09
Friday
June 2023
Friday
June 2023
Anupama Nair It is more than two years now, we’ve been hearing the word Pandemic and a mere ‘virus’, that originated from China is holding the world hostage. The killer Virus Corona, affected millions and killed many more. So, I thought let me do a research on the Pandemics over the years and how they impacted the world. Before Corona, there are many Pandemics that almost wiped the entire human population. Fasten your seat belts, I am taking you on a time travel, many millenniums ago. What is a Pandemic? In the kingdom of infectious diseases, a pandemic is the worst- case scenario. When an epidemic spreads beyond a nation’s borders, that’s when the disease officially becomes a pandemic. Intermittent outbreaks of infectious diseases have had profound and lasting effects on societies throughout history. Those events have powerfully shaped the economic, political, and social aspects of human civilization, with their effects often lasting for centuries. Epidemic outbreaks have defined some of the basic tenets of modern medicine, pushing the scientific community to develop principles of epidemiology, prevention, immunization, and antimicrobial treatments. In a long succession throughout history, pandemic outbreaks have decimated societies, determined outcomes of wars, wiped out entire populations, but also, paradoxically, cleared the way for innovations and advances in science (including medicine and public health), economy, and political systems. Pandemic outbreaks, or plagues in the ancient history, as they are often referred to, have been closely examined in the realm of history, including the history of medicine. In the era of modern world, plague is however not such a killer pandemic as other diseases. As civilizations spread, so did pandemics, some of which decimated millions of lives. Communicable diseases existed even during the time of “early men” and when man were hunters, but the shift to agrarian life nearly ten thousand years ago created communities that made epidemics more possible. Malaria, tuberculosis, leprosy, influenza, and smallpox were major diseases during this period. The first recorded epidemic was in China the birth place of Corona too. Around 5000 years ago, an epidemic wiped out a pre-historic village in China. It is said that the bodies of the dead were stuffed inside a house that was later burned down. No age group was spared, as the skeletons of juveniles, young adults and middle-aged were found inside the house. The site is now called "Hamin Mangha" and is one of the best-preserved pre-historic sites in northeastern China. Before the discovery of “Hamin Mangha”, another pre-historic mass burial site was discovered, believed to be of the same period called “Miaozigou”, in northeastern China. These discoveries prove that an epidemic ravaged the entire region. Greece was the next venue. In 430 B.C., just before the war between Athens and Sparta began, an epidemic ravaged the people of Athens and lasted for five years. Reports stated around one hundred thousand people lost their lives. The Greek historian Thucydides wrote that "people in good health were all of a sudden attacked by violent heats in the head, and redness and inflammation in the eyes, the inward parts, such as the throat or tongue, becoming bloody and emitting an unnatural and fetid breath". There are varied causes for the epidemic, some scientists say typhoid, while others say it was Ebola. Many scholars believed that overcrowding due to the war worsened the epidemic. Spartan army was stronger, thereby forcing the Athenians to take refuge behind a series of fortifications called the "long walls" that protected their city. Despite the epidemic, the war continued till Athens was conceded defeat to Sparta. Let us now travel to Rome. It was another outbreak that occurred a couple of centuries later that was documented and recorded by contemporary physicians of the time. It was the first recorded Pandemic, which affected many countries. The outbreak was known as the Antonine Plague of 165–180 AD. The Antonine plague occurred in the Roman Empire during the reign of Marcus Aurelius (161–180 A.D.) and the cause is thought to be smallpox. The disease was brought into the Roman Empire by soldiers returning from Seleucia (now in Turkey), and before it declined, it had impacted Asia Minor, Egypt, Greece, and Italy. Unlike the plague of Athens, which affected a limited area, the Antonine plague spread across the vast territory of the great Roman Empire. Egypt is the next place to visit. First appearing in Egypt, the plague called Justinian plague spread through Palestine and the Byzantine Empire, and then throughout the Mediterranean region. The plague changed the course of the Roman Empire. The emperor Justinian's dream to bring the Roman Empire back together was crushed and as it caused massive economic problems. Recurrences over the next two centuries eventually killed about fifty million people, which was roughly twenty six percent of the world population. It is believed to be the first significant appearance of the bubonic plague, which is spread by rats and fleas. Leprosy, though a killer disease for many