The Indian Sports Blog

Force India: 2009 Australian GP Free Practice Report

2009-03-27T20:09:00.003+05:30

The Force India Formula One Team's 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship campaign got underway today with two 90 minute free practice sessions at the Albert Park track in Melbourne, Australia. Both Adrian Sutil and Giancarlo Fisichella enjoyed strong starts to the year, with Adrian recording the 9th quickest time in both sessions and Giancarlo the 14th and 13th fastest times in FP1 and FP2 - already on a par with their respective 2008 qualifying laps.

After a very limited winter testing programme, the team's objective today was to cover as many laps as possible and further its understanding of the new car, the VJM02. The programme also included comparing the two Bridgestone Potenza tyre compounds available this weekend, set-up work and, in the afternoon, longer and new tyre runs.
Qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix will take place tomorrow at 17:00hrs local time following a final 60-minute practice session in the morning.

Adrian Sutil (car 20)

'I hope this is representative of where we are, but it is still very early on in the weekend. We had a good session in the afternoon and could do some quite promising runs. I was pleased with the car, we had no real problems. The balance depended on the tyres. In the second session we did some race runs and struggled a lot with the softer tyre, but I think once the track rubbers in the tyres will grip better, but overall it was OK and a good position in the end. I think we can be happy with where we are right now.'

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21)

'It's a bit too early to say how we can perform this weekend. The car is better under high speed but so far I am struggling with the rear locking and I'm not 100% comfortable just yet. We're in better shape than last year for sure though. We will see tomorrow but at least we know there is potential to improve over night.'

Simon Roberts, chief operating officer

'It's been a promising start to the weekend today. I've been really pleased with the team and the overall performance. We managed to get everything we needed to completed and, apart from a couple of niggles in the first session - really just early season teething problems - it was a good team showing.'

Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/03):
FP1: 9th 1:27.993 (20 laps)
FP2: 9th 1:27.040 (29 laps)

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21, VJM02/01):
FP1: 14th 1:28.603 (16 laps)
FP2: 13th 1:27.282 (32 laps)

Rashid retains Faldo Series Asia title

2009-03-27T20:03:00.001+05:30

Rashid Khan returned a card of two-under 70 to emerge on top at the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final played at Mission Hills in China. With a three-day total of five-under 211, Rashid became the first back-to-back winner of the title.

It has been a stellar season for Rashid that has seen him win four titles on the LG Amateur Tour, including the LG Rambagh Open Amateur, just two days prior to his departure to China.

S Chikkarangappa from Bangalore finished third, five behind the leader. It was a good comeback from the young lad after a 78 in the first round had pushed him down the leaderboard. Amanjyot Singh started off well but could not keep up his good showing, shooting a 76 and 81 in the last two rounds to finish outside the top-20.

Rashid got off to a sedate start in the tournament with an even-par 72 but followed it up with a 69 in the second round that put him in the lead. The 18-year-old won with a birdie four on the 18th hole to finish on five-under-par, one ahead of Spain’s Adrian Jauregui who had chipped in for eagle on the same hole playing one group in front.
A delighted Rashid later said, “I am so happy to win. I was nervous at the start, especially with Mr Faldo watching, however I soon settled and stuck to my game plan. Even towards the end when the scores were tight I felt confident that I could do it. I want to come back next year and win again!”
Six-time Major winner Nick Faldo said, “I was really impressed with Rashid today – he hit two great drives down 17 and 18 under a lot of pressure which set him up for the win.”
The field for this year’s tournament included Steven Brown, the winner of the Faldo Series Grand Finals held in Brazil.

Now in its 12th season, past Faldo Series winners include European Tour stars Nick Dougherty, Marc Warren, Oliver Fisher and the current sensation in the golfing world, Rory McIlroy.

Final Scores-:

211: Rashid KHAN IND (72, 69, 70)

212: Adrian JAUREGUI ESP (70, 73, 69)

216: S CHIKKARANGAPPA IND (78, 69, 69)

217: HUNG Chien Yao TPE (71, 72, 74)

219: Gregory FOO SIN (70, 72, 77)

221: Steven BROWN ENG (73, 75, 73)
221: LIU Lok Tin HKG (72, 75, 74)

222: HSIEH Yu Ling (69, 77, 76)

223: Nicholas FUNG (81, 73, 69)
223: HSIEH Chi Hsien TPE (75, 72, 76)

Indian Scores-:

211: Rashid KHAN IND (72, 69, 70)

216: S Chikkarangappa IND (78, 69, 69)

229: Amanjyot Singh IND (72, 76, 81)

233: Ankur Chadha IND (80, 78, 75)

244: Gauri Monga IND (81, 84, 79)

257: Bhanupratap Singh IND (93, 82, 82)

India v NZ 2nd Test (at Napier), Day Two Scoreboard

2009-03-27T19:43:00.005+05:30

New Zealand (1st innings):

T. McIntosh c D. Karthik b I. Sharma 12, M. Guptill c V. Sehwag b Z. Khan 8, J. How b Z. Khan 1, R. Taylor c Y. Singh b H. Singh 151, J. Ryder b Z. Khan 201, J. Franklin (run out) 52, B. McCullum c S. Tendulkar b I. Sharma 115, D. Vettori b I. Sharma 55, J. Patel c I. Sharma b H. Singh 1, I. O'Brien (not out) 1, Extras (b-7, lb-8, nb-7) 22; Total (for 9 wickets in 154.4 overs) 619 decl.

FoWs: 1-21 2-22 3-23 4-294 5-415 6-477 7-605 8-618 9-619.

