Middle-order batsman Mohammad Kaif on Saturday said the ICC U19 World Cup , which started on Friday in the UAE, is a good platform for the budding cricketers.
“We also came through under-19. We won the World Cup in Sri Lanka . Virat Kohli was captain of under-19 team that won the World Cup (later). Unmukt Chand too. It is a good platform for youngsters to show their talent. Then they get the opportunity in Ranji to show their talent,” said Kaif, who is here to play for Air India in the BCCI Corporate Trophy tournament that starts tomorrow.
Kaif, who led the U-19 team that also included Yuvraj Singh to the Junior World Cup title triumph in 2000, said the tournament was also a good base for the youngsters to start their international career.
“It is a good base and a good opportunity for youngsters. But I think they should also be given opportunity for 2-3 years in Ranji to see how they are improving. Playing for one or two years in the Ranji after under-19 is good for their maturity,” he said.
The 33-year-old, who is known for his sharp fielding, gave a few tips at the BKC ground to under-15 Mumbai players, Prithvi Shaw and Arjun Tendulkar.
“I told them go low and take the start and told them about the hand position. I told them to keep their hands a little wide for the catch,” he said.
Kaif, who has played 13 Tests and 125 ODIs, was impressed with Shaw’s batting and fielding.
“I saw him batting in the nets. This is the first time I am seeing him. Pravin Amre sir (AI coach) told me he had scored 500 runs in one match and is very talented. He was fielding well.”
Arjun, son of veteran Sachin Tendulkar, also caught Kaif’s attention with his left arm bowling.
“I faced Arjun in the nets. He bowls well. His release from the seam is quite good. He is not like his father and bowls lefty. Sachin paaji was a right-arm batsman and right-arm bowler. But he used to throw left-handed sometimes when he was in the mood,” the UP player said.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Sports> Cricket> Series & Tournament / by PTI / February 15th, 2014
Young pacer Javed Khan has been included in the Delhi squad for their final Ranji Trophy group league encounter against Karnataka at the Feroze Shah Kotla ground from Monday.
Javed, who was a part of the U-25 squad has replaced an injured Parvinder Awana, who sustained a back injury during the last match against Punjab. Left-arm seamer Pawan Suyal has been dropped as burly left-arm spinner Manan Sharma comes into the side.
Manan and Varoon Sood will be the two spinning options apart from Virender Sehwag and Mithun Manhas who can bowl off-breaks. Meanwhile, the anti faction of the DDCA led by Bishan Singh Bedi, Madan Lal, Kirti Azad and Surinder Khanna will be sitting on a dharna infront of the Kotla on Monday, to protest against the proxy system run by the DDCA.
Shami was the star of the Indian bowling in the second innings of the recently-concluded first Test against New Zealand here, which ended in a 40-run defeat for the visitors | PTI
In five Tests since his debut against the West Indies in November 2013, Mohammad Shami has shown complete control of line and length and while the rest of the Indian bowlers have been faltering in the ongoing tour of New Zealand, he is fast emerging as the bowling spearhead.
Shami was the star of the Indian bowling in the second innings of the recently-concluded first Test against New Zealand here, which ended in a 40-run defeat for the visitors.
But Shami made an impression taking three for 37, rattling the top-order of the Black Caps in the second innings, and set his team on a comeback path in the match after their first-innings performance had more or less closed that door.
At the start of play on day one, he bowled with fire, using the bounce in the Eden Park pitch to good effect. During the ODI series, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni had impressed upon the ‘need to aim the bouncers well’. And Shami did so, making both Peter Fulton and Hamish Rutherford jump around.
He should have picked up more wickets than the one he did in the first innings. But throughout that innings, he beat the bat regularly and was the toughest Indian bowler on display in best batting conditions.
Even as Brendon McCullum hit a double hundred and the Kiwis crossed the 500-run mark, it goes to show that among the four frontline bowlers deployed by Dhoni, Shami was the only one not to concede 100 runs.
More so, considering that he gave runs at only 3.39 per over, in his complete spell of 1-95 in 28 overs. In comparison, Zaheer Khan (2-132 in 30 overs) gave away runs at 4.40 per over, Ravindra Jadeja (1-120 in 26 overs) at 4.61 per over and despite his six-wicket haul, Ishant Sharma (6-134 in 33.4 overs) went at 3.98 per over.
