Following is the full interview of the Union Minister with Gourav Sharma, Editor, The Correspondent.

With Paris Olympics scheduled in August 2024, what are your thoughts on the preparations of the Indian Team. What medal count India can expect this time?

We have whole heartedly supported our athletes to secure qualification and prepare well for Paris 2024. While we do not have a particular number in mind, I am confident that our athletes will come home with India’s best haul in an Olympic Games. Our athletes are fearless and compete on equal terms with the best in the world. We have left no stone unturned in ensuring that maximum Indian athletes qualify for the Paris Olympic Games and are well prepared. More than 350 foreign exposure trips for training and competitions were sanctioned in select Olympic disciplines in this Olympic cycle. It has encouraged the athletes to be ready to deliver their best performances without facing the pressure of expectation.

What is the qualification scenario right now?

As of now, 58 of our athletes have qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. For the first time, both the men’s and women’s Table Tennis teams have earned places in the Olympic Games draw. Similarly, India has won a quota each in women’s Skeet Shooting and in Equestrian (Dressage) for the first time.

What has changed over the years in Government’s approach to sports development?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always motivated athletes to compete fearlessly in keeping with the brave new India that is emerging as a world leader in many areas. One of the most important things that has changed since Rio is the ease of business for the athletes. Their proposals for training and competition are cleared faster than ever before, sometimes even in the matter of hours. Ministry and National Sports Federations have begun the process of identifying disciplines and events in which India can develop medal-winning potential beyond those which have already delivered results on the global stage and can get better. We have encouraged sports like cycling and swimming which offer many medals to step up and contribute to the tally.

What about funding? How much money has the Government been spending on sports development?

As for investment, suffice to say that the Government has enhanced the size of the Ministry’s budget three times in the past decade from Rs 1,093 crores in 2013- 14 to Rs 3397.32 crores in 2023-24 and the right support at the right time is being extended to athletes. Besides the government budgetary support, corporate and private investments in sports through CSR funds have also contributed to the evolution of Indian sport.

Government seems to have invested a lot in Khelo India. Has it produced the desired results?

Of course, the Khelo India Scheme has delivered results. It is not just a scheme, it has become a nationwide movement. One of the major objectives of Khelo India is talent identification and development through structured training. We currently support over 2800 athletes who are given an annual scholarship of Rs 6.28 lakhs to support their training, boarding, lodging, out-of-pocket allowance for their own expenses. Every year new athletes are added to this scheme and there is a constant monitoring of performance which ensures that regular weeding out also takes place.

 Can you throw some light on the sports infrastructure development in recent years?

The backbone of any sports ecosystem is infrastructure, both in terms of facilities and human resources. There is a need to take modern sports facilities to the doorstep of the grassroots talent as it will ensure that athletes are nurtured closer home than away. Just for creation and upgradation of sports infrastructure, Rs 1,879 crores have been allocated till 2024-25 by the Ministry of Finance. It is our endeavor to optimally use sports infrastructure belonging to States/UTs through suitable Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Provision of maximum funding to the State Centres of Excellence and Khelo India Centres is being done for priority sport selected by the State under the “One State, One Game” initiative.

The Prime Minister has also spoken about hosting the Youth Olympics in 2030. What is the plan regarding that? Has any city been identified?

Yes, we are eager to host the Youth Olympic Games in 2030 ahead of the Summer Olympics in 2036. However, we are at the planning stage right now and initial discussions are going on. We will plan as per the requirements of the International Olympic Committee and the conversations with the Future Hosts Commission have been positive. The government has announced its intention to bid for the 2036 Olympics.

Could you please tell us about the current state of engagement with the IOC with respect to bidding for Olympics?

At the historic IOC session that took place in Mumbai in October 2023, PM Modi announced that India is keen and all out efforts are being made to organise the 2036 Olympics and 2030 Youth Olympics in India. We are working in close coordination with the Indian Olympic Association and are in talks with the IOC Future Hosts Commission to make a strong recommendation in favour of the Indian bid. In fact, we already have had two rounds of productive discussions with the Future Hosts Commission.

Is there any real benefit of hosting such events and other international competitions in India?

