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IPL 2026 | ‘His mind appears to be cluttered’: Ashwin’s blunt take on CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad | Cricket News

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IPL 2026 | ‘His mind appears to be cluttered’: Ashwin’s blunt take on CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad | Cricket News


IPL 2026 | 'His mind appears to be cluttered': Ashwin's blunt take on CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad
Ruturaj Gaikwad (Image credit: BCCI/IPL)

NEW DELHI: Chennai Super Kings are enduring a tough IPL 2026 season. They are currently seventh on the points table with two wins and four defeats from six matches, and one of the key reasons behind their struggles has been skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad’s poor form with the bat.Gaikwad has managed just 82 runs in six matches at an average of 13.66, with a strike rate of 112.33.Former India off-spinner R Ashwin believes Gaikwad missed a golden opportunity to return to form during CSK’s match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, especially after Ayush Mhatre provided a flying start. CSK, who had won two matches on the trot, went down by 10 runs to SRH on Saturday.After posting 194/9, powered by half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen, SRH restricted CSK to 184/8.“It was the best chance for him to score runs. He didn’t need to take risks or score at a fast pace because of the way Ayush Mhatre started. They were running away with the powerplay. It was right there for Ruturaj to take some time, score some runs, and come back into form.“After Ayush Mhatre’s wicket, Ruturaj got a very good ball, it’s not easy to beat him on the pull. I just feel he is under immense pressure, and his mind appears to be a bit cluttered,” Ashwin said on JioHotstar.CSK began their campaign with three successive losses against Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru before bouncing back with consecutive wins over Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders.However, their momentum was halted again with the narrow defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad.With a net run rate of -0.780, CSK find themselves in the lower half of the table and under pressure to turn things around.CSK will next face Mumbai Indians on April 23.


Rs 20,000 crore gold, silver rush: What will people buy this Akshaya Tritiya?

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Rs 20,000 crore gold, silver rush: What will people buy this Akshaya Tritiya?


Rs 20,000 crore gold, silver rush: What will people buy this Akshaya Tritiya?

This Akshaya Tritiya, India’s gold and silver markets are heading for bumper purchases, with overall trade likely to cross Rs 20,000 crore even as record-high prices reshape buying patterns. The estimate, shared by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), is higher than last year’s Rs 16,000 crore, signalling growth in value despite a sharp rise in bullion rates.Prices for the yellow metal have surged sharply over the past year, going from Rs 1,00,000 per 10 grams, to Rs 1.58 lakh. Meanwhile, silver has shown a steeper rally, jumping from Rs 85,000 per kilogram to Rs 2.55 lakh per kilogram. According to CAIT, this sharp escalation has not weakened demand, but is instead prompting consumers to make more deliberate and value-oriented purchases.Praveen Khandelwal, member of parliament from Chandni Chowk and secretary general of CAIT told ANI, “Akshaya Tritiya has traditionally been one of India’s most auspicious occasions for purchasing gold… While gold continues to dominate, the nature of purchasing is evolving significantly in response to steep price escalation.”Commenting on customer preference, CAIT national president BC Bhartia highlighted, “There is a clear shift towards lightweight, wearable jewellery, alongside a stronger focus on silver and diamond products. Attractive incentives such as reduced making charges and complimentary gold coins are also helping sustain consumer interest.”Despite the increase in overall trade value, the quantity of metals being sold tells a different story. Pankaj Arora, National President of the All India Jewellers and Goldsmith Federation (AIJGF), an associate of CAIT, explained that the projected Rs 16,000 crore gold trade amounts to nearly 10,000 kilograms (10 tonnes) at current rates. The value, spread across an estimated 2 to 4 lakh jewellers, translates to average sales of only 25 to 50 grams per jeweller, “clearly indicating a sharp decline in volume”.Meanwhile for silver, the estimated Rs 4,000 crore trade corresponds to around 1,56,800 kilograms (157 tonnes), resulting in average sales of about 400 to 800 grams per jeweller during the festival period. “These figures underline a critical shift: while the value of business is expanding due to rising prices, actual consumption is contracting,” Khandelwal said.This gap between value and volume is also reshaping consumer’s buying pattern, with smaller items and lightweight jewellery gaining popularity. At the same time, jewellers are facing challenges due to fluctuating prices, especially when it comes to managing inventory.Even so, festive demand remains steady, with markets witnessing healthy footfall. “Consumers are now adopting a more cautious and pragmatic approach, balancing traditional beliefs with financial discipline,” Khandelwal added.At the same time, it’s not just about physical gold anymore as consumers are increasingly exploring alternatives like digital gold, Sovereign Gold Bonds and gold ETFs, drawn by the promise of liquidity, safety and flexibility when prices are volatile.CAIT and AIJGF have urged jewellers to comply with mandatory hallmarking standards, including HUID certification, and advised buyers to verify the purity and authenticity of their purchases.


Priyanka Chopra, Kiara Advani, Samantha Ruth Pranbhu shower love on Deepika Padukone as she announces 2nd pregnancy

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Priyanka Chopra, Kiara Advani, Samantha Ruth Pranbhu shower love on Deepika Padukone as she announces 2nd pregnancy


Bollywood couple Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh shared joyous news on Sunday as they announced that they are expecting their second child with a cute post. Fans expressed their happiness, and several film celebrities also congratulated the couple as they prepare to embrace parenthood for the second time.

Priyanka Chopra, Kiara Advani, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and others congratulate Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh.
Priyanka Chopra, Kiara Advani, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and others congratulate Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh.

Priyanka Chopra, Kiara Advani react to Deepika Padukone’s 2nd pregnancy

Deepika took to Instagram and shared a picture of baby Dua sitting on a bed, holding a pregnancy test that shows two pink lines, a universal sign of a positive result. Priyanka Chopra took to the comments section to shower love on the couple, writing, “Congratulations” along with a heart-eyes emoji. Kiara Advani also congratulated them, sharing red heart emojis, while Samantha Ruth Prabhu sent her love in the same way. Others who congratulated the couple on the joyous news included Parineeti Chopra, Sobhita Dhulipala, and Vikrant Massey.

Deepika and Ranveer embraced parenthood for the first time in 2024 when they welcomed their daughter, Dua. The couple revealed that they named her Dua because she is the answer to their prayers. When Dua turned one, they shared adorable pictures from her celebration on social media, giving fans a glimpse of her charm.

The announcement of Deepika’s second pregnancy comes as Ranveer continues to enjoy the success of his recent release, Dhurandhar: The Revenge. The film has been shattering box office records since its release on March 19. In just five weeks, it has crossed ₹1700 crore worldwide and even surpassed the lifetime collection of Pushpa 2: The Rule ( ₹1742 crore worldwide). Helmed by Aditya Dhar, the two-part franchise has collectively earned over ₹3000 crore.

Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh’s upcoming films

Deepika will next be seen alongside Shah Rukh Khan in King. Helmed by Siddharth Anand, the film marks their sixth collaboration after blockbusters like Om Shanti Om, Chennai Express, Happy New Year, Pathaan and Jawan. The film also marks Suhana Khan’s theatrical debut and features Abhishek Bachchan, Jaideep Ahlawat, Arshad Warsi and Raghav Juyal in key roles. It is scheduled to release in theatres on December 24, 2026. Deepika also has Atlee’s Raaka in the pipeline alongside Allu Arjun.

Ranveer will next be seen in Pralay, directed by Jay Mehta, son of filmmaker Hansal Mehta. The film is set in a post-apocalyptic, zombie-infested world and also stars Kalyani Priyadarshan in a lead role. It is expected to go on floors later this year.


City players Satghare, Thakor, Kazi excited about women’s Mumbai T20 league

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City players Satghare, Thakor, Kazi excited about women’s Mumbai T20 league



City players Satghare, Thakor, Kazi excited about women’s Mumbai T20 league

The city’s established cricketers are eagerly looking forward to the inaugural women’s Mumbai T20 League, the dates of which are yet to be announced, not only to further their careers but also help the youngsters.