At the end of the first innings, McCullum pointed out that “some days you just cannot get wickets. Shami bowled very well and didn’t get the rewards”.
The New Zealand skipper had talked about Ishant as well, given his superior wicket-tally. But it was obvious that the seamer had bowled shorter lengths throughout.
Dhoni stressed that the Indian bowling in the first innings had been very poor.
“We gave away too many deliveries to score off (as a bowling unit),” he had said.
But the captain was all praise for Shami, saying, “In the first innings, he was very consistent and did not give too many runs, (even when he wasn’t getting any wickets). He will have to make sure that it becomes part of his bowling and he does not try too many things when he is not getting wickets.
“Cricket seems easy when you are getting runs and wickets but those tough periods are the ones where you have to put in all your learning, whatever you have learned so far.”
Shami was handed the new ball first, rather than Zaheer at the start of the Test and then again in the second innings.
It could have been coincidence, since the Indian captain likes to play around with bowlers from different ends. But then, there was this moment on day one, 10 minutes before lunch,when New Zealand were reeling at three wickets down for less than 50 runs on board.
India were looking to press on their advantage and Dhoni made a bowling change. Zaheer came in from his fielding position, looking for the ball, but was sent back. And Shami was the captain’s choice.
In five Tests since his debut, Shami has taken 21 wickets. Out of these, he has bowled batsmen 13 times and has another three successful LBW appeals. It hints at a control of line and length that is sometimes found lacking in other bowlers like Ishant, who despite his nine-wicket haul in this first Test is yet to achieve the consistency of a bowler who has played 54 Tests for India.
“In the sub-continent, if you can bowl quick, you know two bouncers and an over-pitched delivery can get you a wicket. At some international venues, this won’t really work. Shami is someone who keeps his line and length really close to the batsmen. His seam positioning is really good and he can bowl quick as well. Now, as he plays more matches, he is learning other ways to get batsmen out,” said Dhoni of his new pace spearhead.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cricket> News / by Chetan Narula / PTI – Auckland / February 10th, 2014
Karnataka had multiple heroes in its successful Ranji Trophy campaign but two men in the background also deserve equal credit. Coaches J. Arun Kumar and Mansur Ali Khan provided perfect support for R. Vinay Kumar’s men to win Indian domestic cricket’s number one title
Behind the scenesBowling coach Mansur Ali Khan and batting coach Arun Kumar / Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash / The Hindu
They are men of extreme contrasts. J. Arun Kumar has tattoos, rides a Harley Davidson besides his other cars, is outspoken and during his playing days was a flamboyant opener. On the other end is Mansur Ali Khan, who is soft-spoken, an anachronism considering he was a medium pacer in his heydays.
But together, they have struck a wonderful tandem as coaches with the Karnataka cricket team that reaped the benefits of their expertise and won the Ranji Trophy defeating Maharashtra in the final at Hyderabad, last week.
Arun, ‘JAK’ to his friends, and Mansur, ‘MAK’ being his nickname, have had an association even during their days as key players for Karnataka. The duo shared rooms and now as coaches – Arun handles ‘batting’ and Mansur supervises ‘bowling’ – their old rapport is very much intact while they also consciously avoid treading on each other’s toes.
The State had many heroes in batting led by K.L. Rahul (1033 runs) while Karun Nair, Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, Amit Verma and Ganesh Satish, all played their relevant parts. Similiarly, the bowlers too prospered and if Karnataka registered seven outright victories, it is thanks to the effort of speedster Abhimanyu Mithun (41 wickets), H.S. Sharath, skipper R. Vinay Kumar, S. Arvind and Shreyas Gopal. It would be prudent to hear from Arun and Mansur about the manner in which they extracted the best out of the team.
Jak’s prescription
Confidence the key
“At the start of the season, while we were looking at under-25 players I did look at talent, but I also wanted these players to have the necessary confidence.
I didn’t want players to step in and while facing Harbhajan Singh, think, ‘oh my god, I am playing against Harbhajan.’ I wanted the players to play their natural styles without getting overwhelmed.”