The time is ripe for the country to step up on the world sports landscape. The hosting of multi-discipline sports competitions can improve India’s image and in the past few years, we have successfully hosted many international sporting competitions such as the FIFA U-17 Men’s and Women’s World Cup, 44th Chess Olympiad, FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup amongst other events. Conducting a major sporting event offers home athletes – both elite and junior – to witness sporting competition of the highest level on home soil while being able to participate in the comfort of known conditions. Also, this strengthens the overall sports ecosystem in the country and motivates host cities and citizens to move towards healthier lifestyles. Hon’ble PM Modi has envisioned that India will emerge as an international sporting hub by 2036 and the Indian sports economy would be valued at Rs 1 lakh crores in the coming years with our youth being the primary beneficiaries.

As India aspires to host Youth Olympics and Olympics, the country would be looking to achieve success in terms of more medals? What kind of investment is needed? What disciplines are being identified where India can maximise their chances of winning medals?

Ministry and National Sports Federations have begun the process of identifying disciplines and events in which India can develop medal-winning potential beyond those which have already delivered results on the global stage and can get better. We have encouraged sports like cycling and swimming which offer many medals to step up and contribute to the tally. As for investment, suffice to say that the Government has enhanced the size of the Ministry’s budget three times in the past decade from Rs 1,093 crores in 2013-14 to Rs 3397.32 crores in 2023-24 and the right support at the right time is being extended to athletes. Besides, corporate and private investments in sports through CSR funds have also contributed to the evolution of Indian sport. We wish to break into the top 10 in the Olympic Games medal tally and we believe that we can achieve this target.

Government seems to have invested a lot in Khelo India. Has it produced the desired results?

Of course, the Khelo India Scheme has delivered results. It is not just a scheme, it has become a nationwide movement. One of the major objectives of Khelo India is talent identification and development through structured training. We currently support over 2800 athletes who are given an annual scholarship of Rs 6.28 lakhs to support their training, boarding, lodging, out-of-pocket allowance for their own expenses. Every year new athletes are added to this scheme and there is a constant monitoring of performance which ensures that regular weeding out also takes place.

Can you throw some light on the sports infrastructure development in recent years?

The backbone of any sports ecosystem is infrastructure, both in terms of facilities and human resources. At the macro level, it supports the participation of citizens and, at the micro level, it encourages India’s best talent to deliver impactful performances on the international stage. The need to take modern sports facilities to the doorstep of the grassroots talent is acute as it will ensure that athletes are nurtured closer home than away. It is such a thought that has led to 331 projects, costing more than Rs 3,000 crore being sanctioned since 2016.

With Paris Olympics scheduled in August 2024, what are your thoughts on the preparations of the Indian Team. What medal count India can expect this time?

We have whole heartedly supported our athletes to secure qualification and prepare well for Paris 2024. While we do not have a particular number in mind, I am confident that our athletes will come home with India’s best haul in an Olympic Games. Our athletes are fearless and compete on equal terms with the best in the world. We have left no stone unturned in ensuring that maximum Indian athletes qualify for the Paris Olympic Games and are well prepared. More than 350 foreign exposure trips for training and competitions were sanctioned in select Olympic disciplines in this Olympic cycle. It has encouraged the athletes to be ready to deliver their best performances without facing the pressure of expectation. As of now, 58 of our athletes have qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The post Confident That Athletes Will Deliver India’s Best Haul In Olympic Games At Paris 2024: Anurag Thakur appeared first on The Correspondent.

While Harmanpreet Singh struck in the 7th and 28th minutes, Jugraj Singh (24′) and Lalit Upadhyay (50′) scored a goal each to help India seal a 4-1 win in their opening match of the season. Spanish captain Marc Miralles (34′) was the lone goalscorer for the visitors.

Both teams were cautious in their approach, as they focused on maintaining their structure, with accurate passes in the midfield. It was India who came up with the first real attack as Hardik Singh made a stunning run from the right flank to draw the first penalty corner, which was duly converted by Harmanpreet with a fiery low drag-flick, making it 1-0 in the 7th minute.

