Heavy monsoon rainfall continued to affect several parts of the country on Sunday and Monday, disrupting air travel, inundating roads and prompting weather alerts in multiple states. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that a depression over the Bay of Bengal is likely to bring widespread heavy to very heavy rainfall across eastern India over the next 24 hours.

Mumbai bears the brunt of heavy rainfall

Mumbai experienced one of the most severe impacts of the ongoing monsoon spell after heavy overnight rain and strong winds temporarily halted runway operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport for around an hour.

The disruption led to the cancellation of four IndiGo flights, while 13 incoming flights were diverted before operations gradually returned to normal. Flight tracking data also showed significant delays, with nearly 90 per cent of departing flights delayed by more than an hour on average and almost half of arriving flights running behind schedule.

The IMD maintained a red alert for Mumbai after several areas recorded more than 200 mm of rainfall within 24 hours, with some locations receiving close to 300 mm.

IMD forecasts widespread heavy rainfall

According to the IMD, a well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal has intensified into a depression and is expected to cross the north Odisha coast within the next 24 hours.

The weather system is expected to bring widespread heavy to very heavy rainfall across eastern India, while several other regions continue to remain under rainfall alerts due to active monsoon conditions.

Delhi under orange alert after hottest July day in two years

The IMD has issued an orange alert for Delhi, forecasting a generally cloudy sky with moderate rainfall across the national capital.

The alert comes after Delhi recorded its hottest July day in two years on Sunday, with the maximum temperature reaching 38.6 degrees Celsius. Despite the heat, moderate showers provided temporary relief in several areas of Delhi-NCR.

Chhatarpur recorded the highest rainfall in the region, receiving 49 mm of rain by Sunday afternoon. However, waterlogging was reported in parts of the locality, affecting commuters and residents.

Heavy rain forecast for Tamil Nadu

The IMD has also forecast heavy rainfall at isolated locations in Coimbatore and the Nilgiris on Monday.

According to the Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai, multiple weather systems, including a trough extending from south Gujarat to Kerala and the depression over the Bay of Bengal, are expected to support widespread rainfall across parts of Tamil Nadu. Other districts along the Western Ghats are also likely to receive moderate rainfall accompanied by gusty winds.

Rain-related incidents reported in Maharashtra

Heavy rainfall also led to several rain-related incidents in Maharashtra’s Thane and Palghar districts.

A 17-year-old boy drowned in the swollen Kamvari River in Bhiwandi, while two people were injured after part of a second-floor balcony collapsed in Navi Mumbai’s Vashi area. Authorities said continuous rainfall also triggered structural collapses and tree-fall incidents in several locations.

With active monsoon conditions continuing across large parts of the country, authorities have urged residents in affected regions to remain cautious and follow official weather advisories.

Indian cricket witnessed the beginning of a new era as teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made his senior international debut, becoming the youngest player ever to represent India in men’s or women’s cricket.

The left-handed batter received his maiden India cap ahead of the second T20I against England in Manchester. At 15 years and 99 days, Sooryavanshi broke a long-standing national record previously held by cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, who made his international debut at the age of 16 years and 205 days in 1989.

The milestone also saw Sooryavanshi overtake Shafali Verma, who had been India’s youngest international debutant overall after making her debut at 15 years and 239 days.

Historic moment for Indian cricket

The young opener’s debut had been eagerly anticipated ever since he was included in India’s squads for the Ireland and England T20I series.

Although he did not feature in the matches against Ireland, India initially continued with the experienced opening pair of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma for the opening T20I against England. Following Samson’s struggles with the bat, discussions around Sooryavanshi’s inclusion intensified.

The Indian team management eventually decided to hand the youngster his opportunity, with captain Shreyas Iyer and head coach Gautam Gambhir backing the teenager for his first international appearance. The debut cap was presented to him by Tilak Verma before the Manchester encounter.

Youngest men’s debutants for India

Following his debut, Sooryavanshi now tops the list of India’s youngest men’s international debutants.

• Vaibhav Sooryavanshi – 15 years, 99 days (vs England, July 4, 2026)
• Sachin Tendulkar – 16 years, 205 days (vs Pakistan, November 15, 1989)
• Piyush Chawla – 17 years, 75 days
• Laxman Sivaramakrishnan – 17 years, 118 days
• Parthiv Patel – 17 years, 152 days
• Maninder Singh – 17 years, 193 days

While Sooryavanshi now holds the record for India’s youngest international debutant, Pakistan’s Hasan Raza remains the youngest men’s Test debutant globally at 14 years and 227 days. Romania’s Marian Gherasim continues to hold the record as the youngest international cricketer overall, having debuted in T20Is at 14 years and 16 days.

Shreyas Iyer backs the young opener

Speaking before the match, captain Shreyas Iyer expressed confidence in the youngster’s temperament and ability to perform at the highest level.

