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WORLD CHESS
CHAMPIONSHIP

POSTER Vishy
INDIAN
WOMEN’S
Anand
HOCKEY TEAM column
ACT WOMEN’S HOCKEY

India
defends
title

RIVALRY RENEWED
A spot in the World Test Championship final hangs in balance
as Rohit’s men travel Down Under

दुआओं mein yaad Rakhana_HrYanA

 CONTENTS Follow us: sportstarweb

Saturday, December 7, 2024

FOR THE FORTNIGHT NOVEMBER 24-DECEMBER 7, 2024 Volume 47 Number 25 ISSN 0971 359x 92 Pages

52

GUKESH-LIREN FACE-OFF: BATTLE FOR

SUPREMACY IN SINGAPORE

Cricket Read more... Editorial Team

Editor: Ayon Sengupta
16 India-Australia rivalry 58 Tata Steel Chess Convergence Editor:
England may be the old enemy, Magnus Carlsen steals the show V. V. Rajasekhara Rao
but for Australia, India is a clear Design: R. Ravikannan
62 Asian Champions Trophy
and present danger Editorial Consultant: Vijay Lokapally
Hockey
Sr. Assistant Editor: Shayan Acharya

10
24 Through the lens Indian women successfully
Assistant Editor: Jonathan Selvaraj
Action from the India-South defend title
Chief Sub-Editor: Karan Pillai
Africa T20I series
Cover Story 66 ATP and WTA Finals Sr. Sub-Editor/Sr. Reporter: Ayan Acharya,
Aashin Prasad, Santadeep Dey, Lavanya
30 Ranji Trophy Sinner and Gauff take
Highlights and intriguing Border-Gavaskar Trophy top honours
Lakshmi Narayanan, Saikat Chakraborty
Sub-Editor/Reporter: Dhruva Prasad,
moments from the fifth round of Neeladri Bhattacharjee, Aneesh Dey,
Netra V, Pranay Rajiv, Nihit Sachdeva,
fixtures Abhishek Saini, Nigamanth P, Mayank,
Irrespective of which way this Anish P, Sahil Mathur, Joan Mathew Jacob,
Rajdeep Saha, Anjali Joshi, Kavita Menon
five-Test series swings, it will be
Senior Multimedia Producer:
the final one for many stalwarts Sivasankar A
across both teams
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Sportstar December 7 – 2024 3

 OFF-SIDE
Ayon Sengupta
sportstar@[Link]

TAKING HOCKEY TO THE HINTERLAND,

ABIG BOOST FOR THE SPORT
Tournaments like this, away from the urban centres of India, will surely help the
‘national sport’ to plough back into the conscience of the wider country.
two-hour drive through the meandering roads interiors of India. A part of the 2023 FIH World Cup was

A
of Gehlaur Ghati from the Gaya Airport brings held in Rourkela, more than 300 km away from Odisha’s
you to Rajgir, once the socio-political cradle of capital Bhubaneswar, but in the heart of Sundergarh
ancient India. The capital of the Magadha district, the hub of hockey in the state. The FIH Women’s
Dynasty between 544 and 413 BC, Rajgir today Olympic Qualifiers were held in Ranchi, with Rajgir now
is like any other dusty small town in India but hosting the Women’s Champions Trophy.
with well-laid-out public gardens and continues to be an “We are hopeful that tournaments like this will be the
important pitstop for the devotees of Buddha and seeds for hockey’s growth in newer areas,” former India
Mahavira. international and the president of Hockey India, Dilip
With the historical Nalanda University about 10 km Tirkey, told Sportstar. “This has been a great initiative by
away, the place also attracts history buffs. But for the the Bihar Government. We never expected this level of
past 10 days, it has hosted the best women hockey success at Rajgir. The crowd has been good, and we have
players on the continent. The Women’s Asian Champions definitely created a new fan base for hockey.”
Trophy Hockey at the Rajgir International Stadium, The hockey turf at the Sports Complex came up in four
situated amidst the ambitious Rajgir Sports Complex and months’ time ahead of the Paris Olympics, where this
the Bihar Sports University campus, has created quite the tournament was allocated to Rajgir. The centre in the
stir in this small town in India’s hinterland. The locals had future is expected to be the cradle of sport in Bihar,
never seen any international sporting event from such which over the years has had negligible presence at the
close quarters but are now quick to exalt the virtues of Olympics. “The Bihar Sports University is the first of its
Indian goalkeeper Savita’s quick reflexes or young kind. It is built on 92.6 acres, and 90 per cent of the
Deepika’s panache as the team’s latest drag-flick expert. construction is done. The State Sports Academy, Rajgir,
The roads through the hillocks of Gehlaur Ghati, which acting as a State Centre for Excellence, will cater to 23
saw India’s Mountain Man Dashrath Manji carve a disciplines, both indoor and outdoor,” Raveendran
110m-long thoroughfare after 22 long years of hard work Sankaran, a senior IPS officer and Director General of
with just hammer and chisel in the 1960s and 70s, are Bihar State Sports Authority, told The Hindu. “After the
now lined with cutouts of the Bihar Chief Minister and the (women’s) Asian Championship Trophy (ACT) hockey
six captains. But in the hamlets, dotting the paddy fields tournament, we will start our (hockey) academy.”
on our way, you will see no child wielding the hockey Meanwhile, the two five-year-olds, who had sneaked
stick, but a few employing the cricket bat. Hockey is still into the press enclosure with their family, egged their
an alien sport for the people living in the remotest parts mothers to venture into the field of play for a selfie with
of Gaya and Nalanda districts. Selima Tete. The Indian captain, posing in front of the
But tournaments like this, away from the urban huge mural of her on the hostel wall in the background,
centres of India, will surely help the ‘national sport’ to obliged them and many more young girls who had
plough back into the conscience of the wider country, braved the otherwise tight security.
chipping away at the popularity of cricket. Hockey India, Hopefully, years ahead, a few of these girls will wear
over the past couple of years, has taken the sport to the the India colours as well.

4 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

 WORLD VIEW
OF THE FORTNIGHT

82
independent disciplinary

5
English snooker player
commission has ruled
that he fixed the result of
the match while giving Former Romania and
information to others United States coach Bela
Mark King was handed a
about that match for Karolyi, who trained
five-year ban after being
betting purposes. He had Nadia Comaneci to
found guilty of
denied the charges.
I’ve kept on matchfixing and
His ban ends after March
become the first gymnast
providing inside to score a perfect 10 at
thinking about where information in the latest
17, 2028, and King was the Olympics, has died,
also ordered to pay more
we went wrong and corruption scandal to
than 68,000 pounds
aged 82, USA Gymnastics
blight the sport. said. Karolyi, who was
what we could have The punishment for the
($86,000) in costs. inducted into the
done better. I had 50-year-old King, who International Gymnastics
reached a career-high Hall of Fame in 1997, died
days where I wasn’t ranking of No. 11 in 2003, on November 15, but no
feeling great; nights is related to a match cause of death was given.
against Joe Perry at the Karolyi coached
when I didn’t sleep Welsh Open played on 14-year-old Romanian
well.” — Jannik Sinner on February 13 last year that Comaneci to three gold
was flagged following medals at the 1976
his doping case suspicious betting Montreal Olympics, and
patterns. her score of 10.0 in the
King was suspended by asymmetric bars was the
snooker’s world first time the mark had
governing body a month been awarded at the
later, and an Games.

WINNING WAYS

This was one of

those situations when
you lost but still won.
I’m grateful for last
night. No regrets to
get in ring one last
time.” — Mike Tyson Nelly Korda ripped off five straight birdies down the stretch and captured
after losing to Jake her third title at The Annika in Belleair, Florida. Korda now owns three titles
in the tournament’s five-year existence. She won in 2021 and 2022 when the event
Paul in their heavyweight was called the Pelican Women’s Championship. It also marks the World No. 1’s
boxing match seventh win of the year, but her first since May. AP

6 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

 AFP
FIGHT CLUB

A kick here, a jab there

While Jon Jones staved off the Stipe challenge, Jake Paul stopped Iron Mike in his tracks.
Nigamanth P and forcing Miocic off-balance Reality is often disappointing
nigamanth.p@[Link] multiple times. Although Miocic A day earlier, in a different ring
regained his composure and initiated and under a different set of rules, the

J
on ‘Bones’ Jones is still the king. a combination, it was too little, too contemporary collided with
One of the most anticipated late, as the round came to an end. nostalgia.
bouts finally became a reality The fight concluded in emphatic The augmented boxing bout
on Sunday as Jon Jones fashion. Jones caught Miocic between YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake
returned to action after a off-guard with a spinning leg kick and Paul and the legendary Mike Tyson
year-long injury hiatus, facing Stipe followed up with a (below) took place before over
Miocic in a heavyweight title fight at ground-and-pound that left the 72,000 fans at the AT&T Stadium in
UFC 309. 42-year-old on the floor. Jones burst Texas.
This was arguably the UFC’s most into celebration, performing the The fight deviated from traditional
high-profile bout of the year, and it trademark dance move of Donald professional boxing matches due to
did not disappoint. Despite Jones Trump to acknowledge the newly tweaked rules. Instead of the usual
(above, left) earning a third-round elected US president who was three-minute rounds, the fighters
TKO victory, the sheer intensity of the among the spectators. competed in two-minute rounds, and
fight, which lasted just over 14 The 37-year-old now boasts a heavier gloves were used for
minutes, was truly popcorn-worthy. record of 28-1, with one no-contest balance.
Jones, the multi-division over 30 career fights, cementing his While Tyson’s legacy was going in
champion, began cautiously, status as one of the greatest mixed favour of him, the stark difference in
gradually building momentum as the martial artists of all time. age (58 versus 27), coupled with
fight progressed. He opened with differences in physicality, made the
measured jabs, assessing Miocic’s GETTY IMAGES outcome predictable.
stance. Despite occasional flashes of his
However, when the latter missed a ‘Iron Mike’ persona, Tyson’s approach
right hook halfway through the first was understandably slower and
round, Jones capitalised, landing a lacked intensity, while Paul’s superior
powerful elbow that rattled Miocic endurance allowed him to
(above, right) — a clear indication of outmanoeuvre whatever came his
what was to come. way. In the end, Paul earned a
Jones continued to dominate in unanimous decision victory — 80-72,
the second round, raining punches 79-73, and 79-73.

8 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

 COVER STORY

BATTLE DOWN
UNDER: A
GENERATION’S
LAST STAND Irrespective of which way this Border-Gavaskar
series swings, it will be the final one for many
stalwarts across both teams, with the next
edition slated for early 2027.
Pranay Rajiv and Dhruva Prasad
[Link]@[Link],
[Link]@[Link]

n a country besotted with cricket, it is not

I
uncommon to see the term ‘Indian cricket is at
the crossroads’ thrown about frivolously in the
media and amongst the frenzied fans.
But with a coveted dominance in Tests at
home curtailed, courtesy of the Kiwis, and the
heat on the Indian team at its zenith following the
failure of stalwarts, the upcoming five-match
series Down Under could well be an inflection
point.
The Indians don’t have the most formidable record in
Australia by any stretch of the imagination. With just nine
wins across 52 Tests in the country, England, West Indies,
and South Africa are historically well ahead in taking the
fight to arguably cricket’s most unforgiving host.
However, getting down to brass tacks reveals that four
of those nine wins have come in back-to-back series wins
over the last six years, with the Indians showing more of

10 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

 FOR MORE
STORIES

a stomach for a fight, even with their backs against the

wall.
The ‘Gabba Miracle’ of 2021, conjured by an
injury-ridden Indian side, ended a 32-year Australian
hegemony in Brisbane, emboldening even the
modern-day laggard West Indies to repeat the feat last
year.
Following that triumph, India dared to dream and will
take a cue from it when the series opens on a bouncy
track in Perth. The absence of skipper Rohit Sharma and
Shubman Gill for the first Test, though unfortunate, will
perhaps only feed into the recent template of
overcoming adversity Down Under.
But one can’t sit on its laurels and hope for history to
repeat itself. The Indian brigade in transition will rely on a
blend of youth and experience in its quest to challenge
the world Test champion.
Virat Kohli, India’s top run-scorer in the 2011-12 and
2014-15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) in Australia, is
deemed vital, but without contributions from the likes of
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Gill, and Rishabh Pant, the Indian
challenge will fall flat, like it did in the series mentioned
above.
The last time India toured Australia for the BGT, it
showed that setting the tone isn’t the be-all and end-all in
the longest format, bouncing back from the ignominy of
being skittled for 36 in the first Test in Adelaide to script
history.
Thus, with injury and unavailability forcing India to
shuffle the batting order in Perth, the visitor would know
better than to brood over the first Test’s outcome. The
opening contest will provide Jaiswal with a new opening
partner, which could see an under-fire KL Rahul return to
the spot he has batted at for the bulk of his stop-start
career, or prolific domestic run accumulator Abhimanyu
Easwaran handed a debut cap despite a string of poor
scores against Australia ‘A’. Meanwhile, Dhruv Jurel, who
scored 80 and 68 in the second game against Australia ‘A’
and showcased his affinity for playing on bouncy tracks,
could fill in for Gill at No. 3.
In the face of a somewhat new-look Indian line-up, the
team might, at some point in the series, rue the void left
by crisis men Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane,
who have been the architects of the last two series wins
Down Under.
Pujara’s ability to get under the skin of the Aussies
with his doughty spirit and Rahane’s technical genius are
undoubtedly in short supply in the current setup. Jaiswal,
Gill, and Sarfaraz Khan may need to curb some of their
natural stroke-making instinct in challenging conditions
and even put their bodies on the line.
In contrast, Australia will tuck into home comforts with
most of its Test mainstays still in the fray. Usman
Khawaja, Steve Smith, and Marnus Labuschagne

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 11

 ruled out of the BGT due to injury, favour that its expectations with the
Last dance: The likes of Mitchell Starc, was the top-scorer. The Indian quicks ball have come down to the
Nathan Lyon and Steve Smith are will thus have an opportunity to prey individualistic genius of Bumrah.
pushing towards the wrong side of the on the lingering effects of that blip. In the absence of the still
thirties, lending this upcoming series India will take a lot of confidence recovering-from-injury Mohammed
even more of a context. GETTY IMAGES from bowling linchpin Jasprit Shami, Bumrah has been
Bumrah’s exploits Down Under. shouldering the Indian pace bowling
continue to be the pillars of the Over the last two BGT series in duties almost singlehandedly. In
batting unit. David Warner’s Australia, only Australian skipper Pat 2024, Bumrah has 41 wickets in nine
retirement led to a mini-scramble at Cummins (35 in eight matches) has Tests, while the next-best Indian
the top, which has since been taken more wickets than Bumrah (32 pacer, Mohammed Siraj, tallied just
resolved with 25-year-old Nathan in seven). 19 from the same number of
McSweeney set to make his debut. The Indian pacer also has the best matches.
However, the Australian batters bowling average (21.25) across the Even though Akash Deep
had an underwhelming series in two series, among bowlers to have impressed in patches against
New Zealand earlier this year, where taken more than five wickets. England and New Zealand, the heat
all-rounder Cameron Green, who is But it doesn’t work in India’s of the Australian challenge might be
a little too much for the Bengal
pacer.
India and Australia series results in current WTC cycle
This dire situation has forced the
India Australia Indian management to fast-track
Beat West Indies 1-0 (Away) Drew with England 2-2 (Away) Harshit Rana into the Test setup. The
Drew with South Africa 1-1 (Away) Beat Pakistan 3-0 (Home) 22-year-old’s hit-the-deck style could
work out on the bouncy tracks of
Beat England 4-1 (Home) Drew with West Indies 1-1 (Home)
Australia. But betting on a bowler
Beat Bangladesh 2-0 (Home) Beat New Zealand 2-0 (Away)
who has played just 10 First-Class
Lost to New Zealand 0-3 (Home) games in a high-intensity series like

12 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

 fold. With Nitish Kumar Reddy in high-intensity pace bowling.
Bowling linchpin: Over the last two contention for the fast-bowling Australia’s only Test defeat in the
Border-Gavaskar series in Australia, all-rounder spot, only one of Ashwin, last year came against West Indies at
only Australian skipper Pat Cummins Jadeja, and Washington will likely the Gabba, where a charged-up
(35 in eight matches) has taken more appear in Perth for the first Test. Shamar Joseph ripped through the
wickets than Bumrah (32 in seven). Form, experience, and match-ups home side with a seven-wicket haul
GETTY IMAGES
will all come into play for coach in the fourth innings.
Gautam Gambhir in a selection call, However, Australia bounced back
BGT is a decision fraught with risk. which could backfire quite easily. from that loss by sweeping New
The form of its spin-bowling Going into the Australian Zealand away from home in a
all-rounders also contributes to summer, the under-fire Indians, two-match series. Its bowling unit,
India’s selection headache. While R. though, were gifted a brief ray of led by Cummins, still retains the
Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja suffered hope from an unlikely source — same personnel from the last BGT,
one of their worst home series Pakistan. Their sub-continent rivals armed with greater experience and
performances against New Zealand, outmuscled the Aussies in the recent driven by a hunger to reinstate the
Washington Sundar enjoyed a ODI series, bringing to light an Aussie honour tarnished over the
successful reintegration into the Test underlying weakness against last two Indian visits.

14 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

 In addition to pride, also at stake
would be a spot in the World Test
Championship (WTC) final. Anything
other than a series win would
severely impair India’s hopes of
making a third consecutive final
appearance, as the BGT is the side’s
last series of the current cycle.
Australia has a bit more leeway,

IN THE FACE OF A SOMEWHAT NEW-LOOK

INDIAN LINE-UP, THE TEAM MIGHT, AT SOME
POINT IN THE SERIES, RUE THE VOID LEFT BY
CRISIS MEN CHETESHWAR PUJARA AND
AJINKYA RAHANE

with the side scheduled for a Sri

Lanka series away from home next
year.
Irrespective of which way this
series swings, it will be the final BGT
for many stalwarts across both
teams, with the next edition slated
for early 2027. For India, it is nearly
certain that Test mainstays like
Ashwin, Jadeja, and Rohit won’t be
around by then.
The case is similar for Australia.
The likes of Mitchell Starc, Nathan
Lyon, and Smith are pushing
towards the wrong side of the
thirties, lending this upcoming series
even more of a context.
For the last decade or so, these
two sides, powered by a generation
of superstars, have engaged in some
of the most combative Test series in
the sport’s history. Rivalries sprung
up for fun, narratives coalesced out
of thin air, and battlelines were
drawn. And once again, these two
teams will lock horns during an
Australian summer with everything
at stake.