Although Spain had better ball possession, India were disciplined in the defence. They did not allow the visitors to create spaces and ended the opening quarter with a narrow 1-0 lead. In their bid to score an equaliser, Spain started the second quarter brightly. They created a couple of goalscoring opportunities and also had a penalty corner, but Indian goalie PR Sreejesh stood tall to deny visitors from equalising.

India immediately responded as they had as many as three back-to-back penalty corners, with the third one being rewarded into a penalty stroke. Harmanpreet once again stepped up and slotted the ball home with ease, making it 2-0 for the hosts in the 20th minute. India rode on the momentum as they extended their lead through Jugraj’s low drag-flick that went through Spanish goalie Luis Calzado’s legs, making it 3-0 in the 24th minute.

With less than two minutes to go for the first half, Spain earned their second penalty corner of the match but missed out on converting it. They also made forays inside India’s circle in the dying seconds, but the home side survived the danger, ending the first half with a comfortable 3-0 lead.

Spain upped their ante and started the third quarter aggressively. They piled pressure on the Indian defence, and a stick tackle by Gurjant Singh gave away a penalty stroke to the visitors in the 34th minute. Miralles made no mistake in pulling a goal back for Spain as he slotted the ball into the top right corner of the goal.

The latter phase of the third quarter saw some end-to-end action, with both teams looking for spaces inside each other’s halves. India had their seventh penalty corner, but Jugraj’s drag-flick was off target. Spain came out all guns blazing in the final quarter. They were relentless in their pursuit and made dangerous runs inside, but the Indian defence led by Sreejesh kept the visitors away from the goal.

India went on to add the fourth goal on the counter-attack. Sukhjeet orchestrated a fine run on the left, playing the ball to his teammate from the top of the circle. However, the deflection from Spanish defenders fell to Lalit, who was at the right place, at the right time, and hammered the ball into the nets through a reverse flick in the 50th minute. Spain, on the other hand, had a glorious opportunity to pull a goal back in the 56th minute but missed out on converting yet another penalty corner.

With less than two minutes to go for the final hooter, India were down to 10 men as Gurjant Singh was given the yellow card. Spain could make much of it as India ran down the clock to seal a comfortable 4-1 win. India will take on the defending champions the Netherlands in their second match today.

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Singh also vividly remembers the reception and felicitations that the team received in various cities on its return to India. The team played 10 exhibition matches at various places in the country and were felicitated wherever they went.

The MP Ganesh-led India had come close to winning the World Cup in 1973 as well, but lost to the Netherlands 2-4 on penalties in the final. Singh was a member of that team as well.

Singh spoke to Gourav Sharma, Assistant Editor, The Correspondent on the 46th anniversary of India’s historic World Cup triumph.

Excerpts:

How do you remember March 15, 1975?

On this date the best thing of my life happened — history was made. I get goosebumps recalling that day.

Do you remember distinctly what you did that day since the time you wake up in Kuala Lumpur?

Definitely. Winning a World Cup comes rarely in one’s life. I distinctly remember the match, the celebrations, where all we went after the triumph, how we returned to India etc.

At what stage during the World Cup did you realise that the Indian team was capable of winning the title?

It was after we beat Germany 3-1 in a Pool B league match. We had beaten England 2-1 in the first league game and drew 1-1 with Australia. And after blanking Ghana 7-0, we lost to Argentina 1-2. But in the last group league match, against Germany, we had to beat them to qualify for the semi-finals, as Australia was at six points and had we lost we would not have qualified for the semis.

How tough was the final against Pakistan?

It was a fast-paced match. We were in the field, playing, so we did not realise that. However, those who watched the game from the stands told us that it was a pacy game. The Pakistani team always had a strong forward line, and that team too was strong. We, however, defended very well against their forwards.

How did you spend time between winning the final and till the time you went to sleep that day?

First, there was a celebration at the stadium. Then we returned to our team hotel. The atmosphere was different. Strictly speaking, there was no combined team celebration as such. Players were free to go wherever they wanted to; they went out with their friends and things like that. As you know, there were a lot of Indians living in Malaysia. Many of those Indians took the players to their either homes or clubs as part of the celebrations. One of my friends took me to the rooftop of a hotel where a few people were present. We opened the champagne there. By 10.30 pm or 11 pm, I returned to my hotel room. We were too tired after the final match. The next day again some people invited us, though I don’t remember the exact details now.

