Page 460 - Sports
Ravi Shastri's contract doesn't have extension clause: BCCI official
Ravi Shastri remains favourite to continue as the Indian cricket team's head coach after the World Cup but the BCCI will be forced to restart the process as the former India all-rounder's service contract doesn't have an extension or renewal clause. Unlike most of the big football or NBA clubs, who have a renewal or an extension clause for their coaches, the BCCI, from Anil Kumble's time as chief coach, never had that particular clause. "From Anil Kumble's time, the service contract of the coaches and support staff doesn't have an extension or renewal clause. Therefore, even if India win the World Cup under Shastri's coaching, he will have to come through the fresh recruitment process even though he will be a direct entry into the shortlisted panel as current coach," a senior BCCI official, privy to the development, told PTI on condition of anonymity. The official said that the BCCI needs to follow the due process of putting up an advertisement on its website for filling up the ...
India lose 2-3 to Singapore at Asia Mixed Team C'ships
HS Prannoy and men's doubles pair of MR Arjun and Shlok Ramchandran put up superb performances but couldn't stop Singapore from ekeing out a narrow 3-2 win over India in a group B match of the Asia Mixed Team Championships here Wednesday. India didn't have a good start to the five-match tie as mixed doubles pair of MR Arjun and Rutaparna Panda lost 16-21 13-21 to Singapore's Danny Bawa Chrisnanta and Tan Wei Han in the opening match. However, 2018 Asian Championships bronze medallist Prannoy brought India back in the contest, securing a 21-8, 12-21, 21-17 win over Thailand Masters champion Kean Yew Loh in the men's singles. After Prannoy levelled the tie, Arjun and Shlok put India ahead with a strong 21-16, 21-18 victory over Loh Kean Hean and Chrisnanta. The onus to wrap up the tie then fall on the young shoulders of Assamese wonderkid Ashmita Chaliha. The National Championships bronze medallist fought bravely before going down 21-17, 12-21, 16-21 to World No. 32 Yeo Jia Min in ...
Klopp urges Salah to use Liverpool teammate Mane as inspiration
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says Mohamed Salah should use Sadio Mane as inspiration as the Egypt star looks to hit peak form after an inconsistent season. Salah scored 44 times in his debut season with Liverpool, but his second campaign has not been so smooth. Although Salah has 20 goals in the current campaign, his goalless run of seven matches is the longest he has experienced since a 10-game streak for Roma in 2015-16. That is a concern, with Liverpool chasing their first English title since 1990 and also through to the Champions League quarter-finals. Fortunately for Liverpool, Senegal winger Mane is in fine form and has moved level on 20 goals with Salah, after netting 11 in as many games. Mane had gone goalless in eight outings in November and December during a spell of 17 matches in which he scored just three times. Having seen Mane work through his drought successfully, Klopp believes Salah will soon see his luck change in front of goal as well. "Sadio played pretty much ...
Delhi has one of the best bowling attacks in IPL, says Ishant Sharma
India speedster speedster Ishant Sharma believes his IPL franchise Delhi Capitals has one of the best bowling attacks for the upcoming edition of the event. The Delhi Capitals boast of a perfect combination of fast and spin bowlers with the likes of New Zealand pacer Trent Boult and Kagiso Rabada in their side, according to Ishant. "Our team has picked up some great bowling options in the squad and with the likes of Trent Boult and Kagiso Rabada also in the team. I think we have one of the best bowling line-ups this time. We have some very good all-rounders along with great spinners, which shall help us in restricting teams from scoring freely," Ishant said. Talking about his goals, the Indian pacer said he is eager to take more wickets in the IPL, starting March 23. "I feel there is a huge ambition for me this season. I am very focused on taking more wickets throughout the tournament instead of just bowling well. "Of course, taking wickets depends on how well you bowl, but the most ..
'More time for our wives': Mueller on life after Loew
Former Germany star Thomas Mueller has said that he is looking to the future after his exclusion from the national team under coach Joachim Loew. Mueller and his Bayern Munich team-mates Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels were all ruled out of Loew's future plans in a shock announcement earlier this month. The coach's decision to get rid of the three World Cup winners has attracted widespread criticism, but Mueller says he is putting the disappointment behind him as he prepares for life after Loew. "It obviously came as a negative surprise," Mueller told Sport Bild on Wednesday. "But it's important to look forwards, not just in sport, but in life in general." Germany are set to face Serbia in a friendly on Wednesday before opening their Euro 2020 qualifying campaign against old rivals the Netherlands in Amsterdam on Sunday. Last weekend, Mueller admitted that it would be a strange feeling to watch the national team from the sofa. "It feels like the first time in my life that I have had ..