An arm around the shoulder
“The players are already under tremendous pressure and as a coach you are expected to reduce that and make them feel at ease. You cannot tell them, ‘you better get runs or get wickets’ and make them struggle even more. As a coach I had many one-on-one sessions with the players before the season and got to understand them better. I encouraged them a lot.”
A matter of trust
“When MAK and I took over last year there wasn’t much time to work on the players but this year we had time. I felt that among the players the trust-factor was not much and we worked on that, I made them enjoy each other’s success. Dropping a player is the hardest thing but we made sure that we explained to the player concerned about why he was dropped because we believed in ‘horses for courses’ and that determined our team composition. Once that was made clear even the dropped players were cheering the squad from the outside and that camaraderie within the team is the biggest take-away I cherish.”
Mak’s measured words
Practice makes perfect
“Initially the bowlers were not clear in their minds and I worked on that. In the pre-season training, I made them aware of their strengths and at practise I told them to pitch it 10 feet from the batting crease and make the batsman play. I told them that if they could get it consistently there, they have more chances of getting wickets.
Mithun is an in-swing bowler and I told him to bowl four deliveries of in-swing and do a variation for the fifth – it could be a yorker, a bouncer, an away-swinger. Told him and the other fast bowlers to use the bouncer as a surprise weapon, like once in three overs and all that helped. I also used a speed-gun at training and that added more value as there was competition between the fast bowlers.”
Spinning some wickets
“The usual role of spinners is to keep it tight but I had chats with Anil Kumble and he said: ‘Even if they go for runs its okay as long as they get wickets.’ When we had sessions in the nets I made the spinners bowl 120 deliveries because in match situations they are expected to bowl 20 overs and if they could do that at training then they are well prepared and can cope with the pressure. I worked on these aspects with bowlers like Shreyas Gopal and Abrar Kazi. For instance with Shreyas, I focussed on his leg-spin and told him to give four deliveries of leg-spin per over and then work on a variation like googly in the other deliveries.”
Jak the friend
“JAK and I go a long way back. We kept it simple, he would watch the batsmen and also conduct close-in catching practice while I monitored the bowlers and also gave high-catches to fielders in the deep. I look forward to working with JAK in the coming years too.”
K.C. VIJAYA KUMAR
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by K. C. Vijaya Kumar / Mondyay – February 10th, 2014
Former India star Abbas Ali Baig, who was in the city on Saturday to receive a Lifetime Achievement award from Rotary Club of Madras East, is disappointed the way the Indians are faring in the ongoing series in New Zealand.
The former all-rounder, who played 10 Test matches from 1959-69 and forged a famous friendship with the late MAK Pataudi and ML Jaisimha, is unhappy with the application showed by the batsmen, the skipper’s selection of spinners although he thinks the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli have it in them to turn the corner. It’s on these two that Baig is pinning hopes for the future.
“I think along with Pujara, Kohli is the best man for the job. Kohli to me is the biggest asset that Indian cricket has. He can change the complexion of the game single-handedly. So if he puts his head down and spends time in the middle, it will of great help to the team,” said Baid, who was known for his classy right-handed stroke-play.
“I think Pujara will be the key man. He has a penchant for big scores, possesses a good technique and also has the ability to play a wide range of shots. Pujara will have a big role to play,” said Baig, who scored a century on Test debut against England in Manchester in 1959.
On the other hand, Baig agreed with former New Zealand skipper Martin Crowe that India should have fielded off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin instead of left-armer Ravindra Jadeja.
“I agree with Crowe, an off-spinner would have been a better choice when you have a couple of left-handers in the opposition. Ashwin was down a bit in the ODIs and I guess that’s why he was not picked.”
Baig was not very hopeful of India’s chances of saving the first Test in Auckland, although he said there is a chance if they can build partnerships. They still have a lot of runs to score. Overall, the performance has been disappointing. It will be interesting to see how they approach the game. Yes, they need big partnerships.”
Skipper MS Dhoni is an excellent finisher but has not been able to play that role in the ODI series. Is his match-winning ability on the wane? “He is still capable of saving the side and play a long innings as he has done in past. In the last two or three games he has not been able to live up to that expectation.”