centuries, it grew into a pandemic in Europe in the Middle Ages, resulting in the building of numerous leprosy-related hospitals to treat the large number of patients. Leprosy was caused due to a slow-developing bacterial disease that causes sores and deformities. Leprosy was believed to be a punishment from God and this belief led to moral judgments and ostracization of victims. A plague attack (1709-1713) followed the Great Northern War (1700–1721), between Sweden and the Tsar of Russia and its allies, killing about one hundred thousand in Sweden, and three hundred thousand in Prussia. However, the good news was that this was the last plague in Scandinavia, but the one hundred thousand Russians succumbed to plague of 1770–1772. The Great Plague of Marseille (France) was the last major outbreak of bubonic plague in western Europe. In 1720, the disease killed a total of one hundred thousand people. Fifty thousand people were killed in Marseille alone, and during the next two years and another fifty thousand in the north. How did it occur? On the fateful day i.e., May 25, 1720, a ship named the Grand Saint-Antoine arrived in the port of Marseille, France, laden with cotton, fine silks, and other goods. The ship carried an invisible cargo the bacteria known as “Yersinia pestis”, and brought about the Great Plague of Provence, the last major outbreak of bubonic plague in Europe. Then a series of Cholera Pandemics hit the world. The seven cholera pandemics lasted over the next 150 years. The first wave originated in Russia, in 1817, where about one million people died due to infection of the small intestine. Spreading through feces-infected water and food, the British soldiers carried the bacterium to India where million more people died. Where ever they traveled due to the Empire, its navy spread cholera to the rest of the countries like Spain, South Africa, Indonesia, China, Japan, Italy, Germany and United States of America, where it killed nearly two million people. A vaccine was created in 1885, but pandemic continued without abating. The world had just started recovering from the casualties – human lives, property, economy, when a tragedy struck again, this time from another deadly Pandemic. The Spanish Flu, also known as the 1918 Influenza Pandemic, was an unusually deadly caused by the H1N1 (a virus similar to Corona). This virus lasted from February 1918 to April 1920 and infected 500 million people – about one-third of the world's population at the time, in four successive waves. The death toll is estimated to have been somewhere between twenty million and fifty million, while some reports claim one hundred million. Most of the casualties were reported in the United States with fifty million people and nearly seventeen million people died in India alone. Is Covid 19 going on the same path as US has most Corona casualties followed by India? The infection originated in Kansas (USA) and spread to France, Germany and United Kingdom. In India, the British soldiers carried it, when they came home after the War. The Flu claimed the lives of young people. Some analyses have shown the virus to be particularly deadly because it triggered a cytokine storm, which ravaged the stronger immune system of young adults. Smallpox was once considered a deadly disease and plagued the human race for more than two thousand years was diagnosed in 1977 in Somalia. Starting with twenty-year vaccination program it was finally eradicated from the world. The elimination of the disease, that was considered fatal could be eradicated by US—Russia cooperation during the Cold War. The vaccination helped in controlling diseases such as polio, measles, diphtheria and whooping cough. If all these diseases weren’t enough there were more to come as we the people discover A new disease conquered the world in 1981, called Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or AIDS caused by Human Immunodeficiency Virus or HIV. By the millennium it killed millions in United States. In 1996, the United Nations established UNAIDS to co-ordinate global action. By then infection spread to Africa. Today, nearly forty million people suffer from AIDS and nearly 10 million people died globally. The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) a strain of corona virus caused destruction around the world in 2002--2003. Again, China was the birth place of SARS too. The symptoms were shortness of breath, and coughing. SARS spread all around the word. It affected more than eight thousand people. Like Corona, China tried to suppress the news of the virus. Infection spread to humans due to civet cats. A new influenza virus, a strain of H1N1 called Swine Flu in 2009 again was severe. Swine Flu spread due to infections in pigs. From China, it spread to Mexico and United States. Nearly five million people lost their lives. SARS- COV2 (corona virus) originated in bats in the Middle East. It transmitted into humans in Wuhan’s (China) open wet meat markets. Gradually the virus spread to the whole world killing millions in its wake, destroying lives and livelihoods etc. It is surprising to hear that this virus was discovered in 1965 and called B814. Corona or Covid 19 