India maul Bangladesh 4-0, enter SAFF Women's football final for 5th straight time
Four-time defending champions India stormed into the final of the SAFF Women's football championship with a resounding 4-0 win over Bangladesh here Wednesday. Dalima Chhibber opened the scoring for India, which was followed by a brace from Indumathi Kathiresan and an injury-time strike by Manisha as the defending champions took their tally to 15 goals in three matches in the tournament at the Sahid Rangashala Stadium. The match began with both teams going hard from the first whistle as Bangladesh looked to make the most of their physical prowess and pressed the Indian defenders with rigorous pace. The Indian centre-back duo of Ashalata and Sweety Devi, however, stood tall and denied the opposition forwards any sniff at goal. After a tense start, the Indians found their foothold and in the 18th minute, Sanju curled in an excellent delivery from the left that fell to Dalima inside the box and the right-back made no mistake as she placed the ball into the back of the net. The tempo of ...
Prajnesh must not fall in trap of playing safe: Zeeshan
With age not on his side, Prajnesh Gunneswaran must avoid the trap of playing safe on the Challenger circuit to defend points and should go full throttle in search of wins at the biggest tournaments, India's Davis Cup coach Zeeshan Ali suggested Wednesday. Playing the best tennis of his life, Prajnesh recently broke into the top-100 and also competed in his maiden ATP Masters series event at the Indian Wells, second only to Grand Slams. The 29-year-old recorded the biggest victory of his career by toppling world No.18 Nikoloz Basilashvili in the second round after coming through Qualifiers. This week, he is trying to make the Miami Masters main draw and is one win away from sealing his spot. "Prajnesh, at this stage of his career, does not have the luxury of time and has to keep making bold and tough choices to get himself in a position where getting main draw entries in the big events are guaranteed," Zeeshan told PTI in an interaction. "The only way to make large jumps in the ...
Young Kolkata club cricketer dies on-field
A young club cricketer died after collapsing on the field during a friendly match on Wednesday. 22-year-old Sonu Yadav, who plays for Ballygunge Sporting Club in Cricket Association of Bengal's second division league was playing a match at the Bata Club ground. According to those present at the ground, the wicketkeeper-batsman was going back to the tent after finishing his batting and suddenly collapsed. He was quickly rushed to the SSKM hospital where he was declared brought dead. A few years back, another junior Bengal player Aniket Sharma had lost his life collapsing on the field while playing at the Paikpara ground. Ballygunge SC official Shyamal Banerjee said:"I cannot believe that Sonu is no more. Sonu was a very talented cricketer. I heard the news in the afternoon. Heard Sonu was playing with his friends because our club did not have any match. I pray to Almighty so that it gives strength to his family to deal with this loss.
Delhi have one of the best bowling attack: Ishant
Delhi Capitals' pacer Ishant Sharma wants to take wickets than just bowling well in the 12th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The fast bowler, picked for Rs 1.10 crore in the auction, feels this Delhi team has the arsenal to go all out and win the title. The team has the perfect combination of fast and spin bowlers, he said.
My workload is all about managing my bowling: Jadhav
India all-rounder Kedar Jadhav Wednesday said he will have to manage his bowling to remain fit during the two-month long Indian Premier League, amid concerns around players' workload ahead of the upcoming World Cup. "My workload, I think, is about managing my bowling. In Chennai Super Kings, I don't think I need to bowl as much as I do in the Indian team," said Jadhav, who is expected to share the responsibility of the fifth bowler during the World Cup starting May 30. "We all are professional cricketers and we know how to manage our bodies. How you recover after every IPL game really matters during this two-month period. You can't just improve in one training session." Jadhav said it was up to individuals to handle the situation and the players need to work in tandem with the Indian team's trainers and physios as well as that of IPL franchises. "Obviously, its up to the individuals and we are smart enough to handle the situation. We will work in tandem with trainers and physios of ...
Young cricketer dies after collapsing while batting
A 22-year-old city based cricketer fell ill during a friendly match and died here on Wednesday, hospital sources said.
FIFA President congratulates Chennai City on maiden I-League title
FIFA President Gianni Infantino Wednesday congratulated Chennai City FC for winning their maiden I-League title. "I was delighted to hear that Chennai City FC have been crowned 2018/19 I-League Champions. It gives me great pleasure to congratulate them for their first ever championship title," Infantino said in a letter addressed to the All India Football Federation. "This is, no doubt, the result of effort and hard work, and everybody involved can be proud of this great achievement. I encourage them to continue working with determination and motivation," Infantino said. Chennai City FC won their maiden I-League title earlier this month, after a thrilling final-day finish, that saw them end the league with 43 points, just a point above Kolkata Giants Quess East Bengal.
