Virat Kohli scored his 52nd ODI hundred in the series opener against South Africa in Ranchi, marking his third ODI century at the venue. He reached the milestone in 102 balls with seven fours and five sixes. A brief pause followed when a pitch invader entered the field, but play soon resumed. Kohli began strongly, reading the pitch well and attacking early in the powerplay. India slowed down after Rohit Sharma’s wicket, but Kohli kept the scoreboard moving with smart singles and timely boundaries. His calm finish and controlled strokes lifted the crowd and helped India post a strong total. (PC: BCCI)

The Election Commission has extended the deadline for the voter list cleanup exercise, known as the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), in 12 states and Union Territories. The draft voter list will now be published on December 16, instead of December 9. The final list will be released on February 14. Opposition parties, including the Trinamool Congress, recently met the Chief Election Commissioner and asked for a better schedule. They said booth level officers are under pressure due to the tight timeline. Reports of BLO deaths have come from several states. The EC has found 18.70 lakh dead voters and may delete around 35 lakh names.

Cyclone Ditwah moved close to the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts on Sunday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds. The IMD issued a red alert for several north Tamil Nadu districts and an orange alert for Chennai. The storm is about 80 km from the coast and is moving northward. Many areas in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal saw intense rain. Chennai Airport cancelled 47 flights due to bad weather. NDRF teams are on standby with boats and rescue gear. Sea conditions remained rough, and several districts reported waterlogging. The cyclone may weaken into a deep depression by evening.

Vijay Kumar, a student from Charkhi Dadri, Haryana, was stabbed to death in Worcester, UK. The attack happened on November 15 in the city centre. Vijay was found with serious injuries on Barbourne Road and later died. He had left a government job at the Central Board of Excise and Customs to study at the University of the West of England in Bristol. Charkhi Dadri MLA Sunil Satpal Sangwan urged the government to help repatriate Vijay’s body and ensure a fast and fair investigation. Police said a fight happened before the stabbing. (PC: India Today)

Ukraine attacked two Russian oil tankers, the Kairos and Virat, in the Black Sea using Sea Baby naval drones. Both ships, part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” that bypasses Western sanctions, caught fire off the Turkish coast. No casualties were reported. The strikes appear aimed at hitting Russia’s oil revenues, crucial for funding its war in Ukraine. Turkish authorities assisted the vessels to control fires. Separately, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium suspended oil loading at Novorossiysk after another drone attack. Ukraine’s President Zelensky said a delegation is heading to the US to continue war-end talks amid ongoing tensions. (PC: BBC)

Andre Russell has retired from the IPL after 14 seasons with Kolkata Knight Riders. The West Indies all-rounder said he wants to leave the league on a high and not “fade out”. Russell will now join KKR’s support staff as their new power coach for the 2026 season. He said the role suits him because of the power and energy he brought as a player. Russell thanked KKR CEO Venky Mysore and co-owner Shah Rukh Khan for their support over the years. He added that he could not imagine playing in any colour other than KKR’s purple and gold. (PC: X)

The death toll in Gaza has crossed 70,000, the Gaza health ministry said on Saturday, even though a ceasefire has been in place since October 10. At least 352 people have been killed since the truce began. Two boys, aged 8 and 11, were the latest victims after an Israeli drone strike near a school in Beni Suheila. Israel said it targeted people who crossed into Israeli-controlled areas but did not mention children. Hamas has accused Israel of breaking the truce, while Israel says it is acting only against militants. The war began in 2023 after the Hamas attack on Israel. (PC: HT)

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the world is now seeing politics dominate economics, and India must secure its needs by diversifying supply chains. Speaking at IIM-Calcutta, he said the US is now dealing with countries on a one-on-one basis, setting “radically new terms of engagement”. India and the US are holding two trade talks at the same time. Jaishankar also said China has long followed its own rules, creating uncertainty in global trade. He stressed that India is building strong infrastructure and pushing self-reliance to become a major manufacturing hub. He added that India aims to expand its global role. (PC: NDTV)

India face South Africa in the first ODI in Ranchi on Sunday, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli back in the squad. KL Rahul leads the team as India look to recover from their Test series loss. Injuries to Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer give India a chance to try new players in key roles. Yashasvi Jaiswal will open with Rohit, while Kohli bats at No. 3. India will also test their young pace attack. South Africa arrive with a strong squad and will look to build on their recent success. Dew is expected, making chasing easier in Ranchi. (PC: India Today)

Cyclone Ditwah moved closer to the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts on Saturday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds. The IMD issued a red alert for several districts, warning of very heavy rain and possible flooding. Chennai and nearby areas faced major travel disruptions, with 54 flights cancelled on Saturday and 47 more scheduled for cancellation on Sunday. Tamil Nadu deployed disaster response teams and set up 6,000 relief camps. The storm is expected to move parallel to the coast and may cause a storm surge of up to one metre. Officials urged people to stay indoors and follow safety advice. (PC: X)