India's 100th Test win, achieved in Kanpur against Sri Lanka last week, must become more than just a landmark victory. It has to propel the side on a run of continued success.
I am not just referring simply to the world rankings, but to a steady flow of important away wins against the very best out there.
A win abroad was a rarity before the start of the millennium, but things changed when Sourav Ganguly took over as captain from Sachin Tendulkar and teamed up brilliantly with India's coach, the New Zealander John Wright.
The baton has passed smoothly to Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble and now MS Dhoni, who have led the team to decent wins away from home.
India have a tough journey ahead to get anywhere near to Australia's dominance and that's why it seems a bit strange that Dhoni's side can become No 1 without having beaten Australia in a series Down Under.
It makes you wonder what sense do the rankings really make? But then, that's what happens when superiority or inferiority is decided only by statistics.
However formidable they look, India have to correct some areas of their game if they are to consistently dominate.
The pace attack looks a bit iffy, with Zaheer Khan just coming back after injury and Ishant Sharma losing the bite he has shown previously.
Shanthakumaran Sreesanth may have won his second Test match for India (Johannesburg in 2006 was the first) but he needs to be more consistent to enhance his record of 56 wickets in 15 Tests. His temperament is also questionable, although he seems to have learnt his lesson after once being labelled the enfant terrible of Indian cricket.
Spin bowling is also a worry because there is far too much dependence on Harbhajan Singh. If he goes through a bad phase, India do not appear to have a spinner who has the quality to help bowl a side out.
The lack of an all-rounder is another hole that India must plug. Irfan Pathan was the great hope, but he has just lost his magic with bat and ball.
All in all, the strength in depth has to improve. I remember someone asking the late India batsman Dilip Sardesai to explain how his state side, Mumbai, were so invincible in the 1960s and 1970s. Sardesai had a simple answer.
"We were a damn good side, but the guys who were waiting in the reserves were as good if not better. You just couldn't afford to slip because the other man was waiting to take your place for good."
Cricket lovers are licking their lips in anticipation of the series between India and South Africa in the Rainbow Nation. This is the series that will determine whether this Indian squad is one of true quality.
But ahead of that trip what worries me is that the bowling attack does not look very fearsome on a good batting pitch. And when it comes to batting, India's ability to counter good seaming conditions is a bit suspect.
How does a team solve such issues? By tackling the problem head-on and being aggressive. Indian cricket administrators must do all they can to get curators to prepare tracks with good bounce where the batsmen are challenged.
India need to face fire with fire in order to succeed against all types of bowling and pitches.
A century of Test wins is worth celebrating but we must have that hunger for perfection - just like the Australians. Dhoni is a fine captain but he needs to take a bold approach if India are to reach the top of world cricket in style.
After India hit the hundred mark I decided to pick India's ten finest Test wins and I came up with this list, in chronological order:
1. Chennai, 1952
India ended their 20-year wait for a Test victory here against Donald Carr's Englishmen.
2. Kanpur, 1959
Aided by off-spinner Jasu Patel's nine for 69 in Australia's first innings, Richie Benaud's tourists were conquered by 119 runs.
3. Mumbai, 1964
A packed house watched a cliffhanger, which India clinched by two wickets.
4. Trinidad, 1971
Sunil Gavaskar led the batting charge with knocks of 65 and 67 on his Test debut while Dilip Sardesai scored a memorable hundred.
5. The Oval, 1971
BS Chandrasekhar claimed six to bowl out England for 101 before India achieved their 173-run target with four wickets to spare.
6. Trinidad, 1976
Set to score 403 for victory, India scored 406, losing only four wickets in a record run chase.
7. Melbourne, 1981
Australia needed to score only 143 to win but crumbled thanks to Kapil Dev, who took five wickets for 28.
8. Kolkata, 2001
Despite being forced to follow-on, India ended up beating Australia. Harbhajan became India's first Test hat-trick man and VVS Laxman played the innings of his life.
9. Adelaide, 2003
India achieved only their fourth Test win Down Under when Rahul Dravid and Ajit Agarkar shared the batting and bowling honours.
10. Perth, 2008
After a dramatic loss in Sydney, Anil Kumble's Indians re-grouped and beat Australia at a venue where they were considered invincible .
This happens to be my favourite. Some veteran Indian cricket followers have not seen a more tough and determined bunch than Kumble's men last year in Perth.
