IPL Chairman Hits Bullseye On Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Amid India Call Up Debate

The clamour for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's fast-tracked inclusion into the senior Indian men's team is growing deafening. Barely a year since his IPL debut, the cricket world is already convinced the 15-year-old prodigy is ready for the highest level. Fans won't have to wait long for a glimpse of his talent as the teenager is set to feature for India-A as early as next month, when the Tilak Varma-led squad heads to Sri Lanka for a tri-series. Sooryavanshi has scored nearly 600 runs (583) in the IPL this term.

IPL chairman Arun Dhumal hit the nail right on the head when asked about the way forward for the teenager, calling him a 'special talent' while insisting that the BCCI and RR's continued guidance would make him even better.

"I feel the BCCI and the franchise would need to handhold him in terms of showing him the right way so that his temperament stays intact. Because sport is not only about physical skill, it is also about mental toughness," Dhumal told The Times of India ahead of the IPL Eliminator between RR and SRH.

"And definitely, we will do our bit to make sure that the kind of skill set he has allows him to perform for India for many, many years to come."

Like any other cricketer, Sooryavanshi might have his ups and downs, but his future will be determined by how he overcomes those challenges.

For now, Sooryavanshi has a big responsibility on his young shoulders - taking his team to the final of the IPL and earning the opportunity to dethrone Virat Kohli's RCB.

Before any talk of the final, Sooryavanshi and RR must first navigate past the explosive batting line-up of SRH in the Eliminator. Should they clear that hurdle, a virtual semi-final against Gujarat Titans awaits them in Qualifier 2. 

No team has ever won the IPL from fourth place in the playoff era, and RR will need their teenage prodigy firing on all cylinders to rewrite history.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/ImGb6EW

Sooryavanshi Reveals Why He Missed Chris Gayle's Fastest Century Record

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi looked unstoppable. The cricket world waited with bated breath. The teenager had already scored 97 off 28 balls. Three more runs in one ball against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 Eliminator and the 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals opener would have shattered Chris Gayle's record for the fastest IPL ton (30 balls vs Pune Warriors, 2013). It was not to be. He was dismissed by Praful Hinge. His final score read 97 runs (29 balls, 12x6s, 5x4s).

Wearing the Orange Cap after a breathtaking 28-ball 97 in a high-pressure Eliminator, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi said he consciously shut out the pressure of the occasion and backed his natural game as Rajasthan Royals piled up 243 for 8 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in New Chandigarh on Wednesday.

"Yes, I had that in my mind," Sooryavanshi said when asked if the occasion crossed his mind while batting. "My coaches told me to play freely, enjoy the game, and not take any pressure."

When asked if the century was on his mind, he said: "I wasn't really thinking about it like that, but I played that shot after looking at the fielder, and that's why I mistimed it. If I had gone towards third man, it would have cleared easily. But I tried to hit it straight, and that's why I missed the shot."

SRH skipper Pat Cummins started with a defensive setup, placing deep square leg and deep midwicket for the teenager while bowling almost all full and straight deliveries. This tactic almost worked for three balls before one overpitched ball disappeared over mid-off for six. RR were 9 without loss after the first over and quickly picked up speed as Eshan Malinga and Sakib Hussain were also taken apart.

Sooryavanshi raced to 50 in 16 balls, matching Suresh Raina's record for the fastest half-century in an IPL playoff. He also surpassed Chris Gayle for the most sixes in a T20 tournament. By the end of the fourth over, he had scored 36 off 10 balls, and RR were a remarkable 63 without loss.

At the other end, Yashasvi Jaiswal had a strange supporting role, scoring 19 off 16 while watching the teenager dominate every delivery. Sooryavanshi seemed ready to break Gayle's record for the fastest IPL century, but he top-edged an attempted uppercut off Praful Hinge to deep third on 97. RR were then 125 for 1 after eight overs.

The momentum barely dipped. Dhruv Jurel launched a furious counterattack, reaching 50 in 20 balls after dismantling Cummins and Shivang Kumar with scoops, pulls, and towering straight hits. RR surged to 192 for 3 in 13.5 overs before wickets started falling in clusters, including Riyan Parag and Dasun Shanaka.