Wildcard: Nitish Kumar Reddy is in

contention for the fast-bowling
all-rounder’s spot ahead of the first
Test in Perth. GETTY IMAGES

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 15

 COVER STORY

Litmus test: If in the 1980s and during a part of the 1990s, players burnished their credentials through performances
against the mighty West Indies, Australia now serves as the yardstick that separates the men from the boys. GETTY IMAGES

NEW CHAPTER, OLD RIVALS

England may be the old enemy, but for Australia, India is a clear and present danger.
K. C. Vijaya Kumar erstwhile Commonwealth Empire. second to none. This is cricket at its
[Link]@[Link] Then we get the feverish best, with stars on either side striving
high-pitched notes of India and hard, doing the impossible, and
he willow game’s rivalries, Pakistan, neighbours split by the playing a game that defines their

T
marinated in history, angst, Radcliffe Line and a seemingly legacy. If in the 1980s and during a
stunning performances, and eternal animosity yet fused by a part of the 1990s, players burnished
seasoned with perhaps a shared history, cuisine, language and their credentials through
touch of geopolitics, have pop-culture references. This is a sport performances against the mighty
always stirred interest in that comes with excessive baggage West Indies, Australia now serves as
cricket’s ardent devotees. Straight up even before the players have stepped the yardstick that separates the men
is the Ashes, pitting the mother onto the turf. from the boys. Equally, a tour of India
country England against a former In this cauldron of emotions, is deemed a difficult proposition even
colony Australia, while both remain throw in India and Australia, and you if New Zealand proved otherwise
tied together with the threads of the get a rivalry, at least in recent times, with its recent 3-0 sweep in the Tests.

16 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

 Sachin Tendulkar has 100 Under, there are hopes about a
international tons, an artificial stirring new tale being gifted to Fightback for the ages: In January
construct blending Tests and ODIs, eager fans, be it the ones in Australia 2021, Rishabh Pant's brilliant 89
but whatever the semantics, his 114 or those in India, bleary-eyed after piloted India's stunning run-chase,
at Perth’s WACA in 1992 is still waking up early to catch the action handing Australia its first defeat at the
considered his best outing. V.V.S. on television. Gabba since 1988. India won the
Laxman’s 281 at Eden Gardens in However, in the past, the Border-Gavaskar series 2-1. GETTY IMAGES
2001, against flint-eyed Steve Waugh immediate presumption was that
and his men, is perhaps the greatest India would tour Australia and lose to charm of these two squads, with a
knock ever played by an Indian in the blitz of pace, while at home, it long evolution resting on past
Tests. would quell the opposition with spin champions.
That Houdini Act by Sourav and guile. Part of this Nostradamus In the 1980-81 tour of Australia,
Ganguly’s men in delirious Kolkata, syndrome was true, but there have India staged the ‘Miracle of
wherein a first-innings deficit and a always been surprises, and that is the Melbourne’. Trailing 0-1 after two
follow-on were tided past to register
a miraculous victory, turbo-charged
the India-Australia rivalry.
It added the weight of
expectations and extreme spice, two
ingredients that even the present Ravi Shastri, the Mumbaikar with an innate
generation of cricketers strictly
adhere to while adding fresh Aussie spirit, remains the link between Indian
chapters of intrigue and excitement.
While India embarks on the latest cricket of the past and the present. It is a
five-Test series for the
Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down
continuity he still fosters as a commentator.
Sportstar December 7 – 2024 17
 From the vault: Ravi Shastri is
another thread that binds India and
Australia. During the 1991-92 tour of
Australia that India lost 0-4, Shastri
scored a double ton in Sydney while
also keeping a sharp eye on a young
Sachin Tendulkar. THE HINDU PHOTO LIBRARY

Tests, it seemed as if the script would

only get worse as despite Gundappa
Viswanath’s superb 114, India
watched Australia ride high on Allan
Border’s 124 and gain a 182-run
first-innings lead. Sunil Gavaskar’s
men then posted 324 in the second
dig, setting a meagre 143-run target.
All seemed lost, but when Viswanath
told an injured Kapil Dev that India
had never lost when the former
scored a ton, the latter was charged
up.
Kapil’s five-for, with Karsan Ghavri
and Dilip Doshi lending support,
dismantled the Aussies. India won by
59 runs, and the series was levelled.

SACHIN TENDULKAR HAS 100

INTERNATIONAL TONS, AN ARTIFICIAL
CONSTRUCT BLENDING TESTS AND ODIS, BUT
WHATEVER THE SEMANTICS, HIS 114 AT
PERTH’S WACA IN 1992 IS STILL CONSIDERED
HIS BEST OUTING
In the same tour, Sandeep Patil
scored a blistering 174 in the second
Test at Adelaide. This was an era of
slow living and an absence of
raucous social media, and it is
understandable that the 1980-81 tour
is often forgotten while Waugh’s
failed mission to conquer the Last
Frontier in 2001 is regarded as the
starting point of a storied rivalry.
Ravi Shastri, a superb all-rounder
and a commentator in love with
tracer bullets, remains another
thread that binds India and Australia.

18 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

As a player, he won the Champion of legendary. It did as Rishabh Pant Turning point: The Houdini Act by
Champions title during the 1985 hammered an unbeaten 89 in a Sourav Ganguly’s men in delirious
World Championship in Australia, tough chase, and India won by three Kolkata, wherein a first-innings deficit
which India won after defeating wickets to claim the series at 2-1. Be it and a follow-on were tided past to
Pakistan in the final. Virat Kohli or Rahane, Shastri drew register a miraculous victory,
Later in the 1991-92 tour that the best from his captains. turbo-charged the India-Australia
India lost 0-4, he scored a double ton The Mumbaikar with an innate rivalry. THE HINDU PHOTO LIBRARY
in Sydney while also keeping a sharp Aussie spirit in his demeanour
eye on a young Tendulkar. But worked his magic and remains the charge, Rohit is looking at
Shastri wasn’t done yet, and as a link between Indian cricket of the perpetuating India’s recent
coach, he shepherded the Indians to past and the present. It is a continuity dominance against the Aussies. A
defining series triumphs in the he still fosters as a commentator. threat that Pat Cummins and his men
2018-19 and 2020-21 tours of Just as Rohit Sharma (he will miss want to counter in their backyard
Australia. the first Test in Perth) leads India in with the likes of Usman Khwaja, Steve
The 2020-21 win was epochal as the current tour with his fellow Smith, Mitchell Starc and Nathan
India was considered a team of the late-30s stars in Kohli, R. Ashwin and Lyon, itching to reveal their best.
walking-wounded, but everyone Ravindra Jadeja, a sense of an ending England may be the old enemy,
Shastri blooded as a player became a looms large. Still with vice-captain but for these Aussies, India is a clear
star. With most of its leading players and spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, and and present danger. A rivalry awaits
missing, India still turned up with a talent like Gill (currently injured), Pant its fresh installment, and this is
touch of steel at Brisbane’s Gabba for and Yashasvi Jaiswal, under his box-office gold.
the fourth and final Test with the
series on the line at 1-1.
Be it T. Natarajan or Washington
Sundar, Shubman Gill or Shardul
Thakur, India had its heroes, and with
A tour of Australia now serves as the yardstick
a calm Ajinkya Rahane at the helm,
that 2021 January was tipped to turn
that separates the men from the boys
Sportstar December 7 – 2024 19
 ON THE WRITE LINE FOR MORE
Sunil Gavaskar STORIES

WHEN IT COMES TO THE

BCCI AND INDIAN CRICKET,
THE KNIVES HAVE TO BE OUT
The kowtowing ended long ago, and that is what irks the old powers. It
eats at them that they need the BCCI and Indian cricket to keep their
finances in good shape.
emember the words: “This is Australia, and the game finished on the third day, the

R
this is Perth. I’m setting ourselves up excuse given was, “Oh, the curator got it
for a really good pace, good bounce, wrong.” Really? How did he get it wrong? If your
good carry.” These are the words of strength in attack is pace, you are going to
the head curator of the Western prepare a pitch that helps the pacers. If the
Australia Cricket Association. Fair pitch had no help for the pacers and the ball
enough. But next time there is a tour by was spinning, then you could argue he got it
Australia and England to India, and their former wrong.
players and media start complaining about It is just like the old days when we played
Indian pitches, every Indian curator should turn there and received terrible decisions from the
around and say, “This is India, this is Chennai, home umpires. The reason given was “human
Mumbai, Kolkata, wherever. I am setting up the error.” However, if Indian or sub-continental
pitch for some nice turn and variable bounce.” umpires got it wrong, they were called “cheats”
Hopefully, our media too will support the and “Butchers of Bombay” and so on. The
curator and tell the visiting media where to go. condescending attitude was accepted by some
As always with the media from the old Indian administrators who wanted to be invited
powers, everything has to suit their team and to the MCC President’s box or another Test
not the home team. Yes, they can prepare venue hospitality box. Now the BCCI has its own
pitches the way they want to in their country, hospitality boxes all over the world, where the
but India cannot do the same in India. Then families and friends of the Indian players and
comes the old chestnut about the curators BCCI administrators can watch and enjoy in
being independent and preparing pitches comfort. The kowtowing ended long ago, and
according to how they know, while in India, they that is what irks the old powers. It eats at them
deliberately make pitches to assist the home that they need the BCCI and Indian cricket to
team. Give me a break. Every curator keep their finances in good shape.
everywhere in the world prepares pitches How else do you explain the sudden interest
according to the strength of their team. If the in having the Indian team over every year or so
pitch has too much bounce and is positively when previously it took decades for an India
dangerous to life and limb, as the Brisbane pitch tour to their countries? India first toured
was a couple of years back against South Africa Australia in 1947/48. The next tour was in

20 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

 1967/68, and the one after that in 1977/78. This
last tour of 1977/78 was when they suddenly Adaptability: “Have you ever heard an Indian
noticed the following for Indian cricket, as player or a former player complain about the
thousands of Indians living in Australia came to trampoline bounce of some surfaces or the
watch the Test series. Since then, it has been grazing area for cattle masquerading as a Test
every four years for India, as it is with their match pitch in these countries?,” asks the author.
R. RAGU
oldest rival, the Mother Country. However, in
the last six years, this is India’s third tour to
Australia, and next year the Indians will be former player complain about the trampoline
touring for a white-ball series. bounce of some surfaces or the grazing area for
With all this, one would expect some sense of cattle masquerading as a Test match pitch in
gratitude. However, the BCCI bashing continues these countries? Never, as we accept that
for no reason. Stories are fabricated without any playing and winning overseas is a challenge
basis in truth, and if proven wrong, there is no since the conditions are different from home.
acknowledgement. Thankfully, the current Surprisingly, even the whingeing British media
players of both teams accept that they have to did not have anything to say about the surfaces
play on the surfaces given to them, so while in the final two Test matches, which they lost in
there might be murmurs in the change room Pakistan, once again strengthening the belief
and a nudge-nudge to their favourite media that when it comes to the BCCI and Indian
person, there is nothing in public. Look at the cricket, the knives have to be out. Or maybe it is
way Ben Stokes accepted the pitches in India easier to be condescending to a country that
and even recently in Pakistan, saying that his does not have the clout that the BCCI has.
team was outplayed and needed to learn to play Remember the words, guys. Yes, remember
on such surfaces. the words and fling them back when the
Have you ever heard an Indian player or a whingeing starts the next time they are in India.

The BCCI bashing continues for no reason. Stories are fabricated without
any basis in truth, and if proven wrong, there is no acknowledgement.
Sportstar December 7 – 2024 21
 STATSMAN
MOHANDAS MENON

Sundar on song
5}
In the Pune Test against New Zealand, India's two off-spinners, Washington Sundar and R.
Ashwin, claimed all 10 wickets in the first innings. This marked the first instance of such a
feat in Indian Test cricket. For the record, the first occurrence of all 10 wickets being taken
by a single off-spinner in Test history was achieved by England’s Jim Laker, who accomplished this
during the Ashes Test in Manchester in July 1956.
All 10 wickets in a Test innings falling to off-spinners

Wkts Bowlers For Opp Venue Month, Year Result

10 Jim Laker (10/53) Eng Aus Manchester Jul 1956 Won
10 Tony Greig (8/86), Pat Pocock (2/86) Eng WI Port of Spain Apr 1974 Won
10 Kumar Dharmasena (6/99), Jayananda Warnaweera (3/63) SL Pak Colombo PSS Aug 1994 Lost
M. Muralitharan (1/123)
10 M Muralitharan (6/26), Ajantha Mendis (4/60) SL Ind Colombo SSC Jul 2008 Won
10 Washington Sundar (7/59), R. Ashwin (3/64) Ind NZ Pune Oct 2024 Lost

K. BHAGYA PRAKASH
5}
The maximum number of ‘bowled’ dismissals in a Test innings involving Indian bowlers.
Washington Sundar, against the Kiwis, in Pune became the latest to achieve this feat in a
Test innings for India. He became the first Indian bowler and the fourth to claim five or
more ‘bowled’ victims in the same innings against New Zealand.
Most bowled victims in a Test innings for Indian bowlers
Patel and Nadkarni
achieved this in
Bowled Bowler (bowling) Against Venue Month, year Result Bowling style successive Tests.
5 Jasu Patel (9/69) Australia Kanpur Dec 1959 Won Right-arm off-break Jadeja and Sundar are
5 Bapu Nadkarni (6/105) Australia Mumbai BS Jan 1960 Drawn Left-arm spin the only bowlers to do so
since 2003 in the Test
5 Anil Kumble (6/53) South Africa Johannesburg Nov 1992 Drawn Right-arm leg-break cricket
5 Ravindra Jadeja (7/42) Australia Delhi Feb 2023 Won Left-arm spin
5 Washington Sundar (7/59) New Zealand Pune Oct 2024 Lost Right-arm off-break
Most bowled dismissals in a Test innings by bowlers against New Zealand batters

Bowled Bowler (bowling) For Venue Month, year Result Bowling style
6 Bill Bowes (6/34) England Auckland Mar 1933 Drawn Right arm pace
6 Mohd Nazir (7/99) Pakistan Karachi Oct 1969 Drawn Right-arm off-break
5 Shoaib Akhtar (6/11) Pakistan Lahore May 2002 Won Right arm pace
5 Washington Sundar (7/59) India Pune Oct 2024 Lost Right-arm off-break

6}
The number of Indian bowlers to claim seven or more wickets on the opening day of a Test match. Washington
Sundar, making his comeback to Test cricket after three and a half years, became the latest bowler to do this for
India. Irfan Pathan was the only Indian pace bowler to accomplish this, and he is the only one to do so in an
away Test — against Zimbabwe in Harare in September 2005. Interestingly, whenever an Indian bowler takes seven or
more wickets on the opening day of a home Test match, India has never won that match.
Seven or more wicket haul by Indian bowlers on Day1 of a Test match
** The Chennai Test was
Bowling Bowler Against Venue Date Result Bowling style drawn after rain washed
out play on the fifth and
9/102 Subhash Gupte West Indies Kanpur 12 Dec 1958 Lost Right-arm leg-break final day, with India
7/27 Maninder Singh Pakistan Bengaluru 13 Mar 1987 Lost Left-arm spin (19/0) chasing a target of
229 runs
7/48 Anil Kumble Australia Chennai 14 Oct 2004 Drawn Right-arm leg-break
7/49 Ghulam Ahmed Australia Kolkata 2 Nov 1956 Lost Right-arm off-break
7/59 Irfan Pathan Zimbabwe Harare 20 Sep 2005 Won Left-arm pace
7/59 Washington Sundar India Pune 24 Oct 2024 Lost Right-arm off-break

22 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

3}
The number of opposition bowlers claiming 12 or more wickets in a Test match against India. Kiwi left-arm
spinner Mitchell Santner has now joined his teammate Ajaz Patel, who took 14 wickets in Mumbai in December
2021, and England’s all-rounder and pacer Ian Botham as part of this elite group. Notably, Patel's and Santner's
match bowling figures are the second and third best for New Zealand in Tests, following Richard Hadlee’s impressive
15/123 against Australia in November 1985 in Brisbane.
Most wickets in a Test match against India Note: The best bowling match
figures against India by a left-arm
Bowling Bowler For Venue Month, year Result Bowling style pacer is 12/124 by Australian Alan
14/225 Ajaz Patel New Zealand Mumbai WS Dec 2021 Lost Left-arm spin Davidson in Kanpur in December
1959 and by an off-spinner is the
13/106 Ian Botham England Mumbai WS Feb 1980 Won Right arm fast medium 12/286 by another Aussie Nathan
13/157 Mitchell Santner New Zealand Pune Oct 2024 Won Left-arm spin Lyon in Adelaide in December 2014.

4}
The number of Test players to score over 2,000 runs and take more than 200 wickets in home Test matches.
During the Pune Test match, Ravindra Jadeja became the latest player to join this elite group. He is also the
second-fastest, after Ian Botham, to achieve this remarkable double in home Test matches.
2000-plus runs and 200-plus wickets in career home Tests

Player Career span M Inns Runs Ave. HS 100/50 Balls Runs Wkts Ave. S/R 5i/10m Best
at home
I. T. Botham (Eng) 1977-1992 59 89 2969 34.93 208 8/13 12243 6226 226 27.55 54.17 17/2 8-34
Kapil Dev (Ind) 1978-1994 65 86 2810 36.97 163 5/15 12211 5803 219 26.50 55.76 11/2 9-83
S. Broad (Eng) 2008-2023 98 134 2495 21.51 169 1/11 19979 10320 398 25.93 50.20 14/3 8-15
R. Jadeja (Ind) 2012-2024 49 68 2023 37.46 175* 3/13 12191 4929 238 20.71 51.22 13/3 7-42
Note: ** Ian Botham is the quickest to reach this milestone in fewest Tests (45 matches in 1985), followed by Ravindra Jadeja (48 in 2024), Kapil
Dev (58 in 1990) and Stuart Broad (69 in 2018).

