Chandigarh, September 10
The disaster of the Test defeats has been washed away by euphoria over India’s One-day series win in England. But have even serious cricket analysts allowed this euphoria to overpower rational analysis?

Sachin Tendulkar has said that defending champions India would be tough to beat in the World Cup. “India is definitely among the strong contenders for the title. It is a well balanced side and is tough to beat,” Tendulkar said. “It is a versatile ODI team. There is depth in batting and variety in bowling. And the fielding has been brilliant.”

Sunil Gavaskar has said that India have a side good enough to retain the title they won at home in 2011.

Another former captain, Sourav Ganguly, supports this view. “India are placed quite well for the World Cup. They have played some good cricket here in England in the ODIs,” Ganguly said recently. “And as long as they keep playing good cricket and keep winning, they will find the right combination for the World Cup.”

It’s natural for these three to be optimistic about India’s chances — but even a neutral like Ian Chappell believes that India would be among the favourites, along with Australia and South Africa.

Clearly, these experts are unfamiliar with or dismissive of India’s record in Australia and New Zealand in the recent past. Since the start of the 2010s, India have played eight ODIs in Australia, winning 3 and losing 4. They played four matches each against Australia and Sri Lanka. They won only one game against Australia, a very close affair, when MS Dhoni managed to get 13 runs required off the last over. The defeats to Australia were heavy — 110, 87 and 65 runs (D/L method).

In the same period, India have played five ODIs in New Zealand. They won none and lost four. One match was tied. The margins of defeat were 24 runs, 15 runs (D/L method), 7 wickets and 87 runs.

Australia will have bouncy tracks, and the wickets in South Africa are not much different. Since the start of 2010, India have won only two of eight games in South Africa, losing five. The defeats were convincing or huge — 135 runs, 48 runs (D/L method), 33 runs (D/L method), 141 runs and 134 runs. The wins were very close — 1 run and 2 wickets.

India’s recent record on the Australian and New Zealand wickets — and South African wickets, which are similar — isn’t great.

A look at the record of India’s batsmen, who hold the key to India’s performance, would confirm this opinion. All batsmen likely to be part of India’s World Cup squad have very modest records in Australia and New Zealand, except MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli. Kohli’s record in Australia, actually, is misleading, because it’s boosted by his two half-centuries and one century against Sri Lanka. Against tougher bowling attacks on such wickets — say, Mitchell Johnson or Dale Steyn, for instance — it would be a tougher ball game.

The Indian bowlers are not particularly threatening on quick and bouncy tracks — since last December, they have conceded some huge scores: 358/4, 280/6, 301/8, 292/7, 271/7, 314, 280/3 and 303/5 in South Africa and New Zealand. They did better against England recently, conceding 161, 227, 206 and 294/7 in the four ODIs. But it swung and seamed in England, and that would not happen in Australia and New Zealand.

Besides, England aren’t exactly a great ODI side — they never have been, and the current team isn’t even amongst the best they have had. So, beating them has little significance, especially when it comes to picking favourites for the World Cup.

New Delhi, September 10
Indian tennis stars Leander Paes, Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna will skip the Asian Games being held in the South Korean city of Incheon from Sep 19 to Oct 4, to focus on the professional circuit.

The participation of these players had remained a big question mark after top singles player Somdev Devvarman decided to miss the continental Games to focus on getting back into the top-100 in the world.

All India Tennis Association (AITA) president Anil Khanna Wednesday said in a statement that Paes, Mirza and Bopanna's request to give the Asian Games a miss has been granted. They are now free to play Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and Women's Tennis Association (WTA) events which will help them in improving their rankings which will further enable them to take part in the year-ending tour finals.

“In respect of Asian Games, special circumstances have developed where it is necessary for the players to participate in ATP and WTA events to protect their rankings and to give the additional push to qualify for the year-end World Masters,” said Khanna.

“Considering the important requirement of players, the AITA has decided to respect their requests and allow them to play the ATP/WTA tournaments so that they can have a respectable opportunity to represent the nation in the World Championships to be held at the end of the year.” The AITA statement also explained the reasons for the players missing out on the Asiad. “Leander has always been a top-10 player. But his ranking has substantially dropped from 6th to 36th as he could not protect the points won in 2013 US Open where he was the winner. He is required to participate in the remaining three Asian tournaments which coincide with the Asian Games to protect his rankings,” said Khanna.

