MS Dhoni's retirement and other things we learned from 3rd Test

The third Test between India and Australia has ended in a draw with the visitors' hopes of salvaging some pride also coming to an end. Steven Smith-led Australia have ensured the Border-Gavaskar Trophy remains Down Under following their unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match Test series. Dhoni's Achievements | Twitter Tributes 

The Melbourne Test, probably not as exciting as the Adelaide nail-biter, has surely been one of the most entertaining matches in the series so far. With lots of verbal volleys being exchanged between the two sides and tensions soaring high, the Boxing Day Test clearly brought the two teams out of their comfort zone.

And, the sudden retirement of Indian captain MS Dhoni from Test cricket only added to what has been a tense encounter between the two cricketing giants.

With Dhoni's retirement sending shockwaves across the world of cricket and hogging the limelight, there were more than a few other important aspects that clearly made a mark in the third Test.

Here's a look at what we learned from the third Test between India and Australia at Melbourne:

Dhoni's retirement is not as surprising as it may seem

With 27 wins in 60 Test matches as skipper, MS Dhoni is clearly the most successful captain in the history of Indian Test cricket. But, India's Captain Cool has been at the receiving end alongside his team when it comes to the overseas tours. Out of the 12 Tests played abroad since 2013, Dhoni-led India have managed to register just a single win alongside four draws. Dhoni has not been able to get the best out of the team in the longer version of the game for quite sometime now. He is often accused of deploying defensive tactics when the going gets tough and it has often allowed the opposition to break free from India's clutches. Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly had recently said that Dhoni is a competitive captain in the ODIs but the Ranchi cricketer has fallen away a bit when it comes to Test cricket. It seems like Dhoni had finally realized his incompetence, even if some blame the poor bowling attack for his downfall, in the longer version of the game as the Indian skipper. But the only question is why Dhoni would retire from Tests altogether rather than just passing the reigns to Virat Kohli. And though we can only speculate, but it could very well be the Indian dressing room chatter that has come to light lately.

Indian players won't step down from a fight

The tensions between the two teams were at an all-time high during the third Test and there was a glimpse of a relatively-new approach being used by the Indian players. Virat Kohli was at the epicenter of the drama during the third Test as his verbal volleys with Mitchell Johnson and the rest of the Australian players continued over the course of five days. It was clearly the first time when an Indian player has taken the fight to his Australian counterparts both on and off the field. The Delhi lad smashed a brilliant 169 in the 1st innings and followed it up with a crucial half-century in the second. But Kohli also didn't shy away from slamming his opponents, namely Mitchell Johnson, during the post-match press conference. While a few criticized Kohli for being childish, others lauded his aggressive approach. But, Dean Jones statement: "Virat Kohli looks more Australian than an Indian player," says it all. The change in mentality and aggressiveness in the game is new, but it's only going to help the team become more competitive. And, if the players can back all that chatter with their performances, there's nothing like it. The era of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid who believed in replying back to the opposition with their bat seems to have evolved for good.

Pujara's dismal form continues for India

One of the mainstays of Indian batting, Cheteshwar Pujara has failed to shine for his country of late. The right-hander, who made a spectacular debut against Australia in 2010, has struggled to score runs in the recent series. Touted as the next Rahul Dravid, Pujara has scored 201 runs with just one half-century in the ongoing four-match Test series against Australia. His last Test hundred came against South Africa that dates back to December, 2013. During the five Tests against England earlier this year, Pujara amassed 222 runs with a single half-century. Team India has paid dearly for the dismal form of Pujara and if it wasn't for Kohli and Dhoni, the hosts would have suffered third straight defeat in the Test series against Australia.

KL Rahul's forgetful debut

The Indian selectors surprised everyone after Bengaluru batsman KL Rahul was selected in the starting XI ahead of Suresh Raina who was tipped to replace struggling Rohit Sharma in the third Test. The selection looked different but still promising, considering India's struggle in the middle-order. But, what actually unfolded at the Melbourne Cricket Ground sent Indian selectors running for cover. The 22-year-old cricketer marked his debut with a mere four runs to his name. It wasn't the amount of runs, but the shots he played to get dismissed will surely make you throw a kitchen sink. He was out caught while playing the expansive sweep against Lyon in the first innings and got dismissed by Johnson while trying to pull in the second innings. There was no need to play the sweep against Lyon on a fuller ball that was way outside off and his attempt to pull Johnson from outside off was even stranger. For a batsman who's not known for being aggressive or flashy, Rahul's poor debut only added to Team India's woes.

