Thursday, September 4, 2025
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India’s postal system is now world’s largest doorstep banking network: PM Modi

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New Delhi, Sep 4:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday highlighted that India’s postal system has now become the world’s largest doorstep banking network, and the humble postman is playing the role of the harbinger of financial inclusion.

“With unprecedented efforts from the government, our humble postman has become the harbinger of financial inclusion. With India Post Office and IPPB Online, India’s postal system is now the world’s largest doorstep banking network, ensuring dignity and empowerment,” wrote PMO India on X.

He was responding to an article on India’s postal system by Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia. The Prime Minister praised the article for presenting a “broader vision” on the country’s postal system.

Scindia said, “Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s clarion call of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, India Post Office and India Post Payment Bank (IPPB) Online have redefined one of the world’s oldest postal networks into the globe’s largest doorstep banking system.

In consonance with this vision, the India Post Payments Bank is bringing access, assurance, and aspiration directly to the doorsteps of 140 crore Indians.” The minister has further stated in an article that the Department of Posts, with its network of 1,60,000 post offices, is writing its growth story.

“Yesterday’s postman now brings the promise of financial access and dignity to every doorstep in the country.” IPPB has quietly become a national pioneer by ensuring the digitalisation of all its rural accounts.

By integrating technology, expanding partnerships and diversifying services, the IPPB has transformed post offices into comprehensive financial hubs, proving that even the oldest institutions can evolve step with a rapidly changing world.

Eight years ago, the IPPB was established with a commitment to ensure that no Indian, irrespective of geography, gender, or circumstance, is excluded from the formal economy. Beyond opening accounts, it was unlocking opportunities and empowerment. By integrating rural India into the digital economy, it has become an engine of national economic empowerment, Scindia added.

IANS

64 pc GST comes from poor & middle class, only 3 pc GST collected from billionaires: K’taka Minister Priyank Kharge

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Bengaluru, Sep 4: Karnataka Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR), IT and BT, Priyank Kharge, taking objection to the revamp of the eight-year-old indirect tax regime by the Centre, stated on Thursday that “two thirds of the total Goods and Services Tax i.e. 64 per cent comes from the pockets of the poor and the middle class, but only 3 per cent GST is collected from billionaires, while the rate of Corporate Tax has been reduced from 30 per cent to 22 per cent.”

Priyank Kharge further stated that, “Now that, the government has finally adhered to our demands of rationalising and simplifying the GST, they are yet to figure out how they will compensate the losses to states like Karnataka.”

Minister Kharge took to social media platform X to state, “A bit of common sense seems to have dawned upon the Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sarkar on the ‘Gabbar Singh Tax’. For almost a decade, the Indian National Congress has been demanding simplification of GST. ‘One Nation, One Tax’ had become ‘One Nation, 9 Taxes’ — 0 per cent, 5 per cent, 12 per cent, 18 per cent, 28 per cent, and special rates of 0.25 per cent, 1.5 per cent, 3 per cent and 6 per cent.”

“The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge had been consistently batting for 18 per cent cap or lower GST rates. The Congress party in its 2019 and 2024 manifestos had demanded a GST 2.0 with simplified and rational tax regime. We had also demanded to simplify the complicated compliances which had severely hit the MSMEs and small businesses,” Kharge said.

For the first time, farmers were taxed under the BJP, with GST rates on at least 36 goods/items in the farm sector ranging from 12 per cent to 28 per cent, he stated. Essential commodities like packaged milk, wheat flour, curd, books, stationery etc were brought in under the GST, Kharge pointed out.

IANS

GST Council cuts tax on renewable energy equipment to 5 pc

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New Delhi, Sep 4: The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council has reduced the tax on renewable energy devices and manufacturing parts from 12 per cent to 5 per cent, effective from September 22 this year.

The Council also raised the tax on coal and lignite from 5 per cent to 18 per cent to offset revenue losses for state governments. The Council has lowered the GST on non-lithium-ion batteries, including lead acid, sodium, and flow batteries, from 28 per cent to 18 per cent to scale grid-scale energy storage technologies for storing renewable power for longer durations.

