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Good evening, The divorce between billionaire Elon Musk and his former boss, US President Donald Trump, is becoming increasingly acrimonious. And well, as with all things Musk (and I dare say Trump), it's playing out in public. On X, the social media platform he owns, Musk wrote to his 220.2 million followers, “I am sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: You know you did wrong. You know it.” Phew. Musk was referring to Trump’s so-called “big, beautiful bill,” which, by estimates, is expected to add $3.8 trillion to the US government’s burgeoning $36 trillion debt. Musk, whose relationship with Trump has evolved over the years, bid farewell to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) late last month, an office he helped create and later helmed as a “special government employee.” Last week, Musk told CBS News that Trump’s mega bill “undermines…work DOGE is doing.” Ouch. On that note, let’s dive in 👇🏽
📝 The Debrief Ee Saala Cup Namde is no longer a mythical, meme-worthy quip. It’s happened! So, it happened. After 6,255 days and 286 matches (a whole generation, really!), the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are Indian Premier League (IPL) champions. The city’s relief has been unmistakable, with a cautious euphoria giving way to something more assured: a realisation that this was, indeed, real. Their beloved team had done it. And Virat Kohli, who’s carried the weight of this franchise since day one, could at last “sleep like a baby,” as he put it. There was a sense of inevitability, too, that one day, the mythical, meme-worthy rallying cry Ee Saala Cup Namde would flip into prophecy. But how did it happen? Cracking the auction code: Any title run begins well before the first ball is bowled. For RCB, it started at the auction table. By all accounts, they came in with clarity, firmly aware of their constraints (a small ground, flat pitch, and high-scoring games) and built a squad to suit it. Their retentions were smart, while their buys were balanced: seasoned IPL and international pros, dependable uncalled players, and no flashy distractions. And above all, built around a potent bowling attack, led by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood. It was an area that let RCB down, but this year, it led them to the title. Captaincy call: A few months ago, most RCB diehards wouldn’t have listed Rajat Patidar as a captain, with some yearning for a Kohli redux. But RCB backed Patidar early, with one eye on long-term leadership. As my colleague Sandip G puts it, Patidar brings a mix of quiet assurance, tactical nous, and street-smart cricketing chops, qualities that somehow work without being loud or showy. To borrow from Andy Flower, RCB’s coach, “There’s a calmness and simplicity to Rajat,” something you could see last night—an unflappable presence even as Punjab went into their chase with a slight edge. Now, Patidar will forever be etched in RCB folklore, having ended the title drought and taking them to the promised land. Finishing the job: More than anything, this was a team that looked ready. RCB started well and didn’t fall away, something that has undone them before. Their home form was chequered (a lingering issue, and something to sort out next year), but they were relentless on the road, winning every game, and then the two playoffs. That undoubtedly matters, given that in sporting shorthand,winning away from home is often a sign of a steely team. And hell yes, they were.
✍️ From our newsroom
Linguistic excellence: My colleagues have pieced together a fascinating and well-worth-diving-into visual story on the colourful and chaotic world of languages in India, and their evolution over the ages. I won’t give a lot away, but it’s pretty informative.
PS: If you are a language nerd like me, you must check out the Indian Express Research’s special series on the “Languages of India,” which features stories like this on Bengali’s evolution through the ages.
🔎 Need to know
Another one: Jasbir Singh, a YouTuber from Punjab, was arrested on Tuesday for his alleged involvement with a Pakistani espionage network. According to the police, Singh was reportedly in contact with a Pakistani intelligence operative (PIO) known as Shakir alias Jutt Randhawa. Singh was said to have maintained close ties with Haryana-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested last month.
Dates out: The Monsoon session of the Parliament will commence on July 21 and run till August 12, the Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju announced on Tuesday. Both houses of Parliament are slated to convene on July 21 at 11 am, after a three-month break. Not happening: A majority of Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders have voted against CEO David Zaslav and other top executives’ compensation packages. Zaslav’s package, according to the proxy statement, rose 4 per cent to $51.9 million, which included a $23.9 million bonus.
🎙️Expresso Playlist!
In today’s Playlist, I recommend an excellent episode from NPR’s Planet Money, which uses game theory to explain the United States-China trade war.
✋🏽 One last thing
I’ll leave you with this excellent essay by the American political scientist Francis Fukuyama on the tragedy of Elon Musk.
That’s all from me today. Thank you so much for reading this edition. If you enjoy the Evening Expresso, tell your friends to subscribe to the newsletter. You can do so by signing up for the Morning Expresso. Additionally, you can reach me via email for tips, feedback, or simply to say hello! 😀 Until tomorrow, Venkat Ananth |
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