded by the Indian players at the end of a typically thunderous innings here on Wednesday. Playing the way he always does, Gayle smashed 72 runs off 41 balls, punishing the Indian bowlers with five sixes and four boundaries in the third ODI.

After hitting one off Khaleel Ahmed straight to visiting skipper Virat Kohli, Gayle smiled as Indian players shook hands with him, even doing his typical jig with him. Gayle threw his bat in the air, put his helmet on top of it and walked off the field. He then hurled the helmet up in the air and caught it while approaching the boundary ropes.

West Indies reached 158 for two off 22 overs before rain brought the match at the Queen's Park Oval to a halt. Gayle, 39, went into the match having become the West Indies leading scorer in One-dayers in the second game at the weekend. He and fellow opener Evin Lewis (43) put on 115 for the first wicket.

India hold an unassailable 1-0 lead following the 59-run win via the DLS method in the second ODI at the same venue on Sunday. Rain forced the abandonment of the first match in Guyana as a no-result last week.

The 114 West Indies scored in the first ten overs is a record for them in the first powerplay in ODIs. It's also a record by any team in the first powerplay against India. AGENCIES

Test series

North Sound, Antigua: India won

August 26, 2019: The Times of India

Scoreboard- West Indies vs India, Test series, North Sound, Antigua- India won, 2019
From: August 26, 2019: The Times of India

Bumrah scalps five as India romp to easy victory

North Sound, Antigua:

A devastating burst of precision pace bowling by Jasprit Bumrah fast-tracked India to a ridiculously easy win over West Indies in the first Test. Needing to score an improbable 419 for victory, the hosts folded for a paltry 100 runs to lose by 318 uns. Bumrah proved umplayable for the technically inept West Indies batsmen and retunred figures of 8-4-7-5 to lead the rout.

Supporting him well were Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami who grabbed three and two wickets respectively as the match finished with more than a day to spare.

The capitulation by the Caribbeans was shocking and left their supporters at the North Sound stadium embarrassed. The highest score in the innings was scored by number nine Kemar Roach who managed 32. In fact, his last-wicket stand with Miguel Cummins produced 50 runs, by far the biggest of the innings.

Earlier, Ajinkya Rahane scored his first Test century in two years while Hanuma Vihari hit a fluent 93 as India tightened their grip over the series opener.

Vihari and Rahane (102) raised a 135-run partnership for the fifth wicket after India lost skipper Virat Kohli. India declared on 343/7, an hour after lunch on Day Four, setting the hosts a stiff target.

Rahane, who scored 81 in the first innings, had not scored a Test hundred since his 132 against Sri Lanka in August 2017. The relief on his face was obvious when he brought up his century. He fell soon after completing his hundred, trying to accelrate the scoring. Rishabh Pant too fell to a sweep shot off Roston Chase for seven. Vihari, in pursuit of quick runs, was caught behind off Jason Holder.

Resuming at 185 for three, India lost Kohli (51) when his leading edge off Roston Chase flew to John Campbell, who took the catch on second attempt. That ended the fourth-wicket partnership between Kohli and Rahane that yielded 106 runs for India.

The other overnight batsman Rahane was joined by Vihari, who easily worked the ball around in gaps to keep the scoreboard ticking.

Holder now made it all-spin attack by introducing John Campbell from the other end.

As soon as the new ball was available, pacers Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel operated in tandem but before that West Indies parttimers had bowled 41 overs in this innings alone. While Roach and Gabriel bowled a few testing deliveries, it largely remained an untroubled stay for both Rahane and Vihari. AGENCIES

India wins Kingston test, and the series

September 1, 2019: The Times of India

As expected, India raced to a thumping win in the second Test against West Indies here on Monday to win the two-Test series 2-0. Set to score an improbable 468 for victory, West Indies managed only 210 in the second innings in 59.5 overs to lose by a whopping 257 runs.

With this victory, India extended their lead on the World Test Championship’s points table with 120 points from two Tests. It was their eighth straight Test series win over West Indies. It was captain Virat Kohli’s 28th victory which took him past MS Dhoni (27) to become India’s most successful Test captain ever.

It was a team effort by the Indian bowlers but it was Mohammed Shami who was the pick of the bowlers. He bowled with pace and precise movement to trouble batsmen throughout the day. He returned with figures of three for 65 while Ravindra Jadeja got three for 58. Ishant Sharma (2/28) and Jasprit Bumrah (1/31) also kept the pressure on.

Starting the day at 45 for 2, the hosts were left unsettled when Darren Bravo (23 batting), who was hit on the helmet by Jasprit Bumrah in the last over of the day on Sunday, added only five runs to his overnight score before complaining of uneasiness, leaving the ground.

Soon afterwards, Jermaine Blackwood was named as a concussion substitute and went out to bat following the fall of the fourth wicket. Blackwood, a Jamaican who was not in the original squad, made 38.

Blackwood became the second Test concussion substitute after Marnus Labuschagne, who replaced Steve Smith in the Australian team during the second Ashes Test against England less than a month ago. In that situation, Smith retired hurt after being felled by a Jofra Archer bouncer during Australia’s first innings. Though Smith returned to the crease 40 minutes later and was dismissed before stumps, he was ruled out of the remainder of the Test the following morning after experiencing the effects of delayed concussion.

Because Smith was already out in the first innings, Labuschagne batted only in the second innings. In the case of West Indies, however, 12 batsmen took the crease in a single innings. Shamarh Brooks topscored for the hosts with 50 but the writing was on the wall all through the day. AGENCIES

Performance of Indian players in 1st two tests

The performance of Indian players in the 1st two tests against the West Indies
From: April 4, 2019: The Times of India

See graphic :

The performance of Indian players in the 1st two tests against the West Indies '

India’s home series against South Africa

T20Is

1st match

The 1st match was rained off

Bengaluru: SAfrica win, level series

Manuja Veerappa , Sep 23, 2019: The Times of India

Scoreboard- T20s- India vs South Africa, Bengaluru, 2019
From: Manuja Veerappa , Sep 23, 2019: The Times of India

Traditionally, at the compact M Chinnaswamy Stadium, skippers prefer to chase. Virat Kohli thought differently, with the T20 World Cup in mind. But his experiment clearly did not work on a tricky surface.

On Sunday, in a match in which rain was predicted to play spoilsport, the visiting South Africans, marshalled by skipper Quinton de Kock’s unconquered half-century (79 n.o, 52, 6x4, 5x6), played party poopers as they romped home to a nine-wicket win to level the series 1-all. India had won in Mohali by seven wickets last Wednesday.

Chasing a below-par 134 for 9, the South Africans, much like the Indians in the previous match, chased down the target without much ado in 16.5 overs.

De Kock, who was with the Royal Challengers Bangalore until last season, made ample use of his familiarity of the conditions to stay untroubled by the Indian bowling attack. There was no extravagance or needless aggression in his batting. He shared a 76-run opening stand with Reeza Hendricks (28) before finishing with finesse with Temba Bavuma (27 n.o) for company. Earlier, with an eye on a series win, the home side began well but it didn’t take them long to lose fizz and the plot to end their quota of overs with 134, of which the bowling side contributed 15 extras.

South Africa, decided to open the attack with left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin (2-19), who made his T20 debut in Mohali three nights back. Shikhar Dhawan (36, 25b, 4x4, 2x6) pulled the first ball to the fence to set the tone, but the 24-year-old kept it tight thereafter. India’s big over was to follow with Kagiso Rabada (3-39) spraying the ball all over the pitch and conceding 17 runs including seven wides.

Beuran Hendricks (2-14), who has had a start-stop-start T20 career, made his 11th T20 international appearance in five years count as an unsure Rohit Sharma edged him to Reeza Hendricks at first slip.

The partnership between Dhawan and Kohli came with a lot of promises, especially with Dhawan in an entertaining mood. He danced down the wicket twice in a row to send spinner Tabraiz Shamsi’s deliveries beyond the ropes. The 41-run second wicket stand with his captain ended when he mistimed a turning ball from Shamsi, lofted it and Bavuma came in from extra cover to hold on to the catch. Thereafter, a parade of the Indian players to the pavilion began with the hosts losing five wickets for the addition of a mere 35 runs. The runs, boundaries in particular, dried up and the fact that they went from 63 for 2 in the eighth over to end with 134 painted a grim picture of poor shot selection and lack of application which was compounded by some disciplined bowling from the opposition.

On a wicket which had slowed down, a sluggish Kohli, who was dropped by Fortuin off his own bowling on three, made little use of the lifeline and instead was first of Rabada’s three wickets. Much was expected from the under-fire Rishbah Pant and the talented Shreyas Iyer but both made a mess of the opportunity they were presented with to showcase their wares. Both the batsmen were sent back by a disciplined Fortuin. There was hope from the Pandya brothers — Hardik and Krunal but that too did not materialise.

India had started the season in the hope of finding a suitable combination for the T20 World Cup, but they still seem to be some distance away from doing it.

Tests

1st test, Visakhapatnam: India won

Oct 7, 2019: The Times of India

Scoreboard, Test- Visakhapatnam, India vs South Africa, 2019
From: Oct 7, 2019: The Times of India

There was no disputing the fact that India was the better team going into the series, and validation of that came on a festive Sunday made more special by the 203-run win against South Africa.

ACA-VDCA Stadium was witness to India’s first home win in the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle — boosting their total tally to 160 points — and the 1-0 lead in the three-match series augurs well for the World No. 1 team that was stretched in parts by a South African team lacking in experience, but making up for it with pluck aplenty. The final day was no cakewalk for the hosts and any hope of an early finish after pacer Mohammed Shami made capital of the conditions on offer was nipped in the bud by an obdurate partnership by the South African late order.

That South Africa — needing 395 to win and resuming at 11 for one — could muster 191 was in the main due to Senuran Muthusamy (49; 108b, 5x4) and his 91-run partnership for the ninth wicket with Dane Piedt (56; 107b, 9x4, 6x1) after Shami, who had excellent returns of five for 35, and Ravindra Jadeja struck at various times to reduce the Proteas to 70 for eight before lunch.

The hosts tasted success with the 11th delivery of the day when Theunis de Bruyn shaped to cut but ended up giving offie R Ashwin his 350th Test wicket — the joint quickest to the milestone in 66 Tests. If the early loss rattled the South Africans, more was in store and in quick time too, as Shami hit the right areas.

The quick from Amroha, who was slightly off-colour in SA’s first innings with his pace wavering, struck it rich by cleaning up Temba Bavuma with a delivery that kept low and knocked back Faf du Plessis’s off stump with an incoming delivery that the South African skipper shouldered arms to. Probably the heat had something to do with the quicks operating in short bursts, but Shami’s two spells in the morning session — 3-1-12-1 and 3-1-8-2 — were enough to set South Africa back considerably.

If the ball that castled du Plessis was a peach, the delivery that pegged back Quinton de Kock’s off stump was no less as the South African looked all at sea with Shami reversing it to telling effect. The conditions suited the seamers more than the spinners and having put SA on the mat, the hosts looked well placed to quickly mop up the rest of the South African batting when Ravindra Jadeja got into the act. Aiden Markram (39; 74b, 5x4, 6x1), who was a mute spectator as wickets fell in a heap at the other end, fell to a brilliant return catch by Jadeja.

The left-arm spinner then successfully reviewed a LBW verdict against Vernon Pilander and Keshav Maharaj lost the LBW review the very next delivery, but Piedt denied Jadeja the hat-trick. It was all over bar the shouting but Piedt joined Muthusamy, who too had other ideas. The duo safely negotiated the period when lunch was extended by 15 minutes and frustrated the Indians for 32.2 overs.

The South Africans should take heart from the remarkable poise of debutant Muthusamy and Piedt, playing only his ninth Test. Like the left-handed duo of Dean Elgar and de Kock showed in the first innings, Muthusamy and Piedt left the Indians frustrated at various stages of the game till the hosts found their man of the hour in Shami.

2nd test, Pune: India Won by Innings & 137 Runs

Amit Karmarkar, June 13, 2019:: The Times of India

A wicket-keeper is a wicket-taker too. Fielders are wicket-takers too. They are bowlers’ performance-enhancing substances. India, though not entirely flawless on the field, hit home this point in an emphatic fashion when they enforced the follow-on and dismissed South Africa for 189 inside 70 overs to win the second Test by an innings and 137 runs with a day to spare at Gahunje stadium.

The hosts have now taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. The third Test starts in Ranchi on Saturday. Virat Kohli’s men have also boosted their points tally in the World Test championship after this result.

The Sunday crowd, in excess of 15,000, probably got their time and money’s worth. Those who had got tickets for just the fifth day, will get a refund.Except off-spinner R Ashwin and pacer Mohd Shami in patches, no Indian bowler looked that threatening on a pitch that was losing its zip and freshness with every passing over. However, soft dismissals after being put under pressure and smart fielding were the patterns for the day. Wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha led from behind the wicket with two of the three dismissals inside the first 24 overs.First, he dived to his left like a goalkeeper to remove Thenunis De Bruyn. Pacer Umesh Yadav gave a flying kiss to the sky, thanking the heavens for giving him a wicket despite straying down the leg side. It was his luck and Saha’s pluck that did it.

Saha then swallowed Faf Du Plessis on the fourth attempt off Ashwin, lunging down till silly point. Though he fumbled in the first attempt, his juggling act was as precise as a magician. Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma joined him in the fielding act. Rahane took a sharp, reflex catch at first slip to send back the settled Temba Bavuma (38) off Ravindra Jadeja. A ball before he had survived a leg-before appeal.

Shami bowled some darts creating a beautiful angle. He showed left-handed Senuran Muthusamy his place with a short probing missile. The prod landed in Rohit Sharma’s palms in the second slip. The batsman also took a good catch in the slips to dismiss Kagiso Rabada.

Standing close to the stumps and sometimes leaning on his knees at short gully, Rohit also took blows on his body. So did Saha, who again justified his selection ahead of Rishabh Pant. But South Africa’s mainstay, Dean Elgar, took a chance like Pant and the visitors paid heavily for that. Du Plessis had got out 10 balls before and Bavuma was yet to open his account at 71-3 in the 24th over. Still, Elgar went for the expansive lofted drive off R Ashwin but mistimed it. Umesh Yadav positioned himself well for the skier, running from mid-off and caught the ball on the third attempt.

Jadeja got rid of Quinton De Kock when the wicket-keeper tried a hoick, but missed it and was castled. Though Jadeja (3) got more wickets than Ashwin (2) in this innings, the latter gave ample demonstration of his greatness with subtle variations and the ability to play on the batsman’s mind.

Not that the South African batsmen didn’t have their moments. Bavuma appeared to have settled down when he square drove Jadeja and lofted him over widish long-on for fours and Elgar was mixing things up nicely before the brain fade. Philander, who scored an unbeaten 44 in the first-innings, started with entertaining boundaries.

Earlier, Ishant Sharma gave India a breakthrough off the second ball of the day, trapping Aiden Markram in front for a pair. Though first-innings batting heroes Philander (37) and Maharaj (22) added 56 runs for the eighth wicket, India’s victory march was never in doubt once lunch was taken at 74-4 and tea at 172-7.

3rd test, Ranchi: India won the test, and series 3:0

Pratik Bandyopadhyay, Oct 22, 2019: The Times of India

Record stand- Rohit Sharma- Ajinkya Rahane - South Africa series, 2019
From: Oct 21, 2019: The Times of India

Scoreboard, Test- Ranchi, India vs South Africa, 2019
From: Pratik Bandyopadhyay, Oct 22, 2019: The Times of India

File:India won the South Africa series 3:0.jpg

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India won the South Africa series 3:0

If you are are from India’s T20 generation and find Test cricket too slow, it’s high time you watched this Indian Test team. Even if you are much older, from the generation which was once traumatised by Caribbean or Australian pacers, it’s time to heal your wounds. When Team India plays Test cricket these days, things move really fast. Runs are scored at a fair clip, the pacers men can bowl really fast and opposition batsmen generally tend to come and go quickly.

It all happened so fast on Monday that one couldn’t really blame Faf du Plessis’ young South African team for capitulating like they did at the JSCA International Cricket Stadium. At the end of the day, they were just two wickets away from another defeat, being 132/8 after following on, still 203 runs in arrears. As if things were not bad enough for the visitors, opener Dean Elgar got hit on the helmet just before tea and had to retire hurt, paving the way for Theunis de Bruyn to become the third concussion substitute in the history of Tests.

Umesh Yadav and Mohammad Shami were in peak form, sharing five wickets between them in the visitors’ first innings and taking five of the eight to fall in their second. All this on a typical Indian wicket where the ball tended to turn.

It all started with a unplayable delivery Yadav bowled to Du Plessis in the first over of the day. The ball swung in, landed on full length and evaded the South Africa skipper’s defence by slightly moving away off the seam — a seemingly once-in-a-blue-moon delivery, until Shami got Zubayr Hamza with the same delivery in the afternoon while South Africa followed on. The pace at which the duo bowled had the batsmen hurrying all the time. Anrich Nortje got hit a couple of times in the first innings and it was Elgar’s turn in the second. It did not help that the wicket had variable bounce, which landed wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha in trouble a number of times. Eventually, he picked up a injury on the ring finger of his right hand while collecting a ball off Ravichandran Ashwin, and Rishabh Pant took his place. Teamsources maintained Saha was “fine” and recovering.

Shami and Yadav were simply outstanding. All of their wickets came by beating the batsman with either pace or swing, sometimes both. Not one of the deliveries kept low. Umesh, in particular, had a field day. The crowd cheered when he bowled and he paid back not just with wickets but also a direct hit, running out Rabada.

Another to impress was local boy Shahbaz Nadeem, with his two wickets in the first innings and the direct hit at the non-striker’s end from square leg to dismiss George Linde towards the end of the day.

Unfortunately, Ravindra Jadeja’s three-wicket haul and Zubayr Hamza’s resistance in the first innings have to become footnotes on a day like this.

The best batsmen, bowlers, as in Feb

Top five Indian batsmen in T20Is

Top 5 Indian batsmen in T20Is, 2018-19
From: February 6, 2019: The Times of India

See graphic:

Top 5 Indian batsmen in T20Is, 2018-19

Top five Indian bowlers in T20Is

Top five Indian bowlers in T20Is, 2019
From: February 6, 2019: The Times of India

See graphic:

Top five Indian bowlers in T20Is, 2019

Indian bowlers vs Australia and New Zealand in 2018-19 ODIs

Indian bowlers vs Australia and New Zealand in 2018-19 ODIs
From: Dwaipayan Datta, With the World Cup stretch looming, talk on the Indian squad, middle-order, key slots and their back-ups gains momentum, February 5, 2019: The Times of India

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Indian bowlers vs Australia and New Zealand in 2018-19 ODIs

Select batsmen at no. 6 after 2015 WC in ODIs

Select batsmen at no. 6 after 2015 WC in ODIs
From: Dwaipayan Datta, With the World Cup stretch looming, talk on the Indian squad, middle-order, key slots and their back-ups gains momentum, February 5, 2019: The Times of India

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Select batsmen at no. 6 after 2015 WC in ODIs

Select batsmen at no. 5 after 2015 WC in ODIs

Select batsmen at no. 5 after 2015 WC in ODIs
From: Dwaipayan Datta, With the World Cup stretch looming, talk on the Indian squad, middle-order, key slots and their back-ups gains momentum, February 5, 2019: The Times of India

See graphic:

Select batsmen at no. 5 after 2015 WC in ODIs

The notable players

As in October

Pratik Bandyopadhyay, Oct 17, 2019: The Times of India

RAVICHANDRAN ASHWIN

Tests: 42; Wkts: 233; Best bowling: 7/59; Bowling ave: 23.42; 5 wkts: 18; 10-wkt match: 5

Eleven consecutive home series wins would not have been possible without this soft-spoken off-spinner. The only time he lost his cool was in 2016 when James Anderson suggested Kohli was a flat-track bully. The offie often warms the bench on foreign tours but has been unplayable in India. A keen follower of other sports and interested in saving rivers, this intellectual cricketer has taken 233 of his 356 Test wickets under Virat’s captaincy. Even men like Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers have found the going tough against him on Indian wickets.

CHETESHWAR PUJARA

Tests: 44; Runs: 3560; Batting ave: 52.35; 100s: 12; Highest score: 202

Style is the man, they say. In Pujara’s case it is the batting style. He bats like a monk who is not tempted by anything, not even his teammates’ strike rate. Perhaps that is the reason he is often accused of playing too slow like Geoffrey Boycott. But he has given Kohli’s bowlers crucial runs for memorable wins. The historic series win Down Under earlier this year would not have been possible without Pujara’s stellar show.

AJINKYA RAHANE

Tests: 46; Runs: 2802; Batting ave: 41.20; 100s: 7; Highest score: 188

It would be difficult to make a Martian believe that this diminutive man with the eyes of a struggling poet can take on someone like Mitchell Johnson and hit his 140kmph-plus bouncer to long-on like a forehand. Rahane’s show at home has been moderate but he has been a different batsman in difficult terrains like like Australia, England and South Africa. The vice-captain also stands quietly at slip beside Saha, making many a difficult nick off Ashwin and Jadeja look like an easy take.

MAYANK AGARWAL

Tests: 6; Runs: 605; Batting ave: 60.50; 100s: 2; Highest score: 215

Averaging close to 50 in first-class cricket with a triple century against his name, Mayank could have made his Test debut earlier. But it served him well that he did it when Virat and his men were making history in Australia. The 28-year-old missed out on a century on debut. However, his consistency in Australia was an important factor in India’s triumph. His ever-improving catching ability at bat pad is also an asset.

JASPRIT BUMRAH

Tests: 12; Wkts: 62; Best bowling: 6/27; Bowling ave: 19.24; 5 wkts: 5

Bumrah has picked up five or more wickets in an innings five times already, playing only 12 Tests, all away from home. He has become the fastest Indian to 50 Test wickets. A fast bowler with a disarming smile is hard to come by but then Bumrah is one of his kind.

WRIDDHIMAN SAHA

Tests: 31; Runs: 1080; Batting ave: 31.76; 100s: 3; Highest score: 117; Catches: 77; Stumpings: 10

A wicketkeeper’s contribution is easily forgotten, and his Supermanesque catches in Pune will fade from memory sooner than later. But coming off a long injury layoff which at one point must have made him wonder whether his international career was over, Saha has showed why Kohli thinks he is the best wicketkeeper in the world. Saha is not one of those chirpy stumpers who keeps giving pep talks from behind the stumps. He lets his gloves do the talking. His batting average may not make everyone happy but his impeccable keeping to the spinners on turners at home and to pacers abroad have been very impressive.

The Pink Ball Test/ Nov

—Saibal Bose, Nov 23, 2019: The Times of India

AFTERNOON

The first 15 overs, when the ball was still relatively new, it swung quite a lot, but only after the first 20-odd minutes. Initially, the Indian bowlers were making it seam. In fact, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma were making the ball dart in, in the early overs and that seemed to trouble the Bangladesh batsmen more. The bounce was quite good and the generous sprinkling of grass on the pitch probably had more to do with it than the ball itself. As the shine wore off a bit, the pacers started getting big swing. It tested the reflexes and keeping skills of stumper Wriddhiman Saha too, a test he came out passing with flying colours. TWILIGHT ZONE

The first signs that fielding could be a problem during the twilight minutes were seen when the last Bangladesh wicket fell. It was just after 4.30 pm and the floodlights had started to marry the slanting rays of the sun. Abu Jayed edged Mohammed Shami to Rohit Sharma at slip, but the opener failed to pick it. It could have travelled faster than anticipated as it bounced off his palm and luckily for India, Cheteshwar Pujara held on to it. However, Sharma was left searching for the ball. Virat Kohli had spoken of the hardness of the ball and Sharma seemed to agree as he kept shaking his hand.

The Indian batsmen, however, seemed to be hardly troubled by the tricky twilight period as they went after the Bangladesh bowling. One chance that Al-Amin Hossain got off a Rohit Sharma skier was grassed in the deep. Was it the deceptive dip perception that Kohli had talked about?

EVENING

At the second interval, the ground staff combed the ground with thick ropes to mop up the dew. The curator was taking no chances. Sharma shouldered arms to a delivery that came in indicating that he wasn’t sure of his off-stump, another point that Kohli had alluded to. As the evening wore on, the ball as well as the Bangladesh bowlers seemed to lose bite as Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara started to make batting look easy.

A success

A marketing masterstroke

Saibal Bose, Nov 23, 2019: The Times of India

Jagmohan Dalmiya was known to have used his marketing acumen to promote cricket in a way no one had done before. Sourav Ganguly may have gone one better in a bid to draw the crowd back to Test cricket by presenting it in a manner that makes it extremely appealing visually.

The first pink-ball Test match on Indian soil, which got under way at the Eden Gardens, is not just a game, but a marketing masterstroke. “Fans love it, so do the sponsors,” a marketing expert said while analysing the effects of the pink-ball Test. “Not just fans, but corporate bodies too were losing interest in Test cricket,” he said. “Particularly against a weak opponent (Bangladesh), getting the corporate bodies and the public interested would have been a herculean task.”

An injection of a shock-and-awe element was the need of the hour. That came wrapped in pink, and immediately, curiosity peaked. This curiosity is what drives the markets, the expert said. “Look at the interest the first edition of Pro Kabaddi League generated,” he said. “Who would have thought a sport like kabaddi would get so much viewership. It was the curiosity factor that drew so many eyeballs to the league. Once again, it is this curiosity that has shifted the cricket world’s focus to Eden Gardens.”

In a refreshing and rare sight, the stadium was packed to capacity on the first day of a Test match — that, too, on a week day. The opposition, weak or strong, doesn’t matter here. The pink ball is the trump card and everything was woven around it. Had Australia been the opponents, the demand for tickets would most likely have been for all five days. In this case, tickets for first three days are most sought after.

The KPL scandal

The first information

Kiran Parashar, Nov 8, 2019: The Times of India

Bengaluru police arrested wicketkeeperbatsman C M Gautam and leftarm spinner Abrar Kazi, for alleged spot-fixing during the final of the 2019 Karnataka Premier League (KPL). Kazi is also accused of taking Rs 7.5 lakh to leak runs in a league-stage match against another KPL team, Bengaluru Blasters.