Donovan Ferreira and Ravindra Jadeja added a quick 20 off 12 balls late in the innings, though SRH finished strongly with Nitish Kumar Reddy's precise wide yorkers and a brilliant boundary catch from Abhishek Sharma to dismiss Jofra Archer.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/YbMUTXp

6 Months Into Marriage, Lucknow Woman Found Dead After Dowry Harassment

A 26-year-old woman in Lucknow died by suicide on Monday, barely six months after her marriage, with her family accusing her husband and in-laws of sustained dowry harassment that drove her to take her own life.

Shweta Singh was found hanging at her in-laws' residence in Lucknow's Thakurganj area. Her family has alleged that she faced repeated demands for dowry, including pressure for a four-wheeler, and that her in-laws murdered her before staging the scene to look like suicide.

Shweta had married Bhupendra Singh, also known as Shubham Singh, on November 22, 2025. According to her father, Umesh Kumar Singh, the harassment began soon after the wedding. He claims her husband mentally tortured her on a daily basis. Her mother-in-law is said to have involved her own relatives in taunting Shweta, which left the young woman severely distressed.

Police registered a case on Tuesday following a complaint lodged by Umesh Kumar Singh. 

The accused include Bhupendra Singh, his mother, his father, his brother, his brother's wife, and his sister. They face charges under Section 80 (dowry death) and Section 85 (cruelty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with provisions of the Dowry Prohibition Act.

Thakurganj Station House Officer Omveer Singh Chauhan said Shweta's in-laws took her to hospital after she was found hanging, where doctors declared her dead. 

The accused are currently on the run, and police have launched raids to trace them.

A senior police officer stated that further action will depend on the post-mortem report. Shweta's body has been sent for autopsy.

Her parents have levelled allegations of murder and dowry harassment against the entire family of her husband. 

(With inputs from Vivek Shahi)

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/WVxLoyr

300 Tourists Rescued After Gulmarg Gondola Technical Issue Sparks Panic

What began as a scenic cable car ride over the snow-covered peaks of Jammu and Kashmir's Gulmarg turned into a terrifying ordeal for nearly 300 tourists on Sunday after the famed Gulmarg Gondola service suffered a sudden technical breakdown, leaving visitors stranded mid-air for hours.

A massive multi-agency rescue operation involving the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, paramilitary forces and Civil Defence teams was launched immediately to evacuate tourists trapped inside multiple chair cars suspended above the mountainous terrain.

Officials said the technical snag occurred around 1 pm, disrupting operations in the first phase of the Gulmarg Gondola service in north Kashmir's premier tourist resort.

"A sudden technical fault hit the operations in the first phase of the Gulmarg cable car," a senior official of the Gulmarg Development Authority said.

The first phase of the Gondola runs from the Gulmarg bowl to Kangdori, while the second phase extends up to Apharwat Peak at an altitude of nearly 4,000 metres.

Visuals from the spot showed tourists stranded mid-air as rescue teams worked to safely bring them down amid growing panic and anxiety.

Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary was among the senior officials who rushed to the spot to supervise rescue operations.

On the instructions of the Chief Minister, Hon'ble Deputy Chief Minister @Surinderch55 is in Gulmarg personally overseeing the rescue operation following the temporary stoppage of the Gondola service due to a technical fault. The local Hon'ble MLA @FarooqShah_JKNC is also on site… pic.twitter.com/btx9sosnqE

— Office of Chief Minister, J&K (@CM_JnK) May 25, 2026

Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised the rescue teams for the successful evacuation of all stranded tourists.

Applause to India's disaster response forces for safely rescuing 300 tourists stranded mid-air in cable cars in Gulmarg, Kashmir. The disaster response teams comprising the SDRF, NDRF, Army personnel, local police, and the administration swung into action and rescued all the…

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) May 25, 2026

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said they were closely monitoring the situation and had directed all available resources to ensure the safe evacuation of tourists.

Authorities said the exact cause of the technical snag is yet to be ascertained.

The Gulmarg Gondola, regarded as Asia's highest cable car project, is one of Kashmir's biggest tourist attractions, offering panoramic views of snow-clad Himalayan peaks at elevations exceeding 13,000 feet.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/2uKCapi

UK Wellness Coach Dies After Taking Toxic Frog Secretion During Detox Ritual

Kristian Trend, a 40-year-old wellness coach from Leicester, England, died last month after taking part in a 'cleansing' ritual involving Kambo, a toxic secretion derived from the Amazonian giant leaf frog. According to a Telegraph report, he is believed to be the first British person to die following the use of the substance.