2}
The number of Indian batters to aggregate 1000 or more runs in a calendar in Tests at home. Yashasvi Jaiswal,
who made his Test debut in July 2023 and playing his first Test at home this year, has become the highest
run-scorer for India at home in a calendar year, accumulating 1,091 runs. He surpassed Gundappa Viswanath's
previous record of 1,047 runs set in 1979, 45 years ago.
Most runs in a calendar year in India

Runs Batter Year M Inns NO Ave. HS 100 50

1091 Yashasvi Jaiswal 2024 10 19 1 60.61 214* 2 7
1047 Gundappa Viswanath 1979 13 19 2 61.58 179 4 3
964 Virat Kohli 2016 8 14 2 80.33 235 3 2
898 Virat Kohli 2017 7 12 1 81.63 243 4 1
875 Dilip Vengsarkar 1987 9 14 4 87.50 166 4 3

6}
The number of times India has lost three Tests in a home series. New Zealand recently became the fourth
visiting team to achieve this feat, joining West Indies, Australia, and England. Notably, New Zealand became the
first visiting side to whitewash India by winning all the matches in the Test series. The closest any visiting team
in India has come to New Zealand’s success was South Africa, which won a two-match Test series under Hansie Cronje
in February-March 2000.
India losing three or more Tests in a home series

Series Result Opponent Opponent captain Series Dates Losing Indian captain
0-3 (5) West Indies Gerry Alexander 28 Nov 1958 to 11 Feb 1959 Polly Umrigar (1), Ghulam Ahmed (2), Vinoo Mankad
(1), Hemu Adhikari (1)
1-3 (5) Australia Bill Lawry 4 Nov 1969 to 28 Dec 1969 Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi
2-3 (5) West Indies Clive Lloyd 22 Nov 1974 to 29 Jan 1975 Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi (4)/S Venkataraghavan (1)
1-3 (5) England Tony Greig 17 Dec 1976 to 16 Feb 1977 Bishan Singh Bedi All records are
correct and
0-3 (5) West Indies Clive Lloyd 21 Oct 1983 to 29 Dec 1983 Kapil Dev updated until 16
0-3 (3)# New Zealand Tom Latham 16 Oct 2024 to 3 Nov 2024 Rohit Sharma November 2024.

# India’s only whitewash series defeat of three or more Tests at home; ** In the 1958/59 series India had four captains, Polly Umrigar (1st
Test), Ghulam Ahmed (2nd and 3rd), Vinoo Mankad (4th) and Hemu Adhikari (5th). Under Ghulam and Mankad India lost two and one
respectively; ** In the 1974/75 series, India had two captains, Pataudi (won 2, lost 2) and S. Venkataraghavan (2nd Test – lost)

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 23

 T20IS PHOTOLINE
INDIA-SOUTH AFRICA

1st
Samsonite: Sanju Samson (107 off 50 balls) etched his name in
history as the first Indian to score consecutive T20I centuries,
achieving the feat in the opening game in Durban. His
FOR MORE blistering hundred, reached in just 47 balls, is the fastest by an
IMAGES Indian against South Africa in T20Is. AP

2nd
Roaring return: Playing an
international match after
166 days, Gerald Coetzee
struck off his first ball to
remove opener Abhishek
Sharma cheaply. He later
picked up wickets of Hardik
Pandya and Rinku Singh to
keep India’s score to 202/8.
AFP

24 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

3rd
Timely blows: Ravi Bishnoi, along with Varun Chakravarthy,
kept chipping away with wickets at regular intervals — picking
three each — as India bowled out South Africa for 141, winning
the match by 61 runs. GETTY IMAGES

4th
Finishing touch: South
Africa’s sensational bowling
had India 45/4 inside eight
overs and 87/6 in the 16th over.
Even though Hardik Pandya
struggled to time the ball
initially, he found his rhythm
eventually and got India to a
fighting total of 124/6. AP

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 25

 5th
Magical turn around: Varun Chakravarthy weaved his magic, turning a
modest target of 125 runs into an insurmountable challenge for the South
African batters. Chakravarthy claimed his best figures in T20Is, 5/17,
including wickets of Aiden Markram, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen,
Heinrich Klaasen, and David Miller, to reduce South Africa to 66/6 inside 13
overs. AP

6th
Rescue act: Tristan Stubbs
hit a 41-ball 47, along with
Gerald Coetzee’s quickfire
19 off nine balls, and got
South Africa over the line in
a tense chase to level the
series. AP

26 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

 7th
Centurion: Tilak Varma,
batting at number three for
the first time this series,
smashed his maiden T20I
hundred — finishing
unbeaten on 107 off 56 balls
— to take India to 219/6
after being put in to bat first.
AP

8th
Long levers: Marco Jansen went berserk as he smacked five
sixes and four fours en route to his maiden T20I fifty to keep
South African hopes alive in a chase where the host looked
down and out till the 18th over with 169/6 on board. AFP

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 27

 9th
Wrecker-in-chief: Arshdeep Singh
helped India finish on the right side of
the result with his timely strikes. He
first removed Ryan Rickelton in the
PowerPlay, then had
dangerous-looking Heinrich Klaasen
(41 off 22) caught before finally
removing Marco Jansen in the last
over. GETTY IMAGES

10th
Combining powers:
Tilak Varma (120 not
out) and Sanju
Samson (109 not out)
hit a century each,
becoming the first
pair from a Full
Member nation to
score a hundred in
the same T20I
innings, as India
posted its
second-highest score
in the format: 283/1.
AFP

28 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

 11th
Collective effort: Indian
bowlers kept picking
wickets regularly, with
Arshdeep Singh leading the
way, taking three, and
Varun Chakravarthy and
Axar Patel claiming two
each. Ramandeep Singh,
Axar Patel and Hardik
Pandya got one apiece as
India bundled out South
Africa for 148 to win the
match by 135 runs. AP

12th
Dominating performance: India
defeated South Africa 3-1, winning its
fifth series this year and ending 2024
with 24 wins out of 26 T20Is, including
a T20 World Cup victory — a win
percentage of 92.30. AFP

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 29

 RANJI TROPHY DIARY

दुआओं mein yaad Rakhana_HrYanA

Killing time in smog

and IPL auction fever
hits home!
Our correspondents bring you the highlights and intriguing moments, both on and off the
field, from the fifth round of Ranji Trophy fixtures.
Pranay Rajiv and Vivek Krishnan before a Wimbledon final and playing foot volley — separately, of course —
[Link]@[Link], a couple of straight drives into the with training hurdles and plastic
[Link]@[Link] net. Too much grass on the surface, chairs acting as make-shift nets.
he would say. Sorry! Evidently, one team was better at
ricket is probably the only As the start of the Ranji Trophy this sport than the other. While one

C
sport where players warm match between Haryana and Kerala struggled to maintain rallies with
up for a game by playing was delayed due to an unexpected their stiff footwork, it was boringly
another sport. bout of smog, this unique occurrence easy for the other. You know which
Imagine Novak Djokovic was on full display. one is which. Trust the stereotype.
whipping out a cricket bat Both teams started with a game of Soon enough, the Kerala players

30 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

 PRANAY RAJIV

caught hold of a couple of fielding IPL franchises keeping an eye on Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare
nets, converted them to goals, and Ranji Trophy Trophy, respectively.
started a game of three-on-three As the IPL has grown in stature, But with the Ranji Trophy having
football. Who is surprised? the competition among franchises to kicked off the domestic season this
The home players, though, chose find untapped young talent has only time in an effort to retain the
to return to their basics, as they risen. primacy of First-Class cricket, IPL
kickstarted a passionate game of It has become customary, thus, franchises didn’t really have an
one-pitch, one-hand tennis ball for these teams to send their opportunity before the mega auction
cricket right in front of their dressing coaches, scouts and analysts to the to track players and make prudent
room. Meanwhile, the Kerala players different state-run T20 leagues choices based on the domestic
wrapped up their football game. But through the year as well as the white-ball events. Nonetheless, they
with the smog refusing to subside, country’s premier domestic T20 and kept a close tab on the first five
there was still some time to bide. 50-over tournaments — the Syed rounds of the Ranji season for any
And thus began a game of tennis, if insight they could get on the players
you could call it that. to back at the mega auction.
The foot-volley nets retained their When Delhi played Tamil Nadu at
position. Two tennis racquets were the Arun Jaitley Stadium in October,
acquired. But you need two more to Vikram Solanki (left), Gujarat Titans’
play doubles, right? Out came two Director of Cricket, was a keen
cricket bats, one the normal size and observer from the media enclosure
the other the shorter one used for on all four days of the contest.
fielding practice. Talk about For the match between Delhi and
innovation. Unlike the foot volley Jharkhand in the fifth round, the
game, this was a struggle — to play Titans had assistant coaches Amit
and watch. The rallies were comically Bhandari and Narender Singh Negi
short, with the tennis ball bouncing at the venue. Even though it was
all over the place. Soon, the smog with an eye on the IPL, the Ranji
dissipated, allowing the players to Trophy is at least attracting
indulge in the sport they were greater interest than it
actually paid to play. has in recent seasons.

VIJAY SONEJI
 INTERVIEW

Ajay Jadeja: India should return with a series win

from Australia; we are well equipped
Former India captain Ajay Jadeja believes Rohit Sharma’s team has nothing to lose and
everything to gain in Australia, following their 0-3 Test series defeat to New Zealand at home.
Team Sportstar Teams Asia Cup], and it won’t be long
sportstar @[Link] before they become champions.

jay Jadeja played 15 Test matches for India from What’s the most cherished

A
1992 to 2000, amassing 576 runs with an average memory from your playing career?
of 26.18, including four half-centuries and a top If you’re a batter, you only feel truly
score of 96. His ODI career, however, truly satisfied when you score a hundred.
showcased his talent, as he represented India in The first time I scored a hundred for
196 matches, scoring 5,359 runs at an impressive India, against the West Indies [in
average of 37.47, with six centuries and 30 half-centuries 1994] — and back then, the West
to his name. Indies was a formidable side —
In a conversation with senior sports journalist Vijay remains special. That moment gave
Lokapally at the Sportstar Sports Conclave – Focus me assurance, even if I had doubts,
Rajasthan, Jadeja shares his experience coaching that yes, this is what I had been
Afghanistan, highlights from his playing dreaming of. It’s similar
career, and India’s prospects in the upcoming to winning a medal at the
Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Olympics. Sure, getting
picked for the first time
What was your experience like with the feels great, but that’s just
Afghanistan team, and do you see the the beginning. The first
potential in them to become world moment I truly felt happy
beaters? was when I scored that
I was privileged to have spent time with hundred in Cuttack.
them. They started in Division Five of the Some moments stay with
World Cricket League about 14 years ago. No you forever. Like when I
team has climbed the ladder as fast as they was bowled by Ronny
have. Now, you see smiling faces; you see Irani — I remember
these boys enjoying their sport. Whether it’s thinking, if you can’t
Mohammad Nabi or Rashid Khan, they have handle Irani, you can’t
convinced the world that these are good play Test cricket. That
people who can gel with anybody. They were day, I closed the chapter on Test
world-beaters at the ODI World Cup. They have taken cricket for myself. But in One-Day
that leap. For me, it was one of the best periods of my life Internationals, that hundred [against
— to be part of a team that was evolving and growing. West Indies] has always stayed with
They recently won the emerging trophy [ACC Emerging me.

32 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

In the 1996 World Cup five, which could be tough. Still, I
quarterfinal, you famously scored believe we should come back with a Impact player: “Rishabh Pant is
22 runs off one Waqar Younis over series win. We are a better side. freakish; he is brilliant, and as long as
— a knock that has become part of he‘s playing, he will be the best,” said
cricket folklore. When you meet Even though India won the last Ajay Jadeja in a conversation with
Waqar now, do you ever remind two series in Australia, the Aussies Sportstar’s consulting editor Vijay
him of that innings? say they’re ready for us, especially Lokapally at the Sportstar Sports
It’s a long story that began in 1988 after India’s 0-3 loss to New Conclave — Focus Rajasthan.
R.V. MOORTHY
when we played Under-19 cricket in Zealand at home. What challenges
Pakistan. We’ve been great friends will India face there?
since then and even played league They always have something to say. It Rishabh Pant has exceptional
cricket together in England. Waqar has always been one of their talent and the ability to turn a
often jokes, since he’s gotten me out strengths. They play with your mind. match on his own. Do you think he
more times, ‘sau sunar ki, ek lohar ki’ Our cricket has changed. Earlier, we could become the greatest Indian
(one powerful blow is worth a would go to Australia once in eight or cricketer of all time?
hundred smaller ones). Sometimes, nine years, so, in a side of 15, there He is freakish, brilliant and as long as
you have those perfect days, and were just two or three players who he‘s playing, he will be the best. He is
that happened to be one of them on had travelled or played in those a genius, no doubt, but you fear
the ideal stage. conditions. Now you have emerging these geniuses. You do not know
teams going there; every two or three what they do next. But he should
What do you expect from India in years you go to Australia. So, our stay like this; otherwise, he would not
its upcoming five-match Test team is well equipped. When you be a genius. This is a fine line as a
series against Australia? have nothing to lose, that is when you coach. How do you tame a genius?
I think we’ll do well. We might not will be dangerous. When you have You got to enjoy them as long as it
perform well enough to reach the lost 0-3 here [against New Zealand], lasts. As soon as you try to tame
World Test Championship final since going there you have nothing to lose them, you take away their brilliance.
that would require four wins out of and everything to gain. It is a double-edged sword.

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 33

FROM THE
WORLD OF CRICKET

AFP

Pakistan clinches ODI

series against Australia
Following a nervy two-wicket defeat in the series opener, Pakistan, led by
1 Mohammad Rizwan, thrashed Australia in the following two games.
Pakistan clinched its first ODI following two games with pacer swept the series 3-0.
series win in Australia since 2002 Haris Rauf, who picked 10 wickets After managing to lose nine
after beating the host 2-1. in three games, wrecking the wickets for 64 runs in a seven-over
Following a nervy two-wicket host's batting line-up. rain-curtailed contest, Pakistan
defeat in the series opener, However, Pakistan was dealt a crumbled again in the next two
Pakistan, led by Mohammad chastening reality check in the T20 games, folding for 134 and 117,
Rizwan, thrashed Australia in the Internationals leg as Australia respectively.

34 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

 2
AFP

GETTY IMAGES
New Zealand pacer and former
captain Tim Southee will retire from
Test cricket after the upcoming 3
three-match Test series at home
against England. He has played 104 After conceding the ODI series 1-2 to West Indies, England bounced back
Tests for New Zealand and taken to clinch the five-match T20I series 3-1. Skipper Jos Buttler, returning from
385 wickets. He is the most injury, led England to an unassailable 3-0 lead in the T20I series, backed
successful Kiwi bowler across by pacer Saqib Mahmood's impressive nine wickets, which restricted the
formats with 770 scalps — he is the hosts to below-par totals. Although West Indies secured a consolation win
only player in the world to take in the fourth T20I by successfully chasing down a mammoth 219-run
more than 300 Test wickets, 200 target, the series finale was washed out. In the ODI series earlier, Liam
ODI wickets and 100 T20I wickets. Livingstone captained England and played a significant role by scoring an
Southee will be available for unbeaten 124 in the second match, helping England chase down 329 to
selection if New Zealand qualifies level the series. Despite this, West Indies excelled in the series decider,
for the World Test Championship with Brandon King and Keacy Carty's 225-run partnership enabling them
(WTC) final next June. to chase down a middling total.

GETTY IMAGES
GETTY IMAGES

6
4 5
AP

Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad

Azmatullah Omarzai's all-round brilliance Lockie Ferguson picked a Nabi announced his decision to retire
handed Afghanistan a 2-1 ODI series win hat-trick across two overs from One-Day Internationals after
against Bangladesh in Sharjah. Omarzai to help New Zealand next year’s Champions Trophy. The
picked four wickets to restrict Bangladesh defend 108 runs in the 39-year-old has featured in 167 ODIs
to 244 for eight before smashing an second T20I against Sri since 2009, scoring 3,600 runs in 167
unbeaten 77-ball 70 to guide his team Lanka as the two-match matches, including two centuries and
home with five wickets in hand and 10 balls series ended in a 1-1 17 fifties. He picked up 172 wickets,
to spare. The Afghans had taken a 1-0 lead stalemate. In the first including four four-wicket hauls and a
in the series after Bangladesh suffered a T20I, Sri Lanka, wobbling fifer (5/17). Afghanistan qualified for
spectacular collapse, triggered by at 87 for five, rode on the Champions Trophy after it
off-spinner AM Ghazanfar, as it lost eight skipper Charith finished in sixth place during last
wickets for 23 runs, falling short by 92 runs Asalanka's unbeaten 35 year’s ODI World Cup in India. It will
while chasing 236. The Tigers squared the to chase down New be Afghanistan’s first-ever
series by winning the second ODI by 68 Zealand's 135 with an appearance in the eight-team
runs, but the Afghans had the last laugh. over to spare. competition.

