Archive for the ‘Indian Sports’ Category

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A ray of light

Friday, September 23rd, 2005

I said some months ago, before I started this blog, that Ganguly should have retired from tests after the series win in Pakistan. The guy had achieved what no other Indian captain had – defeating Pakistan in Pakistan. It could not get better than that. It indeed went a lot worse. Ganguly has done his legacy no good and its really sad on the scheme of things currently.

I would like Ganguly to play in the Indian one day squad come world cup 2007. Why? Because it would be good for the team to have a player with his agression and his one day match talent in the squad. If it was a perfect world where back room groupisms and comments to the media of what happens in the dressing room were not made public, I doubt despite the bad form of Ganguly if he would denied a 2007 world cup place. Right now there is legitimate doubt.

The question every one is asking is will this episode harm Indian cricket. Is this a depressing turn of events in Indian cricket. It is depressing. But if you look at the results from the post India’s tour of Pakistan, nothing has gone right for Indian cricket.

India has lost almost every series, tournament. So this is the nadir. This is as low as it gets. Things can only improve from here and the firm stance of Chappell, a person known for having his own mind always, I believe can indeed be a catalyst.

This incident brings a ray of light to Indian cricket again and is not some thing which will harm it.

Posted in Cricket, Indian Cricket, Indian Sports | No Comments »

On Mirza’s performance versus Sharapova

Thursday, September 8th, 2005

I watched the full match and was quite impressed by what I saw. I have always been a fan of the Mirza forehand but the back hand was not too bad either in the match. Mirza always hits a lot of winners but I did not expect her to hit so many versus Sharapova. The fact that she could match Shrapova for power, break her, take games into 40/deuce was over whelming as an Indian sport fan.

So how a score line of 6-2/6-1?

The thing called experience. Mirza was horrible on the second serve. She tried to play it safe after a fault and Sharapova would attack the weak second serve. Also, the unforced errors, though much lesser than the previous games, were a bit more that feasible to win games.

This are not huge errors and can be minimised. I definitely think now than Mirza is a top 10 player in the making. Mirza is going to play in the Sunfeast Open in Calcutta from September 19th. I will go ona weekday and on the finals Sunday for the tournament, which promises to be a treat for tennis fans.

Posted in General Stuff, Indian Sports, Tennis | No Comments »

Mirza vs Sharapova – a preview

Sunday, September 4th, 2005

We all know it is highly unlikely Mirza will defeat Sharapova today. Sharapova is 18, like Mirza but as far as achievments and accomplishments are concerned, there is a world of difference. Sharapova finished the year in the top 50 in 2003 (rank 32) when she was 15 and a half! Mirza ended 2003 ranked 399.

That is just the beginning of the story. Sharapova has been world number 1, she is a phenomenal player and overpowers her opponents. She has already won a Wimbledon and it would surprise many if she does not go on to win many more grand slam titles. In short, Sharapova is a tennis superstar and has the potential of becoming a legend.

Sania Mirza is a path breaker in her own right. No Indian female tennis player has been competitive at any serious professional level before. They have been stranded in the challengers. This is not related to talent in the country but the lack of infrastructure and financial restraints tennis players in the country face. The fact that there had been no past female tennis player to look upto in the country made it even more difficult for a female tennis star to come up from the country.

In 2005, Mirza, some one who has a superb win-loss record all through her career from the junior level onwards, has a 25-15. Sharapova has a 43-7. Do fans expect Mirza to beat Sharapova? Nah.
But because it is a first in Indian female tennis that a player has reached this far in a grand slam every one will be keyed up.

I have been followed tennis for 13 years from the age of 9 like it has been with most sports and have never seen any Indian reach ahead of round 2 in singles in the grand slams. Leander Paes was talented but too agressive which meant too many unforced errors. I have only heard the tales of the Krishnans and the Amritrajs. Finally there is a tennis player whom we Indian fans can call their own. )

Posted in Indian Sports, Tennis | 2 Comments »

Maria Elenea Camerin

Tuesday, August 30th, 2005

Sania Mirza will face fairly unknown Italian Maria Elenea Camerin in round 2 of the US Open. Mirza had a rugged start in round 1 with loads of unforced errors. Compared to that, Camerin surprised one and all by defeating 21 seed Danira Safina in round 1.