On Sania, the statement said: “Sania is currently No.7 and she along with her partner Cara Black is in race for the 2014 Championship at Singapore. In case she qualifies it will be a great achievement for an Indian woman sportsperson. Sania wishes to take part in two WTA events in Asia, which are coinciding with the Asian Games as she also has to protect 1,900 points that she had won in 2013.” The statement gave similar reasons for Bopanna. — IANS

Auckland, September 10
Police have warned cricketers that match-fixers will use sex as a weapon during the 2015 World Cup in a bid to lure them into corrupting matches. The International Cricket Council (ICC) officials last week expressed concerns that the World Cup, to be held in Australia and New Zealand in February and March, will be targeted by betting syndicates from around the world.

But Superintendent Sandra Manderson, the police chief for the New Zealand-based section of the event, has told players to be vigilant, warning of “honey traps” set by the syndicates to catch players in compromising positions. “We know they bring in women into the country to fraternise with players,” Manderson told the NZ Herald.

“Afterwards, they'll ask the players to do something and if they refuse they'll say, ‘Well, see these photographs? They will be with your wife, your neighbours, your parents’. “There are millions and millions of dollars at stake in match-fixing.”

Last year, the Champions League Twenty20 tournament banned cheerleaders flown in from Russia and Ukraine over fears they were linked to organised crime syndicates. However, cheerleaders remain a feature of the Indian Premier League despite concerns over them socialising with players.

Match-fixing is set to become a specific crime in New Zealand by the end of the year after a bill passed its first reading in the Parliament with unanimous support in July. Manderson says the new laws will give police “more teeth” to investigate corruption in cricket and all sports. — Agencies

New Delhi, September 10
Those who thought the pain and suffering of the Indian boxers in the wake of the suspension the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) will come to end after the new body is elected — the election for which is being held tomorrow — have disappointment awaiting them.

Even if the AIBA, the parent body of the sport, approves elections and recognises Boxing India, which is a consortium floated by Sandeep Jajodia, CMD of Monnet Ispat Limited, and Udith Seth, the owner of India's World Series of Boxing franchise, the trouble isn't over.

As it is, the allegations are flying thick and fast between the IOA-appointed ad-hoc committee, Boxing India officials and the member associations. Some groups are already threatening to take legal route after the elections.

A miffed Indian Olympic Association (IOA) will not send its observer to the elections as, technically, the IABF is still the IOA-recognised unit.

“AIBA has by-passed the National Olympic Committee and recognised Boxing India. The IOA still recognises IABF and it cannot compromise its autonomy. The ad-hoc committee will run the sport in the country until Boxing India gets affiliation from us. So even after the elections, Boxing India will not be an affiliated unit,” a top IOA official told The Tribune.

The National Sports Development Code, whose validity has been upheld by the Delhi High Court, also makes it difficult for Boxing India to get the affiliation from the Sports Ministry.

“Boxing India is not a registered body under the Societies Registration Act. Secondly, a federation has to be in existence for three years and its annual activity report has to be submitted to the Sports Ministry for three successive years to get the affiliation,” another senior official of the IOA said.

“Thirdly, the total strength of the athletes in the executive body shall not be less than 25 percent of the voting rights, and fourthly, the recognition of NSFs will be dependent upon recognition from the IOA. Boxing India does not fulfil these criteria and this can be challenged in the court even if the Sports Ministry gives affiliation on its own,” the official added.

The IOA has already decided against recognising Boxing India until its General Body Meeting. “Until then, the ad-hoc body will decide on issues relating to boxing in India,” the official said.

“AIBA is taking independent decisions, ignoring the national body. We wanted AIBA to allow us to hold Boxing India elections, but they did not listen to us. It's a prestige issue for us now. It's unethical on the part of AIBA. I don't know why Boxing India is holding the elections when it will not get the recognition,” ad-hoc committee president Tarlochan Singh told The Tribune.

Meanwhile, Jajodia is all set to be elected as president.

Bangalore, September 10
India’s most experienced tennis player Leander Paes believes India have a good chance to beat a depleted Serbia in the Davis Cup World Group play-off tie commencing here on Friday while reiterating that the doubles match could well prove decisive.

Paes feels that the absence of World No.1 Novak Djokovic, Janko Tipsarevic, a former top-10 player who is recovering from a heel surgery, and former No.12 Viktor Troicki, who docked a 18-month ban for doping violation, provided India a good chance to win the tie and regain their spot in the elite 16-team World Group.

“It would have been different had Djokovic, Tipsarevic and Troicki been there but their absence gives us a good chance. The doubles match will be very important. Nenad Zimonjic, who is ranked No.3 in doubles, is a very experienced player and has had a good season with Daniel Nestor,” said Paes here Wednesday.

“Ilija Bozoljac is a wildcard in their team. I have seen some of his matches on YouTube. He and Zimonjic have beaten the Bryan brothers (Bob and Mike, ranked No.1). So, I expect a tough match.”