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 35

 ISL DIARY

Testing times: East Bengal has blamed poor refereeing for the team’s struggles in the ongoing ISL, where it currently sits at
the bottom of the standings with just one point from seven [Link]: FSDL

EAST BENGAL ON A VAR FOOTING

Although clubs have long demanded the introduction of the technology, the extraordinary
costs associated with procuring and maintaining it have reportedly restrained ISL
organisers from implementing it.
ast Bengal Club has sought the All India Football Federation’s solution against the discrimination

E
(AIFF) intervention for the implementation of VAR technology East Bengal is repeatedly facing,” said
as a solution to improving refereeing standards in the Indian Sarkar. “It is high time the AIFF started
Super League (ISL). Club officials have blamed poor installing VAR in ISL stadiums. When
supervision for the team’s struggles in the ongoing ISL, where the clubs can spend an average of ₹70
it currently sits at the bottom of the standings with just one to ₹80 crore on team selection, why
point from seven matches. can’t we spend a little more to ensure
The flashpoint came during its seventh outing, in which East Bengal the implementation of VAR
received two red cards before managing to secure a goalless draw technology?” he added.
against city rival Mohammedan Sporting. The issue was discussed at a Although clubs have long
recent meeting of East Bengal’s executive committee, and the club demanded the introduction of VAR,
decided to “approach the AIFF president, Kalyan Chaubey, to complain the extraordinary costs associated
against the unjust refereeing decisions and the installation of VAR with procuring and maintaining the
technology,” said one of the club’s key functionaries, Debabrata (Nitu) popular video technology have
Sarkar. reportedly restrained ISL organisers
“We want the Federation to act against the poor standard of from implementing it. East Bengal will
refereeing in the ISL. Our fans, supporters, and even former players hope its appeal expedites the
are voicing their disapproval against debatable refereeing decisions. process.
We will be writing a letter to the president of AIFF, looking for a Amitabha Das Sharma

36 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

The penalty that drained the
Blasters
After losing two consecutive
games, Kerala Blasters was desperate
when it took on Hyderabad FC in
Kochi. There was a glimmer of hope
that the Blasters might return to
winning ways. When the home side
scored an early goal after a series of
quick moves, the Blasters fans
believed they might finally have a
reason to celebrate after a long time.
But then came Hyderabad’s
equaliser, followed by a 70th-minute
penalty that shattered the Blasters,
resulting in their third straight loss.
It should not have been a penalty,
as replays showed that the Blasters
defender Hormipam did not handle
the ball; however, the referee thought
otherwise. Andrei Alba happily
converted the penalty, scoring his
second goal of the night to give
Hyderabad a rather unexpected
victory. would keep him at the club until 2026,
“I have to admit that the penalty Coyle urged his team to surge forward Marked man: Hyderabad’s Andrei
drained us. That decision to give them as soon as the referee blew the Alba (left) scored two goals, including a
a penalty in that moment was really, kick-off whistle. Mumbai’s slow start to contentious penalty, handing Kerala
really hard for us. We were stressed the season encouraged the home Blasters its third straight loss.
after that and we lost the calmness team to play with panache, buoyed by
with the ball, and made mistakes,” an enthusiastic crowd of about 8,000.
said Blasters head coach Mikael While the first half lacked goals, the
Stahre. entire contest came down to three
“We lost control because of that minutes in the second half.
penalty. I’m not that type who The crowd inside Nehru Stadium
complains about referees... but you was brimming with anticipation. When
can’t make a decision to give a penalty Chennaiyin finally scored in the 60th
for that. Unfortunately, we lost the minute — with captain Ryan Edwards
game by that. Of course, we have to heading home from a corner — the
look at ourselves in the mirror and roof nearly came down. The
perform better. The performance was celebrations were such that it felt as if
obviously not good enough, but that nothing could go wrong.
penalty drained us.” But football, time and again, takes
Stan Rayan its fans on a rollercoaster of emotions,
and this match was no exception. Just
Elation, and then frustration three minutes after the jubilant scenes
Under normal circumstances, of Edwards’ goal, the crowd fell silent.
Chennaiyin FC might have exercised a Mumbai City equalised through
certain degree of caution in a home Nathan Asher Rodrigues (right),
match against Mumbai City FC. After ensuring the teams would share the
all, the latter is the defending ISL Cup points in a 1-1 draw.
champion. “How did we not win this match?
But contrary to that, there was a We had them, trust me,” a Chennaiyin
palpable sense of swagger from Owen fan was overheard telling a friend
Coyle’s Chennaiyin side, which seemed while leaving the stadium. That
determined to take the game to Petr question encapsulates the very
Kratky’s Mumbai outfit. essence of football.
Fresh from signing a contract that Aneesh Dey

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 37

 WORLD OF FOOTBALL
Decisive: Matt O'Riley scores Brighton &
Hove Albion’s second goal against
Manchester City. REUTERS

IN DIRE
Joan Mathew Jacob
[Link]@[Link]

ep Guardiola (right) lost

P
four successive games in all

STRAITS
competitions for the first
time in his managerial
career after Manchester
City suffered a 2-1 defeat to
Brighton & Hove Albion just before
league football went into the
Manchester City’s bad run international break. Erling Haaland’s
12th league goal of the season went
continues while Messi and Inter in vain as substitutes João Pedro and
Matt O’Riley found the back of the
Miami fall short of the MLS Cup dream. net, five minutes apart in the second
half, to give the Seagulls a
remarkable victory.
The loss left City in second place
on the table with 23 points, five
behind leader Liverpool, and in
danger of being left behind in the
title race.
Manchester United remained
undefeated under interim manager
Ruud van Nistelrooy (left) as it
AP

thrashed Leicester City 3-0 in the

38 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

 FOR MORE
STORIES

Dutchman’s final game in charge. The London Derby between

Captain Bruno Fernandes led the side Chelsea and Arsenal was the talk of Cap class: Bruno Fernandes scored
from the front, scoring one and the weekend, and both teams shared one and created two goals in his 250th
creating two in his 250th appearance the spoils in a tense 1-1 battle. Martin appearance for Manchester United.
GETTY IMAGES
for the Red Devils. The win leaves Ødegaard’s return to action was a
United in 13th place with 15 points, major boost for the Gunners as he
ahead of newly appointed assisted Gabriel Martinelli’s opener.
Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim Pedro Neto netted his first Premier
taking the reins. League goal for Chelsea to equalise
Promoted Ipswich Town secured and ensure that his side went into
its first win of the season and its first the international break in third place,
in the top flight since 2002 after level on 19 points with Arsenal in
beating an inconsistent Tottenham fourth.
Hotspur side 2-1. Goals from Sammie With all its challengers dropping
Szmodics and Liam Delap lifted points, Liverpool took the
Kieran McKenna’s side out of the opportunity to extend its lead at the
relegation zone and up to 17th place top of the table after beating Unai
in the standings. Emery’s Aston Villa 2-0. Darwin Núñez
High-flying Nottingham Forest and talisman Mohamed Salah got on
was given a reality check as the scoresheet as Liverpool made it
Newcastle United came back from a 15 wins out of 17 games in all
goal down to win 3-1. Alexander Isak competitions under new manager
scored in his fourth consecutive Arne Slot.
game for Newcastle while Joelinton
and Harvey Barnes landed the La Liga
REUTERS

knockout punches. Despite the loss, It was the Vinícius Jr. show as he
Forest is in fifth place, while scored a hat-trick in Real Madrid’s 4-0
Newcastle climbed to eighth. thumping of Osasuna. Englishman

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 39

 Jude Bellingham also found the back for the title after edging past RCD
In fine form: Vinícius Jr. scored a of the net for his first goal of the Mallorca 1-0, thanks to a second-half
hattrick in Real Madrid’s 4-0 thumping season in a victory that was strike from Julián Álvarez. The
of Osasuna. AFP ultimately marred by injuries. Argentine has now scored seven
Brazilian Rodrygo was forced off goals in 18 appearances for the club,
the field with an injury before his the most by any Atlético player in his
compatriot Éder Militão suffered an first 18 games since Luis Suárez in
ACL injury that has ruled him out for 2021 (11).
several months. Additionally, Having played a game more,
right-back Lucas Vázquez was Diego Simeone’s side is third in the
removed at half-time after he was table, one point behind city rival Real.
visibly suffering from a leg issue. It is closely followed by Villarreal in
Barcelona travelled fourth, which secured three points
to Real Sociedad against Espanyol, thanks to a brace
looking to extend its lead to from Ayoze Pérez.
nine points at the top of the table but
ended up suffering a shock 1-0 Ligue 1
defeat. Playing without teenage Paris Saint-Germain maintained its
sensation Lamine Yamal, the side not unbeaten record in the league,
only ended its seven-match winning beating newly promoted Angers 4-2.
streak in all competitions but also Bradley Barcola and Lee Kang-in
failed to register a shot on target in netted twice each as PSG extended
the entire match. Hansi Flick’s side its lead to six points at the top of the
still leads the standings with 33 table.
points from 13 games, six ahead of 19-year-old Eliesse Ben Seghir
Real Madrid, which has one game in (left) scored a brace as AS Monaco
AFP
hand. beat RC Strasbourg 3-1 to climb to
Atlético Madrid stayed in the hunt second place with 23 points, ahead of

40 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

Olympique de Marseille in third. The result tightened the race for Hero of the day: Atlético Madrid
The Roberto De Zerbi-coached the Scudetto, with Napoli leading the stayed in the hunt for the title after
Marseille continued its poor run at way with 26 points, followed by edging past RCD Mallorca 1-0, thanks
home (one win, two losses, and two Atalanta, Fiorentina, Inter and Lazio, to a second-half strike from Julián
draws), losing 3-1 to AJ Auxerre. It is all on 25. Álvarez (centre). AFP
three points behind Monaco and Juventus, the only unbeaten
nine behind PSG. team in the league, overcame
LOSC Lille failed to capitalise on Torino with a goal each from
Marseille dropping points and was Kenan Yıldız and Timothy Weah,
held to a 2-2 draw by OGC Nice, settling into sixth place, two points
despite taking a two-goal lead. Lille behind leader Napoli.
completes the top four with 19 12th-placed Roma sacked its
points, one behind Marseille. manager Ivan Jurić following a 3-2
loss to Bologna and managed to
Serie A bring back 73-year-old Claudio
The last two Italian champions – Ranieri to take charge of the club
Inter Milan and Napoli – faced off in a until the end of the season.
high-intensity clash at the San Siro
Stadium, with both teams walking Bundesliga
away with a point after a 1-1 draw. Bayern Munich preserved its
Hakan Çalhanoğlu (right) cancelled unbeaten start to the league season
Scott McTominay’s opener but failed after overcoming newly promoted FC
to convert from the penalty spot to St. Pauli courtesy of a Jamal Musiala
take all three points. He ended his stunner. In a closely contested game,
streak of 19 consecutive penalties the 21-year-old unleashed a strike
scored, his last miss coming in 2016 from 30 yards out that went in off the
when he played for Bayer crossbar. The victory took the
AFP

Leverkusen. German giant to 26 points, five clear

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 41

 leader Bayern. through Jamal Thiaré, who scored
Sour moment: Lionel Messi in action Third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt twice in two minutes. Atlanta
against Atlanta United, which beat continued its top form in the league goalkeeper Brad Guzan frustrated
Inter Miami in the deciding leg of their after beating VfB Stuttgart 3-2, the home side with save after save
MLS Cup clash. REUTERS thanks to goals from Omar before Lionel Messi headed the ball
Marmoush, Hugo Ekitiké and in from close range to equalise.
of RB Leipzig in second. Nathaniel Brown. After scoring a However, just over 10 minutes
Leipzig wasted the chance to cut free-kick in the match, Marmoush is after the leveller, the Inter
down Bayern’s lead after being held now tied with Harry Kane at the Miami defence was caught
to a 0-0 draw by Borussia top of the Golden Boot out once again as Bartosz
Mönchengladbach. standings with 11 goals. Slisz leapt into the air to head
Borussia Dortmund slipped the ball in off an inviting
further down the table and into MLS cross from defender
seventh place after losing 3-1 to FSV After a record-breaking Pedro Amador.
Mainz, making it a fourth consecutive regular season, Inter
defeat on the road this season. Nuri Miami’s bid to win the
Şahin’s side played the majority of MLS Cup came to a halt
the match with 10 men after Emre as it lost 3-2 to Atlanta
Can was sent off near the half-hour United in the third and
mark for a reckless challenge. deciding leg of round
Defending champion Bayer one of the post-season.
Leverkusen had a full three points The first leg of the
snatched from under its nose after it three-match series
was held to a 1-1 draw by last-placed ended 2-1 in Inter Miami’s favour,
VfL Bochum, with Koji Miyoshi (right) while the scoreline was reversed in
scoring an 89th-minute equaliser. the second leg.
AFP

Despite the result, Leverkusen is still Matías Rojas gave Miami the lead,
in fourth place, nine points behind but Atlanta responded immediately

42 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

 WORLD CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP
PREVIEW

Date with destiny: If Gukesh defeats Ding Liren, he will not only become the 18th World Chess Champion but also, at just
18 years old, the youngest World Chess Champion in history. LENNART OOTES/FIDE

History beckons as Gukesh

and Ding battle for supremacy
in Singapore
If D. Gukesh becomes the 18th World Champion, it will mark yet another great moment
for Indian chess, especially in a year when the country secured twin golds at the Olympiad.
P. K. Ajith Kumar tournament’s history, dating back to he will become not just the 18th
[Link]@[Link] 1886, there have been only 17 World World Champion but also the
Champions. And we will soon know if youngest in history. He will break the
f you want to search for the most we will get the 18th after the World record set by Garry Kasparov in 1985.

I exclusive clubs in international

sport, you needn’t look beyond
the one reserved for the World
Chess Champions. In the

52 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

championship match that kicks off in
Singapore on November 23.
If D. Gukesh, the 18-year-old from
Chennai, beats Ding Liren of China,
Kasparov became the 13th World
Champion after defeating fellow
Soviet Union player Anatoly Karpov in
a remarkable match that lasted —
 Golden finish: GM D. Gukesh was the
lodestar of the Chess Olympiad, along
with Arjun Erigaisi, for the Indian
men’s team. Playing on boards one
and three respectively in Budapest,
they won individual gold medals while
guiding the team to a historic
first-place finish. MICHAL WALUSZA/FIDE

believe it or not — more than a year. THE CONSENSUS AMONG THE WORLD’S TOP
The match began on September 24,
1984, but was stopped on February CHESS PLAYERS IS THAT D. GUKESH IS A FIRM
10, 1985, after 48 games. Karpov was
leading 5-3, but the momentum had FAVOURITE AGAINST DING LIREN
shifted to Kasparov, who, therefore,
wasn’t happy at all with the world
chess governing body FIDE’s
decision, apparently made due to
concerns about the players’ health. final game. He was 22 then and Expectations were higher for that
The rule for that World broke the 25-year-old record of team than for India’s main team. But
Championship was that a player who Mikhail Tal. The question is whether what Gukesh did on the top board
won six games would be the winner. Gukesh will surpass Kasparov’s defied expectations. He won his first
Karpov had taken a 5-0 lead after the record in this World Championship. eight games in a row. It was a
27th game. Then, Kasparov, the The current form of both Gukesh remarkable feat, defeating the top
younger and hungrier player, staged and Ding suggests it is quite player of each country consecutively.
one of the greatest comebacks in the probable. The consensus among the This performance is regarded as one
history of any sport. world’s top chess players is that the of the best in chess history.
However, he had no option but to Indian teenager is a firm favourite. At the next Chess Olympiad, two
replay the match in late 1985. This Gukesh enters the match after years later in Budapest, Gukesh
time, FIDE ensured it would not playing exceptional chess over the delivered another spectacular effort
become a never-ending war: it was last two years. It all began with his on the top board, leading India to a
set to be a best-of-24-games contest, incredible performance at the historic gold medal.
with Karpov as the defending Chennai Chess Olympiad in 2022. As Before that, he had won the
champion, needing only to draw the the host, India fielded three teams in Candidates Tournament — the
match. both the Open and Women’s qualifying event for the World
But Kasparov won 13-11 thanks to sections, and he was part of an Championship — in Toronto, where
his victory with the black pieces in the exciting India-2 team. he topped an extremely strong field

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 53

 Eyeing encore: Ding Liren is the
defending World Champion, having
claimed the title in 2023 by defeating Ian
Nepomniachtchi in a tense match that
went to tie-breaks. LENNART OOTES/FIDE

that also included two other Indians. champion and far more experienced. “Gukesh is the significant favourite
Ding, however, has had a different Gukesh, too, is taking nothing for on current form, but in terms of peak
story. After defeating Russia’s Ian granted. chess ability, it is quite even,” Carlsen
Nepomniachtchi to win the World During a recent online interaction said shortly after winning the Tata
Championship in Astana, Kazakhstan, with select media, including Steel Chess India rapid title in
he has struggled both on and off the Sportstar, he said he expected Ding Kolkata. “And Gukesh was quite
board. He has openly stated that he to approach the World vulnerable in the last tournament he
has consulted a psychiatrist. Championship match in the right played.
“It doesn’t seem like I’ve been spirit. “He will be trying his best,” “All that aside, if I were to make a
playing the way I used to,” he told Gukesh said. “My approach is to treat prediction at this stage, I would go
The Straits Times recently. “The every game with the utmost respect with the guy who has played by far
assessment (about my form) is and energy and give it my best. But the best chess between these two
correct, and I don’t know if I will ever there is no additional pressure players over the last couple of years,
reach that level again.” because of what people are saying which is Gukesh.”
However, he added that he was (about my chances).” If Gukesh wins in Singapore, it will
feeling okay, had been playing One of those people, World No. 3 mark yet another great moment for
basketball after dinner, and was Hikaru Nakamura, has said Gukesh’s Indian chess, especially in a year
trying not to stress himself too much. chances at the World Championship when the country secured twin golds
Ding has also said that he is the are 80-20. World No. 1 and five-time at the Olympiad. He will be the
underdog against Gukesh. World Champion Magnus Carlsen second Indian to win the World
That might sound strange in isn’t as generous, though he also Championship. Viswanathan Anand
another context, with Ding being the believes Gukesh has the upper hand. had won the first of his five world
titles in 2000 in Tehran.
Twenty-four years later, another
If I were to make a prediction at this stage, I Asian city is gearing up for the
would go with the guy who has played by far the first-ever all-Asian battle for the
World Chess Championship. It is a
best chess between these two players over the last 14-game match. If the score remains
couple of years, which is Gukesh — Magnus Carlsen tied, games with shorter time
controls will decide the winner.