was many times more deadly than SARS infection of 2002-2003. More than 500 million people were affected and three million lost their lives and the list goes on… The US has nearly 80 million cases with around 9 hundred thousand people died, followed by India with 40 million cases and 5 hundred thousand deaths. Others are not far behind. Brazil, France, Turkey, Russia and United Kingdom are in the race. Is it a curse that from 1720, the world has been witnessing such killer pandemics every hundred years? The Great Plague (1720-1723), killed one hundred thousand people worldwide. The Cholera Pandemic (1820-1824) killed millions in Asia. In 1920 after the First World War, the Spanish Flu killed nearly 17 million people. Come circa 2020, Corona Virus had killed nearly 3 million people and the list goes on and on. According to historians, “pandemics like COVID-19 strike with eerie precision, every 100 years: 1720 — Plague; 1820 — Cholera outbreak; 1920 — Spanish flu; 2020 — Chinese coronavirus. What’s happening? There is a theory that every 100 years, a pandemic happens. At first glance, nothing seems strange, but the accuracy with which these events take place is scary.” Looking at the history of Pandemics occurring from time immemorial, haven’t we learnt any lessons? Is not time to ensure that such Pandemics do not wipe away the human race? All we can do is to ensure “prevention is better than cure” and control the corona virus and other such viruses in future. We can surely try for the world to be a better place. All countries of the world forgetting wars and enmity need to help each other. India showed the way by distributing free vaccine to eighty countries, following the principle of “vasudaiva kudumbakam” and “loka samastha sukino bhavanthu”. When the second wave was severe in India, many other countries reciprocated by sending vaccines and oxygen. This is way to go forward. Will we see any more Pandemics? That is the moot pont!
Mumbai, July 27: As Uddhav Thackeray turned 62 years old, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis greeted him as "ex-CM" -- avoiding mention as 'Shiv Sena President', here on Wednesday. "Wishing former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on his birthday...praying before Mother Jagdamba to give him a long and healthy life," said Shinde in his greeting. "Wishing former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray a very happy birthday... wishing him a healthy and long life," Fadnavis said in his felicitation. Later, a Shinde group leader claimed that the official greeting was appropriate as per protocols applicable from a CM to a former CM. Breakaway Shiv Sena faction leader Shinde and Bharatiya Janata Party's Fadnavis toppled the Maha Vikas Aghadi regime headed by Thackeray on June 29, and the duo took oath on June 30. Since then, there is a dogfight, a war of nerves and a legal battle as the Shinde side attempts to assert its supremacy and claim of being the 'real Shiv Sena', but the Thackeray camp has rejected these contentions outright. At midnight, the Thackeray family cut the ceremonial birthday cake and full-throated sang the all-time favourite Bollywood songs like "Tum Jiyo Hazaaron Saal...", "Baar Baar Din Ye Aaye..." As he blew off the candles and sliced through the multi-tiered cake, the gathering comprising wife Rashmi, son Aditya and others, lustily cheered 'Happy Birthday To You...' as a grinning but a tad embarrassed Thackeray accepted the affection with folded hands. Meanwhile, thousands of Sena leaders and ordinary party activists from Mumbai and other parts of the state thronged 'Matoshri' -- the Thackeray's residence in Bandra east -- to meet and greet the 'birthday boy' who was surrounded with his family and other close relatives. Among the visitors were several seniors who came to 'bless' Uddhav, one came to present a sketch made in his blood, others carried flowers, bouquets and good-wishes for the Sena chief. IANS
Prayagraj, July 23: The Yogi Adityanath government is all set to convert the 115-year-old Lord Curzon bridge here into Ganga gallery and heritage tourist place. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has finalised the action plan to beautify the bridge. As per the work plan, Ganga gallery will be established on the bridge. The land on both sides of the bridge belongs to the Railways on which facilities like washrooms, parking, cafeteria etc will be built. The bridge will display the journey of Maa Ganga to Gangasagar. Along with this, it will provide a chance to see and understand the mythology, religiosity and cultural heritage of Prayagraj through light and sound. There is also a plan to sell Indian delicacies, crafts, etc. through mobile vehicles on the road above the bridge. With this, tourists will not only get information about the importance of this bridge and the Ganga, but the local people will also get employment. If the bridge's beautification is completed, then the people of Prayagraj will also get a new place for morning walks and evening relaxation. Since times immemorial, Prayagraj has been world famous for the Kumbh, so 'samundhra manthan' will be showcased. The flow of the Ganga will be channelised