From Kuala Lumpur to we went to Singapore, where the Indian community, particularly the Punjabi community, organised a reception for the Indian team. We also went shopping there. Then we landed in Chennai, the home city of then Indian Hockey Federation president M.A.M. Ramaswamy (1974-1980), where there were celebrations in marketplaces and road shows for a couple of days. From Chennai, we came to Delhi where receptions were organised at several places, including the airport. We also met Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and other dignitaries, before the players left for their destinations.

Did the Indian players get any monetary reward for winning the World Cup?

Winning a World Cup is not a small achievement. We played 10 exhibition matches at various places after returning from Kuala Lumpur with the World Cup. They gave some amount of money to players. They should have commercialised hockey, like they did with cricket later. They didn’t move with the changing times. One example is the introduction of artificial turf for hockey in 1972. In India they installed the first artificial turf about 10 years later. In this interim period, we won the World Cup. Why didn’t they install it after the 1975 World Cup triumph?

Indian hockey players still don’t get match fees.
I would rather say that, all said and done, they are getting at least something now. Until some years ago, they wouldn’t get anything. When the team would come after winning something, they would only get shabashi (a pat on their backs) and officials would say “Well done, and now win the next tournament as well”. In my time – in the 1970s and the 1980s – players would be satisfied if they would land jobs by playing well. Also, in the 1970s and the 1980s, hockey was the No.1 sport of India and cricket was at No.2. But in the 1980s, cricket went up and up and hockey’s popularity went down.

Are the members of the 1975 getting together today to celebrate?

No, nothing as such. A few years ago, I used to invite players at my place for dinner etc.

The post 1975 World Cup hockey was best thing of my life: Captain Ajit Pal appeared first on The Correspondent.

Seven years after winning the historic middleweight bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, ace boxer Vijender Singh turned professional in 2015. Since then the poster boy of Indian boxing has fought — and won — 12 professional bouts. His next bout is against Russian Artysh Lopsan on March 19 in Goa.

The last pro bout of Vijender, 35, was in November 2019. But before that he had taken a plunge in politics. He contested – and lost – for the South Delhi Parliamentary seat on a Congress party ticket. But even at the time he had insisted that he would never leave boxing. Then, Covid-19 pandemic stopped all sporting activities in almost the entire last year; it also shrunk resources, says Vijender.

In 2015, when Vijender — a 2009 World Championships bronze winner and 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games gold medallist — signed a deal with a London based professional boxing firm, he had the luxury of having a team of experts to chalk out his plans, ranging from his training to his diet. But he could not get his support team to India due to the pandemic situation in England.

And since neither Vijender could go overseas for training, he has largely been dependent on a talented pool of boxers from Haryana as his sparring partners. He even engaged his long-standing friend and training partner, Jai Bhagwan, a two-time Asian Championships medallist and the 2010 Commonwealth Games bronze winner, as coach.

Excerpts from the exclusive interview with Gourav Sharma, Assistant Editor, The Correspondent

How have you been training for the March 19 bout?

It is an eight-round bout. So, I trained for 10 rounds in one session. Moreover, we changed sparring partners after two or three rounds to have a fresh opponent that could test my skills.

You said there is some injury problem. Could you elaborate?

I hurt my nose during training. Initially it was bad. Now it’s better.

You have just one week to go for big match. Is the injury a worrying factor?

No. I’m doing icing. It should be fine.

Your opponent (Artysh Lopsan) is taller than you at 6-foot-four-inch. You are six-foot tall. How do you plan to tackle him?

I did sparring sessions with boxers taller than me to build up muscle memory. One of them was a Youth Asian medal winner from Jhajjar in Haryana. He wasn’t as strong as senior the athlete, but technically it helps to learn how to stay out of the reach of your rival, and go inside to score.

Any advantage you have over your rival from Russia?