Iyer said Sooryavanshi had consistently impressed during training, adding that the teenager deserved his opportunity after displaying fearless batting and showing no signs of pressure despite his age.

IPL heroics paved the way

Sooryavanshi’s selection followed a remarkable IPL 2026 campaign for the Rajasthan Royals, where he emerged as the tournament’s highest run-scorer.

He accumulated 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.30, registering one century and five half-centuries while smashing 72 sixes. His performances earned him multiple individual honours, including the Orange Cap, Most Valuable Player, Emerging Player, Super Striker, and Super Sixes awards.

Strong performances across formats

The teenager has also impressed in domestic and age-group cricket.

During the recent tri-series involving Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A, he scored 211 runs in five innings, including a match-winning 94 in the final. He also recorded the fastest fifty in List A cricket by reaching the milestone in just 11 balls against Sri Lanka A.

His record in youth cricket has been equally impressive. Sooryavanshi finished as the leading run-scorer at the Under-19 World Cup with 439 runs in seven matches, helping India lift the title. He also set a tournament record by hitting 30 sixes.

Across youth ODIs, he has accumulated 1,412 runs at an average of 56.48, while his T20 numbers include 1,477 runs from 34 innings at a strike rate above 220.

In the IPL, the youngster has already crossed the 1,000-run mark in just 23 innings, underlining the promise that has made him one of India’s brightest emerging talents.

With his record-breaking debut now complete, Indian cricket fans will be hoping that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s international journey lives up to the enormous expectations surrounding one of the country’s most exciting young prospects.

The YRF Spy Universe expands once again with Alpha, marking the franchise’s first female-led action film. After years of male spies dominating the cinematic universe, Alia Bhatt steps into the spotlight as Sita, a genetically enhanced operative entrusted with carrying an ambitious action entertainer almost entirely on her shoulders. While the actor succeeds in making the character memorable through her energetic screen presence and committed action performance, the film’s predictable storyline prevents it from reaching its full potential.

Directed by Shiv Rawail, Alpha combines large-scale action, espionage and superhero-style storytelling. However, despite its impressive visuals and action choreography, the film struggles to offer a fresh narrative in an increasingly crowded spy franchise.

Alia Bhatt delivers one of the film’s biggest strengths

Alia Bhatt undergoes a convincing physical transformation for the role and brings an expressive quality rarely seen in mainstream action heroes. Instead of maintaining a stoic expression throughout combat sequences, she allows her emotions to surface, making every confrontation feel personal.

Her character, Sita, balances confidence, wit and emotional vulnerability. As an orphan raised under extraordinary circumstances, she carries emotional scars beneath her fearless exterior, and Alia effectively captures both sides of the character.

The emotional depth she adds helps elevate scenes that otherwise rely heavily on stylised action.

Familiar story limits the excitement

Despite its promising premise, Alpha follows a storyline that feels heavily inspired by familiar superhero films. Written by Uday Chopra, Shridhar Raghavan and Ishita Moitra, the narrative blends elements of Indian mythology with comic-book style storytelling but offers few genuine surprises.

The story follows Fateh, played by Bobby Deol, a military officer who develops a secret project to create genetically enhanced super soldiers using a serum known as Alpha. After the experiment fails, circumstances lead to the serum being injected into the unborn daughter of Kaul’s wife, altering the child’s genetics before birth.

That child eventually grows up to become Sita, a highly trained operative raised under Fateh’s control.

While the concept has potential, much of the film’s central mystery is revealed through its promotional campaign, leaving only a few surprises for audiences during the actual film.

Action sequences remain consistently engaging

Where Alpha truly succeeds is in its action. The hand-to-hand combat sequences are choreographed with intensity and supported by an energetic background score that keeps the momentum alive.

Sharvari proves to be an equally capable action performer, matching Alia’s intensity in both emotional and combat scenes. Their chemistry suggests an engaging partnership, although the screenplay does not spend enough time exploring their relationship before moving on to larger action set-pieces involving gunfights and helicopters.

Bobby Deol and Anil Kapoor add dramatic weight

The supporting cast significantly strengthens the film.

Bobby Deol makes a commanding antagonist whose calm demeanour contrasts effectively with sudden bursts of violence. His restrained performance makes Fateh an intimidating villain, although the screenplay stops short of giving him a deeper emotional backstory.

Anil Kapoor also leaves a solid impression as Kaul, bringing authority and emotional conviction to his scenes. Together, both actors provide much-needed dramatic weight that helps compensate for the screenplay’s shortcomings.

Verdict

Alpha delivers polished action, committed performances and slick production values, but its familiar superhero-inspired plot prevents it from becoming one of the strongest entries in the YRF Spy Universe. Alia Bhatt leads confidently, Sharvari proves to be an impressive action partner, while Bobby Deol and Anil Kapoor elevate the material whenever they appear. However, the franchise may need fresher storytelling if it hopes to keep audiences invested beyond the spectacle.

Watch official Trailer: