"Difficult To Keep Him Out": Karthik's Clear Hint To BCCI Over RCB Star

Royal Challengers Bengaluru mentor Dinesh Karthik believes it will be difficult to keep Devdutt Padikkal out of the Indian team for long, given the manner in which he is batting in IPL 2026 following stellar domestic performances. Padikkal starred in RCB's big win against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday, scoring a blistering 50 off 29 balls. Asked about Padikkal's composed knock at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Karthik, who is also RCB's batting coach, highlighted his composure during a tough initial phase before opening up.

"The first thing that stands out is his determination. On a pitch like this, when runs don't come easily at the start, many batters try to force a big shot and end up giving their wicket away. Devdutt showed great courage to stay patient when the going was tough," Karthik told Star Sports.

Karthik also suggested that Padikkal's current form would make it difficult for the BCCI selection committee to keep him out of the Indian team for much longer.

"Once he got that first boundary, you could see him switch gears. He's playing proper cricketing shots and hitting the ball with distance. If he continues batting like this, it will be difficult to keep him out of the Indian team for long. He has scored heavily in domestic cricket and we know he's a quality player.

"What's also impressive is the way he's stepping up as a leader in the Karnataka dressing room. Even at 25, he contributes with his ideas and leadership, and that's great to see," Karthik added.

Padikkal's innings featured five boundaries and two sixes, helping RCB reach a mammoth 250/3 after Tim David smashed a 25-ball 70.

RCB won the match by 43 runs, consigning CSK to their third successive defeat.

Former India captain Anil Kumble shared his thoughts on CSK's early challenges in the tournament.

"It's a massive concern for Chennai. If your two most experienced batters, Sanju Samson and Ruturaj Gaikwad, haven't fired in the first three matches, it becomes a serious challenge. The rest of the batting line-up, apart from Samson and MS Dhoni, is quite young.

"You need at least one of your experienced batters to step up and deliver a big innings. Unfortunately, in the first three games, things haven't gone Chennai's way. It's still early in the season, but they will need to tighten things up quickly," Kumble said.

During his blazing swashbuckling knock, David struck eight sixes and three fours, getting his runs at a strike rate of 280.

Karthik reflected on David's powerful innings and said, "He has a very smooth swing, long levers and all the ingredients required to hit big shots.

"For him, it's about ensuring those elements remain consistent in practice. Because he bats in the middle order, he often gets fewer balls in a match compared to top-order batters. So, in the nets, it's important that he faces enough deliveries and stays in a good rhythm.

"The rest of his game is already very strong. Over the last 12-18 months, he has been one of the most consistent batters in the world in this format." RCB skipper Rajat Patidar, who led the team to its maiden title last season, was not to be left behind in the run feast, chipping in with 48 off just 19 balls, and Kevin Pietersen termed the knock a "turning point" of the match.

"You could see the confidence in Rajat Patidar. He wasn't satisfied with just winning the title. He wanted to contribute more. Tim David's innings was outstanding and filled with big sixes, but for me, Patidar's knock was the turning point.

"When Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli and Phil Salt took some time to get going, Patidar came in and accelerated beautifully. The way he adapted to the conditions and found those sixes with such ease changed the momentum of the game," Pietersen said. 

(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/FG7tmy5
via IFTTT

US Almost Did Not Rescue Its F-15 Airman Thinking It Was An Iranian Trap

Navy SEAL Team 6 special operations troops went into the mountains of Iran on Saturday night to rescue the missing US F-15 airman. But before that, the mission came close to never launching at all.

US President Donald Trump told Axios that when a radio message came through from the stranded weapons systems officer of the downed F-15E, US officials initially suspected it was an Iranian deception designed to lure American forces into a trap.

Trump told the US news outlet the airman sent a short, unusual message after ejecting from the aircraft. "He said: 'Power be to God.'" 

After the radio message came through, they suspected he might already be in Iranian custody and that the Iranians were "sending false signals" to draw US forces in.