The GST for lithium-ion batteries shall remain 18 per cent. “GST has been reduced from 12 per cent to 5 per cent on renewable energy devices and parts for their manufacture, such as biogas plants, windmills, wind-operated electricity generators, waste to energy plants, devices, PV cells, whether or not assembled in modules or made up in panel, solar cookers, solar water heaters and systems, and so on,” Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said.

Further, the tax on hydrogen vehicles using fuel cell technology, such as cars, buses, and trucks has been reduced from 12 per cent to 5 per cent, while Electric Vehicles (EVs) will continue to attract a 5 per cent GST.

Analysts said that reducing GST rates on clean energy technologies like solar, wind, and batteries can decrease project costs and enhance the competitiveness of renewable power. The GST 2.0 reforms reduced GST primarily to two slabs, 5 per cent and 18 per cent from the erstwhile four-slab regime.

The prices of consumer goods are expected to come down due to the lower taxes, leading to an increase in demand and spurring growth in the economy. HSBC Global Investment Research had projected the commissioning of 11.7 GW of thermal power, 3.8 GW of hydropower, and 36 GW of solar power in India during FY26. The overall power demand increased 4.4 per cent Year on Year in August and over 2 per cent in July upon a low base. IANS

Trump’s ego behind US tariff hike on Indian goods: Report

New Delhi, Sep 4: The 50 per cent punitive US tariff imposed on Indian goods is increasingly being seen as more to do with President Donald Trump’s ego being hurt over New Delhi contradicting his claim of having brokered the ceasefire with Pakistan after Operation Sindoor rather than any economic rationale.

“Trump’s 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods is as much about showing off power as about economics. The irony is striking. While India is being targeted for buying Russian oil, EU countries quietly imported €21.9 billion in Russian fossil fuels last year—more than the €18.7 billion they sent in aid to Ukraine. The EU has been trying to reduce its dependency on Russia since the start of the Ukraine conflict, yet the numbers remain high,” according to an article in the London Daily.

“So, is this really about energy morality—or is it messaging in a world order that’s in flux, where alliances, trade, and even climate priorities are shifting? Perhaps ego is also part of the story,” the article further states.

It highlights that the relations between the two countries soured when India refused to credit Trump for “stopping” the recent India-Pakistan flare-up. Other media reports have also mentioned that Trump is singling out India because it has categorically pointed out that he had no role to play in the truce with Pakistan after Operation Sindoor.

India has made it clear that after the successful precision strikes that wiped out terrorist camps and damaged strategic air bases deep in Pakistani territory, Islamabad had requested a ceasefire. New Delhi had agreed to the proposal as Operation Sindoor had successfully accomplished the mission for which it was launched.

However, this runs contrary to Trump’s narrative of posing as a peacemaker who has brought several conflicts to an end worldwide since he came to power. Pakistan, on the other hand, has been supporting this narrative and recommended Trump’s name for the Nobel Peace Prize as part of its cosying up to Washington.

The London Daily also mentions that “the situation got complicated further when Pakistan suggested nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, praising his supposed role in the ceasefire. India, unsurprisingly, stayed away from the fanfare. And Trump, who has often hinted that he deserved the Nobel, now faced a scenario that may have marked the final crack in a relationship that once seemed firmly on friendly footing.”

President Trump has also stated that the 25 per cent additional tariff is being imposed in the form of sanctions against India for buying Russian oil and is aimed at putting pressure on Moscow to agree to a peace deal in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, India has made it clear that it has been buying Russian oil because it is in both national and global interest. These purchases have ensured low prices for Indian consumers and also prevented oil prices in the international market from shooting up, which would have imposed a heavy economic burden on all countries.

In fact, the rationale for the US allowing India to buy Russian oil was to keep world prices in check. Interestingly, while China buys more oil than India from Russia, the Trump administration has not imposed any punitive tariffs on the Asian economic giant.

IANS

Acclaimed conservation scientist urges Shillong students to focus on hands-on experience on NE’s biodiversity

Guwahati, Sept 4:  The Department of Zoology, St. Edmund’s College, Shillong in collaboration with IQAC of the college organised an awareness programme on “Wildlife Conservation: A Shared Responsibility” on the forenoon of September 2.