Ishant Sharma is not as bad as we think he is

Ever since James Faulkner's pasting in the 3rd ODI last year, Ishant Sharma has been subjected to a lot of criticism, but nothing unfair. The Indian bowling spearhead has struggled to control his line and his ability to evolve appeared to have diminished over the years. But, the lanky speedster proved his worth in the third Test and silenced the critics for good. Ishant's spell on Day 4 against Australia was a miracle Indian fans have stopped expecting. Hitting the good length area and bowling three maidens on the trot seemed too good to be true. But the pressure he built up led to Shane Watson's wicket after lunch and soon he sent Joe Burns pack in the hut. Though Australia recovered with Shaun Marsh's fifty to end the day on a high, but it was clearly India's best day with the ball and Ishant's discipline and hardwork played a major role. The performance also attracted plaudits from the former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly who was ecstatic to see the struggling Indian bowler hit the right length.

Sean Penn & Charlize Theron Engaged: The History Of Their Love

Sean and Charlize shocked us all by reportedly getting engaged over the holidays, after less than one year of dating! In honor of their huge next step, let’s take a look back at the sweetest and sexiest moments of their relationship!

Sean Penn, 54, reportedly popped the question to girlfriend Charlize Theron, 39, during a recent trip to Paris, France, but that’s just the latest in a series of romantic adventures for the couple! Here’s the amazing story of how they fell in love!

Sean Penn & Charlize Theron’s Relationship: A Look Back At Their Best Love Moments

Third time’s a charm! Sean, who was married twice before (to Madonna and Robin Wright) seems to have finally found the woman of his dreams in Charlize. Though the pair may have seemed like an unlikely couple at first, we now think — based on their interactions and outings over the past year — that these two make a perfect match!

Part of that comes from the fact that Sean and Charlize were friends for 18 years before they reconnected at a holiday party in December 2013, according to People.

It makes sense then, that when the Oscar winners were spotted together during aromantic getaway to Hawaii on Dec. 30, 2013, they seemed totally at ease with each other, even though that it was very early on in their romance. While Sean went surfing, Charlize was content to catch some rays and watch her man brave the waves.

“The couple is very much happening,” a source revealed to HollywoodLife.com exclusively at the time. “They were constantly close to each other and he was very protective of her at all times.”The couple have definitely kept a low profile but when they do step out together, they do it in style! Dressed in chic, coordinating black outfits, Sean and Charlize took the 2014 Oscars by storm on March 2, 2014, cozying up to each other at the show and later at an after party at The Vineyard in Beverly Hills.

So sweet! More recently, the pair attended the premiere of Charlize’s movie A Million Ways to Die in the West on May 15, 2014. They looked adorable together and Charlize was loving every moment of it! “I am very happy. I will say that,” she told Extra at the time. “I’m very happy. I’m not very good at talking about my private life, but we are very happy, yes.”

Aww! We definitely love these two together and we can’t wait to see how their love will continue to grow.

Justin Bieber & Selena Gomez: Jelena’s Most Romantic Pics

Justin’s got a dilemma — his heart is torn in two between longtime lover Selena and hot new flame Hailey! Justin reportedly ‘freaks out’ when he’s not with either of his ladies, a source dishes to HollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY.

Justin Bieber, 20, just can’t seem to get a grip on what his heart wants! He’s reportedly battling strong feelings for both Hailey Baldwin, 18, and Selena Gomez, 22. He’s so torn that he is in “a constant circle of doing the same thing over and over again.” HollywoodLife.com can reveal EXCLUSIVE details about Justin’s troubled and torn heart.

Justin Bieber’s Relationships With Selena Gomez & Hailey Baldwin — Can’t Choose

One minute he’s up and the next he’s down! We know that Justin and Selena have one of the most up and down relationships in relationship history. Justin goes through periods when he’s very intense about Selena and then “doesn’t care.” Instead, he seems to be head over heels for Hailey, as it’s a lot less drama.

Is all well between Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra?

Two actresses rarely work well together. There is just too much competition which inevitably leads to stress. This doesn’t seem to be the case with Deepika Padukoneand Priyanka Chopra who will be working together in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani and will, by all accounts, even have a dance-off.

While PC began shooting for the film last month, Deepika reported to the sets only recently. Onlookers say they could sense an instant camaraderie between the two actresses.

Says our source from the film’s core team, “We felt there would be awkwardness between them because Deepika has the title role. Also, because of her proximity to the leading man Ranveer Singh. But Priyanka has no insecurities or hang-ups thanks to her friendliness with director SLB. The minute DP walked in, there were positive vibes between PC and her. They spend a lot of time laughing and chatting together.”

Adds the source, “SLB has composed solo songs for both his heroines. And then there is that one peak in the melodic curve when Deepika and Priyanka will burn the dance floor together.”