Bowling: Z. Khan 34-6-129-3, I. Sharma 27-5-95-3, M. Patel 28-3-128-0, H. Singh 41.4-7-120-2, V. Sehwag 12-0-73-0, Y. Singh 12-0-59-0.

India (1st innings):

G. Gambhir c D. Vettori b J. Patel 16, V. Sehwag c B. McCullum b D. Vettori 34, R. Dravid (batting) 21, I. Sharma lbw b D. Vettori 0, S. Tendulkar (batting) 0, Extras:(lb-7, nb-1) 8; Total:(for three wickets in 23 overs) 79.

FoWs: 1-48, 2-73, 3-78.

Bowling: C. Martin 6-1-26-0, J. Franklin 5-1-15-0, D. Vettori 5-1-16-2, I. O'Brien 3-2-9-0, J. Patel 4-1-6-1.

Cheerleading Championship on ESPN

2009-03-26T20:39:00.000+05:30

The most prestigious cheerleading championship of the United States of America --the National High School Cheerleading Championship -- will be broadcast on ESPN from March 30 to April 9.

Wenger signs for Castrol

2009-03-26T20:37:00.001+05:30

Castrol, the official sponsor of 2010 FIFA World Cup, today announced a new global partnership with world-renowned football manager Arsène Wenger. The partnership between one of the best managers in world football and the industry-leading lubricants company runs until the end of 2010.

In his new global role with Castrol, Arsène will be promoting a number of Castrol football initiatives that provide new and innovative insights into what goes into winning performances on the pitch. The combination of Castrol’s insights and his football expertise will be seen globally from print advertising to engaging online content.

India v NZ 2nd Test (at Napier), Day One Scoreboard

2009-03-26T20:20:00.002+05:30

New Zealand (1st innings):

M. Guptill c Sehwag b Z. Khan 8, T. McIntosh c D. Karthik b I. Sharma 12, J. How b Z. Khan 1, R. Taylor c Y. Singh b H. Singh 151, J. Ryder (batting) 137, J. Franklin (batting) 26, Extras (b-6, lb-3, nb-7) 16; Total (for 4 wickets in 90 overs) 351

FoWs: 1-21, 2-22, 3-23, 4-294

Bowling: Z. Khan 23-4-94-2, I. Sharma 17-4-61-1, M. Patel 18-2-78-0, H. Singh 26-6-61-1, V. Sehwag 5-0-34-0, Y. Singh 1-0-14-0.

Azlan Shah Cup fixture

2009-03-26T20:14:00.004+05:30

Following is the fixture of the Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament to be held in Malaysia. India plays Egypt in its first outing.

April 5: India v Egypt; Pakistan v Malaysia

April 6: New Zealand v Pakistan; Malaysia v Egypt

April 7: Rest Day

April 8: New Zealand v Egypt; India v Malaysia

April 9: India v New Zealand; Pakistan v Egypt

April 10: Rest Day

April 11: India v Pakistan; Malaysia v New Zealand

April 12: 3-4 Placing; Final.

Indian team for Azlan Shah hockey tourney

2009-03-25T19:45:00.002+05:30

Following is the Indian team announced for the Azlan Shah hockey tournament to be held in Malaysia next month.

Goalkeepers
Baljit Singh, Adrian D'Souza

Full Backs
Sandeep Singh (Capt), Dilip Tirkey, V.R.Raghunath

Midfielders
Gurbaj Singh, Sardar Singh, Prabodh Tirkey, Vikram Pillay, Ignace Tirkey, Ajitesh Roy

Forwards
Tushar Khandker, Prabhjot Singh, S.V.Sunil, Bharat Chhikara, Gurvinder Singh Chandi, Shivendra Singh, Arjun Halappa.

Standbyes
Bharat Chetri, V.S.Vinaya, Belsajar Horo, Mandeep Antil, Hari Prasad, Birender Lakra,
Sarwanjit Singh.

Officials
Harendra Singh (Coach Incharge), Romeo James (Coach), Ramandeep Singh (Coach),
Shrikant Iyengar (Physiotherapist), Pradip Dutta (Trainer), A.Prasanna (Video Analyser), Dhanraj Pillay (Manager).

Historic Test win for India

2009-03-21T20:27:00.002+05:30

India today crushed New Zealand by 10 wickets in the first cricket Test at Hamilton. This is India's first ever Test victory in the Kiwiland in 33 years.
Brief scores:
New Zealand 1st innings: 279
India 1st innings: 520
New Zealand 2nd innings: 279 (Brendon McCullum 84, Harbhajan Singh six for 63)
India 2nd innings: 39 for no loss (Gautam Gambhir 30 not out, Rahul Darvid 8 not out).

Nirat bags title with record-breaking score

2009-03-21T20:21:00.001+05:30

India's Gaganjeet Bhullar finished joint runner-up at the SAIL Open Golf Championship 2009 as he came up with a two under 70 in the final round on Saturday. Chapchai Nirat won the tournament, finishing with a record-breaking 32-under-par 256 total. Nirat fired five under 67 on the final day to finish 11 strokes clear of Bhullar and Australia’s Richard Moir, who were both tied second at 21 under 267.

Chapchai Nirat (62, 62, 65, 67) bagged his third Asian Tour title after ending the tournament with a score that is believed to be one of the lowest in the world at a four-day tournament. Chapchai, who sank five birdies in the fourth round, wrapped up the week by knocking down an eight feet putt for birdie on the 18th with clinical precision.