54 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

CHESS COLUMN

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 55

 EN PASSANT
Viswanathan Anand

EXPECT A
TOUGH
STRUGGLE
EVERY DAY IN
THE 14-GAME
MATCH
Both have quite combative styles. D. Gukesh is very aggressive, while Ding Liren
can be a bit more positional, though he is also capable of mixing up the struggle.
am excited about the upcoming World heightened global interest in chess.

I
Chess Championship match in Singapore I expect a tough struggle every day in the
between Ding Liren and D. Gukesh. It has 14-game match. The participants will be
a lot of very interesting plots to it. probing each other for weaknesses right from
It is the first all-Asian title match in the the beginning.
history of the World Championship. I They both have quite combative styles.
believe that a rivalry between India and China Gukesh is very aggressive, while Ding can be a
will be fascinating to watch. And this is a bit more positional, though he is also capable
historic match, as Gukesh is the world’s of mixing up the struggle, as he showed in his
youngest challenger of all time. World Title match last year against Ian
Now, at the age of 18, he also has the Nepomniachtchi; he had displayed great
possibility of becoming the youngest World resilience in coming back from setbacks several
Champion. And I think the location in times. I think the match in Singapore will be
Singapore is also fantastic. It shows the fascinating from Game 1.

56 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

 Gukesh has had a much better year. His
performance was phenomenal on the top Tough ask: According to the author, Gukesh will
board for India in the Budapest Chess “have to fight for every point” against Ding Liren
Olympiad. Ding has, of course, been in a crisis in the World Championship final. MARK LIVSHITZ/FIDE &
THE HINDU PHOTO LIBRARY
for a while, and I think this year he was trying
to snap out of it but just hasn’t managed.
Having said that, the World Championship is Nepomniachtchi that he is quite tenacious. So I
quite famous for people who have been in don’t think that the past results are themselves
red-hot form in other events but then not very indicative of anything.
being able to generate the same dynamic in Whether Ding will be able to recover from
the actual match. the slump of form is one of the question
Gukesh will have to fight for every point. He marks. I don’t know what to expect. He might
should be confident with his play but should try to settle in early in the match. I think it may
not expect that the resistance will be lower. be more appropriate for him to start fighting
Ding will have a chance to motivate himself, from Game 1 because of the short runway to
and he showed in his match against get into the match.

I believe that a rivalry between India and China will be fascinating to

watch. And this is a historic match, as Gukesh is the world’s
youngest challenger of all time.

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 57

 TATA STEEL CHESS
REVIEW

For someone who once

admitted to finding chess "boring,"

MAGNUS
what keeps him motivated to
continue and remain the best? “I
like to play chess. It’s my favourite
hobby in the world,” he said with a
sheepish smile, his words belying
the relentless dominance he
exhibits on the board.

OPUS
“It’s very satisfying that I can still
be quite good, especially against
the younger generation. For me,
that’s motivation enough in itself.
Coming to each new event, it’s like
I’ve never won anything before.”
At the Tata Steel Chess India
The Norwegian genius showcased his unparalleled 2024, Carlsen’s passion for the
game was evident as he secured
mastery of the game, clinching both the rapid and blitz both the rapid and blitz titles,
claiming victories with a round to
titles in dominating fashion. spare.
Carlsen’s slow start to the
Mayank tournament proved to be an
mayank.c@[Link] illusionary prelude. After drawing
his first two games in the rapid
agnus Carlsen once described chess in round against R. Praggnanandhaa

M
three words: “I am him.” and Nihal Sarin, the Norwegian
Was he being arrogant? Overconfident? maestro unleashed a six-game
Was it just a casual flex after winning a winning streak, crushing
minor tournament? No. opponents one after another.
For Carlsen, it was pure honesty — a Of all his victories, Carlsen
statement of fact from a man who, in his own words, has singled out his sixth-round triumph
arguably “completed” chess. over Arjun Erigaisi as his personal
With five Classical World Championships, four Rapid favourite. Playing with black pieces,
titles, and six Blitz Championships, Carlsen’s accolades he employed a rare line of the
are unparalleled. Add to them his triumphs at the Taimanov Sicilian, demonstrating
Candidates Tournament, the World Cup, the Sinquefield exceptional positional
Cup, Norway Chess, and Tata Steel Chess, among understanding and tactical
hundreds of others, and the list of achievements feels awareness to outmanoeuvre the
endless. young Indian star.
“Arjun is an extremely
dangerous player when he has the
initiative and gets to attack. I
willingly got into a position where
he had the initiative, and while my
play wasn’t perfect, I’m very happy I

Top class: Magnus Carlsen with the

winners of the blitz and rapid sections
in the women’s section — Kateryna
Lagno and Aleksandra Goryachkina
(L-R). Pics. DEBASISH BHADURI
managed to handle the resulting rhythm. It’s something he hasn’t
complications better than he did.” experienced before, so I think he
Carlsen also weighed in on the might take some time getting into it.
much-anticipated clash between D. Ding probably justifiably feels that
Gukesh and reigning World
Champion Ding Liren.
he’s the underdog, so maybe he
doesn’t have that much to lose.
Final Standings
“Based on current form, Gukesh is
a significant favourite. But based on
Overall, it’s not a foregone
conclusion. I believe that some — Open
peak chess ability, I think it’s quite people think this match is almost a
even. So if Ding can regain that form, formality at this point, but I think Rapid
he has a good chance. Also, Gukesh there is more than a 50 per cent Magnus Carlsen (7.5); R.
was quite vulnerable in the last chance that this match is quite even.” Praggnanandhaa (5.5); Wesley So
tournament that he played. But all Carlsen also reaffirmed his (5.5); Nodirbek Abdusattorov (5);
that aside, if I were to make a disinterest in returning to the World Vincent Keymer (4.5); Nihal Sarin
prediction at this point, I’d go with Championship cycle, regardless of (4); Daniil Dubov (3.5); Arjun
the guy who’s played by far the best who holds the title. “A long-form Erigaisi (3.5); Vidit Gujrathi (3); S. L.
chess of these two players over the classical match doesn’t interest me Narayanan (3).
last couple of years, which is against anybody. Whoever wins the
Gukesh,” he said. Championship, it will be tremendous, Blitz
However, he didn’t rule out Ding’s but it’s not something I’ll seek to Magnus Carlsen (13); Wesley So
chances of retaining his title. “Each challenge,” he said. (11.5); Arjun Erigaisi (10.5); R.
World Championship has its own Addressing criticism from Garry Praggnanandhaa (9.5); Vidit
Gujrathi (9); Daniil Dubov (9);
Nodirbek Abdusattorov (8); Nihal
Sarin (7); S.L. Narayanan (6.5);
Vincent Keymer (6).

दुआओं mein yaad Rakhana_HrYanA

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 59
 “I’m very excited about the future Norwegian maestro’s storm proved
Rare blemish: Despite Carlsen's of freestyle. The idea itself of sitting impossible as Carlsen swept both the
commanding performance, both down at the chessboard and thinking rapid and blitz events. In his second
Praggnanandhaa and Erigaisi for a long time does not bore me — appearance at this marquee event in
managed to challenge the champion, that’s not the reason why I’m not into India, Carlsen mirrored his 2019
with Erigaisi delivering Carlsen's sole standard and classical chess so performance, leaving Kolkata with
defeat of the tournament. much. It’s more about the two titles in hand.
preparation and the difficulty of
Kasparov, who dismissed the match actually getting inside the game. A masterclass in Kolkata
as unworthy of the Championship “But when you play freestyle, At the stunning new venue of
title, Carlsen offered a different you’re guaranteed that because Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium in
perspective. there’s no opening theory. So we’ve Kolkata — a city renowned for its
“They qualified for the World got a lot of tournaments coming up passionate love of sports — Carlsen
Chess Championship match, and next year. I am playing Fabiano found himself in a unique spotlight.
they are deserving of being there. Caruana in Singapore as an Chess took centre stage as a
The World Championship in the past exhibition, so hopefully that will be spectator sport, and the crowd’s
has very often been the contest to fun. I believe, not only for myself but admiration for the 33-year-old
determine who the best player in the also for other top players, it is a legend was discernible.
world is, but it has not always been format that everyone is excited After a slow start, where
that way, and the fact that it may not about.” Praggnanandhaa and Sarin held him
be this time just is the kind of way it to draws, Carlsen shifted gears. The
is. As a chess fan, it is a great HOW THE TOURNAMENT four-time World Rapid Champion
spectacle regardless.” UNFOLDED unleashed a ruthless streak,
A staunch advocate for creativity Upsetting Carlsen in a game is a dismantling some of the brightest
on the chessboard, Carlsen has been monumental feat. Beating him in a talents in chess — including Vincent
championing freestyle chess, a tournament to claim the title ahead Keymer, Daniil Dubov, Erigaisi, Vidit
variant that eliminates reliance on of the all-time great? That’s an even Gujrathi, S.L. Narayanan, and Wesley
opening theory. The format, inspired taller order. So. Seven consecutive wins followed,
by Bobby Fischer’s vision, excites Although Erigaisi managed the sealing his triumph in emphatic
Carlsen far more than traditional former — stunning Carlsen in a blitz fashion. In blitz, the time controls
classical chess. round at Tata Steel — stopping the may have changed, but the outcome

60 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

 Final Standings
— Women
Rapid
Aleksandra Goryachkina (7.5);
Nana Dzagnidze (5.5); Vantika
Agrawal (5); Kateryna Lagno (4.5);
Harika Dronavalli (4.5); Valentina
Gunina (4.5); Divya Deshmukh
(3.5); R. Vaishali (3.5); Alexandra
Kosteniuk (3.5); Koneru Humpy
(3).

Blitz
Kateryna Lagno (11.5); Valentina
Gunina (11); Aleksandra
Goryachkina (9.5); Vantika
Agrawal (9.5); Alexandra
Kosteniuk (9); Koneru Humpy (9);
remained the same. poise and control to win the blitz Harika Dronavalli (8.5); R. Vaishali
Carlsen led the leaderboard crown, both with a round to spare. (8); Divya Deshmukh (7.5); Nana
almost wire-to-wire, barring a brief Among Indians, only Vantika Dzagnidze (6.5).
moment when Erigaisi overtook him, Agrawal had a strong showing in
also handing him his sole defeat of both time formats.
the tournament. Carlsen, however, She finished third in the rapid,
quickly regained his footing, leaving while just missing out on a podium
no doubt as to who was in control. finish in blitz due to an inferior
tiebreak with third-placed
Wesley and Erigaisi impress Goryachkina.
Former World Fischer Random
Champion Wesley So had an
impressive tournament as well. He
finished third in the rapid event
behind Praggnanandhaa and surged
to second place in blitz.
Erigaisi, despite a strong showing,
will rue his missed opportunities.
Leading the blitz event after 15
rounds, he suffered a heartbreaking
collapse, losing his last three games
and slipping to third.

Russian resilience
In the Women’s section, Russian
dominance was the central theme.
Aleksandra Goryachkina’s (above)
consistent play saw her capture the
rapid title, while three-time World
Blitz Champion Kateryna Lagno
(right) exhibited her trademark

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 61

 ASIAN CHAMPIONS TROPHY
REVIEW

ACING ACT
TEST BODES
WELL FOR
GREATER
CHALLENGES
AHEAD
With the Hockey India League approaching,
the Pro League will be the next chance
for this squad to play together for India.

Uthra Ganesan
[Link]@[Link]

ven before the Asian Champions India found itself in the unique position of

E
Trophy (ACT) was officially announced, being the defending champion while dealing
it was evident that the Indian women’s with a long string of losses, a restructured
hockey team would be markedly team composition, and a new management
different from what it had been for espousing a completely different philosophy
some time. A new coach, new and style of play compared to former coach
challenges, and significant baggage to shed Janneke Schopman. That the host managed to
meant the tournament — regardless of its retain the title despite these challenges augurs
position in the hierarchy of major international well for the team. However, it didn’t come easy,
competitions — would be important as both a and the road ahead will only get tougher for
measure of recent developments and a coach Harendra Singh and his squad.
precursor to future prospects. By all accounts, the event in Rajgir served as

62 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

an important foundation. Although compared to India. The sole saving
Harendra took charge during the grace for India was the USA’s worse Celebratory run: India secured its
away leg of the FIH Pro League performance, which ensured India third Women’s Asian Champions
2023-24, he had little opportunity to avoided finishing last and, by Trophy title with a 1-0 victory over
make an impact as the team extension, relegation to the Nations China in the final, courtesy of Deepika’s
struggled with poor form, Cup. decisive goal in Rajgir, Bihar.
Pics: R. V. MOORTHY
uninspiring results, and low A new Olympic cycle and a fresh
motivation. With the other eight start for teams with their eyes on Los
teams in the competition already Angeles Olympics 2028 also allowed
qualified for the Paris Olympics, the India to wipe the slate clean. Even
entire Pro League campaign held a though a look at the team
very different meaning for them compositions of other major sides —

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 63

 few weeks before the ACT kicked off, hurried and, at times, unsure of their
Well begun is half done: That India the uncertainty of performing in positioning and plans. “They needed
managed to retain the title despite all match situations after a five-month to settle down, calm themselves, and
the challenges augurs well. But it didn’t hiatus, coupled with reminders of avoid being rushed. Emotional
come easy and the road ahead will only past struggles, was evident early on. control is something we are
get tougher for coach Harendra Singh India’s first match of the tournament, constantly working on,” Harendra
and his girls. played on the newly-laid turf at the admitted.
brand-new and barely completed The team improved as the
especially China and Japan, the two hockey venue at Rajgir Sports tournament progressed. There was a
Asian teams which played in Paris — Complex, was tentative. It took a noticeable enhancement in fitness
highlighted India’s status as break and some encouraging words levels and a growing understanding
favourites, with enough experience from the bench for the girls to among players and of game
in its ranks, the shadow of eight regroup and secure a 4-0 win against situations. By the time India faced
consecutive losses loomed over the a much lower-ranked Malaysia. China — the toughest competitor
players. There was uncertainty inside the besides the host and the top-scoring
“The makeup of the other team is circle and a lack of cohesion and team in the competition till then,
neither our concern nor our clarity overall. The players appeared including a 15-0 thrashing of
problem. For us, it’s about our
process and targets, and that’s what
I have always emphasised. If you
focus on your game, you can achieve
results. If you get preoccupied with
the opponent’s game — it’s
important to plan and strategise, no
doubt — you risk losing sight of
With a revamped and inexperienced forward line in the
yourself,” Harendra insisted absence of veteran Vandana Katariya, everyone had to
throughout the tournament.
Although the team trained for a adapt to new roles and responsibilities.
64 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar
Thailand — it appeared ready for the seven PCs through the competition!
challenge. “Our first priority is to keep a clean Leading from the front: Salima Tete
The players rose to the occasion. sheet and not concede goals, and I’m (L), at 22, spearheaded India's
With a revamped and inexperienced happy we managed that. Yes, unbeaten run throughout the
forward line in the absence of scoring is important, but you must tournament.
veteran Vandana Katariya, everyone first protect your own goal before
had to adapt to new roles and attacking the opposition’s. On that However, there are areas of
responsibilities. With an average age count, I’m satisfied with my girls,” concern. India’s finishing remains a
of 21.5 years, it was perhaps one of Harendra said. work in progress, with shots on
the youngest Indian attacks in recent According to the players, the target yielding fewer goals than
times. Sangita Kumari, Deepika, and biggest shift has been in the expected. The semifinal against
Beauty Dung Dung, bolstered by the combination of mental and physical Japan was a massive wake-up call,
comeback of experienced Preeti fitness. “We dance, laugh, and have with the inexperienced Japanese side
Dubey and supported by Sharmila fun on the team bus, in the dressing forcing India to work hard for a
Devi and Lalremsiami, proved up to room, and before the game. That narrow win. The team must realise
the task. helps create a positive environment, that mistakes it got away with here
The midfield also held firm, with keeps us happy and fresh, and will be punished by stronger
Sushila Chanu making a comeback reflects on the field. It may not seem opponents.
and Neha Goyal — putting her like much, but it plays a big role,” With the Hockey India League
wedding preparations on hold — explained Salima Tete, shouldering approaching, the Pro League will be
serving as the heart of the team. The the captaincy responsibilities at the the next opportunity for this squad
defence line was equally impressive, age of 22. “Goal ki bhookh (hunger to play together for India. Until then,
conceding just two goals through the for goals)” is how Sangita describes there is much work to do if this
league stage — off a penalty corner the team’s mindset on the field. group of players is to achieve the
(PC) and a penalty stroke (PS), both Improved physical fitness translates ambitious goal of a medal at the
to Korea. Even more impressive was to sharper decision-making, 2026 World Cup. The ACT, hopefully,
the fact that the Indian defence of sustained pressure on opponents, has provided enough pointers in the
Udita, Jyoti and Ishika conceded just and quicker exploitation of errors. right direction.