Bipasha Basu to romance TV actor Karan Singh Grover in horror movie ‘Alone’

Bollywood actress Bipasha Basu is all set to romance television hottie Karan Singh Grover in an upcoming horror love story tentatively titled ‘Alone’.

Bipasha Basu posted an image on Instagram where she gave a mahurat clap for the film. The grand mahurat was held at a Mumbai Bungalow for the film.

The Bengali beauty tweeted, “A Love story with Chills,my new film is tentatively called Alone co starring Karan Singh Grover!”

While Bipasha Basu will be soon seen in Sajid Khan’s comedy film ‘Humshakals’, Karan Singh Grover was last seen on TV drama soap ‘Qubool Hai’. The film is the remake of the Thai horror film ‘Alone’ which was a worldwide smash hit.

The shooting of the film is currently in progress in the suburbs of Mumbai. The film is directed by Bhushan Patel, of ‘Ragini MMS 2′ and ‘1920 Evil Returns’ fame.

‘Alone’ is produced under the banner of Panorama Studios, produced by Kumar Mangat Pathak, Abhishek Pathak and Pradeep Aggarwal.

Justin Bieber: You’ve Probably Lost Selena Gomez For Good

Justin, are you ready to accept that you may never hold and kiss Selena ever again? You may never be what her heart wants anymore. After pushing her away too many times, HollywoodLife.com hears that Hailey Baldwin is Selena’s final straw. Is this what you want?
Justin Bieber, there are just so many times that you can break Selena Gomez‘s heart. And Justin, there are just so many promises that you can forget.


Justin Bieber Lost Selena Gomez For Good: You Probably Can’t Get Her Back
Guess what, Justin? You’ve gotten to that point. You’ve finally cracked Selena’s years-long love obsession with you.

Your new fling with Hailey Baldwin is the final straw.

Selena, 22, is both “shocked” and “hurt” that you’ve decided to get hot and heavy with Hailey, 18.

“Selena is just in disbelief that Justin could move on from her so quickly,” a source close to your ex told HollywoodLife.com exclusively.

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Justin, 20, it makes Selena feel “that everything he told her, like how he couldn’t love without her and that she was his princess soulmate, was just a bunch of lies. She’s really shocked and hurt that Justin is so serious with Hailey in such a short amount of time,” the source explained.

We can understand exactly how Selena feels, and how she sees your new romance with Hailey as such a betrayal.

Justin, you had Selena convinced that you finally weren’t interested in any other girls but her, and that your new primary focus was on your “spiritual studies and church, until she came back” to you, the insider revealed.

Selena felt secure in that. She felt that you two finally had an understanding that even if you weren’t together at the moment, you were preparing to be together again.

She did still hold out hope that you would ultimately realize that you were true soulmates and that you would one day be ready to commit to her forever.

Yes, she did want a proposal. But Justin, she felt she needed this after all your past broken promises of fidelity and commitment.

Justin Bieber: You’ve Pushed Selena Gomez Too Far
Justin, for a few weeks it did seem like you were working on your spirituality, spending time with Pastor Carl Lentz, instead of partying and flirting.

You have to see how let down Selena is now. She thought there was hope. She thought she had a future with you.

But now she sees photos of Hailey in your arms and hears that you and Hailey “are starting to like each other and they are having a really good time,” according to a source close to you.

Justin, Selena is just done now. This new romance, this new disappointment is her final straw. You’ve pushed her away too far for the final time.

Now Selena has made a very firm resolution for 2015, HollywoodLife.com has learned exclusively.

“She wants nothing to do with Justin Bieber. She wants to do it cold turkey,” an insider has revealed to us.

So Justin, you asked for it. You have finally done what not too long ago you feared most. You have lost Selena forever.

Think long and hard about it — is this really what you want? If it isn’t, then you better act fast or get ready for a Selena-free life!

