Saturday, June 13, 2020 75 12345 - sportstar.thehindu.com · resumption of outdoor training. 10...
Transcript of Saturday, June 13, 2020 75 12345 - sportstar.thehindu.com · resumption of outdoor training. 10...
12345Saturday, June 13, 2020 � 75
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Saturday, June 13, 2020FOR THE FORTNIGHT MAY 31JUNE 13, 2020
SPORTSTAR JUNE 13, 2020 3
sportstar.thehindu.com sportstarweb [email protected]
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Volume 43 Number 12 ISSN 0971 359x
20 In death,
Balbir Singh took away a
large chunk of hockey
history, documented only
in his mind. He was a kindsoul who served Indianhockey with distinction andremained its most loyalsupporter.
6 The ministry of home a�airs
has given goahead to the reopening
of sports stadiums without spectators,allowing elite athletes to resume theirpractice and workouts. Sportstar speaks totop athletes to �nd out their views onresumption of outdoor training.
10 Getting back to cricket... when andhow?
40 Lefties, rightly a treat to watch
48 European football: Goals galore inGermany
ALSO READ ...
30 Three of
India’s famous quartet
of spinners reached
personal milestones —
they recently celebratedlandmark birthdays — and former teammate SunilGavaskar has a lot to sayabout them.
35 In a chat with
Sportstar, former South
African allrounder Lance
Klusener speaks about
the coronavirus pandemic,the proposed ban on theuse of saliva by bowlers and his idol Clive Rice,among other things.
50 “...I don’t
want to have this kind
of a break ever again,”
says Asian Games goldmedalwinning heptathleteSwapna Barman, who is leftwithout any equipment orgear, to continue training.
Design: R. Ravikannan
Cover image: Reuters
Poster: Jadon Sancho (Getty Images)
(Pages 5966)
4 JUNE 13, 2020 SPORTSTAR
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I see those of you who are staying
silent, some of you the biggest stars
yet you stay silent in the midst of
injustice. Not a sign from anybody in
my industry which of course is a
whitedominated sport.
– Sixtime world champion Lewis Hamilton on
Instagram calling out Formula One over its silence
amid “injustice” following the death of George Floyd,
an AfricanAmerican man who died in Minneapolis
after a police o�cer knelt on his neck during an arrest
on May 25.
Man City’s Mahrez has watches worth£300,000 stolen
Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez had three luxurywatches worth more than £300,000 ($370,000) stolen when thievesraided his penthouse apartment, according to British media reportson May 31. More than £50,000 in cash along with Cartier braceletsand rare football shirts worth up to £150,000 were also taken fromthe Algeria international. The watches were reported to be a£230,000 Richard Mille timepiece, a £40,000 Rolex Daytona and a£35,000 Rolex Day Date. Mahrez, 29, was said to not have been athome when the o�enders used a key fob to access his apartment andthree others in the Manchester city centre block on April 24. The
Sun quoted a letter sent to residents which read: “Four apartmentswere accessed withoutauthority using a fobwhich had general accessthroughout the building.The fob in question isnow in our possession,has been fully deactivated and cannot be usedagain.” The robbery continued an alarming sequence of Premier Leaguestars being targeted bythieves.
I’ve always been one to want a fair
contest between bat and ball, so if
that’s taken away, even as a batter I
don’t think that’s great. Whether
they can �nd other ways with cer
tain things, it’ll be hard. I actually
spit on my hands most balls and
that’s how I get grip and stu�. So
that might take some adjusting to
certain things like that, but that’s
something for the ICC to �gure out
what they want to do going forward
and di�erent regulations.
– Australia batsman Steve Smith on the pro
posed ban on the use of saliva on cricket balls.
❝
❝
Roger Federer highest-paid global athlete
Roger Federer topped
the 2020 Forbes magazine listof highestpaid global athletes announced on May 29,leading the lineup for the�rst time with pretax earnings of $106.3 million (€95.5million). The Swiss tennis legend, a men’s record 20timeGrand Slam singles champion, becomes the �rst playerfrom his sport atop the annual list since its 1990 debut,rising from �fth in 2019. Federer’s haul over the past 12 months included $100 million fromappearances fees and endorsement deals plus $6.3 million in prizemoney. His previous best showing was second in 2013. The ongoingcoronavirus pandemic that shut down sports worldwide caused the�rst decline since 2016 in the total income of the world’s 100 toppaidathletes, a 9 percent dip from last year to $3.6 billion. Another plungeis expected next year from the shutdown. Portuguese football starCristiano Ronaldo was second on the list at $105 million, $60 millionin salary and $45 million from endorsements, with Argentine footballhero Lionel Messi third on $104 million, $32 million of that fromsponsorship deals. Messi and Ronaldo, who have traded the top spotthree of the past four years, saw their combined incomes dip $28million from last year due to salary cuts when European clubs haltedplay in March.
SPORTSTAR JUNE 13, 2020 5
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Pigeon racing beats snooker to the startline in England
Pigeon racing beat snooker and horse racing to be the�rst sport to return following the easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions in England. Sport has been shut down sinceMarch but the British government approved the return ofdomestic competitive action behind closed doors from June 1.Premier League football is scheduled to restart on June 17 whilecricket chiefs still hope to stage a full international programmeduring the English summer. But pigeon racing will have a briefmoment in the spotlight. More than 4,000 birds belonging tomembers of the Barnsley Federation of Racing Pigeons in thenorth of England were released from a park ahead of a 90milesprint. Meanwhile, reigning world champion Judd Trumplaunched snooker’s return behind closed doors in the openingmatch of the Championship League. The televised tournament,taking place in the English city of Milton Keynes, was the �rstevent since the Gibraltar Open in March. Trump described in atweet how he had been tested for coronavirus before the event:“Arrived in Milton Keynes test done hopefully all clear foraction tomorrow... swab up the nose is not enjoyable at allenjoy that everyone.”
Women’s Bundesligaresumes
After the men’s Bundesliga resumed in Germany on May 16, the women’s top �ight was back in action on May29 across the country, with defendingchampion Wolfsburg facing Koln, and 1.FFC Frankfurt taking on Sand. The foundation for the resumption was the hygieneconcept created by the “sport medicine/special match operations task force” thatwas drawn up jointly by the German Football Association (DFB) and the GermanFootball League (DFL) to ensure strict hygiene guidelines and continuous testingand monitoring, among other measures.The season’s �nal round of �xtures isplanned for June 28. In addition, the Women’s DFB Cup also started up again.
Austria to stage F1 season-opener in July
Formula One’s truncated coronavirushit season will �nally get underway with theAustrian Grand Prix on July 5, with the Red BullRing hosting a second race the weekend after.“The two Formula One races on July 5 and 12 atSpielberg will be staged without spectators,”said Austrian health minister Rudolf Anschober. Austria's Red Bull Ring and Britain'sSilverstone circuit will each host two grandsprix without spectators on an initial eight raceFormula One calendar published on June 2.Austria's races start the season on July 5 and 12 and will be called the Austrian Grand Prix and the Grand Prixof Steiermark (Styria), the region in which the circuit at Spielberg is located. Silverstone will host the BritishGrand Prix on August 2 and the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix on August 9. The Hungarian Grand Prix will beon July 19 with races in Spain, Belgium and Italy on August 16 and 30 and September 6, respectively. TheFormula One season was unable to start in Australia in March as planned due to the COVID19 pandemic.
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CRICKET
Faiz Fazal (Vidarbha)When I think about the future, I don’t �nd an answer to whencricket will resume again. Right now, it is very risky to step out andtrain. It’s a very dangerous phase and we should not be careless inour approach. Ultimately, human lives are very important andthat’s the priority now. No matter how much protection you take, itmay be di�cult to tackle the virus. It is important to stay at homeand build your immunity. We are having training sessions at homevia Zoom app and will continue doing that for now.
Shreevats Goswami (Bengal/Sunrisers Hyderabad)Hopefully, the situation post the monsoon will improve and wewill reach a point where the players can go out and train. In thisuncertain scenario, the scheduling of domestic season needs to belooked into as well. Some reports suggest the IPL (Indian PremierLeague) could be held in SeptemberOctober, in which case thedomestic season will be pushed back anyway. That said, there aretoo many variables at play, interstate travelling being a majorchallenge. Sometimes we play Ranji matches at these far�ung
venues where ensuring norms of social distancing can be quite a task. Then there areconcerns about hygiene, sanitising our hotels and kits. All these need to be taken intoconsideration.
Riyan Parag (Assam/Rajasthan Royals)Personally, I will let it settle down. We had a few cases in Guwahatirecently, so I would like to stay indoors till it’s all safe. Safety is theutmost concern. We live in a �at, and there is some space, so I cando some exercises and other training. At this point, it’s about howmentally tough you are.
Sarfaraz Khan (Mumbai/Kings XI Punjab)It feels good to know that stadiums are opening. The BCCI (Boardof Control for Cricket in India) is our parent and whenever theyannounce that training or matches can start, we will gain motivation and do so. Cricket or any sport starting will be a positive sign.As of now, I am in my maternal home in Chhatarpur village in UttarPradesh and I can’t travel. There are agricultural �elds here. I doone day of longdistance running followed by a shortdistanceone, then agility and weight training with the help of my father.
Wary of returning to outdoor trainingThe central ministry of home a�airs (MHA) has given goahead to the
reopening of sports stadiums without spectators. This allows elite athletes,
many of who are stuck in their hostel rooms at various Sports Authority of
India (SAI) centres across the country, to resume their practice and workouts.
The athletes have been restricted since midMarch when the nation went into
lockdown mode because of the coronavirus pandemic. Sportstar speaks to
top athletes across disciplines to �nd out their views on resumption of
outdoor training.
SPORTSTAR JUNE 13, 2020 7
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FOOTBALL
Michael Soosairaj (ATK FC)I don’t feel it is the right time to train. There are so many peoplesu�ering and there will be a constant sense of fear at the back ofour minds and we won’t be able to train peacefully. Since it isanyway our o�season, I feel it is better to begin once the casesreduce.
Edwin Vanspaul (Chennaiyin FC)It’s a welcome directive. It’s been over two months since anyonehad any kind of activity. So this will be useful for both individualsports and team sports athletes, but only if it’s done with the rightprecautions and guidelines. I am in the o�season now and training at a ground near my home. In the morning, I am working outbetween 6am and 7am. I am doing ball exercises and powerworkouts.
Anirudh Thapa (Chennaiyin FC)It is a welcome gesture. I am sure all the necessary precautions arebeing taken by the government and management at di�erentsports complexes. Keeping that in mind, I am open to the idea ofgoing out to train, of course while maintaining all the guidelinesfor personal safety. I think the authorities are leaving no stoneunturned to contain the virus and create a safe environment for thecitizens.
Nivetha R., (coach, Tamil Nadu women’s football team)The MHA has made this provision for athletes heading to international competitions, like the Olympics, for example. It is directedmore at individual athletes. This isn’t suitable for team sports andhence has created some confusion. Many think that stadiums arebeing opened so things will go back to older routines. That isn’t thecase though. We can handle �tness at home because some kind ofminimum training equipment will be there, but it won’t help themgive their 100 percent. So this call is to give them an environment
to get back to full potential. We are staying put as we don’t have directives yet. With the rateof infection still high, it will take some time and a lot of planning to get back.
BOXING
Ashish KumarStaying at home and training was di�cult because the facilitiesand equipment aren’t as good. The training camp idea andopening up facilities for us is a good idea but only if we follow therules put in place for our safety. Our preparation at home is nevergoing to be as good as the one in a camp and so I think it’s a goodidea.
Amit PanghalThe focus will be more on the skill aspect as individually we weretraining on �tness during the lockdown. Also, the con�dence willbe less owing to the nature of the pandemic, but I am sure we will�nd our way back. I think the camp will start after May 31 either atSAI Rohtak or SAI Sonipat. We are awaiting o�cial con�rmation.
8 JUNE 13, 2020 SPORTSTAR
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Prajnesh GunneswaranThe moment any of the tennis courts open I will start practice... The tennis court is prettyopen and there aren’t going to be many people on the court and it should be �ne. I will trymy best not to touch my face while playing and use a sweatband instead. There’s only somuch I can do to prevent it. When I go to the supermarket, I don’t think it’s less risky thangoing to a tennis court. After a point, I guess we just have to hope we don’t get it and try tobe safe and go forward and resume regular activities as much as possible.
TABLE TENNIS
Ayhika MukherjeeAll of us, of course, are going through a very rough phase. I wouldn’t choose to go out topractise in the current situation. I’d rather stay home, follow the government guidelinesand continue working on my mental and physical �tness.
Archana KamathThere is some amount of fear, but I think that’s normal. Having said that, just like all theother athletes, I am also itching to get back to playing and training. But assessing thesituation is equally important. In the end, whatever the seniors and the federation decide,I will go by that. They know much better.
Sanil ShettyWe got an email from the federation (Table Tennis Federation ofIndia) whereby they have enlisted eight names. The federationhas asked for our thoughts on the training camp, which may start
from the end of May. I feel it’s too early to start. While travelling, I would constantly havethe fear of falling ill or contracting the virus. Most players have managed to arrange fortraining from home for the next two months. If there’s no vaccine, there’s always a chance(of falling sick), irrespective of the precautions you take.
WRESTLING
Bajrang PuniaI welcome the government’s decision. The Olympics are coming up and this decision hasbeen taken keeping that in mind. As athletes, coaches and volunteers, we have a collectiveresponsibility to be safe and responsible in public. We will know what kind of precautionsand arrangements the government has made only when we get there and see it ourselves.
Jinson JohnsonWe haven’t received any o�cial statement as of now and we will only start once we get theorders. I will start slowly and won’t push too hard as acclimatisation will be the key here.Moreover, social distancing is a must and masks have already become the norm. It will beinteresting how we train outdoors. We will follow all the guidelines strictly.
Muhammed AnasFitnesswise, it won’t matter much as we are already doing our training. The only di�erence is that we will be able totrain under guidance of our coach Galina Bukharina and will be able to run on the track, which is very importantonce proper training starts. We need to be on the track. At NIS (National Institute of Sport) Patiala, we are in a safe
TENNIS
ATHLETICS
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SPORTSTAR JUNE 13, 2020 9
environment as they are following all rules to protect us. We are maintaining our �tness inthe given space available inside the hostel campus and are looking forward to train on thetrack.