I guess I’m more experienced than him. I have played 12 bouts and trained in America and England. My last bout was in Dubai (November 2019). All that will play a vital role in winning.

What will be your main strategy against Lopsan?

I don’t want to reveal the details. In the first round, I will be able to observe him and then I will plan for the remaining seven rounds.

What is your main strength?

I believe in power packed punches. Endurance is the other weapon I rely on. I like to stay calm even if my opponent is aggressive.

What was the reason for engaging Jai Bhagwan as your coach/trainer?

He was the best choice under the given circumstances. We know each other and he knows how to push me beyond the limits.

Since your training sessions were quite strenuous, did you follow any specific diet plan?

As an athlete, I have good eating habits. I stick to it. But when I was training in England in 2015, there were a lot of emphasis on nutrition.

How challenging has it been to stay fit in times of the pandemic?

It was a different kind of experience to cope with. I have learned a lot to do with limited resources. There were issues of niggling injuries in the build up to the main event. All I can say is it was an uphill task to get back into top fitness.

During lockdown it was difficult to train. Did you put on weight?

Not much. I’m close to 79kg. I should be able to reduce at least three kilograms in the coming week.

For some time you have been seen in different roles. Like supporting farmers’ agitation and training at the same time?

Whatever I do I do with my heart. I try to go all out.

What have you learnt for the farmer’s agitation?

Every day is a new learning experience. I’ve desire to learn more.

What about your plans of setting up a boxing academy in Haryana?

The plans are still there but I haven’t got the land from the government.

Could you share your experience on the professional circuit?

It is very simple. You have to be super strong to survive in the pro circuit.

The post My main strength is power packed punches: Boxer Vijender appeared first on The Correspondent.

“My father was wholesome however he suffered mind haemorrhage in 2017. Since he was the one breadwinner, I needed to do odd jobs to outlive,” Jadhav advised.

“While I needed to do the odd job, my mom nonetheless works in a day care centre. I typically went to mattress hungry as I could not earn — or simply had tea and biscuits for dinner,” mentioned the school going wrestler.

Jadhav senior was a former nationwide stage wrestler, and he would run a small dhaba to have each ends meet. Since July 2017 that duty fell on Jadhav, who began doing the odd job — and likewise squeeze outing to coach as nicely. Having began as a freestyle wrestler, his change to Greco Roman fashion introduced in a dramatic change in his fortune — and now he’s a medal contender within the 60kg within the National Greco-Roman Championship starting on Saturday in Jalandhar.

Jadhav can be excessive on motivation in Jalandhar, one cause being that the sports activities ministry this month gave him Rs.2.5 lakh money incentive for his coaching. From that purse he’s going to return the cash he has borrowed from individuals, together with his coaches.

“For the previous few weeks I had been spending sleepless nights as a result of the cash borrowed from mates and coaches to gasoline my coaching had crossed Rs.1 lakh,” Jadhav mentioned.

“I’ll repay the coaches and mates from whom I had borrowed cash within the current previous for coaching. After paying them, I’ll hold the remaining quantity to complement my each day weight-reduction plan,” he mentioned after a coaching session from Indore.

Sarwar Mansoori, coach of Jadhav on the Malhar Ashram School, run by the Madhya Pradesh authorities and adopted by the Sports Authority of India, mentioned the fund will inspire his ward.

“On listening to the information of the money incentive brightened his face. It shall be massive motivating issue for Jadhav on the nationwide competitors beginning. For us, if he wins gold, we are going to really feel he has repaid our cash,” Mansoori advised.

Jadhav had borrowed over Rs.60,000 from former Commonwealth Games medal-winning wrestler Kirpa Shankar Patel, who has been supporting him for a while. “I owe a lot to Patel sir. In the final three years I’ve borrowed greater than Rs.60,000 from him,” mentioned Jadhav.

Jadhav has two elder sisters, and each are married. After his father expired, he wished to stop wrestling, mentioned Patel. But since Jadhav had gained medals within the nationals, senior gamers and coaches prevailed upon him to proceed. And he agreed to proceed.

Patel factors out what Jadhav has gone via.