Priyanka Chopra wins back sexiest Asian crown from Katrina Kaif

London: Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra has won back the crown she lost to Katrina Kaif last year to benamed the world's sexiest Asian woman on Thursday.
The 32-year-old actress and singer topped the top 50 list in an annual poll conducted a UK-based weekly newspaper.
Popular TV actress Drashti Dhami, who had led the voting at one stage, narrowly missed out on the top spot to come in second. Fellow TV actress Sanaya Irani came third while last year's winner, Katrina, slipped to fourth place in the race.
"Someone once told me, sexy is what sexy does and you do it best when you are yourself. I don't know what I did to
deserve this but I'll happily accept this title," said Priyanka.
"I am very flattered to have be named 'Eastern Eye's' Sexiest Woman once again. The fact that this is decided from a
public poll across the world makes this even more special to me. Lots of love to everyone who voted and here's to always being yourself," she added.
'Eastern Eye' showbiz editor Asjad Nazir, founder of the 'Sexiest Asian' list and chair of the judging panel, described
this year's number one as an 'important international icon for India.'
"Apart from being one of the most stunning women in the world, Priyanka has demonstrated she is beautiful on the inside too with important humanitarian work," said Nazir.
"She has also become a strong symbol of girl power with projects like 'Mary Kom' and represented her country admirably around the world. That is why more women than men actually voted for her this year and why she was trending across Twitter during the voting process," he added.
The A-list star beat off very tough competition from some of the most stunning women from around the world in the 11th edition of the list. The 2014 rankings have been trending heavily on social media across India and Pakistan during the voting process, with over 10 million votes cast.
The highest new entry was reality TV star Gauahar Khan at number 5 and the second highest new entry was young actress Preetika Rao at 10.

Other Indian television actresses who made the list included Nia Sharma (7th), Asha Negi (12th), Shakti Mohan (13th), Surbhi Jyoti (16th), Hina Khan (23th) and Kritika Kamra (30th).
The highest placed American was 'Anger Management' star Noureen DeWulf (15th), whose parents hail from Pune in India. The highest placed Pakistani was Humaima Malick (20th) and the highest placed British girl was reality TV star Jasmin Walia (32nd). The oldest woman in the list was 47-year-old Bollywood icon Madhuri Dixit (28th).
Other notable Bollywood stars in this year's list include Deepika Padukone (6th), Kareena Kapoor (8th), Sonam Kapoor (9th), Shraddha Kapoor (17th), Alia Bhatt (24th), Mahira Khan (34th), Kangana Ranaut (38th) , Anushka Sharma (47th) and Kanika Kapoor (50th).
The top 50 Sexiest Men list will be released next week.

Sanjay Dutt applies for 14 day leave from Yerwada jail?

As per the latest buzz, the Agneepath actor has indeed appealed for a two week furlough…

Sanjay Dutt is currently serving 42 month sentence in Yerwada jail, Pune, after he got convicted in connection with 1993 Mumbai Blast case last year. We hear the talented actor has applied for 14 day furlough but the reason is unknown. This isn’t the first time that Sanju baba has given parole application. Last year, the Munnbhai MBBS hero was out for 30 days in October because of his own health issues. Then in December he was again out on parole as his wife Manyata Dutt was unwell. In fact, his furlough got extended due to his wifey’s bad condition. And now the PK actor has apparently applied for 14 day furlough.

While talking to a leading tabloid, a source said, “He has submitted his application and is awaiting its acceptance.” When Dutt was out on parole twice last year, a lot was said and written about the same due to which the government came under lot of pressure and eventually ordered an inquiry. Will Sanjay’s plea get accepted this time around? Only time will tell.

Save Yamuna, appeals Hema Malini

Mathura: Bollywood actress and Lok Sabha member from Mathura Hema Malini Wednesday demanded immediate release of water into the Yamuna river from the Hathini Kund barrage to ensure that pilgrims who visit the land of Lord Krishna are not put to inconvenience.
Hema Malini also raised the issue in the Lok Sabha and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take appropriate action.
"I placed all the facts before the house and voiced the frustration and concern of the people who have long been demanding action to save the Yamuna from pollution," Hema Malini said.
"Industries in Haryana and Delhi are polluting the river which has been reduced to a vast sewage canal. The pollutants are adversely affecting children, as lead and other elements have been found to flow freely in the river."

She said the only solution was to release water on a continuous basis for the downstream cities and divert the waste and sewage through a parallel drain to the Agra Canal.
"The problem cannot be resolved unless the governments at the centre and state take prompt steps. I am happy the prime minister heard me patiently during my recent meeting with him," she said.

14-year-old Chinese prodigy clinches world snooker title

Yan Bingtao, the 14-year-old prodigy from China, created history by becoming the youngest player to win the men's title in the IBSF World Snooker Championship after he overcame Pakistani's Muhammad Sajjad 8-7 in a cliff-hanger final, here on Saturday.

In a match that kept the result in suspense, both Bingtao and 28-year-old Sajjad exhibited snooker of highest class, but eventually, it boiled down to nerves in the 15th frame where the Pakistani paid the price for a loose shot that broke the bunch and the Chinese teenager made a break of 60 to clinch the crown.

It was befitting that Bingtao, showing maturity that belied his tender age, won the title as he looked the better player while Sajjad who could not reproduce his semifinal form, was left heart-broken, especially after playing so well right until the final frame when he was punished for a bad shot.