“I was confident from the very start today. This win has given me a lot of confidence and I think I will now be able to take this momentum forward and probably win two to three more tournaments this year. However, I’m a little disappointed that I did not putt that well in the final round,” said Nirat.

Gaganjeet Bhullar (67, 64, 66, 70) began slowly, dropping a bogey on the opening hole. He then pulled back one stroke by converting a 25 feet birdie putt on the second. A bogey-birdie followed on the seventh and eighth, which meant he made the turn at even par. Bhullar’s chances of claiming lone second place became stronger when he sank a couple of birdies on the 14th and 15th. The 20-year-old then missed a 15-footer for birdie on the closing 18th to slip into joint second along with Richard Moir (66, 67, 66, 68).

Gaganjeet has now posted two runner-up finishes, three top fives and four top-10s on the Asian Tour.

Bhullar said, “It wasn’t easy shooting a low score today as the pin positions were quite tough. My driving was also off the mark in round four. I made only 14 regulations today in comparison to 16 in the previous three rounds.

“The biggest disappointment of the day was missing the 15 feet birdie putt on the final hole. A birdie on the final hole could have helped me finish lone second. Nevertheless, I’m glad to secure my second runner-up finish on the Asian Tour. Chapchai has played fabulous golf through this week and he deserves all the accolades.”

Bhullar added, “My next target is to claim a title on the Asian Tour. I also aim to play at the Japan Golf Tour’s Qualifying School later this year.”

Ashok Kumar was the next best Indian after Bhullar as he secured tied 12th place with a tournament total of 16 under 272.

Amandeep Johl was two strokes behind Ashok in tied 15th place.

Shiv Kapur and Vikrant Chopra grabbed a share of 20th place at 13 under 275 while SSP Chowrasia and Digvijay Singh were joint 27th with matching totals of 12 under 276.

Jyoti Randhawa, Gaurav Ghei and Rahil Gangjee ended the event with identical totals of 10 under 278 to be tied 34th. Mukesh Kumar finished a further stroke behind in tied 39th position.

Bhullar moves up to second spot

2009-03-20T19:58:00.002+05:30

Gaganjeet Bhullar is set to lead the Indian challenge on the final day of the SAIL Open Golf Championship 2009. Bhullar returned a six under 66 on day three to move into second place with a three-round total of 19 under 197. Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat extended his lead to eight strokes as he carded an eight under 65 to take his tally to an unprecedented 27 under 189.

Chapchai Nirat (62, 62, 65) maintained his lead for the third straight day as he fired eight birdies and a lone bogey despite struggling a bit with the putter on the front nine. He closed his round on a high, sinking five consecutive birdies from the 14th to the 18th.

“I’m extremely happy with my performance, though a little disappointed that I could not shoot another 62,” said a beaming Nirat.

He added, “I expect the pin positions to be tougher in round four and I’d love to break the world record of 31 under for four rounds.”

Gaganjeet Bhullar (67, 64, 66), who was tied fifth at the last edition of the SAIL Open, fired six birdies on Friday to climb from overnight fourth to second. He attacked the pin all day and made 16 regulations for the third consecutive round.

Bhullar said, “My driving has been spot-on since last week when I won on the PGTI. However, I’m a little disappointed to miss about three putts within 10 feet today. The conditions were a little tricky at the start of the round as I had to deal with headwind for the first three holes.

“The best birdie today was on the 13th where I hit my sand wedge approach shot to within 10 feet of the flag. I did not have a very comfortable posture while addressing the ball for that shot since I had to stand in the rough.”

He added, “Shooting a 65 or 66 here is like shooting a one under on any other course so I need to fire a really low score tomorrow as well to be placed right up there on the leaderboard.

“Hyderabad-based hypnotherapist Pradeep Aggarwal has been helping me with the mental aspect of my game for the last one month. He deals with the subconscious mind. His inputs have helped my game to a great extent. My mindset has changed and I now have another vision of golf.”

Ashok Kumar (67, 68, 67) has the next best score among the Indians in the field. His total of 14 under 202 places him tied 10th.

Shiv Kapur is joint 13th at 13 under 203 while SSP Chowrasia, Gaurav Ghei and Rahil Gangjee share 20th place with matching totals of 11 under 205.

Jyoti Randhawa (71, 69, 68) lies tied 40th at eight under 208. Mukesh Kumar (70, 70, 70) is another two strokes behind Randhawa in tied 47th.

Nirat marches ahead

2009-03-19T20:59:00.002+05:30

Day two of the SAIL Open 2009 turned out to be an eventful one as Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat, the round one leader, created a record of sorts by shooting a second successive 62 to open up a four stroke lead at 20 under 124. India’s Anirban Lahiri blasted a phenomenal 62 as well to climb up to tied 10th at 10 under 134. However, Gaganjeet Bhullar was the highest placed Indian at the end of round two. He fired a bogey-free eight under 64 on Thursday to be placed fourth with a 13-under-131 total.
The cut was declared at four under 140. Sixty-seven professionals made the cut.

