Australia to Double Naval Warships in Largest Expansion Since World War II

Posted on by Vividh Bharthi

Canberra: Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles, along with Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy, made a significant announcement on Tuesday regarding a major overhaul in the nation’s naval capabilities. They revealed the government’s commitment to substantially increasing the size of Australia’s naval warships, marking a historic transformation.

Under the new initiative, Australia’s fleet of combat-ready warships will undergo a significant expansion, growing from the current 11 vessels to 26. This ambitious endeavor is aimed at bolstering the nation’s maritime defense capabilities to meet contemporary security challenges.

The government has allocated an additional $7.2 billion over the next decade to expedite the delivery of the future fleet. Marles and Conroy emphasized that this investment will result in Australia possessing its largest naval fleet since the conclusion of World War II.

This comprehensive plan reflects the government’s determination to fortify Australia’s defense posture, ensuring readiness to address evolving threats. Reports indicate that this strategic initiative will elevate Australia’s defense expenditure to 2.4% of GDP in the early 2030s, a significant increase from the previously planned 2.1% allocated when the government assumed office.

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WPL 2025 auction: Deandra, Simran, Kamalini & Prema emerge as most expensive players (Ld)

Bengaluru, Dec 15 (IANS) Deandra Dottin, Simran Shaikh, G Kamalini and Prema Rawat fetched big paychecks in the WPL 2025 Auction, which took place at ITC Gardenia, Bengaluru on Sunday.

For acquiring the hard-hitting West Indies’ all-rounder Deandra, one of only three players with a reserve price of Rs 50 lakh in the auction, Gujarat Giants (GG) and UP Warriorz were in a fierce tussle before the Adani Sportsline-owned franchise roped her in for Rs 1.7 crore.

But the biggest story of the auctions was the big deals for uncapped talented Indian players. Mumbai batter Simran, who was with UP Warriorz in WPL 2023, emerged as the costliest uncapped India player after being roped in by GG for Rs 1.9 crore, after edging out Delhi Capitals (DC). Simran was a member of Mumbai and India E winning teams in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy and Challenger Trophy, respectively.

For acquiring hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batter Kamalini, who hit 44 not out in India’s nine-wicket win over Pakistan in the U19 Asia Cup game, Mumbai Indians (MI) shelled out Rs 1.6 crore after a fierce bidding war with DC. MI did have a look at Kamalini during their pre-auction trials, and the WPL 2023 champions did go all out in roping her in.

Hailing from Madurai, Kamalini, 16, trains at the Super Kings Academy in Chennai, and came into the limelight after hitting 311 runs in eight games, as Tamil Nadu won the U19 Women’s T20 Trophy in October. She will be MI’s second wicketkeeper-batter option after Yastika Bhatia.

Another notable uncapped India player to get a big paycheck in the auction was Uttarakhand all-rounder Prema, who was roped in by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for Rs 1.2 crore. Prema, who bowls leg spin, played a key role in Mussoorie Thunders winning the inaugural Uttarakhand Premier League (UPL) this year.

Though DC missed out on getting Kamalini, they were successful in acquiring Uttarakhand wicketkeeper Nandini Kashyap, who got her first India call-up for T20Is against the West Indies, for her base price of Rs 10 lakh.

Nandini was the leading run scorer in the Senior Women’s T20 Challenger Trophy and the third-highest run-getter in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy while playing for Uttarakhand in this domestic season. She will be one of DC’s three wicketkeeping options, alongside Taniyaa Bhatia and Scotland’s Sarah Bryce, who was picked by the side for Rs 10 lakh.

DC and MI were also in a fight to get uncapped India all-rounder N Charani, who bowls let-arm spin, before the former got her in for Rs 55 lakh. MI also got in South Africa all-rounder Nadine de Klerk for Rs 30 lakh.

