In his 33rd Test, Ravichandran Ashwin averages 33.76. Coupled with a bowling average of 25.43, it’s little wonder that the Indian team management views him as a bonafide all-rounder. But in a Test career that is now five years old, he had never batted in the top six. His two previous centuries, both against West Indies (2011 and 2013), had come from No.8.
West Indies in their current avatar aren’t a formidable bowling side, though. Shannon Gabriel was exceptionally quick and hostile on the opening two days of the Antigua Test, but the support cast was little more than consistent. There was certainly no intimidatory air about them.
With surfaces in the Caribbean becoming more and more placid, India’s decision to go in with five specialist bowlers was no surprise. But that also necessitated Ashwin moving up to No.6. In tricky conditions and against a stronger attack, that would probably be a slot too high for him. But in Antigua, he did the job more than adequately.
Gabriel troubled him, as he did most of the others, and Shane Dowrich dropped a reasonably straightforward catch when Ashwin had made just 43. But having gone through a bit of a batting rut in the last 18 months, this was a welcome reminder of what Ashwin the batsman can do. He drove with immaculate timing, and even essayed a couple of pulls with flourish as he eased to 113.
For the five-bowler strategy to work though, India will need more from the specialist batsmen. Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane both failed in the first innings, and Shikhar Dhawan stroked 84 after Gabriel initially put him through the wringer. Virat Kohli earned the appreciation of Sir Vivian Richards after his maiden double-hundred, but India can’t expect his purple patch to last forever – he averages 109.63 from 18 innings across all formats in 2016.
In his younger days, Ashwin was a top-order batsman. At various times in Australia, South Africa and England, he had shown that he has the temperament and the technique to deal with quality bowling. Maybe the responsibility of batting at No.6 – even the great Kapil Dev played only 13 innings there – will bring out the best in him.
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Tickets for the August 3 Fight Night, held in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, went on sale earlier this month, through www.etihadarena.ae and www.ticketmaster.ae.
SNAPSHOT
While Huawei did launch the first smartphone with a 50MP image sensor in its P40 series in 2020, Oppo in 2014 introduced the Find 7, which was capable of taking 50MP images: this was done using a combination of a 13MP sensor and software that resulted in shots seemingly taken from a 50MP camera.
SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
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Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m; Winner: Gurm, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Al Nafece, Al Muatasm Al Balushi, Mohammed Ramadan
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The specs: 2018 Range Rover Velar R-Dynamic HSE
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Engine: 3.0-litre supercharged V6
Power 375hp @ 6,500rpm
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Fuel consumption, combined: 9.4L / 100kms
TERMINAL HIGH ALTITUDE AREA DEFENCE (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US's most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out ballistic missiles as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 150 kilometres above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then stationed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
TWISTERS
Director:+Lee+Isaac+Chung
Starring:+Glen+Powell,+Daisy+Edgar-Jones,+Anthony+Ramos
Rating:+2.5/5
RACE SCHEDULE
All times UAE (+4 GMT)
Friday, September 29
First practice: 7am - 8.30am
Second practice: 11am - 12.30pm
Saturday, September 30
Qualifying: 1pm - 2pm
Sunday, October 1
Race: 11am - 1pm
World Cup warm-up fixtures
Friday, May 24:
- Pakistan v Afghanistan (Bristol)
- Sri Lanka v South Africa (Cardiff)
Saturday, May 25
- England v Australia (Southampton)
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Sunday, May 26
- South Africa v West Indies (Bristol)
- Pakistan v Bangladesh (Cardiff)
Monday, May 27
- Australia v Sri Lanka (Southampton)
- England v Afghanistan (The Oval, London)
Tuesday, May 28
- West Indies v New Zealand (Bristol)
- Bangladesh v India (Cardiff)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: SmartCrowd
Started: 2018
Founder: Siddiq Farid and Musfique Ahmed
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech / PropTech
Initial investment: $650,000
Current number of staff: 35
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Various institutional investors and notable angel investors (500 MENA, Shurooq, Mada, Seedstar, Tricap)
The specs
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Transmission: seven-speed auto
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