Passionate conservation scientist Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, Secretary General and Executive Director of Aaranyak (www.aaranyak.org), as the invited speaker delivered a talk on the topic. The programme was participated by over 200 students and faculty members from the college, according to a Press release.

Dr. Talukdar emphasised on the ecological significance of Northeast India in terms of its rich biodiversity and highlighted the opportunities available for students to contribute, not only through research but also by engaging in on- ground conservation efforts where expertise from diverse disciplines is in demand as on date.

Dr. Talukdar also spoke about Aaranyak’s wide-ranging initiatives, encouraging students to explore the organisation’s internship and volunteering programmes to work jointly for biodiversity conservation.
He further underlined the importance of collaborative training programmes to enhance students’ capacities in the field of biodiversity conservation and
human well-being.
The Principal in-charge of the college, Br. Sunil Britto also attended the event and felicitated Dr. Talukdar prior to his address.

In the afternoon same day, Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar delivered another invited talk on “Research Opportunities in the Field of Bioresource Conservation in Northeast India,” at Shillong College in the capital city of Meghalaya.

Addressing the students of Zoology, he spoke about the wide range of research avenues available in the region and encouraged them to devote time to understand and learn from nature.

Here too he highlighted Aaranyak’s internship and volunteering programmes and emphasised the need for collaborative training initiatives to help students strengthen their skills and capacities in conservation.

The faculty members of both colleges expressed strong interest in collaborating with Aaranyak to create opportunities for skill development of the students, with the aim of creating a pool of conservation-minded and research-oriented students and scholars in their institutions.

New GST rates: What gets cheaper and costlier from Sep 22

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New Delhi, Sep 4:  After the GST Council approved historical changes to India’s indirect tax structure, several daily-use goods will become cheaper from September 22. The new tax structure, adopted on Wednesday, has two major slabs now 5 per cent and 18 per cent, and a whopping 40 per cent for sin goods.

For the common man, this change means more money in hand, which the government hopes will be routed into the economy, giving it a significant boost. From groceries and fertilisers to footwear, textiles, and even renewable energy, a broad basket of goods and services is set to become more affordable.

Items earlier taxed at 12 per cent and 28 per cent will now largely migrate to the other two slabs, making a wide range of products cheaper. Food and daily essentials Milk products: Ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk will now be tax-free (down from 5 per cent), while condensed milk, butter, ghee, paneer, and cheese have moved from 12 per cent to 5 per cent or nil in some cases.

Staple foods: Malt, starches, pasta, cornflakes, biscuits, and even chocolates and cocoa products will see rates reduced from 12–18 per cent to 5 per cent. Dry fruits and nuts: Almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, cashews, and dates, earlier taxed at 12 per cent, will now attract just 5 per cent.

Sugar and confectionery: Refined sugar, sugar syrups, and confectionery items like toffees and candy have shifted to the 5 per cent slab. Other packaged foods: Vegetable oils, animal fats, edible spreads, sausages, meat preparations, fish products, and malt extract-based packaged foods have been moved to the 5 per cent slab.

Namkeens, bhujia, mixture, chabena and similar edible preparations ready for consumption form (other than roasted gram), pre-packaged and labelled to go from 18 per cent to 5 per cent. Waters, including natural or artificial mineral waters and aerated waters, not containing added sugar or other sweetening matter, nor flavoured to move from 18 per cent to 5 per cent.

Agriculture and fertilisers Fertilisers are down from 12 per cent/18 per cent to 5 per cent. Select agricultural inputs, including seeds and crop nutrients, have been rationalised from 12 per cent to 5 per cent. Healthcare Life-saving drugs, health-related products, and some medical devices have seen rate cuts from 12 per cent/18 per cent to 5 per cent or nil.

Individual life and health insurance policies, including family floater, which had a 12 per cent tax, will no longer be taxed A massive chunk of medical items of regular use — including thermometers and glucometers — will be in the 5 per cent tax bracket. Consumer goods Entry-level and mass-use items like select electrical appliances will move from 28 per cent to 18 per cent.