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cricket> News / by Ashok Venugopal / ENS – Chennai / February 09th, 2014
Sometimes, a simplistic gauging of skills through numbers is insufficient. Take for instance, Mohammed Shami’s in the first innings– 28-6-95-1. Someone who hasn’t seen him bowl would grossly understate him and his craft. That he was profusely unlucky on the first morning dissipates into thin vacuum in the final stock-checking of history through numbers. The number of times he beat the bat and the catches dropped won’t be factored in.
Young bowlers react differently to it. Most would be wide-eyed and desperate. Some turn petulant and fidgety. Some are beset with doubts. A few, though, would simply remain unflustered. Shami conforms to the latter group. For all the lack of luck in the first innings, Shami remained impervious to it. If any, he just improvised on his bowling.
He pitched the ball a couple of centimeters further to the batsmen, almost a drivable length but not quite drivable. And he was faster by a few yards and he swung the ball both ways. And this time round, he got a wicket off the last ball of the first over. The delivery that pinged Hamish Rutherford wasn’t any magical but simply perfect. It pitched on middle and snuck back just onto his pads.
His next wicket—again off the last ball of an over—came off smart planning. He mixed his length to Peter Fulton before eventually snapping him up with a routine half-volley. In the first over, he tempted him to drive whereas in the second, he pushed him onto the back-foot with short-of-length balls shaping into his body. Fulton, with a tendency to keep his feet static, drove from the crease and edged to Ravindra Jadeja at short-cover.
He almost consumed Ross Taylor with the first ball of his next over, only for the edge to fall short of the gully. Three balls later, an inside edge saved him from being trapped adjacent. He tested his technique as well temperament, and the latter survived more by default than design. His four overs before lunch set the tone for India’s belated comeback. “No doubt he is a match-winner. His quality to take wickets in bunches is what decides him from a good bowler to a really, really good bowler” Zaheer Khan said later.
After lunch, too, he steamed in and harassed Taylor, who by then had shed his intentions to attack. But for the odd ball that strayed down, Taylor shut-shop completely. And he was lucky that he wasn’t subject to embarrassment like Corey Anderson. Shami took most of the balls away from him before he made one snake back. Anderson was caught unawares and the balls sneaked through the gate.
And for the first time in the series, India’s bowlers demonstrated pack mentality. Shami was duly supplemented by Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma. Even Jadeja, wasteful hitherto, strangled the batsmen.
Scoreboard
New Zealand (1st innings) 503. India (1st innings, overnight 130-4) Rohit b Boult 72, Rahane c Taylor b Southee 26, Dhoni c Watling b Wagner 10, Jadeja (not out) 30, Zaheer c Watling b Wagner 14, Ishant c Boult b Southee 0, Shami c Fulton b Wagner 2, Extras (b-5, lb-6, w-3, nb-3) 17, Total (10 wickets, 60 overs) 202. Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-3, 3-10, 4-51, 5-138, 6-138, 7-167, 8-188, 9-189. Bowling: Boult 17-2-38-3, Southee 19-6-38-3, Anderson 5-0-29-0, Wagner 11-0-64-4, Sodhi 6-0-13-0, Williamson 2-0-9-0.
New Zealand (2nd innings) Fulton c Jadeja b Shami 5, Rutherford lbw Shami 0, Williamson c Jadeja b Zaheer 3, Taylor c Rahane b Zaheeer 41, B McCullum (run out) 1, Anderson b Shami 2, Watling b Ishant 11, Southee c Pujara b Jadeja 14, Sodhi c Rohit b Ishant 0, Wagner c Jadeja b Ishant 14, Boult (not out) 7, Extras (b-4, w-1, nb-2) 7, Total (all out; 41.2 overs) 105. Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-9, 3-11, 4-15, 5-25, 6-63, 7-78, 8-78, 9-80. Bowling: Shami 12-1-37-3, Zaheer 9-2-23-2, Ishant 10.2-3-28-3, Jadeja 9-4-10-1, Rohit 1-0-3-0.