Investigators claimed Gautam had confessed. Patil told TOI that apart from his statement, investigators had sufficient evidence to prove Gautam’s involvement in match-fixing and spot-fixing. “Inquiries are still under way, and more information cannot be divulged at this juncture. But we suspect some more people may be involved in the case,” he said.

The arrests are a major twist in the growing scandal, which has also ensnared the owner of a different team, Belagavi Panthers. In all, seven people have been arrested.

Gautam previously captained the Karnataka Ranji team. He shifted to Goa this season. He also represented India A and was a member of at least three Indian Premier League (IPL) teams. Royal Challenges Bangalore never picked him in the playing 11, but he made the cut for Mumbai Indians and Delhi Daredevils.

Police sources said investigators were reviewing the events of the KPL final on August 31 and trying to determine if Gautam’s slow batting alone contributed to the loss.

They said the central crime branch picked up Gautam in Bengaluru on Thursday morning and he was aware that he was a target of the police inquiry. Some of his associates had already been quizzed.

Gautam and Kazi’s WhatsApp messages and calls have been reviewed, and the agency had also verified the places where they allegedly met those looking for players’ cooperation to fix spots or matches, according to the sources.

One officer said dishonest players and bookies had various codes of communication and therefore establishing evidence in court would be a challenge. “We are gathering all possible circumstantial evidence to support the case,” the officer said.

Another source claimed Belagavi Panthers owner Ali Asfak Thara paid Gautam Rs 20 lakh for slow batting. In Ballari Tuskers’ match against Bengaluru Blasters, Kazi was allegedly asked to concede more than 10 runs in the fifth over, which he did. It was Gautam’s call to give him that over. The successful arrangement led to a windfall for bookies associated with Thara, the source claimed.

What happened on August 31?

Nov 8, 2019: The Times of India

• The teams: Bellari Tuskers and Hubli Tigers. The game was played at Mysuru’s Srikantadatta Narasimha Raja Wadiyar Ground.

• Hubli Tigers set a target of 152. Bellary Tuskers, led by wicketkeeper CM Gautam, fell short by 8 runs.

• Gautam opened for his team, scoring 29 of 37 balls, which included two boundaries. He kept at it till the 14th over, when Bellary Tuskers’ score was 100/3. He was caught off the bowling of Hubli Tigers allrounder Shreyas Gopal.

• Gautam’s teammate, Abrar Kazi, who came in to bat much later, was run out after scoring 13 of six balls, which included one maximum.

• Central Crime Branch alleged on Thursday that Gautam and Kazi deliberately batted slow to wreck their team’s chances.

• Under Gautam’s captaincy, Bellary Tuskers had entered the knockouts after topping the table, winning four out of six matches.

Logos, insignias on sportswear

ICC on Dhoni’s military insignia

K ShriniwasRao, June 8, 2019: The Times of India

ICC’s clothing and equipments
From: K ShriniwasRao, June 8, 2019: The Times of India

MS CANNOT WEAR LOGO, SAYS ICC

Rules Do Not Permit It; Dhoni Had Agreed To Change Gloves If Norms Were Flouted

Mumbai:

Cricket’s world governing body (ICC) put a lid on the raging controversy over the logo on MS Dhoni’s gloves at the World Cup by saying regulations do not permit the India wicketkeeper to sport such insignia.“ICC has responded to the BCCI to confirm the logo displayed by MS Dhoni in the previous match is not permitted to be worn on his wicketkeeping gloves at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019.

“The regulations for ICC events do not permit any individual message or logo to be displayed on any items of clothing or equipment. In addition to this, the logo also breaches the regulations in relation to what is permitted on wicketkeeper gloves,” ICC said in a release sent to the media.

Earlier in the day, Dhoni had conveyed to the BCCI that should the insignia of the regimental dagger on his wicketkeeping gloves be perceived as breach of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) rulebook, he would “happily” take them off in the matches to follow. The ICC had earlier “requested” the BCCI to look into the matter after television cameras captured the insignia on Dhoni’s gloves in the match against South Africa on Wednesday. The governing body’s underlined rule on the matter states that players cannot wear any logo or a written word on their accessories that carries a personal message.

While Dhoni certainly deserves to wear the ‘Balidaan’ logo with pride, considering he went through a rigorous training with the elite para regiment four years ago to earn it, the wicketkeeper-batsman cannot wear it in a tournament such as the World Cup.

Soon after the controversy broke, Dhoni remained in touch with officials at the BCCI who alerted him about what the rules say. In line with it, Dhoni told the board that he “does not want any further stress” on the matter in the middle of such an important tournament and will therefore follow the written word.

If not for the personal message that the ‘Balidaan’ logo carries, the BCCI has found no other violation on Dhoni’s part because the insignia – that means ‘sacrifice’ – is neither commercial, religious or military in nature.

However, the ICC thinks otherwise.

Sources in the Indian team said they stand behind Dhoni’s decision to wear the emblem considering how closely they’ve seen their former captain involved with the elite para regiment after he was conferred the title of lieutenant colonel. However, the same team members added that ‘Mahi bhai will be the first to understand and not wear it, should it not be under the rules of the tournament”.

In an interview to a news agency on Friday, BCCI’s court-appointed administrator Vinod Rai said that “BCCI stands behind Dhoni in the matter” and added that the insigna was neither religious nor commercial in nature.

“It is not the paramilitary regimental dagger that is embossed in his gloves. So, Dhoni is not in breach of ICC regulations,” Rai was quoted as saying. However, the BCCI officials left the chief of COA misinformed about all rules that surround this subject.