Camerin is an even match for Mirza. She is currently ranked a lowly 81 but has been as high as 41 finishing 2004 at 43. However, she has never been past round 2 in a grandslam in 13 appearences. Mirza has already bettered that in her first year at the highest level.

But Camerin is slightly more experienced at the age of 23 having been in the top 120 or near about since 2001. Mirza kept her cool against a much more experienced player in round 1.

It is an even matchup and Mirza would not mind facing Camerin instead of Safina.

Posted in Indian Sports, Tennis | 1 Comment »

The future is bright but..

Friday, July 29th, 2005

India continues to deliver splendid results in chess. Reports NDTV:

Sahaj Grover created history by winning the gold in the Under-10 section of the World Youth Chess Championships that concluded here.

N Srinath got a bit lucky on the final day and also won the gold medal in the Under-12 section after losing his last round game against So Wesley.

Along with the gold and glory, Sahaj also became the youngest ever Indian to win any World Championship, breaking the 1996 record set by current World Junior Champion P Harikrishna.

But can such amazing talent prosper in the wake of what happened to Humpy a few days ago? When a young boy starts taking chess seriously in the country, he has Vishwanathan Anand as his idol, some one who had no peers to look at. He has done to Chess in India what Tiger Woods has done to golf in the world.

He did not have much to fall back on. At least the scenario is much better than it was back then. The young chess players have to think this way and have to battle on.

Posted in Chess, Indian Sports | No Comments »

Sponsors keep running away

Wednesday, July 27th, 2005

Bank of Baroda ditching Konery Humpy in the last moment and stripping her off their sponsorship is a shocking latest development. Found out regarding it via an entry in Prem’s blog.

Sponsors in Indian sport only run towards the top cricket stars in the country, a few international stars who have already established themselves. Promising players have to slug it out and worry about money as much as they have to do about enhancing performances.

Tennis players always find it tough and often live by the week, trying to get sponsors to travel, play in challengers all round the world, hire international coaches/trainers and improve ranking points.

Chess players are facing a similar problem. Training and getting ready for international challenges is expensive. Only after honing skills and talent for years does can a sports person aspire to be a champion.

If a company sponsors a player in the formative years, it can reap huge rewards when the player succeeds in the future. Imagine a sponsor who would have helped Sania Mirza’s career during her initial journey in tennis.

Humpy is an extra ordinary talent, having won at various levels of competition internationally. She is the world no. 4 women’s chess player. Surely Bank Of Baroda should have thought better than part ways with her at such a crucial stage in her career.

Humpy is not an also ran and the 20 lakhs she wants, I am sure will be availed some how in the next few days. But it only shows how pathetic the scenario is for sportspersons in the beginning and initial stages of their journey in India. And do not single out cricket. Even cricketers, domestic and upcoming struggle with finances, international training opportunities. Only after players reach the top do the spnsors really come in.

Posted in Chess, Indian Sports | No Comments »

Sportscenter India and other Sports news shows

Monday, July 25th, 2005

I do not understand why a cricket legend like Wasim Akram has to be put into the role of Sports News Reader by ESPN on Spotscenter India. Asking cricketing gyan from an expert is good. Asking him to tell us the latest news is not only underutilising the expert, it is also misutilising him.

Also, I liked the earlier look of the show where 30 minutes of sports news, mainly India centred was presented in English. I would ideally like a 60 minute show, much like Sportcenter USA used to be (whatever I managed to watch while it was broadcast in India before it was stopped 3-4 years ago) but a 30 minute English show was not bad.

The current show in hindi is some thing I am put off with. Not because I am against regional languages. But alternate news shows in hindi was some thing which was a better option according to me. Right now Sportcenter is almost unwatchable. The news ticker which they introduced a few months ago in the English version was a novel addition, much like USA Fox’s Sportsline (which was similar to Sportcenter USA – a one hour show stopped in India a few years ago) but over all the show Sportenter India will be less watched by me, even though I rarely used to watch it, even in English.