by the irrigation department and there will also be a facility to ferry people from Curzon Bridge to Sangam. Curzon Bridge on the Ganga in Prayagraj, connecting Phaphamau and Prayagraj, was approved in 1901 in the name of Lord Curzon, who was the Viceroy of India from 1899 to 1905 and its construction started in January, 1902. A 61-meter-long girder and 15 pillars have been used for this. The Singanbad gauge railway line passes on the underside of the bridge and the road above. Till 1990, this bridge was operational. Considering the old bridge as unsafe for travel, the Railways decided to close and demolish it in 1998. The Ganga Gomti Express was the last train to pass on the bridge before its closure. After that the Railways wanted to demolish it but on the request of the state government, the Railways handed over this heritage bridge to the government. The Chief Minister has given instructions to make a glass floor and railing on both sides of the bridge to make it look attractive. The bridge is also witness to the freedom struggle and was used during the Kumbh. Principal Secretary, Tourism and Culture, Mukesh Meshram said that the construction of a gallery on Curzon Bridge and completion of other tourism development schemes will increase the inflow of tourists, which will generate revenue along with employment. Through this, the public will come to know the various cultures, spirituality, food, living habits that have flourished on the banks of the Ganga for centuries. IANS
New York, July 17: The monkeypox case is likely undercounted, said top US infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, emphasising the need to take the disease more seriously. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has tracked at least 1,814 probable or confirmed cases, while more than 6,000 cases of monkeypox and three deaths have been reported from across 60 countries since the beginning of the year, as per the World Health Organization (WHO). However, the numbers are "very likely an undercount", Fauci was quoted as saying to CNN. "This is something we definitely need to take seriously. We don't know the scope and the potential of it yet, but we have to act like it will have the capability of spreading much more widely than it's spreading right now. "Whenever you have the emergence of something like this, you are always probably looking at what might be -- might be, we don't know -- the tip of the iceberg, so that's the reason why we've got to get the testing out there in a much, much more vigorous way". Monkeypox is a poxvirus, related to smallpox and cowpox. The virus generally causes pimple or blister-like lesions and flu-like symptoms such as fever, the CDC explained. The lesions typically concentrate on the arms and legs, but in the latest outbreak, they're showing up more frequently on the genital and perianal area, which has raised some concerns that monkeypox lesions may be confused with sexually transmitted disease. The virus spreads through close contact -- including direct physical contact with lesions as well as "respiratory secretions" shared through face-to-face interaction. Touching objects that have been contaminated by monkeypox lesions or fluids may also risk the spread. And although monkeypox is not a sexually transmitted disease, it has mostly been spreading among men who have sex with men. Fauci said more testing will be done with five commercial testing laboratories coming online, and he expects up to 700,000 vaccines will be distributed to communities by the end of July, the report said. "Because you want to protect the people at risk, not only the people who might have had an exposure that they know of, but also people, by the virtue of the fact that they're in a risk situation, that they need to get vaccinated," he noted. IANS
Chennai, July 17: Lok Sabha member from Tamil Nadu's Dharmapuri constituency and DMK leader, S. Senthilkumar has objected to the 'Bhoomi Pooja' of a road project by a Hindu priest, and scolded the officials for inviting only a Hindu priest. The MP shouted at an official, and sought to know why the 'Imam' and Christian priest were not present. He also asked for the presence of atheist leaders as well as Dravidar Kazhagam representatives. "Do you have instructions or not that the government functions should not be held like this. Are you aware or not?" he asked an official. The MP also urged the authorities present to clean everything -- presumably the pooja materials that the Hindu priest had brought for the Bhoomi Pooja on Saturday. The official at whom the MP shouted was identified as the Executive Engineer of Public Works Department. The DMK leader also later shared a short video of the episode in his Twitter handle. He was heard saying: "Trying to keep my cool... at times, they make me lose my patience." Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has objected to the MP's behaviour. The party's Tamil Nadu unit vice president Narayanan Thirupathy questioned Senthilkumar whether he would have reacted in the same manner had an Imam been present, and would have conducted rituals according to the Muslim belief. The BJP leader called for the MP to apologise to the public for "disrespecting people's faith". In a tweet, the BJP leader wrote: "I strongly condemn@DrSenthil_MDRD for Hindu beliefs and rituals at a workplace where poojas were about to be performed by the workers to their beliefs. His abuse and behaviour have once confirmed that @arivalayam is an anti-Hindu party." IANS