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
-[[Category:India|R]]
-[[Category:Government|R]]
-[[Category:Economy-Industry-Resources|R]]
-=History=
-[[File: indian railways.jpg|10 interesting facts of Indian Railways; Graphic courtesy: [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com//Gallery.aspx?id=28_05_2015_019_025_002&type=P&artUrl=NEWSICLE-KEEPING-TRACK-28052015019025&eid=31808 ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-[[File: Indian railways, a timeline1.jpg|Indian Railways, a timeline: 1853 onwards... ; Graphic courtesy: [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com//Gallery.aspx?id=12_06_2015_013_012_002&type=P&artUrl=INDIAS-LONG-TRAIN-RIDE-12062015013012&eid=31808 ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
+=India and the world: a summary of the year=
+==The batsmen and the bowlers==
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F11%2F26&entity=Ar02300&sk=64E48C28&mode=text  Nov 26, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-[[File: Indian railways, a timeline2.jpg| Indian Railways, some important factual information; Graphic courtesy: [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com//Gallery.aspx?id=12_06_2015_013_012_002&type=P&artUrl=INDIAS-LONG-TRAIN-RIDE-12062015013012&eid=31808 ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
+[[File: The best batsmen and bowlers of 2019.jpg|The best batsmen and bowlers of 2019 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F11%2F26&entity=Ar02300&sk=64E48C28&mode=text  Nov 26, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-==India’s 1st train: When Sahib, Sindh & Sultan blew steam==
+Team India is scaling new heights with every Test series it plays, consolidating its position at the top of the ICC World Test Championship. India have reached a whopping 360 points after completing the 2-0 series win over Bangladesh.
-The Times of India APRIL 18 | 1853
-[http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=CAP/2013/04/25&PageLabel=2&EntityId=Ar00205&ViewMode=HTML The Times of India]
+India’s dominance, at least for now, is so absolute that their tally is well above the total points recorded by all other teams put together (292). The second best team – Australia -- is on 116.
+In fact, such has been their performance that some experts have already anointed them as one of the finalists for the title match which will be played in June 2021 in UK.
-[[File: Railways.jpg||frame|500px]]
+India, who have won seven out of seven since the start of the Test Championship, have had the advantage of playing five of the ties at home where they are virtually unbeatable. And their two away Tests were against a ramshackle West Indies who proved cannon fodder. At home, South Africa, looking to rebuild the side, were feeble challengers while Bangladesh were never expected to trouble India in India.
-India’s first passenger train was flagged off on its maiden run between Bori Bunder (later Victoria Terminus, now Chhatrapati Shiva ji Terminus) and Thane — a distance of 21 miles covered in 57 minutes, at 3.35pm on April 16, 1853. Drawn by three engines, Sahib, Sindh and Sultan, the train lurched forward amid fanfare and celebration.
+However, the low degree of difficulty should not obfuscate the ease of execution with which India steamrolled West Indies, South Africa and Bangladesh. It has been a ruthless and mighty show by a team high on talent, skill, organization and ambition.
+The stellar show is reflected in the Test batting and bowling numbers for 2019. While there are four Indian batsmen in the top-10, if we look at the averages, the four Indians – Mayank Agarwal, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma – are in the top-5 with only Steve Smith ahead of the pack.
-TOI exulted: “Nothing could’ve been more magnificent than the train of 20 enormous carriages with their three stupendous engines, all spick and span new, with the most perfect forms engineering could suggest, and the most beautiful tints taste could impart, occupying a line from first to last on close to four hundred feet.”
-The inaugural report noted with pride, “The 16th of April 1853 was, and would long continue to be one of the most memorable days, if not the most memorable day, in the annals of British India.”
+Among bowlers, only two Indians – Md Shami and Ishant Sharma – feature in the list but both are in the top-3 in terms of average as well as strike rate. If Jasprit Bumrah was fit – he has missed out on the five recent home Tests – he would have almost certainly featured in the list. Umesh Yadav, whose 23 wickets this year have come at only 13.65 per scalp, was unlucky to miss out.
-“This was not the triumph of nation over nation, of race over race, of man over his fellow man. It was the triumph of mind of matter, of patience and perseverance,” the report quoted a British official at the inaugural function.
+In tougher climes, the performance graph will dip but you can be sure India will be a tough nut to crack.
-Earlier reports and advertisements in the paper had added to the rapidly building excitement over the train’s maiden run. An advertisement on April 8, 1853 quoted traffic manager Roche saying this to prospective riders. “The public are respectfully informed that on Monday, and until further notice, trains will be dispatched daily at the hours and fares named in the annexed table. First class day tickets for the double journey only on the day of issue will be given between Bombay, Tannah and Mahim at three-fourths of the ordinary fare.”
+[[Category:Cricket|C CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
+CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)]]
+[[Category:India|C CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
+CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)]]
+[[Category:Pages with broken file links|CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICK
+]]
-TRACK SETTING | Plans for a rail system in India were first put forward in 1832 and the Madras Presidency got the first experimental railway line.
+=India’s 2018-19 tour of Australia=
+'''NOTE''':
-In 1844, governor general Hardinge allowed private entrepreneurs to set up a rail system if they guaranteed an annual return of up to 5% in the initial years. The first passenger train was the product of efforts of Parsi businessman Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy and Nana Shankarsheth, who formed the Indian Railway Association. This eventually merged into the Great Indian Peninsula Railway. Jejeebhoy and Shankarseth were the only two Indian directors in the 10-member board. TNN
+'''For the remaining part of India’s 2018-19 tour of Australia, you may see [[Australia vs. India, cricket]]'''
-==Milestones in the history of Indian Railways==
+==Test matches==
-[http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com//Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=RAIL-RECALL-27022015017028 ''The Times of India'']
+===Sydney: Draw  (rain affected)===
-Feb 27 2015
+====Highlights====
+[[File: The Sydney test- highlights.jpg|The Sydney test- highlights <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F01%2F08&entity=Ar00301&sk=F7DDB805&mode=image  January 8, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-''' Rail recall '''
+[[File: Scoreboard- Test match- Sydney- Australia vs India, cricket.jpg|Scoreboard- Test match- Sydney: Australia vs India, cricket <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F01%2F07&entity=Ar01710&sk=43879FB6&mode=image  January 7, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-===Conditioned air===
-First extensive air conditioning system was used to cool first class coaches of the most famous train of the British Raj. In 1934 Frontier Mail became India's first train to have air conditioning. Large blocks of ice were placed beneath the car's containers. A battery operated fan would blow the air that was then made to enter the insulated coach through vents. The ice was replenished at major halts to keep the system running.The first fully AC train was introduced between Howrah and Delhi in 1956.
-===Inspirational train===
+'''See graphics''':
-Indian railways were one of three technological breakthroughs of the late 19th Century that inspired Jules Verne to write his famous adventure novel `Around the World in 80 days'. The other two were first transcontinental railroad in America and the Suez Canal.
-===Long and short of it===
+''The Sydney test- highlights''
-Odisha's Ib railway station holds the record of having the shortest name Andhra's Venkatanarasimharajuvaripeta is the longest name of any railway station
-===Spanning India===
+''Scoreboard- Test match- Sydney, 2018, Australia vs India, cricket''
-Vivek Express between Kanyakumari and Dibrugarh has the longest run. The 4,286 km journey is longer than the 3,715 km route of the Himsagar Express which held the crown of running on India's longest route.
-===Last on the lane===
-Baramulla is the last station of northernmost railways.Naliya is the westernmost, Kanyakumari southernmost and Ledo is easternmost
-===Fast train, Delhi to Agra===
+====India win first-ever Test series in Australia====
-'''See graphic'''
+[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/india-in-australia/india-vs-australia-india-make-history-win-first-ever-cricket-test-series-in-australia/articleshow/67414248.cms  India vs Australia: India make history, win first-ever cricket Test series in Australia, January 7, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-''Gatimaan, fast train from Delhi to Agra''
+[[File: India record maiden test series win in Australia- 2018-19; A timeline- 1947-48- 2018-19.jpg|India record maiden test series win in Australia- 2018-19; A timeline- 1947-48- 2018-19 <br/> From: [https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/india-in-australia/india-vs-australia-india-make-history-win-first-ever-cricket-test-series-in-australia/articleshow/67414248.cms  India vs Australia: India make history, win first-ever cricket Test series in Australia, January 7, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-[[File: Gatimaan, fast train from Delhi to Agra.jpg| Gatimaan, fast train from Delhi to Agra; Graphic courtesy: [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Gallery.aspx?id=06_04_2016_004_016_012&type=P&artUrl=Gatimaan-has-gati-but-its-not-all-that-06042016004016&eid=31808 ''The Times of India''], April 5, 2016|frame|500px]]
+Indian cricket got its new seminal moment after talismanic Virat Kohli led the country to a maiden series victory on Australian soil, ending a 71-year wait to script a golden chapter in the game's history.
-===Longest rail journeys===
+The fourth and final Test match at the SCG petered to a barren draw due to inclement weather but not before providing India with a 2-1 series win and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
-''' See graphic. '''
-[[File: Staggering distances covered by trains in India, and a comparison with the world.jpg|Staggering distances covered by trains in India, and a comparison with the world; [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=STATOISTICS-INDIAS-LONGEST-TRAIN-JOURNEY-TAKES-THREE-AND-22052017008033 The Times of India], May 22, 2017|frame|500px]]
+It is a rare first Down Under for India since Lala Amarnath's side visited the country back in 1947-48 months after independence to face Sir Don Bradman's 'Invincibles'.
-==Fairy Queen, world's oldest steam engine==
-[http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Worlds-oldest-engine-gathers-fresh-steam-12022017005020  Jasjeev Gandhiok, World's oldest engine gathers fresh steam, Feb 12 2017: The Times of India]
-[[File: Fairy queen, some facts.jpg|Fairy queen, some facts; [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Worlds-oldest-engine-gathers-fresh-steam-12022017005020  Jasjeev Gandhiok, World's oldest engine gathers fresh steam, Feb 12 2017: The Times of India]|frame|500px]]
+"Firstly, I want to say I've never been more proud of being part of a team, than this one right here. The culture we've built... our transition began right here, where I took over as captain, and I can't believe that after four years we've won here. Just one word to say, 'proud', to lead this team and it's an honour and privilege. The boys make the captain look good," an elated skipper Virat Kohli said after the mission was accomplished.
+Things turned out to be a bit of anti-climactic in the end as India had a fair chance of adding insult to the injury with a 3-1 victory margin as they got the home team to follow-on in their den for the first time in 30 years after scoring 622 in their only innings.
-The world's oldest steam engine -Fairy Queen -returned to the tracks on Saturday in Feb 2017 after a gap of nearly five years. The engine was attached to a heritage train running from Delhi Cantt to Rewari in Haryana.This under three-hour round trip with passengers will be done every month.
+It was a 'freeze the frame' as the Indian team took a 'Lap of Honour' of the SCG with the both Indian and Australian fans cheering them.
-Fairy Queen was restored and brought to Delhi in 1977 when the National Rail Museum was built and since then has been a part of the museum.
+"This is history and a terrific moment for Indian cricket," said country's greatest opener Sunil Gavaskar.
-Passengers will get to visit the Rewari locomotive museum where a number of engines have been kept along with the sheds where many of these engines are still in operation.
-Up to 60 passengers can take a heritage ride and can also see a working steam shed in Rewari,“ said Uday Singh Mina, director, National Rail Museum.
+'''Top-performers'''
-According to officials, a round-trip will cost Rs 6,480 per passenger. “The response has been good as many took a ride to Rewari and back. Fares for children are also half and we encourage people to take part in this experience,“ said Mina.
+Such was the fragility of the Australian batting, a full day's play possibly could have been enough to win a record three Test matches in a single series in Australia had the heavens not opened up.
-Fairy Queen became a part of the Guinness book records in 1998 as the world's oldest steam engine that was still in operation. It was restored in 1997 for a special ride between Delhi to Alwar. “Several tourists took part in that ride as the train was brought back to operations after 88 years. It had been operational till 2011 before certain parts went missing and work was undergoing to restore it again,“ said an official.
+While Australian batting was severely handicapped due to the suspensions of their premier batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner but it can take nothing away from the heady achievement of Kohli's men, who have conquered an unchartered frontier with a lion-hearted display.
-==First indigenously built F-1/734 Steam Locomotive==
+If this victory is put into perspective with some of Indian cricket's famous away series wins, it will be right up there both in terms of novelty as well as quality.
-[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/oldest-locomotive-built-in-ajmer-pride-of-delhi/articleshow/59888386.cms  Shoeb Khan, Oldest locomotive: Built in Ajmer, pride of Delhi, Aug 3, 2017: The Times of India]
+Alongside Ajit Wadekar's side's twin triumph in the West Indies and England in 1971, Kapil's Devils or Rahul Dravid's sides' winning the 1986 or 2007 series in England, the members of the current side have now successfully etched their names in record books.
-JAIPUR: United India's first indigenously built F-1/734 Steam Locomotive in 1877 by the Ajmer Locomotive workshop is the only showpiece in the National Rail Museum in New Delhi to be taken care off by the staff of Ajmer locomotive.
+Skipper Kohli, who has always focussed on the endeavour to make his team the best travelling side, has been finally able to walk the talk after the disappointments in South Africa and England where poor batting let the team down during some of the defining sessions.
-The locomotive was built by a team of British engineers. It remained operational till 1938 on a route from Delhi to Ahmedabad and Delhi to Indore. Its manufacturing cost was Rs 15,369.
+In Australia however, it was a near flawless team effort from India, especially the bowling unit which has set it up for its batsmen for the better part of last year.
-The Ajmer Workshop is one of the oldest railway Workshop set up in British India, Established in 1877. This workshop continued to make locomotives till the end of Second World War and has made 436 locomotives. The locomotive painted in original black livery with bold R.M.R. inscriptions in brass requires tools for its maintenance available in Ajmer. The 38.25 tonne 0-6-0 wheel arrangement locomotive is equipped with 'Stephenson valve gear' and inside connecting rods. Prior to F-1/734, the locomotives were brought from England and assembled in Ajmer Locomotive workshop.
+While skipper Kohli hit the best hundred of the series in terms of sheer class on a difficult Perth Stadium track, the unflappable Cheteshwar Pujara (521) and the unconventional Jasprit Bumrah (21 wickets) were the heroes of the memorable 'first'.
-RK Moondra, chief workshop manager, Ajmer who is also holding the charge of the upkeep of the first locomotive of the workshop. He says, "It requires the utmost attention to save it from rust and corrode. Besides painting, we have changed plates which get damage due to rust." The biggest challenge the staff face is the unavailability of the spare parts. They have been managing by creating parts in the workshop.
+With their full focus on how to decode Kohli's genius, Australian team led by an out of depth Tim Paine realised late that Pujara has struck from the 'blind side' with his near perfect defensive technique and three hundreds.
-The F-1/734 Steam Locomotive is survival only by chance. Most of the locomotives built in the 20th century either have sold in the scrap market or have collapsed. This locomotive after its retirement was kept at pedestal on the insistence by those engineers and staff which had served their lives in its maintenance. Its original design and other documents have lost due to no provision of preserving old records in railways.
+However it was their batting that let them down and a one piece of statistic will scare the die-hard Aussie fans.
-Tarun Jain, chief public relations officer of the North Western Railway (NWR), said, "The oldest locomotive symbolizes the pride and sense of service NWR have been rendering since its inception. The NWR realizes the importance of its heritage structures and locomotives is the reason that they are undergoing many changes keeping an eye for future."
+The highest score by an Australian batsman in the just-concluded four-match series is 79 by rookie opener Marcus Harris.
-Prior to the setting up of the museum, this locomotive was kept on a pedestal outside the loco workshop at Ajmer. The building of locomotive at Ajmer was a "First" for Indian Railways. It was used on the Rajputana Malwa Railway (also known as Rajputana State Railway before 1882). It ran from Delhi to Indore and up to Ahmadabad, and later on B.B. & C.I. Railway for mixed traffic (passenger and goods).
-==Facts and myths about Indian Railways==
+Leave alone a three-figure score, none of the Australian batsman could even cross the 80-run barrier, something that legends like Ricky Ponting, Shane Warne, Mike Hussey, Ian Chappell found difficult to fathom.
-[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/indian-railways-5-myths-and-facts/articleshow/60175218.cms  Indian Railways: 5 myths and facts, Aug 22, 2017: The Times of India]
+Whether it was the awkward angles along created by Bumrah along with some incisive movements, Mohammed Shami getting it to rip on occasions, Ishant Sharma hitting the right length over after over, India never had it so good in terms of consistency in overseas conditions.
-'''HIGHLIGHTS'''
+Ravichandran Ashwin before he got injured and Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav also played their part to perfection as Indian bowlers put up relentless pressure on the home team batsmen.
-Under attack after the Utkal Express derailment, the railway ministry issued a statement emphasizing that it is not stinting on safety measures and claimed that there has been a decline in the number of train accidents during the NDA regime. Here are 5 facts shared by the ministry, which will bust your misconceptions regarding the Indian Railways.
+While young Prithvi Shaw missed out due to an ankle injury, Mayank Agarwal made most of his chances after an eternal wait for the India cap with two half centuries.
+Rishabh Pant with 350 runs and a sparkling hundred at the SCG with a record number of dismissals in an away series has now established himself as India's No 1 wicketkeeper in the Test format.
-'''Myth #1''': Number of Railways accidents and fatalities have increased under Suresh Prabhu.
+For Kohli, this series was more about his leadership choices rather than his insane batting efforts which was comparatively muted by his lofty standards.
-''Reality'': The consequential train accidents have continuously declined from 135 in 2014-15 to 107 in 2015-16 and further to 104 in 2016-17. To state a comparison, the average annual accidents during UPA I were 207 per year, during UPA II were 135 per year and during current government have reduced to 115 per year. Although every human life is invaluable and is irreparable loss to us but the number of casualties have also seen a declining trend. Total fatalities in first 3 years of UPA I were 759, they increased to 938 during UPA II, while the first three years of this government has seen the number decline to 652.
+His bowling changes were spot on and while team selection in Perth came under scanner, no one can question the intent of the Indian skipper, who has shown that he only plays to win a Test match.
-'''Myth #2''': Railways has lost focus on safety.
+No other Asian captain leave alone Indian captain has won four away Test matches in South Africa, England and Australia in a single calender year.
-''Reality'': Safety remains one of the prime concerns and priorities for the Ministry.
+While India now gear up to switch format, Kohli's biggest takeaway will be the confidence before they start their preparations for the ODI World Cup.
-. When this government took over, analysis revealed that 40 per cent of the accidents and 60 per cent of fatalities were due to accidents on Unmanned level crossings. Hence, Mission Zero Accident was launched to ensure all Unmanned level crossings were eliminated by 2019. It has seen unprecedented success, where we eliminated 4258 UMLCs in last 3 years, leading to drop in fatalities from UMLC accidents from 64 per cent of total fatalities in 2013-14 to 16.81 per cent in 2016-17.
+=====How India won a historic Test series in Australia=====
+[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/india-in-australia/india-vs-australia-how-india-won-a-historic-test-series-in-australia/articleshow/67414785.cms Amit Kumar, January 7, 2019:  ''The Times of India'']
-. State of infrastructure is an important constituent to safety performance. The infrastructure had been deteriorating due to years of neglect, which requires huge investments. Investment in safety have increased from Rs 33972 Crore per year during UPA II to Rs54031 Crore every year under this government a jump of 60 per cent.
+Continuous rain in Sydney denied India a 3-1 series victory, but it couldn’t stop captain Virat Kohli from becoming the first ever Indian captain to guide India to a Test series victory on Australian soil. Customary hand-shakes were followed by leaps, fist pumps, hugs and high-fives – all this was captured in one frame after the Border-Gavaskar trophy was handed to Kohli and his boys. India ending a 71-year-old wait to win their first Test series in Australia.
+India played their maiden Test series against Australia in 1947 and were handed a 4-0 drubbing in the five-match series. In total, India have toured Australia 12 times (including the 2018-19 tour) and finally managed to lift the Test series trophy under Kohli’s captaincy.
-. Congestion on tracks also has some impact on safety. Reduction in congestion is achieved by infrastructure upgradation which again requires huge capital expenditure. We have been working this regard also. Under this government, by the end of year we would be spending about Rs 4 lakh crore on infrastructure creation. In last 67 years since independence (1947- 2014) capital investment of Rs 4.9 lakh crore was made on Indian Railways.
+India were dominant in all three departments – batting, bowling and fielding. India’s slip cordon, which always becomes a hot topic of discussion after almost every overseas tour also played a pivotal role in the team’s historic win.
-. In 2017-18, a Fund namely 'Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh' (RRSK) has been created for financing critical safety related works. The Fund has been created with a corpus of Rs 1 lakh crore over a period of five years.
-. Decision to stop production of ICF coaches, the main stay of Indian Raiwlays Passenger Business for many years, and having no anti climbing features was taken in 2015-16.
+'''Kohli in England, Pujara in Australia'''
-. Existing stock of 40,000 ICF coaches (90 per cent of total coaches) cannot be discarded and hence is being retrofitted with CBC couplers to make them safer.
+If Kohli was the batsman to watch out for in the England tour last year, Pujara didn’t leave a single stone unturned to send the Australians on a leather hunt. The Saurashtra batsman was the highest run-getter in the four-match series with 521 runs in 7 innings at an average of 74.42, including three centuries to his name. With a highest-score of 193, Pujara signed off the series, reclaiming the tag of ‘The Indian Wall’. Pujara was awarded the Man of the Match and Man of the Series trophies.
-. New technologies like Condition based monitoring system for rolling stock and Track and Ultrasonic Broken Rail Detection System are being piloted on the network.
-'''Myth #3''': Number of vacancies in safety positions has increased recently leading to a spurt in accidents.
+'''Fantastic Bumrah'''
-''Reality'': Average vacancy in safety positions during the period 2009-10 to 2013-14 was 18.65 per cent of total sanctioned strength. This has dropped down to 16.86 per cent in 2017 despite the sanctioned strength increasing by 5 per cent from 2014 to 2017. Further, during the current government we have recruited almost 37,510 people in the safety categories taking the total staff strength to 635940 on 1.04.2017. Massive recruitments of almost 2,00,000 staff in these categories are also lined up .
+India's bowling coach Bharat Arun said Jasprit Bumrah's unconventional bowling action makes him one of the most difficult bowlers to read in the world and the unorthodox pacer proved that with an impressive show on Australian soil. Once touted as an injury-prone bowler, due to his unorthodox bowling action, Bumrah claimed 21 wickets in the 4 Tests at an average of 17.00, including one five-wicket haul.
-'''Myth #4''': Railways has been dragging its feet to implement Kakodkar Committee recommendations.
+With his second overseas century (after his first vs England), the Delhi lad has cemented his place in the Indian side in a short period of time. After Dhoni’s sudden retirement from Tests, the Indian team experimented with many options but nothing worked in their favour. Wriddhiman Saha, Parthiv Patel and Dinesh Karthik were tried, but they couldn’t do much for the team. When the opportunity knocked on the door of young Pant, the wicket-keeper batsman grabbed it with both hands. The 21-year-old finished the Test series as the second-highest run-getter, scoring 350 runs in 7 innings at an average of 58.33, including a brilliant unbeaten 159 in the Sydney Test.
-''Reality'': High Level Safety Review Committee had made 106 recommendations on various aspects of railway's working. Out of 106, 68 recommendations have been fully accepted out of which 52 have been fully implemented and 16 are under implementation. 19 recommendations were partially accepted out of which 13 have been implemented. 19 recommendations were not accepted by the Railways.
-'''Myth #5''': Railways has diverted funds to develop fancy projects like Bullet Train.
+'''Time for a new opener?'''
-''Reality'': Indian Railways has unflinching commitment to the poor and the downtrodden as can be seen by a few examples:
+Mayank Agarwal’s long wait to don the Indian Test jersey finally came to end when he was called-up for the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Agarwal was thrust into the squad following the failures of KL Rahul and Murali Vijay and the youngster had an impressive maiden outing. The Karnataka batsman scored a brilliant 76 runs off 161 balls, sorting out India's opening woes to some extent and gave India a solid platform in the Melbourne Test. The 27-year-old kept his sublime touch intact in the SCG Test as well when he scored a magnificent 77 at the SCG. In two Tests, Agarwal scored 195 runs at an average of 65.00.
-.Passenger fares are still amongst the lowest in the entire world. In fact, Indian Railways subsidises passenger and suburban travel to the tune of almost Rs 36,000 crore annually.
+====The Top Indian players====
+[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/india-in-australia/pujara-bumrah-performance-headline-indias-epic-triumph-in-australia/articleshow/67420431.cms  Pujara, Bumrah performance headline India's epic triumph in Australia, January 7, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-.Antyodaya express - fully unreserved, super-fast trains with enhanced amenities such as drinking water, vestibule trains, LHB coaches etc were launched only to cater to unreserved segment.
+[[File: The Top Indian players.jpg|The Top Indian players <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F01%2F08&entity=Ar02105&sk=74D722BD&mode=image  January 8, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-. Re 1 clinics were launched at important suburban stations
-. Indian Railways ensures availability of Janta meals at all major stations
+Cheteshwar Pujara's finest hour of glory in overseas conditions was complemented by Jasprit Bumrah's superb skill-set, the duo standing taller than the rest in India's maiden Test series win on Australian soil.
-High speed train from Mumbai to Ahmedabad is being funded by Japan government with less than 20 per cent contribution from Government of India. This money, which came at incredibly attractive terms (0.1 per cent rate of interest) was made available only for this high-speed project and was not available to fund safety projects for Indian Railways. Moreover, high speed train is the safest mode of transport in the world. Hence, the government has not diverted any funds from existing corpus.
+What made their performance more special was that they were able to overshadow even Virat Kohli, who has always stood head and shoulders above his peers in adverse conditions.
-== Tracks and Milestones ==
+Pujara, who didn't have a lot of noteworthy performances outside the sub-continent, finished with 521 runs in four Tests, which included three hundreds with a top score of 193 and an average of 74.42.
-[https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20170731-indian-railways-book-train-india-history-1025355-2017-07-24 Srinath Perur , Railways “India Today” 31/7/2017]
-The first train ride in India wasn't the celebrated Bori Bunder to Thane run of 1853; it was in 1837, on the Red Hill Railroad that operated in Chintadripet, near Chennai. So we learn from Indian Railways, whose authors met on a Railways committee and later found themselves commissioned to write an 'anecdotal history' of the Indian Railways, from the 1830s to Independence. Early debates, reproduced from archives, are particularly absorbing. Would combining irrigation and transport through waterways be more appropriate for India? Would Indians take to train travel, given their divisions? How should the railways be paid for?
+No one deserved the 'Man of the Series' award more than the dependable No. 3 from Saurashtra, whose dogged hundreds at Adelaide and Melbourne made it easy for the likes of Bumrah (21 wickets) and Mohammed Shami (16 wickets) to press home the advantage against a below-par Australian batting line-up.
-Over the next century, dozens of railway companies were formed, princely states laid their own tracks and these routes were eventually consolidated into the Indian Railways. The book runs briskly through railway gauges, the naming of locomotives, tunnels that don't meet in the middle, a double murder on a train, A.H. Wheeler and, of course, Gandhi, but slows down at times, as with an 11-page table on 'Evolution of Policies and Committees'. Written as part of a series, The Story of Indian Business, it is particularly informative and accessible on the economic history of the Indian Railways.
+Such has been Pujara's dominance, that skipper Kohli's aggregate of 282 runs paled in comparison.
-"To visualise the Indian Railways in representation has probably become more gratifying than experiencing a journey in its compartments," says Arup K. Chatterjee in The Purveyors of Destiny. The book is a profile of the railways through its appearance in culture, books, travel accounts, architecture, cinema, music, food, tea and even the texture of our nostalgia. It conjures up a rail-window view of that period of Indian history: the railways as a mark of British superiority, as a line of defence after the 1857 uprising, as a chain-pulling, fund-collecting arena for the Independence movement, as a vehicle for horrific images of Partition and then as a source of national pride. The analysis is at times heavy-handedly academic, a lot of reification and metonymy, and at times delightfully revelatory. Take the idea of the Pamban bridge, at the southernmost tip of the mainland. From 1914 to 2010, it was India's longest sea bridge, built under the British, but with Indian labour. Chatterjee says it "recapitulated the building of the Ram Setu". So, in a way, this modern bridge always existed, making it an easy national symbol.
+Top performers who led India to historic series win-Infographic-TOI
-Whoever built it, we know who rebuilt the Pamban bridge after it was washed away in 1964. It was a team led by E. Sreedharan, civil engineer, technocrat and seemingly the only person in India to finish projects on time and within budget, and now the subject of a biography by Rajendra Aklekar. The symbolic value of Pamban bridge meant that there was immense pressure to rebuild it quickly. Sreedharan was summoned from a holiday and given three months, not enough time to fabricate the steel girders required. He decided to reuse the old girders that had sunk in the sea. The efforts of local fishermen and Mapilla Khalasi boat builders and specialised equipment designed by Sreedharan saw the bridge rebuilt in 46 days.
+However, if a threadbare analysis is done on the quality of the five hundreds that Indian batsmen struck during the series, Kohli's century on a virgin Optus Stadium track, rated "average" by the International Cricket Council, was the best.
-India's Railway Man takes us through Sreedharan's other successes, the Konkan Railway, the Calcutta, Delhi and Kochi metros, and introduces us to the man and his work ethic. Aklekar is self-effacing as a biographer and readily hands over parts of the book: first-person accounts by Sreedharan; a note from his daughter; 20 pages on Sreedharan by his spiritual guru; praise and criticism by his colleagues. Like a railway compartment, the book accommodates many voices.
+Rishabh Pant, with his 159 not out did his case no harm, emerging as the second highest run-getter with 350 runs to his credit.
-=Accidents=
+One of the biggest takeaways from the series was rookie opener Mayank Agarwal (195 runs) holding his own at the biggest stage with half-centuries at the MCG and SCG.
-==2009-15==
-[[File: rail accidents in India .jpg|Rail accidents in India: 2009-March 2015, Graphic courtesy: [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com//Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=WHAT-NOT-TO-DO-IN-A-RAIL-ACCIDENT-29032015015047 ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-'''See graphic''':
+On the bowling front, Bumrah's emergence as a force to reckon with in red-ball cricket has been one of the reasons that India starts on even keel in any Test series across SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) countries.
-''Rail accidents in India: 2009-March 2015''
+Bowling from a eight-step run-up with a slinging action, Bumrah was lethal as he rocked the Aussies in their own den with raw pace and incisive movement off the pitch, creating all sorts of confusion in the minds of the batsmen.
-=Baggage allowance=
+With a workhorse like Ishant Sharma (11) and Mohammed Shami, who can every now and then produce a wicket-taking delivery, the Indian pacers accounted for 50 out of the 70 Australian wickets during the series.
-==The rules, since the 1980s==
-[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F06%2F06&entity=Ar01504&sk=27C12A04&mode=text  Mahendra Singh, Soon, excess baggage may cost train passengers dear, June 6, 2018: ''The Times of India'']
-[[File: The free Baggage allowance for passengers on Indian Railways, as in 2018.jpg|The free Baggage allowance for passengers on Indian Railways, as in 2018 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F06%2F06&entity=Ar01504&sk=27C12A04&mode=text  Mahendra Singh, Soon, excess baggage may cost train passengers dear, June 6, 2018: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
+Ravindra Jadeja came back for the last two Test matches of the series, picking seven wickets and scoring a half-century, again giving proof of his all-round utility.
-Just like air travel, carrying excess luggage while travelling in trains is going to cost passengers dear as they may have to pay a hefty penalty with the railway board deciding to strictly enforce it’s around 30-year-old baggage allowance norm.
+Wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav shrugged off the disappointment of his inauspicious performance at the Lord's during the England series, with a maiden five-for outside India, prompting coach Ravi Shastri to call him a serious option for Test matches in all conditions.
-The board has decided to run a campaign to implement the rule after getting numerous complaints regarding excess baggage in train compartments causing inconvenience to travellers.
+Mayank and Kuldeep's emergence as potent Test weapons could certainly be ominous signs for the Tamil Nadu duo of Murali Vijay and Ravichandran Ashwin.
-Travellers are allowed to carry luggage beyond the free allowance with them in the compartment up to the maximum limit prescribed as per class on payment of charge at 1.5 times of luggage rate. The excess luggage would have to be put in the luggage van. However, a penalty which would be six times the luggage rate will be imposed in case of non-disclosure of extra luggage by the passenger. Officials said railways will carry out random checks on passengers.
+While skipper Kohli made it clear that Ashwin's regular fitness breakdowns in foreign conditions is a cause for concern but the burly off-spinner will still be a handful when India start playing in familiar terrains at the end of this year.
-The transporter has launched a special drive (June 1-6) across all its zones to enforce the rules. “As of now, we are creating awareness among passengers and not imposing fines. Passengers are allowed to book and carry excess luggage on the payment of a fee equivalent to 1.5 times the luggage rate,” said Ved Prakash, director, information and publicity, railway board.
+But it could well be the end of the road for Vijay, a veteran of 61 Tests and nearing 35 years of age.
-Though the move is aimed at ensuring comfortable journey, it may further dent the image of the transporter, already under criticism due to train delays.
+After a nightmarish series in England, Australia was no better for the right-hander, who till 2017 was India's most technically accomplished opener.
-=Budget and finances: Railways =
+With only 49 runs in four innings, Mayank playing a stellar hand and Prithvi Shaw waiting in the wings, it is bad news for Vijay.
-==2007-10: Discrepancies in railways’ net revenue surplus==
-Mahendra Kumar Singh TNN  The Times of India, Aug 6, 2011
+KL Rahul, with 57 runs from five innings, has also had an extended run of bad patch but age is on his side and the talent is unquestionable.
+One of the batsmen who have had modest returns is vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, who scored 217 runs in four games at an average of 31, with two half-centuries.
-Former rail minister Lalu Prasad’s turnaround of railways from a loss-making to a profit venture was more of a cosmetic exercise, reveals the government auditor’s report.
+While his place may not be under imminent threat, Hanuma Vihari's gritty show and ability to bowl occasional off-breaks would force the Mumbaikar to keep his guard up.
-According to CAG, it was the new practice of issuing a “statement of cash and investible surplus” that helped Lalu project a rosy picture. The auditor has said the innovation helped the former railway minister project a “cash and investible surplus” of Rs 88,669 crore from 2004-2005 to 2008-2009 when the net revenue surplus was only Rs 34,506 crore.
+====What worked for India ====
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F01%2F08&entity=Ar02106&sk=DC4AB72F&mode=text  January 8, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-Railways calculated the net revenue surplus after meeting all expenditures, including payment of dividend and appropriation to depreciation reserve fund (DRF) used for renewal or replacement of existing assets.