India (2nd Innings) Vijay c Watling b Southee 13, Dhawan (batting) 49, Pujara (batting) 22, Extras (w-1, nb-2) 3, Total (one wicket; 25 overs) 87. Fall of wicket: 1-36. Bowling: Boult 6-0-28-0, Southee 5-0-18-1, Wagner 6-2-11-0, Anderson 3-0-8-0, Sodhi 4-1-17-0, Williamson 1-0-5-0.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cricket> News / by Sandeep G. / ENS – Chennai / February 09th, 2014
Mohammed Azharuddin has turned 50. He lost his grandfather, the man he loved the most on November 17, 1984. Azhar debuted on December 31, 1984, scoring three centuries. In his 17- year cricketing career, he was captain for nine years. A life ban on playing cricket, divorce with his wife Naureen , second marriage and separation from Sangeeta Bijlani, losing a 19-year-old son to a road accident — he has seen it all.
(Ekta Kapoor and Mohammed…)
In the words of Ekta Kapoor , who has now bought the rights of making a film on his life, he is a Victim and a Victor who has emerged victorious. He had led a glorious life, but one that was never picture- perfect. He is humble, emotionally strong and very stylish. Bombay Times spoke exclusively to both about their reasons for making and agreeing to this film on one of India’s greatest cricketing icons. Excerpts:
In conversation with Ekta Kapoor:There are several cricketing legends. Why a film based on Azharuddin?
My dad is an obsessive cricketing fan and for him, Azhar sir is a cricketing god. My dad has shifted his interest in the construction business and is usually not interested in any of the movies I have made. But, he is jumping for this movie. Like my mother, Azhar sir, too, is an Aquarian and number 8. She too likes him, does not cry and is strong for everybody around her. He has been the captain all his life, be it on the field or off it. Some people are victims and some are victors, but those who are victorious have their collar up like he always does.
You can make a documentary on 100 cricketers. But that is only one level of the film. I remember I was 26 when I was awarded the Ernst & Young award for being the youngest and the first woman to be given the award. But four days after, I was told that the award could not be given to me as my TRPs were fake. No one really takes you to a courtroom as in the minds of people, they want to believe that you are wrong. Eventually, it got proved that I was right when Rahul Bajaj called me and gave me the award. I have never enjoyed picking up an award more than that, sitting amongst such old men. At the same time, on the day I was being given the award, due to a personal issue that morning, my happiness was diluted. And that’s what happens in life too, where life is not picture perfect. And I am here to tell his story.
Here is a man who has been condemned but has stood up. Some people wear age on their face, some wear experience. He wears his experience. I had decided that I will just pick up the phone and tell him that we want to present your life. It’s a life with a lot of blemishes, a lot of colour. The best thing about his life is that it is not picture-perfect as one thing was always missing. For instance, he played only 99 matches, not 100. I am not a cricket fan. I am a fan of the man. People have pushed him down, but he stood up and walked and at 50, stands tall. He is an icon whose story needs to be told.
In conversation with Mohammed Azharuddin:You are 50. Are you excited about a film being made on your life?
I am happy. I was very reluctant and took one year to agree. I realised that people want to know my story. I have gone through a lot of ups and downs and a lot of hardwork. The biggest thing I possess is infinite patience. Once you are patient, things fall in place. During that period of time, I could have said so many things that would have backfired on me. But I didn’t, only due to my patience. At the end of the day, it took a long time but you can’t fight destiny. Whatever is destined to happen will happen. I am excited to see how the film will be made. There are many struggles that I have forgotten, but the film will probably remind me of those. I am a positive person and the story is finally a positive one.
Where do you get your patience from?
My religion. Allah is with people who show patience. If you are down in the dumps, Allah will help you if you have belief. But this is a personal thing between you and him. You can’t fool Allah. I remember after I scored my three 100s in my first match, this photographer saw me praying and wanted to take pictures. I was reluctant, but allowed him to. He came the next day and wanted to take them again as he said that despite him taking so many pictures, his reel was blank.
Why do you always have your collar standing?
I used to always field at silly point or point, where the rays of the sun were always very strong and my neck would burn. So, I started wearing a handkerchief, but it was uncomfortable. I later moved to collar that has now become my style. People like me this way.
What do you consider your strengths?