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 65

 VANTAGE POINT

SINNER OUTCLASSES
THE ELITE CLUB Paul Fein
By winning his first ATP Finals title,
Sinner became only the third
“T
he gulf between Sinner and everyone else in this
tournament is a pretty big body of water.” — Jim
player, besides Novak Djokovic and Courier, former world No. 1.
With the preternatural calmness of Björn Borg,
Roger Federer, to win this tournament the technical perfection of Novak Djokovic, and the
along with the Australian and US Open endearing humility of Rafael Nadal, an Italian sensation
with a surname that’s a misnomer has taken over men’s
in the same year. tennis. He has also become wildly popular, particularly in
football-mad Italy.
Jannik Sinner had already clinched the year-end No. 1
ranking a month before the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals
in Turin. He underscored his near-total hard-court
domination this season by thrashing every opponent
without dropping a set — a feat last achieved in 1986 by
Ivan Lendl.
Even more impressively, Sinner became only the third
player, besides superstars Djokovic and Roger Federer, to
win the three biggest hard-court events — the Australian
and US Opens and this tournament — in the same year.
In contrast to Carlos Alcaraz’s panache — bright
GETTY IMAGES

66 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

 FOR MORE
STORIES

sleeveless shirts, flashy shots, and Speed racket followed a series of straight matches against Alcaraz,
broad smiles — Sinner seems blind tests at the Monte Carlo Open admitted that losing regularly to the
almost colourless in his Nike attire: in April, using several Head frames new Big Two has sapped his
grey shorts, a navy-blue shirt, and a painted identically. “That’s the mark motivation for the sport.
white baseball cap. As he strolls of a hungry player, always looking Other players Medvedev once
onto the court before matches, he for the [extra] edges,” said Courier. dominated are also figuring out
appears expressionless. No A technique change also paid off how to outsmart and overpower
headphones with music, like handsomely. “Sinner’s serve is so ‘The Octopus’. During his 6-4, 6-3
Frances Tiafoe. During the coin toss, much better since he switched loss to Fritz, the once-lovable
no kangaroo jumps followed by [from a platform stance] to a Russian villain — remember his
serpentine sprints, like Nadal. step-up serve,” Tennis Channel irritating, and later amusing, antics
Understated in personality, analyst Andy Roddick pointed out. A when winning the 2021 US Open —
Sinner is overwhelming in power. rocket server himself, Roddick was became downright unlovable.
During his decisive 6-4, 6-4 victory the last American man to win a Smashing his racket and a
over No. 5 Taylor Fritz in the final, Grand Slam singles title, 21 years courtside microphone earned him
Tennis Channel analyst Jim Courier ago at the US Open. two separate code of conduct
remarked, “Fritz does nothing better Sinner’s superiority over Fritz was violations, a point penalty, and jeers
than Sinner. I would have said, even more pronounced in the from the 13,000 spectators. “I get
arguably, maybe his first serve is return stats, with a rating of 124 angry and frustrated,” Medvedev
better — but not today.” compared to just 55 for the said. “This time it was completely
Sinner, lanky and wiry-strong at American. Overall, Sinner finished with myself — not with anyone else.
slightly over 6’3”, surpassed Fritz with 28 winners and only nine Just with myself.”
with an overall service rating of 323 unforced errors, compared to Fritz’s
to 288. He whacked more aces, 14 20 and 15 respectively.
Young guns: Sinner, lanky and
to 8, with no double faults; won 83 Besides becoming the first Italian
wiry-strong at slightly over 6’3”,
per cent of his first-serve points to capture this prestigious title,
surpassed Fritz with an overall service
compared to 70 per cent for Fritz; Sinner earned the biggest prize
rating of 323 to 288. GETTY IMAGES
and faced only one break point, money for champions in the history
which he saved with a wickedly wide of the Tour — $4,881,500.
serve in the last game of the Sinner had already defeated Fritz
opening set. by an identical 6-4, 6-4 score in the
Imagine averaging 123 mph with round-robin stage, where he also
50 per cent of his first serves stopped a much-improved Alex de
landing within a mere foot of the Minaur 6-3, 6-4, and Daniil
centre line or sideline. That Medvedev 6-3, 6-4. That was
astounding precision comes from Sinner’s third straight win over the
countless practice hours and his declining, 28-year-old Russian and
penchant for perfectionism. His eighth in their last nine meetings.
choice of the Head Graphene Touch Medvedev, who has lost four

Besides becoming the first Italian to

capture this prestigious title, Sinner
earned the biggest prize money for
champions in the history of the Tour
— $4,881,500.
 Andrey Rublev, another volatile
top-10 Russian, is notorious for his
combustible temper and occasional
masochism on the ATP Tour. A year
ago, he bloodied his knee with a
vicious racket swing in frustration
against Alcaraz. During Rublev’s 6-4,
5-7, 6-2 round-robin loss to the
mild-mannered Casper Ruud, the
Russian’s demons returned, and he
smashed his racket on the court
after losing serve to go down 2-1 in
the deciding set.
Ruud, coached by his father
Christian, a former top-40 player,
takes a philosophical approach to
the vicissitudes of the Tour.
Reflecting on his third straight ATP
Finals semifinal, Ruud remarked,
“Tennis is interesting sometimes. I
don’t know what I’m doing better
this week than in the last weeks”—
where he lost his opening match in
six of his last seven tournaments.
“The only thing I can really feel is
serving; I’m serving really good, so
hopefully I can keep it going
tomorrow — I’m going to need it.”
Alas, not even exceptional
serving or the Norwegian’s superb
topspin forehand could stop the
irresistible force that Sinner has
become. Nor could the advice of
Tennis Channel analyst Prakash
Amritraj, the genial son of Indian
tennis icon Vijay Amritraj: “You need
delusional confidence to beat the
top guy.”
Ruud had won 11 of his 12 titles
on clay, but on fast indoor hard
courts, he became cannon fodder.
As expected, Sinner pummelled the
world No. 6 Ruud in a 6-1, 6-2
masterclass, highlighted by 23
winners against only nine unforced
errors.
The near-flawless Italian seized
12 of the first 15 points, saved the
only two break points he faced in
REUTERS
the fifth game, and reeled off 12 of
the last 15 points, finishing the rout
with two forehand winners and a
Daniil Medvedev admitted that losing service ace.
The other semifinal was both

regularly to the new Big Two has predictably close and unpredictable.
Alexander Zverev had risen to a
career-high No. 2 after reaching the
sapped his motivation French Open final and claiming

68 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

 REUTERS
DURING ANDREY RUBLEV’S (RIGHT)
6-4, 5-7, 6-2 ROUND-ROBIN LOSS TO THE
Masters 1000 titles in Rome on clay MILD-MANNERED CASPER RUUD (LEFT), THE
and Paris indoors just two weeks
before Riyadh. Besides momentum, RUSSIAN’S DEMONS RETURNED
the 6’6” German carried confidence
from winning the ATP Finals in 2018
by defeating Federer (semis) and
Djokovic (final), and again in 2021, a career-high ranking of No. 5. head-to-head encounters, Fritz had
overcoming Djokovic (semis) and This semifinal featured two won six of eight tiebreaks.
Medvedev (final). heavyweight servers but average These stats proved relevant in
Fritz’s advantage was more returners. Zverev ranked No. 1 Fritz’s razor-thin 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (3)
personal and recent. The among ATP Serve Leaders, with Fritz victory. In fairness, it was more than
27-year-old American had beaten at No. 7. But neither ranked among just a serving contest, despite each
Zverev in their last three the top 25 Return Leaders. This player managing only one service
encounters, all in 2024, with the crucial ‘under pressure’ rating break. Both displayed powerful
most significant victories coming in placed Fritz at No. 17 and Zverev at groundstrokes, excellent mobility,
a tough five-setter at Wimbledon No. 23. and grit.
and a four-setter at the US Open. Though not a vast difference, In the deciding set, Zverev saved
Additionally, in a breakthrough year, Fritz held a significant lead in three break points in the eighth
Fritz reached his first Major final at tiebreaks won, 65.6 per cent game and pounded his trademark
Flushing Meadows and ascended to compared to 60 per cent. In their backhand down the line to hold for

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 69

 AFP
4-all. Fritz staved off three break a top player, at least in his own anymore because I’ve been playing
points of his own in the fifth game mind. “I have a lot of belief in myself. the top guys at big events a lot
and another in the 11th. “Is there a Love-40 [holds] is not as much out lately. I’m getting more comfortable
better pure competitor in tennis of reach [anymore],” he said after in the moment. I’m really, really
than Taylor Fritz?” asked Courier, notching his 10th top-10 win of the confident in my game.”
himself a terrific competitor in the year — the most by an American Although Fritz has climbed to a
1990s. man since 1999, when Agassi had career-best No. 4, he will need to
A tiebreaker concluded one of 12 and Sampras 10. improve his volleys and athleticism
the best matches of the year. It “I trust my game and my level, to upend Sinner and Alcaraz in
ended with a bang for the bolder and I don’t feel nearly as best-of-five-set encounters at the
Fritz, who walloped two forehand uncomfortable in these situations Majors. “I did surprise myself with
winners and a swinging backhand
winner, and with a whimper for the
passive Zverev, who committed
three unforced forehand errors.
“Zverev doesn’t have trust in his
A-game the way Fritz does,”
observed Courier. “Sascha is trying In the semifinal between Zverev
to trust it and make his forehand a
weapon [like Fritz’s]. Just settling
(above) and Fritz, both players
into backhand [crosscourt] rallies
works against most players, but not
displayed powerful groundstrokes,
the top players.”
Now Fritz is firmly established as
excellent mobility, and grit.

70 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

the results here,” Sinner told

REUTERS
Amritraj. “But I know how much I
practise and dedicate myself to the
sport. It’s been an amazing year.”
Indeed, it was for the
carrot-loving Italian, whose
penchant for the orange vegetable
and curly, reddish-orange hair has
inspired fans to don all kinds of
orange costumes in his honour.
Sinner started the year with a 22-27
career record against top-10
opponents but finished the season
with a 17-5 record, winning 10 of his
last 11 matches against them. With
a terrific 70-6 match record, he has
won eight tournaments — more
than the number of matches he lost
— a rare feat.
“I have no question Sinner will be
a force next year,” said Courier. “But
will he play? WADA may suspend
him for a year or two.”
Sinner maintains he has “a clear
conscience” regarding the two
positive drug tests from last March.
The World Anti-Doping Agency has
appealed an innocent verdict
delivered in September, and the
Court of Arbitration for Sport will
issue its final ruling early next year.
The other question involves
Djokovic. The GOAT decided not to
defend his ATP Finals title. If you’re
wondering what the ever-intriguing
Serb has been up to — or on —
check out the incredible photo of
Djokovic showcasing his
incomparable balance and flexibility
while doing splits on a tennis net.
“This is an absolute fake photo,
and I love it,” said an amused
Courier. “[But] if this is real, he’s up
there with [high-wire daredevils]
The Flying Wallendas.”

ALTHOUGH FRITZ HAS CLIMBED TO A CAREER-BEST NO. 4,

HE WILL NEED TO IMPROVE HIS VOLLEYS AND ATHLETICISM
TO UPEND SINNER AND ALCARAZ IN BEST-OF-FIVE-SET
ENCOUNTERS AT THE MAJORS

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 71

GETTY IMAGES

Coco Gauff became the first American

to claim the prestigious
season-ending WTA Finals crown
since Serena Williams in 2014.

FIVE TAKEAWAYS FROM THE WTA Świątek in the same tournament Sharapova upset Serena in 2004.
FINALS this year. Zheng had a Gauff also became only the fourth
breakthrough campaign, reaching American to win this title before the
A new Big Four in women’s tennis the Australian Open final, winning age of 21, joining teenage
A new Big Four has emerged in China’s (and Asia’s) first singles gold champions Serena, Chris Evert, and
women’s tennis, led by the clear No. medal at the Paris Olympics, and Tracy Austin.
1, Aryna Sabalenka. Sabalenka — narrowly losing to Gauff in the
the champion at the Australian Riyadh final. How Gauff prevailed
Open, US Open, Cincinnati, and The match was filled with twists
Wuhan and semifinalist in the WTA Gauff and Zheng shine in the final and turns, but the more consistent
Finals, where she lost to Coco Gauff. The intriguing final in Riyadh player — especially in critical games
The Belarusian Basher dethroned showcased a thrilling battle — eventually emerged victorious.
Iga Świątek, who still managed an between ‘The Great American Hope’ Zheng, who had been in red hot
impressive season, capturing her and ‘The Great Chinese Hope’. The form with a 31-5 record since
fourth French Open title, along with player who idolised Serena versus Wimbledon, raced to a 6-3, 2-0 lead.
victories in Rome, Madrid, Indian the player who said she strives to Behind 2-3, the younger but more
Wells and Qatar. play like Serena. “The best experienced American broke
Despite not winning a Major this competitor on the women’s tour,” Zheng’s potent serve three
year, rising stars Gauff and Zheng according to esteemed coach and consecutive times to seize the
Qinwen secured their place in the Tennis Channel analyst Paul second set, 6-4.
Big Four during the WTA Finals in Annacone against a “cut-throat” The Chinese, who led the Riyadh
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. rival, according to No. 8 Emma field with 35 aces and 54 per cent of
Gauff became the first American Navarro. her first serves unreturned before
to claim the prestigious Gauff’s 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2) over entering the final, won just three
season-ending crown since Serena Zheng at Riyadh was the youngest service points during the turnabout.
Williams in 2014 and the only player final with a combined age of 42 Another key: Gauff improved her
to defeat both Sabalenka and years and 271 days since Maria court position in rallies from six to

72 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

20 per cent inside the baseline and
from 55 to 33 per cent in exchanges
more than six feet behind the
baseline. The momentum reversals
continued in the deciding set with
each player breaking twice to force
a tiebreak. Gauff belted a forehand
winner on the first point to set the
tone for the lopsided 7-2 breaker
and finished off Zheng with a slice
forehand approach winner.

No margin for errors

“The match today, it’s just a
couple of important points,” rightly
noted Zheng. “Nothing more to say.
The match was very close, and then,
you know, at the end, when you play
this type of match, it’s not about
tennis, it’s just about the choices on
court.” Zheng’s poor shot selection,
particularly reckless and wild errors,
ultimately cost her the match.
“I was just telling myself —
another point, another chance. I’ve
been in situations like this in the
past where I’ve been able to turn it
around, and I was just hoping I
could do it again today,” said Gauff,
who came back from two service
breaks in the deciding set and hung
tough to break back when Zheng
served for the title at 5-4.

How Gauff and Zheng can

challenge the Big Two
Sabalenka has earned the
unofficial title of ‘Queen of Hard
Courts’ by winning the last three
Majors on that surface, while
Świątek, the undisputed ‘Queen of
Clay’, already boasts four French
Open titles at just 23. However,
neither has won Wimbledon nor
even reached its final. Sabalenka
has reached the semifinals twice,
while Świątek’s best result is a single
quarterfinal appearance.
Gauff and Zheng will need to
master different surfaces as well as
their rivals. Both possess the GETTY IMAGES
athleticism, power, versatility, and

Gauff and Zheng will need to master

competitiveness to win on any
surface. However, in head-to-head
records Świątek leads Gauff 11-2
(including 5-0 on clay), while
Sabalenka holds a 5-0 advantage different surfaces in order to pose a
over Zheng, with four of those wins
coming on hard courts this season. threat to Sabalenka and Świątek
Sportstar December 7 – 2024 73
 PRO KABADDI LEAGUE

Ashu Malik anointed

a leader for future
Malik’s understated approach, coupled with a diverse skill set, makes him a unique
and effective player.
Saikat Chakraborty
[Link]@[Link]

shu Malik, the young raider passion and set him on the path to teams have come through Yuva

A
from Haryana, has becoming an athlete. Kabaddi,” recalls Ashu.
represented Dabang Delhi “Kabaddi is very popular in my Dabang Delhi signed Ashu as a
KC for several seasons, village. I first became captivated by New Young Player (NYP) ahead of
quickly becoming one of the game watching my seniors play PKL 8. However, he had to adapt to
the brightest stars in the on our school’s court. It wasn’t long the league’s fast pace and live
Pro Kabaddi League (PKL). before I joined them,” Ashu told television pressure during his debut
A standout feature of Ashu’s Sportstar. season.
career has been his consistency as After climbing the local kabaddi “The team boasted a wealth of
his team’s crisis man. In the absence ladder, from Under-14 to senior experienced players. Training
of the injured Naveen Kumar, Ashu level, Ashu first caught the attention alongside them, I understood the
has become the focal point of Delhi’s of PKL scouts through his contrast between age-group
attack over the past two seasons. performances in tournaments like kabaddi and the professional arena.
After finishing last season as the the Yuva Kabaddi Series and K7 From them, I learned tactical
top scorer with the most raid points, Kabaddi tournaments. nuances, how to anticipate game
the 22-year-old is again leading the His standout performance in the situations, and even how to conduct
PKL 11 charts with 139 points from 2022 Summer Yuva Kabaddi Series, myself on the mat,” he recollects.
12 matches (as of November 20). where he scored 295 points in 26 His PKL journey couldn’t have
Calm under pressure, Ashu matches, averaging 11.34 points per started better — on his debut
maintains a stoic demeanour on the game, made waves in the kabaddi campaign in season 8, Delhi won its
mat. However, when he raids, he world. first-ever PKL title.
transforms into a formidable force. “When that league started, I was “I consider myself lucky to win the
Born into a farming family in unaware of its potential or impact. title in the first season. Many good
Sonepat, Haryana — a region For me, it was just another players have played for 7-8 seasons
renowned for producing exceptional tournament to play in. However, without lifting the trophy,” he adds.
kabaddi players — Ashu was when I went there, I saw PKL The Roman philosopher Seneca’s
immersed in the sport from a young coaches and realised this could be a adage, “Luck is what happens when
age. Watching his seniors play at pathway to Pro Kabaddi. Almost 90 preparation meets opportunity,”
Saraswati Vidya Mandir ignited his per cent of the NYPs among all proved true for Ashu. After two

74 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

 helped us bounce back from our
initial struggles, and we soon started
to play with renewed confidence,”
explains the raider.
Ashu’s fairytale journey didn’t end
there. After the PKL season, the
22-year-old played a pivotal role in
helping Haryana clinch the Senior
National Kabaddi Championship
after over a decade. He was named
Player of the Match in the final,
where his 13 raid points guided
Haryana to a narrow 34-31 victory
over Railways.
Ashu defies the stereotype of a
flamboyant raider. His understated
approach coupled with a diverse skill
set makes him a unique and
effective player. But it’s his uncanny
ability to read the game that
elevates him over the rest.
In Delhi’s opening match of PKL
11 against U Mumba, Ashu executed
a brilliant raid, scoring two points
with a simple yet effective move.
Targeting the left chain of the
six-man Mumba defence, he cleverly
kicked the joined hands of two
defenders.
“Ashu has a very calm and mature
head on his shoulders. His game
awareness is beyond his years and
it’s always a sign of a good player
and, more importantly, a leader,”
opines Delhi coach Joginder Narwal,
who was also Ashu’s first skipper in
PKL.
Now a full-time PKL captain, Ashu
explains how he adapts his team’s
approach according to match
situations. “If we find ourselves
trailing by a substantial margin, we
shift our focus to tightening our
One for the future: Calm under pressure, Ashu Malik (in blue) maintains a stoic defensive line and prolonging the
demeanour on the mat. However, when he raids, he transforms into a formidable match. As the game enters its final
force. PKL MEDIA phase, we intensify our offensive
tactics, employing aggressive raiding
seasons of hard work, he was thrust Singh Khokar. and defensive strategies.”
into a leadership role when the He ended PKL 10 with 276 raid As his PKL career flourishes, Ashu
team’s talisman was sidelined for the points from 228 successful raids. He is driven to excel and ultimately
year. also led the matrix in average raid secure a spot on the Indian team,
“Luck plays a significant role in points (12), do-or-die raid points (41), aiming for Asian Games gold.
not only sports but also every aspect and super raids (9), which helped “The aim is to represent India.
of life. At some point, everyone relies guide his team to the playoffs. Winning the Asian Games gold for
on a bit of good fortune,” opines “There wasn’t any pressure on the country is the ultimate dream for
Ashu. me. The team was mostly young any kabaddi player,” concludes Ashu.
Despite being only in his third players. I was one of the more As PKL enters a new decade,
season, Ashu was named stand-in experienced members. Everyone kabaddi is advancing rapidly, with
captain by then Delhi coach Rambir was very supportive. The coach players like Ashu leading the way.