-The ‘cash surplus’ in new presentation indicated the sum generated by railways from operations and other activities, including the interest on fund balance. It shows the money available for paying dividend, appropriation to DRF and other funds for investment. The “investible surplus” was expected to indicate the resources generated annually for capital expenditure after fulfilling the dividend liability.
+'''1 INDIA’S SRI LANKAN IMPORT'''
-CAG endorsed the white paper presented by Lalu’s successor Mamata Banerjee in Parliament, which questioned the turnaround story, and pointed out, “this was not accounting change but more in nature of presentation of financial projections from different perspective.”
+The temporary hiring of former Sri Lankan first-class cricketer Nuwan Seneviratne as a left-arm throwdown specialist — the opposite number of right-arm throwdown specialist Raghu — proved to be a shot in the arm for the team. Initially hired to help the One-day team to counter the Pakistan attack at the Asia Cup, Seneviratne travelled to Australia with a one-point responsibility — help India prepare against Mitchell Starc who finished his series without a single fifer.
-However, the railways’ finances became worse during Mamata’s tenure as the net revenue surplus saw a sharp decline from Rs 13,431 crore in 2007-08 to Rs 4,457 crore in 2008-09 to a paltry Rs 75 lakh in 2009-10.
+'''2 ‘CHE’ GETS HIS SPACE'''
-Though, CAG mentioned that the poor state of affairs was due to the implementation of the sixth pay commission, which was Rs 37,472 crore during 2008-10, it also blamed the lower growth rate in traffic receipts and increase in working expense.
+Ahead of the series, as India prepared to get their batting order right, a team meeting was called to take stock of the options at hand. Prithvi Shaw had been ruled out and India found themselves one step forward, two steps back. Skipper Kohli and coach Shastri then handed the task of seeing off the shine to Cheteshwar Pujara. “Just go out there and meditate. You’ll have to be the last batsman getting out. Runs are secondary. Play time,” is what Shastri said and Pujara did what he does best — facing a total of 1258 deliveries for his 521 runs, a good 52.4 overs per Test.
-“During 2009-10, the gross traffic receipt increased by 9%, whereas ordinary working expense grew by 21% over the previous year,” the report cited. Railways efficiency measured by operating ratio (percentage of working expenses to traffic earnings) declined to 95.28% in 2009-10 from 90.46% achieved in the previous year.
+'''3 MAYANK’S LONG-AWAITED DEBUT'''
-Out of 16 zonal railways, eight had operating ratio of more than 100%, which means that their working expenditure was more than traffic earnings. The report reflects that the performance of the railways declined marginally during the last leg of Lalu’s tenure and further worsened when Mamata was at its helm.
+Following India’s win, Ravi Shastri ‘thanked the media for its support’ and no one could miss the sarcasm in his tone.
-==Exclusive Railway budgeting to end in 2017==
+But if it was not for the media questioning Mayank Agarwal’s non-inclusion at every step, it could have been a different story. Agarwal finally got his moment under the sun when India had no choice after KL Rahul and Murali Vijay kept flopping. Agarwal became the first Indian opener to get a half-century on debut in Australia.
-[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Railway-budgets-92-year-old-journey-set-to-end-in-2017/articleshow/53678416.cms ''The Times of India''], Aug 13, 2016
-Mahendra Singh
+'''4 BHARAT ARUN, 12TH MAN!'''
-There will be no separate railway budget from financial year 2017-18, putting an end to a practice that started in 1924, with the finance ministry agreeing to the proposal to merge the transporter's annual exercise with the general budget.
+The bowling coach, who has worked behind the scenes for a full year now, hardly sat in the dressing room during the last two Tests. Constantly talking to the pacers fielding in the deep, Arun ensured the bowlers got enough feedback on how the spells were going. Chats to pump up the adrenaline, a ringside view of the wicket and a lowdown of the Aussie batting order came in handy as India’s pace attack — for the first time — looked more threatening than Australia’s on Australian soil.
-Government sources told that the finance ministry has constituted a five-member committee of officers to work out the modalities for the exercise, which will end the annual budget speech+ , often followed closely for project announcements, by the railway minister. The move is significant as in recent years, particularly since coalition governments post-1996, political heavyweights have used the railway budget to hand out goodies and for their own image building. With the railway portfolio often held by regional biggies, the budget reflected political priorities of the incumbent. The railway bureaucracy has also dug in its heels in the past.
-Railway minister Suresh Prabhu+ 's readiness to give up the limelight is a break from the past as BJP seems in a position to dump the railway budget as its solid majority in Lok Sabha enabled it to retain the portfolio rather than handing it to an ally.
+'''5 JADEJA, THE ‘CAPABLE’ ALL-ROUNDER'''
-Once the rail budget is merged with the general budget, railways will be like any other government department that receives budgetary support but comes under the finance ministry's oversight as far as spending and earnings are concerned.
+The thinktank didn’t quite trust his services on a juicy Perth deck, on which Nathan Lyon picked a bagful of wickets. But come the next Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the ever-capable Ravindra Jadeja sprang into action, from picking up crucial wickets to scoring utility half-centuries, throwing in from the deep and bringing a great amount of positive energy to the side. A five-wicket haul in Melbourne and a half-century in Sydney – the all-rounder was back in his elements. The sword dance in Sydney after completing his half-century seemed well-deserved.
-Once the overall funds are allocated, railways will then segregate them for various purposes with sources indicating that the model will be similar to the one for the postal department.
+==ODIs==
+[[File: Indian batsmen with 1,000 runs or more in ODIs in Australia- Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne- 2019.jpg|Indian batsmen with 1,000 runs or more in ODIs in Australia- Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne: 2019 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F01%2F19&entity=Ar03101&sk=DF4B8A35&mode=image  January 19, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-=Bridges=
+[[File: MS Dhoni's average over 2009-19; highest average in successful chases- MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers.jpg|MS Dhoni's average over 2009-19; highest average in successful chases- MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F01%2F19&entity=Ar03101&sk=DF4B8A35&mode=image  January 19, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-== ‘British-era bridges were better:’ parliamentary panel, 2018==
-[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F02%2F10&entity=Ar02107&sk=EA93D8C8&mode=text  British-era bridges were better: Panel, February 10, 2018:  ''The Times of India'']
+'''See graphics''':
-In a stinging remark, a parliamentary panel has said some British-era rail bridges are in a better condition than the ones built after Independence and blamed the nexus between officials and contractors for the poor quality of construction.
+''Indian batsmen with 1,000 runs or more in ODIs in Australia- Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne: 2019''
-The Public Accounts Committee headed by Congress’ Mallikarjun Kharge, who was railway minister during the UPA-II regime, said delay in sanctioning bridgework is putting lives of passengers at risk. “The committee noted that while certain railway bridges constructed during the British rule are in good condition, railway bridges constructed or reconstructed after Independence are of inferior quality and need frequent repair,” said the report ‘Maintenance of Bridges in Indian Railway’ tabled in Parliament.
+''MS Dhoni's average over 2009-19; highest average in successful chases- MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers''
-It added, “Nexus between railway officials and few contractors affect the quality and life of its construction.”
-The panel suggested that tender for construction or rehabilitation of bridges be done through e-tendering so as to make the system transparent and attract large number of reputed and competent construction companies in the tendering process.
+===Sydney: Australia wins===
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F01%2F13&entity=Ar02401&sk=5C7A0700&mode=text  January 13, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-It also said companies or contractors who fail to ensure quality and long life of bridges be debarred from participating in future tenders and penalised for it.
+[[File: Scoreboard, ODIs-Sydney, India vs Australia, 2019.jpg|Scoreboard, ODIs-Sydney, India vs Australia, 2019 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F01%2F13&entity=Ar02401&sk=5C7A0700&mode=text  January 13, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-The committee expressed shock that out of the 3,979 bridges sanctioned by the Railway Board, work on 710 bridges remains to be completed as on March 2015.
-According to a Railway Board letter in October 2017, the Central Railways has 61 bridges that need repair, East Central Railways has 63, South Central Railways has 41 and Western Railways has 42 bridges requiring rebuilding.
+''ROHIT CENTURY IN VAIN AS OZ SEAMERS ENSURE 34-RUN DEFEAT FOR INDIA IN FIRST ODI''
-The committee noted that while paucity of funds was cited as a reason for shortfall in achievement of targets for bridgeworks, the budget grant provided was not utilised to the tune of nearly Rs 61 crore per annum.
+Paceman Jhye Richardson took 4/26 as Australia finally gave their fans something to smile about with a 34-run victory over India in the first ODI on Saturday despite a magnificent 133 from Rohit Sharma. It was only Australia’s fourth win in 20 ODIs going back to June 2017. The home batsmen, spearheaded by Peter Handscomb’s 73, posted a competitive 288/5 off their 50 overs and when India stumbled to 4/3 inside four overs, it looked like being a rout.
-“The committee has desired that a strategic management system be developed for fast tracking sanction of rehabilitation or reconstruction of bridges within a time frame based on priority for safety,” the report stated.
+Rohit, who missed the final Test to go home for the birth of his first child, celebrated his return to the tour with a 138-run partnership with MS Dhoni (51) to get the innings back on track, however, and while he was batting, India had a chance.
-= Cash boxes=
+Left-arm finger spinner Kuldeep Yadav was the pick of the Indian bowlers with 2-54 but it was the Australian seamers who were to leave the most decisive mark on the contest. Debutant Jason Behrendorff removed Shikhar Dhawan in the first over and Richardson drove home the advantage by sending Virat Kohli and Ambati Rayudu back inside three balls.
-==Kakori and other history==
-[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F09%2F08&entity=Ar01312&sk=07280823&mode=text  Urooj Khan, Rly’s British-era cash boxes of Kakori fame to become history, September 8, 2018: ''The Times of India'']
-[[File: The cast iron boxes will be put on display at the rail museum.jpg|The cast iron boxes will be put on display at the rail museum <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F09%2F08&entity=Ar01312&sk=07280823&mode=text  Urooj Khan, Rly’s British-era cash boxes of Kakori fame to become history, September 8, 2018: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
+Rohit, though, would not be cowed and he clubbed a huge six — one of six in his 129-ball innings — high into the member’s stand to move into the seventies before reaching the hundred mark for the 22nd time with two runs behind square. His celebration of a seventh ton against Australia was subdued as there was still plenty of work to do and once he holed out to Glenn Maxwell in the deep off Stoinis, the match was effectively over. Richardson also removed Ravindra Jadeja and Dinesh Karthik for his best bowling figures in ODIs and the tourists finished on 254-9.
-The iconic cast iron cash boxes used by the Railways to ferry daily revenue for nearly a century are soon set to become history. The use of the heavy boxes, painted orange, in vogue for the past 93 years, will be discontinued from September 15 in Northern Railway’s Lucknow division.
+“I’m very pleased,” said Finch. “The youngster Jhye is full of confidence and he’s got some pace.”
-The division on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding with the State Bank of India for collection by cash van and subsequent online transfer to the divisional headquarters.
+“We’re not very pleased with the way we played,” said Kohli. “That wicket was about 300-plus par. Rohit played outstandingly well and MS supported him but I thought we could have done better with the tempo of the game and we fell short.” The series resumes in Adelaide.
-The cast iron boxes, once looted by revolutionaries Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaq Ullah Khan and their associates in Kakori, will be put on display at the rail museum.
+===Adelaide: India won===
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F01%2F16&entity=Ar02509&sk=6849C3D3&mode=text  January 16, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-British officials used to collect daily revenue from various railway stations of the then United Provinces for government treasury. The money was then dispatched to the divisional office in the heavy, highly secure cash boxes.
+[[File: Scoreboard, ODIs- Adelaide, India vs Australia, 2019.jpg|Scoreboard, ODIs- Adelaide, India vs Australia, 2019 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F01%2F16&entity=Ar02509&sk=6849C3D3&mode=text  January 16, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-During one such journey on August 9, 1925, when a train from Saharanpur to Lucknow neared Kakori station, Khan, Bismil, Thakur Roshan Singh, Sachindra Bakshi and their associates pulled the chain and looted the money which was then used to buy arms for freedom fighters. The box had Rs 4,600 in a leather bag. The daring robbery was organised by Hindustan Republican Association.
+Just like old times, MS Dhoni pulled off a tight finish for India to silence his critics after captain Virat Kohli laid the foundation for a series-levelling six-wicket win against Australia with his 39th ODI hundred here on Tuesday. Chase master Kohli could not take his team to the finishing line this time but Dhoni (55 off 54) and Dinesh Karthik (25 off 14) rose to the occasion with an unbeaten 57-run stand off 34 balls, taking India home with four balls to spare. Australia scored 298-8 after opting to bat.
-=Cleanest trains=
+Man of the match Kohli was dismissed in the 44th over after making 104 off 112 balls with five fours and two sixes. Dhoni, who has been coping a lot of criticism for his waning finishing skills, turned back the clock and took India past the finish line with a final over six.
-==2018: Shatabdis cleanest premium trains, Durontos worst==
-[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F01%2F20&entity=Ar01707&sk=DD72099B&mode=text  Dipak Dash, January 20, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-[[File: Ranking of Premium Trains- best 3 and worst 3; Ranking of non-premium trains-best 3 and worst 3- 2018.jpg|Ranking of Premium Trains- best 3 and worst 3; Ranking of non-premium trains-best 3 and worst 3- 2018 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F01%2F20&entity=Ar01707&sk=DD72099B&mode=text  Dipak Dash, January 20, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
+The third and final ODI will be played in Melbourne.
+India got off to a frenetic start with Shikhar Dhawan hitting five boundaries in his 28-ball 32. He put on 47 runs for the opening wicket with Rohit Sharma (43). The latter had another strong outing, adding 54 runs with Kohli for the second wicket as India crossed 100 in the 18th over. But just when things were going smoothly, he mishit a pull off Marcus Stoinis (1-46) to be caught in the deep.
-Three Shatabdi trains, including Pune-Secunderabad and Howrah-Ranchi, are the cleanest among 77 premium trains that were surveyed last year by railways while three Duronto trains finished last. Among 23 Rajdhani trains, Mumbai-New Delhi Rajdhani was ranked the cleanest while New Delhi-Dibrugarh was at the bottom.
+Ambati Rayudu (24) then came to the crease, and while he added 59 runs with Kohli for the third wicket, it was obvious that the number four batsman struggled for timing.
-The ‘Train Cleanliness Survey 2018’, covering 210 trains categorised premium and non-premium, indicate passengers rating all trains poorly on two parameters — cleanliness of toilets and inadequate cleaning of coaches. The survey results, which included feedback of over 15,000 passengers, has not been made public so far while the ranking of stations on Swachhta parameters have been publicised by the government. Railway ministry spokesperson said the report was not published since there were some issues with the modalities of the survey and it is being reworked.
+Kohli, meanwhile, was in cruise mode, rotating strike and picking the odd boundary with ease as he reached fifty in 66 balls. The star batsman stayed in the same mode as the asking rate climbed. But it was Rayudu who tried attacking the bowling and perished instead, caught in the deep off Glenn Maxwell (1-16) in the 31st over.
-This was the first such survey by the environment and housekeeping management wing of railways. The assessment methodology included process audit, direct observation and passenger feedback. Passenger feedback was aimed at assessing the perception on a scale of zero to five and this included cleanliness of toilets, working of housekeeping staff, cleanliness of bed rolls, effectiveness of pest management, availability and cleanliness dustbins.
+Dhoni then joined Kohli, and the duo put on 82 runs for the fourth wicket, with clever rotation of strike as India crossed 200 in the 37th over to keep pace with the asking rate. Kohli changed gears as he hit two immaculate sixes through pure timing, and reached his hundred off 108 balls. It was his sixth ODI hundred against Australia.
-Admitting that cleanliness of toilets in train is the most difficult task, an official said on an average each toilet is used 60 times in a day. In the Shatabdi trains category, passenger feedback was on average 243 primarily on the parameters of “cleanliness of toilets”. In the case of Duronto trains, passengers gave it a low score of 207 for the same reason.
+The turning point came in the 44th over though, when Australia masterminded Kohli’s dismissal through some clever field placement in the deep. He holed out to Maxwell off Jhye Richardson (1-59).
-=Comparison with other countries' railways=
+Dhoni then took over and put on a match-winning partnership with Karthik. In doing so, he turned back the clock to lead India to a tense finish, and completed his second consecutive halfcentury in as many matches, 69th overall, off 53 balls.
-==1952, 2001, 2012/ China==
-[[File:How Indian Railways fell behind railways in China, 1952, 2001, 2012.jpg|How Indian Railways fell behind railways in China, 1952, 2001, 2012; <br/> Source: [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Gallery.aspx?id=02_02_2017_010_029_002&type=P&artUrl=INDIAN-RAILWAYS-IS-FIGHTING-THREE-LOSING-BATTLES-02022017010029&eid=31808 ''The Times of India''], Feb 2, 2017|frame|500px]]
-'''See graphic''':
+The veteran’s running between the wickets, laced with two sixes as the only boundaries, finished things off in style for India. Earlier, Shaun Marsh scored his seventh ODI hundred to take Australia to a challenging total. Marsh arrived at the crease at 26-2 and scored 131 runs and added 94 runs off 65 balls with Glenn Maxwell (48 off 37 balls).
-''How Indian Railways fell behind railways in China, 1952, 2001, 2012''
+India brought in debutant Mohammed Siraj in place of Khaleel Ahmed. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (4-45) and Mohammed Shami (3-58) exerted themselves on proceedings with the new ball, and didn’t let the Australian openers get away quickly.
-=Crime on Indian Railways=
+/4
-==Luggage thefts==
-=== Railways has to pay for luggage thefts===
-[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F07%2F19&entity=Ar01318&sk=F7806CC5&mode=text  AmitAnand Choudhary, July 19, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
+India’s total is the second highest successful ODI chase by a team in Adelaide, behind the 303/9 by Sri Lanka vs England on Jan 23, 1999.
-The railways cannot shrug off its responsibility of ensuring safety of luggage of travellers in trains and is liable to pay compensation if it is stolen irrespective of the class of travel, the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has said.
+/45
-The Commission rejected the plea of railways which contended that it is not liable to provide any security for luggage in the general compartment as compared to the the reserved ones. A bench headed by Prem Narain brushed aside the contention that the passengers in general class are supposed to take care of their own luggage.
+Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s figures, his best ODI bowling performance vs Australia. This is his first four-wicket haul in SENA countries (SA, Eng, NZ and Aus) in ODIs.
-The bench directed the railways to pay compensation of Rs 3,000 to a Bihar resident who had lost his baggage while travelling in general class, with interest at the rate of 6% per year from 2004 when the incident took place. The luggage of Kamal Narain Roy was stolen when the compartment was was dark after the engine was detached from the train.
+===Melbourne: India wins ODI and ODI series===
+[[File: Melbourne- India won the ODI (and ODI series) against Australia.jpg|Melbourne:  India won the ODI (and ODI series) against Australia <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F01%2F19&entity=Ar00714&sk=6A20EB93&mode=image  January 19, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-==2011-14==
-[[File: crime on indian railways.jpg| Crime on Indian Railways: 2011-14, year-wise|frame|500px]]
 '''See graphic''':
-''Crime on Indian Railways: 2011-14, year-wise''
+''Melbourne- India won the ODI (and ODI series) against Australia''
-[[Category:Economy-Industry-Resources|RRAILWAYS, INDIA: 1RAILWAYS, INDIA: 1
+Australia tour
-RAILWAYS, INDIA: 1]]
+==Commentaries==
-[[Category:Government|RRAILWAYS, INDIA: 1RAILWAYS, INDIA: 1
+=== Kohli's on-field antics angered Langer ===
-RAILWAYS, INDIA: 1]]
+[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/news/when-virat-kohlis-aggressive-celebrations-during-2018-19-tour-made-justin-langer-feel-like-a-punching-bag/articleshow/74688981.cms  When Virat Kohli's aggressive celebrations during 2018-19 tour made Justin Langer feel like a punching bag, March 18, 2020: ''The Times of India'']
-[[Category:India|RRAILWAYS, INDIA: 1RAILWAYS, INDIA: 1
-RAILWAYS, INDIA: 1]]
-[[Category:Pages with broken file links|RAILWAYS, INDIA: 1]]
-=Crossings (level railway crossings)=
+NEW DELHI: Australian coach Justin Langer has revealed that he felt like a "punching bag" after Virat Kohli's aggressive celebrations during India's 2018-19 tour while also calling out the "double standards" when it comes to sledging in cricket.
-==Elimination of perilous crossings==
-[[File: The number of unmanned railway crossings eliminated, year-wise, 2014-18.jpg|The number of unmanned railway crossings eliminated, year-wise, 2014-18 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F04%2F29&entity=Ar01312&sk=76A8268C&mode=text Mahendra Singh, April 29, 2018: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-'''See graphic''':
+India, led by Kohli, enjoyed an unprecedented summer Down Under, winning the Border Gavaskar Trophy 3-1, their first-ever Test series win on the Australian soil. It was followed by a 2-1 victory in the ODIs, while the T20 series ended in a 1-1 draw.
-''The number of unmanned railway crossings eliminated, year-wise, 2014-18''
+During the series, Australia, who were determined to patch up their severely dented image in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal, had decided to not engage with the Indian captain verbally during the series.
-==Isro: Trial of sat-based warning system - satisfactory==
+However, Kohli's on-field antics angered Langer but he could not be expressive about it.
-[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F05%2F28&entity=Ar01110&sk=97D1578C&mode=text  Surendra Singh, Isro: Trial of sat-based warning system at unmanned rly crossings satisfactory, May 28, 2018: ''The Times of India'']
-[[File: Satellite eye on unmanned crossings.jpg|Satellite eye on unmanned crossings <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F05%2F28&entity=Ar01110&sk=97D1578C&mode=text  Surendra Singh, Isro: Trial of sat-based warning system at unmanned rly crossings satisfactory, May 28, 2018: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
+"I remember that afternoon (feeling) like a punching bag. We can't fight back because it felt like we had our hands behind our backs and we just had to take it," Langer said in Amazon's recently released docu-series titled 'The Test'.
-The trial of a satellite-based early warning system about approaching trains at unmanned level crossings has been completed by the railways, a top official of Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) said.
+"You must be feeling the double standards the way their captain is carrying on and we sort of have to be careful. Imagine if we behaved two out of ten (of) that," he said.
-Speaking to TOI, Ahmedabadbased Space Applications Centre (SAC) director Tapan Misra said, “The one-year phase-1 trial of the satellite-based early warning system is over. Its performance has been satisfactory.” Under a pilot project, the railways had last year installed Isro-developed integrated circuit (IC) chips on some train engines. The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (or NaVIC) was used to caution road users at crossings about approaching trains through hooters installed at these crossings. On its efficiency, Misra said, “The satellite-based technology was tested under different terrains and tough climatic conditions throughout the year. Its smooth functioning shows it is an all-weather system.”
+Langer asked his players to take on Kohli but warned the hosts not to cross the line between banter and abuse.
-TOI first reported about the pilot project in November 2017 as how the railways had installed IC chips on five train engines on different routes. The test has been going on since June 2017 to check if the system is reliable. Misra said, “After developing the system, we transferred the hardware technology to four companies for limited production for the pilot project.”
+"There is a difference between abuse and banter. There is no room for abuse. We don't need to abuse him but there is banter where you stick up for your mate."
-Research Designs & Standards Organisation (RDSO), R&D wing of the railways, submitted its report to the Railway Board after the trial concluded. RDSO, in its report, said though the Isro technology has worked satisfactorily, it wants certain modifications before its rollout. Moreover, the railways has to sort out issues of vandalism and theft of the system first. There are about 5,792 unmanned crossings till date, which account for 40% of railways accidents.
+On day four of the second Test at Perth, Kohli and his Australian counterpart Tim Paine were involved in a verbal spat. That was time Paine thought he had enough.
-==2018: 3,000 unmanned crossings eliminated in 7 months==
+"I sort of just had enough and thought you also have to stand up for yourself and your teammates and that was one of the reasons I thought, 'no, I'm the captain, it's my turn, I have to stand up and show him we're here for the fight'," Paine said.
-[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F11%2F03&entity=Ar02421&sk=4D27E43B&mode=text  Rlys eliminates 3k unmanned crossings in 7 mths, just 77 left, November 3, 2018: ''The Times of India'']
-[[File: Progress of elimination of crossings, 2009-18; Accidents at unmanned level crossings, 2009-18.jpg|Progress of elimination of crossings, 2009-18; <br/> Accidents at unmanned level crossings, 2009-18 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F11%2F03&entity=Ar02421&sk=4D27E43B&mode=text  Rlys eliminates 3k unmanned crossings in 7 mths, just 77 left, November 3, 2018: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
+Paine was at the receiving end just after he had gone out to bat. "If he messes it up, it's 2-0. Who's gonna talk then?" Kohli was caught saying by the stump microphones.
-The railways have eliminated a large number of unmanned level crossings over broad gauge lines as it stepped up its drive to enhance safety across the network.
+Paine did not hold himself back and replied "You've got to bat first, big head”.
-Latest data showed that 3,402 unmanned level crossings had been eliminated in the last seven months. There were 3,479 unmanned crossing and the state-run transport behemoth plans to get rid of the remaining 77 by the end of December.
+=Bangladesh series=
+==Delhi T20I: Bangladesh beat India ==
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL/2019/11/04&entity=Ar02712&sk=A2CF4DCF&mode=text  Partha Bhaduri , Nov 4, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-By the elimination of unamanned crossings on war footing, accidents have reduced from 65 in 2009-10 to 3 in 2018-19.
+[[File: Scoreboard, T20Is- New Delhi, India vs Bangladesh, 2019.jpg|Scoreboard, T20Is- New Delhi, India vs Bangladesh, 2019 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL/2019/11/04&entity=Ar02712&sk=A2CF4DCF&mode=text  Partha Bhaduri , Nov 4, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-“Indian Railway has taken a mission area to eliminate all unmanned level crossings (UMLCs) on broad gauge and special efforts have been made so that elimination can be completed at the earliest,” a statement from the state transporter said. It said most of the unmanned level crossings have been eliminated either by building a subway, road over bridges or by posting personnel to man the gate.
+Eventually, this battle of two young teams was always going to be decided by the experienced hands. Bangladesh’s senior batsmen stood up to be counted, India’s did not. As if to slam home the point, captain Mahmudullah slammed a six off debutant Shivam Dube in the last over to give Bangladesh a very impressive seven-wicket win.
-It also said all unmanned level crossings on routes where speed is over 130 km per hour and on sub-urban routes have been eliminated. The elimination of ULMCs have been undertaken in 12 zonal railways and all of them are now free from unmanned level crossings.
+India got the situations they had been craving for but they did not have the personnel for it. Bangladesh bowled better, planned better and executed better and now have a 1-0 lead in the series. Comments from their skipper and batting coach in the days leading up to this game suggested India were waiting for just the sort of T20 trial that they got at the Ferozeshah Kotla.
-The railways have been working on a plan to advance the deadline of March 2020 to eliminate unmanned railways crossings from its network.
+First, be forced to bat first on a slowish pitch on which you would rather set a target. India have, after all, been better at chasing targets then setting them. And secondly, see if your inexperienced bowling lineup, hopefully aided by a bit of canny captaincy, could successfully defend, in the dew, a fair-to-middling total against a Bangladesh team in flux.
-==2018>2019: unmanned level crossings eliminated==
+Unfortunately, India failed to add the X-factor on both counts, ensuring the first win for Bangladesh in nine T20Is against India.
-[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F02%2F03&entity=Ar00104&sk=4BE594E0&mode=text  How Rlys put men at 11 level crossings a day, February 3, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
+In the largely young team missing two senior players in Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim (60 not out of 43) and Soumya Sarkar (39 off 35) knew their presence would be of vital importance in the chase of 149, and their 60-run partnership off 55 balls gave Bangladesh a glimpse of the possibilities.
-[[File: This graphic perhaps indicates the number of unmanned level crossings eliminated every year, 2009-18.jpg|This graphic perhaps indicates the number of unmanned level crossings eliminated every year, 2009-18 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F02%2F03&entity=Ar00104&sk=4BE594E0&mode=text  How Rlys put men at 11 level crossings a day, February 3, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
+In the last five overs, with Bangladesh needing 50 with these two at the crease, it was poised either way. The lofted strokes were unfurled in a bit to get a move on. Then, with 35 needed off 19, Khaleel produced a dream slower delivery, clattering Sarkar’s stumps as the batsman attempted in vain to work it to the point region. Suddenly, it seemed India were still in the game, but Mushfiqur would have none of it, and India’s nerves would fail.
-Indian railways did away with at least 11of its thousands of unmanned level crossings every day during the past 10 months to eliminate these death traps, reports Dipak Dash.
+First, Krunal Pandya, hero with the bat in the dying moments when Indian batted, had an ordinary time in the field, dropping Mushfiqur in the 18th over at the deep midwicket boundary, just after the batsman had clattered Chahal for four. That over yielded 13, and then Mushfiqur sealed the deal, improvising four consecutive boundaries off Khaleel – off a short cutter, a fuller ball, a low full toss and one outside off. Mushfiqur stayed back and pulled, he scooped one fine, he drove and he even managed to edge one to the backward point fence. Bangladesh needed just four off the last over, and they got it with three balls to spare.
-The last such crossing on broad-gauge lines was converted into a gated one in Allahabad on Thursday, the same day railway minister Piyush Goyal confirmed in his budget speech that these unmanned crossings were a thing of the past.
+Before the washed-out first T20I against South Africa in Dharamshala, regular skipper Virat Kohli had harped on the importance of clipping India’s long tail. Enter Krunal and Washington Sundar, who gave India’s batting some impetus in the dying overs, pulverizing 30 runs off the last two, including 16 off the last, to boost the total to 148 after a sluggish start.
-‘2018 school van accident put manned crossing project on a war footing’
+The Bangladesh off-spinners kept a lid on things in the middle, and the early fall of Rohit Sharma set the tone for India’s innings. Shikhar Dhawan had the right ideas, bat long on this pitch, but he let the innings sag a bit with his 42-ball 41. Neither Shreyas nor Pant could carry on till the end to give the bowlers more of a defendable total, and the spin lineup lacked the killer punch.
-According to railway ministry officials, an accident on April 16, 2018 involving a school van at such a crossing on Kaptanganj-Thawe section in UP that claimed 13 lives was the turning point for putting the focus on quickly doing away with these crossings.
+As it stands, India’s combination for next year’s T20 World Cup remains at an embryonic stage.
-“The ministry had told the Parliament these crossings would be a thing of past by March 2020. But work on a war footing was undertaken to complete the task earlier after the accident,” said an official. The number of accidents at unmanned level crossings has been at an all-time low at only three during this fiscal as compared to 65 in 2009-10.
-Sources said in most of the cases either mechanised or manual system of operating gates have been operationalised to stop vehicles from crossing the tracks when trains go past these spots. They added at some crossing, they have route relay interlocking system where the rail traffic flow is higher.
+= India’s 2019 tour of the West Indies=
+==T20Is==
+=== Lauderhill: India beat the West Indies===
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F08%2F04&entity=Ar02300&sk=7982D2A3&mode=text  August 4, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-Officials said the railways had zeroed down on four models to eliminate the crossings including merger with another level crossing by constructing diversion road, construction of subway or rail under bridge and manning. The last option was found to be most cost effective and less time taking. Building rail under and over bridges often require land acquisition and other permissions.
-“At all manned crossings, the attendants have been deployed who work in shifts and they have been trained properly for the operational responsibilities. The activities involved in manning were provision of gate hut/porta cabins, lifting barrier/ swing gates, telephones and preparation of engineering plan to name a few,” a railway spokesperson said.
+India made heavy weather of a modest run chase after debutant pacer Navdeep Saini led an impressive bowling display but still managed to beat West Indies by four wickets in their first T20 International match here on Saturday. Chasing 96 for a win, India huffed and puffed before reaching the target with 2.4 overs to spare. None of the batsmen contributed big with opener Rohit Sharma top-scoring with 24 while captain Virat Kohli and Manish Pandey making 19 each.
-He added for timely elimination of UMLCs all general managers were empowered to take decision such as tendering system, grant traffic blocks, speed restriction, sanction of work and technical decisions regarding manning and interlocking.
+Man of the Match Saini claimed three wickets for 17 while Bhuvneshwar Kumar took two wickets to restrict West Indies to 95 for 9 after they were put in to bat.
-Moreover, railways deployed ex-servicemen after proper training. “Till removal of all UMLCs, Gate Mitras were deployed at all these spots to counsel the road users,” said an official.
+India struggled in their run chase too, and they were reduced to 32 for 2 in the seventh over with opener Shikhar Dhawan (1) and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant (0) dismissed cheaply. Rohit’s 24 came from 25 deliveries with the help of two fours and two sixes on a pitch which was
+not easy to bat on.
-Railway minister Piyush Goyal on Friday had said safety remains the primary focus of the national transporter.
+Veteran off-spinner Sunil Narine (2/14) did not allow India to get off to a good start by removing Rohit and Pant in consecutive deliveries in the seventh over. Pant was out the first ball he faced while playing an irresponsible shot.
-=‘Encroachments’ on railways’ land=
+Manish Pandey was out in the 12th over and Kohli followed him two overs later as India found themselves in a spot of bother at 69 for 5 in the 14th over with 27 runs still needed.
-==2015-16==
-[[File: Railway land under encroachment, 2015-16.jpg| Railway land under encroachment, 2015-16; Graphic courtesy: [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com//Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=STATOISTICS-WHY-SLUM-DWELLERS-LOVE-INDIAN-RAILWAYS-08032016008011 ''The Times of India''], March 9, 2016|frame|500px]]
-'''See graphic''':
+Krunal Pandya (12) added 19 runs with Ravindra Jadeja (10 not out) before he was out in the 16th over. But the target proved too small in the end as Washington Sundar (8 not out) hit a six to take India to 98 for 6 to wrap it up the match in 17.2 overs.
-''Railway land under encroachment, 2015-16''
+Earlier, Saini claimed three wickets in an impressive spell as India restricted a reckless West Indies to a paltry 95 for 9. PTI
-==2019: Delhi HC’s caveat and railways’ plan==
+=== India beat the West Indies again===
-[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/relief-for-squatters-puts-many-plans-off-track-/articleshow/68504807.cms  Jasjeev Gandhiok, Delhi: Relief for squatters puts many plans off track..., March 21, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F08%2F05&entity=Ar02108&sk=DD761E1A&mode=text  August 5, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-[[File: The illegal occupation of railways’ land- 2019- Delhi HC’s caveat and railways’ plan.jpg|The illegal occupation of railways’ land: <br/> 2019: Delhi HC’s caveat and railways’ plan <br/> From: [https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/relief-for-squatters-puts-many-plans-off-track-/articleshow/68504807.cms  Jasjeev Gandhiok, Delhi: Relief for squatters puts many plans off track..., March 21, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
+[[File: Scoreboard, West Indies vs India, Lauderhill (Florida), 2019.jpg|Scoreboard, West Indies vs India, Lauderhill (Florida), 2019- II T20I match <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F08%2F05&entity=Ar02108&sk=DD761E1A&mode=text  August 5, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-From October 2018 to March 2019, the Northern Railways has removed 2,065 illegal structures erected along the tracks in the city. It says there are almost 27,500 such encroachments within 15 metres of the tracks and over 43,000 on railway property afield.