Earlier in the day, Wendy Jans of Belgium won her fourth women's title and third on the trot when she beat Russia's Anastasia Nachaeva 5-2 in the final while Phisit Chandsri (Thailand) retained the Masters crown with a hard-fought 6-5 win over Welshman Darren Morgan. The first session of seven frames in the men's final was more of a hit-and-run with neither player able to settle into a consistent rhythm as their play alternated between high class and ordinary. There were misses galore from both as they fought hard for every point.

Bingtao was first off the blocks after Sajjad, who opened with an in-off but followed it up with a break of 44 on is subsequent visit, squandered a 11-point lead with the reds off the table. Bingtao made a delightful 27 clearance to go 1-0 up.

Sajjad responded strongly to take the second frame, aided by small breaks with Bingtao unable to cash in on openings. The Pakistani took 2-1 lead with runs of 32 and 43, and looked poised to take the fourth frame too when he missed a top pocket red to leave Bingtao on. The Chinese teenager crafted a nice break of 55 and went on to win the frame for 2-2.

Sajjad and Bingtao shared the next two frames with the Chinese posting a break of 77 in the fifth and the Pakistani replying with a 79 in the sixth. Bingtao then profited on Sajjad's miss on the long green and quickly cleared to black to go into the interval leading 4-3.

On resumption, Sajjad quickly equalised with a break of 73 which Bingtao replied with a 76 and followed it up by taking the 10th frame for a 6-4 lead.

However, the Pakistani hit back by winning the next three frames for a 7-6 advantage, including the 11th on a re-spotted black after Bingtao had miscued on the pink when on 60 break and Sajjad responded with 65 clearance to tie the scores. A 60 clearance by Sajjad took him to a 7- 6 lead, but again Bingtao caught up with small breaks to make it 7-7 and push the match into the decider where the Pakistani blundered at the start for the Chinese to punish him with a match-winning run of 60.

In the women's final, Jans was far too good for the 21-year old Nechaeva who, after a bright start when she made a break of 44 in the first frame, gradually faded from the contest as the Belgian ace notched runs of 40, 43 and 30 to dominate the final to extend her unbeaten run against the Russian whom she had beaten twice in the finals of the European Championships in 2013 and 2014.

"I'm very happy to win my fourth title. It was not very easy and it is getting difficult every year with more young players coming up," said the modest Jans who hails from the town Bree while she agreed that her semi-final match against double World champion Ng On Yee (Hong Kong) was virtually the final as she won 4-1.

"Yes, I thought my match with On Yee was the final. I didn't expect to win so easily and may be, I was a bit lucky. And in the final, I made some small breaks, but didn't play all that well," add Jans who runs a snooker parlour in her hometown.

The results (all finals):

Men (Best of 15 frames) - Yan Bingtao (China) bt Muhammad Sajjad (Pakistan) 8-7 (71-59, 16-81, 22-75, 67 (61)-53, 77 (77)-13, 4-93 (79)-63-38, 00-86 (73), 76 (76)-09, 70-37, 65 (60)-72 (50), 38-76, 16-107 (60), 72-21, 61 (60)-15).

Women (Best of 9 frames) - Wendy Jans (Belgium) bt Anastasia Nechaeva (Russia) 5-2 (31-76 (44), 72 (42)-02, 25-65, 74 (40)-35, 72 (43)-32, 82 (38)-23, 60-31).

Masters (Best of 11 frames) - Phisit Chandsri (Thailand) bt Darren Morgan (Wales) 6-5 (67-59, 73-15, 25-64, 18-55, 16-71, 30-58, (49)81-29, 65-44, 57-28, 07-64 (63), (58)72-34).

Prabhudheva: It's my dream to work with Amitabh Bachchan

Actor-filmmaker Prabhudheva says he's a huge fan of Amitabh Bachchan and that he harbours a dream to work with the megastar.

"I want to work with Amitabh sir. I don't know when that is going to happen. I didn't tell sir about this though I have met him before. It's my dream to work with him. I've loved all his films and I'm a huge fan of Amitabh and Rajinikanth sir," Prabhudheva told IANS.

Busy promoting his forthcoming film "Action Jackson", starring Sonakshi Sinha, Yami Gautam and Manasvi Mamgai, Prabhudheva says each of the actresses have important roles in the film.

"In this film, I've roped in three actresses and it was kind of them to accept this offer. When I
narrated the story, I made it very clear that there are going to be three actresses and nobody questioned me and just said 'yes'. It's very sweet of them and all three of them have important roles in the film," he said.
The film is slated for release Dec 5.