CNN World Sport – the definitive 30 minute show on sports is what I call the complete Sports News Show.

Posted in Indian Sports | No Comments »

Raina – one for the future?

Sunday, July 17th, 2005

A lot of work and fatigue coupled with sporting reflections not coming in a time when the Open is being played in Golf, Davis Cup quarters are going on, Formula 1 (I am very off post Indianapolis) and most importantly a sports burn out due to the millions of Ashes stories in the past two months have meant 2 days without any posts.

However I must write before possibly a landmark moment in the life of Suresh Raina. He has shown all the right signals with explosive knocks in all the opportunities he has had, whether its the under 19 world cup or India A or the likes. After the training camp, he is one of the few players who have apparently impressed Chappell and the people that count the most. Writes The Telegraph:

Meanwhile, one learns 18-year-old left-hander, Suresh Raina of UP, is a hot contender for a middle-order berth.

A middle order packed with ’star’ players. So how can Raina even think of finding a berth is the common argument. Well then no one would ever find a place, even if that specific player is good enough. The guy is untried, untested. I have supported him from the time of the under 19 world cup.

Here is hoping many good things lie ahead for the 18 year old man.

{Update} Raina has got selected in the Indian one day squad. )

Posted in Cricket, Indian Cricket, Indian Sports | 1 Comment »

Shooting gets a boost

Thursday, July 7th, 2005

Its a day which will see substitutes used for the first time in limitied overs internationals. It is also another day for the sprinters in letour. I focus my attention on some less publicised but important stories which are accomplishments in their own right from Indian sports.

First the new Government gun law which frees shooting in the country.

The order issued by the Union Commerce Ministry — makes air rifles and pistols, the rudimentary weapons for all beginners, easily accessible. So long, it was a procedure restricted to a few and bound in red tape. This comes as a big relief for the shooting fraternity for whom trying to own a weapon had been an ordeal. A shooter first needed to finish among the top 25 at a national meet and later — after endless paperwork — obtain an import licence to get a foreign-made weapon. Now, all one needs to do to own an air weapon is register with a rifle club or state/district association.

This is indeed a landmark step in Indian shooting. My musings on the apathy of infrastructure in Indian shooting a few days ago weren’t necessary after all. Shooting is progressing well in the country with moves done to draw the crowds and bring in more shooters as well. The future of atleast one sport is very bright in the country.

The Hindu reports on the National Junior Aquatics meet day four where Veerdhaval Khade of Maharashtra created two new records before emerging the fastest swimmer of the 32nd Junior National Aquatic Championship, which passed into the fourth day on Wednesday. And it is not the only place Indian juniors are doing well. India entered the semis of the Junior Hockey World Cup as well.

Prasad, an intellectually challenged child needs support in the form of sponsorship. It is a pity people arent aware of this more. If any one is reading this blog and can help Prasad, please contact Hindu, get in touch with the guy’s father and do the requisite.

Some thing which bewilders me : I have read The Sportstar magazine for 13-14 years now and take pride int he fact that it maintains the price of Rs. 10. Why the online edition for Rs. 90!?

Off for breakfast, and then work. Hopefully will catch the letour and the one day match.

Posted in Indian Sports, Target-Sports | 4 Comments »

RIP : Baloo Gupte

Tuesday, July 5th, 2005

One after the other former Indian test players are dying which is an unfortunate coincidence. After the recent demise of Eknath Solkar, Baloo Gupte has now passed away.

Gupte played 3 tests for India with an ordinary record but, as cricinfo reports:

He was a colossal presence in the domestic circuit, when he played for Mumbai, Bengal, and Railways, and one of the leading wicket-takers in the Ranji Trophy of his time (he finished with 255 Ranji wickets at 23.47). His 9 for 55 for West Zone against South Zone in the 1962-63 Duleep Trophy final is still the best in the competition. He ended with 417 wickets in 99 first-class games at an average of 24.88, including a staggering 26 five-wickets hauls and five ten-wicket hauls.

Gupte spoke with cricinfo a few years ago and here is a rare interview with the man.

Condolences to his family.

Posted in Cricket, Indian Cricket, Indian Sports | No Comments »

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