M. R. PoovammaWe are already training in a lawn and the only di�erence is therewill be a coach, which will be good. Having said that, we will stickto the guidelines and maintain social distancing. Except for theexchange of the baton, I don’t feel there will be a major issue. There is time for the Olympicquali�ers and also for the Asian Championships. So we will train individually and take ameasured approach.
PARA-ATHLETICS
Ekta BhyanWe are yet to receive an SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) regarding the trainingprotocol for paraathletes. So we’re going to wait. We are dependent on assistance and weneed arrangements to be made if we’re allowed to head out to stadiums to train. Mydependence on my assisted device – my wheelchair – puts me and others like me at higherrisk because keeping surfaces clean and virusfree, especially when we’re dependent onothers, is hard. Our dependence also makes it hard to maintain social distancing properly.Add to that, those with spinal injuries come with impaired respiratory systems and thatmakes us more vulnerable to this virus. I hope these are considered when a protocol isdevised for us.
SHOOTING
Divyansh Singh PanwarTo be honest, I was waiting for this decision for quite some days now, so that I couldpractise properly. Although we had a makeshift range set up at coach Deepak (KumarDubey) sir’s apartment, I must say that shooting at an international range, where all thebig competitions are organised, gives you a di�erent kind of energy and con�dence. No, Iam not hesitant to train during the pandemic. If international events begin shortly, I willsurely take part, given the fact that we have already missed some major tournamentsbecause of the COVID19 pandemic.
Manu BhakerFor now, I am not looking to take part in any outdoor training sessions. I am alreadytraining at my makeshift range at home, so there’s no point venturing out. However, ifinternational events resume, I will surely be participating in those. That said, if possible,till the whole COVID graph �attens out, I would like to keep away from any type of camps.
BASKETBALL
Vishesh BhriguvanshiI would like to go back to training only when I am assured that it’s safe to do so. I will goevery day if I have a secure place. It’s di�cult to go into a public space now. I would like toget some training done because it’s been two months without basketball. Whatever thegovernment is saying regarding guidelines is di�cult for basketball since it comes underBcategory sports. They said, only 810 players can practise and only 23 players can playtogether. It will be di�cult for coaches to manage as well considering our sport is a teamgame. When I came to Dehradun, I didn’t know the lockdown was going to happen and I
didn’t even have a treadmill at home.
JSHAYAN ACHARYA, WRIDDHAAYAN BHATTACHARYYA, V. S. ARAVIND, SANTADEEP DEY, SHIVANSH GUPTA,
AASHIN PRASAD, SHYAM VASUDEVAN, LAVANYA LAKSHMI NARAYANAN & AYAN ACHARYA
It’s been more than two months since international cricket across the world stoppeddue to the COVID19 pandemic, and many
of those involved with the game are starvedfor some live action. Recently, the International Cricket Council released its ‘back tocricket’ guidelines for a phased return. Is ittime for a restart?
Sportstar spoke to players, coaches, administrators, franchise owners, umpires andbroadcasters for their thoughts on a newbeginning.
PLAYERSNavdeep Saini (Fast bowler, India and
Delhi)
I haven’t thought about this at all. Whencricket resumes and if there are new rules forbowlers to make the ball shine, I will thinkabout it then. As of now, I don’t know how togo about this. It will be important to see whatelse you can do to make the ball shine.
It is a part of the game and the ball willonly talk if there is shine. Shine karne se hi
ball kuch na kuch harkat karti hai, agar ball
harkat nahi karegi, to mushkil rahega bowler ke
liye (the ball performs at its best when thereis shine, if it doesn’t then it is a problem).
Faiz Fazal (Batsman, India and
Vidarbha)
When I think about the future, I don’t�nd an answer to when cricket will resumeagain. Right now, it is very risky to step outand train. It’s a very dangerous phase and weshould not be careless in our approach. Ultimately, human lives are very important andthat’s the priority now. No matter how muchprotection you take, it may be di�cult totackle the virus, so the risk remains. It isimportant to stay at home and build yourimmunity. For now, we are having trainingsessions at home via Zoom app and will continue doing that for now.
There are a lot of factors involved in it,and it is important that we take time to approach it. There will be fear for sure, so weneed to take things slow and reactaccordingly.
COACHESDav Whatmore (Coach and director of
Cricket, Baroda)
It will be the objective of everyone torestart as soon as possible. That would probably mean playing matches without peoplewatching them. That also means, cricket inIndia could have a tighter schedule with alesser number of games in each of the
Getting back to cricket... when and how? Players,
coaches,
administrators,
franchise
owners,
umpires and
broadcasters
share their
thoughts on a
new
beginning.
Million dollar question: Can live cricket action begin with no spectators in the stadium? AP
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formats, especially the Ranji Trophy. If theIPL (Indian Premier League) is conducted inSeptemberOctober, then there is less timefor normal season. It will be compressed inthree formats. Exactly how will it play up isup to the parent body (Board of Control forCricket in India, or BCCI) to decide. Withrespect to international cricket, the ICC has arole to play, perhaps revisiting the FTP (Future Tours Programme). At the moment,there are a number of series that has beencancelled or postponed, and there are someseries coming up. The Twenty20 World Cupis an important tournament for all the countries, so that could be deferred until nextyear. That’s up to the ICC.
But international cricket may have to beplayed without too much of a crowd.
Coaching, I don’t think, will have thatmuch of a di�erence. You would still try andtrain and play. It’s just that you have to besafe depending on the conditions. You havegot to come up with the tactics.
Chandrakant Pandit (Coach, Madhya
Pradesh)
What is the priority at the moment? Ithink it is human health and their lives. It isfor every country. We have to acceptwhatever guidelines come our way. I don’tknow how you can prevent this. Everybody iskeeping the health of people at the forefront.As long as we �ght COVID19, we should takeprecautions.
There can be changes in cricket. The advantages the bowlers got earlier were wellwithin the rules of the game. But now, if wehave to think about the rules and avoid theother precautions, it may not be advisable. Ifwe don’t follow the rules, a cricketer cancontact coronavirus, which will be worse.And these rules could be temporary.
It is not only a problem for the sportsfraternity, it is a problem for all. Everybody issu�ering due to the virus.
As and when the government permits us,we will go in full swing. But there will betravel restrictions. Social distancing is essential now. If 25 cricketers are going to betogether, it should not a�ect them andcricket should not be over. If not today, thentomorrow, we all can enjoy cricket but at themoment, living is more important to us.
We will win the battle.
ADMINISTRATORSSanjay Jagdale (Former BCCI secretary
and selector)
It is di�cult to say what changes may
happen in cricket now. It all depends onwhether a vaccine is found for COVID19.There should be some new development.
There are, of course, going to be changes.It is hard to assess what is going to happen tothe virus. Even the scientists are not sure asto what can stop the pandemic. A lot ofpeople are saying it is going to be with us butthere should be some treatment. We mayneed to wait longer to reach a decision regarding cricket.
People have misused the cricket ball before, even before saliva was used to swing theball. I know it will be di�cult for the bowlersbut there can be alternatives. You can help afast bowler by making changes to the ball ordepending on what type of wickets youprovide. These are other ways to keep thegame fair and strike a balance between bats
PlayerSpeak:
“When cricket
resumes and if
there are new rules
for bowlers to
make the ball
shine, I will think
about it then. As of
now, I don’t know
how to go about
this. It will be
important to see
what else you can
do to make the
ball shine,” says
India pacer
Navdeep Saini. AFP
12 JUNE 13, 2020 SPORTSTAR
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men and bowlers.Arun Dhumal (Treasurer, BCCI)
It is indeed challenging because thisphase has come out of the blue. This is alearning for all of us on how to cope with thechallenge and see to it that we give our 100per cent (despite the odds). Be it for theplayers, for the sta� — everybody is workingon a strategy on how to go about it so thatthings are �ne when cricket resumes.
The BCCI will also be in a di�cult position in case cricket does not resume fast,especially the Indian Premier League. In thatcase, the BCCI will also have to face a lot of�nancial hardships. It would de�nitely havea spiralling e�ect. It is not rocket science tounderstand. In case the BCCI is in a problem,the State associations will also be facing theproblems. We can only distribute somethingto the cricket bodies when [funds] are comingto the BCCI.
All the boards are feeling the heat. Oncethings settle down, everybody needs to sitacross the drawing board once again and redraw strategies on how to can cope with thesituation. The BCCI will de�nitely dowhatever possible to help world cricket at
large because if cricket has to survive, thenthe BCCI will have a role to play and wewould like to do our bit so that there is competitive cricket.
Wasim Khan (Chief executive,
Pakistan Cricket Board)
There are two key fundamental challenges. One is �nance, which I think administrators across all the cricket boards willhave to meticulously manage and there willbe a lot of contingency planning going onbehind the scenes, with the ‘worst case, whatif’ scenarios.
Secondly, it will be about reschedulingbilateral cricket with all the postponed seriesthat will happen. Clearly, there will be abacklog, and it is up to us to work our waythrough all of that. We are all committed todo it, it is about working in solidarity and�nding a collective solution.
At this point of time, the players and allthe stakeholders need to be givencon�dence.
FRANCHISE OWNERSVenky Mysore (CEO and managing dir-
ector, Kolkata Knight Riders)
The key point to be remembered is thatlive entertainment is going to be in greatdemand. Sports is the best thing here —cricket in particular in Indian context. Now,under the current situation, live entertainment is something that you can only enjoy onyour television and digitally. What’s the endgame with this? Until the vaccine comes out,this is going to be the scene.
But we are in a category which is not onlyin great demand but it’s going to continue tobe even more premium than anything. Itmight take two years to get a vaccine forCOVID19. So what happens between nowand that period? How do you manage? Thebottom line is with all this, the thought process and innovation has to come in as to howyou prepare for the short run and also for thelong run.
The shortrun situation is where you cancome up with creative ideas and leverage itwith technology to be able to give the fans asmuch enjoyment, happiness and ful�lmentas you can within the limitations. I see it as athree part thing — how to manage in shortrun, how do you push it to medium run andhow do you position yourself for the longrun? That’s my thought process around it.
The team that we have is always together.We are not an event management company,we are a franchise which is professionally run
CoachSpeak:
“Coaching, I don’t
think, will have
that much of a
di�erence. You
would still try and
train and play. It’s
just that you have
to be safe
depending on the
conditions. You got
to come up with
the tactics,” says
Dav Whatmore,
Baroda’s coach.
M. VEDHAN
SPORTSTAR JUNE 13, 2020 13
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and there are people who work round theyear. Certain franchises put the team together only to stage the tournament. Theproblem with that is you are putting togethera show only for that period, so you are notdoing anything. We built our franchises ontwo pillars — brand and fan base. If you wantto build your brand, you need to workthroughout the year, that’s how the brandbecomes more valuable and you get apremium and other brands associate withyou. When it comes to the fan base, that issomething which is going to be with you. Soduring this time, even though they will bedisappointed not being able to come to EdenGardens and watch us live, we will have ourways of engaging them.
In times of COVID19, you have to lookafter the health and safety of players. Youhave to be innovative too. Suppose you holdit in a city like Mumbai where there are fourgrounds and teams have their own hotels,which are completely sanitised, and havetwo buses each. That’s one model.
In 2014, we went to the UAE (United ArabEmirates) for one leg of the tournament.There were three grounds, separate hotels,there were restricted movements — that’sgoing to be the thought process now: how doyou contain this? The risk needs to be managed to run the robust tournament.
People ask if foreigners don’t come whatwill you do? Look, that’s not even an option.The strength of IPL is the fact that it’s amarquee product which is of internationalquality and that’s caught the imagination ofpublic over 12 seasons. You don’t want totinker with that. It’s the combination of Indians and foreigners that makes the tournament exciting. That draws people to thestadium and draws people towards television. So, you cannot tinker with that. Weneed to take all the precaution and workthrough it.
Salman Iqbal (Pakistan Super League
team owner, Karachi Kings)
As an investor, as a cricket team franchise owner, you want crowd in the stands.But realistically, as a fan, you just need to seecricket now. We are tired of watching the oldgames. At this stage, we are even ready tohave cricket in empty stadiums, because thegame has to begin. If we go with the theorythat there won’t be any cricket until fanscome in, then it will take us at least a yearfrom now to attain normalcy.
If fans don’t come in, we will lose a lot ofmoney and there is no doubt about it. But all
the industries — cricket, television — aretaking a hit. It’s an issue worldwide. Theworld post the pandemic will be di�erent andthere will be a lot of �nancial changes. Ifsomebody is spending a dollar a day now,he/she will have to cut it down to �fty cents.That’s where savings will be important and Iam sure, all the boards — including thePakistan Cricket Board — will come up with�nancial solutions. If they keep charging usall the money, as it was before the pandemic,then that’s not a way. Post COVID19, thewhole scenario changes, television viewership will improve, but it is important for theBoards to ensure that the leagues are nothurt.
The boards will have to let us know howthings will a�ect. If there is no instadiaactivity, then that budget will change. Sobasically, the whole �nancial aspect willchange. If the owners and Boards take a hit,then player salary may also be hit, unless wecome up with a new way of making money.We have to �nd ways to survive and alsosustain.
UMPIRESShavir Tarapore
It’ll be interesting to see how the TVaudience warms up to player celebrationswith physical distancing. Everyone is watching so much TV now, whether it is cricket,
AdminSpeak: “All
the boards are
feeling the heat.
Once things settle
down, everybody
needs to sit across
the drawing board
once again and
redraw strategies
on how to can
cope with the
situation. The BCCI
will de�nitely do
whatever possible
to help world
cricket at large
because if cricket
has to survive,
then BCCI will have
a role to play and
we would like to
do our bit so that
there is
competitive
cricket,” says BCCI
treasurer Arun
Dhumal. AFP
14 JUNE 13, 2020 SPORTSTAR
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football, hockey... in cricket, for instance,maximum celebrations take place when awicket falls. Television’s dominion over thegame has a lot to do with the drama and rawemotion the sport evokes on the �eld. Howthe authorities get the balance right is something worth looking forward to. In the foreseeable future though, playing in front ofempty stands may not be economically viable for the game.
Today, you may say 6070 percent revenue comes from the television rights, butticket sales matter just as much. That’swhere those running the sport and individualassociations come in. It has to be a holistice�ort.