UP Warriorz got into action in the first accelerated round by picking uncapped batter Arushi Goel and all-rounder Kranti Goud for Rs 10 lakh each. MI roped in uncapped India all-rounder Sanskriti Gupta for Rs 10 lakh while RCB got India U19 pace bowling all-rounder Joshitha VJ for the same amount. Interestingly, Joshitha had attended RCB pre-auction trials.

UPW filled their last overseas slot by picking Australia leg-spinner Alana King for Rs 30 lakh while RCB completed their squad by acquiring uncapped India all-rounder Raghvi Bist, who is in India’s squad for T20Is against the West Indies alongside her statemate Nandini, and another uncapped spinner Jagravi Pawar for Rs 10 lakh each.

DC made another steal buy by picking India U19 captain Niki Prasad for Rs 10 lakh, after she previously found no takers while MI roped in uncapped India all-rounder Akshita Maheshwari for Rs 20 lakh. Akshita had attended the MI trials and was said to have impressed their scout Kiran More.

GG ended the two hours and 20-minute-long auction by picking England all-rounder Danielle Gibson for Rs 30 lakh and roping in uncapped India spinner Prakashika Naik for Rs 10 lakh.

The auction also saw prominent capped players like Sneh Rana, Heather Knight, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Darcie Brown, Laura Harris, Kim Garth, Sarah Glenn, Shubha Satheesh, Sushma Verma, Lauren Filer, Mansi Joshi, Lizelle Lee and Rosemary Mair found no takers from the five WPL teams.

Full WPL squads after auction:

Delhi Capitals: Alice Capsey, Arundhati Reddy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Jess Jonassen, Marizanne Kapp, Meg Lanning (c), Minnu Mani, Radha Yadav, Shafali Verma, Shikha Pandey, Sneha Deepthi, Taniyaa Bhatia, Titas Sadhu, Annabel Sutherland, Nandini Kashyap, N Charani, Sarah Bryce, and Niki Prasad.

Gujarat Giants: Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney (c), Dayalan Hemalatha, Harleen Deol, Laura Wolvaardt, Shabnam Shakil, Tanuja Kanwer, Phoebe Litchfield, Meghna Singh, Kashvee Gautam, Priya Mishra, Mannat Kashyap, Bharti Fulmali, Sayali Satghare, Deandra Dottin, Simran Shaikh, Danielle Gibson, and Prakashika Naik.

Mumbai Indians: Mumbai Indians: Amanjot Kaur, Amelia Kerr, Chloe Tryon, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Hayley Matthews, Jintimani Kalita, Natalie Sciver, Pooja Vastrakar, Saika Ishaque, Yastika Bhatia, Shabnim Ismail, Amandeep Kaur, Sajeevan Sajana, Keerthana Balakrishnan, Nadine de Klerk, G. Kamalini, Sanskriti Gupta, and Akshita Maheshwari.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Smriti Mandhana (c), Sabbineni Meghana, Richa Ghosh, Ellyse Perry, Georgia Wareham, Shreyanka Patil, Asha Sobhana, Sophie Devine, Renuka Singh, Sophie Molineux, Ekta Bisht, Kate Cross, Kanika Ahuja, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Prema Rawat, Joshitha VJ, Raghvi Bist, and Jagravi Pawar.

UP Warriorz: Alyssa Healy (c), Anjali Sarvani, Deepti Sharma, Grace Harris, Kiran Navgire, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Shweta Sehrawat, Sophie Ecclestone, Tahlia McGrath, Vrinda Dinesh, Saima Thakor, Poonam Khemnar, Gouher Sultana, Chamari Athapaththu, Uma Chetry, Arushi Goel, Kranti Goud, and Alana King.

–IANS

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Mo Salah named PL Player of the Month for November

Liverpool, Dec 13 (IANS) Mohamed Salah has been named the Premier League’s Player of the Month for November after the Egyptian helped the side navigate through difficult fixtures.