Footwear and textiles have seen GST cut from 12 per cent to 5 per cent, reducing costs for mass-market products. However, certain goods and services remain firmly under higher taxation. Pan masala, gutkha, cigarettes, chewing tobacco, zarda, unmanufactured tobacco, and bidi will continue under existing high GST rates and compensation cess until outstanding cess-linked loans are cleared.

Additionally, the valuation of these products will now be shifted to Retail Sale Price (RSP) instead of transaction value, tightening compliance. All goods (including aerated waters), containing added sugar or other sweetening matter or flavoured to go from 28 per cent to 40 per cent. A new 40 per cent slab for sin and luxury goods remains, ensuring that items like cigarettes, premium liquor, and high-end cars don’t see tax relief. Imported armoured luxury sedans will be exempt only in special cases, such as those brought in by the President’s Secretariat.

IANS

Blue Tigers eye win against Afghans in push for play-offs

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CAFA Nations Cup

Hisor (Tajikistan), Sep 3: Revenge for their shock loss last year will be on their minds when they face a tricky Afghanistan in their last group match of the CAFA Nations Cup here on Thursday.
India, then under Igor Stimac, had suffered an embarrassing 1-2 defeat against Afghanistan in Guwahati in a FIFA World Cup qualifying round match in March 2024, and the current team under Khalid Jamil would be eager to make amends of that loss.
The Blue Tigers have so far won one match (2-1 against Tajikistan) and lost one (0-3 against Iran). They are tied on three points with Tajikistan, but ahead by virtue of a better head-to-head record.
The top teams from each group will progress to the final, while the two second-placed teams will make it to the third-place match, both to take place on September 8.
As things stand, the Blue Tigers need a win against Afghanistan, and hope that Tajikistan do not win against Iran in Thursday’s second game, in order to progress further.
A draw against Afghanistan may also be enough for India to finish in top-2 in Group B, if Iran either win or draw against Tajikistan.
However, a defeat against Afghanistan will result in India’s elimination, as Tajikistan, in such a scenario, will have the better goal difference in the matches played among the three teams who would end up on three points each (Tajikistan, India and Afghanistan).
India head coach Khalid Jamil, however, is not thinking of such permutations and combinations ahead of the crucial tie.
“We are not thinking of all such scenarios at this point. There is no point to it. We will go into the game looking for a win. It’s as simple as that,” Jamil said.
India’s victory against co-hosts Tajikistan in their first match of the tournament was their first competitive win since November 2023.
Talking about the 0-3 loss to Iran on Monday, Jamil said, “We are all sad that we played so well in the first half, and then things did not click for us in the second..
“I’ll be the first one to accept that I made a mistake with the substitution at that point, and they managed to score after it,” the new head coach.
“But this is as much of a learning curve for the players as it is for the coach. We will take the learnings in our stride and move on.
“I must commend my players for doing everything I asked of them. They showed great attitude against a team that was of a much higher quality. At the end, I think the scoreline was not fair. We did not deserve to lose 0-3,” he said.
India (133rd in FIFA rankings) hold the upper hand against Afghanistan (161st) in the head-to-head records, having won 13 times. Afghanistan have emerged victorious against India only on two occasions, with seven matches between the two sides having ended in draws.
India’s last win against Afghanistan came three years ago, a 2-1 victory in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers in Kolkata..
Despite the history, Jamil is approaching the match with an air of caution.
“Afghanistan are a good side, so we cannot take them lightly. They have a chance, and they will definitely play hard against us. Our last result was not up to the mark, so we need to respond likewise,” he said.
“We’ve had less time to recover, so we need to be at our best. Those who have not had much game time so far need to be ready, as we might need them to give their 100 per cent,” said the head coach.