Shining the ball with saliva or sweat isanother aspect that needs to be looked into.Say under the new guidelines, it is decidedthat bowlers can only use an arti�cial substance like wax to facilitate swing bowling,under strict supervision of the umpires. Youcan’t just expect fast bowlers to arrive andimmediately get used to the alternativemethods... Using saliva or sweat is a habitand you can’t control it easily.
Plus, a ball exchanges hands throughoutthe day. How do you deal with that then?What happens if a bowler applies salivaonce? Do you change the ball? In the event it
keeps happening intermittently, do you keepchanging the ball or come up with some sortof a penalty? These are all factors that needto be considered, moving forward.
Grassroots cricket is an important stakeholder in all this. Ensuring safety precautions around physical distancing and use ofarti�cial substances are implemented properly is paramount. These are all young kids,who, in their youthful exuberance, can tendto overlook these important measures. Whatdo we do then? Therefore, any signi�cantoverhaul in the rules needs to be a wellthoughtout plan.
Vinayak Kulkarni
When cricket can resume depends onwhether we want to have public cricket (withspectators at venues) or private cricket.Private cricket can resume after a month orso when things are relaxed, when people cancommute. If you want to go public, �ngerscrossed, don’t know, because we can’t say wecan have only 100 spectators. Then it’s not agame.
One argument you can make is that I canbeam it on TV, you can sit in the house andsee. The purists of the game will still go to thestadium.
But as far as [the issue of] saliva beingused [is concerned], and players’ sweaters[being handed over to the umpires], theremay be certain changes. In fact, a lot ofthings are written on that, whether umpireswill hold the caps and sweaters. If you seesome of the grounds, behind the wicketkeeper there’s a box to keep the �elders’helmets. Like that, you can keep a box whereyou can keep the cap and sweater also, and ifmore than one person has to keep you canhave plastic bags for each individual.
[To ascertain the alternative to] usingsaliva on the ball, manufacturers have to sittogether and decide. It’s not hygienic.
It will be di�cult to start with but as thedays pass, [bowlers can adapt to it]. But inlocal matches, it has been tried. People say,‘use these Poppins, or mints’. We allowedo�cially to use mint, i.e, we allowed them tobe applied on the ball. Nothing happened.Unless you have the skill, these minor thingswon’t make a lot of di�erence. But at thehighest level, people have the skills. It maymake a di�erence.
The most important thing is keeping theshine on the ball. [Players] are not [riskingcontracting coronavirus any other way] ascricket is not a contact sport, except whenshaking hands, which can easily be stopped.
OwnerSpeak:
“Under the current
situation, live
entertainment is
something that
you can only enjoy
on your television
and digitally.
What’s the end
game with this?
Until the vaccine
comes out, this is
going to be the
scene,” says Venky
Mysore, CEO and
managing director,
Kolkata Knight
Riders. RAJEEV BHATT
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The ball is thrown from one end to the other.So, if your hand is clean, and if you get to apoint where at every drinks break, everybodyshould wash their hands, that can take careof it. Next is only keeping the shine on theball. For that, now we’re using sweat andsaliva. You �nd out some other substance, itcan be an extraneous substance, having thesame properties. Then it wouldn’t make anydi�erence. Now the argument may be thatthe saliva which we apply, the availability ofit is limited in quantity. Maybe some less,some more. But ultimate quantity is limited.So you provide the same quantity of extraneous substance which can take care ofthese things. We can do the chemical analysis of sweat, we can do the chemical analysis of the saliva.
If you play in a closed stadium, wherelimited number of spectators are let in, theymaintain the distance, and players do notcome anywhere near them, or no spectatorcomes near them, then there’s no problem[in restarting cricket]. But if you have like inIndian stadiums where people come inhordes, then we will have to wait for a longertime. One person with COVID19 may be thespoilsport for all. Players can be safe becausea separate enclosure is there, rooms are separate. Even now no player goes near a spectator unless he wants to give an autograph or
he wants to mingle.There will be restrictions. It will be like a
family of 15 moving around for three monthswhere nobody goes and mingles with somebody else and comes back.
Cricket can resume. But what is our ultimate motto, just to play or promote? If I’mpromoting it, how do I promote? I want topromote remotely or physically also?Cricket, of course, will not stop, it’ll move on.
As umpires, we only facilitate. We willwelcome that, any resumption of cricket, wewelcome it. As of now, we don’t come incontact with many people. May be a catererwho comes into the dressing room or a captain, to talk. Otherwise, where do we comeinto contact with players? We do maintain adistance. The only thing is, when 40,000people are watching, I may raise a bar; thatwill be absent, so I’ll have to look at something else to raise my bar.
BROADCASTERSMatt Weiss (GM, Fox Cricket)
It’s going to be di�cult and we will needto be guided by our federal state governments on that in the �rst instance.
There are a lot of moving parts depending on the T20 World Cup scheduled in October. Then, at Fox Cricket, we need to scheduleour summer from there. Our contract with
UmpireSpeak: “Any
signi�cant
overhaul in the
rules needs to be a
wellthoughtout
plan,” says noted
umpire Shavir
Tarapore.
K. GOPINATHAN
16 JUNE 13, 2020 SPORTSTAR
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CA (Cricket Australia) is a close working relationship — we are great partners and I can’tsee COVID19 having any impact on our existing contract moving forward. As a subscription based model, we can wait forcricket to return. That and our football codeswill be a great boost after a tough period forall sports broadcasters.
India arriving for summer would be another terri�c series and we can’t wait for thatto happen. Crowd or no crowd, we can broadcast, to a world starved of sport, the clash oftwo great nations. Being winter season, thecricket channel itself is always lower at thistime of year. Having said that, we hadlaunched ‘A Week with Warnie’ featuring sixhalfhour interviews with an icon of thegame done by one of the best interviewers,Mark Howard. Shane helped make the seriesoutside his contract with us to help Fox
Sports at this tough time — to provide somegreat content for our subscribers. That’s whyhe is a team player and a legend.
Sam Balsara (Chairman, Madison
World)
Indians are more adaptable than others.If Germany, which loves football as much asIndia loves cricket, can play football in emptystadiums, so can we play cricket in emptystadiums. Anyway most of the “commerce”is related to television rather than spectatorsin stadiums. The earliest cricket can resumeon television is in September, because itstarts raining from June to August and lots of
pitches across the country are relaid at thistime. If you see generally in Test cricket, anyways there is very limited crowd on weekdaysin India, and even less abroad. Also, domestic cricket in India is played in nearempty stadiums. Still, cricket is played verycompetitively. It will be good to add someinnovations like crowd stimulation soundsand VR screens where fans can interact. I amsure cricket will still generate interestamongst fans, especially in times like todaywhen fans are starving for live action.
While getting fans to the stadiums will bea challenge till the time a vaccine is found,the organisers and broadcasters will have tothink of ways and means to get more interactions between the cricketers and the fans.There may be instances when fans interactwith cricketers while playing, get VR screensput up in stadiums with faces of fans cheering from their homes being telecast on it.Also, one can simulate the sounds of fanscheering when a wicket falls, or a four or a sixis hit, etc.
I think the priority for the board will be tohold the IPL and bilateral series. This is because it will be more controlled with limitedplayers coming in from abroad and matchesbeing in select venues. As viewers arestarving for new content, live cricketmatches besides the IPL will also generatehuge ratings. •
JSHAYAN ACHARYA, ABHISHEK MUKHERJEE,
WRIDDHAAYAN BHATTACHARYYA & AYAN ACHARYA
BroadcasterSpeak:
“I think the priority
for the board will
be to hold the IPL
and bilateral
series. This is
because it will be
more controlled
with limited
players coming in
from abroad and
matches being in
select venues. As
viewers are
starving for new
content, live
cricket matches
besides the IPL will
also generate huge
ratings,” says Sam
Balsara, chairman,
Madison World.
SHASHI ASHIWAL
SPORTSTAR JUNE 13, 2020 17
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The Badminton World Federation (BWF)has issued a revised list of events as itattempts to restart tournaments follow
ing their suspension because of the globalcoronavirus outbreak, but the parents ofsome of India’s top players feel there areissues with regard of implementation ofsafety guidelines.
P. V. Ramana, the father of world champion P. V. Sindhu, said it would be better tohave separate training camps for the country’s Olympic hopefuls and not for all theplayers as has been the case so far.
“That way, a lot of management issuescan be easily sorted out to the convenienceof one and all. De�nitely I am terribly worried about the health of any player. It is notjust about Sindhu alone. After all, most ofthem are sacri�cing so much for the country’s pride,” said Ramana, and Arjuna Awardwinner and former international volleyballplayer.
He also feels the physiotherapist needsto get sanitised “every time he attends to adi�erent player, and of course a mask andgloves are compulsory. A physical trainerhas to maintain a distance to guide the players. And the coaches too cannot move too
closely and have to make their points from adistance,” he said, adding, “More importantly, there are many minor issues like thebenches where the players rest betweentraining being sanitised frequently.”
“And, again, serious doubts do arise as tohow long it will take for a player to peak inthis changed training schedule,” Ramanasaid.
Krishna Reddy, the father of doubles international N. Sikki Reddy, feels doublestraining needs a serious thought to avoidovercrowding at training venues.
“The guidelines may look comforting,but they would de�nitely mean the playershave to adapt to a di�erent kind of trainingschedule, which may take a long time forthem to adjust to,” he said.
Chief national badminton coach P.Gopichand said safety measures will be implemented as the players’ health is of utmostimportance. “There is no way we are going tobe complacent. We will follow the guidelinesin letter and spirit for we are conscious of thehuge responsibility on us,” he said.
“Obviously, no one wants to be in a spotfor any untoward development in this regard,” he added. •
Parents call for changes
The parents of
some of India’s
top badminton
players feel
there are
issues with
regard of
implementation
of safety
guidelines.
Keeping them
apart: P. V.
Ramana, the father
of world champion
P. V. Sindhu, said it
would be better to
have separate
training camps for
the country’s
Olympic hopefuls
and not for all the
players as has
been the case so
far.
V. V. SUBRAHMANYAM
V. V. SUBRAHMANYAM
18 JUNE 13, 2020 SPORTSTAR
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India’s top table tennis players are apprehensive about travelling for trainingcamps even as the national federation at
tempts to resume sporting activity abouttwo months after the global coronavirusoutbreak brought sports to a halt.
The Table Tennis Federation of India(TTFI) reached out to the country’s top paddlers for their approval to organise a 10daytraining camp in June and emailed the players sharing the details of how it plans toconduct the camp.
“I am sending it (the email) with thegovernment SOP (Standard Operating Procedure). The government had given usguidelines on sanitisation, social distancingand other preventive measures. But ourguidelines will be more extensive andcamprelated,” said M. P. Singh, secretarygeneral of the TTFI.
Singh said the TTFI is considering conducting the camp in the second half of June,
with Patiala, Chennai, Kolkata, Sonepat andNew Delhi among the options for hosting it.
“Kolkata looks di�cult because of thehavoc wreaked by Cyclone Amphan recently. We will have to check if S. Raman’sfacility (in Chennai) will be able to accommodate 1820 players, including coaches,while maintaining sanitisation and socialdistancing. There is a school in New Delhiwhich has an airconditioned facility, sothat’s an option as well,” Singh said.
The plan will be executed only after theplayers’ approval and in complete coordination with the central and state governments, said the TTFI secretary general,adding that safety and health will be thepriorities.
“Two camps, for male and female players, will be conducted at the same venue butat di�erent timings. A maximum of 10 players along with a coach will train together atany given point,” Singh said. “The morning
Paddlers apprehensive about camp
The Table
Tennis
Federation of
India has
reached out
to the
country’s top
paddlers for
their
approval to
organise a
10day
training
camp.
Getting there:
World No. 31 A.
Sharath Kamal
(left) and No.
32 G. Sathiyan
both raised
concerns about
flights at this
time.
GETTY IMAGES
SHIVANSH GUPTA
and the evening sessions will have twothreehour slots, one each for male and female players. Between each session, sanitisation will take place. We will maintainsocial distancing and follow all theguidelines strictly at all times. Everyone willhave separate rooms and toilets.”
Singh added that there was a possibilityof conducting separate camps for men andwomen on di�erent dates.
World No. 31 A. Sharath Kamal said hewas happy with the TTFI’s proactive response to the coronavirusforced lockdown,but he had his reservations about travelling,especially with the uncertainty loomingover �ight schedules. “Yes, the �ights havestarted, but a lot of them are still beingcancelled. A lot of doubts are yet to becleared. Moreover, it’s not only about thesafety of the players. We also need to keep inmind the safety of the cleaners, the cooksand the maintenance sta� at the facility.”
G. Sathiyan, the world No. 32, hopes thecamp happens in his home town Chennai,but he too is doubtful whether players fromdi�erent states will be able to travel. “Thecamp is not an issue, but let the �ightsoperate more regularly. The routes are currently very limited and most states have setup quarantine rules. A lot still needs to beworked out, so I am not entirely sure I wouldwant to travel,” he said.
Surat’s Harmeet Desai, who is also apprehensive about travelling, said he willconsult his teammates before deciding. “Iwill also consult with my family before arriving at a decision. I don’t think the problem is staying in the facility at training. Therisk lies while travelling, meeting and interacting with others. A lot of players will comefrom di�erent parts of the country.”
The TTFI email listing the guidelinesfollowed up its mail to top players on May 18for their opinion on conducting the camp. •
Risk of contact:
Harmeet Desai,
who is also
apprehensive
about travelling,
said he will consult
his teammates
before deciding.
BISWARANJAN ROUT
20 JUNE 13, 2020 SPORTSTAR
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The hands that once held the hockey stick�rmly, guiding the ball, caressing orslamming it, leaving his opponents
chasing his shadow, trembled to hold a penas he bravely tried to scribble his name.Giving an autograph seemed such an arduous task for Balbir Singh, who could onceproduce a goal from nowhere. His frail �gure was proof of the world having whizzedby, time leaving its mark on this wonderful
athlete who dazzled on the hockey �eld likenone other, with the glorious exception ofDhyan Chand.