Trump also said the US military had "beeping information" about the officer's location, which was being tracked even as doubts about the radio message grew.

As per the report, people who knew the officer confirmed he was a religious person.

"Thousands Were Hunting Him Down"

The F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over southwestern Iran on Friday, the first confirmed loss of a US combat aircraft inside Iran since the war began on 28 February. Both crew members ejected. The pilot was recovered shortly after, but the weapons systems officer could not be immediately located.

7,000 Feet Up, Alone, Armed With Handgun: US Airman's 48 Hours In Iran

Speaking to Axios an hour after confirming the rescue, Trump said that "thousands of these savages were hunting him down."

"Even the population was looking for him. They offered people a bonus if they captured him," he said.

Trump said Iran shot down the F-15 using a shoulder-fired missile, adding, "They got lucky."

The crew member survived more than 24 hours in the mountains while wounded before being rescued in a special forces operation on Saturday. Around 200 soldiers from special operations units participated in the rescue, Trump said.

How The CIA Bought Time

Before the airman's location was confirmed, the CIA launched a deception campaign of its own, spreading word inside Iran that US forces had already found him and were attempting a ground extraction. The aim was to buy time and throw Iranian search teams off course.

Inside The "Most Daring" Rescue Op In US History: What We Know, And Don't

The CIA used what officials described as "unique capabilities" to track the airman as he moved through mountainous terrain and avoided locals. Once his precise location was pinpointed, it was shared with the White House, the Pentagon and the US military, and a special forces team was inserted nearby on Saturday night.

According to the New York Times, Navy SEAL Team 6 commandos led the rescue, with hundreds of special operations troops and other military personnel operating deep inside Iranian territory. US aircraft dropped bombs and opened fire on Iranian convoys to keep them away from the airman's position. 

Iran Says The Operation Failed

Iran's military denied that the rescue took place. Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesman for the military's central command, Khatam Al-Anbiya, said the US operation had been "completely foiled."

"The so-called US military rescue operation, planned as a deception and escape mission at an abandoned airport in southern Isfahan under the pretext of recovering the pilot of a downed aircraft, was completely foiled," he said in a video statement on state television.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/r2ml4ju
via IFTTT

Virat Kohli Scripts History, Shatters Rohit Sharma's Sensational Record In T20s

Royal Challengers Bengaluru star batter Virat Kohli scripted history as he achieved a stunning record during the IPL 2026 match against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday. Virat scored just 28 off just 18 deliveries but in the process, he surpassed Rohit Sharma to achieve the record of scoring the most runs against a single opposition in T20 cricket. He currently has 1,188 against CSK - the most by any batter against a single team in T20 cricket. Rohit has scored 1,161 runs against Kolkata Knight RIders during his time with Mumbai Indians and Deccan Chargers in the IPL. Incidentally, Kohli also holds the third spot in the elite list as he has slammed 1159 runs against Punjab Kings.

Coming to the match, Devdutt Padikkal and Tim David hit a strong fifties as Royal Challengers Bengaluru rode on a superlative top-order show to post the highest total of this IPL season, a mammoth 250 for 3 against Chennai Super Kings.

Sent in to bat, Padikkal slammed a 29-ball 50, while opener Philip Salt made a 30-ball 46 to provide the platform.

Skipper Rajat Patidar (48 off 19 balls) and Tim David (70 off 25 balls) then hit some lusty blows, smashing 99 runs in 36 balls to take RCB to a mammoth total.

For CSK, Shivam Dube (1/30), Anshul Kamboj (1/52) and Jamie Overton (1/42) were among wickets.

Padikkal said he was relieved to see Tim David take charge of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) innings.

Padikkal, who struck a fluent half-century off 29 balls, admitted the innings needed acceleration at the right time.

"I think at the strategic timeout as well, we had to, we knew that we had to keep going and it was an important phase from there on and I'm probably glad that I got out because the way Tim went from there, it was incredible," he said to broadcasters in mid-innings break.