Mumbai’s medium-pacers Sayali Satghare and Saima Thakor, and opening batter Humaira Kazi, who also bowls off-break, are ready to share their experiences from not only international appearances but also from the Women’s Premier League.

Speaking exclusively to Sunday mid-day on Saturday, Satghare, 25, who recently made her Women’s Test debut in Perth and picked up four wickets, said: “We were waiting for the women’s T20 league since it started for men. It’s a great initiative by the Mumbai Cricket Association. This league is going to help find good players and give them a lot of exposure at a bigger stage. It will help Mumbai win more trophies.”

Echoing Satghare’s sentiments was Thakor. “A lot of new players will be getting opportunities to understand their game. The new generation is quite excited to learn as well.” Kazi, 32, added: “We have been doing well as Mumbai cricket team. The Women’s T20 League is going to help us win tournaments in the upcoming domestic season. This is the best stage for youngsters to showcase their talent.”

Kazi played for Mumbai Indians in the first two seasons of the WPL, in 2023 and 2024. “I got to learn a lot at WPL from the likes of Harmanpreet Kaur and Nat Sciver-Brunt. The way they nurture their teammates with their experiences is something I want to inculcate in the Mumbai T20 League. The more you share your experience, the more you help youngsters perform.”

Satghare, who was a member of the victorious Royal Challengers Bengaluru side in WPL 2026, added: “I want to win matches for whatever team I play. I’d love to win the World Cup for India.”

Thakor, 29, is eyeing an India comeback via the Mumbai T20 League after playing in 10 WODIs and three WT20Is between October 2024 and January 2025. “Making a good comeback for India, playing in a World Cup, and being the person doing something special when the team requires are some of my dreams,” said Thakor, who started playing cricket at 18.


Unseen Ramayana footage screened in US, viewer predicts Oscar nod for Ranbir Kapoor, Yash film: 'VFX won't be an issue'

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Unseen Ramayana footage screened in US, viewer predicts Oscar nod for Ranbir Kapoor, Yash film: 'VFX won't be an issue'


The makers of Ramayana, the upcoming adaptation of the epic by Nitesh Tiwari, took their film to CinemaCon, the grand annual convention for cinema industry in Las Vegas. Producer Namit Malhotra and actor-producer Yash not only gave the film’s first glimpse at the event but also interacted with international media in a series of interviews. Now, an attendee at CinemaCon has revealed that the producers also screened about 20 minutes of unseen footage of the film for select attendees, and gave their opinion based on that.

Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama in Ramayana Part One.
Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama in Ramayana Part One.

Ramayana screened at CinemaCon

A YouTuber with the channel Mr Like It Or Not shared on Saturday that the makers of Ramayana screened 20 minutes of early footage from the film at CinemaCon, which he also saw. In the video titled ‘Ramayana Secret footage shown at CinemaCon’, the creator said that “this film can be both, a true grand epic, and also a spectacular fantasy story.” The creator claimed that Warner Bros has come on board as the international distributor for the film. “They just landed a big distribution here in America that will give them a big, global push. Warner Bros studios will be distributing this film globally. That is a very big deal about over 4500 screens showing this film this November,” they said. However, neither the film’s team, nor Warner Bros Discovery has confirmed this development yet.

‘This film will get an Oscar nomination’

In their 8-minute video, the creator also added that they watched 20 minutes of unseen footage from the film, praising its scale. “I was lucky enough with about 15 other people to see about 20 minutes of footage. It looks stunning. The visuals look fantastic. This is going to be a very big, international feature player. I am pretty sure they are going to push for some Academy Awards in a bunch of different categories, especially a nomination for the International Feature Film. It’s gonna fit that particular style,” they added.