Having watched neither in action, onecould only wistfully visualise the treat theymust have dished out to their fans. We couldfeast only on stories recounted by oldtimers. Polite to a fault, Balbir sported aninfectious smile. His warm hug created suchpositive vibes about a man who had spent
A champion...and an advocate for hope
Hattrick: Three
gold medals at the
Olympics — 1948
(London), 1952
(Helsinki) and 1956
(Melbourne) —
brought Balbir
Singh the status of
greatness as a
player. PTI
VIJAY LOKAPALLY
Balbir Singh was a kind soul who served Indian hockey with distinction and
remained its most loyal supporter even in times of acute distress.
SPORTSTAR JUNE 13, 2020 21
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his life helping fellow sportsmen, his upright character a testimony to the valuesthat underlined his commitment to his teamand nation.
Balbir also respected cricketers. Andcricketers respected the hockey star in return. Vijay Hazare had earned fame on thetour to Australia in 194748 with a centuryin each innings of the Adelaide Test againstDon Bradman’s team. Balbir would mentionHazare in our conversations but not a wordof his own dazzling role in India winning the1948 Olympic gold in London. His humilityrestrained him from making pompous references to his hockey feats.
He does write about the harsh treatmentmeted out to him at the London Olympics.He was twice dropped from the playing XIdespite scoring six goals against Argentinain his debut match of the Olympics. The�nal against host Great Britain was athriller. Kishan Lal and K. D. Singh “Babu”played barefoot after it rained. And Indiawon 40 after Balbir scored the �rst twogoals. The team was accorded a redcarpetwelcome in Bombay.
“Hockey was the only sport that gave the
country something of a ray of golden hope,something to shout about,” wrote Balbir.
The team was fêted by Prime MinisterJawaharlal Nehru and Balbir would oftenrecall those memorable days of hockey being the “darling sport” of the nation. It issaid that Balbir and “Flying Sikh” MilkhaSingh never required an appointment tomeet the prime minister. “It’s true. Wecould meet him at short notice. He lovedhockey,” Balbir told this writer once.
Hockey was hugely popular in Indiawhen Balbir was winning the hearts of hiscountrymen. He played fair and there wasan indefatigable spirit that marked hisgame. He was said to be the �ttest in theteam and had a penchant to come up withsome innovative streaks. Those whowatched him in action would recall his impeccable timing in releasing the ball. Hiscontrol of the ball was astonishing and itwas rare that he would lose possession.
It was memorable meeting this legend athis home in Chandigarh in February. Theplace was a virtual hockey museum and onebasically soaked in tales from India’s glorious domination of the game. He had clearly
Magician with the
stick: Balbir Singh
scores against
Great Britain in the
Olympic �nal at
Wembley Stadium
on August 12, 1948.
India won 40.
THE HINDU PHOTO
LIBRARY
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aged and his grandson Kabir was his meansof communication. The national flag in hisroom was a constant reminder of the mo-mentous occasion in London when he tookpride in “mastering” the master, Great Bri-tain. Independent India celebrated thehockey gold on English soil and he couldrelive every moment of that epic contestwith minute details.
His speech was a mumble. You had to sitclose because he had also become hard ofhearing. There was a time when he would, ina flash, hear a call for the ball amid the din ofspectators and unerringly find his partner.“Those were such lovely days,” the sparklein his eyes confirmed that he had dug deepinto the past to recall those magicalmoments.
Three gold medals at the Olympics —
1948 (London), 1952 (Helsinki) and 1956(Melbourne) — brought him the status ofgreatness as a player. In 1975, he was thecoach when India won the World Cup atKuala Lumpur. India has not won it since.
Balbir was emotionally attached to thegame. A hockey defeat would result in himgiving his meal a miss. Family members of-ten hid the news of India’s loss from him.The game was that dear to him. He was aninseparable part of hockey discussions inany era. Towards the end of his journey, heyearned for the company of young playersand scribes. He wanted to share his memor-ies and regale them with inspirational stor-ies. On one of the trips to his house, some ofus expressed our desire to “feel” the goldmedals. He pulled them out of his treasurebox and let us hold them. “Do you feel the
One of a kind: In
death, Balbir Singh
took away with
him a large chunk
of hockey history,
documented only
in his mind.
AKHILESH KUMAR
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current?” His eyes were moist.In death, Balbir took away with him a
large chunk of hockey history, documentedonly in his mind. He was a kind soul whoserved Indian hockey with distinction andremained its most loyal supporter even intimes of acute distress. He refused to believethat Indian hockey had plunged to irretrievable depths. He always advocated hope.“Hard work and dedication can take youplaces. We have hockey in our blood. All itneeds is proper guidance,” he would repeatat various forums and seminars.
In The Golden Hat Trick: My Hockey Days,
his captivating autobiography, Balbir documented his attachment to the game. “Herlove for me was eternal. Our love blossomedin London. We married in Helsinki and honeymooned in Melbourne. After a period of11 long years (from the 1964 TokyoOlympics), she returned to me as fresh, asgay, as charming as she ever was. This timeshe took me to Kuala Lumpur and we wereagain top of the world. I am waiting for her –my hockey fairy.”
Alas, his yearning for another date withthe hockey fairy shall remain an unful�lleddream. •
Balbir Singh
ji's passing
away is a very
sad day for all
of us. His
achievement
of three back-
to-back gold
medals will
always inspire
us.
— Sardar
Singh, former
midfielder
It has been a
very sad
morning for
me after
knowing Balbir
Singh ji has
left us. He was
a great man
manager and
knew how to
use players'
skillset.
— V. Baskaran,
1980 Olympic
gold medallist
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Growing up in Bombay, I had read a lotabout Balbir Singh’s accomplishments.As though his three Olympic gold
medals were not enough, he had gone on tobe the manager of the successful team at theWorld Cup in Kuala Lumpur in 1975. He alsoheld the coveted post of director (sports) inPunjab.
In the late 1970s, as I started myfledgling career, stories of Balbir Sr as ateam manager started filtering through.After all, he was the man in charge whenIndia won the World Cup. While mostshowered wholesome praise on his man-management skills, there were a few whowere wary of his style of functioning. Hiswrit ran large and he could wield the whipwhen needed.
After making my international debut in1980, there was this deep desire to meet him
and get to know the person behind the le-gend. He did come to meet the team beforethe 1980 Olympic final with his three goldmedals worn proudly round his neck andeven gave us a pep talk – that had been but afleeting glance. Later in 1982, he was ap-pointed manager of our team slated to parti-cipate in the Champions Trophy inAmsterdam.
It was my first exposure to the greatman. There was a sense of understated eleg-ance in his measured step and upright gait.There seemed a halo of calmness aroundhim. Call it charisma or mystical presence,there was something special in this manthat touched your heart at the very firstmeeting. It was as much his persona as hisplaying achievements that had me in awe.
Balbir Sr was intuitive in his manage-ment style and quickly forged a bond with
There was a sense of understated elegance in his measured step and upright
gait. RIP Balbir Sir. Thank you for inspiring a generation of hockey players.
M. M. SOMAYA
Hockey has lost its brightest star
Making the nation proud: Prime Minister Indira Gandhi greets members of the Indian hockey team that won
the World Cup and managar Balbir Singh (centre) at her residence in Delhi on March 22.
THE HINDU PHOTO LIBRARY
Balbir Sr’s association with the Indian teamacross the three tournaments in 1982 gavethe team two results that were neverequalled by any Indian team for many decades. In our meetings subsequently, hewould always remember the good times andnot let us feel the burden of the one big loss.He would lightheartedly also remind me ofthe days when he pulled me up on the oddoccasion for violating team curfew timings!
The discipline that he maintained enabled him to retain a sharp memory andexcellent health. He always alluded to hisglass of cold milk that was the secret of his�tness and immense energy. During our lastmeeting in March this year, he had the sameangelic smile and maintained the poise andserenity that he had when I �rst met him. Atage 95 and mobbed by many admirers, hetook the time to say, “No. 4 (my shirt number), how are you and how is your friend Joe(Joaquim Carvalho).” His passing is a personal loss since I was greatly in�uenced byhis managerial style.
Hockey has lost its brightest star, signalling the end of an era. RIP Balbir Sir.Thank you for inspiring a generation ofhockey players. •
players by his personalised touch. He wasalso not averse to taking bold positions andat times his forthright decisions singedsenior players. In particular, he did not takekindly to players who did not keep teaminterests above their own. Hailing from adi�erent era, he did not have the experienceof modernday tactics for astroturf hockey.Yet, his strong work ethic and exceptionallyinsightful mind kept him abreast with thebest in the business.
The Champions Trophy in Amsterdamsaw our team play with renewed vigour under his guidance. In the match againstPakistan, we were trailing 03 in the �rst 15minutes. His composure in the situationconvinced us that all was not lost. We recovered to beat Pakistan 54 riding on ahattrick by Rajinder Singh Sr. It was agruelling tournament where we had to playsix matches against the best in the worldwithin eight days. We went the distance and�nished on the podium as bronze medallists. This was a performance that remainedIndia’s best in the Champions Trophy for 36long years. It was in large measure due tothe astute handling of the team by Balbir Sr,ably assisted by Colonel Balbir, who was hisdeputy.
For someone who had been ever victorious in his era, there was a rude surprise instore. The team that had promised so muchat the Champions Trophy tanked on thehorrendous day in Delhi during the 1982Asian Games �nal. It was a collective failureof everyone on the �eld. A blowout if therewas one. With a nation in mourning andbrickbats �ying thick and fast, it would haveshattered the nerve of most. Not Balbir Sr.On the contrary, it brought to the fore thetrue mettle of the great champion.
He regrouped the team and somehowconvinced us that we should go to Melbourne to play the Esanda Trophy, whichhad the best countries on view — a virtualWorld Cup competition. Exactly 20 daysafter our monumental loss in the AsianGames �nal, the Asian archrivals were pitted against each other again in the opener inEsanda, Melbourne. India won 21 and wenton to defeat Holland, England, New Zealandand a host of top teams to make it to the�nal. Although we ultimately lost to hostAustralia, it was a retribution of sorts to beatthe old enemy and �nish on the podiumfrom a fully competitive �eld.
For many like me, it was a return ofcon�dence to continue a career in hockey.
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Two kings: Balbir
Singh with Indian
football captain
Samar Banerjee
during the 1956
Olympic Games in
Melbourne.
THE HINDU PHOTO
LIBRARY
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The highway from Delhi to Chandigarh isa trip through history and geography.The fables of Kurukshetra and the
bloody past of Panipat are complementedby broad roads, flanked by picturesquegreenery.
It was early February and the landscapewas softer in the morning in Chandigarh.Everything seemed quieter; the tea stallswere opening for business, while some eat-eries were catering to locals searching forbreakfast to shake o� the winter slumber.
As one went from the bustling, seemingly crowded streets of Sector 43 to thesprawling, luxurious roads of Sector 36,there was no sense of history attached untilyou landed on the doorsteps of house No.1067.
Of the eight gold medals that India haswon in field hockey at the Olympics, threereside here.
“These are all that my father is left withnow,” said Sushbir, Balbir Singh Sr’s daugh-ter, referring to his three Olympic goldmedals. “Naturally, after losing dad’s life-time treasure trove at the hands of SAI(Sports Authority of India) and after ourlong struggle trying to trace them and stillnot finding any leads, we are morepossessive.”
It was Balbir’s good fortune that thethree Olympic medals continued to be in hispossession and weren’t lost. The 1985Padma Shri awardee had donated his cap-tain’s blazer from the 1956 MelbourneOlympics, 36 medals including the silver
A day with the hockey legend“At the 1948 victory ceremony, as the Tricolour was going up, I felt as if I
was going up, too. I felt as if I was flying,” Balbir Singh said in an interview
at his Chandigarh residence in February.
Looking back:
Balbir Singh with
his daughter
Sushbir at their
home in
Chandigarh.
AKHILESH KUMAR
AYAN ACHARYA
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from the 1958 Tokyo Asian Games, andmore than 100 rare photographs to the SAIsecretary at the time on being told that theywould be displayed at the thenproposedNational Sports Museum.
“Dad’s three Olympic gold medals areour family’s pride. I hail from a freedom�ghter’s family; my grandfather alwaysstressed upon the importance of contributing to the honour of the tiranga (Indiantricolour). The Olympic golds stand as testimony towards the same,” said Sushbir.
According to Balbir’s maternal grandsonKabir, the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Museum wanted the Melbourne Games blazer to be part of theo�cial London Olympics exhibition whereBalbir was the only Indian and the onlyhockey player chosen among 16 icons acrossall disciplines in 116 years of the modernOlympics era.
“That is when we contacted SAI to getthat blazer as Nanaji had nothing with himin London apart from the Olympic medals.But the SAI o�cials said that they didn’tknow about the whereabouts,” Kabir said.
It was not all patrician airs and drawingroom decorum at Balbir’s house, of course.His 1948 Olympic Diploma was framed andhanging on the wall. An approximately16x22inch certi�cate now awarded to thetop eight �nishers in all competitions, it wassigned by the president of the Games, theIOC president and the chairman of the Organizing Committee. His �rst trophy as a
teenager in school was kept nearby, commemorating the beginning of a storiedcareer.
At 95, Balbir’s mind was still sharp, buthis body fell a step behind. For driven, competitive athletes like Balbir, seekers of sustained excellence, coming to terms with themarch of age can be tougher than one canimagine.
Balbir holds the unique honour of beingthe �agbearer for the Indian contingent intwo successive Olympics, in 1952 and 1956.An alumnus of DS School in Moga (Jalandhar district), Khalsa College, Balbir wentfrom giving goalkeepers anxious momentsin interuniversity and national championships to holding the record for the mostindividual goals — �ve, against the Netherlands at Helsinki in 1952 — in an Olympic�nal.
“I keep staring at the medals for a longtime,” said Sushbir. “It’s di�cult to explainthe feeling in words. Each medal tells somany stories. Each time I end up feelingprouder of his contribution towards the nation and feel blessed for being hisdaughter.”
Balbir was introspective and unassuming. He was at the heart of one of Indianhockey’s watershed moments, but even onthat day, 72 years later, he played down hiscontribution. In a drawing room, a virtualmuseum celebrating many a monumentalachievement, a 342page long paperbacktitled A Forgotten Legend: Balbir Singh Sr.,
Great honour:
Balbir Singh
leading the Indian
contingent at the
1956 Olympic
Games in
Melbourne.
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
28 JUNE 13, 2020 SPORTSTAR
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Triple Olympic Gold & Modi’s New India byCanadian journalist Patrick Blennerhassettstuck up like a sore thumb. The book delvedinto the mystery of how and why a country“consciously” forgot one of its greatesticons. There was credence to this belief.