The incident occurred at a flat in Clarendon Park, Leicester, where Trend reportedly participated in a traditional "purging" ceremony commonly associated with South American spiritual and healing practices. During such rituals, Kambo is typically applied to small burns made on the skin, allowing the toxin to enter the bloodstream.

Emergency services were called to the property on April 11 after Trend became seriously unwell during the ceremony. He was treated at the scene before being rushed to hospital, where he later died.

Leicestershire Police confirmed that a 41-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of administering poison in connection with the case. He has since been released on bail while investigations continue. Toxicology tests are currently underway to determine the precise cause of death.

Trend's death has drawn widespread attention because it came only months after he had reportedly overcome Burkitt lymphoma, a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer. After spending several months in the hospital, he recovered and later devoted his life to wellness, spirituality, and alternative healing practices. He travelled extensively across India and other parts of Asia and became well known in holistic wellness circles.

Family members said his battle with cancer had profoundly changed his outlook on life and deepened his interest in spiritual cleansing and natural therapies. His mother, Angie, reportedly said that her son believed strongly in holistic healing and had spoken about wanting to cleanse himself before death.

"He was going to cleanse himself; that's what he said to me. He was very spiritual. He took a lot of vitamins. But I don't know what happened," Trend's mother, Angie, told The Telegraph. 

About Kambo

• Kambo is a traditional Amazonian ritual practiced by indigenous tribes in South America. The ritual uses a waxy toxic secretion obtained from the giant leaf frog, also known as the giant monkey frog.
• The frog naturally produces the toxin as a defence mechanism to protect itself from predators.
• During the ceremony, participants first drink around one litre of water. Small burns are then created on the skin using a heated stick, after which the Kambo secretion is applied directly onto the open wounds.
• For men, the burns are usually made on the arms or chest, while for women they are commonly placed on the legs.
• The toxin produces intense physical and psychological reactions and is often compared to psychedelic substances such as ayahuasca. Reported side effects include confusion, memory loss, lethargy, hallucinations and psychosis.
• According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Kambo contains powerful bioactive compounds that can trigger dangerous reactions in the human body.
• Medical experts and health authorities have warned that the substance has been linked to severe vomiting, seizures, liver failure, heart complications and sudden cardiac death in some cases.
• Although promoted in some alternative wellness circles as a detoxifying or healing therapy, Kambo remains highly controversial due to safety concerns.
• The substance is banned in countries including Australia, Brazil and Chile. However, Kambo remains legal in the United Kingdom and can still be purchased there.

Following Trend's death, UK authorities urged people to exercise caution regarding unregulated alternative therapies. A government spokesperson said substances that pose potential public health risks remain under review.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/a8Jes9L

Game Of Friends, Rivals And Allies Begins As Parties Prep For UP Polls 2027

The game in Uttar Pradesh politics has only just begun, but the real drama is yet to unfold. With the UP assembly elections scheduled for February 2027, political parties have already started their preparations.

The BJP is currently engaged in a series of meetings. And with the elections in mind, the UP cabinet was recently expanded, resulting in the induction of six new ministers and the granting of independent charge to two others.

The BJP intends to contest the elections in alliance with the Rashtriya Lok Dal, Apna Dal, Nishad Party, and the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party. Through this coalition, the BJP aims to successfully navigate and balance the complex caste equations of UP.

As a counter-strategy to this, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav has introduced the 'PDA' formula - an acronym representing the coalition of Pichhda (backward classes), Dalit, and Alpsankhyak (minorities).

The Opposition bloc INDIA's precise configuration in UP remains unclear. Although formal negotiations between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party have not yet started, leaders from both parties have been engaging in a war of words. A significant development, however, was when two Congress leaders went directly to BSP leader Mayawati's house to meet her.

Although the meeting itself did not materialise, this move by the Congress certainly injected a new intensity into the political atmosphere of UP. Consequently, the Samajwadi Party was compelled to declare that it is preparing to contest all the 403 assembly seats. Shortly thereafter, state Congress chief Ajay Rai issued a similar statement asserting that the Congress, too, is preparing to contest all the seats solo.