My strength is my humility. When you are humble, people like you. I feel happy when people tell me, ‘Sir, you should play now also.’ I know I can’t physically. I keep myself fit. Somebody today tells me, ‘Why don’t you go and play in New Zealand?’ They know I can’t play, but it’s their feeling that makes them say that. I have always been strong and never show my emotions. I will be the last person to come and say, ‘Well done.’ Number 8 is an up-and-down number, When you are up, nobody can touch you, but when you are down, everybody pulls you down. Emotionally, I depend only on myself. My strong belief in the Almighty carries me.
What do you think are the qualities the actor who will play you should possess?
He needs to be stylish. People tell me that my game was very stylish. I learnt to be stylish over time. Allah gave me the talent. I showed it on the field. Saif Ali Khan, due to his cricketing background and style, would be my first choice, but Ekta is the boss and will decide.
Do you watch Hindi movies?
My favourite movie is Abhimaan as my favourite actor Mr Amitabh Bachchan was in it. The only time my mum lifted her hand at me was when she caught me listening to Sholay dialogues by the roadside. That is the only time she beat me. Long back, I told Mr Bachchan that, ‘Sir, because of you I got beaten.’ Nobody can touch Mr Bachchan in style.
You never showed your emotion on the field. Have you ever broken down in life?
I broke down only when I lost my grandfather Mir Vajehuddin (nana). I was 21 then and it was November 17, 1984. I debuted a month later on December 31 and made three 100s. Till his last day when he died of a heart attack, I would sleep in between my nana and nani. He was a very pious man, who was a descendent of Prophet Mohammed’s family, so he belonged to his lineage. I can always feel him next to me. At times, I was not even allowed to watch films when I was growing up as he would say, ‘No, this is not your line.’ I would get frustrated. I would tell him, ‘You let everybody go, but don’t let me go.’ And he would say, ‘You will remember me one day.’ Can you imagine that the autograph I sign was taught to me by him. He signed for me and would make me practise it 50-60 times a day. He was a brilliant mathematician, who could count in Arabic and Persian and give the answer in English. He taught me a lot of things. He said, ‘Stay humble as that is the best thing you can possess in life. The day you think you are somebody, you will come down.’ You couldn’t talk to him looking into his eyes, as he had very powerful eyes. He would never look into a camera as he would say that the camera would break if he did so.
He never told me but he told my mother, ‘Don’t tell him but he will become a big cricketer’ My parents too were very supportive of me playing. My father had only one wish that I should score a 100 at the Lords cricket ground, which made him very happy when I did. I would get up at 4.30 in the morning and before going to practice, I would give my grandmother tea. At that time, she would give me her blessings, which were very powerful. I am the eldest son (five younger siblings) and it is my job to play captain even at home. I never show my emotions. When my son passed away, so many times I felt like crying, but then there are so many people behind me, like my parents. If I break down. they will break down and I need to carry them with me. My mother even today keeps telling me, ‘Allah should have taken me.’ It was very tough for them as within a week, they had lost two grandchildren.
Talk about your relationship with Kapil Dev?
Kapil paji is a very nice man. He understands people. He could take anything from my kit bag and so could I. We did not need to ask each other. Usually people don’t give even their broken bats to you. You have to a have a big heart to give. If you give, you get. If you don’t give, you don’t get. I had that rapport with him. I played under him and he played under me. As a captain, I didn’t need to tell him anything as he knew everything exactly what he had to do. I would just give him the ball. I knew he knew his job and if he goes on to the field, he will do his job. I learnt from him. If he is convinced, he will support you. Mr Kamal Morarka and Mr Raj Singh Dungarpur also helped me. I didn’t meet Mr Morarka many times, but at that time he really supported me. He is a nice person who is not scared of anybody. That’s what is most important. He will express what he feels. I never forget people who help me.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Entertainment> Hindi> Bollywood / by Priya Gupta, TNN / January 31st, 2014
India sat up and took notice when this 17-year-old girl from small-town Nizamabad punched her way to the gold medal at the Third Nations Cup International Boxing Tournament in Serbia earlier this month. Meet Nikhat Zareen, who is being hailed as the next Mary Kom for the striking similarities in their sparring styles and has won four medals in just four years of taking up the sport, including gold in the Women’s Junior and Youth World Championship in Turkey in 2011 and silver medals in Bulgaria and Serbia in 2013. The third child of a family of four girls from an orthodox Muslim family, Nikhat tells Siva G of TOI, about the trials and tribulations of taking up a traditionally male-dominated sport and how her goal is to grab a gold in the 2016 Rio Olympics, for which she has changed her weight category from 54 kgs to 51 kgs and is focusing on 2014 championships to make the cut.