+India beat West Indies by 22 runs under the DLS method in the second T20 International to seal the threematch series here on Sunday.
-There is bound to be a temporary halt to the campaign, however, with Delhi high court ordering that slum dwellers should be removed only after putting in place measures for their rehabilitation. This has put the Railways’ plans on a coach facility at Shakur Basti in jeopardy, and a meeting will be convened soon to discuss this and the long-term anti-encroachment drive.
+Batting first, India scored 167 for five and then had West Indies struggling at 98 for four in 15.3 overs when thundershowers struck. The DLS par score was 120.
+Earlier, batting first, Rohit Sharma topscored with 67 off runs off 51balls, setting India up for a challenging total before Krunal Pandya (20 off 13 balls) and Ravindra Jadeja propped up the innings by smashing 20 runs in the final over, which was bowled by Keemo Paul.
-“Encroachments have always been a sensitive issue,” admitted a railway official. “While we have been fencing off the track in the last few months, we will have to have a relook at the approach. For the present, only those structures that are a hazard to rail operations will be removed.”
+In the process, Rohit became T20 internationals' most prolific six-hitter, going past Chris Gayle with 106 maximums. He struck six fours and three sixes in the match.
-At Shakur Basti, the plan was to create a new coach terminal facility on the same lines as that of Anand Vihar. Construction began in 2017, but less than half the work has been completed because a major portion of the project area has been encroached upon and the completion of the facility will be possible only if the jhuggi clusters are removed.
+Sent into bat, India were off to a quick start as they reached 50-run mark in the seventh over, with Rohit doing the bulk of scoring. Rohit found the gaps with ease, clipping Paul off his pads for a six over deep midwicket. The World Cup highest scorer then swept him for a four as the Indians upped the tempo.
-“At present, trains are serviced at the Old Delhi and New Delhi railway stations. The idea is to use the new complex at Shakur Basti for such operations in the hope that this will allow better efficiency and turnover,” an official explained. So essentially, the coaching facility is aimed at reducing the burden on the two major stations by facilitating the halting of transit trains at Shakur Basti for servicing and washing before being deployed for fresh operations.
+Keemo Paul gave West Indies their first breakthrough when he bowled Shikhar Dhawan with the Indian scorecard reading 67 for one in the eighth over.
-R N Singh, divisional railway manager, Delhi division, said some key projects at a number of locations are in limbo, much like Shakur Basti. The task of removing illegal occupants has become more difficult with the recent Delhi government policy mandating the payment of Rs 18 lakh per jhuggi cleared. “Earlier, this amount was Rs 80,000 but it has been significantly raised,” said Singh. “This means we cannot remove all of them. That is why we looked at fencing as an option. We are also discussing how to deal with the other highly encroached areas.”
+Two quite overs followed as Indian captain Virat Kohli joined Rohit, who broke the shackles with a six over deep midwicket, Sunil Narine being the bowler, and then brought up his 17th half-century in this format with a single to long-off.
-=The engines=
+Nicely getting underneath the flight of left-arm spinner Khary Pierre, Kohli got going with a neat six.
-==Diesel vis-à-vis electric: 2017==
-[[File: The number of diesel and electric engines in use, presumably in 2017.jpg|The number of diesel and electric engines in use, presumably in 2017 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F04%2F05&entity=Ar01117&sk=21CEFD93&mode=image  April 5, 2018: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-'''See graphic''':
+Well settled at the other end, Kohli's deputy Rohit then smashed Carlos Brathwaite for a six and four as India's hundred came up in the 13th over. PTI
-''The number of diesel and electric engines in use, presumably in 2017''
+=== India win match; bag T20I series 3-0===
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F08%2F07&entity=Ar02712&sk=65D71F35&mode=text  August 7, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-=Freight corridor, Dedicated railway- =
-== Land compensation issues: 2016==
-[[File: Railway freight corridor Land compensation issues 2016.jpg| Railway freight corridor Land compensation issues 2016 |frame|500px]]
-[http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Freight-corridor-land-cost-increases-75-03112016019035  Mahendra Singh & Sidhartha,  Freight corridor land cost increases 75%, Nov 03 2016 : The Times of India]
+Rishabh Pant silenced his critics by scoring a 42-ball 65 which helped India thrash West Indies by 7 wickets in the final T20 International here. He was ably-supported by skipper Virat Kohli, who hit an authoritative 59 off 45 balls. With the win, India clean swept the T20I series 3-0. Earlier, Deepak Chahar’s incisive swing bowling was countered by Kieron Pollard’ attacking half-century and Rovman Powell’s cameo as West Indies put up a fighting 146/6 against India in the third T20 International here on Tuesday. Rajasthan seamer Deepak (3-1-4-3) made full use of his only opportunity on this tour, taking three wickets his first two overs to leaving West Indies tottering at 14/3. He got the ball to swing both ways as he removed pinchhitter Sunil Narine (2), Evin Lewis (10) and Shimron Hetmyer (1).
-Rail Project Battles Compensation Claims
+However, Pollard counterattacked with great gusto, hitting as many as half-a-dozen sixes in his 45-ball-58, his first half-century for the West Indies in seven years. Along with Nicholas Pooran (17), who played the second fiddle, Pollard added 67 for the fourth wicket as the Caribbeans looked to have recovered from their initial slump.
-The dedicated railway freight corridor has finally managed to award all contracts for the Dadri-Mumbai link over 11years after the flagship infrastructure project was announced. But on the eastern front -that will connect Ludhiana with Dankuni in West Bengal -nearly 10% of the land, which is close to 450 hectare, is yet to be acquired even as funding has now been tied up.
+However, Navdeep Saini came back for his second spell to first dismiss left-hander Pooran with an off-cutter (legcutter for the batsman) which was edged to Rishabh Pant behind the stumps. Saini (2/34 in 4 overs), who had trapped Pollard leg-before with a dipping full-toss in the first game, then bowled a slower delivery that pegged back the middle stump, breaching through his bat and pad.
-For the Rs 81,450 crore project, land acquisition and clearances have been the biggest headache so far. The project needed around 11,600 hectare -6,000 hectare for the western and 4,587 hectare for the eastern stretch. While it was battling court cases and arbitration, a third blow came by the way of the new land acquisition cost, which pushed up the average price from around Rs 1.3 crore a hectare to around Rs 2 crore -an increase of around 54%. Project cost has also been increased as the land acquisition cost rose 75% from the budgeted level of around Rs 8,000 crore to nearly Rs 14,000 crore now . This could go up further depending of the arbitration awards.
+However Powell smashed his way to an unbeaten 32 off 20 balls to prop up the Windies total. PTI
-In recent years, land acquisition has been a major headache for most infrastructure projects -highways, railways, power generation and special economic zones (SEZs). In several cases, the projects needed to be reworked, if not shelved.
+==ODIs==
+===First ODI rain- hit; India wins the second===
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIM%2F2019%2F08%2F13&entity=Ar01910&sk=60523A5D&mode=text  August 13, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-The corridors running across 3,360 km are aimed at building electrified railway system to enable each train to carry a load of up to 13,000 tonnes -which is the load carried by 1,300 trucks. On each corridor, Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL) is laying double lines, which will treble the average speed of the double-stack goods trains from 25 kmhour to 75 kmhour.While the western leg is funded by Japanese agency JICA, eastern stretch is financed by the World Bank.
+Wickets a byproduct of tight bowling, says Bhuvi
-“There is no escalation in the project cost. Whatever increase is there is on account of higher cost of land,“ said DFCCIL managing director Adesh Sharma, adding that the project would be fully ready by 2019-end, a year behind the original deadline.
+Port of Spain:
-But, before that it needs to battle nearly 2,000 court cases and over 9,500 arbitration awards, of which nearly half are yet to be disposed off. DFCCIL planned the project in a way that it avoided large cities, where land acquisition was going to be a problem. But, challenges have come mainly from areas around the large cities, where prices are higher and “fertile“ agricultural land is being acquired.
+India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar said dot balls, and not wickets, were on his mind in the second ODI against the West Indies as he believes that an economical spell never goes unrewarded. Bhuvneshwar scalped four wickets for 31 runs in India’s 59-run win over the Caribbeans, which gave the tourists a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after a washed-out opener.
-Sample this: Nearly half the arbitration cases that are pending are in Haryana (2,277 out of 4,679 cases). When it comes to court cases, Uttar Pradesh tops the list with 669 out of the 1,020 pending cases.
+“When I came to bowl I was just thinking I have to bowl economically, get more dot balls. I feel getting wickets is a byproduct of bowling tightly. I wasn’t thinking much about the result because we knew if we get one or two wickets we will be back in the game,” Bhuvneshwar said of the rain-curtailed match.
-“Most of the arbitration cases relate to compensation based on the latest registration price. Wherever, there is an award, we are paying higher compensation,“ Sharma said.
+''' ‘Virat badly wanted the hundred’ '''
-=Freight Policy=
+India skipper Virat Kohli laid the foundation of the triumph with his 42nd ODI hundred. Kohli ended his 11-innings century drought with a 120-run knock off 125 balls to help India to 279 for 7. Shreyas Iyer also chipped in with a fine knock of 71.
-[[File: Talgo trials in India in 2016.jpg| Talgo trials in India in 2016; Graphic courtesy: [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=FINAL-TRAIN-TEST-10092016034026 ''The Times of India''], September 10, 2016|frame|500px]]
-==Dual Freight Policy struck down/ 2016==
+“From Virat’s expression you could see that he badly wanted to score a hundred not because he was out form but because he was getting out in the 70s and 80s and he’s always known for scoring big runs,” Bhuvneshwar said. Kohli’s last hundred was against Australia in March. Since then the Indian skipper was among the runs, notching up five half centuries in the World Cup, but failed to reach a ton. “The wicket wasn’t easy, when Virat came back to the dressing room he said after the ball gets old it’s not easy to score runs,” Bhuvneshwar added.
-[http://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/dual-freight-policy-for-iron-ore-goes/article8586386.ece ''The Hindu''], June 29, 2016
-'''Dual freight policy for iron ore goes'''
+West Indies lost wickets at regular intervals but looked well within sight of the target with Nicholas Pooran (42) and Rostan Chase (18) in the middle. However, Bhuvneshwar changed the complexion of the game in just one over.
-In a bid to boost freight traffic volumes, the Indian Railways has abolished its dual freight policy for carrying iron ore, a long-pending demand from industry players.
+In the 35th over, he first dismissed Pooran and then leapt to pull off a stunning catch to send Chase back. “I just caught it. I wasn’t expecting it. Pooran’s wicket was the main wicket for us because we all know he can change the game.” PTI
-According to a 2008 policy, the tariff for transportation of iron ore to ports for the purpose of exports is three times the rate charged for transporting the same commodity for domestic use in steel and cement industries.
+Brief scores: India 279/7 in 50 overs: (V Kohli 120, S Iyer 71; Brathwaite 3/53) beat West Indies 210 in 42 overs (revised target 270 in 46 overs): (E Lewis 65, N Pooran 42; Kumar 4/31).
-“The dual pricing policy for iron ore transportation was very complicated. From now on, whether you move the iron ore to the plant or to the ports for exports, we will be charging the same,” Railway Board Member (Traffic) Mohammed Jamshed said on Wednesday. Cheering the move, industry representatives said the freight rationalisation will help both Railways and the iron ore sector. “It is a long-overdue move. We had urged the government to bring parity in rates of iron ore transportation irrespective of point of origin and destination,” said Basant Poddar, vice president at Federation of Indian Mineral Industries. A Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report tabled in Parliament last year had pointed out that the freight business suffered losses of around Rs 29,000 crore in 2008-13 due to the dual pricing system for transporting iron ore. It had found that iron ore was carried at lower domestic rates but was diverted for exports resulting in huge losses to the exchequer.
+Result: India won by 59 runs on DL method
-==Smart Freight Operation Optimisation & Real Time Information (SFOORTI) Application: to track trains==
+===Third ODI also hit by the rains===
-[http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1516345  Ministry of Railway launches Smart Freight Operation Optimisation & Real Time Information (SFOORTI) Application, January 11, 2017: ''Press Information Bureau'']
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F08%2F15&entity=Ar03209&sk=C083313E&mode=text  August 15, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
+Chris Gayle may have played his last international game given the theatrics by cricket's showman and the send-off accorded by the Indian players at the end of a typically thunderous innings here on Wednesday. Playing the way he always does, Gayle smashed 72 runs off 41 balls, punishing the Indian bowlers with five sixes and four boundaries in the third ODI.
-Both passenger and freight trains can be tracked over Zones/Divisions/ Sections can be viewed through this application.
+After hitting one off Khaleel Ahmed straight to visiting skipper Virat Kohli, Gayle smiled as Indian players shook hands with him, even doing his typical jig with him. Gayle threw his bat in the air, put his helmet on top of it and walked off the field. He then hurled the helmet up in the air and caught it while approaching the boundary ropes.
-Position of Rakes for Specific Type of Stock can be viewed through this application.
+West Indies reached 158 for two off 22 overs before rain brought the match at the Queen's Park Oval to a halt. Gayle, 39, went into the match having become the West Indies leading scorer in One-dayers in the second game at the weekend. He and fellow opener Evin Lewis (43) put on 115 for the first wicket.
-In a major digital initiative to help plan the traffic flows and optimize freight operations, Ministry of Railways have launched Smart Freight Operation Optimisation & Real Time Information (SFOORTI) App for Freight Managers which provides features for monitoring and managing freight business using Geographic Information System (GIS) Views and Dashboard.
+India hold an unassailable 1-0 lead following the 59-run win via the DLS method in the second ODI at the same venue on Sunday. Rain forced the abandonment of the first match in Guyana as a no-result last week.
-'''Salient features of SFOORTI Application are as below:'''
+The 114 West Indies scored in the first ten overs is a record for them in the first powerplay in ODIs. It's also a record by any team in the first powerplay against India. AGENCIES
-With this application, movement of freight trains on Geographic Information System (GIS) view can be tracked.
+==Test series==
+===North Sound, Antigua: India won===
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F08%2F26&entity=Ar02111&sk=BF858DEA&mode=text  August 26, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-Both passenger and freight trains can be tracked over Zones/Divisions/ Sections in single GIS View.
+[[File: Scoreboard- West Indies vs India, Test series, North Sound, Antigua- India won, 2019.jpg|Scoreboard- West Indies vs India, Test series, North Sound, Antigua- India won, 2019 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F08%2F26&entity=Ar02111&sk=BF858DEA&mode=text  August 26, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-Freight business can be monitored.
+Bumrah scalps five as India romp to easy victory
-Comparative Analysis of Zonal/Divisional Traffic.
+North Sound, Antigua:
-Analysis of new traffic captured and traffic lost.
+A devastating burst of precision pace bowling by Jasprit Bumrah fast-tracked India to a ridiculously easy win over West Indies in the first Test. Needing to score an improbable 419 for victory, the hosts folded for a paltry 100 runs to lose by 318 uns. Bumrah proved umplayable for the technically inept West Indies batsmen and retunred figures of 8-4-7-5 to lead the rout.
-This app provides a Bird’s eye view of all Freight Assets in a single window.
+Supporting him well were Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami who grabbed three and two wickets respectively as the match finished with more than a day to spare.
-Provides end to end Rake movement on Geospatial view
+The capitulation by the Caribbeans was shocking and left their supporters at the North Sound stadium embarrassed. The highest score in the innings was scored by number nine Kemar Roach who managed 32. In fact, his last-wicket stand with Miguel Cummins produced 50 runs, by far the biggest of the innings.
-Expected Traffic at Interchange points to evaluate daily performance can be viewed.
+Earlier, Ajinkya Rahane scored his first Test century in two years while Hanuma Vihari hit a fluent 93 as India tightened their grip over the series opener.
-Performance of each zone and divisions with respect to loading and utilization of freight assets can be viewed.
+Vihari and Rahane (102) raised a 135-run partnership for the fifth wicket after India lost skipper Virat Kohli. India declared on 343/7, an hour after lunch on Day Four, setting the hosts a stiff target.
-Sectional performance monitoring for sections, divisions and zones shall help in traffic routing.
+Rahane, who scored 81 in the first innings, had not scored a Test hundred since his 132 against Sri Lanka in August 2017. The relief on his face was obvious when he brought up his century. He fell soon after completing his hundred, trying to accelrate the scoring. Rishabh Pant too fell to a sweep shot off Roston Chase for seven. Vihari, in pursuit of quick runs, was caught behind off Jason Holder.
-Freight terminal and sidings can be better monitored to ensure better turnaround of rakes.
+Resuming at 185 for three, India lost Kohli (51) when his leading edge off Roston Chase flew to John Campbell, who took the catch on second attempt. That ended the fourth-wicket partnership between Kohli and Rahane that yielded 106 runs for India.
-=Growth, annual=
+The other overnight batsman Rahane was joined by Vihari, who easily worked the ball around in gaps to keep the scoreboard ticking.
-==1951-2015==
-[[File:Indian Railways- Annual growth, 1950-51 to 2014-15.jpg|Indian Railways: Annual growth, 1950-51 to 2014-15; [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Gallery.aspx?id=02_02_2017_010_029_002&type=P&artUrl=INDIAN-RAILWAYS-IS-FIGHTING-THREE-LOSING-BATTLES-02022017010029&eid=31808 ''The Times of India''], Feb 2, 2017|frame|500px]]
-'''See graphic''':
+Holder now made it all-spin attack by introducing John Campbell from the other end.
-''Indian Railways: Annual growth, 1950-51 to 2014-15''
+As soon as the new ball was available, pacers Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel operated in tandem but before that West Indies parttimers had bowled 41 overs in this innings alone. While Roach and Gabriel bowled a few testing deliveries, it largely remained an untroubled stay for both Rahane and Vihari. AGENCIES
-=High- speed trains=
+===India wins Kingston test, and the series===
-==2018: Gatimaan Express==
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F09%2F03&entity=Ar02117&sk=3872DBE5&mode=text  September 1, 2019:  The Times of India]
-[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F02%2F20&entity=Ar01825&sk=C375930D&mode=text  Arvind Chauhan, Gatimaan Exp makes first trip to Gwalior, February 20, 2018: ''The Times of India'']
-The Delhi-Agra Gatimaan Express, India’s fastest train with a maximum speed of 160kmph, reached Gwalior, the first step in its proposed expansion towards Jhansi and Gwalior. Gatimaan — which covers the 187km run between Delhi’s Nizamuddin and Agra’s Cantt stations, in 100 minutes — completed the 306km journey from Delhi to Gwalior in 3 hours and 15 minutes. The fastest train for the stretch so far was Rajdhani, which takes just under 4 hours.
+As expected, India raced to a thumping win in the second Test against West Indies here on Monday to win the two-Test series 2-0. Set to score an improbable 468 for victory, West Indies managed only 210 in the second innings in 59.5 overs to lose by a whopping 257 runs.
-==2018: 180 kmph==
+With this victory, India extended their lead on the World Test Championship’s points table with 120 points from two Tests. It was their eighth straight Test series win over West Indies. It was captain Virat Kohli’s 28th victory which took him past MS Dhoni (27) to become India’s most successful Test captain ever.
-[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F12%2F27&entity=Ar01618&sk=A059E25B&mode=text&fbclid=IwAR1m-huVoV72Nf62hSgz0HGmWALXGASlHa2UCbRHDURYURi-gWQh6dClKIU  Indigenous Train 18 now fastest in India, December 27, 2018: ''The Times of India'']
-[[File: ‘Train 18’, India’s first engine-less train, was manufactured in a record time of 18 months at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai.jpg|‘Train 18’, India’s first engine-less train, was manufactured in a record time of 18 months at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F12%2F27&entity=Ar01618&sk=A059E25B&mode=text&fbclid=IwAR1m-huVoV72Nf62hSgz0HGmWALXGASlHa2UCbRHDURYURi-gWQh6dClKIU  Indigenous Train 18 now fastest in India, December 27, 2018: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
+It was a team effort by the Indian bowlers but it was Mohammed Shami who was the pick of the bowlers. He bowled with pace and precise movement to trouble batsmen throughout the day. He returned with figures of three for 65 while Ravindra Jadeja got three for 58. Ishant Sharma (2/28) and Jasprit Bumrah (1/31) also kept the pressure on.
+Starting the day at 45 for 2, the hosts were left unsettled when Darren Bravo (23 batting), who was hit on the helmet by Jasprit Bumrah in the last over of the day on Sunday, added only five runs to his overnight score before complaining of uneasiness, leaving the ground.
-Train 18, an indigenously developed semi-high speed train, officially became the first train in India to cruise at a sustained speed of 180kmph, making it the fastest train in the country, railway minister Piyush Goyal announced.
+Soon afterwards, Jermaine Blackwood was named as a concussion substitute and went out to bat following the fall of the fourth wicket. Blackwood, a Jamaican who was not in the original squad, made 38.
-The chief commissioner of railway safety (CCRS) has given the goahead for the train to run at a maximum speed of 160kmph with certain conditions paving the way for its commercial operation. The conditions include providing “sturdy fencing” all along the track to avoid mishaps.
+Blackwood became the second Test concussion substitute after Marnus Labuschagne, who replaced Steve Smith in the Australian team during the second Ashes Test against England less than a month ago. In that situation, Smith retired hurt after being felled by a Jofra Archer bouncer during Australia’s first innings. Though Smith returned to the crease 40 minutes later and was dismissed before stumps, he was ruled out of the remainder of the Test the following morning after experiencing the effects of delayed concussion.
-The CCRS in its communication to the railway board has said, “Railway shall ensure provision of sturdy fencing at vulnerable location on need basis for operation up to 130 kmph. For speed beyond 130 kph and upto 160 kmph, provision of sturdy fencing all along the track shall be ensured.” It has laid down 21 conditions railways must comply with to run at maximum speed of up to 160kmph.
+Because Smith was already out in the first innings, Labuschagne batted only in the second innings. In the case of West Indies, however, 12 batsmen took the crease in a single innings. Shamarh Brooks topscored for the hosts with 50 but the writing was on the wall all through the day. AGENCIES
-The clearance from CCRS is a pre-requisite for any train with new technology to start service.
+===Performance of Indian players in 1st two tests===
+[[File: The performance of Indian players in the 1st two tests against the West Indies.jpg| The performance of Indian players in the 1st two tests against the West Indies <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F09%2F04&entity=Ar00401&sk=88FF0DA6&mode=image  April 4, 2019: The Times of India]|frame|500px]]
-Railway ministry sources said the train speed can also go up where the track condition is superior. With a video clip, Goyal tweeted, “Need for Speed: Train 18 seen cruising at 180kmph, officially becoming the fastest train in India.”
+''' See graphic ''':
-The first such train manufactured in India at a cost of about Rs 100 crore is scheduled to ply between Delhi and Varanasi via Allahabad. PM Narendra Modi will flag off the train. The date of starting the service is undecided.
+''  The performance of Indian players in the 1st two tests against the West Indies '''
-==Bullet train==
+[[Category:Cricket|C CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
-[[File: Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train, some brief details.jpg|Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train, some brief details <br/> From: [https://epaper.thehindu.com/Home/ShareImage?Pictureid=GUK5CK6QJ.2&fbclid=IwAR2VvV1hUml3IM5MZPluYcMoV3xnWQCpqTqgJxW_3vFpIsPncdm-7rQA03s   February 6, 2019: ''The Hindu'']|frame|500px]]
+CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)]]
+[[Category:India|C CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
+CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)]]
+[[Category:Pages with broken file links|CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
+CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)]]
-'''See graphic''':
+=India’s home series against South Africa=
+== T20Is==
+===1st match===
+The 1st match was rained off
+===Bengaluru: SAfrica win, level series===
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL/2019/09/23&entity=Ar01506&sk=917BAEC1&mode=text  Manuja Veerappa , Sep 23, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-''Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train, some brief details''
+[[File: Scoreboard- T20s- India vs South Africa, Bengaluru, 2019.jpg|Scoreboard- T20s- India vs South Africa, Bengaluru, 2019 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL/2019/09/23&entity=Ar01506&sk=917BAEC1&mode=text  Manuja Veerappa , Sep 23, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-===2019/ accorded wildlife clearance for Thane Creek Flamingo Wildlife Sanctuary and the Sanjay Gandhi National Park===
+Traditionally, at the compact M Chinnaswamy Stadium, skippers prefer to chase. Virat Kohli thought differently, with the T20 World Cup in mind. But his experiment clearly did not work on a tricky surface.
-[https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/bullet-train-gets-green-light-via-flamingo-haven-national-park/article26188009.ece  Jacob Koshy, Bullet train gets green light via flamingo haven, national park, February 6, 2019: ''The Hindu'']
+On Sunday, in a match in which rain was predicted to play spoilsport, the visiting South Africans, marshalled by skipper Quinton de Kock’s unconquered half-century (79 n.o, 52, 6x4, 5x6), played party poopers as they romped home to a nine-wicket win to level the series 1-all. India had won in Mohali by seven wickets last Wednesday.
-''Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan-led panel gives nod.''
+Chasing a below-par 134 for 9, the South Africans, much like the Indians in the previous match, chased down the target without much ado in 16.5 overs.
-A committee, chaired by Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan, has accorded wildlife clearance to the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed train corridor that encroaches upon a flamingo sanctuary and the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, the home to leopards, in Mumbai.
+De Kock, who was with the Royal Challengers Bangalore until last season, made ample use of his familiarity of the conditions to stay untroubled by the Indian bowling attack. There was no extravagance or needless aggression in his batting. He shared a 76-run opening stand with Reeza Hendricks (28) before finishing with finesse with Temba Bavuma (27 n.o) for company.
+Earlier, with an eye on a series win, the home side began well but it didn’t take them long to lose fizz and the plot to end their quota of overs with 134, of which the bowling side contributed 15 extras.
-The proposal involves diversion of 3.2756 ha of forestland from the Thane Creek Flamingo Wildlife Sanctuary and 97.5189 ha of land close to the boundary of the forest’s protected area.
+South Africa, decided to open the attack with left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin (2-19), who made his T20 debut in Mohali three nights back. Shikhar Dhawan (36, 25b, 4x4, 2x6) pulled the first ball to the fence to set the tone, but the 24-year-old kept it tight thereafter. India’s big over was to follow with Kagiso Rabada (3-39) spraying the ball all over the pitch and conceding 17 runs including seven wides.
-The project for one of India’s first ‘bullet trains’ was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in Ahmedabad in September, 2017. It is expected to be ready by 2022.
+Beuran Hendricks (2-14), who has had a start-stop-start T20 career, made his 11th T20 international appearance in five years count as an unsure Rohit Sharma edged him to Reeza Hendricks at first slip.
-A wildlife clearance is a critical part of the forest clearance process. A person privy to the process said forest clearance wasn’t part of the original agenda of the meeting.
+The partnership between Dhawan and Kohli came with a lot of promises, especially with Dhawan in an entertaining mood. He danced down the wicket twice in a row to send spinner Tabraiz Shamsi’s deliveries beyond the ropes. The 41-run second wicket stand with his captain ended when he mistimed a turning ball from Shamsi, lofted it and Bavuma came in from extra cover to hold on to the catch. Thereafter, a parade of the Indian players to the pavilion began with the hosts losing five wickets for the addition of a mere 35 runs. The runs, boundaries in particular, dried up and the fact that they went from 63 for 2 in the eighth over to end with 134 painted a grim picture of poor shot selection and lack of application which was compounded by some disciplined bowling from the opposition.
-The TCF in Thane, Mumbai, came into being August 2015 and the 1,690-hectare bird haven — 896 hectares of mangrove forests and 794 hectares of a water-body — is on the western bank of the creek, between the Airoli and the Vashi bridges connecting Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.
+On a wicket which had slowed down, a sluggish Kohli, who was dropped by Fortuin off his own bowling on three, made little use of the lifeline and instead was first of Rabada’s three wickets. Much was expected from the under-fire Rishbah Pant and the talented Shreyas Iyer but both made a mess of the opportunity they were presented with to showcase their wares. Both the batsmen were sent back by a disciplined Fortuin. There was hope from the Pandya brothers — Hardik and Krunal but that too did not materialise.
-Apart from the creek, the proposal also involves diverting 32.75 ha of forestland and 77.30 ha of non-forestland from Sanjay Gandhi National Park and from 0.6902 ha of forestland and 4.7567 ha of non-forest land from Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary.
+India had started the season in the hope of finding a suitable combination for the T20 World Cup, but they still seem to be some distance away from doing it.
-While according clearance, the National Board of Wildlife-- the apex body tasked with according permissions to allow forest land to be diverted for industrial development-- has laid pre-conditions for the bullet train project. These include paying Rs 10 crore (2% of 500 crore—the component of the project in Mumbai) for habitat improvement of the sanctuary, barricading the work site to ensure that no debris fall outside the project area and ‘…providing site and funds for penal plantation of at least 5 times the number of mangroves plants anticipated to be lost in this project..’
+==Tests==
+===1st test, Visakhapatnam: India won===
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F10%2F07&entity=Ar02500&sk=324C6BA4&mode=text  Oct 7, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-Largely funded by a soft loan by Japan, the Rs 1 trillion Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project has a track-length of 508 km, and will originate at the Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai and terminate at the Sabarmati, in Gujarat. The length across the State of Maharashtra will be 155.64 km 4.3 km across Dadra & Nagar Haveli. The total length across the state of Gujarat would 348.2 km and would pass through the districts of Ahmedabad, Kheda, Anand, Vadodara, Bharuch, Surat, Navsari, and Valsad in Gujarat.
-=Littering at Indian stations=
+[[File: Scoreboard, Test- Visakhapatnam, India vs South Africa, 2019.jpg|Scoreboard, Test- Visakhapatnam, India vs South Africa, 2019 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F10%2F07&entity=Ar02500&sk=324C6BA4&mode=text  Oct 7, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-==2013-15==
-'''See graphic''':
-''2013 June 2015, Persons penalised for littering at Indian railway stations''
+There was no disputing the fact that India was the better team going into the series, and validation of that came on a festive Sunday made more special by the 203-run win against South Africa.
-[[File: 2013 June 2015, Persons penalised for littering at Indian railway stations.jpg|2013-June 2015: Persons penalised for littering at Indian railway stations; Graphic courtesy: [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Gallery.aspx?id=03_08_2015_008_011_002&type=P&artUrl=TRACKING-WASTE-03082015008011&eid=31808 ''The Times of India''], August 3, 2015|frame|500px]]
+ACA-VDCA Stadium was witness to India’s first home win in the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle — boosting their total tally to 160 points — and the 1-0 lead in the three-match series augurs well for the World No. 1 team that was stretched in parts by a South African team lacking in experience, but making up for it with pluck aplenty. The final day was no cakewalk for the hosts and any hope of an early finish after pacer Mohammed Shami made capital of the conditions on offer was nipped in the bud by an obdurate partnership by the South African late order.
-=Luxury trains=
+That South Africa — needing 395 to win and resuming at 11 for one — could muster 191 was in the main due to Senuran Muthusamy (49; 108b, 5x4) and his 91-run partnership for the ninth wicket with Dane Piedt (56; 107b, 9x4, 6x1) after Shami, who had excellent returns of five for 35, and Ravindra Jadeja struck at various times to reduce the Proteas to 70 for eight before lunch.
-'''See graphic''':
-''The occupancy rate and tariffs of India’s luxury trains, 2010-11 and 2014-15''
+The hosts tasted success with the 11th delivery of the day when Theunis de Bruyn shaped to cut but ended up giving offie R Ashwin his 350th Test wicket — the joint quickest to the milestone in 66 Tests. If the early loss rattled the South Africans, more was in store and in quick time too, as Shami hit the right areas.
-[[File: The occupancy rate and tariffs of India’s luxury trains, 2010-11 and 2014-15.jpg| The occupancy rate and tariffs of India’s luxury trains, 2010-11 and 2014-15; Graphic courtesy: [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Indias-uber-luxurious-trains-on-a-journey-to-nowhere/articleshow/51726562.cms ''The Times of India''], April 7, 2016|frame|500px]]
+The quick from Amroha, who was slightly off-colour in SA’s first innings with his pace wavering, struck it rich by cleaning up Temba Bavuma with a delivery that kept low and knocked back Faf du Plessis’s off stump with an incoming delivery that the South African skipper shouldered arms to. Probably the heat had something to do with the quicks operating in short bursts, but Shami’s two spells in the morning session — 3-1-12-1 and 3-1-8-2 — were enough to set South Africa back considerably.
-== Tejas Express==
+If the ball that castled du Plessis was a peach, the delivery that pegged back Quinton de Kock’s off stump was no less as the South African looked all at sea with Shami reversing it to telling effect. The conditions suited the seamers more than the spinners and having put SA on the mat, the hosts looked well placed to quickly mop up the rest of the South African batting when Ravindra Jadeja got into the act. Aiden Markram (39; 74b, 5x4, 6x1), who was a mute spectator as wickets fell in a heap at the other end, fell to a brilliant return catch by Jadeja.
-[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/tejas-express-fare-safety-route-and-all-you-need-to-know/articleshow/58783209.cms  Tejas Express: Fare, safety, route and all one needs to know, May 22, 2017: The Times of India]
+The left-arm spinner then successfully reviewed a LBW verdict against Vernon Pilander and Keshav Maharaj lost the LBW review the very next delivery, but Piedt denied Jadeja the hat-trick. It was all over bar the shouting but Piedt joined Muthusamy, who too had other ideas. The duo safely negotiated the period when lunch was extended by 15 minutes and frustrated the Indians for 32.2 overs.
-. ''' Fully-loaded '''
+The South Africans should take heart from the remarkable poise of debutant Muthusamy and Piedt, playing only his ninth Test. Like the left-handed duo of Dean Elgar and de Kock showed in the first innings, Muthusamy and Piedt left the Indians frustrated at various stages of the game till the hosts found their man of the hour in Shami.
-The train has got all the ultra-modern amenities like on-board infotainment, wi-fi, CCTV, fire and smoke detection facilities, tea and coffee vending machine etc. General manager of central railway, who inspected the train at the Chhatrapati Shiva-ji Terminus, Mumbai (CSTM) likened Tejas Express with an "aeroplane moving on the ground”.
-. ''' Speed '''
+===2nd test, Pune: India Won by Innings & 137 Runs===
-India's first premium train will run at an average speed of 130kmph.
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F10%2F14&entity=Ar02103&sk=ECE571D4&mode=text  Amit Karmarkar, June 13, 2019:: ''The Times of India'']
-. ''' Design '''
-The train, manufactured at the Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala, will have automatic entrance door, a first in non-suburban train in Indian railways. The graffiti proof, vinyl-wrapped specially designed exterior has a bright colour theme of orange and yellow. Tejas Express has a dust-proof/sealed inter car gangway. The express will also be pressed into service in Delhi-Chandigarh and Delhi-Lucknow sectors, according to the railways.
-. ''' Route and Schedule '''
+A wicket-keeper is a wicket-taker too. Fielders are wicket-takers too. They are bowlers’ performance-enhancing substances. India, though not entirely flawless on the field, hit home this point in an emphatic fashion when they enforced the follow-on and dismissed South Africa for 189 inside 70 overs to win the second Test by an innings and 137 runs with a day to spare at Gahunje stadium.
-The Tejas Express would operate between Mumbai and Karmali (Goa) five days a week during non-monsoon period and three days a week during monsoon by halting at Dadar, Thane, Panvel, Ratnagiri and Kudal stations.
-. ''' Capacity '''
+The hosts have now taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. The third Test starts in Ranchi on Saturday. Virat Kohli’s men have also boosted their points tally in the World Test championship after this result.
-The 20 coach train will have one executive AC chair car with 56 seating capacity and 12 AC chair cars with 78 seat capacity of each coach.
-. ''' Fare '''