“If a wrestler is consuming roti with onion and will win silver medal within the nationals, he has to have some expertise. Hence, we determined to offer him issues like dietary supplements or equipment each time it was required,” mentioned the national-level coach.

“Jadhav’s monetary place may be very dangerous. His youthful brother can be coaching. And the household would not find the money for. Without a strong background, aiming for a medal within the National Championships is equally difficult. Top gamers usually take nutritious meals consisting of milk and milk merchandise on a each day foundation aside from dry fruits and protein wealthy weight-reduction plan,” Patel mentioned concerning the significance of good meals for wrestlers.

Mansoori is optimistic about Jadhav’s prospects on the National Greco-Roman Championship starting on Saturday.

“He has gained silver thrice in three completely different nationwide stage competitions. This time his goal is to improve it to gold,” he mentioned.

The post An inspirational story of a wrestler from Indore slums appeared first on The Correspondent.

“In T20Is and ODIs, I don’t think there is a probability of Australia winning. Our team is doing very well, and we are far ahead of Australia in these two formats. But India will get a fight in the Test series. It is a different format and we will have to work hard and differently,” Singh said.

“The chances of India winning are higher than Australia’s, but it will be an equal fight. I think the bowling departments of both teams are equal, as Australia have pacers Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins. But I think India has the upper hand in batting department,” he opined.

Singh, 34, said Indian bowling unit has the wherewithal to surprise Australia.

“Our bowling department, including Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, is very good and it will surely surprise the Australians. Even our bench is very good. And if you look at the team balance, India is a much better balanced team,” the former left-arm speedster pointed out.

While the Indian batting line-up comprises Kohli, Rohit Sharma (available probably only for the last two Tests), KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, besides others, the bowlers include Bumrah, Shami, Umesh Yadav, Navdeep Saini, and Mohammed Siraj. And Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja are the spinners.

“Playing in Australia is special, considering their crowds, atmosphere, and pitches, including drop-in pitches. It is not that we will fight only with our bowlers, but they will have to fight with our bowlers as well, because the weather in Australia is different,” pointed out the man who had memorable tour of Australia in 2007-08.

Singh, who captured two four-wicket hauls in Test matches on the 2007-08 tour, said in Perth, bowlers get a lot of help from the wind.

“In Perth, for example, the wind is crucial; it (Fremantle Doctor) comes at a certain time in a day, closer to the evening, and that helps bowlers. So, you have to calculate all these factors while playing there. The pitch is quite different from the outfield there. You cannot play traditional cricket and win; you have to think out of the box in Australia (to win). Our batting department is also good. But we will need a collective effort, and think out of the box, and plan and prepare accordingly. We will surely beat them; this probability is very high,” he said.

Singh said he enjoyed playing against Australia in Australia.

“Australia is the country I would place at the number one spot for the joy of playing cricket against. They almost always have a balanced team. And their approach towards playing cricket, plus their killer instinct. Their habit of winning poses problems to you, and they have maintained this habit of theirs,” he said.

On sledging, Singh couldn’t recall confronting it much.

“Sledging is a very common part of their game. They keep you engaged by sledging or talking to you. Sledging is engaged in to break your concentration. One should not reply to sledging, but some people enjoy replying as well. Everyone has a different way to tackle sledging I didn’t face much of sledging,” he said.

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While it is too early to guess his replacement as the series is well over a month away, the main concern ahead of the Test series, that begins on December 17, as of now is how India balance their batting in his absence.

One option looks to be KL Rahul taking that spot in the middle, sandwiched between Cheteshwar Pujara (No.3) and Ajinkya Rahane (No.4), and Rohit Sharma opening the batting with Mayank Agarwal.

The other option could be Rohit Sharma coming in at No.4 and Rahul, who amassed 670 runs in the Indian Premier League for Kings XI Punjab at the top, opening the innings.

The young options India have in their squad to replace Kohli are Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw, but whether they will be asked to occupy the pivotal position in the middle remains to be seen.

India are unlikely to throw youngsters Gill or Shaw at the deep end. It is not just because they are youngsters but also because they are coming off an average IPL and could be low on confidence.