How and why did you take up boxing, considered a masculine sport?
Even before taking up boxing, I was an athlete. I won six medals in different athletic events at the school level and also the best sports person award in sixth standard. I decided to switch to boxing after I found that nobody was taking it up in school. When I asked my father why girls don’t participate in boxing, he said girls do not have the strength to fight. That’s when I decided to take up boxing and show the world that girls too can spar just like boys. I started boxing in 2009 and won the best boxer award at the national level the very next year. So far, I have won two gold and silver medals each in international championships. I have now changed my weight category from 54 kgs to 51 kgs, because only three weight categories for women are allowed in the 2016 Olympics.
Did you face any resistance from your family and community?
I am the third of four girl children. My father Jameel Ahmed, a real estate businessman, is my strength. He used to take me for practice on his moped and always stayed behind for practice. My mother, Parveen Sultana, was very upset as she felt that if I received any injuries on my nose, ears or head, nobody will marry me. I told her that if I get name and fame, everything will come to my doorstep and even marriage will not be a problem. She used to cry on seeing my face bleed during practice sessions with boys because there were no girls to fight with. Relatives from my father’s side too raised objections as they felt girls should not join a sport like boxing due to the danger of facial injuries. But nothing has happened to me so far. We wear protective gear while fighting.
Did your decision to take up boxing cause any problems in school or college?
My school friends at Nirmal Hriday used to tease me, saying don’t crack jokes against Nikhat, she will beat you to pulp. I told them that I am a boxer, not a street fighter as I box only in the ring and not on the streets. It was only after I started winning medals in national and international tournaments that they started to appreciate my talent and the fact that a girl from a small place like Nizamabad had made it big. Seeing my success, my relatives and people of Nizamabad are now encouraging girls to take up male dominated sports like boxing. A majority of people in my home town belong to the Muslim community but are now ready to let their daughters take up sports. Unfortunately, we don’t have any facilities in the district to nurture talent. If we have good stadiums with better equipment, girls will shine in sports.
How important is it for girls to learn sports like boxing and karate given the rise in crimes against women? What will you do if somebody tries to tease or molest you on the road?
I will teach them a lesson by beating them black and blue. I won’t spare anybody trying to take advantage of women. Girls face such experiences on the roads every other day, which is why I feel they should learn self-defence techniques or a sport like boxing or karate to develop self confidence and fitness to fight their attackers. Women should be alert on the roads and have the courage to face the odds. The government should also make self-defence compulsory in school and college.
What are your strong and weak points in the game?
Frankly speaking, I don’t know. My coach, Dronacharya awardee I Venkateswara Rao feels I am ready to take any risk in the ring. He feels I am very good at throwing a combination of punches and have a good sense of the game. He tells me that I am a technical boxer but need to improve my strength. I have never been afraid of my opponents. Once I step into the ring, my only aim is to defeat them. I got a chance to improve my game under coach Rao after joining the Sport Authority of India (SAI) hostel in Visakhapatnam in 2012.
Seniors see in you another Mary Kom thanks to your style of boxing. Comments
There may be a few similarities between us but there is a lot that is different too. She is a very experienced boxer, while I am still learning. Her willpower and technique are far greater than mine. She has strived hard for years to reach the top and I wish to reach that position by winning medals for the country. So, please don’t compare with me with Mary Kom at this point.
What is the biggest challenge you are facing now?
In the Serbia championship recently, I fought in the 51kg category for the first time. The quarterfinals and finals were tough as I was up against tough Russian opponents. Losing weight reduced some of the power in my punches but I made up for it with speed and technique. Now, my main focus is on honing my punching power, as competition is tougher in the new weight category. We are training to take on opponents from Russia, China, Bulgaria and Kazakhstan.
What is your next goal?
I wish to bring home a gold medal in the 2016 Olympics. To bag a place in the Indian Olympic team, I am concentrating on the World Championship in Sofia in Bulgaria and Youth Olympics to be held in China this year. This year is very crucial as it is my performance in these two events that will decide whether I get a place in the Indian team.