+The Sunday crowd, in excess of 15,000, probably got their time and money’s worth. Those who had got tickets for just the fifth day, will get a refund.Except off-spinner R Ashwin and pacer Mohd Shami in patches, no Indian bowler looked that threatening on a pitch that was losing its zip and freshness with every passing over. However, soft dismissals after being put under pressure and smart fielding were the patterns for the day. Wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha led from behind the wicket with two of the three dismissals inside the first 24 overs.First, he dived to his left like a goalkeeper to remove Thenunis De Bruyn. Pacer Umesh Yadav gave a flying kiss to the sky, thanking the heavens for giving him a wicket despite straying down the leg side. It was his luck and Saha’s pluck that did it.
-Tejas Express's executive class fare is Rs 2,940 (with food) and Rs 2,540 (without food), and for AC chair car the fare has been fixed at Rs 1,850 (with food) and Rs 1,220 (without food). Besides the railways has also planned optional on-board catering services.
-. ''' Safety '''
+Saha then swallowed Faf Du Plessis on the fourth attempt off Ashwin, lunging down till silly point. Though he fumbled in the first attempt, his juggling act was as precise as a magician. Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma joined him in the fielding act. Rahane took a sharp, reflex catch at first slip to send back the settled Temba Bavuma (38) off Ravindra Jadeja. A ball before he had survived a leg-before appeal.
-The high-speed train has all the safety measures like suppression system, fire suppression system, smoke detection and fire detection. A GPS-based passenger information display system and a digital destination board has also been installed for the convenience of the passengers.
-. ''' Braille assistance '''
+Shami bowled some darts creating a beautiful angle. He showed left-handed Senuran Muthusamy his place with a short probing missile. The prod landed in Rohit Sharma’s palms in the second slip. The batsman also took a good catch in the slips to dismiss Kagiso Rabada.
-Tejas Express has also got Braille assistance installed for visually challenged passengers.
-. ''' Cleanliness '''
+Standing close to the stumps and sometimes leaning on his knees at short gully, Rohit also took blows on his body. So did Saha, who again justified his selection ahead of Rishabh Pant.
-The train has bio-vacuum toilets facility in all the coaches. It will also have other features like hand dryers, water level indicators and touch-less water taps.
+But South Africa’s mainstay, Dean Elgar, took a chance like Pant and the visitors paid heavily for that. Du Plessis had got out 10 balls before and Bavuma was yet to open his account at 71-3 in the 24th over. Still, Elgar went for the expansive lofted drive off R Ashwin but mistimed it. Umesh Yadav positioned himself well for the skier, running from mid-off and caught the ball on the third attempt.
-. ''' Response from public '''
+Jadeja got rid of Quinton De Kock when the wicket-keeper tried a hoick, but missed it and was castled. Though Jadeja (3) got more wickets than Ashwin (2) in this innings, the latter gave ample demonstration of his greatness with subtle variations and the ability to play on the batsman’s mind.
-According to central railway, passengers have shown positive response in booking advance trains for the train.
-=Medical facilities for passengers=
+Not that the South African batsmen didn’t have their moments. Bavuma appeared to have settled down when he square drove Jadeja and lofted him over widish long-on for fours and Elgar was mixing things up nicely before the brain fade. Philander, who scored an unbeaten 44 in the first-innings, started with entertaining boundaries.
-==Ambulance on rails==
-[http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Indias-1st-AC-ambulance-on-rails-to-aid-10032017014064  ManthanK Mehta, India's 1st AC ambulance on rails to aid in golden hour, March 10, 2017: The Times of India]
-Central Railway (CR) unveiled India's first airconditioned rail ambulance that will rush to the aid of injured passengers during the vital `golden hour'.
+Earlier, Ishant Sharma gave India a breakthrough off the second ball of the day, trapping Aiden Markram in front for a pair. Though first-innings batting heroes Philander (37) and Maharaj (22) added 56 runs for the eighth wicket, India’s victory march was never in doubt once lunch was taken at 74-4 and tea at 172-7.
-An accident victim's chances of survival are greatest if treatment is provided within an hour or less, known as the golden hour. The ambulance, which will be stationed at Kalyan, was made by modifying an AC coach used for passenger service.
+===3rd test, Ranchi: India won the test, and series 3:0===
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F10%2F22&entity=Ar02308&sk=53703F47&mode=text  Pratik Bandyopadhyay, Oct 22, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-CR's chief public relations officer Narendra Patil said, “The four-coach rail ambulance of CR is the first fully airconditioned medical recovery van of the Indian railway .“
-=National Rail and Transportation Institute (NRTI)=
+[[File: Record stand- Rohit Sharma- Ajinkya Rahane - South Africa series, 2019.jpg|Record stand- Rohit Sharma- Ajinkya Rahane - South Africa series, 2019 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F10%2F21&entity=Ar00408&sk=2D53E7F3&mode=image  Oct 21, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-==2018: operations start==
-[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F09%2F10&entity=Ar01310&sk=5F438E53&mode=text  Manash Gohain, India’s first railway varsity starts ops in Vadodara, September 10, 2018: ''The Times of India'']
+[[File: Scoreboard, Test- Ranchi, India vs South Africa, 2019.jpg|Scoreboard, Test- Ranchi, India vs South Africa, 2019 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F10%2F22&entity=Ar02308&sk=53703F47&mode=text  Pratik Bandyopadhyay, Oct 22, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-The first of its kind university in the country on the transport sector, the National Rail and Transportation Institute (NRTI), started operations this week. Currently, it is functioning out of the National Academy of Indian Railways, Vadodara.
+[[File: India won the South Africa series 3:0.jpg| India won the South Africa series 3:0 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F10%2F23&entity=Ar00506&sk=364ADA98&mode=text  Dhananjay Mahapatra, Oct 23, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-Funded by ministry of railways, with University of California, Berkeley and Cornell University as its international partners, the university started with two undergraduate courses — BSc Transportation Technology and BBA Transportation Managementswith 50 students each.
+'''See graphic''':
-The deemed to be university plans to launch a total of five postgraduate courses and a few other undergraduate courses along with PhD programmes in the next five years. “The university plans to introduce five MSc and an MBA course from 2019-20. This year we started with two UG courses. A total of 103 students formed the first batch of this unique institute. The first semester for the courses are common and we are starting with visiting faculties from top institutions like XLRI and IIT, Madras, among others,” Lily Pandeya, executive directorspecial projects (university), ministry of railways, told TOI.
+'' India won the South Africa series 3:0 ''
-=Passenger traffic=
+If you are are from India’s T20 generation and find Test cricket too slow, it’s high time you watched this Indian Test team. Even if you are much older, from the generation which was once traumatised by Caribbean or Australian pacers, it’s time to heal your wounds. When Team India plays Test cricket these days, things move really fast. Runs are scored at a fair clip, the pacers men can bowl really fast and opposition batsmen generally tend to come and go quickly.
-==2016: Railways bears 43% of cost==
-[http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Railways-bears-43-of-travel-cost-at-a-15042016020035 ''The Times of India''] , Apr 15 2016
-'''Railways bears 43% of travel cost at a yearly loss of Rs 30,000cr'''
+It all happened so fast on Monday that one couldn’t really blame Faf du Plessis’ young South African team for capitulating like they did at the JSCA International Cricket Stadium. At the end of the day, they were just two wickets away from another defeat, being 132/8 after following on, still 203 runs in arrears. As if things were not bad enough for the visitors, opener Dean Elgar got hit on the helmet just before tea and had to retire hurt, paving the way for Theunis de Bruyn to become the third concussion substitute in the history of Tests.
-Mahendra Singh
+Umesh Yadav and Mohammad Shami were in peak form, sharing five wickets between them in the visitors’ first innings and taking five of the eight to fall in their second. All this on a typical Indian wicket where the ball tended to turn.
-Almost half of the cost of your train travel is borne by the railways. The political cost of doing away with the huge subsidy on passenger fares has prevented the transporter from tinkering with tariff over the years.
-The railways incurs a loss of Rs 30,000 crore every year in cross-subsi 30,000 crore every year in cross-subsidising passenger fares. “On an average, railways bears 43% cost of your travel,“ says a scroll running on the railways board's portal.
-At a time when the transporter is under financial stress, there were expectations that the current leadership with Suresh Prabhu at the helm would revise passenger fares to bring out the transporter out of the financial mess. But, Prabhu seems to have opted for a “politically safe“ path by deferring the matter and leaving the “dirty job“ for the yet to be set up rail development authority .
+It all started with a unplayable delivery Yadav bowled to Du Plessis in the first over of the day. The ball swung in, landed on full length and evaded the South Africa skipper’s defence by slightly moving away off the seam — a seemingly once-in-a-blue-moon delivery, until Shami got Zubayr Hamza with the same delivery in the afternoon while South Africa followed on.
+The pace at which the duo bowled had the batsmen hurrying all the time. Anrich Nortje got hit a couple of times in the first innings and it was Elgar’s turn in the second. It did not help that the wicket had variable bounce, which landed wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha in trouble a number of times. Eventually, he picked up a injury on the ring finger of his right hand while collecting a ball off Ravichandran Ashwin, and Rishabh Pant took his place. Teamsources maintained Saha was “fine” and recovering.
-The minister was of the view that the transporter should first focus on improving its services and try to raise resources through other means. “Whenever you raise fares, there are more questions raised than the rise. Therefore, we are trying to create a new mechanism whereby there will be a proper system that will be put in place (for revising fares),“ Prabhu had said.
+Shami and Yadav were simply outstanding. All of their wickets came by beating the batsman with either pace or swing, sometimes both. Not one of the deliveries kept low. Umesh, in particular, had a field day. The crowd cheered when he bowled and he paid back not just with wickets but also a direct hit, running out Rabada.
-Besides failing to meet its annual revenue targets, the railways is faced with an additional burden of Rs 32,000 crore this year towards implementing the 7th pay commission recommendations. Soon, after assuming office in 2014, the BJP government had announced a 14% across-the-board hike in fares, but was forced to roll it bac in sub-urban sector.
+Another to impress was local boy Shahbaz Nadeem, with his two wickets in the first innings and the direct hit at the non-striker’s end from square leg to dismiss George Linde towards the end of the day.
-==A.C. coach traffic vis-à-vis air traffic/ 2016==
+Unfortunately, Ravindra Jadeja’s three-wicket haul and Zubayr Hamza’s resistance in the first innings have to become footnotes on a day like this.
-[http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=AC-bogies-miss-travel-surge-air-traffic-up-30012017021018  Mahendra Singh & Sidhartha, Airlines Grow 23%, Cool Coaches Under 5 %, Jan 30 2017: The Times of India]
-[[File: Number of passengers, by Rail AC coaches and Air, 2012-16.jpg|Number of passengers, by Rail AC coaches and Air, 2012-16; [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=AC-bogies-miss-travel-surge-air-traffic-up-30012017021018  Mahendra Singh & Sidhartha, Jan 30 2017: The Times of India]|frame|500px]]
+[[Category:Cricket|C CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
+CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)]]
+[[Category:India|C CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
+CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)]]
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+CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)]]
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+CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)]]
+[[Category:Cricket|C CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
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+CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)]]
-Domestic air traffic is booming but the travel surge seems to have given the railways a miss, especially in the more profitable air-conditioned classes. While air traffic grew 23% to almost 77 million during April-December, the number of passengers travelling in air-conditioned railway coaches, which touched 108 million, grew at less than 5%.
+[[Category:Cricket|C CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
+CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)]]
+[[Category:India|C CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
+CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)]]
+[[Category:Pages with broken file links|CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
+CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)]]
-As a proportion of number of passengers travelling in air-conditioned coaches, air traffic was over 71% (see graph), which is a record. Just a year ago, it was a shade over 60%. As a proportion of AC passenger traffic, domestic air traffic used to hover around the 50% mark until 2014-15.
+=The best batsmen, bowlers, as in Feb=
+==Top five Indian batsmen in T20Is==
+[[File: Top 5 Indian batsmen in T20Is.jpg|Top 5 Indian batsmen in T20Is, 2018-19 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F02%2F06&entity=Ar03520&sk=0C4942FD&mode=image  February 6, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-For Indian Railways, passenger traffic is subsidised by freight or cargo with fares, on an average, covering 57% of the cost. Airconditioned coaches are comparatively less loss-making, although AC three-tier was making profit.
+'''See graphic''':
-A NITI Aayog analysis showed that a couple of years ago, the railways was spending Rs 1.67 for every rupee earned from its passenger business due to its socalled social obligation.
+''Top 5 Indian batsmen in T20Is, 2018-19''
-But a drop in air fares on the back of a fall in global oil prices, together with the railways' experiment with dy namic pricing -which made AC travel more expensive for those booking late -meant that it was more attractive to fly.
-Faced with financial stress, the transporter ignored the decline in AC traffic and chose an easier option of introducing flexi-pricing for AC classes to reduce losses, over-looking the suggestions that it should actually hold fares, where it was vulnerable to competition.
+==Top five Indian bowlers in T20Is==
+[[File: Top five Indian bowlers in T20Is, 2019.jpg|Top five Indian bowlers in T20Is, 2019 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F02%2F06&entity=Ar03521&sk=D1C379CA&mode=image  February 6, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-Railways, as of now, controls large market share in suburban travel and long distance non-AC travel, but the state-run transporter succumbed to populist pressures and failed to rationalise fares in air-conditioned segments even as it lost shortdistance passengers to luxu ry buses and private vehicles and long-haul to airlines.
+'''See graphic''':
-The transporter was forced to bear the subsidy of around 64% on suburban travel. While this accounts for 54% of passengers, it yielded just 5.7% of passenger revenues in 2015-16.
+''Top five Indian bowlers in T20Is, 2019''
-The only long-distance segment in which Indian Railways has a large market share is non-AC classes -sleeper and general, but the fare is highly subsidised.The NITI Aayog analysis showed that compared to bus fares, almost 99% of the fare in general coaches is subsidised, while in the sleeper classes the under-recovery is as much as 60%.
+==Indian bowlers vs Australia and New Zealand in 2018-19 ODIs==
+[[File: Indian bowlers vs Australia and New Zealand in 2018-19 ODIs.jpg|Indian bowlers vs Australia and New Zealand in 2018-19 ODIs <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F02%2F05&entity=Ar02301&sk=4A218D6F&mode=text  Dwaipayan Datta, With the World Cup stretch looming, talk on the Indian squad, middle-order, key slots and their back-ups gains momentum, February 5, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-So, railways is actually losing a share of the profitable segment.
+'''See graphic''':
-==2016-Mar 19:  train vis-à-vis air traffic==
-[[File: 2016-Mar 19- train vis-à-vis air traffic.jpg|2016-Mar 19:  train vis-à-vis air traffic <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F04%2F24&entity=Ar02106&sk=79BDE7A4&mode=image  April 24, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-See graphic, '2016-Mar 19:  train vis-à-vis air traffic  '
-[[Category:Economy-Industry-Resources|R
-RAILWAYS, INDIA: 1]]
-[[Category:Government|R
-RAILWAYS, INDIA: 1]]
-[[Category:India|R
-RAILWAYS, INDIA: 1]]
-=’Passenger’ (slow) trains=
-''' See graphic '''
-[[File: Six trains that halt over a hundred times in a single journey.jpg| Six trains that halt over a hundred times in a single journey; [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=STATOISTICS-119-HALTS-IS-THIS-A-PRIDE-OR-19052017009019 The Times of India], May 19, 2017|frame|500px]]
-=Personnel issues=
-==Shortage of staff: 2016==
-[[File: Indian Railways The shortfall in safety and other staff, 2016, division-wise.jpg|Indian Railways: The shortfall in safety and other staff, 2016, division-wise |frame|500px]]
-[http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=13L-Safety-Staff-Shortfall-Derails-Rlys-22112016012026   Chethan Kumar,  1.3L Safety Staff Shortfall Derails Rlys, Nov 22 2016 : The Times of India]
-Existing staff putting in 15 hrs a day
-The number of people India loses to train accidents every year could be directly linked to the huge shortage of frontline employees in the “safety category“ of the Indian Railways -1.27 lakh such posts remain vacant as of 2016.
-The safety employees, who include trackmen, pointmen, patrolmen, technicians and station masters among others, are directly responsible for the safe running of our trains.And, this crippling shortage of the key force on the ground, experts and unions opine, imperils the lives of passengers.
-This has also resulted in the overworking of existing workers, almost all of whom are toiling more than 15 hours a day -leaving enough room for mistakes that could result in grave incidents like the one on Sundaywhich claimed more than 100 lives.
-The Railways, which has been more than enthusiastic in spending on `designer uniforms' and other branding exercises, has exhibited nothing but apathy when it comes to filling up safety posts.
-As of 2013, the number of such vacancies was 1.42 lakh and in three years, that has only reduced by about 19,500. According to information accessed from the ministry of railways, the national carrier has an overall shortage of 2.17 lakh employees. Of this, 56% or 1.27 lakh are in the safety category.
-All India Railwaymen's Fe deration (AIRF) general secretary Shiva Gopal Mishra said, “Where we need three patrolmen, we don't even have one.“
-A trackman, for example, says, “I work a 12-13 hour shift on any given day , and more in case somebody takes ill or on days of high maintenance. On an average any trackman needs to carry about 15-17 kg of equipment and we have to work whether it is raining or it is 42 degrees. We have no respite from harsh conditions and the least we hope is that the vacancies are filled up so that we at least get the deserved rest.“
-Among the 18 railway divisions, the most such vacancies are in the northern division (14,442), followed by east central (10,034), south eastern (9,967) and central (9,910). The north central division, under whose jurisdiction Sunday's tragedy occurred has a shortage of 9,223 safety employees. Pointing out that the pressure is immense, a loco pilot, who did not want to be named, said, “Depending on the route and division, a locopilot could be driving continuously for 813 hours. The shortage affects us because we are all humans, we become sick, we get tired, and then mistakes can happen. When we have lives of so many people in our hands, you must understand the kind on pressure we work under.“
-While the Railways officially maintains that it accords the highest priority to safety with measures like “replacement of overaged assets, adoption of suitable technologies for upgradation and maintenance of track, rolling stock, signaling and interlocking systems et al,“ union members say that the sheer lack of people to implement all these is what is resulting in accidents.
-==1.4 lakh rail safety staff posts vacant/ 2017==
-[http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=14L-rail-safety-staff-posts-vacant-in-India-23012017011011 Amrita Didyala,  Vacancies Show A Clear Case Of Railway Apathy, Jan 23 2017: The Times of India]
-'''1.4L rail safety staff posts vacant in India'''
-The derailment of the Hirakhand Express comes in close succession to at least four similar train mishaps across the country.
-Weeks ago, a goods train derailed at Wihirgaon station on Kazipet-Balharshah section of South Central Railway (SCR), leading to a major disruption of train movement on the important “trunk route“.
-While authorities get down to checking the possibility of Saturday's train mishap -the fifth in the last six months -being the result of sabotage, the number of vacancies for safety officers shows a clear case of neglect and apathy .
-In the East Coast Railway (ECoR) sector, where the accident occurred, there is a 24% vacancy in safety official roles, as per official records. Meanwhile, 1.42 lakh posts for safety staff remain unfilled across India, which, experts say , is a major concern and clear case of apathy .
-“The pressure on crucial safety staff has remained very high over the years and this has also been pointed out in various internal reports. Not only are there huge vacancies but the existing staff work under sub-standard conditions.While higher-ups in the ministry might be awaiting the assistance of technology before filling vacant posts, the automated anti-collision device tested previously does not seem very promising. The posts need to be filled up,“ pointed out a retired senior official from SCR.
-As against a sanctioned strength of 6,398 engineering staff posts, there are only 4,827 filled; the remaining 1,571 are vacant in the ECoR. Again, 67 posts in security , 93 in signal and telecom, and 613 in electrical local running are vacant as per Railway Board data.
-“With such high vacancies in critical posts, mishaps are bound to happen. Engineering staff, signalling staff, and even loco pilots are frequently working 2024 hours straight due to vacant positions. Even SCR has over 10,000 vacancies in safety staff,“ said K Shivakumar, divisional secretary , SCR Mazdoor Union.
-==2017/ Perquisites withdrawn==
-[http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=BIG-SHIFT-Rail-babus-lose-privileges-as-govt-09102017009030  Rail babus lose privileges as govt fights VIP culture, October 9, 2017: The Times of India]
-The railway ministry has asked senior staff to slug it out -at home and at work -in a bid to end VIP culture.
-A new directive sounds the death knell for a 36year-old protocol mandating general managers to present themselves on the arrival and departure of the Railway Board chairman and members during zonal visits. Also, senior officials will have to relieve the railway staff they have engaged as domestic helps.
-In an order dated September 28, the ministry said the instructions and guidelines regarding the protocol to be observed at airports and railway sta tions during the visit of Railway Board members stood withdrawn with immediate effect.
-Officials estimate around 30,000 trackmen are engaged as domestic helps of senior staff. They have been asked to resume duties. Sources in the min istry said around 6,0007,000 personnel had reported back to work.
-“No one will be exempt from the directive to rejoin work except under very special circumstances. We are hoping that all the staff will join work shortly ,“ a senior official of the ministry said. Railway minister Piyush Goyal has also asked senior officials to give up travelling in cosy saloons and executive-class privileges, and instead opt for sleeper and AC three-tier classes to mingle with passengers.
-These include members of the Railway Board, general managers of railway zones, and divisional railway managers in each of the 50 divisions. “I believe that when these protocols were introduced, people drafting them would have seen some reasoning behind them. It is difficult for me to say what they were though. However, now these have no logic,“ said a former board member.
-=Production of coaches, engines, wagons =
-==2016: Replacing ICF coaches with LHB to take 30 years==
-[http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Shift-to-safer-LHB-coaches-may-take-30-23112016017012   Mahendra Singh, Shift to safer LHB coaches may take 30 yrs, Nov 23 2016 : ''The Times of India'']
-[[File: The number of ICF and LHB coaches in use, yearwise, 2013-16 and likely in 2017-19.jpg| The number of ICF and LHB coaches in use, yearwise, 2013-16 and likely in 2017-19 <br/> From: [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Shift-to-safer-LHB-coaches-may-take-30-23112016017012   Mahendra Singh, Shift to safer LHB coaches may take 30 yrs, Nov 23 2016 : ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-Phasing out of the ICF designed coaches, which piled up during the Kanpur train accident causing death of 150 passengers, will take almost 30 years if the railways moves ahead with the current pace of production of modern Linke Hoffman Busch (LHB) coaches, servicing elite Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains.
-Ignoring suggestions of several expert committees which termed the ICF coaches as “safety risk“, the transporter's pace of switching over to LHB coaches has been very slow.
-Apart from the inbuilt safety feature of not piling up, the LHB coaches are designed for speeds upwards of 120 kmph, are more fuel efficient and have longer a life span, while the ICF coaches are not meant for speed above 80-90 kmph. After the Kanpur tragedy , the railways is considering to step up the induction of LHB coaches, but a complete transition may take some time. As per the railways' coach production programme, the production units will make 1253 LHB coaches in 2016-17. If the transporter fails accelerate production of these modern coaches, it will take 30 years to replace the ICF coaches which form a large part of its fleet with over 40,000 in operation. At present, only 4,000 LHB coaches are in service.
-The transporter is resisting the switch-over process due to poor finances and limited capacity of production units.
-==2019: India’s production capacity==
+''Indian bowlers vs Australia and New Zealand in 2018-19 ODIs''
-[[File: 2019- India’s production capacity of railway coaches, engines, wagons.jpg|2019- India’s production capacity of railway coaches, engines, wagons <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F02%2F08&entity=Ar02304&sk=432F258B&mode=image  February 8, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
+==Select batsmen at no. 6 after 2015 WC in ODIs==
+[[File: Select batsmen at no. 6 after 2015 WC in ODIs.jpg|Select batsmen at no. 6 after 2015 WC in ODIs <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F02%2F05&entity=Ar02301&sk=4A218D6F&mode=text  Dwaipayan Datta, With the World Cup stretch looming, talk on the Indian squad, middle-order, key slots and their back-ups gains momentum, February 5, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
 '''See graphic''':
-''2019- India’s production capacity of railway coaches, engines, wagons''
+''Select batsmen at no. 6 after 2015 WC in ODIs''
-=Punctuality=
+==Select batsmen at no. 5 after 2015 WC in ODIs==
-==2015-18, average punctuality rate and no. of accidents==
+[[File: Select batsmen at no. 5 after 2015 WC in ODIs.jpg|Select batsmen at no. 5 after 2015 WC in ODIs <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F02%2F05&entity=Ar02301&sk=4A218D6F&mode=text  Dwaipayan Datta, With the World Cup stretch looming, talk on the Indian squad, middle-order, key slots and their back-ups gains momentum, February 5, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-[[File: The graph plots average punctuality rate (in % for 2016-18) and the number of railway accidents (in 2015-18) zone-wise.jpg|The graph plots average punctuality rate (in % for 2016-18) and the number of railway accidents (in 2015-18) zone-wise <br/> From: [https://epaper.thehindu.com/Home/ShareImage?Pictureid=G8C4DF247.1&fbclid=IwAR3o5kli94q4CfOSpwA2FcySK3MV5o4sCeyZ0-f1zfFHKDErSsRF9Dhot4w  July 23, 2018: ''The Hindu'']|frame|500px]]
 '''See graphic''':
-''The graph plots average punctuality rate (in % for 2016-18) and the number of railway accidents (in 2015-18) zone-wise''
+''Select batsmen at no. 5 after 2015 WC in ODIs''
+=The notable players=
+==As in October==
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL/2019/10/17&entity=Ar03117&sk=C1E6186D&mode=text   Pratik Bandyopadhyay, Oct 17, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-==2017/ Superfast trains late 95% of time==
+''' RAVICHANDRAN ASHWIN '''
-[http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Superfast-trains-late-95-of-time-but-rlys-23072017013044 Arvind Chauhan|Superfast trains late 95% of time but rlys failed to refund|Jul 23 2017 : The Times of India (Delhi)]
-Rs 11Cr Surcharge Collected From Travellers: CAG
+Tests: 42; Wkts: 233; Best bowling: 7/59; Bowling ave: 23.42; 5 wkts: 18; 10-wkt match: 5
-North Central Railway (NCR) and South Central Railway (SCR) levied and collected Rs 11.17 crore from passengers as `superfast' surcharges, but some of their superfast trains were delayed more than 95% times, said a CAG report tabled in Parliament on Friday .
+Eleven consecutive home series wins would not have been possible without this soft-spoken off-spinner. The only time he lost his cool was in 2016 when James Anderson suggested Kohli was a flat-track bully. The offie often warms the bench on foreign tours but has been unplayable in India. A keen follower of other sports and interested in saving rivers, this intellectual cricketer has taken 233 of his 356 Test wickets under Virat’s captaincy. Even men like Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers have found the going tough against him on Indian wickets.
-According to the Railway Board, trains with average speed of 55 kmph or more come under the category of superfast trains. A study of data on punctuality of superfast trains from 2013-14 to 2015-16 in NCR and SCR, however, revealed that such trains reached the destination late between 13.48% and 95.17% of the days on which they ran. In total, 21 superfast trains were delayed on 3,000 days out of 16,804 days because they failed to attain the `superfast' speed.
+''' CHETESHWAR PUJARA '''
-At present, there is no rule or policy to refund money if a train is delayed. Only when a person files a ticket deposit against reservation (TDR) against a train delayed for more than three hours is a refund possible.
+Tests: 44; Runs: 3560; Batting ave: 52.35; 100s: 12; Highest score: 202
-According to the railways, `superfast' surcharges vary for different class of coaches.For example, it is Rs 15 for general coaches, Rs 30 for sleeper, Rs 45 for AC (chair car, AC-3 economy , AC-3, AC-2 classes) and Rs 75 for AC FirstExecutive class which were effective from April 1, 2013. Agra divisional commercial manager Sanchit Tyagi said, “There are scores of factors which lead to trains not achieving their superfast speed, thus causing delays. Some the prominent factors are the maintenance of tracks, signal glitches, emergency brakes and accidents which contribute in the late operations of railways.“
+Style is the man, they say. In Pujara’s case it is the batting style. He bats like a monk who is not tempted by anything, not even his teammates’ strike rate. Perhaps that is the reason he is often accused of playing too slow like Geoffrey Boycott. But he has given Kohli’s bowlers crucial runs for memorable wins. The historic series win Down Under earlier this year would not have been possible without Pujara’s stellar show.
-Asked if the railways should not be returning passengers the so-called `superfast' surcharges in such cases, Tyagi said, “There are no such rules or policy to refund money if a train is delayed, but when a passenger files a TDR (ticket deposit against reservation) against a train delayed for than three hours, then a refund is possible.“
+''' AJINKYA RAHANE '''
-The study on the movement of some of the superfast trains between 2013 and 2016 revealed that Kolkata-Agra Cantt Superfast (SF in railway jargon) was late 138 days out of 145.
+Tests: 46; Runs: 2802; Batting ave: 41.20; 100s: 7; Highest score: 188
-=Railway Board=
+It would be difficult to make a Martian believe that this diminutive man with the eyes of a struggling poet can take on someone like Mitchell Johnson and hit his 140kmph-plus bouncer to long-on like a forehand. Rahane’s show at home has been moderate but he has been a different batsman in difficult terrains like like Australia, England and South Africa. The vice-captain also stands quietly at slip beside Saha, making many a difficult nick off Ashwin and Jadeja look like an easy take.
-==Reoganisation, 2016==
-[http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Now-an-outside-expert-in-rly-board-02082016012062 ''The Times of India''], Aug 02 2016
-Mahendra Singh
+''' MAYANK AGARWAL '''
-'''Now, an outside expert in rly board'''
+Tests: 6; Runs: 605; Batting ave: 60.50; 100s: 2; Highest score: 215
+Averaging close to 50 in first-class cricket with a triple century against his name, Mayank could have made his Test debut earlier. But it served him well that he did it when Virat and his men were making history in Australia. The 28-year-old missed out on a century on debut. However, his consistency in Australia was an important factor in India’s triumph. His ever-improving catching ability at bat pad is also an asset.
-In a big move to overhaul colonial-era railway bureaucracy , the Modi government has decided to allow lateral entry of external talent for one senior position in the railway board, reorganise the top decision-making body on functional lines and rework the policy of appointments of GMs and DRMs to eliminate discretion.
-The Appointment Committee of Cabinet (ACC) decided to create a post of Advisor (resource mobilisation & development) which will be filled through lateral entry , aiming to accelerate the modernisation efforts to revamp the state-run transporter.
+''' JASPRIT BUMRAH '''
-The ministerial panel, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also decided to reorganise the railway board on functional lines by creating post of member (infrast ructure), member (rolling stock), member (traction).
+Tests: 12; Wkts: 62; Best bowling: 6/27; Bowling ave: 19.24; 5 wkts: 5
-At present, the board has members dealing with different departments such as engineering, traffic, mechanical, and staff apart from the financial commissioner. Over the years, inter-services rivalry has often resulted in blocking of key projects, impacting the government's efforts to upgrade decaying rail infrastructure. While reserving the post of members for different railway services, the panel al so decided to create post of DGs in railway board for three services -personnel, signal and telecom and stores -which don't have representation as members.
+Bumrah has picked up five or more wickets in an innings five times already, playing only 12 Tests, all away from home. He has become the fastest Indian to 50 Test wickets. A fast bowler with a disarming smile is hard to come by but then Bumrah is one of his kind.
-In another move, the ACC has decided to discontinue entry of officers through the Special Class Railway Apprentice Examination (SCRA) in Indian Railway Services for mechanical engineers. Started in 1927, the SCRA involved selection to the undergraduate programme in mechanical engineering at the Indian Railway Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering (IRIMEE) at Jamalpur.
+''' WRIDDHIMAN SAHA '''
-Jamalpur graduates -being the youngest to enter railway service -have usually had a disproportionately high share of senior level posts as divisional railway managers (DRMs) and general managers (GMs).
+Tests: 31; Runs: 1080; Batting ave: 31.76; 100s: 3; Highest score: 117; Catches: 77; Stumpings: 10
-The selection process for GMs and DRMs has also being changed drastically to eliminate discretion in top level appointments which were mired in controversy during the UPA regime due to alleged corrupt practices, highlighted by the arrest of railway board member Mahesh Kumar and delay in filling large number of vacancies.
+A wicketkeeper’s contribution is easily forgotten, and his Supermanesque catches in Pune will fade from memory sooner than later. But coming off a long injury layoff which at one point must have made him wonder whether his international career was over, Saha has showed why Kohli thinks he is the best wicketkeeper in the world. Saha is not one of those chirpy stumpers who keeps giving pep talks from behind the stumps. He lets his gloves do the talking. His batting average may not make everyone happy but his impeccable keeping to the spinners on turners at home and to pacers abroad have been very impressive.
-The DRM posts will be distributed as per strength of railway services and posting will be based on service-wise seniority eliminating the possibility of pick and choose.
+=The Pink Ball Test/ Nov=
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F11%2F23&entity=Ar02507&sk=0348DBD4&mode=text  —Saibal Bose, Nov 23, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
+''' AFTERNOON '''
-=Rail Development Authority=
+The first 15 overs, when the ball was still relatively new, it swung quite a lot, but only after the first 20-odd minutes. Initially, the Indian bowlers were making it seam. In fact, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma were making the ball dart in, in the early overs and that seemed to trouble the Bangladesh batsmen more. The bounce was quite good and the generous sprinkling of grass on the pitch probably had more to do with it than the ball itself. As the shine wore off a bit, the pacers started getting big swing. It tested the reflexes and keeping skills of stumper Wriddhiman Saha too, a test he came out passing with flying colours.
-[http://www.livemint.com/Politics/KSHYmRj6cRKiPurbhtbt9L/How-Rail-Development-Authority-will-change-the-Indian-Railwa.html  Jyotika Sood, How Rail Development Authority will change the Indian Railways landscape, April 6, 2017: Livemint]
+''' TWILIGHT ZONE '''
+The first signs that fielding could be a problem during the twilight minutes were seen when the last Bangladesh wicket fell. It was just after 4.30 pm and the floodlights had started to marry the slanting rays of the sun. Abu Jayed edged Mohammed Shami to Rohit Sharma at slip, but the opener failed to pick it. It could have travelled faster than anticipated as it bounced off his palm and luckily for India, Cheteshwar Pujara held on to it. However, Sharma was left searching for the ball. Virat Kohli had spoken of the hardness of the ball and Sharma seemed to agree as he kept shaking his hand.
-Rail Development Authority will help the Indian Railways take decisions on pricing of services, consumer interests, generating revenue and competition, among others
+The Indian batsmen, however, seemed to be hardly troubled by the tricky twilight period as they went after the Bangladesh bowling. One chance that Al-Amin Hossain got off a Rohit Sharma skier was grassed in the deep. Was it the deceptive dip perception that Kohli had talked about?
-The Cabinet in April 2017 flagged off a major reform in Indian Railways, by allowing the formation of an independent railway regulator called Rail Development Authority (RDA), with an initial corpus of Rs50 crore.
+''' EVENING '''
-The regulatory authority will change the landscape of Indian Railways as it will help the national carrier take decisions on pricing of services commensurate with costs, protect consumer interests, suggest measures for enhancement of non-fare revenue, promote competition and encourage market development, create positive environment for investment, promote efficient resource allocation and benchmarking of service standards, and suggest measures for absorption of new technologies and human resource development.