Amid the clamour for a Bharat Ratna forformer India batsman Sachin Tendulkar,the central government modi�ed the rulesto pave way for eligibility of sportspersonsfor the country’s highest civilian award.“The names of Tendulkar, (Abhinav) Bindraand Dhyan Chand were doing the rounds,but there was not a single mention of myfather. He’s a threetime Olympic goldmedallist!” said Sushbir.
More than just a symbolBalbir and hockey aren’t immediately associated with India’s dominant status insports today. After the division of India in
1947, the subcontinent witnessed arguablythe largest mass migration in modern history leading to harrowing consequences.Amid the turmoil after Independence, thefocus shifted to the 1948 Olympics. “Thenational anthem and the fact that we beatour rulers (British) on their home soil toretain the Olympic hockey gold can never beforgotten,” said Balbir.
India had won three Olympic goldmedals in hockey before Balbir’s ascent – atAmsterdam in 1928, Los Angeles in 1932and Berlin in 1936 – but those were as aBritish colony. Balbir’s 1948 gold, therefore,was much more than just a symbol of sporting success; it meant India had put itself onthe world sporting map.
“At the 1948 victory ceremony, as theTricolour was going up, I felt as if I wasgoing up, too. I felt as if I was �ying,” Balbirsaid in his raspy voice.
Incidentally, Balbir almost didn’t makeit to London! When the Indian team waspicked for the London Games, his name wasleft out of the list of probables. It was onlyafter Dickie Carr, an AngloIndian who hadwon gold at the 1932 Olympics, asked whyBalbir wasn’t playing that his name wasincluded.
At his home in Chandigarh, Balbir raisedhis hand gingerly and waved it for the �rsttime that day as he described the moment ofeuphoria.
“As a child, I used to ask my father (DalipSingh), who was a freedom �ghter, what the�ag means. That day, when our �ag washoisted (at Wembley Stadium), I realisedwhat independence means. It was theproudest moment for me,” he added.
His voice was almost muted, garbled butwarm. There was a pause. He lingered a littlelonger, perhaps punctuated by memories,perhaps by exasperation at the current stateof Indian hockey. “I still remember that before the match started, Wembley Stadiumwas reverberating with the noise of the English fans,” he said, pausing again to catchhis breath. “But after halftime, some English fans started rooting for India, saying‘make it half a dozen,’” Balbir recalled, hishands trembling and voice shaking.
When the hockey legend was battling forlife at the Post Graduate Institute of MedicalEducation and Research in Chandigarh inearly 2019, an old photograph sent to Sushbir re�ected the Olympic champion’s selfless love for the country. It was fromOctober 1962, when India was at war with
Scaling great
heights: An
alumnus of DS
School in Moga
(Jalandhar
district), Khalsa
College, Balbir
Singh went from
giving goalkeepers
anxious moments
in interuniversity
and national
championships to
holding the record
for the most
individual goals —
in an Olympic �nal.
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China. Sharing the anecdote, Sushbir said,“A man called me up and said he had apicture of my father that he would like us tohave. He was deputed to then chief ministerPartap Singh Kairon’s o�ce in 1962 whenmy father went to meet the CM. When hemet him, he o�ered his three Olympic goldmedals for the China war fund. This lefteveryone in the o�ce, including the CM,surprised. Kairon refused to accept themedals. But my father said the medals werethe best he could o�er, and on his insistence, the CM accepted them.
“However, Kairon did not send themedals to the PM’s relief fund and kept it inthe o�ce instead. After a couple of months,he returned the medals to my father andtold him, ‘These (medals) are the country’spride and can’t be exchanged for money.’”
‘Everything’The camera captured Balbir, frail and slow,with a red turban wrapped tight around hishead, as he retired into his room. He had a
picture of his late wife up on his bedroomwall; a photograph of India’s 1975 WorldCup win found a place as well along with ahockey stick. “It (the stick) has given meeverything,” said Balbir with a smile.
“His energy and memory are an amazingsource for all of us. It is such an honour to beknown as his grandson. If he stays fit, I’mtaking Nanaji to Tokyo this time,” Kabirsaid.
Unfortunately, he didn’t have thatchance. Balbir Singh had been in a semico-matose state since since May 18 and haddeveloped a blood clot in his brain after firstbeing admitted to Fortis Hospital, Mohali,for bronchial pneumonia with high fever.He died in Chandigarh on May 25 after bat-tling multiple health issues. He was 95.
In that interaction with him in February,Balbir didn’t let his age and frailty get in theway of a warm welcome — nor a farewell.
As I left, he said to me with an endearingsmile, “Thank you for coming. Come againsoon.” •
Gracious host: In
that interaction
with him in
February, Balbir
didn’t let his age
and frailty get in
the way of a warm
welcome — nor a
farewell. As I left,
he said to me with
an endearing
smile, “Thank you
for coming. Come
again soon.”
AKHILESH KUMAR
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Last month, two of India’s �nest matchwinners celebrated landmark birthdayswithin days of each other. On May 17,
Bhagwath Subramanya Chandrasekharturned 75 and a few days later, on May 22,Erapalli Anantharao Srinivasa Prasannaentered his 81st year. A month earlier, onApril 21, Srinivas Venkataraghavan hadcompleted 75 years. So three of India’s famous quartet of spinners reached personalmilestones much to the delight of the pre
internet generation. The internet generation was, of course, enamoured by theantics of someone nowhere near the class ofthese wonderful spinners who bowled Indiato many a famous win. What was sadder stillwas the mainstream media, apart from theodd shining example, also did not �nd it �tto have a paragraph or two if not a wholearticle about these stalwarts even while�nding space to gush about a couple ofcurrent superstars calling their teammates’
Fabulous four: B. S. Chandrasekhar, S. Venkatraghavan, Bishan Singh Bedi and E. A. S. Prasanna share a light
moment, and the topic seems to be the deadliest weapon they ever had — the cricket ball.
THE HINDU PHOTO LIBRARY
Prassie, Venkat and Chandra, three of India’s famous quartet of spinners
(Bedi, obviously, the other great), reached personal milestones — recently
they celebrated landmark birthdays — much to the delight of the
preinternet generation.
Spin assassins of yore
ON THEWRITELINESUNIL GAVASKAR
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❝
names while doing their internet chats withoverseas players.
Yes, the cricket loving public is understandably more keen to know about thecurrent players and how they are dealingwith the current situation. And the moderngeneration is not shy at all. They are happyto put just about everything up on theirpublic platforms and the many websitesand call even the silliest stu� they see, adorable. Then, of course, there’s this fascination about the players from across theborder. What they are saying gets splashedeven when most times they are having a goat the Indian players either directly orsubtly. Do any Indian players’ interviews orcomments ever feature in the media elsewhere? NO. Then why give the foreign players an outlet to take their animosity out inour media platforms?
Prassie, Venkat and Chandra belong tothe generation that played the game for thelove of it and the honour and privilege ofplaying for the country. Chandra was the�rst I saw from the North Stand of the Brabourne Stadium against Bobby Simpson’sAustralians in 1964. The Australians had�nished a long tour of England for theAshes and stopped over in India to play athreeTest match series on their way backhome. Chandra was new to Test cricket butwas running in to bowl as if he had beenplaying Test matches since birth. The con�dence with which he bowled was unbelievable. The North Stand crowd at theBrabourne Stadium was one of the mostcritical crowds in the country then. It wasmainly �lled with Mumbai Ranji Trophyplayers, past as well as current and seniordivision club cricketers who knew theirgame. If they got stuck into you then youhad it. There are many stories of playersfrom other States pulling out at the lastmoment of playing a Test match at theBrabourne Stadium and the rumour millsused to suggest that it was because they gotcold feet at the prospect of facing the NorthStand crowd. Chandra had no such fearsand I still vividly remember the ball withwhich he clean bowled Peter Burge, theburly Australian batsman. It pitched justoutside the legstump and hit the top of theo�stump knocking it into the gloves of thewicketkeeper. It was exactly like the Warnedelivery to Mike Gatting. Peter Burge wasalso built like Gatting. Of course there wasno TV then and it was not an England gamefor it to be called the ball of the century or
the greatest whatever that has to involveEngland and Australia, but to bowl thatdelivery on a �at batting pitch like the Brabourne Stadium was very, very special.Thereafter, it was a privilege for me to be inthe same Indian team when Chandrabowled India to victories in England andAustralia. There was no thumping the chestor giving the batsman any send o�. Just aslow walk towards the wicketkeeper. Thegentle assassin that’s what Chandra was.
Prassie on the other hand was a lot moreexcited when he got a wicket. He wouldcome out with peals of laughter at his success in trapping the batsman. You couldactually feel his brain clicking as he plottedthe batsman’s dismissal. The revolutionsthat he put on the ball could be seen fromthe time the ball left his �ngers till itreached the batsman.
Prassie’s best �gures came in Aucklandwhen I captained the team for the �rsttime as Bishan Singh Bedi got injured justbefore the toss. It was Day One and on agreen tinged pitch Prasanna picked eightwickets which are still the best �gures atthat venue. What a bowler he was andwhat a fun guy — always willing to tell ajoke and laugh. A privilege to have sharedthe same change room with him.
Venkat su�ered from the comparisonwith Prassie. While Prassie had the loop,Venkat had accuracy. On a pitch givingeven the slightest help, Venkat was unscorable. His biggest attribute was aneversaydie spirit. He had a temper, butthat actually made him more loveable because everybody knew that he was goingto be the �rst one to laugh after that.
Way back on the 1979 tour, I turned upon the last day of the Lord’s Test match ina kurta and lungi. There was no uniformthose days. Venkat, who was the captain,didn’t say anything till after lunch whenwe had to go upstairs to the lunch room.He came next to me, looked at me up anddown and asked sternly “what’s this” ? Ireplied, “C’mon skip, you know what it is.You wear it all the time in Chennai.” Thenext moment he gulped out a laugh so loudthat the rest of the change room joined in.He then shook my hand in that bone crushing grip of his. Yes, it was preferable to facehim even on a spinning pitch than get your�ngers crushed in his hand.
Terri�c cricketers and even more wonderful guys. Stay well, stay healthy all yourlives. •
The North
Stand crowd at
the Brabourne
Stadium was
one of the most
critical crowds
in the country
then. It was
mainly filled
with Mumbai
Ranji Trophy
players, past as
well as current
and senior
division club
cricketers who
knew their
game. If they
got stuck into
you then you
had it.
32 JUNE 13, 2020 SPORTSTAR
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The captain of a cricket team, at timesalso referred to as the skipper, is theappointed leader, having several addi
tional roles and responsibilities over andabove those of the 10 others in the playingXI. In cricket, the main role of the captain isto act as a sort of intermediary between thecoaching sta� and the rest of the team. Hebecomes part player, part selector or evenpart coach/mentor, and must be able to successfully balance the various pressures thatcome with the multiple responsibilities.
As in any other sport, the captain isusually the person who is the most experienced in the squad. However, there havebeen several instances in Test cricket wherethe captain has been the least experiencedmember of the squad.
The captain also needs to have goodcommunication skills and is most likely tobe a certainty in the playing XI, as he isresponsible for the team selection. It is histask to go out for the toss before the start ofa match and then take a call as to whetherhis side bats or �elds �rst. During thematch, the captain decides the team’s bat
ting order, which bowler will open the bowling, who are his �rst and second bowlingchanges, and where each �elder will be positioned. While the captain has the �nal say,decisions taken on the �eld or in the dressing rooms are often collaborative. A captain’s knowledge of the complexities ofcricket strategy and tactics, and shrewdnessin the �eld may contribute signi�cantly tothe team’s success. Excelling as a cricketcaptain requires the incumbent to have athorough understanding of how the game isplayed, the ability to strategise, and at thesame time lead his teammates both on ando� the �eld.
Nowadays, with the coaching and support sta� as part of the squad, the captain’sdecisionmaking responsibilities are less ofa burden. This allows him to fully concentrate on his skills, which are either battingor bowling and at times both. However, despite all that, the captain of a cricket teamtypically shoulders more responsibility forresults than team captains in other sports.
The third part of this series looks at
their bowling performances.
All about Test cricket captains — Part III
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SPORTSTAR JUNE 13, 2020 35
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From a sensational debut in Test cricket,with matchwinning �gures of 8 for 64against India in Calcutta in 1996, to
heartbreak in the World Cup semi�nal in1999 – Lance Klusener has experiencedmany ups and downs in his long and illustrious career.
But the 48yearold cannot imaginewhen was the last time he had such a longbreak from cricket.
As the world grapples with thecoronavirus pandemic, there hasn’t beenany cricketing activities for nearly threemonths, and Klusener — who is now headcoach of the Afghanistan cricket team —admits it will take some time for things toget back on track.
The pandemic has also impacted �nances. With funding drying up fast,Klusener and his colleagues at the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) had to take a 25percent salary cut.
However, Klusener is optimistic that
once things ease out, the Afghanistan players will be able to bounce back.
In a chat with Sportstar, the formerSouth African allrounder opened up on arange of issues.
Cricket has been hit hard by thepandemic. As the coach of Afghanistan,how do you see the way forward?It’s tough to say. If we are not going to havethe T20 (Twenty20) World Cup or the AsiaCup, then we will have to look for quite a fewbilateral series. The team will try and arrange �xtures against oppositions whichweren’t scheduled.
How has the lockdown impacted theAfghanistan team?We did not have a lot of �xtures planned.Our biggest thing was the Asia Cup and theT20 World Cup. In terms of that, it hasa�ected us. It has basically cancelled all our�xtures... We need to be proactive in trying
Cricket wasn’t the dream
“We grew up
in the
apartheid era
when South
Africa was
banned and
our biggest
goal, I guess,
would have
been to play
for our
states,” says
Lance
Klusener.
Di�cult times: With funding
drying up fast, Lance
Klusener and his colleagues
at the Afghanistan Cricket
Board had to take a 25
percent salary cut. PTI
SHAYAN ACHARYA
36 JUNE 13, 2020 SPORTSTAR
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to organise bilateral series or other �xtures,which were not scheduled originally. Soyeah, in terms of �xtures, it has wiped upour whole year.