Chapchai Nirat, nicknamed ‘King Kong’, took the honours for the second successive day after delivering an awesome 62. He putted with perfection, making 23 putts in all which included one-putts on the first six holes.
New Zealand’s Mark Purser (65, 63) occupies second place, being four strokes adrift of the leader (16 under). Wisut Artjanawat (65, 64) of Thailand is third at 15 under 129.
Gaganjeet Bhullar (67, 64) is the best placed Indian at the moment since he totals 13 under 131 at the halfway stage. The 20-year-old opened his round with three consecutive birdies on the 10th, 11th and 12th. He went from strength to strength, picking up more birdies on the 14th, 18th, first, second and ninth.
Bhullar said, “All my putts were within 10 feet today. I also did well with the lob wedge and sand wedge in round two, having made some good chips. My victory at Panchkula last week has given me tremendous confidence. I’m hitting the ball well and I have this good feeling about all departments of my game.”
Anirban Lahiri (72, 62) shot up from overnight tied 96th to tied 10th thanks to his amazing round of 10 under 62 on Thursday. Lahiri’s total reads 10 under 134 at the halfway stage. Seven of his ten birdies came on the front nine. He hit it close through the today and importantly made a 25 feet putt for birdie on the second, a hole that had given him some trouble in the past. On the third, the 21-year-old was unfortunate to miss an eagle as his chip lipped out.
“I was glad to get off to a good start today since I’ve been struggling with my starts off late. Last time I played on this course about two weeks back, I started slowly with an ordinary first round but then came back with a solid performance in the second. I had that in my mind today and kept reminding myself to do the basics well and just relax. Once I got off to a flying start I got myself into a good position for birdies on a number of holes,” said Lahiri.
He added, “I was a little out of sorts in round one because I was anxious and somehow could not get myself to relax. There is a meditation track that I listen to when I feel stressed and that track helped me relax today. I knew I had to shoot at least four or five under today to make it to the weekend. I’m glad to have made it to the weekend rounds.”
Shiv Kapur (68, 66), C Muniyappa (68, 66) and Rahil Gangjee (67, 67) were the other Indians who joined Lahiri in tied 10th place.
Shiv Kapur got off to a poor start after losing his ball on the 12th but then made a fabulous recovery with the help of an eagle on the 14th and six birdies to close with a 66.
C Muniyappa, who also posted a 66, benefitted from three good chip-ins on the 14th, 16th and 17th. On the 14th he chipped-in for eagle from the fringe.
Ashok Kumar and Sujjan Singh share 15th place at nine under 135 while Gaurav Ghei, A S Lehal and Naman Dawar are joint 22nd at eight under 136.
SSP Chowrasia, Rafiq Ali Mollah and Amandeep Johl lie in tied 30th place at seven under 137.
Jyoti Randhawa (71, 69) and Mukesh Kumar (70, 70) totaled four under 140 after two rounds to be tied 53rd.

Sreesanth unfit to play IPL

2009-03-18T20:18:00.001+05:30

Kings XI Punjab today confirmed that paceman S. Sreesanth will miss the second season of IPL due to a L2 Stress fracture in his lower back and announced that this pivotal player of their IPL squad will don a new role as “Fan Mentor and Community face” instead.

Industrialists Mohit Burman, Karan Paul, Ness Wadia and leading Indian actor Preity Zinta who own Kings XI Punjab have previously announced that grassroot identification of their team in catchment area is their focus for season 2.

Sreesanth is currently in Sydney receiving treatment from the Kings XI Punjab physio Patrick Farhart as part of his rehabilitation.

[Posted by Y]

Chapchai Nirat burns the course; Shamim best Indian

2009-03-18T20:09:00.004+05:30

SSP Chowrasia and Shamim Khan carded rounds of six under 66 to be the highest placed Indians after round one of the US$ 300,000 SAIL Open 2009 being played at the Classic Golf Resort, Gurgaon. Chowrasia and Khan are tied sixth at the moment as they trail the leader, Chapchai Nirat of Thailand by four strokes.

Nirat produced a breathtaking 10 under 62, a course record, in the opening round of the SAIL Open 2009 to be the clubhouse leader after the morning session. The 25-year-old from Bangkok sank ten birdies, five each on the front nine and back nine to set the pace at the second edition of the SAIL Open.

Filipino Antonio Lascuna, Thailand’s Wisut Artjanawat, Singapore’s Mardan Mamat and Mark Purser of New Zealand are three strokes behind Nirat in tied second place.

Kolkata’s SSP Chowrasia made a few good 10 feet putts on the front nine that resulted in two birdies and a good save. He then made the turn at two under after three birdies and a lone bogey. On the back nine Chowrasia came up with some exceptional chip-putts that helped him sink four more birdies.

Chowrasia said, “I made a couple of important birdie putts from 10 feet on the seventh and ninth today and that really got me going for the rest of the round. The course is playing really well and we could be in for a very low score this week. I feel comfortable on this course as I have won here in the past after having shot a nine under.”

Shamim Khan joined Chowrasia in tied sixth with a bogey-free 66. He had a solid start, knocking down four birdies on his first nine after teeing-off from the 10th. The Delhi golfer then consolidated on his second nine by sinking two more birdies.

“I couldn't have asked for a better start. I hit it close all day today and made a crucial 15 feet putt for birdie on the 15th. The course is not very difficult to negotiate since there is no rough or wind but one needs to focus on putting. My guess is that the winning score could go up to 20 or 22 under,” said Shamim.

Richard Moir of Australia made it a three-way tie for sixth place (along with Chowrasia and Shamim) when he returned a 66.

Indians Rafiq Ali Mollah, Rahil Gangjee, Ashok Kumar, Gaganjeet Bhullar and Naman Dawar fired identical scores of 67 to share ninth position.

Jyoti Randhawa, the highest ranked Indian in the field, lies tied 76th having returned a one under 71.

[Posted by Y]

RELAXED RANDHAWA EYES SAIL OPEN GLORY

2009-03-17T19:03:00.007+05:30

GURGAON: Riding on his title win in the Singha Thailand Open, Jyoti Randhawa is quite relaxed to play on the home soil in the $300,000 SAIL Open this week. Though he is considered the favourite for the event, he does not want to get ruffled by taking too much pressure on him.