+At the second interval, the ground staff combed the ground with thick ropes to mop up the dew. The curator was taking no chances. Sharma shouldered arms to a delivery that came in indicating that he wasn’t sure of his off-stump, another point that Kohli had alluded to. As the evening wore on, the ball as well as the Bangladesh bowlers seemed to lose bite as Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara started to make batting look easy.
-Until now, reforms in Indian Railways like increase in train tariffs and reduction in the number of railway employees have been withheld due to political reasons.
+==A success==
+===A marketing masterstroke===
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F11%2F23&entity=Ar02512&sk=5F8FD5FB&mode=text  Saibal Bose, Nov 23, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-The need for a rail regulator has been emphasized since 2001 by various committees. The first recommendation for an independent rail regulator came in 2001 when an expert group under the chairmanship of Rakesh Mohan suggested the formation of a regulatory authority to fix rail tariffs. Later, several railway committees suggested a Railway Tariff Development Authority. The most recent recommendation for RDA came through the National Transport Development Policy Committee (NTDPC) in 2014 and Bibek Debroy’s Committee in 2015.
-In Railway Budget 2015-16, minister for railways Suresh Prabhu had announced that for the purpose of orderly development of infrastructure enabling competition and protection of customer interest, it is important to have a regulation mechanism independent of the service provider. Further, it was proposed to set up a mechanism for making regulations, setting performance standards and determining tariff.
+Jagmohan Dalmiya was known to have used his marketing acumen to promote cricket in a way no one had done before. Sourav Ganguly may have gone one better in a bid to draw the crowd back to Test cricket by presenting it in a manner that makes it extremely appealing visually.
-'''Functions of RDA'''
+The first pink-ball Test match on Indian soil, which got under way at the Eden Gardens, is not just a game, but a marketing masterstroke. “Fans love it, so do the sponsors,” a marketing expert said while analysing the effects of the pink-ball Test. “Not just fans, but corporate bodies too were losing interest in Test cricket,” he said. “Particularly against a weak opponent (Bangladesh), getting the corporate bodies and the public interested would have been a herculean task.”
-The railway regulator will work within the parameters of the Railway Act, 1989. Here is what it will do:
+An injection of a shock-and-awe element was the need of the hour. That came wrapped in pink, and immediately, curiosity peaked. This curiosity is what drives the markets, the expert said. “Look at the interest the first edition of Pro Kabaddi League generated,” he said. “Who would have thought a sport like kabaddi would get so much viewership. It was the curiosity factor that drew so many eyeballs to the league. Once again, it is this curiosity that has shifted the cricket world’s focus to Eden Gardens.”
-• Tariff determination: The regulator will frame principles, recommend tariffs, principles for classification of commodities, frame principles for social service obligation and guidelines for track access charges on dedicated freight corridors.
+In a refreshing and rare sight, the stadium was packed to capacity on the first day of a Test match — that, too, on a week day. The opposition, weak or strong, doesn’t matter here. The pink ball is the trump card and everything was woven around it. Had Australia been the opponents, the demand for tickets would most likely have been for all five days. In this case, tickets for first three days are most sought after.
-• Ensuring fair play: The Railway Board has been often accused of bias. The regulatory body will ensure level-playing field for all stakeholders. It will help propose modifications and send suggestions or advisory notes on investment in railways by the Indian Railways, make suggestions regarding policies for private investment to ensure reasonable safeguards to PPP investors and to resolve disputes regarding future concession agreements.
+[[Category:Cricket|C CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
+CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)]]
+[[Category:India|C CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
+CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)]]
+[[Category:Pages with broken file links|CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
+CRICK]]
-• Setting standards: It will help set efficiency and performance standards, and disseminate information in line with global best practices and benchmarking.
+=The KPL scandal=
+==The first information==
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL/2019/11/08&entity=Ar02913&sk=8D97F1C9&mode=text  Kiran Parashar, Nov 8, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-'''Constitution of RDA'''
+Bengaluru police arrested wicketkeeperbatsman C M Gautam and leftarm spinner Abrar Kazi, for alleged spot-fixing during the final of the 2019 Karnataka Premier League (KPL). Kazi is also accused of taking Rs 7.5 lakh to leak runs in a league-stage match against another KPL team, Bengaluru Blasters.
-The RDA will have a chairman and three members with a fixed term of five years each. They can be removed by the Central government only on certain grounds, including insolvency, conviction, misbehaviour, physical and mental incapability.
+Investigators claimed Gautam had confessed. Patil told TOI that apart from his statement, investigators had sufficient evidence to prove Gautam’s involvement in match-fixing and spot-fixing. “Inquiries are still under way, and more information cannot be divulged at this juncture. But we suspect some more people may be involved in the case,” he said.
-The organisation will be set up with an initial corpus of Rs50 crore and can engage experts from relevant areas for assistance.
+The arrests are a major twist in the growing scandal, which has also ensnared the owner of a different team, Belagavi Panthers. In all, seven people have been arrested.
-It will be an independent body with a separate budget. The independence is ensured through provision of a separate budget, and the appointment and removal process.
-The Central government will appoint the chairman and members by choosing from a panel of names recommended by the search and selection committee consisting of cabinet secretary as chairman, chairman railway board, secretary of department of personnel and training and chairman of any regulatory body of the Central government nominated by the cabinet secretary.
-=Rajdhani express trains=
-==2018: Rajdhani fares vs. air travel==
-[[File: Rajdhani fares vis-à-vis economy air fares in August 2018.jpg|Rajdhani fares vis-à-vis economy air fares in August 2018 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F07%2F07&entity=Ar01220&sk=54E99D93&mode=image July 7, 2018: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-''' See graphic ''' :
-''Rajdhani fares vis-à-vis economy air fares in August 2018''
-=Rules for passengers=
-==2017: sleeping hours are 10pm-6am==
-[http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Rlys-to-trim-your-sleep-time-by-an-18092017014015  Rlys to trim your sleep time by an hour to reduce fights, Sep 18 2017: The Times of India]
-''Tiffs As People `Oversleep' In Middle Berths''
-Railways will allow one to sleep for eight hours on trains, instead of nine earlier, as it seeks to put an end to frequent fights among passengers because of travellers oversleeping on the middle and lower berths in reserved compartments.
-In a circular issued last month, the railways said that sleeping time would be between 10 pm and 6 am so that co-travellers could sit comfortably for the rest of the time. For years, the permissible time for sleeping was between 9 pm and 6 am.
-Railways has, however, requested passengers to cooperate with the sick, persons with disabilities and pregnant women, if they wanted to sleep beyond the permissible limit. Defending the decision, an official said sleeping time was reduced by an hour because it was found that many passengers went to sleep as soon as they board the train -irrespective of day or night -leaving co-travellers on the upper and middle berths high and dry . He said problems also arose when passengers on the middle berths refused to get up so that those on the lower berths could sit comfortably .
-The state-run transporter has received complaints about regular quarrels between passengers, mainly on long distance trains with journeys of more than 12 hours.
-Officials said the problem was more acute for people travelling on side berths. The circular clarified that a person booked on the side upper berth would not have any claim of seat on the lower berth between 10 pm and 6 am.The new directive will help travelling ticket examiner (TTE) to resolve such disputes on board by preventing anyone from taking catnaps beyond the permissible time.
-= Shatabdi (express trains)=
-==1994-2019: a review==
-[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/at-25-shatabdi-remains-relevant-sans-its-romance/articleshow/69277815.cms  Siddharth Prabhakar, May 11, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-[[File: The Shatabdi, down the years.jpg| The Shatabdi, down the years. The Shatabdi, down the years. <br/> From: [https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/at-25-shatabdi-remains-relevant-sans-its-romance/articleshow/69277815.cms  Siddharth Prabhakar, May 11, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-At 25, Shatabdi remains relevant sans its romance
-In the summer of 1994, 5-year-old Arun Pandian would hurriedly get off the train on platform number seven at the Bengaluru station, and watch the Shatabdi Express' electric engine get replaced by a diesel one in a matter of 10 minutes. Going to Mysuru from Chennai (then Madras), on the iconic train - then the first Shatabdi in south India that ran non-stop till Bengaluru - was akin to a flight ride. It boasted of great food and executive service that made it an exciting experience.
-Today, as the Shatabdi Express turns 25, the absence of an engine change-over at Bengaluru is not the only change it has gone through. It was a prestigious train, recall old-timers, chosen even by several foreigners to the tourist destination of Mysuru.
-The train, which was once a source of awe and pride for the residents of Chennai, Bengaluru and Mysuru, has become one of the also-rans. Though it continues to run packed on most days, it is preferred mostly for its speed, which has not increased over the years. Its identity as a royal ride, with regard to its food or hospitality, is lost, feel passengers.
-Arun, who has literally grown up with the train, says that in those days, the quality and quantity of food served onboard was excellent. "We were given a choice of coconut milk with coffee and tea, and five chocolates. Idlis and vadas would be bigger, while soup and French fries were also offered," he says.
-Now, the food served has an impersonal touch, say many. K Vasudevan (55), who rode on the Shatabdi on its first return leg from Bengaluru to Chennai on May 11, 1994, said, "Back then, the catering staff spoke English and Tamil. Today, they speak neither," he says.
-What was once a classy, novel experience, is no more so, "with more Shatabdis, Rajdhanis and Durontos coming in," he says.
-Both Vasudevan and Arun recall how despite largely running on a single line earlier, the Shatabdi was punctual, and on many occasions, ahead of schedule.
-Today, despite the presence of a double line and high-speed locomotives like the WAP-7 and lighter LHB coaches, the train struggles to complete its journey on time.
-[[Category:Economy-Industry-Resources|RRAILWAYS, INDIA: 1
-RAILWAYS, INDIA: 1]]
-[[Category:Government|RRAILWAYS, INDIA: 1
-RAILWAYS, INDIA: 1]]
-[[Category:India|RRAILWAYS, INDIA: 1
-RAILWAYS, INDIA: 1]]
-=Stations=
-==2017: the cleanest and dirtiest in India==
-[http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com//Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Beas-Vizag-cleanest-railway-stations-in-India-18052017011023  Mahendra Singh, Beas, Vizag cleanest railway stations in India, May 18, 2017: The Times of India]
-[[File: Cleanest and dirtiest railway stations, 2017.jpg|Cleanest and dirtiest railway stations in India, 2017; [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com//Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Beas-Vizag-cleanest-railway-stations-in-India-18052017011023  Mahendra Singh, Beas, Vizag cleanest railway stations in India, May 18, 2017: The Times of India]|frame|500px]]
-Beas railway station is the cleanest, followed by Vishakhapatnam and Khammam, out of 407 stations in India, according to a survey released by the railways.Among the 75 bigger and busy railway stations, Visakhapatnam is on top, followed by Secunderabad and Jammu.
-New Delhi station was ranked 39 among the most busy stations while Bangalore City is at 10th position, Hyderabad at 16th, Mumbai Central at 27th and Chennai Central at 49th rank. Interestingly , Anand Vihar (in Delhi) is at number five, just behind Vijayawada and ahead of Lucknow in the ranking of 75 busy stations.
-Among stations in the cap ital, Anand Vihar is at 10th position in overall ranking while Nizamuddin has bagged 74th, Old Delhi station 75th and at New Delhi station is way back at 139th rank.
-Stations at Jogbani, Madhubani and Sagauli -all in Bihar -are the dirtiest in the overall ranking. Among the most busy stations, Darbhanga (Bihar) was the dirtiest, followed by Bhopal and Ambala.
-The railway station in Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency of PM Narendra Modi, was ranked at 14th position among busy stations while it managed to get 30th position in overall ranking. Gorakhpur, represented by UP CM Yogi Aditya Nath, is at 12th position (28th in overall ranking).
-The survey was carried out based on regular periodic third party audit by the Quali ty Council of India and feedback from passengers. Clean toilets at platforms, clean tracks and dustbins at stations were some of the criteria for judging railway stations for cleanliness. According to the survey , Guwahati, Varanasi, Mughalsarai and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations have shown tremendous improvement in comparison to the last survey .
-Among the zones, South East Central Railways, headquartered at Secunderabad, is the cleanest while North Frontier Railways, Guwahati, is the dirtiest. The survey was carried out for 407 stations, out of which 75 are in the A-1 category (most busy stations) which contribute more than Rs 50 crore in passenger earnings every year and 332 are in the A category which earn between Rs 6 crore to Rs 50 crore.
-==2017: the cleanest and dirtiest in Delhi==
-[http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com//Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Anand-Vihar-station-fifth-cleanest-18052017007017  Jasjeev Gandhiok, Anand Vihar station fifth cleanest, May 18, 2017: The Times of India]
-[[File: The cleanest railway stations in Delhi, 2017.jpg|The cleanest railway stations in Delhi, 2017; [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com//Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Anand-Vihar-station-fifth-cleanest-18052017007017  Jasjeev Gandhiok, Anand Vihar station fifth cleanest, May 18, 2017: The Times of India]|frame|500px]]
-'''Ranks Much Higher Than Old & New Delhi Railway Stations In A1 Category'''
-The Anand Vihar railway station has been ranked fifth cleanest among the A1 category stations surveyed in the latest Swachh Railway Report -the cleanest in the capital ahead of its more heralded rivals, Old Delhi (24th) and New Delhi (39th) stations. Anand Vihar's cleanliness is helped to an extent by the smaller passenger load than the other two, but it also has some practical design features that helps it manage waste and dirt better.
-Stations whose annual earning is more than Rs 50 crore come under A1category .
-Setting the station apart is the use of 10-metre wide subways instead of foot-overbridges. This feature helps reduce the passenger congestion on the platforms.
-Railway officials said that another unique feature of the station was the loading of parcels, food and linen on trains in the stabling area rather than at the platform. This has greatly reduced the chances of garbage and litter accumulating on the tracks.
-“On all other stations including Old Delhi, Nizamuddin and New Delhi, parcel goods, food items and linen are loaded on the platform. Moreover, at Anand Vihar, exit rooms don't open towards the platform but towards the main entry to the station to ensure that food items or garbage do not end up on the platform or the tracks,“ said RN Singh, divisional railway manager (New Delhi).
-In addition, Anand Vihar has an underground drainage system designed to keep the tracks clean. The tracks also have the provision for being cleaned by spray machines that run on the central line between the platforms. “ A lot of plantation work has also been carried out in the non-operational areas at Anand Vihar to promote beauty and cleanliness, and we are conducting a survey that will aid us in carrying out similar developments at Nizamuddin, Old Delhi and New Delhi railway stations,“ added Singh.
-Meanwhile, the New Delhi railway station will soon see an operational waste-to-energy plant becoming operational as part of a green initiative. This power plant is likely to handle most of the waste load generated at the station. At Old Delhi, there are plans to install solar panels.
-Railways officials opined that a higher passenger load could be the reason why New Delhi railway station lagged so far behind in the Swachh Railway survey .
-“New Delhi station is as old as Anand Vihar,“ said an official. “But the higher footfall there when compared with Anand Vihar is one reason why the cleanliness levels there are slightly below other stations in Delhi. But work is under way to improve the situation there.“
-==Renaming stations==
-''' See graphic ''' ,  ''Renaming railway stations''
-[[File: Renaming railway stations.jpg|Renaming railway stations; [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Gallery.aspx?eid=31808&id=05_08_2017_016_029_005&type=P&artUrl=Its-official-Mughalsarai-will-be-known-as-Deendayal-05082017016029 The Times of India], August 5, 2017|frame|500px]]
-=Safety measures=
-== Drone surveillance: Pune leads==
-[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/pune-railway-division-first-in-india-to-use-drone-surveillance/articleshow/60852053.cms  Dheeraj Bengrut, Pune railway division first in India to use drone surveillance, Sep 27, 2017: The Times of India]
-'''HIGHLIGHTS'''
-new drone cameras will be deployed soon on railway tracks and stations in Pune railway division
-Pune railway division will be the first division in the country to use such a vigilance system
-Recent incidents of derailment and other railway accidents have sparked this decision
-As safety while using the Indian Railways becomes a matter of raging debate, it appears that the local division of this transport authority has decided to a rather futuristic remedial measure.
-Now, two new drone cameras will be deployed soon to keep a hawk's eye watch on railway tracks and stations in Pune railway division — also incidentally making it the first division in the country to use such a vigilance system.
-Recent incidents of derailment and other railway accidents have sparked this decision, and the first trial runs for these cameras will take place next week.
-Speaking to Mirror about the initiative, Pune divisional railway manager B K Dadabhoy said, "Train operations, maintenance of tracks, vigilance against untoward incidents and various other initiatives are being carried out round the clock by the railways. When accidents occur on the tracks, our Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel and officials do take some time to reach the spot and verify matters. Often, there are cases of passengers protesting on the tracks, rail rokos and more — all in all, human vigilance has its limitations. So, we decided that drone cameras will aid us immeasurably when it comes to keeping an eye on railway tracks, Pune railway station and other areas under the division."
-Dadabhoy added, "Initially, we will buy just two drones at an approximate budget of Rs 40 lakh. They will be highquality machines to record videos and take pictures at a certain distance above ground level. It will help us get realtime videos and photos if incidents like derailment, accidents, illegal track crossing, passengers' stunts (especially on Pune-Lonavala local train routes), track maintenance work, law and order situations and encroachments on railway property take place. Next week, we will conduct trial runs for the drone cameras, keeping one at Pune railway station and the other at Miraj railway station to cover nearby areas."
-In October 2016, the Maharashtra Express train derailed at Pune railway station during its night trip; several incidents of youths carrying out stunts have also been observed on Pune- Lonavala locals. While the RPF takes continual action against miscreants and trespassers, they can cover only a limited area.
-Meanwhile, commuters have welcomed the drone project. Prashant Sharma, a daily passenger to and from Lonavala, shared, "In the last 20 years, I have witnessed a number of accidents on this route, mostly when passengers are hit by stones thrown from the outside. There have also been issues of trains getting stuck along the route due to technical or other occasions — if this happens at a lonely spot now, the drones will help capture the exact location and help officials reach hapless passengers in case of any emergency."
-Initially, we will buy just two drones for around Rs 40 lakh. Next week, we will conduct trial runs, keeping one at Pune railway station and the other at Miraj railway station to cover nearby areas
-=Solar-Powered Train=
-==India's First Solar-Powered Train To Save 21,000 Litres Of Diesel Annually==
-[[File:train.png|India's First Solar-Powered Train To Save 21,000 Litres Of Diesel Annually; <br/> From: [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Gallery.aspx?id=15_07_2017_008_042_002&type=P&artUrl=INDIAS-FIRST-SOLAR-POWERED-TRAIN-TO-SAVE-21000-15072017008042&eid=31808 INDIA'S FIRST SOLAR-POWERED TRAIN TO SAVE 21,000 LITRES OF DIESEL ANNUALLY|Jul 15 2017 : The Times of India (Delhi)]|frame|500px]]
-'''See graphic''':
-''India's First Solar-Powered Train To Save 21,000 Litres Of Diesel Annually''
-=Ticketless travel=
-==2013-14==
-[[File: railwaysX.jpg|'''Indian Railways and ticketless travel:''' One of the world's largest railway systems, the Indian railways carry about 23 million people every day. That's like all of Australia on a daily basis. Obviously, checking all ticketless travel is a huge task.; <br/>  Source:  [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com//Gallery.aspx?id=04_09_2014_008_017_003&type=P&artUrl=STATOISTICS-NO-TICKET-TO-RIDE-04092014008017&eid=31808  ''The Times of India''] NO TICKET TO RIDE, Sep 04 2014|frame|500px]]
-'''See graphic''':
-'' '''Indian Railways and ticketless travel:''' One of the world's largest railway systems, the Indian railways carry about 23 million people every day. That's like all of Australia on a daily basis. Obviously, checking all ticketless travel is a huge task.''
-=Tracks=
-==2017-18: tracks renewed at record rate==
-[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F04%2F03&entity=Ar00822&sk=4DB0A9BA&mode=text  Mahendra Singh, For safer travel, rlys renews tracks at record rate in FY18, April 3, 2018: ''The Times of India'']
-[[File: The renewal of railway tracks in 2004-05 and 2017-18, the two best years till then.jpg|The renewal of railway tracks in 2004-05 and 2017-18, the two best years till then <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F04%2F03&entity=Ar00822&sk=4DB0A9BA&mode=text  Mahendra Singh, For safer travel, rlys renews tracks at record rate in FY18, April 3, 2018: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-Travel by trains is set to be safer as railways claims to have carried out renewal of 4,405 km of old tracks with new rails in 2017-18 — the highest ever in a financial year.
-An official statement said, “This is the highest ever progress of track renewal (primary) and exceeds the target of 4,389 km (revised to 4,400 km) for the year.”
-The state-run transporter said that the previous best was 4,175 km in 2004-05 due to the deployment of the special rail safety fund which was set up during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s regime. As per railways data, during March 2018, 642 km rail renewal was carried out, which is the best ever progress in any month. The transporter has a network of total track length of 1,14,907 kilometres and of this, on an average 4,500 kilometres of track should ideally be renewed annually.
-But, due to financial constraints the progress of track renewals was constantly coming down in last several years and resulted in huge backlog of around 5,000 km track for renewal and led to several accidents due to derailments. Railways has said the government accorded the highest priority to safety, due to which the number of derailments between April 2017 and February 2018 had come down to 53, as compared to 76 from April 2016 to February 2017. After taking over, Piyush Goyal who had replaced Suresh Prabhu as railways minister after the Utkal Express derailment, directed track renewal to be fast-tracked.
-=The state of the Railways=
-==2015==
-[[File: Railway lines, statewise, in kilometres, and the percentage of electrification. The Times of India 7 Nov 2015.jpg| Railway lines, state-wise, in kilometres, and the percentage of electrification.; Graphic courtesy: [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Gallery.aspx?id=06_11_2015_010_027_002&type=P&artUrl=STATOISTICS-CURRENT-AFFAIR-06112015010027&eid=31808 ''The Times of India''], November 6, 2015|frame|500px]]
-'''See graphic''':
-''Railway lines, state-wise, in kilometres, and the percentage of electrification.''
-==2016==
-[[File: Railway projects under implementation in India, as in August 2016.jpg| Railway projects under implementation, as in August 2016; Graphic courtesy: [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=CHUGGING-ALONG-25082016011083 ''The Times of India''], August 25, 2016 |frame|500px]]
-'''See graphic''':
-''Railway projects under implementation in India, as in August 2016''
+Gautam previously captained the Karnataka Ranji team. He shifted to Goa this season. He also represented India A and was a member of at least three Indian Premier League (IPL) teams. Royal Challenges Bangalore never picked him in the playing 11, but he made the cut for Mumbai Indians and Delhi Daredevils.
-==2017==
+Police sources said investigators were reviewing the events of the KPL final on August 31 and trying to determine if Gautam’s slow batting alone contributed to the loss.
-[[File: Challenges for Indian Railways, 2017- I.jpg|Challenges for Indian Railways, 2017- I; [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Gallery.aspx?id=02_02_2017_010_029_002&type=P&artUrl=INDIAN-RAILWAYS-IS-FIGHTING-THREE-LOSING-BATTLES-02022017010029&eid=31808  ''The Times of India''], Feb 2, 2017|frame|500px]]
-[[File: Challenges for Indian Railways, 2017- II, III.jpg|Challenges for Indian Railways, 2017- II, III; [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Gallery.aspx?id=02_02_2017_010_029_002&type=P&artUrl=INDIAN-RAILWAYS-IS-FIGHTING-THREE-LOSING-BATTLES-02022017010029&eid=31808  ''The Times of India''], Feb 2, 2017|frame|500px]]
+They said the central crime branch picked up Gautam in Bengaluru on Thursday morning and he was aware that he was a target of the police inquiry. Some of his associates had already been quizzed.
+Gautam and Kazi’s WhatsApp messages and calls have been reviewed, and the agency had also verified the places where they allegedly met those looking for players’ cooperation to fix spots or matches, according to the sources.
-[http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=What-finance-minister-Arun-Jaitley-didnt-tell-you-16022017020030  Derek O'Brien, Feb 16 2017 : ''The Times of India'']
+One officer said dishonest players and bookies had various codes of communication and therefore establishing evidence in court would be a challenge. “We are gathering all possible circumstantial evidence to support the case,” the officer said.
-Freight earnings in 2016-17 are lower than in 2015-16. This is the first time freight earnings have fallen since 1978-79. It is a telling statistic about the state of the railways and the overall economy .
+Another source claimed Belagavi Panthers owner Ali Asfak Thara paid Gautam Rs 20 lakh for slow batting. In Ballari Tuskers’ match against Bengaluru Blasters, Kazi was allegedly asked to concede more than 10 runs in the fifth over, which he did. It was Gautam’s call to give him that over. The successful arrangement led to a windfall for bookies associated with Thara, the source claimed.
-For 70 years, capital expenditure for the railways has been borne by the Union government. Now, Indian Railways has set up 70 projects to be constructed in collaboration with nine state governments.
+==What happened on August 31?==
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F11%2F08&entity=Ar02916&sk=E16EED75&mode=text  Nov 8, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-The sustainability of these projects is still to be tested. In the years to come, the railway ministry will wash its hands of these projects and leave them to state governments that may not have the capacity , expertise or means. This massive shift is being undertaken under the radar, and is leading to the Central government gradually walking away from a key infrastructure area.
-The points raised above are not paranoia. There is a basis to them. Any budget has two sides that should balance: the earnings side and the expenditure side. When these don't balance, we have either a positive budget or a negative budget, a profit or a loss. In turn, expenditure has t two parts: revenue expenditure and capital expenditure. Capital s expenditure is raised by the revenue surplus that the railways can gather, boosted by loans, grants and budgetary support.In case of loans, there is an element of additional cost by way of interest.
+• The teams: Bellari Tuskers and Hubli Tigers. The game was played at Mysuru’s Srikantadatta Narasimha Raja Wadiyar Ground.
-Indian Railways has taken a g massive Rs 7.5 lakh crore loan t from Life Insurance Corporation.How will it repay the loan? It has no internal revenue surplus (despite the government's attempt to whitewash railway accounts) and without the cost and terms of the LIC loan being revealed. In the midst of all this, huge and capital intensive projects are being announced without assessing their profitability.
+• Hubli Tigers set a target of 152. Bellary Tuskers, led by wicketkeeper CM Gautam, fell short by 8 runs.
-Is Indian Railways being sucked into a debt trap? Is this another Air India in the making?
+• Gautam opened for his team, scoring 29 of 37 balls, which included two boundaries. He kept at it till the 14th over, when Bellary Tuskers’ score was 100/3. He was caught off the bowling of Hubli Tigers allrounder Shreyas Gopal.
-A separate Railway Budget would have required the government to explain all this in detail and answer hard questions.With the merger of the Railway Budget and General Budget, the government has neatly avoided this interrogation. The NDA government is focussing on raising funds for capital investment. But it is ignoring the priority of keeping revenue streams strong. This is like a household that is not earning enough but is taking loans to buy expensive appliances.For Indian Railways, this has amounted to a dearth of money for the depreciation fund and for essential safety works. The spurt in train accidents can perhaps be explained by this, and the consequences are worrying.
-No doubt rail safety was emphasised in the Budget with the announcement of the Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh. However, as on November 2016, 1,25,754 non-gazetted posts related to safety were vacant.As of October 2016, there were 410 pending compensation claims relating to train accidents.Instead of bullet trains, doesn't India need more safety officials?
+• Gautam’s teammate, Abrar Kazi, who came in to bat much later, was run out after scoring 13 of six balls, which included one maximum.
-Can't the government at least fill vacancies that exist?
+• Central Crime Branch alleged on Thursday that Gautam and Kazi deliberately batted slow to wreck their team’s chances.
-Safety is directly linked to the financial health of Indian Railways. The government needs to take immediate action to enhance freight and passenger earnings. Here again, some numbers are helpful. Till the 1990s, movement of petroleum products was the most profitable business segment for Indian Railways and it moved 75% of goods in this sector. Today the number is down to 10%. The focus should be on remedying such issues.
+• Under Gautam’s captaincy, Bellary Tuskers had entered the knockouts after topping the table, winning four out of six matches.
-Postscript: I am a member of the Parliamentary Convention Committee that is due to meet next week. The primary duty of this committee is to recommend payment of dividends from Indian Railways to the finance ministry . With the finance ministry now taking direct charge of the Railway Budget, this committee has no work. I fail to understand why it is meeting and why it is not being disbanded.
+[[Category:Cricket|C CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
+CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)]]
+[[Category:India|C CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
+CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)]]
+[[Category:Pages with broken file links|CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
+CRICK]]
-=The zones=
+[[Category:Cricket|C CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
-==2017: A ranking of the zones==
+CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)]]
-[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/railways-starts-rating-zones-to-keep-officers-on-their-toes/articleshow/57241242.cms  Mahendra K Singh, Railways starts rating zones to keep officers on their toes, Feb 20, 2017: The Times of India]
+[[Category:India|C CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
+CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)]]
+[[Category:Pages with broken file links|CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
+CRICK]]
+=Logos, insignias on sportswear =
+==ICC on Dhoni’s military insignia==
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F06%2F08&entity=Ar02101&sk=CB5A5461&mode=text  K ShriniwasRao, June 8, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-'''HIGHLIGHTS'''
+[[File: ICC’s clothing and equipments.jpg|ICC’s clothing and equipments <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F06%2F08&entity=Ar02101&sk=CB5A5461&mode=text  K ShriniwasRao, June 8, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-North Eastern Railway with its head office in Gorakhpur has got the last rank
+MS CANNOT WEAR LOGO, SAYS ICC
-The ranking is based on a set of 17 key performance indicators (KPIs) such as operational and financial performance
+Rules Do Not Permit It; Dhoni Had Agreed To Change Gloves If Norms Were Flouted
-The KPIs have been made part of the annual performance appraisal reports of general managers
+Mumbai:
+Cricket’s world governing body (ICC) put a lid on the raging controversy over the logo on MS Dhoni’s gloves at the World Cup by saying regulations do not permit the India wicketkeeper to sport such insignia.“ICC has responded to the BCCI to confirm the logo displayed by MS Dhoni in the previous match is not permitted to be worn on his wicketkeeping gloves at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019.
-The railway board has started rating its 16 zones, with the aim to ensure that all senior officials take their work seriously as the performance of the zones will be reflected in their promotion and career progression.
+“The regulations for ICC events do not permit any individual message or logo to be displayed on any items of clothing or equipment. In addition to this, the logo also breaches the regulations in relation to what is permitted on wicketkeeper gloves,” ICC said in a release sent to the media.
-In the rating done by the railway board between April and December 2016, South Eastern Railway headquartered in Kolkata is on the top while North Eastern Railway with its head office in Gorakhpur has got the last rank.
+Earlier in the day, Dhoni had conveyed to the BCCI that should the insignia of the regimental dagger on his wicketkeeping gloves be perceived as breach of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) rulebook, he would “happily” take them off in the matches to follow.
+The ICC had earlier “requested” the BCCI to look into the matter after television cameras captured the insignia on Dhoni’s gloves in the match against South Africa on Wednesday. The governing body’s underlined rule on the matter states that players cannot wear any logo or a written word on their accessories that carries a personal message.
-Interestingly, Northern Railway, with its headquaters in Delhi a few kilometres from the railway board office, was third from last.
+While Dhoni certainly deserves to wear the ‘Balidaan’ logo with pride, considering he went through a rigorous training with the elite para regiment four years ago to earn it, the wicketkeeper-batsman cannot wear it in a tournament such as the World Cup.
-As the new railway dispensation under Suresh Prabhu has brought in a private sector-like appraisal system+ , the career graph of top officers will depend on the amount of money they have helped the state-run transporter earn, physical assets they have helped create and punctuality of trains.
+Soon after the controversy broke, Dhoni remained in touch with officials at the BCCI who alerted him about what the rules say. In line with it, Dhoni told the board that he “does not want any further stress” on the matter in the middle of such an important tournament and will therefore follow the written word.
-The ranking is based on a set of 17 key performance indicators (KPIs) such as operational and financial performance measured by passenger traffic and freight loading among others.
+If not for the personal message that the ‘Balidaan’ logo carries, the BCCI has found no other violation on Dhoni’s part because the insignia – that means ‘sacrifice’ – is neither commercial, religious or military in nature.
-The KPIs have been made part of the annual performance appraisal reports (APARs) of general managers, divisional railway managers and departmental heads in zonal railways.
-=Women’s railway stations=
+However, the ICC thinks otherwise.
-==2018, Jan- March: Matunga, Gandhinagar, Ajni ==
-[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/ajni-to-be-countrys-3rd-all-woman-railway-station-inauguration-on-womens-day/articleshow/63192613.cms  Vijay Pinjarkar, Ajni in Maha to be country’s third all-woman rly station, March 7, 2018: ''The Times of India'']
+Sources in the Indian team said they stand behind Dhoni’s decision to wear the emblem considering how closely they’ve seen their former captain involved with the elite para regiment after he was conferred the title of lieutenant colonel. However, the same team members added that ‘Mahi bhai will be the first to understand and not wear it, should it not be under the rules of the tournament”.
-Ajni railway station will become the third all-woman station in the country after Matunga in Mumbai, and Gandhinagar in Jaipur. Ajni, a satellite station of Nagpur, falls under the Nagpur division of Central Railway.
+In an interview to a news agency on Friday, BCCI’s court-appointed administrator Vinod Rai said that “BCCI stands behind Dhoni in the matter” and added that the insigna was neither religious nor commercial in nature.
-Matunga station became the first all-woman station on January 8 and is today manned by a staff of 41. It has also entered the Limca Book of Records. The experiment was replicated at Gandhinagar on February 20, where 28 women man the station.
+“It is not the paramilitary regimental dagger that is embossed in his gloves. So, Dhoni is not in breach of ICC regulations,” Rai was quoted as saying. However, the BCCI officials left the chief of COA misinformed about all rules that surround this subject.
-Ajni will have 22 women. They include 1 station manager, 6 commercial clerks, 4 ticket checkers, 4 luggage porters, 4 cleanliness staff and 3 RPF personnel.
-The unique initiative was taken by general manager DK Sharma in July 2017 with the aim of empowering women.
-=See also=
-[[Railways, India: 1]]
-[[Railways, India: 2 (ministry data)]]
+[[Category:Cricket|C CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
+CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)]]
+[[Category:India|C CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
+CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)]]
+[[Category:Pages with broken file links|CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
+CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)]]
-[[Taj Express]]
+[[Category:Cricket|C CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
+CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)]]
+[[Category:India|C CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
+CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)]]
+[[Category:Pages with broken file links|CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)CRICKET, INDIA: A HISTORY (2019)
+CRICK]]