Some of the teams have alreadyresumed practice while maintaininghealth guidelines. What’s the statuswith Afghanistan?We have tried to keep them going, on onlineplatforms, showing them videos of opposition and trying to stimulate their minds. Wecan’t get on to the �eld, and there is only somuch you can do online without being interactive. That’s being really limited. Wehave challenged them physically to keep upin terms of �tness. There have been �tnessvideos posted online.
There was Ramadan in between, so itwas a challenge for the boys as well. Afghanistan has been hit hard by the virus as welllike other countries. It has been a challenge.If we are permitted by the government, wewill try and get some camps going in June.However, our focus – from the administration’s point of view – is to try and pick asmany �xtures as we can.
How do you plan to go about it?The boys have been inactive for close to twomonths, so they will have to slowly get intothe swing of things. We have to monitor thebowlers’ workloads, build up �tness levelsagain.
And then, in terms of �xtures, everybody is trying to jump in and get involved inthe process. Friends, other coaches, otheradministrators — who you have relationswith — could be reached and see whether wecan �t in a few �xtures.
The pandemic has also had an impacton the finances. Your thoughts?It’s extremely di�cult. You mentioned �nances, we all had to take pay cuts, which Iguess is the norm these days. We need to beplaying games, we need to be selling TVrights to fund our cricket. We really arehoping to bring Afghanistan on TV. That’swhere comes the support of bigger nations.They should come to the party and host usfor a few games, if none of the two bigtournaments (Asia Cup and T20 World Cup)take place.
Afghanistan will be playing a lone day-night Test against Australia this year...It will be a big opportunity for players andthey will be tested at the highest level. Sothat’s a challenge for players, coaches andeverybody to make sure that they are prepared. It only being roughly our fourth Testmatch (�fth), it’s going to be a big, big challenge and a learning opportunity as well. Weneed to thank Australia for accommodatingus.
When the action resumes, there will be
Resuming sports:
Afghanitan head
coach Lance
Klusener is
optimistic that
once things ease
out, the players
will be able to
bounce back.
K. MURALI KUMAR
SPORTSTAR JUNE 13, 2020 37
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a lot of rule changes. What are yourthoughts on the proposed ban on theuse of saliva for ball shining?Saliva will make a little bit of a di�erence. Itwon’t be a huge di�erence. There are various substances which invariably will �ndtheir way on to a cricket ball somehow. If wecan’t use saliva, then there might be something that we can use like a certain waxproduct or whatever, which is available toall teams for a limited amount, in each innings. That will certainly help and it willcertainly be something that will help peoplestay away from the habit of using saliva toshine the ball. That will also take away having to do anything with the wicket.
With so many changes coming in afterthe pandemic, do you think it will be achallenge for the coaches as well? Howdo you plan to address it?It’s a learning curve all around. There are alot of habits that just come naturally, likeputting saliva on the ball, celebrating withhugs, shaking hands, to name a few. So wemight just need to be wary of that for awhile.
Hopefully, down the line, we can �nd avaccine or something that can take care ofit. But we need to be extremely careful, certainly getting back into the sport. Playershave got a lot of learning too and coachestoo need to get a little bit innovative. Wemight need to train in smaller groups. Forexample, we might need to have groups ofbatters in the morning — it might makelonger days for coaches as well if that’s theway training needs to go.
Everybody is just waiting to get back intothe park in any shape or form they can —even if it means no spectators, or whateverit is. It’s going to be a real shame but wegotta make do with what we are allowed todo at the time.
But yeah, it’s gonna be di�erent, not justcricket, but all sports are gonna be verydi�erent for a certain amount of time, goingforward. We can just hope and pray and thatthe smart people can �nd us a vaccine orsomething like it that will take care of it. Butit will be di�erent, there will be challenges –for umpires and administrators as well.
Do you think in international cricket,
A question of pace:
“South African
bowlers like Andile
Phehlukwayo and
(left) Dwaine
Pretorius are
bowling in the
mid120s, whereas
allrounders such
as Shaun Pollock,
Jacques Kallis
were all bowling in
the mid140s – that
does elevate you
certainly from a
bowling point of
view into a
di�erent space,”
says Klusener. AP
38 JUNE 13, 2020 SPORTSTAR
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where calendars are chock-a-block, a“bio-secure bubble” is a sustainablemodel?Yes, it will be di�cult. There will be quarantines as well. Can we train during quarantine? You know people then returning totheir countries, will we have to remain intwoweek quarantine before we are releasedto our families? Yeah, quite di�cult andtesting times. Some countries can’t travel,some can, some borders are closed.
Just really envisage longer time on theroad. With quarantine, you might have asituation where you have three T20 gamesbut you might have to quarantine in that
Strong influence: “I
had the privilege
of spending a lot
of time with him
(Clive Rice),
playing with him
back in KuaZulu
Natal, when he
played there as
well. So, Clive
de�nitely played a
big part in my
career,” says
Klusener. THE HINDU
PHOTO LIBRARY
country where you are going to for twoweeks, then quarantine when you get backhome for another two weeks. That meansfour weeks of quarantine potentially ifthat’s the way things go.
That could be quite testing. No onereally knows. So I guess not just the cricketers, the general public are going to accept,embrace the sport and love sport in any waythey can. I don’t think there are manypeople — whether they play sport or watchsport — will take it for granted in the nearfuture.
Let’s talk a bit about South Africancricket. The Proteas have been blessedwith fast bowling all-rounders over theyears. After Clive Rice, Brian McMillan,you and Shaun Pollock carried forwardthe legacy. Do you think the currentsquad lacks that?I think I saw some decent allrounders. I justspeak from a South African point of view.They are there, but the di�erence is I think— small di�erences — you’ve got DwainePretorius, Andile Phehlukwayo. The di�erence is that they are bowling in themid120s, whereas allrounders such asShaun Pollock, Jacques Kallis were all bowling in the mid140s — that does elevate you
SPORTSTAR JUNE 13, 2020 39
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certainly from a bowling point of view into adi�erent space.
So, I don’t think there is a lack of quality. I think that on any given day, those areseriously good allrounders. But the smalldi�erences is that 20km per hour in bowlingspeed – that sets those allrounders apart.
Do you think Clive Rice would havebeen as successful and well known asRichard Hadlee, Kapil Dev or ImranKhan if he had a full internationalcareer?I had the privilege of being at the NationalAcademy with Clive Rice as the head coach,so even my batting style — I took quite a bitfrom Clive. I had the privilege of spending alot of time with him, playing with him backin KuaZuluNatal, when he played there aswell. So, Clive de�nitely played a big part inmy career. Unfortunately, I got him towards the very end of his career. But de�nitely, given the opportunity at theinternational level, he was a phenomenalallrounder. His record speaks for itself, incounty cricket as well.
Apartheid did rob the world of not just
cricketers, but many other sportsmentoo who didn’t get that opportunity.But that’s just the way life is. It isimportant for us who are given thatopportunity we make the very best of it.You are regarded as one of the �nest allrounders from South Africa. But as ayoungster, what was your biggest dream?
Growing up in South Africa, the dreamwasn’t certainly to play cricket for a living.We grew up in the apartheid era whenSouth Africa was banned and our biggestgoal, I guess, would have been to play forour states. Dreams of playing for our states(came after seeing) icons like Graeme Pollock, Clive Rice — we used to idolise themand try and emulate.
For us, growing up in those years, it wasmore of a dream to be like somebody youhad seen in the newspapers. Because wedid not have television sets those days. Butthe dream of playing for the country �nallymaterialised in the early 1990s, when it didbecome possible. And then I did �nallyrealise that maybe I was good enough tohave some sort of career on the cricket�eld. We dreamed very di�erently in thosedays. •
Seeking an
alternative:
Klusener says,
“Saliva will make a
little bit of a
di�erence. It won’t
be a huge
di�erence. There
are various
substances which
invariably will �nd
their way on to a
cricket ball
somehow.” AP
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Lefthand batsmen have a special place in cricket. They are di�erent from the majority — graceful andmost looking as if they have all the time in the world to play. We have come to admire batsmen likeGundappa Viswanath, Mohammad Azharuddin and VVS Laxman for their artful batsmanship, all
timing and style, hitting the ball but not wanting to hurt it.Among the lefthanders we saw in the last 50 years, David Gower was the one to be revered. You
would not want to miss a ball when he was on strike. Mark Waugh was the righthanded version ofGower.
Our own Sourav Ganguly came closest to that class of silken strokeplay. There was not a moment ofboredom when Ganguly batted.
Here, we pick 10 lefthanders to watch, beginning with Nari Contractor. From accounts based onoldtimers, writers and players, he commanded respect and had a following.
In later years, Ajit Wadekar emerged as the most attractive batsman to watch. This list does notinclude lefthanders Hrishikesh Kanitkar, S. Ramesh, Hemant Badani and Ravindra Jadeja, all successful with immense utility — as bowlers and �elders. But the list had to be restricted to 10 who woulddeliver in all conditions.
These may not be the best 10 in every cricket lover’s diary. So, feel free to make your own favourites.
Lefties, rightly a treat to watchSouthpaws are di�erent from the majority — graceful and most looking as if
they have all the time in the world to play.
VIJAY LOKAPALLY
Among the most gutsy of Indian openers,
he was looked up to by his contemporariesfor inspiration. Consistency was his hallmark and his career, like that of AjitWadekar, can’t be judged by the number ofTest centuries he made. He had two classyinnings of 90plus runs — 92 in Delhiagainst the West Indies in 1969 and 92 againagainst Pakistan at the same venue in 1961— which are talked about by oldtimers fortheir tenacity.
That he made runs on uncovered pitchesand without protective equipment spoke forhis ability to absorb pressure. Sadly, his career ended because of a lifethreateninghead injury caused by a bouncer fromCharlie Gri�th, notorious for his dubiousaction.
Contractor represented India in 31 Testsand scored 1,611 runs with one century and11 halfcenturies. In the 138 �rstclassgames he played, he scored 8,611 runs with22 hundreds.
NARI CONTRACTOR
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The lazy artist, who is rightly rated an underachiever. For hisawesome talent to take on the opposition often with his singlehanded charge, Raman did not achieve what he promised. He hadthe rare skills to excel in all conditions. Not the one to worry aboutthe playing surface, his strength was in adapting to the challengequickly. He could attack as well as play the waiting game with equalcomfort.
His o�side play was breathtaking and footwork against thespinners was cited by coaches as an example to emulate. His knockof 83 on debut against the West Indies in Madras in 1988 was ascrafty as one can imagine, but Narendra Hirwani’s 16 wickets inthat Test stole the limelight. He was a feared batsman in domesticcricket with some outstanding innings to his credit.
Raman represented India in 11 Tests scoring 448 runs withfour halfcenturies. In 132 �rstclass games, he scored 7,939 runswith 19 centuries and 36 �fties.
W. V. RAMAN
Sir Garfield Sobers once had a message to be conveyed to Ajit Wadekar.
“Please say hello to a great batsman from a good batsman.” That is how thelegendary West Indian rated Wadekar, one of the most stylish batsmen Indiancricket has seen.
For Wadekar, batting was an exercise in nonchalance. His leisurely walk tothe crease was such a deception actually. He was quick on his feet and electric inshot execution.
His ability to be in the best position to pull and hook was stunning. A delightto watch and a batsman who played to entertain. His Ranji Trophy knock of 323against B. S. Chandrasekhar and E. A. S. Prasanna in 1967 is rated among theclassics.
Wadekar represented India in 37 Tests and scored 2,113 runs with onecentury and 14 halfcenturies. In 237 �rstclass games, he scored 15,380 runswith 36 hundreds and 84 �fties.
SALIM DURANI
I once asked Tiger Pataudi to pick his best Indian XI. The �rst name hewanted me to write down was Salim Durani. “Now we shall pick the rest,” hesmiled. Durani, according to Pataudi, was a “genius” who was “wasted” due tohis erratic moods. Durani, his contemporaries vowed, was the most unpredictable player on the �eld. He could throw away his wicket and then the next dayswing the match on its head with his bowling.
His dismissals of Sobers and Clive Lloyd to fashion a thrilling win in Port ofSpain in 1971 helped India make history. In 13 years, he played just 29 Testsand yet most captains preferred to have him as the �rst choice in their XI. Thathe could hit sixes on demand made him a darling of the spectators.
In 29 Test matches, Durani scored 1,202 runs with one century and sevenhalfcenturies. In 170 �rstclass games, he scored 8,545 runs with 14 hundredsand 45 halfcenturies.
AJIT WADEKAR
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Comparison with Sachin Tendulkar was unfair to this talented Bombay batsman. If only hehad the dedication of Tendulkar, there is nodoubt Kambli would have �gured among thegreats of the game. Two double centuries in thesame season, against England and Zimbabwe,established him as a frontline Indian batsmanbut he failed to live up to his promise.
Often he was guilty of throwing his wicketaway, but when he batted, he stood out for hisstrokeplay against the best of bowlers. He likedto take on the challenges from the oppositionand the contests he thus created were delightful parts of those matches.
In 17 Test matches, Kambli scored 1084runs with four centuries and three halfcenturies. In 129 �rstclass games, Kambli amassed9,965 runs with 35 centuries and 44 �fties.
VINOD KAMBLI
One of the finest to have graced the game
and arguably the greatest lefthander Indian cricket has known. The dream debut hemade at Lord’s with a century in 1996 onlycon�rmed his prowess. We often forget thatGanguly was deprived of �ve years of international cricket after being picked to tourAustralia in 199192.
He was a champion strokeplayer with adelightful range of shots square of thewicket. His aggressive approach to battingallowed him the freedom to dominate thecompetition and there was an enviablestreak of consistency in both the formats ofthe game.
His Test innings of 144 against Australiain Brisbane in 2003 was as pacy as the 183against Sri Lanka in Taunton in the 1999World Cup. He was a captain’s delight inevery format of the game.
The former India captain representedthe country in 113 Test matches scoring7,212 runs with 16 hundreds and 35 half
centuries. In 254 �rstclass games, Ganguly scored 15,687 runs with 33 centuries
and 89 halfcenturies.
SOURAV GANGULY
SPORTSTAR JUNE 13, 2020 43
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His batting would take away all the fear of failurefrom the dressing room. The pressure to score whenmost failed only ignited a �re in him to tear into theopposition. The elegance that marked his batting wasa natural phenomenon. He backed himself to shine indi�cult situations and this quality made him the special player in the captain’s diary of men to rely upon.His talent to pick the ball early made him a terror at thecrease.
