S P O R T S

India’s Tour of Australia Tour match: day 1
Kohli, Rohit shine on rain-hit day

Canberra, December 19 Indian batting stuttered on a rain-marred opening day before Virat Kohli's half century took the visitors to 162 for four against Cricket Australia Chairman's XI in a three-day practice match, here today. Virat Kohli hooks to the boundary against Australian Chairman’s XI in their Tour Match in Canberra on Monday. — AFP No competition with Rohit: Kohli Punters bet on India beating Australia

Greg Chappell is mad: Ganguly
New Delhi, December 19
There was no love lost between Sourav Ganguly and the then India coach Greg Chappell, but the former Indian captain has taken their feud a step further by calling the Australian "mad".

Pillay takes on HI, players
Chandigarh, December 19
Former hockey star Dhanraj Pillay today took potshots at the players who have withdrawn from the World Series Hockey (WSH) tournament even after signing the contract.

Mueller keen on India visit
New Delhi, December 19
German football star Thomas Mueller has said that he was eagerly looking forward to Bayern Munich’s visit to Delhi to play against the Indian team at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on January 10, which will also be the farewell match for Baichung Bhutia from international soccer.

India’s Tour of Australia Tour match: day 1
Kohli, Rohit shine on rain-hit day

Canberra, December 19
Indian batting stuttered on a rain-marred opening day before Virat Kohli's half century took the visitors to 162 for four against Cricket Australia Chairman's XI in a three-day practice match, here today.

Of the 50 overs possible amid rain and gloom at the Manuka Oval, the visitors, after electing to bat, had their last remaining pair of recognised batsmen - Kohli (55) and Rohit Sharma (38) - at the crease.

The 78-run fifth wicket stand between the two had redeemed the situation somewhat for the Indians after losing the top order rather cheaply. This is India's second and final practice game before the Test series against Australia starting December 26.

None of the four batsmen dismissed - opener Virender Sehwag (12), Gautam Gambhir (24), Ajinkya Rahane (15) and VVS Laxman (15) - managed to make an impression eye even though the home attack and the conditions were not overtly hostile.

Left-arm paceman Doug Bollinger was the only bowler of reputation but it was the other bowlers who tested the nerves and technique of the Indians. Virender Sehwag played at tall Peter George towards gully and was brilliantly held low to the ground by Alex Doolan at 20.

Gambhir and Rahane stayed for the next 12 overs to push the score to 51 for one before a fresh spell of rain drove the players indoors. The match later resumed for one over before the umpires considered the light wasn’t good enough for the play to continue, much to the frustration of the players.

Fortunately, the light improved and the game resumed but the Indians found themselves in a hole. Rahane drove wildly at a delivery from left-arm paceman Josh Lalor and was caught by Usman Khawaja in the slips.

Gambhir, who largely played a forgettable knock, edging and missing and even receiving a painful blow on to his fingers, tried to push a delivery from Jason Behrendorff and found his stumps rattled. — PTI

Scoreboard

No competition with Rohit: Kohli

Canberra: Promising middle-order batsman Virat Kohli doesn't see any competition with compatriot Rohit Sharma on the ongoing Australian tour or in near future as he has little doubt that both would be serving the Indian team in the days to come.

"We know in future we are going to play for the team so I don't see any competition in that, it's just a matter of who gets to play when, who gets into that zone and start scoring runs," Kohli said. "I kept being asked this question, there is always competition for a particular spot in the team. You've 2-3 good players waiting to grab the chance."

While Kohli's consistency over the past one year has helped him stake claim for the number six spot, Sharma, after his brilliant batting display against the West Indies recently, is giving the Delhi lad competition.

"We (Rohit and himself) have had some good stands together. It's good for Indian cricket, in future when the situation arises, then we have a better understanding. It's a healthy competition and it's good for the team."

Punters bet on India beating Australia

Melbourne: The bets have been placed and instead of Australia, punters Down Under have picked India as the favourite to win the eagerly-anticipated Test series that gets underway from December 26.

"If you do run into someone who wants to back Australia to win the series, send them on down to their TAB," said TAB Sportsbet's Glenn Munsie. "At first glance, it appeared understandable that Australia drifted from 2.20 dollars favourite to 2.40 dollars equal favourite (draw 4.00 dollars) to beat the number two-ranked Indians after their second Test capitulation to the eighth-ranked New Zealand in Hobart," reported the 'Sydney Morning Herald'.