While Shaw had a miserable outing, aggregating just 30 in his last seven IPL innings, Gill had a mixed tournament scoring 440 runs at 33.84. The Punjab batsman, who plays for Kolkata Knight Riders, scored at a strike rate of 117.96. Both, however, have an excellent first-class average. Shaw has an average of over 57 while Gill has an average of over 73.

India also have Hanuma Vihari who impressed on the last tour of Australia. The right-handed Andhra batsman made an impression on the last tour. Although while he did not score big, he managed to resist the Aussie bowling, especially in Melbourne when thrown at the deep end. Opening the batting, he saw off the new ball and wasn’t dismissed till the 19th over in the first innings even as he scored just eight. However, he would most likely be holding the back-end.

Australia coach Justin Langer had recently told the media that Kohli would be missed. He said that it is not just his batting but also his energy and passion that makes him great.

Speaking to media, former India batsman VVS Laxman said India will miss Kohli but they have options in the team.

“There are options available in the squad. There are a lot of quality players. Since the Test matches are going to be held only in late December, I think the coaching staff and the team management will see which player is doing well. They would also probably see the form of players in the ODI and T20I series, besides the way they have been playing in the nets. Whoever is in form and is looking positive — that is, mind-set and body language — will seize the opportunity, and I am sure there are enough players in the squad,” Laxman said.

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MI once again displayed some impressive bowling to first restrict DC, who opted to bat, to a moderate 156 for six wickets, before it rode skipper Rohit Sharma’s gritty 51-ball 68 and Ishan Kishan’s valuable 33 not out off 19 balls to cross the line with eight balls and five wickets to spare. MI finished at 157 for five wickets in 18.4 overs.

Chasing the target, MI were off to a decent start as Quinton de Kock (20) and Rohit added 45 runs in the initial four overs. Marcus Stoinis (1/23) drew the first blood for DC, dismissing de Kock off the first ball of the fifth over. Suryakumar Yadav (19) and Sharma then stitched another 45 runs, for the second wicket, and just when DC were 10 runs short of reaching the three-digit mark, a run out ended the former’s stay in the middle.

Nortje assault in the 17th over saw Rohit’s departure, which left MI at 137/3. The onslaught, however, came too late as MI had almost reached the target by then. Keiron Pollard (9) and Hardik Pandya (3) fell cheaply to Kagiso Rabada (1/32) and Nortje respectively. But Ishan kept one end going, and the scoreboard ticking, as MI comfortably overhauled the target on the fourth ball of the 19th and penultimate over.

For DC, Nortje bagged couple of wickets for 25 runs while Rabada and Stoinis settled with one each.

Earlier, DC captain Shreyas Iyer’s unbeaten 65 helped his side post a respectable 156/6 wickets in the given 20 overs. DC lost three wickets — Marcus Stoinis (0), Ajinkya Rahane (2), and Shikhar Dhawan (15) — within 3.3 overs as Trent Boult (3/30) accounted for the first two before Jayant Yadav castled left-hander Dhawan, leaving DC at 22/3.

Iyer and Rishabh Pant (56) repaired the damage with a crucial 96-run for the fourth wicket. Just when the stand was on the verge of reaching three-digit mark, Nathan Coulter-Nile (2/29) sent back a well-settled Pant, before incoming batter Shimron Hetymer (5) fell to Boult.

Coulter-Nile struck again in the final over to cut short Axar Patel’s (9) stay in the middle however, DC managed to limp to a fighting total in the 20 overs. Brief scores: Mumbai Indians 157/5 wkts in 18.4 over (Rohit Sharma 68, Ishan Kishan 33 not out; Anrich Nortje 2/25) beat Delhi Capitals 156/7 wkts in 20 overs (Shreyas Iyer 65 not out, Rishabh Pant 56; Trent Boult 3/30) by 5 wickets.

The post Mumbai Indians beat Delhi to clinch fifth IPL title appeared first on The Correspondent.

“Please join me in sending prayers, strength and good wishes to Kapil and Romi Dev for his speedy recovery. Kapil was taken to the hospital in time as he complained of uneasiness. As per the doctors the procedure has been successful and he will be home soon,” tweeted Kapil’s former India teammate Madan Lal.