He also explained that the pitch demanded caution early on before it became better to bat on. "I think it was a bit tacky early on, especially with the new ball wasn't coming on that well and we have to make sure that we don't lose too many wickets. We understand that in the Chinnaswamy, if we have wickets in hand in the last five, six overs, we can really maximize and that's what we did," said Padikkal.

He further said setting targets at the venue was difficult. "Not really, to be honest. It's very hard to set a target here in Chinnaswamy. It's important that the moment you have that momentum behind you, you have to just keep going."

(With agency inputs)

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/CjcuVPK
via IFTTT

Who Is Ashok Sharma? Pacer Who Clocked 154.2 Kmph, Fastest Ball Of IPL 2026

Ashok Sharma, 23, the Gujarat Titans pacer, made history in Ahmedabad on Saturday. In a terrific display of fast bowling, the youngster clocked 154 kmph on the final delivery of the 16th over - the fastest delivery of IPL 2026, surpassing Anrich Nortje. Two balls earlier, he had clocked 150.7 kmph. Ashok Sharma is a young medium pacer from Rajasthan who has impressed many with his swing-bowling capabilities, according to the IPL website.

"Ashok is rated highly for being able to swing the ball both ways, while also maintaining accuracy and consistency with his line and length. He has been part of the Rajasthan Royals camp in the past, where he was a net bowler and earned praise from many players in the squad. He also impressed the KKR management at their trials camp and was bought by the franchise for INR 55 lakh in the 2022 TATA IPL Auction," wrote iplt20.com.

"In IPL 2025, he moved to RR and then made his way to Gujarat Titans at the 2026 auction, with the Ahmedabad-based franchise paying INR 90 lakh for his services."

In 11 T20 matches, he has taken 33 wickets. He has also played four first-class matches (14 wickets) and seven List A matches (13 wickets).

Rajasthan Royals posted 210 for six against Gujarat Titans in an Indian Premier League match on Saturday.
Opting to bat, openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (55 off 36 balls) and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (31 of 18) stitched 70 runs off 38 balls for the opening wicket to lay the foundation for the challenging total.

Dhruv Jurel emerged as the star with the bat for RR, making 75 off 42 balls with the help of four boundaries and five hits over the fence.

For GT, Kagiso Rabada (2/42) picked up two wickets.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/ydPhTFv
via IFTTT

🌍 🔥 Current Situation in the Gulf Region

Iran vs 🇺🇸 United States Tensions remain very high, mainly due to: Iran’s regional influence (Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Lebanon) U.S. military presence in the Gulf There have been occasional missile/drone attacks involving proxy groups. 🇮🇱 Israel vs 🇮🇷 Iran This is the most serious current conflict risk Key issues: Iran’s nuclear program Israel targeting Iranian-backed forces Direct confrontation risk has increased compared to previous years 🇾🇪 Yemen (Houthis) Situation The Houthi group (supported by Iran) is: Attacking ships in the Red Sea Targeting Saudi/UAE interests This is affecting global trade routes 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia & 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates Both countries are: Strengthening defense systems Trying to avoid full-scale war Saudi Arabia has recently improved relations with Iran, reducing some tension ⚠️ Is There a Full Gulf War Right Now? 👉 NO full-scale Gulf War like 1991 or 2003 is happening right now But: Situation is unstable Multiple small conflicts + proxy wars Risk of escalation is high 📊 What Makes It Dangerous Now? Proxy wars (not direct war) Advanced weapons (drones, missiles) Shipping attacks affecting oil & economy Involvement of global powers 🧠 Simple Summary ❌ No official “Gulf War” ⚠️ High tension across Middle East 🔥 Multiple mini-conflicts happening

Artemis II Security Breach: Astronaut Enters Tablet PIN On Livestrea

NASA's monumental Artemis II mission successfully launched from Florida's Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday (Apr 1), carried by the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft. While millions watched the historic liftoff, a brief security lapse caught the attention of eagle-eyed space enthusiasts, who spotted mission commander Reid Wiseman inadvertently broadcast his tablet PIN to the global audience while preparing for launch.