Randhawa has become wiser after his title drought in international competitions last year and believes his relaxed approach helped him in Phuket. Now, using his experience, he wants to reap more benefits at the Asian Tour and Professional Golf Tour of India co-sanctioned event.

The 36-year-old is planning to ride his motorbike everyday to reach the Classic Golf Resort to improve upon his second place finish in the inaugural edition of the tournament.

“I am coming on my bike, it is parked outside. For eight months we are playing and this is a good opportunity to relax if a golf tournament is played on your backyard,” Randhawa summed up his mood a day before the tournament, starting on Wednesday.

Randhawa is a giant on home turf and his five title wins – three Indian Open and two Hero Honda Masters crowns – explain his dominance on Indian soil. The other psychological advantage for him is his “good memories” of the golf course, where he lifted his first Indian Open crown way back in 2000.

Like Randhawa, the course has become mature and the world No. 93 loves it. “Length of the tees will be beneficial as there are a lot of long par fours and par fives. If you are long enough, you can do some damage. I remember I putted really well in 2000 when I won there. I was hitting the ball long, so it was fun then.”

In nine years, the trees have become taller and the course has become tougher. “It has come off age,” Randhawa remarked.

S.S.P. Chowrasia, winner of the Emaar-Indian Masters last season, also seems to have found his touch with a fourth place in Thailand Open. He will be hoping to make up for the loss of form following his maiden win on Asian and European Tour.

“I have changed my putter and my game is coming together,” said Chowrasia.

Also looking for good results and a possible win will be Gaurav Ghei, Shiv Kapur and Digvijay Singh while young gun, Gaganjeet Bhullar, is also looking confident after a win on the PGTI last week. Rahil Gangjee, seeking to find his way back to the Asian Tour, where he lost his card last season, will also be hoping to strike here.

Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant will be amongst the Asian Tour’s elite hoping to equal compatriot Thongchai Jaidee’s record of a 11th career victory on the Asian Tour when the second edition of the SAIL Open gets underway this week.

“The Indians are doing so well these days. In Thailand Open, it looked like only Indian players. I was telling someone it was like Indian Open. The Indians are very strong and more so in India, but I will try my best. But I am getting old,” the 42-year-old Thai said with a smile.

The prize money has come down by $100,000 but the SAIL insists that it was because of the slide of rupee against dollar. “We are giving the same amount of money this time as well,” said a SAIL official.

[Posted by Y]

WE ARE BACK, FINALLY! HOPE TO STAY FOREVER!

2009-03-17T19:01:00.000+05:30

Your support is needed.

INTERVIEW - Karan Rastogi

2008-04-20T00:29:00.001+05:30

Somdev Dev Varman and Yuki Bhambri may be gathering all the accolades but this week Karan Rastogi showed he's still in the reckoning as far as Indian tennis is concerned.

The Mumbai lad beat three Chinese players in straight sets to reach the semifinals of the $15,000 TCL Futures in Taizhou, China -- his best performance since winning the Morocco F5 Futures claycourt tournament in July last year.

The 480-ranked Rastogi fell to Zhe Li, yet another Chinese player, in the last four of the hardcourt tournament --- but not before showing glimpses of the form that have made him one of India's best prospects in the sport.

The 21-year-old also teamed up with Ashutosh Singh to win the doubles event in Taizhou, his first doubles title since triumphing with the same partner in the 2005 Chandigarh Futures.

Rastogi's semifinal run in China is expected to get him closer to the Top 400 in singles and a few consistent performances may see him cross his career-best ranking of 327, which he achieved as a 19-year-old in June 2006.

In this exclusive interview, Rastogi told The Indian Tennis Blog it's good to finally get some wins under his belt.

This is your first foray in the semis of a tennis tournament since winning in Morocco. Was reaching this far a confidence-booster for you?
It's always nice to win some matches. In the past I have been playing good matches but been a little unlucky not to win some - losing in third set tiebreakers and close matches. So it's good to get some wins under your belt.

China hadn't been too nice to you this year (losing opening round matches at both Futures in January) so did you enter this tournament hoping to live up to your seeding and get this far?
I really didn't think about winning or getting to the semis, finals... when I came here. I had my own goals in mind and I just wanted to enjoy my tennis and be happy at the end of the day with my effort.

You played four Chinese players at Taizhou - did the home crowd support put you under pressure? Was Zhe Li one Chinese player too many?
I've been playing a lot of matches where there has been home support against me so that really didn't have any effect on me. Saying that, Chinese players are tougher to beat in their own backyard.

What is your tennis schedule for April-end and May?
There is another $15,000 event next week in Taizhou, after that I play two more $15,000 events in Korea and then the two challengers in Delhi.

[Posted by T]

Grand Slam dreams for Yuki Bhambri

2008-04-19T04:14:00.004+05:30

Teenage prodigy Yuki Bhambri, considered by many to be India's next tennis great, is eyeing a junior Grand Slam title this year.

The 15-year-old's dream run in the 2008 Australian Open Boys' Singles in January ended in the semifinals, where he lost in three sets to eventual champion Bernard Tomic of Australia.

But his exploits at Melbourne Park gave Bhambri the impetus he needed, with another semifinal showing at the Asian Junior championship last week helping him rise to number 5 in the ITF Junior rankings.

"Reaching the semifinal at the Australian Open does give me a lot of confidence going into the next three Grand Slams this season," Bhambri told the Indian Tennis Blog.

