David Warner was elated to be back in the Indian Premier League for Sunrisers Hyderabad and expressed that the way the team and the management and everybody at the club welcomed him, it meant a lot. Warner expressed how he and his family have come out strong through the tough times and how this IPL is extremely special for him and his family.
"It's very important. It is one tournament on the calendar that I've always been looking forward to. I've had a lot of success over the years from when I first started. From Delhi, moved to Hyderabad. This is my second home and to come back here to open arms and to be greeted with the fans, some of the passionate and kind words, it means a lot to my family and myself. I'm just looking forward to the start of the tournament and playing and trying to go one step further from where the guys just couldn't get further last year.
"The fans have been fantastic. My teammates, lots of cuddles and Hi-5s, it's been brilliant. It felt like I was at home I can't thank them enough for sticking by me and always sending me nice messages. Laxman is a very, very humble human being and he always has nothing but nice things to say. The words he used the other day really meant a lot to myself, he's just so genuine. With everything going on in the last four months, I was at the forefront of his mind, I'm in the Sunrisers family's mind and that they're gonna welcome me with open arms as soon as the IPL starts. I'm really grateful for it and just ready to get back into it," Warner told India Today.
Warner spoke about how well he and his family bonded in the times he was away from cricket and how he now thinks, as family they are in the best position.
"My preparation doesn't change a great deal. It's either in the gym and then I'll have a couple of hits in a week and will hit for about 20 minutes when it comes to batting. My coaches back home have really put me in great mind when it comes back to T20 cricket. The physical side of things is just what I normally do. At home, I'm always outdoors, being active with my two little girls and my wife always keeps me very honest. We are expecting our third child now so she has been limited in exercises she could do so I've been running after the girls, something I absolutely love dearly. That's really keeping me occupied the past couple of months.
"It's same cliched, it means a lot. I've played in numerous leagues in the last 12 months. But this one is really special to us because we've been part of Hyderabad for a while now. It's my second family away from home. We've worked really hard as a family to get through tough times and making sure I'm preparing as well as I can for this tournament, moving forward and she has played a big role in that. She's been very happy with me being able to be home and be a dad and a husband. For her, she has taken it very well. We've had two miscarriages which was very hard and together it just built us stronger as a family and that's what happened the last few months. We've bonded very well and it's time that you don't get much when you're playing all three forms of the game but that special family time has been really critical in our family. I have a lot to thank for, that foundation as a family and getting stronger and stronger and I feel we are in the best position in our lives now," Warner said.
In her 124-minute speech -- after which the Sensex plunged over 1,600 points before staging a partial recovery -- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a higher capital expenditure outlay of Rs 12.2 lakh crore for FY27 and set a fiscal deficit target of 4.3 per cent of GDP.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India’s 140 crore citizens are no longer content with being the world’s fastest-growing economy and want the country to become the world’s third-largest economy “as soon as possible.” He said the Union Budget gives equal importance to multiple sectors and lays the groundwork for achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047. Highlighting Nari Shakti, Modi praised Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, calling the Budget historic for underscoring India’s commitment to women’s empowerment. “As a woman Finance Minister, Nirmala ji has set a new record by presenting the Union Budget for the ninth consecutive time,” the Prime Minister said, lauding her leadership and consistency.
On this India Today special report, Maria Shakil examines the significant crash in precious metal prices as gold and silver hit their lower circuits just ahead of the Union Budget. Maria Shakil noted that there has been a 'sudden increase post 2024 in the last two years and the increase has been rather sharp from 2025 January onward' before the current downturn. The programme explores the factors behind this parabolic rise and subsequent crash, including profit booking, the 'fear of missing out' (FOMO) among investors, and global geopolitical uncertainty. Analyst Rajiv Mantri contributes to the discussion, suggesting that the price volatility reflects a larger narrative regarding the status of the US dollar in the international economy and the search for safe-haven alternatives. The report provides a detailed graphic assessment of how prices have moved over the last year, highlighting the impact of global turbulence on Indian commodity markets.
On this Special Report, the focus is on the presentation of the Union Budget 2026 as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman heads to Parliament. The transcript captures the live movement of the Finance Minister's convoy from Rashtrapati Bhavan to the new Parliament building after seeking formal permission from the President of India. A key moment highlighted is when the reporter notes, 'This is the convoy of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman which is now heading towards the Parliament' for the crucial Cabinet meeting. The programme discusses the evolution of budget presentations from 1985 to the current televised era, noting how finance ministers have become more conscious of a national audience. Analysts on the show deliberate on the shift from tax-heavy budgets to those focused on tariffs and infrastructure. The discussion further explores the government's significant investments in roads and power since 2020, questioning the remaining fiscal headroom for continued infrastructural spending as the nation awaits the official tabling of the budget at 11 am.