The incident took place 19 minutes before Wednesday's launch as Wiseman, 50, grabbed his stylus and entered the four-digit code, with the camera focused on him. As the incident went viral, social media users joked that Wiseman should have been informed by the NASA team to practice extra caution while entering the password.

"My guy just typed his iPad PIN directly into a 4K overhead shot, unlocking it for the entire planet. Command module getting opensourced but it's ok because it's for the gram," said one user while another added: "That's amazing! I have the same combination on my luggage!"

A third commented: "I appreciate you wanting to get people interested in rocket science, but maybe don't broadcast that the PIN to unlock the tablet on the rocket is either 9393 or 3939."

Artemis crews have tablets pre-loaded with television programs they can binge-watch, and read manuals and experiments about their mission, according to a report in New York Post.

Now that it's lifted off, I can share this:

Hey @NASA, I appreciate you wanting to get people interested in rocket science, but maybe don't broadcast that the PIN to unlock the tablet on the rocket is either 9393 or 3939. Maybe have him change it before returning...just in… pic.twitter.com/WDm6U6DwPw

— BonkDaCarnivore (@BonkDaCarnivore) April 1, 2026

Also Read | AI Chatbots Lie And Manipulate To Protect Each Other From Deletion, New Study Finds

Artemis II Mission

Artemis II is NASA's first crewed lunar flyby in over 50 years, acting as a crucial test flight for the Artemis programme to enable a lunar landing by 2028. The crewed mission will evaluate the SLS rocket and Orion capsule, paving the way for sustained human lunar exploration and future Mars missions

Along with Wiseman, the mission features Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, who have embarked on a 10-day test flight to orbit the Moon and return.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/1nDi2CM
via IFTTT

India, Bangladesh Talk Defence Ties As Dhaka Moves Away From Yunus' Pak Push

Bangladesh's High Commissioner to India, Riaz Hamidullah, met Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi in New Delhi on Thursday and discussed enhancing defence cooperation between New Delhi and Dhaka. The high-level meeting marks a sharp turn in ties between the two nations after the new government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman took charge in Bangladesh. 

"Pleased to meet General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of Army Staff (Indian Army), at South Block and reflected on Bangladesh-India ties, including defence collaboration," Hmidullah later said in a post on the social media platform X. 

Pleased to meet Gen. Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of Army Staff (#IndianArmy), at South Block; and reflected on 🇧🇩🇮🇳 ties, including #defense collaboration.@adgpi #Bangladesh #India @BDArmyOfficial @BangladeshAFD pic.twitter.com/myg5WexHb7

— Riaz Hamidullah (@hamidullah_riaz) April 2, 2026

The meeting assumes greater significance because it signals a return to collaboration between the two countries. Under the previous government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, the Pakistan Army had tried to gain a footing in Bangladesh, with several top officials from Islamabad visiting Dhaka. Yunus, during his one-and-a-half-year tenure, repeatedly provoked India with irresponsible comments, leading to a further strain in ties. 

Under Rahman, who has a Bangladesh First policy, New Delhi and Dhaka have restarted working together, as the two countries share common security goals, especially when it comes to the BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal) region and the Indian Ocean.

Rehman has also maintained a distance from Islamabad since his return. On March 25, when Bangladesh observes Genocide Day, the Prime Minister condemned the Pakistani military assault of 1971 as "one of the most heinous genocides.

Reset In India-Bangladesh Ties

India and Bangladesh have also been looking at common maritime and energy security goals, with Dhaka participating in the ongoing IOS SAGAR exercise that was flagged off from the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on Thursday evening. 

Maritime security and energy security have been a concern for the neighbourhood. India, under its Neighbourhood First policy and SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region) and MAHASAGAR (Mutual And Holistic Advancement for Security And Growth Across Regions) visions, has been working to tackle regional security challenges and those arising from conflicts like the West Asia war that has impacted both India and Bangladesh.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/sfKlNhS
via IFTTT