Last week, American Ryan Harrison became the third player since 1990 to win a ATP main draw match before the age of 16 and Bhambri said he would have liked to join that group. But time is running out.

"I'm not sure if I will be able to participate in an ATP tournament before my birthday in July this year as my schedule is extremely busy," he said.

Currently at a career-best ranking of 1205 in the men's singles, the Delhi lad's quarterfinal run at the Chandigarh Futures event this month surprised many. Bhambri said he hoped to dominate the Indian circuit next year although juniors would continue to be a priority till the end of 2008.

But first he has to conquer a tough opponent -- his class X Board exams.

Once his exams get over this week, Bhambri is set for some junior Davis Cup action and the Delhi Challenger before heading to Europe for claycourt events in the run-up to the French Open.

[Posted by T]

Indian motorsports all set for a change

2008-04-17T22:20:00.007+05:30

A1 Team India CEO Andaleeb Sehgal is hell-bent to make India a prominent destination in the world of motorsports and he has some big plans to achieve that -- by developing the grassroots.

"We have started the programme of building Team India. We have a drivers and engineers development programme, we have the youngest and eldest drivers. Unfortunately Aditya (Patel) is not here, he is driving somewhere else. We are in talks with Armann. We want to pick up seven or eight drivers. Should Narain be far ahead on points and can skip some races, we can introduce some drivers. We want to run a bouquet of drivers," Sehgal said.

"Spice Group has launched its Team India Motorsports, we are an NGO of motorsports though it's open to a vibrant debate. We have an ambitious plan, we want to introduce as many formats in motorsports as possible."
He said this year a home series will be launched which would change the scenario of motorsports in India.

"We are conceptualising a series in India which will allow home drivers to drive in India than drive outside the country. We are in talks with partners for five-six venues for a seven to eight race series. The blueprint is ready, the roll-out plan is in play. I think early June will be a good time to launch it."

Sehgal said the series would provide the Indian drivers a first-hand experience of competitive racing and mould them for bigger events.

"We have zeroed down on five venues. It could be roads, a piece of land or an unused airport. The constructors are coming forward. The budget is not heavy like F1 or A1. These tracks will give exposure to our drivers who come from protective environments. In bigger places like Sepang they lose out and the European drivers' mental strength
demoralises them."

About A1 GP coming to India, Sehgal said, "We are trying very had and A1 GP is also trying very hard. But there are many protocols while bringing an event of this kind. But we have a very good chance of putting a race next season.

"Several Indian bodies, like Incredible India, airport authorities, construction companies are keen. It has been on fast track in last six months, the hype has started. And there are no hurdles, leaving aside matters related to logistics."

He said a few venues were being studied where the A1 GP could make its debut in the country.

"We have zeroed on in two-three venues. It could be Gurgaon and places around New Delhi, Goa and Jaipur. But nothing has been finalised," Sehgal said.

[Posted by Y]

Whom to blame....

2008-04-07T22:52:00.005+05:30

Even as the players are being held responsible for the defeat in Ahmedabad, there are some important factors that point out that the selectors are equally to be blamed for the debacle.
The Indian team is fighting to put up XI fit players for the crucial second Test against South Africa but it is more baffling as to why the selectors picked a squad full of injured players.
Do we need stars or eleven players who can compete for five-days. It defies all logic as to why the five wise men decided to expand the squad to 16-members for the Kanpur match and brush off the injury concerns till the last day. A fully-fit 14-member squad would have enhanced India's chances to square the series.
Skipper Anil Kumble is struggling with a groin injury since the first Test in Chennai and it was no secret that he was not at his full strength in Ahmedabad. Yes, Kumble is must for India's chances but an unfit skipper will be a burden to the side. The story behind Ishant Sharma is bemusing. Time and again he was called for fitness tests in past two weeks. He failed the tests but was still retained in the squad and will go through another asessment on the match eve.
Our team boasts of a quality support staff. The team physio must have tabled fitness reports on individual players and that was enough for the selectors to take into account while naming the squad.
After the Australia series, some players were called for fitness tests in Bangalore for the current series but many did not turn up. It was very clear that they are trying to hide injuries and with the Indian Premier League round the corner, nobody wants to sit out.
Had there been enough time between matches in the South Africa series, the decision to retain the unfit players and give them time to improve would have had some logic. But there are hardly two days between the Tests and the selectors should have been alert and given the right message to the players.
India faced a selection dilemma before the Ahmedabad match and there is more trouble this time.
R P Singh was totally out of sorts in both the matches and the result was for everyone to see. We are looking to give South Africa a turner in Kanpur but will there be any bowlers to exploit it. South Africa might have the last laugh.

Mahesh Bhupathi gears up for French Open

2008-04-07T22:15:00.002+05:30

A straight-set loss to the Bryan siblings must rankle - especially when it comes in the final of a Masters tournament. But Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles need not despair. There are plenty of opportunities ahead as the ATP Tour moves inexorably towards the second Grand Slam of the Year.

The Indian doubles specialist has a lot going for him. This is Bhupathi's best season-opening performance since 2004 when he and Fabrice Santoro of France annexed titles at Auckland and Dubai in the run-up to the French Open.

This time around, Bhupathi and Knowles laid claim to back-to-back titles at Memphis and Dubai without dropping a set, racing to number two in the ATP Doubles Race.

They won 14 of their last 15 matches - until they ran into the Bryan brothers. And it took just 53 minutes for the Americans to carve out an emphatic 6-2, 6-2 victory in the final of the Sony Ericsson Open.

So is winning the doubles crown at Roland Garros still on his wishlist for 2008?
"Of course it is," the 33-year-old Bhupathi told the Indian Sports Blog.