Jhingan ruled out

India, however, will miss the services of centre-back Sandesh Jhingan, who sustained an injury during the match against Iran.
The Indian defender has been ruled out of the rest of the CAFA Nations Cup matches after sustaining an injury during the team’s 0-3 defeat to Iran here.
The injury to the 32-year-old stalwart is a big blow to India as they take on a strong Afghanistan side in their third and final Group B match on Thursday.
“Defender Sandesh Jhingan had sustained an injury during India’s CAFA Nations Cup 2025 match against Iran, and has been ruled out of the remaining matches. He will return to India today,” posted All India Football Federation (AIFF) on ‘X’.
“I’ve never seen a player as brave as Sandesh. Even with the injury, he kept playing in the last match. Not many players can do that,” said Jamil.
“We will definitely miss his presence. He’s a great motivator on and off the pitch for the others. It’s difficult to find a replacement for him, but this also allows the others to step up.” (PTI)

Shreyas, Jaiswal, Thakur eye big outing for West against Central; North face South

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Bengaluru, Sep 3: The dynamic trio of Shreyas Iyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shardul Thakur will be aiming to make a statement when a star-studded West Zone takes on Central Zone in the Duleep Trophy semifinal here on Thursday.
Iyer, who could not find a place in India’s Asia Cup squad, will be keen to begin the season on a bright note here, and keep himself in contention ahead of some crucial assignments such as the home series against the West Indies and the subsequent white ball tour of Australia.
This might be an incredibly frustrating phase for Iyer, whose 604 runs across 17 matches for Punjab Kings at an average of 50.33 and at a strike-rate in excess of 175 did not resonate with the selectors during the Asia Cup selection.
But if he can channelise that frustration and turn it into runs, West Zone may be benefitted.
Jaiswal offers a slightly different case. Having already secured his place in the Test side for the foreseeable future, the young left-hander would want to sustain his red ball game time ahead of the home series against the West Indies and world champions South Africa.
His last competitive outing was the fifth Test against England at the Oval, and since he is yet to crack the white ball code, Jaiswal might have to wait till the series against the West Indies in October for an international appearance.
On other hand, Thakur, who is set to lead West Zone, will try to push his stocks up after lukewarm outings against England in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy to remain on the selectors’ radar.
Other prominent members of the West Zone team like Ruturaj Gaikwad and Tanush Kotian will hope for a strong effort to get back into national reckoning.
On paper, West carries far too many guns but Central Zone are no mere pushovers.
Dhruv Jurel might come back to lead them if the India wicketkeeper batter has recovered from a groin niggle that kept him out of the quarterfinals against North East Zone.
Even without Jurel, their batting packed a punch as stand-in skipper Rajat Patidar, Danish Malewar and Shubham Sharma cracked big hundreds last week.
They also have a competent bowling unit in left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey, and pacers Khaleel Ahmed and Deepak Chahar.
They will nonetheless have a job at hand against a strong West Zone batting line-up, which will miss an injured Sarfaraz Khan, on a BCCI Centre of Excellence pitch that looked slow and smooth during the quarterfinals.
But they will miss the presence of left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who is travelling to Dubai to join India’s Asia Cup squad.

North take on South

The absence of Tilak Varma, who has left for Dubai to start his preparations for Asia Cup, pacer Vysakh Vijayakumar and left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore, both of whom have been injured, will weaken South Zone.
Therefore they will require some healthy scores from the likes of N Jagadeesan, Devdutt Padikkal and Salman Nizar, who recently slammed 11 sixes in 13 balls in the Kerala Cricket League, to tide over North’s challenge.
North will also have to contend with the unavailability of pacers Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, as they are part of the Asia Cup squad.
India pacer Anshul Kamboj is likely to step in for this match.
Hence, they will require an encore from the likes of Ayush Badoni, skipper Ankit Kumar and Yash Dhull, who were the centurions in the quarterfinals. (PTI)
Matches start at 9.30 AM.

