Cheteshwar Pujara, right, and Ajinkya Rahane have been dropped from the India Test team. AFP
Cheteshwar Pujara, right, and Ajinkya Rahane have been dropped from the India Test team. AFP
Cheteshwar Pujara, right, and Ajinkya Rahane have been dropped from the India Test team. AFP
Cheteshwar Pujara, right, and Ajinkya Rahane have been dropped from the India Test team. AFP

India ring changes for Sri Lanka series under leadership of Rohit Sharma


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India's selectors made major changes to the Test squad following the shock defeat in South Africa as they picked the team for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka.

Senior batsmen Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara were dropped from the team, which will be led by Rohit Sharma with fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah named his deputy for the two-Test series which starts in Mohali on March 4.

Pujara and Rahane have struggled with the bat and managed just one fifty each in six innings in South Africa, where India lost the series 2-1 despite winning the first match comprehensively. Both were told to get back to India's domestic red-ball competition - the Ranji Trophy tournament - to regain form.

India team for Sri Lanka series

Test squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Priyank Panchal, Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubhman Gill, Rishabh Pant (wk), KS Bharath (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Sourabh Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.

T20 squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Avesh Khan

"The selection committee deliberated a lot on Rahane and Pujara," Chetan Sharma, chairman of selectors, said.

"We told them we will not consider them against Sri Lanka but doors are open for them. We told them to go and play Ranji Trophy."

Wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha and veteran pacer Ishant Sharma were also omitted.

The other major news was the return of bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja alongside spin partner Ravichandran Ashwin, who has been picked subject to fitness.

The second Test is a day-night contest and will be played in Bangalore starting March 12.

Opener Sharma has now succeeded Virat Kohli as the team's leader in all three formats ahead of the home series against Sri Lanka.

"Rohit is the number one player in the country. We spoke to him and he's absolutely OK [to lead the team in all formats]," Sharma said.

"Under a player as experienced as Rohit, we can also groom future leaders of the team."

Batsman KL Rahul and spin-bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar miss out with injuries. Left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav was recalled to the Test squad.

India play Sri Lanka in three Twenty20 Internationals starting on Thursday, before the two-Test series next month. The opening Test in Mohali will be Kohli's 100th.

  • India’s Virat Kohli celebrates the wicket of South Africa’s Kyle Verreynne on the first day of the third Test against South Africa on January 12, 2022. Reuters
    India’s Virat Kohli celebrates the wicket of South Africa’s Kyle Verreynne on the first day of the third Test against South Africa on January 12, 2022. Reuters
  • Kohli top-scored with 79 in the first innings of the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town. Reuters
    Kohli top-scored with 79 in the first innings of the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town. Reuters
  • Kohli congratulates Rassie van der Dussen after South Africa beat India in the Test series on Friday. AP
    Kohli congratulates Rassie van der Dussen after South Africa beat India in the Test series on Friday. AP
  • Indian captain Virat Kohli congratulates South Africa’s Temba Bavuma on hitting the winning runs in the third Test. AP
    Indian captain Virat Kohli congratulates South Africa’s Temba Bavuma on hitting the winning runs in the third Test. AP
  • India’s Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant claim for a wicket against South Africa. Reuters
    India’s Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant claim for a wicket against South Africa. Reuters
  • Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara during the third Test against South Africa. Reuters
    Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara during the third Test against South Africa. Reuters
  • Virat Kohli celebrates after Kannur Rahul takes the wicket of Aiden Markram during the third Test match against South Africa. AP
    Virat Kohli celebrates after Kannur Rahul takes the wicket of Aiden Markram during the third Test match against South Africa. AP
  • Kohli plays a shot during the third day of the third Test. AP
    Kohli plays a shot during the third day of the third Test. AP
  • Rishabh Pant is congratulated by India captain Kohli. AFP
    Rishabh Pant is congratulated by India captain Kohli. AFP
  • Virat Kohli plays a shot. Getty
    Virat Kohli plays a shot. Getty
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Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances

All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.

Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.

Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.

Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.

Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.

Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.

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Video: 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps, full-HD@60fps, HD@30fps, super slo-mo@960fps

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From exhibitions to the battlefield

In 2016, the Shaded Dome was awarded with the 'De Vernufteling' people's choice award, an annual prize by the Dutch Association of Consulting Engineers and the Royal Netherlands Society of Engineers for the most innovative project by a Dutch engineering firm.

It was assigned by the Dutch Ministry of Defence to modify the Shaded Dome to make it suitable for ballistic protection. Royal HaskoningDHV, one of the companies which designed the dome, is an independent international engineering and project management consultancy, leading the way in sustainable development and innovation.

It is driving positive change through innovation and technology, helping use resources more efficiently.

It aims to minimise the impact on the environment by leading by example in its projects in sustainable development and innovation, to become part of the solution to a more sustainable society now and into the future.

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Nepotism is the name of the game

Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad. 

Tributes from the UAE's personal finance community

• Sebastien Aguilar, who heads SimplyFI.org, a non-profit community where people learn to invest Bogleheads’ style

“It is thanks to Jack Bogle’s work that this community exists and thanks to his work that many investors now get the full benefits of long term, buy and hold stock market investing.

Compared to the industry, investing using the common sense approach of a Boglehead saves a lot in costs and guarantees higher returns than the average actively managed fund over the long term. 

From a personal perspective, learning how to invest using Bogle’s approach was a turning point in my life. I quickly realised there was no point chasing returns and paying expensive advisers or platforms. Once money is taken care off, you can work on what truly matters, such as family, relationships or other projects. I owe Jack Bogle for that.”

• Sam Instone, director of financial advisory firm AES International

"Thought to have saved investors over a trillion dollars, Jack Bogle’s ideas truly changed the way the world invests. Shaped by his own personal experiences, his philosophy and basic rules for investors challenged the status quo of a self-interested global industry and eventually prevailed.  Loathed by many big companies and commission-driven salespeople, he has transformed the way well-informed investors and professional advisers make decisions."

• Demos Kyprianou, a board member of SimplyFI.org

"Jack Bogle for me was a rebel, a revolutionary who changed the industry and gave the little guy like me, a chance. He was also a mentor who inspired me to take the leap and take control of my own finances."

• Steve Cronin, founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com

"Obsessed with reducing fees, Jack Bogle structured Vanguard to be owned by its clients – that way the priority would be fee minimisation for clients rather than profit maximisation for the company.

His real gift to us has been the ability to invest in the stock market (buy and hold for the long term) rather than be forced to speculate (try to make profits in the shorter term) or even worse have others speculate on our behalf.

Bogle has given countless investors the ability to get on with their life while growing their wealth in the background as fast as possible. The Financial Independence movement would barely exist without this."

• Zach Holz, who blogs about financial independence at The Happiest Teacher

"Jack Bogle was one of the greatest forces for wealth democratisation the world has ever seen.  He allowed people a way to be free from the parasitical "financial advisers" whose only real concern are the fat fees they get from selling you over-complicated "products" that have caused millions of people all around the world real harm.”

• Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.org

"In an industry that’s synonymous with greed, Jack Bogle was a lone wolf, swimming against the tide. When others were incentivised to enrich themselves, he stood by the ‘fiduciary’ standard – something that is badly needed in the financial industry of the UAE."

India team for Sri Lanka series

Test squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Priyank Panchal, Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubhman Gill, Rishabh Pant (wk), KS Bharath (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Sourabh Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.

T20 squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Avesh Khan

Updated: February 19, 2022, 1:14 PM