Afghanistan ODI series: Indian squad suffers another setback; Hardik ruled out of series News On AIR
The Indian Navy Saturday inducted the indigenously built advanced stealth frigate INS Mahendragiri into its Eastern Fleet during a ceremony at Visakhapatnam.Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who presided over the commissioning ceremony, said the warship will safeguard India’s maritime interests not just near the coast but far out in the deep oceans too. Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan said INS Mahendragiri is a symbol of India’s growing maritime capability and technological self-reliance.INS Mahendragiri is the sixth Project 17A indigenous stealth frigate to be inducted into the Indian Navy in a span of just 1.5 years.The first ship of the series, INS Nilgiri, was commissioned in January 2025, followed by INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri in August 2025, INS Taragiri in April this year, and INS Dunagiri last month. Designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai, the ship is capable of undertaking the full spectrum of maritime operations, including fleet air defence, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, maritime interdiction, surveillance, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR). Singh, in his address, said the warship is a reflection of India’s growing self-reliance in shipbuilding and its ability to deliver state-of-the-art platforms promptly. The warship, with over 75 per cent indigenous content, has a displacement of approximately 6,670 tonnes and the capability to reach speeds of up to 28 knots. It is equipped with supersonic surface-to-surface missiles, medium-range surface-to-air missiles, anti-submarine warfare capabilities, and an embarked multi-role helicopter, as well as advanced stealth features, modern sensors, network-centric combat systems, and state-of-the-art weapon suites.Story continues below this ad “INS Mahendragiri can be equipped with the BrahMos surface-to-surface missile, one of the world’s fastest and most lethal cruise missiles. It also features a combination of multifunction radar and surface-to-air missiles capable of detecting and neutralising aerial threats at extended ranges,” Singh said. “Its arsenal also includes an indigenous rocket launcher, torpedo launchers, an integrated anti-submarine defence system, an electronic warfare suite, and a close-in weapon system. All these capabilities make the warship formidable and resilient,” he further said, adding that the “blue-water ship” will safeguard India’s maritime interests not just near the coast but far out in the deep oceans as well. Singh remarked that while emerging technologies such as drones, artificial intelligence, cyber warfare, space-based capabilities, hypersonic weapons, and unmanned systems have significantly transformed the nature of warfare, conventional military capabilities continue to form the bedrock of effective defence. “Future wars may be fought with Artificial Intelligence, but they will still be won by national resolve, trained soldiers, and credible military power,” the defence minister said, adding that advanced technologies and conventional platforms complement one another instead of being competitors.Story continues below this ad “Operation Sindoor was a prime example of the effective integration of conventional and modern capabilities to safeguard national security,” he said, adding that INS Mahendragiri is a symbol of the nation’s commitment to building a technologically advanced and combat-ready Navy. Operation Urja Suraksha Referring to the Indian Navy’s role during the West Asia conflict, he said that under Operation Urja Suraksha, it safely escorted 18 merchant vessels carrying essential cargo valued at over Rs 9,000 crore. These efforts, he added, reflect the Navy’s role not only as a fighting force but also as a key protector of India’s economic interests. He said INS Mahendragiri will further strengthen this overall maritime strategy, as it will enhance the strength of the eastern seaboard, extend India’s blue-w
3 min readUpdated: Jul 8, 2026 07:59 PM IST
Pratika Rawal of India during Day 3 of the Pink ball Test match between Australia women and India women at WACA Ground in Perth on March 8, 2026. (CREIMAS)Ahead of their historic one-off Test vs England, set to start on Friday, India suffered a blow when opener Pratika Rawal was ruled out due to a knee injury. Head coach Amol Muzumdar said that Rawal suffered a cut on her knee during an India A game in Taunton earlier this month. Priya Punia has been added to the squad as her replacement. “Pratika has been ruled out of the Test match due to her injury in the India A match. She has got a cut on her knee which required some stitches. She is out for the Test match and Priya Punia has been added into the squad,” said Mujumdar.Rawal debuted in Test whites against Australia earlier this year and scored 81 runs in two innings including a half century in the second innings. “Test cricket is the most beautiful format. Since childhood my father and coach have told me that performing well in this format is very important. When you are groomed in that manner, it naturally becomes your favourite format,” Pratika had told PTI back then.
Pratika also revealed how she got inspired for the format by closely watching some of the greatest batters in the game. “I have watched many videos of great batters like Viv Richards, Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting. The way they used to play in Test cricket has always inspired me,” she had said. Calling for more opportunities in the longest format, she had stressed its impact beyond just cricketing skills. “The more Test matches we play, the better it will be. The experience of playing Test cricket not only improves you as a cricketer but also helps you grow as an individual.”
This was the latest setback for the player who had also suffered a heartbreak in the ODI World Cup at home last year when she twisted her ankle to be forced out of the tournament. She had scored 308 runs in just six innings to begin the World Cup, before injury cut her campaign short.
Afghanistan ODI series: Indian squad suffers another setback; Hardik ruled out of series News On AIR
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