This is the sixth time the Egyptian has been named Premier League Player of the Month (also in November 2017, February 2018, March 2018, October 2021 and October 2023). Salah has won the award for the first time since October 2023 is now level with Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard and former Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo. He is one away from equalling Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero, who have won the award more times than anyone else in Premier League history.

Liverpool’s No.11 has claimed the accolade after a stellar run in which he helped the Reds to three top-flight wins. Salah scored four goals and recorded an assist in November’s fixtures as Arne Slot’s men opened up an advantage at the top of the league standings.

He first struck a winner against Brighton & Hove Albion in a 2-1 victory at Anfield, before a clinching strike in the 2-0 win over Aston Villa – where he also assisted Darwin Nunez’s opening goal.

Salah then proved decisive in the Reds’ 3-2 comeback success at Southampton to close out the month, with a vital brace to help claim three points on the south coast.

Salah topped an eight-man shortlist which included Matheus Cunha (Wolves), Bruno Fernandes (Man Utd), Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool), Martin Odegaard (Arsenal), Joao Pedro (Brighton), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) and Yoane Wissa (Brentford).

He has already started December with three goals and two assists in two matches, a 3-3 draw with Newcastle United and a 2-0 win against Manchester City, is next in action when Liverpool host Fulham on Saturday.

–IANS

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ICC Rankings: Bumrah equals Ashwin’s record of joint highest-rated Indian Test bowler

Dubai, Dec 25 (IANS) India’s spearhead pacer Jasprit Bumrah has solidified his top spot in the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings after his phenomenal performance in Brisbane. Bumrah’s nine-wicket haul for 94 runs in the rain-marred third Test against Australia earned him 14 additional rating points, taking his total to a career-high 904.

With his rating, Bumrah equalled the record set by former spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in December 2016, and became the joint highest-rated Indian Test bowler in ICC history. With one more Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to be played in Melbourne, Bumrah has the chance to surpass Ashwin’s record.

South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada and Australia’s Josh Hazlewood are currently ranked second and third, respectively, but trail Bumrah significantly in points.

Australia’s Travis Head continued his remarkable run in the ongoing series against India, climbing to fourth place in the Men’s Test Batting Rankings. His heroic knock of 152 at the Gabba after his ton in Adelaide has taken him one spot above to number four with 825 points.

Head’s compatriot Steve Smith’s century in the third Test gets him into the top ten fray once again. On the other hand, Indian opener KL Rahul’s resilient display in India’s first innings takes him ten places above to 40th.

Australia skipper Pat Cummins’ has earned his place back in the top 10 all-rounders, following his four wickets with the ball and 42 runs in the third Test against India.

In the ODI format, Heinrich Klaasen’s three sensational half-centuries in the home series against Pakistan propel him from 13th to fifth in the Men’s ODI Batting Rankings with 743 points. Saim Ayub’s remarkable two centuries in the same series, which Pakistan took 3-0, spark a meteoric rise from 70th to a joint-23rd position, amassing 603 points.

The 22-year-old Ayub also climbed an impressive 113 spots to rank joint-42nd with America’s Steven Taylor among all-rounders in the ODI Rankings following his bowling contributions in the series.

Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai made significant progress, moving 43 places up to 58th in the ODI Bowling Rankings after claiming six wickets in the series against Zimbabwe. Omarzai also rose five places to secure third in the ODI All-Rounder Rankings.

Bangladesh’s successful multiformat tour of the West Indies was capped off by a 3-0 victory in the T20I series, and the rankings reflect their dominance. Mahedi Hasan climbed 13 spots to enter the top 10 in the T20I Bowling Rankings, now sitting at 10th place. Roston Chase from the West Indies also impressed, moving up 11 places to 13th.

Other Bangladeshi players who made notable strides include Rishad Hossain, who jumped 21 spots to 17th, and Hasan Mahmud, who climbed 23 spots to 24th, further solidifying their team’s presence in the rankings.

–IANS

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