He was known to impart power to carry the ball farinto the crowd and also pick gaps with delicate placements. He worked on his batting as he progressed butended up with an average record in Tests. That remained his biggest disappointment even though heplayed right through his career on merit, sadly wanting to prove his credentials in the longer format ofcricket. He is one batsman you would pay to watch.
Yuvraj represented India in 40 Tests, scoring 1,900runs with three centuries and 11 halfcenturies. In 139�rstclass games, he piled up 8,965 runs with 26 centuries and 36 �fties.
YUVRAJ SINGH
Gritty and compact, he was a picture of con�dence at the crease. He created his space in themiddle with his desire to �ght. He loved a �ghtactually. In fact, it was an essential part of hisbuildup to the occasion. The image of an angryman was crafted to motivate himself and that wasthe driving force behind his matchwinningknocks on two big platforms — the 2007 T20 WorldCup �nal in Johannesburg and the 2011 World Cupin Mumbai.
He could not only light up a limitedoverscontest with some sensational strokeplay but alsoplay the sheet anchor role as he did with an epicshow in Napier against New Zealand when hebatted 436 balls to make 137 to help India draw theTest. He was a complete batsman who deservedgreater credit for his contribution to the game.
In the 58 Test matches he played, Gambhirscored 4,154 runs with nine centuries and 22 halfcenturies. In 198 �rstclass games, he scored15,153 runs with 43 hundreds and 68halfcenturies.
GAUTAM GAMBHIR
44 JUNE 13, 2020 SPORTSTAR
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A century on Test debut, against Sri Lanka in2010, was a wellearned reward for this giftedbatsman. That he played his �rst Test �ve yearsafter making his ODI debut was hard to understand. When in good form, he just waited for thatopportunity. And when it came, Raina did notgrab the chance.
To his credit, he became an integral part ofthe ODI team and came up with many matchwinning performances in the limitedoversformats. In the 2011 World Cup, Raina came upwith crucial knocks against Australia andPakistan and justi�ed Greg Chappell’s claim thatthe southpaw possessed tremendous mentaltoughness to deliver in challenging situations.His exceptional showings in T20 cricket also endear him to the young fans in modern cricket.
Raina has represented India in 18 Testmatches and scored 768 runs with one centuryand seven halfcenturies. In 109 �rstclassgames, Raina has scored 6,871 runs with 14 centuries and 45 halfcenturies.
SURESH RAINA
He made his mark as a junior cricketer and maintained hisreputation at the next level with sterling performances. Histendency to score in exacting circumstances has helped him toremain one of the most trusted batsmen in the team. Hissensational Test debut against Australia in 2013 was an inningsas good as any seen for a long time.
His 187 took the wind out of the Australian attack and thefeature of the innings was the timing of his shots. He toyed withthe bowlers and left a huge impact on the audience with hiswide array of shots. His innings evoked lavish praise and helpedhim remain relevant in all formats of cricket.
In the 34 Test matches he has played so far, Dhawan hasscored 2,315 runs with seven centuries and �ve halfcenturies.In 122 �rstclass games, the southpaw has scored 8,499 runswith 25 centuries and 29 halfcenturies.
SHIKHAR DHAWAN
46 JUNE 13, 2020 SPORTSTAR
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For Vin Bhavnani, it all started as a dreamin his dorm room during senior year ofcollege. “I had one dream. It felt real and
I just started pursuing it,” says Bhavnani.With a background in engineering and noprior experience in team sports, Indianorigin Bhavnani set out to become an NBAcoach. His singleminded pursuit and hardwork paid dividends and now he is the assistant coach of Oklahoma City Thunder.
Fate could have taken him away fromthe sport, when he was o�ered a job as asales executive in 2004. “It took me twoandahalf years to get the sales job after myparents said ‘Enough was enough!’,” remembers Bhavnani.
“And on the same day, the [New York]Clippers called me saying, ‘Hey, here’s avideo opportunity’. I won’t even call it aninternship, there was no label. It was database entry for potential scouting. It was justhalf a season of video coordinating at theClippers and then I met the Spurs videocoordinator and he called me over.”
He spent two seasons at San AntonioSpurs as the assistant video coordinator,before landing a role at Thunder as the leadvideo coordinator. Bhavnani is now embarking on his 10th season at Thunder,where he also worked as manager of scouting and player development for �ve seasonsbefore earning a promotion as the assistantcoach in 2016.
Of the several highs and lows from hisstint at Thunder, the �rstround playo�s –a �rst for the team after its rebranding fromSeattle Supersonics — against Los AngelesLakers, ranks special for Bhavnani. Thunderhad captain Kevin Durant and rookie starsJames Harden and Russell Westbrook goingtoetotoe against Kobe Bryant’s Lakers,which would go on to win the championshipand complete a threepeat.
“We were down 02 and we came hometo the most amazing crowd. I’m gettinggoosebumps right now. There was a stretchin that game in the third quarter, when wecame back, cut the lead and took the �rstlead of that series... the crowd reaction andour players’ belief, you could see it on theirfaces. It was such a beautiful moment. Thenwe won the next game. We lost in LA, we
came back and lost on a tip against the bestteam in the league. That told us that wewere good. I watch that segment on YouTube, that third quarter, regularly,” he says.
Thunder was on course for a �fth successive playo� place when the 201920season was suspended due to the COVID19pandemic. The pause in the season was publicly played out ahead of the game betweenThunder and Utah Jazz. Both teams had �nished their prematch warmups and wereout on the court for tipo� when confusionensued. With the news of Jazz’s Rudy Goberttesting positive for coronavirus comingthrough, a Thunder medical o�cial cameout to talk to the referees. After a long consultation, the match was postponed leavingthe spectators bemused.
Bhavnani, who had a ringside view of theproceedings, says: “The game was publicised, so I think it was very unique. I haven’texperienced stopping of gameplay. So justfrom a unique standpoint, that’s what I remember about that day.”
With NBA teams returning to training,Bhavnani claims the priority at Thunder isfollowing the guidelines of the league tomaintain safety and well being of everyoneinvolved.
He concedes this is an unusual circumstance for the team, placed �fth in the Western Conference. “You don’t have your handson the players, but the training sta� sends�lms and workout routines,” he says.
On what will be the new normal for NBA,Bhavnani says, “I’m not sure. I just knowthat protocols are there right now and wefollow them until we’re told otherwise. I doknow there’s more video conferencing,there’s more communication, which is agreat thing. The more the communication, Ithink the better your relationships are. Ihope that would stick for a long time.” •
An NBA season like no other
With NBA
teams
returning to
training,
assistant
coach Vin
Bhavnani
claims the
priority at
Oklahoma
City Thunder
is to maintain
safety and
well being of
everyone
involved.
AASHIN PRASAD
Perseverance: With a background in
engineering and no prior experience in
team sports, Vin Bhavnani set out to
become an NBA coach. His singleminded
pursuit and hard work paid dividends and
now he is the assistant coach of
Oklahoma City Thunder.
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
SPORTSTAR JUNE 13, 2020 47
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48 JUNE 13, 2020 SPORTSTAR
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Bundesliga action continues to unfoldquickly, with teams slowly settling intothe normalcy of playing in empty stadi
ums with rules that aren’t out of place in aworld dealing with a pandemic.
A fortnight ago, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund restarted their league campaigns with impressive wins and maintaineda fourpoint gap at the top of the table.
Since then, the Bavarian giant has defeated Dortmund in Der Klassiker to goseven points clear at the top.
Bayern followed up the win overDortmund with a 50 drubbing of relegationbattling Fortuna Dusseldorf, with Robert Lewandowski scoring a brace to go within onestrike of another 30goal season.
The defeat to Bayern also saw Dortmundlose Mahmoud Dahoud to a longterm injuryand Erling Haaland to a niggle. However,Jadon Sancho made his �rst start since theleague resumed and scored the �rst hattrickof his professional career to help his teambounce back against bottom club Paderborn.The English winger’s return to form and �tness, coupled with Haaland’s possible return
to the starting XI soon, will be a welcomeboost for a club that’s hoping to win its �rstdomestic title since 201112.
Timo Werner’s hunt for Lewandowski’sgolden boot has helped RB Leipzig move tothird, two points behind Dortmund. TheGerman striker, who is expected to leave theclub at the end of this campaign, scored his31st goal of the season as Julian Nagelsmann’s side brushed aside FC Koln 42.
Borussia Monchengladbach’s goallessdraw against Werder Bremen was followedby a comprehensive 41 win against UnionBerlin. Monchengladbach occupies the �nalChampions League position, with an inspired Bayer Leverkusen looking to oust it.
Leverkusen mid�elder Kai Havertz hasbeen the most impressive player over thelast fortnight. He has scored more goalssince the restart that anyone and showed histactical �exibility in the win againstFreiburg. Pushed into a false nine role, hedid his best to unsettle Freiburg’s defenceand used his physical power to run throughdefenders and poke the ball home for theonly goal of the game.
Goals galore in GermanyThe
Bundesliga
saw a series
of high
scoring
games even
as other top
leagues in
Europe get
their houses
in order for a
restart.
Topping the charts: Timo Werner scores for RB Leipzig against Cologne on June 1. Werner’s hunt for Robert
Lewandowski’s golden boot has helped Leipzig move to third, two points behind Borussia Dortmund. AP
Schalke failed to win its 11th match insuccession as Bremen took three points inits �ght for survival. The pressure is now onDavid Wagner as Schalke has gone fromchallenging for a Champions League spot todropping into the bottom half of the table.
Schalke’s slide down the table saw Hertha Berlin leapfrog it into ninth place courtesy a 20 win against Augsburg. BrunoLabbadia took charge of the capital clubduring the lockdown and has overseen anunbeaten run — three wins and a draw —while playing an attacking brand offootball.
Other leagues to resumeFootball is slowly returning from thecoronavirusenforced break as all majorleagues across Europe have released plansto restart their campaigns.
The tentative dates for resumption areJune 17 for the Premier League, June 13 forLa Liga and June 20 for Serie A.
Ligue 1 will not reverse its decision toend it’s campaign prematurely despite several clubs protesting.
Premier LeagueAfter a threemonth break, the EnglishPremier League will return with little separating Liverpool and its �rst league title in 30years. If Manchester City loses its �rst gamewhen the season continues, the Reds couldseal the title in their �rst game.
Beyond that, six clubs are �ghting forthe remaining three Champions Leaguespots. While Manchester City and LeicesterCity have a good lead, the fourth spot –currently occupied by Chelsea – is not beyond the reach of Manchester United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and She�eldUnited.
Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur, ineighth and seven points behind Chelsea,retains an outside chance of pipping theothers for fourth spot if results go its way.
La LigaThe title �ght in Spain remains a twohorserace, with Barcelona and Real Madrid separated by two points at the top.
Los Blancos won the Clasico to take thetop spot, but they lost to Real Betis beforethe break, and Barca won against Real Sociedad to take back control.
The Real Madrid players will also haveto get used to playing in unfamiliar settingsas their stadium, the Santiago Bernabeu, is
undergoing renovations. The league gavethe club permission to use its trainingground to see out this season.
Sevilla, Sociedad, Getafe, Atletico Madrid and Valencia are all separated by �vepoints as the clubs look to grab the �nal twoChampions League spots.
Serie AWhile Inter Milan spent most of the seasonin a twoway �ght for the title with Juventus, mixed results before the break see itreturn as an outside contender.
Lazio’s consistency throughout the season helped it go eight points clear of Interand just one point behind Juventus.
Behind Inter, Atalanta and AS Roma arethree points apart for the �nal position inthe table that guarantees participation intoptier European football next season. •
JANIRUDH VELAMURI
RACE FOR THE GOLDEN SHOE
50 JUNE 13, 2020 SPORTSTAR
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Swapna Barman has been con�ned to herhome in Jalpaiguri for the past twomonths. She had come home for a week
long break on May 19 from her training baseat the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Kolkata. The nationwide lockdown soon followed and Swapna — left without anyequipment or gear — has to make do with
basic exercises at home, often improvisingto lift her nieces and nephew for squats.
“This is for the �rst time in nine yearsthat I’m spending so much time at home.But I don’t want to have this kind of a breakever again,” Swapna told Sportstar.
The urge to return to training is strong,but she wants the COVID19 crisis to abate
A break too long... The Asian Games gold medalwinning heptathlete — left without any
equipment or gear — has to make do with basic exercises at home, often
improvising to lift her nieces and nephew for squats.
Tough times: “The coronavirus has spread worldwide, so everyone’s su�ering. Athletes from other countries
are su�ering, too,” says Swapna. AP
ABHISHEK MUKHERJEE
SPORTSTAR JUNE 13, 2020 51
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before resuming her regular routine.“If they do open the premises for train
ing, it will be very good for us. We’ll be ableto practise. I’m a heptathlete; I have to learnmany techniques, and I have to train formany disciplines. I’m not able to do much inthe courtyard; just some basic exercises. Ifthe ground opens, I would like to go. However, the COVID19 cases are going up. Letthe situation stabilise a bit, then I’ll be ableto focus solely on my training when I return,” Swapna said.
Swapna had been training to reach herpeak �tness in the leadup to the Olympics,for which she hopes to qualify. After spending much of 2019 recovering from injury — ameniscus tear — she was gearing up for theOlympic quali�ers before the pandemic impeded her progress.
“Last year, I went to Mumbai and consulted a doctor. I was told to do certainexercises to improve my strength level, andI do that even today. I have practised a lotfor the Olympic trials. I don’t know whetherI’ll be able to qualify for the Olympics but Inever lost hope and practised a lot for thetrials. The virus brought everything to ahalt,” she said. “The coronavirus has spreadworldwide, so everyone’s su�ering. Athletes from other countries are su�ering,too.”
For the moment, she is spending timewith her family. “I try to cope by spendingtime with my nieces and nephew — eightyearold Adrija, twoyearold Adrishya, and�veyearold Ankit — and help my sisterinlaw with cooking,” she said.
Swapna pays a lot of attention to herdiet. “I like to have sweets, especiallyrasgulla, but I’m not having it. Plenty ofgreen vegetables are available here. I’mhaving vegetables, and instead of roti, I’mhaving rice, because everyone at home isused to eating rice. Rotis are cooked onlyoccasionally. And I occasionally takechicken as well; although I don’t like it, Ihave it for health reasons,” she said.