It's not an impossible task. Bhupathi won on Parisian clay in 1999 and 2001 (both times with Leander Paes). And he may win again. It's just a question of peaking at the right time.

[Posted by T]

Lessons to be learned from Santiago

2008-04-04T17:10:00.005+05:30

(by Bob Davidzon , project leader Promoting Indian Hockey)

With reference to the criticism expressed by the coaching staff of the National hockey team (men), after missing the qualification for Beijing, the following may be of interest to your readers :

Besides the “National Game of India “, hockey is an international game, with international rules both for playing the game and conducting the tournaments.

Code of Conduct

At international tournaments, team managers take the responsibility by signing the Code of Conduct on behalf of the team assuring that their players and their staff will adhere to it.

Clear rules about disciplinary consequences of awarded cards are spelled out to them as well.

It is in the power of the manager to agree with the Tournament Director on a time and venue to have the compulsory “reading out” of the sentences to the players involved in an incident and that does not have to take place “in the middle of the night “…..

The Code of Conduct is also very clear that all participants in a tournament ( officials and players ) undertake that public statements at home or abroad ( be it verbally or in print ) must be “fair, constructive and reasonable and must not involve a personal attack on another player, umpire, appointed official or administrator “ Non adherence can lead to sanctions by the FIH for the persons concerned and the utterances by the coaching staff of India upon its return are at the moment under review and sanctions may apply .

Rules knowledge

The knowledge of the rules and the tournament briefing for the team and its staff was ( as with some other teams ) well below par , which leads to unjustified criticism on and appeal to the umpires and possibly “human” reaction from their side.

The level of abuse and criticism of umpires that seems to be acceptable in India is certainly not the international standard. It is not only the players that are at fault in this respect. It starts from the top of Federations, through dignitaries and team management downwards. Players should not be given the excuse to refer to the attitude of those who should be role models in this respect. .

Tournament composition

New formats of (qualifying) tournaments are widely circulated to member countries for consultation well in advance before a decision is taken whether they come into force or not. That is the time that input should be given . It does help the concentration of the players to query the format after the decision has been taken.

Match schedule

Match schedules for (qualifying) tournaments are circulated well in advance to the participating countries. Then is the time to put in any requests that may be accommodated or not. Once participating in the tournament it does not help to put doubt in players’ minds that they are faced with an “unfair” schedule.

Acclimatization

The ( medical ) standard rule for proper acclimatization is 1 day per 1 hour time difference. Falling short on this rule for whatever reason ( finance, planning ? ) is running a risk with a price tag that can be high.

Travel arrangements

Athletes deserve proper attention. Airlines should serve the players at their reasonable convenience and athletes should not be used to fill various cheaper flights. Proper and timely planning is a MUST . Clear job descriptions for Team managers have been made available by the FIH ( including travel arrangements) but unfortunately have hardly been applied.

Help

Any coach in charge of any national team should select the best players available
and surround himself with the best staff specialists, selected on merit only . He should apply the latest knowledge regarding physical training, video analysis of games and training , mental training, medicals, competitor analysis etc . and in case not mastering any of these areas himself , take all the help available to achieve the maximum result .

May these (free) lessons learned from Santiago help the Indian women team to qualify for the Olympic Games in Beijing at their upcoming tournament in Kazan

[Posted by Y]

Batra questions Mani, Randhir, IHF

2008-04-04T16:59:00.007+05:30

Sirs,

This has reference to statement made by Honorable Minister for Sports and Youth Welfare Government of India ( Ministry ). Regarding Indian Hockey Federation ( IHF ) after the defeat in Pre – Olympic Qualifier of Men’s Team. ‘ His Statement was ‘ – “ That he is helpless because of the Olympic Charter”.

And Mr. Randhir Singh – Secretary General Indian Olympic Association ( IOA ) said – “ IHF is a Democratically Elected Body and Hence IOA cannot do anything “

My contention is that both the Minister Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar and Mr. Randhir Singh ( IOA ) Have Misinformed the Nation about Our National Game, and My Questions to Both of them are as below.

Q:1:-Indian Hockey Federation ( IHF ) Ceased to Exist form 2001/2002, to be the National Sports Federation ( NSF ) to represent India Mens in International World Hockey. Because FIH the World Body for Mens & Women Hockey, informed IHF & IWHF that in Olympics only One Body represents both Men & Women and If in India Both of them do not merge, Then FIH will De-recognize both. It was then in 2001/2002, the same Mr. Randhir Singh of IOA gave Recognition to IHC in India to Represent both Men & Women Hockey Teams in World Events and FIH then Recognized IHC and Disaffiliated IHF & IWHF. Are Minister & Mr. Randhir Singh ( IOA) aware of it or not ?

Q:2:- If IHF has ceased to represent India in International Tournaments since 2001/2002, then how is it a Democratically Elected Body and how is Olympic Charter applicable on a body which is not Recognized by Federation of International Hockey ( FIH ) and which ( IHF ) does not anymore represent India in World Hockey Since 2001/2002 ?

Copy of the FIH Statutes & Bye Laws enclosed from Page No 4 to 34 and approved list of National Federations form Page No 32 to 34 and approved National Federation of India by FIH at Page No 32 known as Indian Hockey Confederation ( IHC ), at S.No : 43 in the list.

Q:3:- IF Indian Hockey Confederation ( IHC ) is recognized by FIH, then who is Indian Hockey Federation ( IHF ). Can both Minister & Mr. Randhir Singh clarify the same ?