Munsie said 80 per cent of the bets placed so far have been on an India win, the first time the home team has fallen so much in pecking order. The Australians have won only one series (against South Africa in 2009) against a top-four ranked team since the 2008. "The punter's first instinct is that India, which has a batting line-up that far outstrips the fragile Aussies, should be a raging favourite," the newspaper said.

Greg Chappell is mad: Ganguly

New Delhi, December 19
There was no love lost between Sourav Ganguly and the then India coach Greg Chappell, but the former Indian captain has taken their feud a step further by calling the Australian "mad".

Reacting to reports that Chappell would 'demystify' Sachin Tendulkar and other Indian greats for the Australian bowlers during the upcoming Test series, Ganguly said "this was good news" for the Indian team.

"He has been a selector and also the head of their academy (Australian Centre of Excellence in Brisbane) and he has been thrown out from there as well. When he came to India, it was said that his Australian mindset won't work here but he couldn't work in the Australian set up as well," Ganguly said.

The former India skipper said Chappell has proved to be a failure in every coaching-related assignment he has taken up, which is enough to prove that the fault lies within him.

"People should realise that the problem lies with him, he is the one making mistakes. A person can be wrong once but if he commits the same mistake again and loses his job for that, then that man to me is mad," said Ganguly. "So, I am glad that he is getting attached to the Australian team, it is good news for the Indian team. I am not surprised," he added.

Recalling Chappell's rein, Ganguly said such was the Australian's dominance that the then skipper Rahul Dravid just didn't have the courage to speak up against him.

"Rahul Dravid is the sort of person who wanted everything to be good. He knew that what was happening was wrong but he did not have the guts to revolt and say that it was wrong because after what happened to me during the Zimbabwe tour, any captain would have wanted to maintain peace in the dressing room, which is quite right," said Ganguly.

Ganguly, who was instrumental in getting the Aussie batting great the coach's job (2005-07), came under severe criticism from Chappell in his autobiography in which he was called a "panicker". The Australian said he had refused to be Ganguly's "henchman".

Ganguly said Chappell never really had the welfare of Indian cricket on his mind and was too focussed on implementing his own plans. "You can say that Greg Chappell's foresight and thinking was not cricket-oriented. He came here with a personal vendetta and it didn't work with Indian cricket. His mind used to work in a different way. His rule in life was my way or the highway," he said. — PTI

Pillay takes on HI, players
Deepankar Sharda
Tribune News Service

Dhanraj Pillay at the Hockey Stadium in Chandigarh on Monday. Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

Chandigarh, December 19
Former hockey star Dhanraj Pillay today took potshots at the players who have withdrawn from the World Series Hockey (WSH) tournament even after signing the contract.

In Chandigarh to play an exhibition match to promote the upcoming WSH tournament, the mercurial star was seen condemning the step taken by the players during an interaction at the Sector 42 Sports Complex here.

“There was a time when players used to run for money, now when they are getting it, they themselves are running away. A player should always focus on the game instead of adopting short-cuts to impress officials,” said 43-year old.

Asked about Hockey India (HI), he condemned the efforts made by the association to turn the event into a flop show. He also added that commentators cannot run the federations.

“I don’t think any player can be banned from playing,” he added. “A player must take some stand and he should be good enough to prove his mettle.

“The players were aware of the contract and its conditions so there is no question their pulling after signing the contract. They have just damaged the game,” said Pillay.

On his take on participation in WSH, he added: “I am in regular touch with the game and will give my best in tomorrow’s match. The tournament should not have been postponed. The Premier Hockey League (PHL) has gifted as many as 10 players to the senior team including Sandeep and Shivender and this platform will also produce some players.”

He wished the Indian hockey team the best for the upcoming Olympics qualifiers. “The team has the potential and we all are hoping for a positive result,” he added.

Mueller keen on India visit
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 19
German football star Thomas Mueller has said that he was eagerly looking forward to Bayern Munich’s visit to Delhi to play against the Indian team at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on January 10, which will also be the farewell match for Baichung Bhutia from international soccer.

“I am happy to come back (to India) after the visit to Kolkata and Siliguri in January, 2009,” Mueller was quoted as saying about the India trip of the famed German team. Mueller, winner of the ‘Golden Boot’ at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, is “thrilled” to be leading a clutch of stars from Bayern Munich to play against the Indian team at the Audi Football Summit, the proceeds of which will go to the victims of the Sikkim earthquake.

He was quoted as saying that he was “happy that more and more kids are playing the game in India”. Mueller’s team-mate, striker Mario Gomez said the team was looking forward to the trip.