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 75

 CHEQUERED FLAG

Kavita Menon
[Link]@[Link]

t the final winners’

A
ceremony of the 2024
MotoGP season, two-time
world champion Francesco
Bagnaia stood atop the
podium — alongside Marc
Marquez and Jorge Martin — after
winning the Solidarity Grand Prix in
Barcelona, Spain. The Italian anthem
echoed along the main straight as
teams and spectators watched the
top three riders one last time this
year.
But there was a bright, wide smile
spread across Martin’s face, despite
standing on the third step. Everyone
knew what it meant. The Spaniard,
who started the race in fourth, had
achieved what he had set out to do at
the beginning of this season. After 20
thrilling races, Prima Pramac’s Martin
was crowned the 2024 MotoGP
World Champion, with a 10-point
advantage over Bagnaia.
There were joyous celebrations
and raw emotions as the 26-year-old
crossed the finish line, becoming the
first rider from an independent team
to win the championship in the
modern MotoGP era. [An
independent team, like Prima Pramac

PRIMA
Racing, partners with a factory, such
as Ducati, to use their bikes and
technology].
Martin held his nerve when it
mattered most, delivering an
error-free weekend to secure his
maiden crown while denying his rival

LA VIDA!
a third successive one.
What began as yet another season
of ‘The Rematch’ (a term used to
describe a high-stakes showdown
between two contenders for the
championship) kept fans on the edge

Jorge Martin became the first rider from Dream come true: This was Martin’s
an independent team to win the maiden MotoGP crown. Defending
champion Francesco Bagnaia came
championship in the modern MotoGP era. second in the standings. REUTERS
of their seats until the very end. A
battle between Martin and Bagnaia
was always on the cards, especially
considering how the previous season
concluded: Bagnaia clinched his
second title with a comfortable
39-point margin over Martin.
However, since the opening round
in March, Martin was a man on a
mission. He announced his
championship challenge with a sprint
victory in Qatar, followed by a P3 in
the main race. Victory in Portugal in
the next round put Martin at the top
of the points table, a position he only
relinquished to Bagnaia once. This
time, Martin ensured he protected
his lead by working on the one factor
the lack of which he knew had cost
him previously — consistency.
His strong suit has always been
the shorter sprint races, and he
maintained that trend, securing
seven wins and 10 podium finishes in
20 races. However, it was his During the 12-lap affair, Enea Close encounter: The nail-biting
improved GP results that bolstered Bastianini, Bagnaia’s teammate, contest between Martin (left) and
his campaign. Martin appeared on executed a perfectly timed overtake Bagnaia (right) kept fans on the edge
the Sunday podium 15 times — in the final lap to snatch second place of their seats until the very end.
including three race wins — and from Martin, helping Bagnaia by the GETTY IMAGES
maintained a critical nine-race barest of margins and keeping his
point-scoring streak, consistently hopes alive. However, the bold move Ahead of him were Ducati’s new
finishing in the top three. But may not have been purely for pairing for the 2025 season — a seat
Bagnaia never stopped knocking at Bagnaia’s benefit, as Bastianini was Martin had been vying for, which
his door, making use of every also fighting Marquez for third in the instead went to the 31-year-old
opportunity to edge past, or at least championship. Gresini rider. But at that moment, it
attempt to. Martin quickly climbed to second mattered little. Martin knew he only
Bagnaia won a stunning 11 of 20 and maintained his pace behind the needed a top-nine finish, and he
races, including the penultimate leader but had Bastianini breathing achieved just that, though six places
round in Malaysia, to keep himself in down his neck often. He certainly better.
contention. The 27-year-old had a didn’t anticipate a move of ⁠Turning into the final corner,
better start to the weekend at the that nature in the final lap, Martin was overwhelmed with
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, but the Pramac rider chose disbelief and ecstasy, finally realising
the stand-in venue for not to engage and settled his dream at the culmination of a
Valencia’s Circuit Ricardo for third, aware that a 10-year journey marred with injuries
Tormo, which was tense showdown was and setbacks.
dropped due to yet to come. A title that slipped through his
catastrophic floods in When the lights fingers in 2023 was finally in his
the region. Martin could went out on grasp, with Martin giving his team
only qualify fourth, Sunday, Martin once the perfect farewell gift. As he
handing the advantage to again got a good prepares to join Aprilia in 2025, the
pole-sitter Bagnaia, who start and was behind next conquest awaits — not hunting
now had two attempts to Bagnaia before being down his rival but defending his
cut the 24-point deficit. passed by Marquez. crown.

GETTY IMAGES
Sportstar December 7 – 2024 77
 CROSSWORD
N. SOORYA PRAKASH

SOLUTION TO LAST FORTNIGHT’S

CROSSWORD

ACROSS expensive player of the Women’s England held recently? (5)

1 & 19 Identify this Indian Formula 1 Hockey India League auction 11 Name this Sri Lankan
test driver for BWT Alpine Team. held recently? (5,5) wicketkeeper who scored an
(4,5) DOWN unbeaten hundred versus New
6 Who scored an unbeaten hundred 1 Who scored a hundred for the Zealand in the second Test held
for England which helped it win West Indies and won the player in Galle in September 2024? (5)
the second ODI versus the West of the match award also in its 15 & 14 Who is traded off from UP to
Indies in North Sound? (4) ODI against England in RCB for the WPL 2025 season?
8 & 3 Which NBA player joined his Bridgetown? (4) (5,5)
legendary father for the first time 2 & Across 30 Which Pakistani fast 16 & 6 Who took most wickets for
for LA Lakers in its opening bowler ended up with most England in the three-Test series
fixture on October 23, 2024? (6,5) wickets in the three-match ODI versus Pakistan in October? (4,5)
13 Who is appointed as the new series versus Australia? (5,4) 20 Who recently won a historic 28th
head coach of Punjab Kings IPL 4 Which Indian fast bowler made his World title in the World Billiards
team for the 2025 season? (5) debut and played in all three Championship held in Doha on
17 & 21 Who is appointed as the new T20Is held recently against November 9, 2024? (6)
chief of BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Bangladesh? (6) 22 Who scored the first hat-trick in
Unit? (6,5) 5 & 12 Name the Pakistani spinner the current season of Serie A? (5)
18 Which city in Kazakhstan hosted who won the player of the match 23 Which flamboyant southpaw from
the Asian Table Tennis award in its second Test against India scored a superb 53 off just
Championships recently? (6) England played in Multan? (5,4) 29 balls in the second T20I versus
27 Which Indian teenage squash 7 & 24 Which Irish fast bowler took Bangladesh held in Delhi? (5)
sensation recently won her four wickets in the second T20I 25 Who won the Australian Moto GP
seventh PSA Challenger title at against South Africa enabling race held in October 2024? (4)
the NSW Open 2024? (6) Ireland to win and square the 26 Who was the match referee for
28 Which American tennis player two-match series held recently? the India versus Bangladesh Test
became the youngest ever to win (4,5) and T20I series held recently? (4)
the WTA final in Riyadh on 9 What is the nickname of the city
November 9, 2024? (4) which hosted the third Test
29 & 10 Who became the most match between Pakistan and

78 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

 INDIAN PLAYGROUND
SPORTOON

M. VEDHAN

National championship
format needs to evolve,
says Dilip Tirkey

Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey,

who witnessed the final of the 14th
Senior Men’s National
Championship 2024 at the Mayor
Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in
Chennai, spoke about his
federation’s vision to restructure the
tournament and make it more
competitive to safeguard hockey’s
future in the country.
“The national championship
needs to evolve in terms of the
format. It has been going on for
over 80 years in the same tradition.
The one-sided pool matches are not
good for the future of Indian
Aravindh Chithambaram
hockey. Even the spectators will not
attend if there is no competition. We 1 secured the title by
defeating Levon Aronian
are thinking of revamping the
format and introducing a new (USA) 2-0 in a blitz tie-break during
division for the weaker teams,” the the second edition of the Chennai
former India captain told Sportstar. Grandmasters Classical Chess
While all current senior national Tournament, held at the Anna
team players participated in the Centenary Library Auditorium in
2023 senior nationals ahead of the Chennai. In the final round, it was
Paris Olympics, only a handful were a three-way tie between Arjun
involved this year. The Hockey India Erigaisi (4.5), Aravindh (4.5), and
chief explained this decision as a Aronian (4.5) for the
strategy to rest the players after a championship. Since Aravindh had
the best tie-break in terms of Aravindh Chithambaram (left) and
demanding international schedule, V. Pranav, with their prizes.
preparing them for the upcoming direct encounter, he was given a
revamped Hockey India League. bye to face the winner of the B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM

For the record, Odisha Arjun-Aronian blitz tie-break (two

games). But as that tie-break once draw with black pieces.
hammered two-time champion V. Pranav drew with Leon Luke
Haryana 5-1 in the final, while Uttar again ended in a tie (1-1), Arjun
and Aronian played an Mendonca in the final round to
Pradesh beat Manipur 2-1 to bag secure the Challengers title.
the bronze medal. Armageddon decider. Aronian
SAIKAT CHAKRABORTY
won by virtue of holding Arjun to a S. PRASANNA VENKATESAN

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 79

 SPORTSTAR SPORTS CONCLAVE
RAJASTHAN 2024

“We will be starting our new academies in some of the private and public universities,” said Rajasthan Sports Minister Col
Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, during the Sportstar Sports Conclave — Focus Rajasthan, at the Poornima University in Jaipur.
R. V. MOORTHY

Will launch mega talent hunt in Rajasthan

ahead of 2036 Olympics, says Rathore
lympic silver medallist and Rajasthan’s physical part of the talent is neglected, and only the skill

O
Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Colonel part of the talent is highlighted. But skill can only take you
Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, laid out an extensive so far. Physical ability, mental ability, and willpower are of
plan for the development of sport in utmost importance to bridge the gap between
the State during the Sportstar Sports being one of the athletes and being a
Conclave — Focus Rajasthan, at champion,” Rathore said while delivering the
Poornima University in Jaipur. keynote address.
“In Rajasthan, we have four years ahead [of “After the talent hunt, in 12 years we will
us]. We have made some major decisions. To hope that when India hosts the Olympics in
begin with, India has officially applied to host 2036, Rajasthan wins the most medals for
the 2036 Olympics, and I am sure we will get India. Education, nutrition, coaching, and
it. As preparation for the next 12 years, in atmosphere are important, and an isolated
Rajasthan, we will conduct a mega talent hunt academy for this is not a good idea. We will be
for children aged between 10 and 14 next starting our new academies in some of the
year. In India, all the athletes who come to the private and public universities,” he added.
forefront do so because of their skills. But the “With the help of the Government of

80 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

Col Rathore presenting the Unsung Hero Award to Archer Pranjal Tholiya receives the Young Achiever Award
former athlete Sriram Singh. PICS: R. V. MOORTHY from Col Rathore. Sportstar Editor Ayon Sengupta is at right.

Rajasthan, we want to set up some centres of excellence the introduction of a pocket allowance, with the top 200
with some top corporates who have their hearts in the Olympic medal hopefuls each receiving Rs. 50,000 per
right place. They will provide international-level facilities month to aid in their training and development."
and guidance. In the next four years, we will have one Rathore also highlighted the challenges athletes faced
stadium in every district for sure. Our ambition is even during his playing days, while emphasising significant
higher: one stadium in every tehsil of Rajasthan. We would improvements in facilities available to athletes today.
create 50 stadiums per year. We will also start Khelo "I remember our colleagues from that era, when we
Rajasthan from this year, along the same lines as Khelo used to travel by train. The accommodations we stayed in
India. We will also have our own version of TOPS [Target and the way we managed were vastly different back then.
Olympic Podium Scheme]. The best athletes will be For breakfast, we often had simple meals like milk and
supported by us. We have formed a new policy for sports, jalebi. Just thinking about the nutritional value of those
and we have formed a new youth policy as well,” Rathore meals compared to what athletes have access to today is
said. remarkable. It's incredible how far we've come in terms of
Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rathore said, nutrition and overall athlete support.
“Sports has received an impetus since 2014. I have seen the "Today, with events like Khelo India, there are seven or
whole spectrum of Indian sports. I have worked at the eight hotels reserved for the players, with AC
central and state levels in sports. Prime Minister Narendra accommodations. Players travel by air, and the games are
Modi ji has started a revolution in Indian sports. Khelo broadcast in high definition, reflecting the level of
India and TOPS started it, giving Indian sports a new professionalism involved. Each Khelo India event hosts over
standard. a thousand athletes, and they receive an annual stipend of
"TOPS has marked a transformative moment for Indian Rs. 5 lakh for up to eight years. This is a huge step forward,
sports, raising the profile and standards of athletes across providing substantial support to athletes — something we
the nation. This initiative brought in professional could only dream of back in the day."
management to oversee all aspects of athlete preparation, Rathore also honoured Sriram Singh, one of India’s
including final training, boarding, and lodging, ensuring a greatest middle-distance runners, with the Unsung
seamless experience. Champion Award, recognising his exceptional contributions
"Athletes were provided with daily access to top-tier to the sport. He presented the Young Achiever Award to
facilities and sports science support, whether they were Pranjal Tholiya, a rising star in Indian archery, celebrating
training in India or abroad. A groundbreaking addition was her promising talent and achievements.

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 81

 SPORTSTAR SPORTS CONCLAVE
RAJASTHAN 2024

Lalit Modi taught us what we can do with cricket,

says former Rajasthan captain Sanjay Vyas

t the Sportstar Sports Conclave - Focus

A
Rajasthan, held at Poornima University, former (L-R) Gagan Khoda, Sanjay Vyas and Rajeev Khanna in
Rajasthan cricket team captain Sanjay Vyas conversation with Sportstar senior assistant editor Shayan
praised administrator Lalit Modi for transforming Acharya during the Sportstar Sports Conclave — Focus
the State’s cricket structure. “I have seen many Rajasthan at the Poornima University. R. V. MOORTHY
changes. When I started, Rajasthan cricket was
run by the Rungtas, who managed it like a family from all districts, not just major cities like Jaipur,” Khoda
business. Lalit Modi brought professionalism. We didn’t noted.
know how to commercialise cricket until Modi showed Despite this, Rajasthan has struggled to produce Test
us. He organised an exhibition match between the players, with Pankaj Singh being the last to earn a Test
England team and Rajasthan players, raising cap. Khoda stressed the importance of
Rs. 1 crore for Rajasthan cricket and better infrastructure. “We need grounds
increasing our DA fourfold when we accessible to all, including remote districts,
requested,” Vyas shared in a discussion led which report to main centres like Jaipur.
by Sportstar’s senior assistant editor, Shayan Diverse playing conditions are essential; we
Acharya. mainly played at the KL Saini ground, with
Vyas attributed Rajasthan’s back-to-back limited matches at the Sawai Mansingh
Ranji Trophy wins in 2010/11 and 2011/12 to Stadium. More exposure to different pitches
Modi’s administration. “We needed a coach, is needed,” Khoda added.
and he wanted only the best. He appointed Rajasthan Royals vice president Rajeev
Greg Chappell and set up a system. By 2009, Khanna announced a significant step
a pool of fast bowlers was established, forward: “We have signed an MoU with the
leading to our Ranji victories,” he said. Rajasthan government for a Rs. 10,000 crore
Gagan Khoda, former India international multi-sport hub. It will be a complete sports
and Rajasthan player, highlighted the State’s city.”
recent surge in talent. “Self-belief has grown, especially Khanna also shared efforts to develop women’s
with the IPL’s influence. Sharing dressing rooms with top cricket. “We recently held a girls’ talent hunt involving
players has boosted confidence and mental toughness. 1,500 schools from districts like Bikaner. Though we
Players like Rahul Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed, and Ravi couldn’t join the Women’s Premier League, we aim to
Bishnoi have represented India. Now, talent is emerging create a talent pool for state and WPL teams,” he said.