Railways, India: 1, Cricket, India: A history (2019)

Revision as of 21:22, 24 June 2021

Contents

India and the world: a summary of the year

The batsmen and the bowlers

India’s 2018-19 tour of Australia

Test matches

Sydney: Draw (rain affected)

Highlights

India win first-ever Test series in Australia

How India won a historic Test series in Australia

The Top Indian players

What worked for India

ODIs

Sydney: Australia wins

Adelaide: India won

Melbourne: India wins ODI and ODI series

Commentaries

Kohli's on-field antics angered Langer

Bangladesh series

Delhi T20I: Bangladesh beat India

India’s 2019 tour of the West Indies

T20Is

Lauderhill: India beat the West Indies

India beat the West Indies again

India win match; bag T20I series 3-0

ODIs

First ODI rain- hit; India wins the second

Third ODI also hit by the rains

Test series

North Sound, Antigua: India won

India wins Kingston test, and the series

Performance of Indian players in 1st two tests

India’s home series against South Africa

T20Is

1st match

Bengaluru: SAfrica win, level series

Tests

1st test, Visakhapatnam: India won

2nd test, Pune: India Won by Innings & 137 Runs

3rd test, Ranchi: India won the test, and series 3:0

The best batsmen, bowlers, as in Feb

Top five Indian batsmen in T20Is

Top five Indian bowlers in T20Is

Indian bowlers vs Australia and New Zealand in 2018-19 ODIs

Select batsmen at no. 6 after 2015 WC in ODIs

Select batsmen at no. 5 after 2015 WC in ODIs

The notable players

As in October

The Pink Ball Test/ Nov

A success

A marketing masterstroke

The KPL scandal

The first information

What happened on August 31?

Logos, insignias on sportswear

ICC on Dhoni’s military insignia

Personal tools

Namespaces

Variants

Views

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