New Delhi, July 17: A 27-year-old woman from the US, who arrived in India as a tourist, staged a drama of being physically and emotionally abused by some unknown people to emotionally blackmail her parents back home, a Delhi Police official said on Sunday. The victim-turned-accused was identified as Chloe Renee McLaughlin, who arrived in Delhi on May 3. The daughter of a former Army officer, she is a graduate and resides in Washington DC. Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi, Amrutha Guguloth said the US Embassy had approached them, stating that the woman was assaulted and beaten by an unidentified individual known to her and is missing after reporting the incident to her family in the US. The woman, in an email, claimed that she is in an unsafe environment where she has encountered physical and emotional abuse. "On July 10, the victim spoke to her mother Sandra McLaughlin via a video call on WhatsApp. The mother tried to gather some more information about her but an unknown individual entered the room and she could not disclose much," the DCP said. Based on the complaint, the Delhi Police registered a case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code at the Chanakyapuri police station and began probing the matter. "In order to ascertain the present whereabouts of the girl, assistance was sought from Yahoo.com for providing the IP address used by her for sending email to the American Citizens Services on July 9. Further, the Bureau of Immigration was requested to provide her immigration form to find her whereabouts," he said. As per the immigration form details, the woman had given her local address as Khasra No 44 & 45 in Greater Noida. However, when the police team reached the location, they found it was the address of Radisson Blu hotel. "Enquiries were made at the hotel and it was found that no such person had checked in at the hotel," the official said. Thereafter, technical assistance was taken from the Cyber Unit to find out the IP addresses used by her WhatsApp number. On analysis of the information, it was found that the victim used someone's Wi-Fi connection. Accordingly, the mobile number associated with the IP address and the alternate mobile number was obtained and details of this number were analysed. As a result, the police team succeeded in apprehending Nigerian national Okoroafor Chibuike Okoro alias Rechi, 31, from Gurugram, after it was found that as per the IP address, his mobile was used by the woman while making WhatsApp calls to her mother. On sustained interrogation, he revealed the location of the missing woman and ultimately she was traced to a hotel in Greater Noida. After rescue and examination of the victim, it was revealed that she had staged the incident to emotionally blackmail her parents. It was also found that her visa had expired on June 6. As per the investigation conducted so far, it is found that the victim had befriended Rechi through Facebook and after her arrival in India, she was staying with him. "On further investigation, it was found that the passport of Rechi had also expired," the DCP said, adding that legal action with respect to overstaying in India without a valid passport and valid visa is being taken against them. He said that both McLaughlin and Rachi have a passion for singing, probably, which was the main reason for their friendship. IANS
Bhubaneswar, July 16:Top billed Ridhima Veerendra Kumar of Karnataka created a new meet record in the 100m backstroke event for Group 1 Girls on day one of the prestigious 48th Junior National Aquatic Championships which began at the Biju Patnaik Swimming Pool, Kalinga Stadium here on Saturday. The young star from Bengaluru smashed Maana Patel's record of 1:05.00, clocked in 2015. Ridhima touched the pads on 1:04.96 to clinch the gold and create a new meet record in the event. She beat Sanjana Prabhugaonkar (1:07.09) and statemate Nina Venkatesh (1:07.32) to win the gold. In the 100m backstroke for Group II Boys, Suhas Preetha M of Telangana smashed the record with a sensational time of 1:01.29 seconds. He beat Karnataka's Ishan Mehra by a close margin. Mehra timed 1:01.71 seconds. Haryana's Krish Jain took home the bronze. In another event, Apeksha Fernandes of Maharashtra created a new meet record in the 100m breaststroke for Group I Girls. She clocked 1:12.83 seconds to beat Karnataka's Saanvi S Rao (1:16.81) and S Lakshya (1:17.58). Hashika Ramachandra of Karnataka set a new meet record in the 200m Freestyle for Girls' Group III, clocking 2:05.65. She improved on the old mark of 2:10.81 set by Bhavya Sachdeva at Rajkot in 2019. Dhinidhi Desinghu of Karnataka finished second while Deepti Tilak of Maharashtra bagged bronze. Jashua Thomas of Tamil Nadu won the Group I Boys' 100m breaststroke gold, clocking 1:06.82. Arjunveer Gupta of Maharashtra won silver in 1:07.02 while Vansh Pannu of Haryana bagged bronze in 1:07.06. IANS