Q:4:- How Many National Sports Federations Per Game can Ministry and IOA recognize. As per law only one. Then how have Ministry and IOA recognized 2 bodies i.e. IHF and IHC for Mens Hockey. Which is against the MOA of IOA enclosed from Page No: 35 to 71 and guidelines of the Ministry from Page No: 72 to 122 would the Minister and Mr. Randhir Singh IOA kindly clarify the same ?

Q:5:- As per Ministry Guidelines, they can only give Grant to that Recognized NSF which represents India in International Tournaments as given in Guidelines at Page No: 73 to 78 The details of grant given till 2004- 05 given at Page No : 123 . Can Minister clarify this Generosity by it to IHF out of Tax Payers Money ?

Q:6:- Can People Convicted in Criminal Cases be Part of Sports Bodies, will Ministry & IOA clarify , and also IOA to further clarify that does FIH & IOC also Permit the same under Olympic charter – ( Olympic charter enclosed form Page No: 124 to 192 ) ?

Q:7:- If I propose to make ‘ Batra Hockey Federation ‘ and decide to send Indian Team, will I have given permission by IOA & Grant by Ministry in the same manner in which IHF is being given ?

Q:8:- If no one is declaring Himself / Herself as President and Other Office Bearers of IHC, Then can Ministry & IOA Accept Me as Self Declared President of IHC, the NSF of India Recognized by FIH. Constitution of IHC enclosed from Page No : 193 to 209 ?

Q:9:- Enclosing letter from IHC to FIH, IOA and Asian Hockey Federation at Page No : 210, Also enclosing Invitation for 7th Indira Gandhi Gold Cup Hockey Tournament on 1st October 2005 from Page No : 211 to 212. Are both Minister and IOA aware of IHC existence ?

Q:10:- Who is Mr. K.P.S. Gill and in What Capacity is Minister, Ministry and IOA Dealing with Him Regarding Men’s Hockey In India ?
Q:11:- Since Ministry & IOA both have to send Representatives in Elections of NSF’S, can both Minister and Mr. Randhir Singh, confirms if they have knowledge of any election having taken place in IHC, since 2001, ( The time when IHC came into being).

Q:12:- Are the Minister and Mr. Randhir Singh willing to Admit Before the Nation that they have Together Misled and Misinformed the Nation, Regarding affairs and existence of IHF in India and IHC ?
If Ministry & Mr. Randhir Singh ( IOA) do not clarify within 7 days of this e’mail, then I Reserve my Right to Avail all Recourses Available to Me as Citizen of India to Make the Public aware of the same, and get the correct facts before the Nation about its National Game.
And If the Same is not Clarified in 7 days, then I will Assume that my Facts are Correct and as First Measure will Hold a Press Conference after 7 days, to bring True Facts Before the Nation.

Regards
Narinder Batra.
Former Sr. V.P. IHF ( Not Recognized Body )
Note : I Assume Since Below are Basic Documents and Hence Ministry and IOA both
must have :-
(a):- Statutes & Bay Laws of FIH.
(b):- MOA of IOA.
(c):- Guidelines of Sports Ministry.
(d):- Constitution of IHC.
(e):- Olympic Charter.
(f):- Correspondence of / by IHC.

In case you still require all the above , I can send the booklet. Please send your request mail with address at (a):- baltic@bol.net.in
(b):- baltic@baltic.in

[Posted by Y]

IHF set to get a tight slap

2008-04-01T16:03:00.005+05:30

For all their crazy ways of functioning and ill-treatment of a great like Ric Charlesworth, the Indian Hockey Federation top brass have got a good snub from the Aussie. A classic case of having received a dose of their own medicine.

The fact that Hockey Australia is keen to hire Charlesworth as the head coach of their men's team and the multifarious genius is willing to apply for the job is not a trivial issue. This clearly shows the disgust of the Aussie with the state of affairs in Indian hockey and his sense of urgency to run away from such a corroding system.

India's coach Joaquim Carvalho claimed that Charlesworth is dying to take over the charge of the men's team. And unfortunately his fellow Mumbaikar the great cricketer Sunil Gavaskar backed Carvalho saying the Aussie should work at the Indian's salary if he wanted to help India out.

But with his records as a player and a coach, Charlesworth would definitely take it as an offence to be compared to any Indian coach. And, strangely, why Gavaskar did not propose the BCCI to hire an Indian coach for Indian cricket team or pay Gary Kirsten on par with an Indian?

Considering Charlesworth's experience, expertise and credentials, it would be an offence for the Australian to be compared to any Indian coach.

Coming back to Charlesworth's possibility to go back to his homeland, it's most likely that the Aussie would prefer to work with Hockey Australia than sticking to the politicking Indian officials, who love to disrespect the legend.

The Australian has given enough indication that he would apply for the job and considering the fact that he was in the reckoning for it twice before, he stands a good chance to take over as the coach of his national men's team after the Olympics.

And that would be a tight slap on the Indian hockey bosses face. Of course, it is another thing whether the IHF guys take it as an embarrassment.

[Posted by Y]

Anxious wait for Mohammad Yousuf

2008-03-30T13:44:00.006+05:30

The hearing in the matter of Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf's dispute with the Indian Cricket League (ICL) was concluded on March 29 and the Arbitrator Dr. Saraf (Retd), Chief Justice of Jammu & Kashmir High Court, reserved the judgement after hearing both parties.

In the meanwhile, the interim injunction restraining Yousuf from participating in any rival league of the ICL, such as the Indian Premier League (IPL), still stays and he cannot play for the BCCI-backed venture just yet.

[Posted by Y]