In the comments section, when one fan raised doubt if the film will be able to secure an Oscar nomination, they responded, “From what I saw, I absolutely think this will get a best international feature Oscar nomination. To me, the narrative works very well.” Many fans asked about the film’s visual effects. After the release of the film’s first glimpse earlier this month, the VFX had faced some criticism online. But Mr Like It Or Not clarified, “I believe the VFX is not going to be an issue.”

All about Ramayana

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, Ramayana is a two-part film with Part One releasing this November, followed by the second part in 2027. The films star Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Yash as Ravana, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, and Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman.


Song Min Ho to face trial for neglect of military duties

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Song Min Ho to face trial for neglect of military duties


Song Min Ho to face first trial hearing soon for allegedly violating Military Service Act - Report
Former WINNER star Song Min Ho finds himself in legal hot water as he prepares for trial concerning alleged neglect of his compulsory military service. Charged with leaving his public service assignment without appropriate cause and failing to carry out important responsibilities, both he and a supervising officer have been indicted, yet neither is in custody.

For months now, former WINNER member Song Min Ho has been under public scrutiny because of allegedly violating South Korea’s Military Service Act. The case had been under investigation for months now; however, a recent update about the case has revealed that the idol will soon be facing an official trial for his charges.Here is what we know about the matter so far.

Song Min Ho to face trial for breaching the Military Service Act

As per Naver reports, the idol is all set to attend his first hearing for his charges of violating South Korea’s Military Service Act at the Seoul Western District Court. The first trial hearing will be held this month, on April 21. As per the report, along with Song Min Ho, another officer from his unit was in charge of supervising his service are being called and charged for the trial. Both of them have been indicted without detention on the same charges.Min Ho is facing charges for violating his mandatory military service, since, as per the reports, he has been accused of leaving his workplace on multiple occasions without any proper reason. He was also accused of neglecting the duties that had been assigned to him as well. As per the report, he was working as a public service worker from March 2023 to December 2024 in Mapo District, Seoul.It has also been alleged that the other officer who is facing charges, also neglected their duties as they were the supervising officer for Song Min Ho. Not only that, but it has been alleged that they were well aware of the idol’s discrepancies during his time at the facility.

More about Song Min Ho’s case

An official investigation was launched into the matter last year by the Mapo Police Station. While the idol initially denied all of the allegations and claims that were being made against him, there were three rounds of questioning held during the investigation. During this time, there was a general admission to the issues that were arising regarding his military service. Disclaimer: The information in this report is based on a legal hearing as reported by a third-party source. The details provided represent allegations made by the parties involved and are not proven facts. The case is ongoing, and a final verdict has not been reached. The publication does not claim that the allegations are true.


Australia's most-decorated soldier vows to 'fight' war crime charges

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Australia's most-decorated soldier vows to 'fight' war crime charges



Ben Roberts-Smith has given his first statement since he was charged with five counts of the war crime of murder last week.


Kris Jenner drops adorable birthday wish for daughter Kourtney Kardashian

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Kris Jenner drops adorable birthday wish for daughter Kourtney Kardashian



Kris Jenner drops adorable birthday wish for daughter Kourtney Kardashian

Kris Jenner’s eldest daughter and reality star, Kourtney Kardashian, is celebrating her birthday on Saturday. Commemorating the special day, Kris took to her official Instagram handle and dropped some unseen pictures of Kourtney on her social media handle. 

The album incorporates the birthday girl’s photos – ranging from her childhood to her teen years, to her wedding, to some recent pictures of Kourtney. In one of the clicks, a heavily pregnant Kourtney was seen flaunting her baby bump. We could also see her smiling at the camera, posing with her little bundle of joy.


Frank Lampard-coached Coventry return to English Premier League after 25 years

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Frank Lampard-coached Coventry return to English Premier League after 25 years



Frank Lampard-coached Coventry return to English Premier League after 25 years

Coventry City clinched a return to the English Premier League for the first time since 2001 after drawing 1-1 at Blackburn Rovers in the EFL Championship on Friday.

Blackburn’s Ryoya Morishita put the home side ahead (54th min) but Bobby Thomas equalised six minutes from time to the delight of the visiting fans.