New Delhi, July 16: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar will be the NDA candidate for Vice Presidential polls. BJP chief J.P. Nadda announced the name of Dhankhar as the NDA candidate after the Parliamentary Board meeting at party headquarters here. "After detailed discussion and considering all the names, the BJP Parliamentary Board has decided to announce the name of Kisan Putra Jagdeep Dhankhar as the BJP and NDA candidate for the post of Vice President. Presently he is the Governor of West Bengal and has been in public life for almost three decades," Nadda said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief J.P. Nadda, Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari, and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan were present in the Parliamentary Board meeting. The BJP-led NDA candidate Dhankhar is all set to become next Vice President in this election as the voters are the members of Parliament and the BJP has a huge mandate in the Lok Sabha while in the Rajya Sabha it is the single largest party having more than 90 seats. In the last election, the opposition fielded Gopalkrishna Gandhi but he lost to BJP's M Venkaiah Naidu. In 2017, Naidu polled 516 votes defeating the opposition's Gopalkrishna Gandhi, who could manage only 244 votes. The last date for filing of nomination papers for the Vice President poll is July 19 and election is scheduled to be held on August 6. The date on which counting, if required, shall be taken on the same day. IANS
New Delhi, July 11:The BA.5 Omicron sub-variant, which is known to evade immunity induced both by vaccines as well as prior infection, has the potential to reinfect you with Covid again "within weeks", global researchers have said. BA.5, together with BA.4 and other sub-variants, are said to be behind the current surge in infections seen in a slew of countries including India, China, US, and European nations, notably the UK and Italy. It has been a common assumption during the pandemic that being infected with a Covid variant provides a natural immune boost, enabling one's immune system to better recognise and fend off infection in the future. However, Omicron BA.5 proves to be different, with several researchers terming it as "the most easily transmissible Covid variant to date". "The main reason this variant has become the predominant one that is now circulating is that it is able to evade previous immunity," said Dean Blumberg, chief of Paediatric Infectious Diseases at University of California, Davis, Children's Hospital. "Even people who have partial immunity from a previous infection or vaccination can still have a breakthrough infection." That means even if you were infected in 2020 with Delta or even Omicron BA.1 last winter, you can still get BA.5. Your previous immunity does not protect you from the latest strain. "What we are seeing is an increasing number of people who have been infected with BA.2 and then becoming infected after four weeks," Andrew Roberston, the chief health officer in Western Australia, was quoted as saying to News.com.au. "So maybe six to eight weeks they are developing a second infection, and that's almost certainly BA.4 or BA.5," he added. This may be explained by a recent study, published in the journal Science, which showed that Omicron provides a poor natural boost of Covid immunity against reinfection even with Omicron and also in people who are triple-vaccinated. Researchers at the Imperial College London called the BA.5 "an especially stealthy immune evader". "Not only can it break through vaccine defences, it looks to leave very few of the hallmarks we'd expect on the immune system - it's more stealthy than previous variants and flies under the radar, so the immune system is unable to remember it," said Professor Danny Altmann, from Department of Immunology and Inflammation at Imperial. IANS
New Delhi, July 11: Former India opener Aakash Chopra has claimed that star batter Suryakumar Yadav is India's 360-degree player. Suryakumar's heroics on Sunday went in vain as England defeated India by 17 runs in the 3rd T20I. The right-handed batter showed a range of shots on his way to an impeccable century. Chopra lavished praise on Yadav following his sensational innings in the 3rd T20I as he compared the battler with South Africa's great AB de Villiers. "Surya's knock was not just bravado but also a lot about the game sense�knowing where the fielders were�and where the bowlers were likely to bowl. He's India's very own Mr 360 degrees," Chopra said exclusively on the Koo app. India might have lost the match but the visitors won the T20I series 2-1 against England. Coming to the match, England smashed 215 in the allotted 20 Overs as Dawid Malan and Liam Livingston wreaked havoc on Indian bowlers. Chasing 216, India didn't have a great start as the visitors lost skipper Rohit Sharma, wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and Virat Kohli inside 5 overs. However, it was Suryakumar Yadav's sensational century (117) that brought India close to the target before losing the match. Both teams will now lock horns in the ODI series starting on Tuesday. IANS