However, certain political events that have transpired since the West Bengal assembly elections are unlikely to be viewed as auspicious signs for the INDIA bloc. For instance, during the Bengal elections, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi took a highly aggressive stance against Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, but Akhilesh Yadav went to Kolkata to stand in solidarity with Banerjee, a move that likely did not sit well with the Congress leadership.

It is pertinent to note here that during the previous Lok Sabha elections, the Samajwadi Party gave one seat in UP to the Trinamool. Political leaders from Delhi to Lucknow indicated that an alliance between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party is indeed inevitable, but intense bargaining and negotiations on seat-sharing are certainly to be expected.

The Congress and the Samajwadi Party had previously contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections together, with the Samajwadi Party contesting on 62 Lok Sabha seats. The party won 37 seats, whereas the Congress contested 17 seats and won six. In light of this, the Congress asserts its claim to contest at least 70 seats, while the Samajwadi Party does not appear to be in a position to offer more than 50.

Extrapolating the results of the Lok Sabha elections onto the assembly constituencies, the Samajwadi Party held the lead in 184 assembly segments, while the Congress led in 39. Whenever the Congress and the Samajwadi Party sit down face-to-face to negotiate an alliance, discussions will inevitably revolve around these very figures.

However, there is another crucial factor weighing on Akhilesh Yadav's mind: the imperative to prevent a fragmentation of the Muslim vote. This time around in UP, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi is poised to field candidates in approximately 50 constituencies, specifically in regions such as Moradabad, Saharanpur, Azamgarh, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, and Mau. This is precisely why the SP will need the Congress's help to prevent a splintering of the Muslim vote base in these specific areas.

The Congress is making concerted efforts to somehow bring Mayawati into the fold of this alliance. Else, she is likely to attempt to disrupt the Samajwadi Party's prospects by fielding a large number of Muslim candidates. Many political observers believe that the BSP contesting independently, combined with a potential alliance between Owaisi and the Azad Samaj Party led by Chandrashekhar Azad, could work to the BJP's advantage. All things considered, as far as UP is concerned, it can be said for now that the game has only just begun and the real drama is yet to unfold.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/PVWaKMC

BCCI Selectors Want To 'Move On' From SKY, But Final Decision With One Man

Suryakumar Yadav's future as India's T20 captain could primarily be decided by head coach Gautam Gambhir, as the national selection committee is not entirely convinced that he can make it to the team purely as a batter, according to a senior BCCI source. Suryakumar, who was given the moniker SKY by Gambhir, has been struggling for form for a year now.Within the BCCI, it is understood that the selection panel is in favour of moving on from him, but the Board hierarchy also recognises that the coach-captain equation is integral to the dressing-room environment. And Gambhir's stated comfort with Suryakumar will make him a key figure in the final call.

For close to a year now, Suryakumar's place in the side has remained under scrutiny. At the moment, it is understood that all five selectors largely believe that the current T20 captain should be dropped from the XI.

The view has been gaining ground ever since the emotional dust of the T20 World Cup triumph settled. The selectors, it is learnt, began seeing the future of Indian cricket through a wider lens instead of focusing on the glow of a single tournament.

"Initially, the selectors thought that the IPL would help Suryakumar regain form like the last edition when he crossed 700 runs. But strangely, there hasn't been any technical course correction in his game.

"Even the rookiest of pacers are just bowling straight hard lengths, and he has no answer. Selectors don't see him playing the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. It is as simple as that," a senior BCCI source told PTI.

The numbers do make for grim reading.

Suryakumar managed only 210 runs from 12 innings at a strike rate of 148 but, more alarmingly, averaged below 18 -- statistics that have sharply contrasted with the aura surrounding one of modern T20 cricket's most inventive batters.

"If someone can't earn his place as a batter, how can he be a leader? Hence, it is difficult to retain him, but Ajit (Agarkar) and Gautam need to be on the same page," the source said.

And therein lies the intrigue.

Gambhir is not known to operate as a ceremonial head coach.

Those familiar with his working style insist that in any set-up he oversees, the final word often rests with him. More importantly, his relationship with Suryakumar has remained exceptionally warm.

This means that if Gambhir chooses to back Suryakumar and veto the move to sack him, the selection committee may be forced to postpone the inevitable.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/2LadT0y