Sachin Tendulkar said: “Take care Kapil Dev! Praying for your quick recovery. Get well soon Paaji.”

“Praying for your speedy recovery. Get well soon paaji,” said Virat Kohli.

“Wishing great Kapil Dev a speedy recovery post his angioplasty, you have been a fighter always Paaji and you will come out of this fighting fit,” said Mohammad Kaif.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the greatest champion cricketer of our times…Guru MEHR Karehga..!Love Always Kapil…!” tweeted Bishan Singh Bedi.

“Get well soon Kapil Paaji. Wishing you a speedy recovery,” said VVS Laxman.

“Get well soon paji,” tweeted Harbhajan Singh.

“Dear paji! Praying for your speedy recovery! Get well soon please after cricket I still need some golfing lessons,” said Yuvraj Singh on the micro-blogging website.

“Wishing the big-hearted, mighty Kapil Dev a speedy recovery. So much more to do,” said Harsha Bhogle.

Kapil, 61, was operated upon on Thursday night at the Fortis-Escorts Hospital located in south Delhi.

“He came to the hospital last night (Thursday) with an acute problem. His angioplasty has been done, and he is stable now. The angioplasty was done under local anaesthesia. Normal patients are kept in hospitals for 48 to 72 hours before being discharged,” a senior doctor, who did not want to be identified, said.

The doctor also said that the legendary cricketer has a long-standing sugar problem. “In diabetic patients, the blood vessels have more calcium deposits. So, that is an issue that could happen to patients undergoing angioplasty. But he is stable,” he said.

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Even as her story has been optioned for a film by Sujay Jairaj, who also secured the rights for a movie on former world number one badminton player Saina Nehwal, and has started a funding campaign for the karate player on Ketto; Kaur, who won the Gold Medal in Commonwealth Karate Championship (2015) and has been walking away with the top slot at South Asian Championships for the last three consecutive years recalls that as a 13-years-old, travelling alone in Delhi’s to the badminton court from her house near Tilak Nagar was a nightmare for obvious reasons. “Self-defence was the only reason that I wanted to learn karate. However, there was something about the sport that made me fall in love with it instantly,” smiles the 23-year-old.

Training in a park near her place for the first two years and losing most of matches, the young player soon understood that there was something amiss.She then decided to save her pocket money and raid cyber cafes to watch videos of karate champion Rafael Aghayev from Azerbaijani.

“That is when I realised that what was being taught to me was something very basic. It also meant that I had to work hard on myself and devote more time to self-training.”

Of course, like most Indian parents obsessed with academics, the idea of long hours of training did not really go well with her parents. But Kaur, a topper and through-out scholarship holder during her school years managed to convince her mother of a fine balance between the two.

By the time she enrolled in the English Honours course at the capital’s Janki Devi Memorial College, the young player had already proved her mettle at the state and national levels, thanks to which the Delhi government granted her a scholarship. “And that is how I could afford my training, travelling and gear,” she says.

But with no support from the government when it came to training (“where is the infrastructure”) and flying to international destinations for qualifying matches, things suddenly started looking bleak. “Once a Sikh organisation funded me to train in Turkey. Going for qualifying matches means flight tickets, accommodating, gear, training and food….it is never easy,” this black belt in Sito Tyo Seiko Kai (a style in Karate) laments.

For someone whose day starts at 5 am — meditation, three hours of training, a break and five hours of training again before hitting the bed, the driving force has always been passion. “What else can you attribute it to,” she asks.

Despite beating all odds, the fact that she could not make it to the Tokyo Olympics left her heartbroken. “All qualifying matches that started two years back were held in Europe, how could I afford it?” she asks.

And on top of that, in December 2019, while competing at a tournament in Goa, a fall caused a torn ACL. “This translated into complete bed rest for seven months and also meant an expensive surgery.”

But the moment one of her friends tweeted about this, actor Sonu Sood’s team reached out in fifteen minutes and decided to fund the surgery.

Kaur, still hungry for more championships now wants to go to Turkey to train further. “The only way for me is forward,” she says.

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