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Sports> Boxing / TNN / January 20th, 2014
Sri Lankan captain Shashikala Siriwardena’s ploy to bat first and pile up a big total which could put the Indians under pressure backfired terribly as her batswomen failed to contend with the guile of left-arm spinner Gouhar Sultana.
The Hyderabad spinner, who bowled in two spells and finished with astounding figures of 8-4-4-4, spun a web of deceit from which the Sri Lankans failed to extricate themselves and were bowled out for a paltry 76.
The hosts then rode on skipper Mithai Raj’s unbeaten 34 romped to a seven-wicket win with 105 balls to spare to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series at the Dr YSR ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.
Siriwardena, on the eve of the match, had said that they would like to post a 200 plus score if they batted first. The Lankan skipper won the toss and had no hesitation in batting first. But there after it turned out to be nightmare for the Lankan batswomen as they were unable to negotiate the Indian bowling.
Indian pacer and former skipper Jhulan Goswami struck the first blow when she bowled Chamari Atapattu (6) with 13 on the board. Five runs later, Goswami sent back Deepika Rasangika (4) and the Lankans never really recovered from those early blows.
Opener Yasoda Mendis and Siriwardena tried to stem the rot with a 14-run stand for the third wicket – the highest of the Lankan innings – but mediumpacer Niranjana Natarajan trapped Mendis leg before. Mendis, who made 17 off 43 balls (2×4) was the only batswoman to reach double figures.
Gouhar then ran through the middle order. The 25-year-old spinner scalped four wickets to reduce Lankans to 51 for seven. Gouhar, who has played 49 ODIs thus far, recorded her career best figures.
Debutants left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gaikwad (2/11) and offie Sneh Rana (1/7) then ended the Lankan innings.
India, in reply, lost openers Smriti Mandhana (13) and Karuna Jain (6) with 25 on the board. However, Anagha Deshpande and Mithali added 43 for the third wicket to ensure a smooth victory for their side.
Anagha (23; 54b, 2×4) fell at 68 but vice-captain Harmanpreet Kaur (1 no) helped Mithali get the required runs without much ado. Mithali remained unbeaten on 34 off 59 balls with six hits to the fence as India reached 80 for three.
“It was a good win today. I am very happy with the performance of the girls. To begin my stint as a coach with a win is an auspicious beginning,” coach Purnima Rau said.
“Gouhar bowled beautifully and I am thrilled that she recorded her career best performance,” she added.
SCOREBOARD
Sri Lanka: C Atapattu b Goswami 6, Y Mendis lbw Niranjana 17, D Rasangika c Jain b Goswami 4, S Siriwardene c Goswami b Sultana 1, C Polgampola c Kaur b Sultana 1, E Lokusuriyage c Mithali b Sultana 9, D Manodara c Niranjana b Sultana 4, O Ranasinghe lbw Rana 6, S Weerakkody c Rana b Gayakwad 8, U Prabodhani (not out) 3, C Gunaratne c Jain b Gayakwad 6. Extras: (B2, LB1, W7, NB1) 11.
Total: (in 39.3 overs) 76.
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-18, 3-32, 4-34, 5-41, 6-46, 7-51, 8-65, 9-65.
Bowling: J Goswami 8-3-16-2, N Niranajana 10-0-35-1, G Sultana 8-4-4-4, RS Gayakwad 7.3-3-11-2, S Rana 6-4-7-1.
India: K Jain c Weerakkody b Gunaratne 6, S Mandhana c Weerakkody b Siriwardene 13, A Deshpande st Surangika b Ranasinghe 23, M Raj (not out) 34, H Kaur (not out) 1. Extras: (B1, W2) 3.
Total: (for 3 wickets, 32.3 overs) 80.
Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-25, 3-68.
Bowling: U Prabodhani 2-0-7-0, C Gunaratne 10-6-16-1, S Siriwardene 10-3-20-1, C Polgampola 4.3-2-10-0, O Ranasinghe 4-1-15-1, D Rasangika 2-0-11-0.
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad> Jhulan Goswami / by Solomon S Kumar, TNN / January 20th, 2014