The 41-year old Paes, who will be partnering Rohan Bopanna in doubles, opined that one of the decisive factors would be playing smart tennis, especially on the big points.

“Davis Cup is not about rankings or who has won the Slams. It is a team game but usually it boils down to recognising the big points and playing smart tennis. As for Rohan, he will have full freedom to play his shots and lead because I feel that's when we can get the best out of him,” said Paes, who last partnered Bopanna in 2012 and prior to that in 2007.

“He is one of the most talented doubles players not to have won a Slam and I am quite excited playing with him. For Bopanna, it will be his home courts and I am sure there will be a packed house cheering for us. We need to ride that wave.” The 34-year-old Bopanna said he was looking forward to playing at home after a long time and expected an “interesting” doubles match Saturday.

“It has been a long time since I played a match here and I am quite excited since the crowd here is very knowledgeable. We will not be taking the Serbian team lightly and will our best tennis. It will be an interesting match,” said Bopanna. — Agencies 

New Delhi, September 10
After weeks of uncertainty, there’s finally some good news coming for sprinter Dutee Chand, who was excluded from the national squad for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games due to high androgen levels in her body.

The career of one of India’s most promising athletes has been saved by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) after it asked the Odisha sprinter to resume training at the SAI Centre of Excellence in Patiala.

Though Dutee would not be available for national and international competitions in the near future, she would be able to keep herself ready for track and field challenges after undergoing treatment to lower her androgen level to the specified range.

Due to excess androgen in her body, Dutee is not eligible to compete in the female category. The Athletic Federation of India (AFI) has provisionally prevented the athlete from taking part in any competition. “I am delighted to join the Patiala centre. I will resume my practice soon,” Dutee told The Tribune after meeting SAI Director General Jiji Thomson at his office on Wednesday.

A SAI official said the sports body has agreed to take up her case with the International Athletic Federation (IAF) and convince the international body that her androgen levels are within the normal female range.

“This means, the androgen level has been created and increased naturally in her body. She does not get competitive advantage from having excess androgen levels,” the official said.

“If the medical department of the IAAF decides against our argument, then she will need to undergo three surgeries in a year to bring her androgen level down. But, that would put her out of action for at least a year.” 

Granada (Spain), September 10
Indian shooters failed to impress on the third day of competitions in the 51st Shooting World Championship as trap ace Manavjit Singh Sandhu missed out on a final berth by a whisker while Rahi Sarnabot and Anisa Sayyed disappointed in women’s 25-m pistol.

Manavjit lost in the shoot-out after managing 23 in the last qualification.

In 25-metre pistol, Rahi proved to be a disappointment, shooting 579 for 21st-place finish, while Anisa finished at 14th with a 581.

Sources close to the National Rifle Association of India claimed that the Indian shooters were made to shift to a different hotel last night due to a strike at the place they were staying in earlier. — PTI

Tashkent, September 10
The women grapplers failed to make their presence felt with Commonwealth Games silver medallist Sakshi Malik (60kg) bowing out of the FILA World Championships in the quarterfinal here today.

Other Indians in the fray today — Priyanka Singh, Pooja Dhanda and Suman Kundu — also crashed out of after losing in the initial rounds of their respective bouts. — PTI

BRIEFLY

Gutta pulls out of Asian Games due to knee injury
New Delhi: Ace Indian women’s doubles player Jwala Gutta has pulled out of the Asian Games after sustaining a sprain in the right knee. Jwala developed a pain in her right knee and decided to consult doctor, who advised her complete rest for the next two weeks, forcing her to miss the Asian Games. “I was feeling a little pain after I started training for the Asian Games following the World Championship but it was okay and my coach also told me it was fine as long as it was bearable but then yesterday I sprained my knee,” said Jwala.

Saina wants Vimal as coach for Asian Games
New Delhi: Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal, who has been training under Vimal Kumar for the last one week, wants the former chief coach to travel to Incheon, Korea with her for the upcoming Asian Games. “Saina has requested BAI to include Vimal Kumar in the list of coaches who would be travelling to Korea for the Asian Games. We have requested the authorities and are awaiting their decision,” said a senior BAI official. “Initially, three coaches — Pullela Gopichand, Madhumita Bisht and Vijaydeep Singh — were supposed to go but now we have included Vimal's name and dropped one sports analyst from the list. An additional coach will help when simultaneous matches of Indian players are held on adjacent courts,” he added.

Punjab to host 60th National School Games
Chandigarh: Punjab education minister Daljit Singh Cheema on Wednesday announced that 60th National School Games in six sporting disciplines will be organised in November. Cheema also said that the games would be organised at Sri Anandpur Sahib and Bathinda. — Agencies