Clayton Murzello is the sports editor of the Indian newspaper Midday
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THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
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Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
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The bio
Favourite food: Japanese
Favourite car: Lamborghini
Favourite hobby: Football
Favourite quote: If your dreams don’t scare you, they are not big enough
Favourite country: UAE
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Alnamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMicrofinance%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFamily%20offices%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Gully Boy
Director: Zoya Akhtar
Producer: Excel Entertainment & Tiger Baby
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi
Rating: 4/5 stars
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The biog
Name: Salem Alkarbi
Age: 32
Favourite Al Wasl player: Alexandre Oliveira
First started supporting Al Wasl: 7
Biggest rival: Al Nasr
Previous men's records
- 2:01:39: Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) on 16/9/19 in Berlin
- 2:02:57: Dennis Kimetto (KEN) on 28/09/2014 in Berlin
- 2:03:23: Wilson Kipsang (KEN) on 29/09/2013 in Berlin
- 2:03:38: Patrick Makau (KEN) on 25/09/2011 in Berlin
- 2:03:59: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 28/09/2008 in Berlin
- 2:04:26: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 30/09/2007 in Berlin
- 2:04:55: Paul Tergat (KEN) on 28/09/2003 in Berlin
- 2:05:38: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 14/04/2002 in London
- 2:05:42: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 24/10/1999 in Chicago
- 2:06:05: Ronaldo da Costa (BRA) 20/09/1998 in Berlin
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
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Panipat
Director Ashutosh Gowariker
Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment
Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman
Rating 3 /5 stars
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
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THE BIO:
Sabri Razouk, 74
Athlete and fitness trainer
Married, father of six
Favourite exercise: Bench press
Must-eat weekly meal: Steak with beans, carrots, broccoli, crust and corn
Power drink: A glass of yoghurt
Role model: Any good man
Match info:
Manchester City 2
Sterling (8'), Walker (52')
Newcastle United 1
Yedlin (30')
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Match info
Manchester United 1 (Van de Beek 80') Crystal Palace 3 (Townsend 7', Zaha pen 74' & 85')
Man of the match Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace)
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Janet Yellen's Firsts
- In 2014, she became the first woman to lead the US Federal Reserve
- In 1999, she became the first female chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers
The Baghdad Clock
Shahad Al Rawi, Oneworld
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The biog
Mission to Seafarers is one of the largest port-based welfare operators in the world.
It provided services to around 200 ports across 50 countries.
They also provide port chaplains to help them deliver professional welfare services.
2019 Asian Cup final
Japan v Qatar
Friday, 6pm
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
BRIEF SCORES:
Toss: Nepal, chose to field
UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23
Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17
Result: UAE won by 21 runs
Series: UAE lead 1-0
Six tips to secure your smart home
Most smart home devices are controlled via the owner's smartphone. Therefore, if you are using public wi-fi on your phone, always use a VPN (virtual private network) that offers strong security features and anonymises your internet connection.
Keep your smart home devices’ software up-to-date. Device makers often send regular updates - follow them without fail as they could provide protection from a new security risk.
Use two-factor authentication so that in addition to a password, your identity is authenticated by a second sign-in step like a code sent to your mobile number.
Set up a separate guest network for acquaintances and visitors to ensure the privacy of your IoT devices’ network.
Change the default privacy and security settings of your IoT devices to take extra steps to secure yourself and your home.
Always give your router a unique name, replacing the one generated by the manufacturer, to ensure a hacker cannot ascertain its make or model number.
'Peninsula'
Stars: Gang Dong-won, Lee Jung-hyun, Lee Ra
Director: Yeon Sang-ho
Rating: 2/5
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Disability on screen
Empire — neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis; bipolar disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Rosewood and Transparent — heart issues
24: Legacy — PTSD;
Superstore and NCIS: New Orleans — wheelchair-bound
Taken and This Is Us — cancer
Trial & Error — cognitive disorder prosopagnosia (facial blindness and dyslexia)
Grey’s Anatomy — prosthetic leg
Scorpion — obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety
Switched at Birth — deafness
One Mississippi, Wentworth and Transparent — double mastectomy
Dragons — double amputee
The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
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SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
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Porsche Taycan Turbo specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 1050Nm
Range: 450km
Price: Dh601,800
On sale: now
Results
2pm: Al Sahel Contracting Company – Maiden (PA) Dh50,000 (Dirt) 1,200m; Winner: AF Mutakafel, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
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4pm: Keeneland – Handicap (TB) Dh76,000 (D) 1,800m; Winner: Lady Snazz, Saif Al Balushi, Bhupat Seemar
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