82 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

Rahul Singhi: ‘Sports and education are not 180
degrees apart; they are one’
(L-R) Hogne Hide, Co-owner
of Norway Chess; Rajeev
Khanna, Vice President of
Rajasthan Royals; Rahul
Singhi, Director of
Poornima University; Vivek
Lodha, Co-founder and
Director of the Premier
Handball League; and
moderator Prashant S.,
Partner at KPMG. R. V. MOORTHY

ahul Singhi, Director of Poornima University, excitement over the increasing youth engagement with

R
shared his deep commitment to sports during chess, noting, “Chess has evolved into a global
the Sportstar Sports Conclave - Focus Rajasthan. phenomenon, fascinating people with its rich history.”
Reflecting on the university's foundation, he Anil Kumar, founder of Great SportsTech, reflected on
credited his mother for inspiring the emphasis the progress of sports infrastructure in India, citing a shift
on sports, saying, “When we started Poornima in the private sector's perception of sports as financially
University, my mother was a major inspiration. She viable. "In the last 10-15 years, there has been significant
always encouraged us to stay fit and play sports.” Singhi investment in the sector, with both private and public
highlighted how sport has helped channel youthful sectors contributing,” Kumar noted.
energy, particularly in addressing aggression and Martin Owens, Head Coach at Reliance Foundation
negative behaviour, adding, “Sports became the perfect Youth Sport Odisha High Performance Centre, shared a
solution to channel that energy.” contrasting perspective on coaching in India and the UK.
Singhi also shared significant developments at “The big difference between Indian athletes and those in
Poornima, revealing the university's investment of the UK is the passion," Owens observed. "In India, sports
approximately Rs 2-2.5 crore in sports infrastructure. He are often seen as a route to a job, whereas in the UK,
further announced plans to offer new courses in sports coaching is volunteer-based and driven by a love for the
management and sports sciences. The university has also sport.”
requested the Rajasthan government’s support in setting
up a sports academy and arena. On November 7, Singhi
signed an MoU at the Rising Rajasthan Pre-Summit,
committing Rs 140 crore for the development of sports. (L-R) Martin Owens, Head Coach of the Reliance Foundation
He emphasised, "For us, sports and education go hand in Youth Sport Odisha High Performance Centre; Nasir Ali, MD
hand. They are not 180 degrees apart; they are one." The & CEO of Gallant Sports; Anil Kumar, Founder & MD of Great
session on 'Sports Industry Powering Rajasthan’s SportsTech; and Dr. M.S. Dasgupta, Senior Professor in the
Economic Growth' was moderated by Prasanth S, Partner Department of Mechanical Engineering at BITS Pilani and
at KPMG India. President of the Sports Engineering Association, addressed
Another panel titled 'Harnessing Science and the gathering. R. V. MOORTHY
Technology for Sports', moderated by
Sportstar's senior sub-editor, Santadeep
Dey, featured insightful discussions from
prominent figures in the sports industry.
Hogne Hide, co-owner of Norway Chess,
highlighted the transformative power of
chess, especially in India, where the game is
seeing rapid growth. He expressed

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 83

 SPORTSTAR SPORTS CONCLAVE
RAJASTHAN 2024

Paris Paralympics bronze medallist Mona Agarwal

hopes for sustained support for parasports

t the Sportstar Sports Conclave - Focus Rajasthan,

A
held at Poornima University, Jaipur, Paris (L-R) Manjusha Kanwar (DGM, Sports – IndianOil) , Surbhi
Paralympics 2024 bronze medallist shooter Mona Misra (Squash international), Anupam Nidhi (CSR Head,
Agarwal shared the challenges she faced with Vedanta Group & Hindustan Zinc) and Mona Agarwal (Paris
equipment upgrades before the event. “The Paralympics bronze medallist in shooting) in conversation
government’s schemes are good, but many with Suresh Balakrishna, Chief Revenue Officer of The
athletes don’t receive the necessary support. I secured a Hindu Group.R. V. MOORTHY
Paralympic quota in March but struggled for six months to
upgrade my equipment, eventually competing with basic grassroots. We are looking at just 30-40 players, what
gear,” said Mona during a panel moderated by Suresh about the next crop? We need to work on the next
Balakrishna, Chief Revenue Officer of The Hindu Group. generation."
Mona, who began shooting in December Anupam Nidhi, Hindustan Zinc’s CSR Head,
2021 after participating in powerlifting, emphasised grassroots success with the Zinc
volleyball, and athletics since 2016, Football Academy, which has produced
highlighted societal barriers that deter players like Mohammed Kaif, part of India’s
women from sports. “Progress for women is U-17 SAFF Championship squad.
difficult to accept here, and many face “Infrastructure, coaching, and technology are
hurdles they can’t overcome. More women key. Our holistic approach has brought
need opportunities,” she stated. results,” said Nidhi. She pointed out India’s
Former squash international Surbhi Misra, underinvestment in sports, citing a CSR spend
head of the Surbhi Misra Foundation, echoed of about one per cent in sports out of an
Mona’s concerns, citing limited corporate and overall Rs 25,000 CSR spend.
government aid. “Support exists but is barely Commonwealth medallist Manjusha
sufficient. Corporations should focus on Kanwar, now DGM - Sports at Indian Oil,
specific sports. Spreading thin leads to shared that corporate focus on women’s
reduced outcomes,” she noted, adding, “What sports has increased, driven by Olympic
we need is for corporations to choose a few successes. “At Indian Oil, women receive
sports. When you try to take up too many sports, it does equal priority. We’ve also invested in para scholarships
not work. The government cannot do everything. [For with equal distribution for men and women,” she said. To
example], they give us Rs 2 crore and want six medals in boost grassroots engagement, Manjusha urged deeper
return. And if the success does not come, the funds go outreach into districts and villages and stressed that the
down next time. The players also say the same. It is us government and stakeholders must collaborate
pushing them. Another problem then is to go to the effectively, and allocate clear roles to avoid repetition.

84 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

 SPORTSTAR SPORTS CONCLAVE
RAJASTHAN 2024

‘Polo not a sport for privileged few;it is for

everyone’ — Lt. Col. Vishal Chauhan and Col. Garcha

thought-provoking session titled ‘The Legacy of

A
Polo’ took place at Poornima University during Col. K. S. Garcha and Lt. Col. Vishal Chauhan weigh in during
the Sportstar Sports Conclave - Focus Rajasthan. a panel discussion moderated by Sportstar’s senior
The discussion featured two polo stalwarts: Col. sub-editor, Lavanya Lakshmi Narayanan. R. V. MOORTHY
K.S. Garcha, former India polo captain, and Lt.
Col. Vishal Chauhan, former India polo player, form. “Polo is indigenous to India; it originated in
who shared their insights on the sport’s cultural Manipur, and we still play the original version in Ladakh
significance and its future in India. The session was and Manipur, where the rules are different,” he said. He
moderated by Sportstar’s senior sub-editor, Lavanya L. noted how polo is woven into Rajasthan’s folklore, adding
For Chauhan, polo’s allure began at the army to its cultural significance.
academy, where he first picked up the polo stick. He Despite its rich history, polo in India faces a stigma,
recalled how his early exposure to horses, thanks to his often seen as elitist. "Unfortunately, polo today is at its
father’s military career, sparked an interest in equestrian lowest ebb. It is a heritage sport, and it is important for
sports, but it was polo that truly captivated him. “When I us to keep it alive. We should ask the government to
sat on the horse and picked up the stick, I didn’t want to provide support and recognition for the sport, ensuring
play any other sport — it was addictive,” Chauhan said. that it continues to thrive for future generations," Garcha
He stressed the profound bond between the rider and said. He also highlighted the potential for expanding polo
horses, describing it as “another being, an animal that in Rajasthan, particularly in cities like Jaipur and Jodhpur,
has its own soul.” but noted the need for investment and patronage. “India
Polo’s roots trace back to Central Asia, with Genghis is one of the cheapest places to play polo, with army
Khan’s legendary matches, and it was revived in clubs offering affordable horse rentals,” Garcha said.
19th-century India by British officer Robert Stewart. The “However, we need patrons to support the sport.”
sport gained global recognition as an elite pastime Both experts agreed that polo could flourish in India
among royalty. In post-1947 India, the army preserved with stronger investment, government backing, and a
polo’s legacy, and today, it thrives in nearly 100 countries. shift in public perception. With the right support, polo
Chauhan also highlighted polo’s indigenous origins in can once again become a cherished part of India’s
Manipur, where the sport is still played in its original sporting landscape.

86 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

Divyakriti Singh: Need to earmark priority sports
to produce Olympic champions from Rajasthan

t Sportstar Sports Conclave — Focus Rajasthan,

A
Divyakriti Singh Rathore, a gold medallist in the (L-R) Divyakriti Singh, Divyansh Panwar, Rajat Chauhan,
Dressage Team event at the 2023 Asian Games, Shagun Chaudhary, and Ripu Daman Singh share their
highlighted the need for more corporate and views with Sportstar assistant editor Jonathan Selvaraj.
R. V. MOORTHY
government support to improve equestrian
infrastructure in India. The panel discussion, ours was 41 years ago. In the past decade, over 15 riders
titled ‘Project Gold - Producing Medal Winners from from Rajasthan have medalled at the Asian Games, with
Rajasthan', was moderated by Sportstar assistant editor many Arjuna Awardees. The sports policy exists, but we
Jonathan Selvaraj. need to identify priority sports like shooting, archery,
“Rajasthan has the history, but India lacks the athletics, and equestrian. With the right support, we can
infrastructure needed to compete with top move forward,” she stated.
equestrian nations. In terms of weather, Shagun Chowdhary, the first Indian
climate, coaching, and equipment, we are Olympian in clay pigeon shooting, pointed
not yet on par. I began riding in India during out that investment must go beyond
school, but when I chose to pursue it infrastructure and focus on coaching quality.
professionally, I had to move to Europe in “Rajasthan has invested in infrastructure but
2020 and have been there for four years. My lags in sports science and conditioning. A
ultimate aim is to do it from India,” Divyakriti poor coach can instil bad habits that are
said. hard to unlearn. Investment in good
She acknowledged the sport’s growth in coaching is vital,” she noted.
India, highlighting Madhya Pradesh’s Para coach and Dronacharya Awardee
proactive approach. “In the last three years, Ripu Daman Singh stressed the need for
the sport has grown exponentially. Around infrastructure in smaller towns.
100 horses are imported annually, and “Governments make promises, but real
riding schools, associations, and clubs have progress needs committed athletes and
emerged. It’s an expensive sport and needs corporate coaches. Even from my small hostel, we produced
and government backing. Madhya Pradesh’s model, Arjuna, Khel Ratna, Padma Shri, and Padma Bhushan
where they send riders and acquire horses abroad, is awardees,” he said, urging more comprehensive
exemplary. They’ve already sent six riders to Europe for support.
the 2028 Olympics — a great example to learn from,” Archery world champion Rajat Chauhan and Asian
she added. Games gold medallist Divyansh Singh Panwar also
Divyakriti urged the state to earmark 'priority' sports highlighted the importance of grassroots engagement,
in order to produce Olympic champions. “Rajasthan has the role of coaches, and family support in an athlete’s
a rich equestrian history. The last gold medal before journey.

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 87

 FOOD FOR THOUGHT FOR MORE
Ryan Fernando STORIES

Debunking protein myths

Here’s everything you need to know about protein supplementation, so you can make
choices that truly benefit your health.
s a nutritionist, I’ve had the privilege of working helps preserve lean muscle mass,

A
with a wide range of clients — from athletes to especially during weight loss, leading
weekend warriors and anyone just looking to to better body composition. So,
feel healthier and stronger. And let me tell you protein itself isn’t the problem; it’s
— one question never fails to come up: what’s excess calories in general.
the real deal with protein?
You’ve probably heard all kinds of myths floating Myth#3: Plant-based diets can’t
around about protein supplements: “Do I really need provide enough protein
them?” “Won’t they make me bulky?” “Are they safe in the For those following plant-based
long run?” The confusion is real, and the truth often gets diets, there’s often concern about
lost in the noise. So, let’s cut through the clutter together. whether they can consume enough
In this article, I’m diving into the science, the myths, protein to support muscle growth
and everything you need to know about protein and training. While plant proteins
supplementation, so you can make choices that truly might not contain as much of certain
benefit your health and goals. Ready to clear up the essential amino acids as
confusion? Let’s jump right into it. animal-based proteins, the key is
variety. Research shows that vegans
Myth#1: High-protein diets are bad for kidney health and vegetarians can absolutely meet
One of the most persistent myths I encounter is the their protein needs by eating a
idea that high-protein diets are bad for kidney health. variety of plant-based foods like soy,
Many believe that protein places excessive strain on the beans, lentils, and other legumes. In
kidneys, but research has shown that for healthy fact, vegans and vegetarians may
individuals with no pre-existing kidney conditions, this need to consume slightly more
simply isn’t the case. The body can handle high protein protein than those who eat animal
intake just fine, especially within the recommended products to meet their amino acid
range of 1.2–2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight. For requirements, but with proper
those with kidney issues, a lower protein intake might be planning, it’s very achievable.
advised, but for the majority of us, there’s no need to
worry about kidney damage. Myth#4: Cheese and peanut butter
are good protein sources
Myth#2: Protein leads to fat gain When it comes to foods like
Another misconception is that excess protein cheese and peanut butter, while they
automatically leads to fat gain. This idea often stems do provide some protein, they’re also
from the belief that protein is stored as fat when you eat high in fat and shouldn’t be relied
too much. The truth is that any excess calories — upon as primary protein sources,
whether from protein, carbohydrates, or fat — can especially if you’re looking to
contribute to weight gain if you consume more than your increase protein intake without
body needs. However, protein has a unique benefit: it adding extra calories from fat.

88 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

 दुआओं mein yaad Rakhana_HrYanA

Leaner protein sources such as sedentary individuals, the general

chicken, fish, and legumes are much recommendation is around 0.8 Be on the move: Protein is essential
more efficient in helping you meet grams of protein per kilogram of for everyone, regardless of activity
your protein goals without body weight, while active individuals level. It supports numerous bodily
overloading on fats. may need more. Regardless of your functions like immune health, tissue
activity level, protein is a vital repair, and hormone production.
GETTY IMAGES
Myth#5: Meat consumption is nutrient that helps keep your body
always unhealthy functioning properly.
I also often hear concerns about important. While carbohydrates fuel
the health risks of consuming meat. Myth#7: You need protein right endurance exercise, protein helps
While it’s true that processed meats after exercise repair muscles and supports
have been associated with certain Many clients also ask if they need immune function.
health risks, lean, unprocessed to consume protein right after Studies suggest that endurance
meats can still be part of a balanced exercise. This idea comes from the athletes require 1.2–1.6 grams of
diet. Reducing processed meat is a concept of the ‘anabolic window’, protein per kilogram of body weight,
good strategy, but moderate which suggests that consuming especially during intense training
consumption of lean meats like protein within an hour after a periods, to support recovery and
chicken, turkey, or fish — when workout maximises muscle recovery. muscle repair.
balanced with plenty of vegetables, While it’s true that consuming
fruits, and whole grains — can protein post exercise can be helpful, Myth#9: Protein supplements are
contribute to a nutritious and recent research indicates that total a must
well-rounded diet. daily protein intake is much more Lastly, protein supplements can
important. Whether you eat your be convenient, but they aren’t
Myth#6: Protein is only for protein before or after exercise, as necessary for everyone. Whole foods
physically active people long as you’re meeting your overall like lean meats, dairy, and legumes
There’s also the common belief protein needs throughout the day, provide plenty of protein and are
that protein is only necessary for muscle growth and recovery will packed with additional nutrients your
those who are physically active. In occur. body needs. Supplements are useful
reality, protein is essential for if you have higher protein needs or
everyone, regardless of activity level. Myth#8: Endurance athletes don’t find it difficult to get enough protein
It supports numerous bodily need much protein from food alone, but they should
functions like immune health, tissue For endurance athletes, protein never replace whole food sources of
repair, and hormone production. For intake becomes even more protein.

Sportstar December 7 – 2024 89

 THE LAST WORD

Gimmicks not unusual in sport

Before the advent of social media and the arrival of ‘influencers’ who perform culturally
vital jobs, gimmicks were seen as a bit of a giggle, no more.
Suresh Menon boxers were expected to make
around 100 million, the amount
port and hustles have a Floyd Mayweather is said to have

S
long relationship. A good received for ‘fighting’ a star of mixed
tennis or golf hustler works martial arts, Conor McGregor), for
on the ego of an opponent, one. Public interest is high, and
challenging him to put his advertisers come into homes riding
money where his mouth is. on the novelty. As always, hype is its
After lulling him into a false sense of own hype.
superiority, he then takes him to the But is it sport? Of course not. If
cleaners. Paul Newman was anything, it is an insult to sport, and
nominated for an Oscar for his role in the ideal world, the Texas
in The Hustler, where he Department of Licensing and
exaggerates his drunkenness, plays Regulation would not have
down his skill and gets the better of sanctioned the fight. But they
challengers at the pool table. wanted a bite of the pie, too.
Bobby Riggs was a legendary Those arguing for the purity of
hustler (he called his autobiography sport and the way former stars push
Court Hustler). In 1939, after he won it into disrepute stand no chance of
two titles at Wimbledon, the singles Publicity stuntr?: After the influencing anything. The real
and the doubles, he bet on a triple Netflix-sponsored ‘fight’ between Mike influencer here, Jake, has 32 million
and cleared 100,000 dollars after Tyson and Jake Paul, we wonder if that (by one estimate) followers on social
winning the mixed doubles with is a route sport might take more media and an audience of 7.6 billion
Alice Marble. regularly. AFP (yes, billion!) on his YouTube
In 1973, aged 55, he challenged channel. You can’t argue with those
Margaret Court, the top women’s player, to a match that figures, especially when these are converted into
garnered enormous publicity after he made disparaging dollars.
remarks about the women’s game. He won in straight Gimmicks are not unusual in sport, and every time
sets against an opponent 25 years younger. Billie Jean one is announced, someone always recalls P. T.
King, who had initially declined to play Riggs, now Barnum’s line about a sucker being born every minute.
decided to — it was billed the Battle of the Sexes — and Muhammad Ali ‘fought’ Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki
beat him in straight sets for the winner-take-all 100,000 back in 1976.
dollars. Ali threw six punches in all; the ‘fight’ was declared a
Before the advent of social media and the arrival of draw, and both men walked away with honour intact
‘influencers’ who perform culturally vital jobs, gimmicks and income enhanced by six million dollars.
like these were seen as a bit of a giggle, no more. After Tyson, then 39, lost his last professional fight to
After the Netflix-sponsored ‘fight’ between Mike Kevin McBride, he said, “I do not have the guts to be in
Tyson and Jake Paul, we wonder if that is a route sport this sport anymore. I don’t want to disrespect the sport
might take more regularly. The money is huge (the that I love.” Ah well!

90 December 7 – 2024 Sportstar

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