Board’s one-line statement: Kumble is the new boss

Finally, Anil Kumble got what all believed he deserved a long time ago: The Team India Test hot seat.

Finally, Anil Kumble got what all believed he deserved a long time ago: The Team India Test hot seat. The quiet leggie from Bangalore, the city of the last skipper Rahul Dravid, was today named by the selectors here to lead the three-Test series. No vice-captain has been named for the series, because it is not the tradition of the Board to name one for a home series.

Immediately after India’s narrow defeat to the touring Pakistanis the national selectors made a simple written announcement that identified the new skipper.

It will be Kumble’s first assignment as Test skipper. The only time he has been captain was during the Chennai one-dayer in 2001-2002, versus England, standing in for Sourav Ganguly.

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The selectors also named an unchanged squad for the next two ODIs, which means Rahul Dravid stays out of virtually the entire series. The team for the last ODI, in Jaipur on November 18, will be named later.

The surprising part was the way the announcement was made. It was basically in the form of a one-line statement issued to the media after the match by vice-president MP Pandove.

It was learnt that the selectors had a detailed discussion with Kumble before coming to a conclusion.

As India bids adieu to MiG-21s, what lies ahead for Air Force?

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The Indian Air Force (IAF) has retired its long-serving MiG-21 fighter jets, reducing its already low number of fighter squadrons. Despite its successful track record since 1963, the MiG-21 has faced challenges with its engines, leading to crashes and deaths. To replenish its squadrons, the IAF intends to introduce a mix of domestic and foreign fighter jets.

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