Reus 'will end his career at Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc has said that talisman Marco Reus will stay at the club until the end of his career. "Marco is someone who identifies with the club and has strong roots in Dortmund," Zorc told Sport Bild on Wednesday. "I can't imagine that he will ever play for another club." Reus, 29, scored a late winner against Hertha Berlin last Saturday to keep Dortmund level on points with Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich. One of the more experienced players in Dortmund's young squad, the Germany international is set to play a key role as the title race enters the decisive phase. On Wednesday, Bild reported that Reus had delivered a rousing speech to the team in the wake of Dortmund's Champions League defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, and Zorc lavished praise on his captain's leadership qualities. "Marco has matured as a person, and he is taking on more responsibility than before, both on and off the pitch," said Zorc. "He has a natural authority, and he is becoming ..
Dhoni understands match situations better than bowlers: Kuldeep Yadav
Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav says Mahendra Singh Dhoni's understanding of match situations beats that of the bowlers and the former captain's presence behind the stumps makes his job easy. Yadav, who is quite vocal in his admiration for Dhoni, said he feels lucky to play alongside the iconic keeper-batsman, who led India to two world titles. "He always guides us bowlers, whenever he feels the need to get his message across he does it. When the wicketkeeper supports you like that, it becomes easier for the bowler," Yadav was quoted as saying by India Today's YouTube channel 'Sports Tak'. "A lot of times, the bowler is not able to understand the situation but the wicketkeeper understands it better. Mahi bhai is just like that. "He has so much experience. He tells gives us small details and even when he doesn't, I make sure to ask him for guidance. Chahal and I feel very lucky to be playing with him. Bowling becomes easier with Mahi bhai behind the stumps," he added. Speaking on India's .
With no India pacers in line-up, workload management will be minimal, feels Fleming
Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming said that workload management will play a part during this year's IPL due to the upcoming World Cup but the defending champions won't be impacted much as there aren't too many pacers in their line-up. In CSK line-up, there are two sure shot selections in the Indian playing XI for the World Cup in Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Kedar Jadhav while Ambati Rayudu and Ravindra Jadeja are still in the mix for the final 15. However none of the top three India pacers Jasprit Bumrah (MI), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (SRH) and Mohammed Shami (KXIP) are in CSK roster, which makes it a bit easy for Fleming to sort his combinations. Asked about how the franchise plans to go about with their workload management policy, Fleming replied:"Probably managing the workload of the bowlers will be the only topic of discussion. It will have an influence - but it will be minimal for CSK." However he did agree that it will play part but not at the cost of franchise's interest. "Yes, .
India out to break AFC U-23 cup qualification jinx
India U-23 football team head coach Derrick Pereira on Wednesday named ten 19-year-olds and even one 16-year-old in India's 23-member squad for the AFC U-23 Championship qualifiers to be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from March 22.
I-League clubs open to rethink Super Cup participation
Nine I-League clubs have written to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) General Secretary Kusal Das expressing their desire to participate in the Super Cup.
There can't be blanket policy on workload management: Dravid
Former captain and India A team coach Rahul Dravid Wednesday said there cannot be a one-size-fits-all policy on workload management and players are smart enough to know where to draw the line. Wading into the ongoing debate on how the players should manage their workload in the IPL, starting March 23, followed by the ODI World Cup in England in May, Dravid said in most cases cricketers know how to handle themselves. "Most players are smart about these things. They know how to handle their body. I don't think the players would put their body on the line. I was reading Patrick Cummins (Australia pacer) saying that he feels better bowling when he is constantly playing rather than resting and coming back," Dravid said. "So to each player, it's different. There cannot be a blanket case that all should be rested. We have to just trust the players. They know what needs to be done," he added. He was speaking at the launch of ESPNCricinfo's new metrics, Superstats, along with former India ...
Chennai City take pole position in I-League awards
Newly crowned champions Chennai City FC, were presented with the Hero I-League trophy at a ceremony, here on Wednesday. The trophy was handed over to the Coimbatore-based club by All India Football Federation (AIFF) General Secretary Kushal Das and I-League Chief Executive Officer Sunando Dhar.
Dhoni will mostly bat at No 4 but we can be flexible, says CSK coach Stephen Fleming
The Indian team management has slotted Mahendra Singh Dhoni as a potential number five in their line-up moving into the World Cup but at Chennai Super Kings, their skipper will be batting a notch higher at No 4, said coach Stephen Fleming. Dhoni, who will be leading the defending champions for the 10th year, would be used as a floater if required but Kedar Jadhav's presence makes it easier to fix the slots. "Dhoni batted pretty much (at) No. 4 last year but we do use him in a little bit of a flexible role, so that won't change," Fleming said at the media conference organised by CSK. "His (Dhoni's) form has been outstanding in the past 10 months. We have a new player as well (Kedar Jadhav) which is great. So, we're really happy with the (batting) order and the thoughts around that," Fleming told reporters at an event to launch CSK merchandise here. Kedar played the first match of the last season before a hamstring tear kept him out for nearly six months. CSK is a team that's core is ...