BCCI Polls: Prez, IPL chairman’s post up for grabs, no concrete options yet

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New Delhi, Sep 3: The BCCI Annual General Meeting at the end of September will be an interesting affair with a few top posts, including that of president and IPL chairman, up for grabs.
The current IPL chairman Arun Dhumal in all likelihood is set to go for a mandatory cooling-off for three years, having completed a cumulative period of six years in office, with a host of names doing rounds as his potential successor. For now, Devajit Saikia, who has completed three years cumulatively as joint secretary (2 years and three months) and secretary (nine months), will continue in his position. So would joint secretary Rohan Gauns Desai and Prabhtej Bhatia, who are into their first year as office bearers.
For IPL chairman’s post, the name of former Mumbai Cricket Association secretary Sanjay Naik and current BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla’s names are doing the rounds although nothing has been finalized yet.
In case, Congressman Shukla once again becomes IPL chairman, Bihar Cricket Association president and BJP leader from the state Rakesh Tiwary could become a contender for BCCI vice-presidency.
The AGM is expected to be held in the last week of September. Only a couple of vacancies are expected since this year’s election will be held as per the association’s own rules. The coming into force of National Sports Governance Act may still be some time away and the BCCI wouldn’t be waiting that long.
Roger Binny, after completing his 70th birthday in July, also cannot be re-elected as per current constitution.
The most of interesting choice will be that of BCCI president as decision makers want an India player of stature to replace Binny.
The case of Shukla is also interesting one. His stint as vice-president started in 2020 and he still has one year left as per Lodha Constitution. But there is a catch. If the National Sports Governance Act comes into effect before next AGM in 2026, the Rajya Sabha MP wouldn’t need to go for a mandatory cooling off. (PTI)

Cummins vows to do ‘whatever it takes’ for Ashes return

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Sydney, Sep 3: Australian Test skipper Pat Cummins has said he would do “whatever it takes” to play the high-profile Ashes, even as he battles a back injury which he likely to have picked up due to an uptick in workload during the World Test Championship Final against South Africa earlier this year.
The 32-year-old quick, who will miss the upcoming white-ball games against New Zealand and India and also the Sheffield Shield matches in the run-up to the Ashes, is hopeful he would recover in time for the opening Test in Perth beginning November 21.
“I’m never going to go into a Test match unless you think you can finish the Test match,” Cummins told cricket.com.au on Wednesday.
“But when you’re 18 or 19, you’re like, ‘Let’s make sure this the perfect rehab whether it takes an extra six months’. Whereas, I’m happy to be a bit like, ‘Well, it’s an Ashes series, whatever it takes to play it’.
“Then, say, at the end, if you’re still not 100 per cent and you need to then have a bit of a break next year… there’s not another Ashes series,” said Cummins, amplifying the importance of the series against England.
Medical scans have revealed a lower-back issue that has continued to trouble the stalwart even weeks after the Test series against the West Indies.
Cummins is currently on a restricted regimen in the gym and will not be risked over the coming weeks to ensure the back issue gets resolved. He has a history of injuries, including persistent back issues and an ankle problem that made him miss the Champions Trophy earlier this year.
The pacer said the experts will “reassess” him in a month’s time.
Cummins said he would require little preparation time for the Ashes even if he misses the Shield games, adding that he was willing to take the risks.
“I think you’re willing to take a few risks and be a little bit aggressive to try and play as much Tests as you can. At this stage of my career, I feel like I can probably get up to speed a bit quicker than when I was 18 or 19.
“Back then you probably feel like you need to play a few Shield games or one-dayers. I’m pretty confident even if I don’t get a chance to play a Shield game, I can get up to speed pretty quickly.
“It’s (nearly) 12 weeks until the first Test, it feels a long way away, so we’ve got plenty of time.”
Cummins, who bowled 35.1 overs in the WTC Final defeat to South Africa at Lord’s in June in four days, saw his bowling workload increase drastically during the title clash soon after returning from the grind of the Indian Premier League.
“Sometimes you might just get unlucky and bowl a lot of overs in, say, the World Test Championship final and that’s enough to kind of start it (injury),” he said.
“Through the West Indies, I felt like maybe it was a little bit sore, but nothing abnormal for fast bowlers, you’ve always got some niggles. Once you get home and everything settles down, it just hung around a little bit.” He sent down another 49 overs in less that a fortnight in the first two Tests against the West Indies.
On his injury, Cummins, who has missed just one Test due to injury since taking charge of the Test side four years ago, said, “It’s similar (to previous injuries). But I’ve been really lucky, the last seven or eight years I haven’t really had much.” (PTI)