She has not been able to participate inonline classes or discussions organised bySAI. “I do have internet at home, but Ihaven’t been able to participate in webinarsas the connection is very slow andintermittent.”
Outdoor training is also out of bounds.“I have a ground nearby where I can go andtrain, but now it is covered with slush due torain. Also, if I go out, it doesn’t look nicethat I’m training outdoors and the rest are
indoors to prevent the spread of the virus,”she pointed out.
As far as her postresumption plans areconcerned, Swapna awaits instructions andguidance from her coach, Subhash Sarkar. “Ihave put on some weight, although that’snot a big problem. I have to �rst improve my�tness. I will aim to get to a reasonable levelwithin a week or so,” she said. •
Ready for return:
“If they do open
the premises for
training, it will be
very good for us.
We’ll be able to
practise.”
52 JUNE 13, 2020 SPORTSTAR
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SPORTSTAR JUNE 13, 2020 53
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ACROSS
1 German football club
RasenBallsport ... (7)
4 The only Polish F1 driver till date.
(6)
5 The word that can come after
each of the following: bowling,
popping, return. (6)
7 ... T10 Premier League. (5)
8 Djokovic’s Balkan tournament.
(5,4)
9 ...Hollioake, who played cricket
for England. (4)
10 One circuit of a track. (3)
14 Steven Peter Devereux ... is
better known as. (5,5)
16 Dad Chris and son Stuart... (5)
17 Lucien Favre is its head coach.
(8)
DOWN
1 Irish golfer Shane ... (5)
2 Only Test victim of Sunil
Gavaskar, the bowler. (6,5)
3 The father Cairns whose son
Chris also played for New
Zealand. (5)
4 The GM with the middle name
Borisovich. (7)
6 In the last two years, she has co
captained the American
football team with Carli Lloyd
and Megan Rapinoe. (4,6)
7 He will leave Ferrari at the end of
2020. (6)
11 The San Siro is its home. (1,1,5)
12 Only Indian with two triple
centuries in Tests. (6)
13 Estadio Azteca is the largest
stadium of this country. (6)
15 He’s called ‘The Baddest Man on
the Planet.’ (5)
SOLUTION TO LAST FORTNIGHT’S
CROSSWORD
54 JUNE 13, 2020 SPORTSTAR
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Olympicbound athletes cloisteredat the National Institute of Sports,Patiala, and the Centre ofExcellence, Bengaluru, have �nallygot the goahead to resumetraining.
A day after opening its stadia inDelhi to trainees, the SportsAuthority of India (SAI) clearedsporting activities for eliteathletes, subject to ministry, SAIand national sports federationStandard Operating Procedures(SOPs). While Patiala has athletesand weightlifters, Bengaluru hasthe men’s and women’s hockeyteams and a few athletes. However,only elite athletes either alreadyquali�ed for the Olympics or partof the national camp and on theverge of qualifying will begin inthe initial stage.
Equipment would be selfsanitised after use by the athletes,who will maintain social distancingand follow the staggered scheduleprovided for training. The athleteshave been stuck indoors for abouttwo months with the nationwidelockdown amid the COVID19pandemic.
JUTHRA GANESAN
SAI opens training for elite athletes
The muchdelayed 36th NationalGames, scheduled for OctoberNovember in Goa, has beenpostponed inde�nitely due to theCOVID19 pandemic.
The Indian OlympicAssociation (IOA) had told the Goagovernment that it must host theNational Games as scheduled fromOctober 20 to November 4 thisyear, but a spurt in the number ofnovel coronavirus cases led to apostponement.
“The National Gamesorganising committee has decidedto postpone National Games due toCOVID19 pandemic,” Goa’sdeputy chief minister Manohar(Babu) Ajgaonkar, who also holdsthe sports portfolio, said in astatement shared by IOA presidentNarinder Batra (in pic).
“... Committee to hold meetingin September end and decide on�xing dates for National Games.(Goa) Government to take advicefrom Union Sports Ministry, needfour months advance notice toorganise games,” he added.
The previous edition of theGames was held in 2015 in Kerala.
JAGENCIES
National Games postponedindefinitely
International archerturnedcoachJayantilal Nanoma died in a roadaccident in Rajasthan on May 31.He was 34 and is survived by hiswife and daughter.
Nanoma, an Asia Cup andAsian Grand Prix medallist in thecompound individual and teamevents in 2010, met with anaccident while travelling with afriend from Banswara toDungarpur in a car.
Nanoma was employed as adistrict sports o�cer in Dungarpur.As a coach, he produced severalnational and internationallevelarchers from Rajasthan.
He worked as a coach with theIndian team in di�erent overseascompetitions. He received theprestigious Maharana Pratap StateSports Award.
JY. B. SARANGI
Archery coach passes awayin road accident
SPORTSTAR JUNE 13, 2020 55
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The Squash Rackets Federation ofIndia (SRFI) has brought in quite afew changes in its national circuit.Listing out the tweaks at awebinar, SRFI secretary CyrusPoncha (in pic) and Harish Prasad,its national development o�cer,assured that all the changes will beimplemented gradually after thelockdown.
Poncha said a mobile app (onboth Android & iOS) — inclusive ofplayers, coaches, referees andacademies — will be launched “in acouple of months.” Moreover,ISpin Pro has been added to theexisting ISpin (membershipaccount of players who want totake part in SRFIsanctionedevents) free account. There will beno change as of now in the datesand venues of the national junior/subjunior championships(scheduled in Mumbai fromOctober 31 to November 6). “TheSRFI rankings till April have beenfrozen, and an updated rankingslist will be released after the juniornationals,” informed Poncha.
Girls in the under11, 13, 15and 17 age groups can take part inone more category, U19, apartfrom their own age groups. “Thiswill not be applicable to boys as ofnow,” said Poncha. Intracityschools championship for boys andgirls will be held in districts andcities across the country as andwhen the situation gets better.
JK. KEERTHIVASAN
SRFI reveals new plans
SPORTOON
Some good news: Cricketers train at the
Amritsar Games Association Complex on
June 1. With the government issuing new
guidelines and easing many restrictions,
including those on sports activities, in the
�fth phase of the lockdown, o�cials are
hopeful of organising the Indian Premier
League in the later part of 2020. PTI
56 JUNE 13, 2020 SPORTSTAR SPORTSTAR JUNE 13, 2020 57
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While many
athletes
require
reassurance,
the majority
require a
strong hand to
thwart a
premature
return and
exposure to
injury.
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FITNESSWISERAMJISRINIVASAN
The criteria to de�ne a return to competition or play (RTP) are quiet confusingand challenging for the people who are
involved in the process. The primary objective and responsibility of the entire coachingand support sta� are cause no harm in anathlete returning to playing at the highestlevel of competition.
The process and guidelines in establishing a strong ecosystem in place are key forRTP. The system has to be foolproof depending on sports and skill set and othervariables taken into consideration. Eachsport will have a di�erent process and protocols in place for their athletes in RTP. Onehas to adhere to them for successfulimplementation.
Return to play system
An athlete’s RTP system should involvethe following:
• Coach• Team physio• Personal physio
• Sports medicine doctor• Mental conditioning coach• Strength and conditioning coach• Nutritionist• ParentsThe goals of rehabilitation can best be
described by the following objectives. Onlywhen each of these goals has been attainedcan an athlete return to competition.
Step 1• Control the in�ammatory process• Control pain• Restore joint range• Restore soft tissue functionalityStep 2• Improve muscle endurance• Improve muscle strength• Develop sportsspeci�c movement
and skill patterns• Improve all components of �tnessStep 3• Individualised maintenanceprogrammesRational headway is important to
The system has to be foolproof
depending on sports and skill set
and other variables taken into
consideration.
Focus point: After
evaluation of an
athlete to �nd out
which muscles are
particularly weak,
all muscles of the
limb need to be
exercised,
concentrating on
those that are
weaker.
How to return toplaying sports ❝
provide reliability in success and to minimise the potential for reinjury. Assumingthat clinical success assures a safe athleticperformance may be the reason certain injuries have high rates of reinjury. Althoughan athlete may be considered to be completely rehabilitated in a traditional clinicalsetting, no assurance can be given for therestoration to expected levels of sports performance. Bridging the gap is the vital cogbetween clinical evaluation and RTP.
Medical personnel attached to the teamor individual athlete must provide guidanceon activity suitability during each phase ofrehabilitation following the logical progression of the above objectives. One must alsounderstand the psychological makeup ofthe athlete.
While many athletes require reassurance, the majority require a strong hand tothwart a premature return and exposure toinjury.
The most common mistakes
1. Rehabilitation is often focused on asingle muscle group. After evaluation of theathlete to �nd out which muscles are particularly weak, all muscles of the limb need tobe exercised, concentrating on those thatare weaker. However, the limitations imposed by the injury or surgery should betaken into account.
2. Rehabilitation may be neglected untilthe injured area reaches a similar level ofpain or size as the uninjured side.
3. Exercises for developing proprioception are neglected and not given due signi�cance in avoidance and return from injury.
4. Postural de�ciencies, anatomicalmalalignment and biomechanical imbalances are commonly ignored when designing the rehabilitation programme.
5. Speci�c sports skills and the SAID(Speci�c Adaptation to Imposed Demands)principle are often not incorporated into theprogramme. Exercises should be adapted tothe speci�c needs of the athlete’s particularposition in a sport and highly specialised�tness protocols. This is a most critical aspect of RTP.
6. The progression of exercises must betailormade not only according to the natureof the injury, but also to the type of surgery,if conducted, and the speci�c nature of thesport.
The development of these skill patternsprior to RTP will serve as a guideline to givethe athlete and coach abundant prospects to
understand the athlete’s new limitations, ifany, in his or her skill set and �tness, as wellas to mentally prepare the athlete for a return to full competition.
Sample progression in
fitness activity
Step 1: Back to regular activityAn athlete is back to his or her regular
activities (such as school or college).Step 2: Very light aerobic activity
Start with light aerobic exercises to increase the heart rate. This means 510minutes on an exercise bike or walking orlight jogging.Step 3: Moderate physical activity
Continue with activities to increase theathlete’s target heart rate
This includes moderate jogging, briefrunning, moderateintensity stationary biking and moderateintensity weightlifting.Step 4: Heavy, noncontact activity
Progress to heavy, noncontact physicalactivities such as sprinting, running, highintensity stationary biking, weightliftingand noncontact sportspeci�c drills (in allthree planes of movement).Step 5: Practice and fullcontact sessions
An athlete may return to practice andfullcontact sessions in a controlledenvironment.Step 6: Competition phase
A �t athlete may return to competition.The above progression will vary accord
ing to the nature of the injury, the sportplayed, skill sets, the place of injury andother variables. And, �nally, each athlete’sRTP will vary. One format may not suit all.
Finally, progression is key
to success in RTP
1) No activity, complete rest, recoveryphase
2) Light aerobic exercises, target heartrate 70 percent less, heart rate incrementphase
3) Sportsspeci�c exercises, base drills,movement phase
4) Noncontact training process, complex training phase with all range of movement for skills in progression, coordinationand cognitive phase
5) Fullcontact training, postmedicalclearance, contact phase can be resumed,functional skills through varied �elds and�tness, physiological and psychological increment phase through support sta�
6) Return to play with full e�ciency. •
58 JUNE 13, 2020 SPORTSTAR
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Some years ago I spent a day with Sachin Tendulkarin Mumbai, and our conversation segued into agame — I would mention a year and a venue, and
Sachin would come back immediately with how manyruns he made, how he gotout, and some other details you wouldn’t expecthim to remember. Later Imentioned this to RahulDravid in Bengaluru, andhe too, it turned out,could do same thing.
The question ofmemory in sport is a crucial one. It helps you remember and dip intoexperience — bowlers arealways told by coachesthat memory is an important asset — and italso helps focus. You cancall up Erapalli Prasanna,the great o� spinner ofthe 1960s and 1970s anytime, and he will tell youhow he bowled to IanChappell or how hetucked away in his mindthe ball that got CliveLloyd. This is an automatic re�ex.
The second, focus, iswhat psychologists call“working memory”, theability to concentrate onthe job in the face of distractions. Asked after aninnings if someone (aphotographer, I think itwas) who followed him allthe way to the wicket haddistracted him, Tendulkar answered honestly that he didn’t see him at all.
When you see top players performing under pressure, it usually means their working memory is welltuned. Psychologists use an analogy to make theconcept clearer. It is the ability we have to shut out allthe sounds in a noisy bar and keep up a conversation
with a friend.Viswanathan Anand can recall every game he has
played over the last four decades or so (and lots ofothers, besides), the moves, the position at any point,
the mistakes, both his andhis opponent’s, and youhave to evoke that poemwe learnt in school: “Andstill they gazed, and stillthe wonder grew. Thatone small head couldcarry all he knew.”
Research with chessplayers have shown thattwo elements hold thekey: practice, and patternrecognition. That’s easilysaid, not so easily (for therest of us) done!
The tennis greatRamanathan Krishnanalso has amazing recall.We were once talking of amatch which had takenplace three decadesearlier, and he remembered not only thescores, the strokes heplayed, he could even tellme at what point hechanged his racquet! Ichecked out the first twowhich were spot on, butthere was no way of con-firming the change of rac-quet. Chances are thatwas spot on too.
As a reporter, it wasimportant to doublecheck, of course. When Istarted out, I was gentlywarned by a senior to be
careful about the statistics one cricketer spouted. Hespoke fluently about figures, and matches and it was a
marvel till I remembered the warning and double
checked. Only to find that most of the figures were,
how shall I put it, less than spot on! Memory plays
tricks too. •
Memory is an important assetThe question of memory in sport is a crucial one. It helps you remember and dip into
experience and it also helps focus.
SURESH MENON
Fresh in memory: You can call up Erapalli Prasanna,
the great o�spinner of the 1960s and 1970s, any
time, and he will tell you how he bowled to Ian
Chappell or how he tucked away in his mind the ball
that got Clive Lloyd. This is an automatic re�ex.
THE HINDU PHOTO LIBRARY
JADON SANCHOSTATEMENT OF PURPOSE
JUNE 13, 2020 PAGES 59 TO 66
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RNP no: HQ/SD/505/2020-22, RNI No. 30513/1978.