An IPL without pacers? Kohli wants fast bowlers rested; teams may not agree

During a recent meeting of the CoA in Hyderabad, Kohli suggested resting pacers, especially Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, from the entire IPL to keep them fresh for the World Cup

Indian skipper Virat Kohli wants World Cup-bound fast bowlers to be rested from next year’s IPL but the idea mooted at a meeting with the Committee of Administrators (CoA) is unlikely to find favour with the franchises.

During a recent meeting of the CoA in Hyderabad, Kohli suggested resting pacers, especially Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, from the entire IPL to keep them fresh for the World Cup.

However, the India captain didn’t find too many backers for his proposal as Board officials said franchises are unlikely to agree.|Sports

“The IPL is starting on March 29 and will finish on May 19. In any case, there will be a 15-day gap before India play their first World Cup game against South Africa on June 5. So there is no chance that pacers can be rested for the entire duration of the IPL,” a senior official, who was present in the meeting, told PTI on Thursday.

In fact, limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma, who was present in the meeting, also had a different take.

“When Kohli mooted the idea, CoA chief Vinod Rai asked Rohit about his take. Rohit apparently said, ‘If Mumbai Indians reach Play Offs or finals and if Bumrah happens to be fit, then I cannot afford to rest him’,” the official said.

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Self-driving car industry needs standards, wide-reaching 5G network: JLR

JLR’s Ralf Speth outlined ambitious plans to stay ahead of the rapidly changing technological changes

Automobile : Automakers need standards for key equipment, a wide-reaching 5G broadband network and strong partnerships to make self-driving cars and electric vehicles a success, top European car industry executives said on Wednesday.

Ralf Speth, chief executive of Britain’s biggest carmaker Jaguar Land Rover , outlined ambitious plans to stay ahead of the rapidly changing technological changes, but said the sector also needed unified and clear guidelines for safeguarding driver information and privacy. Government and industry should work closely together to ensure success as the market evolves, Speth told a conference hosted by Automobilwoche magazine in Berlin.

European carmakers are racing to keep up with the rapid pace of development in the self-driving and electric vehicle markets in the United States and China.|Jaguar

The changes sweeping the industry promise to bring “enormous progress to humanity,” with autonomous cars offering mobility to many people now locked out of driving, such as the elderly and those with disabilities, Speth said.

But carmakers and suppliers would increasingly have to forge partnerships to meet the technological challenges involved, he said.

“No company alone can master challenges such as autonomous driving and connectivity on its own,” Speth told Reuters after the conference, adding that companies will also need to keep investing in improving conventional engines, which will continue to power a majority of vehicles for years.

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