Indian hockey fortunes inextricably linked to Punjab Police

Sports in India is yet not professional enough to offer a career. Key to sporting success has been inevitably linked to institutions providing support in terms of jobs. Uncertain times like these make the support even more crucial when forces beyond human control have caused a global shut-down of all sporting activity.
And it's nothing new. One of the reasons Punjab emerged as the cradle of Indian hockey is the support that it got from its institutions like police, electricity board and the like. Hark back to 1946 when then Inspector General (equivalent of current Director General) of Punjab Police, Sir John Bennett, had a young Balbir Singh, a promising talent from Lahore's Sikh National College, "arrested" from Delhi and "coerced" into accepting the offer of a post of Assistant Sub-Inspector.
Rest as they say is history! 
Balbir Sr., who bade adieu to the world on May 25, 2020, at the age of 96, went on to win three Olympic gold medals (1948 London, 1952 Helsinki and 1956 Melbourne) is stuff of legends. Five goals in the 6-1 win over the Netherlands in the Helsinki gold medal clash is a record that still stands.
But more importantly, partition saw Balbir move to Ludhiana where he started work as a Punjab Police inspector.
Through the years, Punjab Police has been headed by several hockey loving officers ... Ashwini Kumar, Inder Mohan Mahajan, Kanwar Pal Singh Gill to name a few. The three went on to head the Indian Hockey Federation should hardly be a surprise.
Punjab Police has been at the forefront of Indian hockey. Late Surjit Singh to Pargat Singh to Jugraj Singh have all marshaled the Indian defence and were connected with Punjab Police at one time or another. A list of hockey Olympians from Punjab Police could veritably read like a who's who of the game!
Its almost a given that the best players in the state would join the police force, even though para-military forces did offer options. Little wonder that at least 10 players, including skipper Ajitpal Singh, of the 1975 World Cup winning squad were from Border Security Force, Jalandhar. 
Of late, priorities have changed as police duties get tougher in modern times. But hockey in Punjab still has a close relationship with the police force. Hopefully the police force will once again be at the forefront of the search to regain the lost glory!
The uniform seems to do the trick!

Rushed restart for sports may prove counter-productive

A teensy-weensy virus has left the world as we know it reeling. Nothing is like it was before March, 2020, and is highly likely that life would not be the same as before any time soon.

The world of sports can hardly be any different.

Even though attempts are being made world-wide to get sporting contests back into action, it has to be done with utmost caution. One little slip and everything could come crashing down.

Sports have reluctantly accepted empty arenas as the new standard. But for the show to go on at any level, the competition has to be credible. For that to happen, sports persons need to move around from one place to another but with the threat of a Covid19 infection hanging in the air, it may yet be some time before travel across international borders becomes a reality.

For some sports disciplines like football, it is not so difficult to manage travel within a country. That allows the national league competitions in Europe to kick off, though only Germany has seen any real action so far. France and the Netherlands have already called time on their respective leagues but Spain and England continue to push ahead, albeit with baby steps.
Clubs have started training but are careful to avoid any unnecessary contact among players. Physical conditioning apart, clubs need to be more wary of keeping things "clean" since safe travel becomes a challenge, not just for players and officials but also TV crews. After all, with no end in sight for stadium gates to be opened for spectators, TV remains the only medium to carry the action across to the homes. And TV broadcast involves movement of equipment and crew across from one venue to another, thereby further raising the risks and costs.
USA may be slightly better off since their sports leagues feature mostly home grown talent with even the foreign players making the country their home since the competitions stretch into several months.
International sport, however, is a different story altogether. With a ban on cross border travel, sports like cricket, golf, tennis, badminton, etc. which depend on multi-national participation must wait before they can resume action. Low key competition may just not be as attractive to TV viewers, and hence broadcasting channels, to bring in the revenue that would support the event.
Restart may indeed be the buzzword but caution cannot be thrown to the winds. All it takes is one mis-step to bring everything back to a grinding halt. 
Motto must be ... Better safe than sorry!

IOA officials must avoid washing dirty linen in public

It was brewing for some time. This power tussle between the top functionaries of the Indian Olympic Association ... president Narinder Batra and secretary-general Rajeev Mehta ... has been waiting to happen for quite a while.
Foundations of the rift was laid long ago when Batra, despite laying down office in Hockey India when he stepped up to take stewardship of FIH, remained pretty much hands-on as far as IOA was concerned. His regular interactions with government officials, both in the ministry of youth affairs and sports as well as Sports Authority of India, didn't go down well with Mehta who expected to be running the show even in his second term in office much the same way as he did in his first!
The latest provocation has been the opening of SAI training facilities for sports persons and Batra's enthusiastic backing of the move. Mehta chose to disagree with the IOA president saying the move could jeopardise the health and welfare of elite athletes.
Mehta would do well to remember that IOA is only an apex body with little or no control over the day to day functioning of various sports. It is within the purview of IOA to interact with the MYAS and SAI as far as training and other related facilities are made available to country's top sports persons but beyond that it is best left to the experts in each field.
Batra, quite smartly, used his presence in Delhi through the Covid19 pandemic to take charge of the co-ordination with government bodies, leaving the secretary-general fuming since Mehta felt it was his role being usurped by the president.
Be that as it may, the public utterances by both officials does not help the cause of sports. After all it is for the benefit of sports that officials must perform and when they begin to disagree over petty issues, things do not augur well. 
Opening training facilities for sports persons is a move in the right direction as society hits the restart button, albeit with great care. SAI on its own has laid down a Standard Operating Procedure for all training facilities though it may not be all encompassing but at least a start has been made.
Individual athlete has the choice to utilise an SAI training facility or be on his/her own depending upon the level of comfort. But top IOA functionaries arguing about such affairs is hardly a solution that Indian sports needs in such unprecedented times.
What has emerged from the rather unsavoury public exchange is a fight for supremacy that could have been easily avoided. Even now its not too late to stop washing dirty linen in public!
It will only hurt IOA and Indian sport!

Too early to push Ganguly into ICC

First it was Englishman David Gower. Now former South Africa captain Graeme Smith, who runs cricket affairs in his home country, is rooting for former Indian captain Sourav Gnaguly to take over as chairman of the International Cricket Council when incumbent Shashank Manohar's term ends in June, 2020.
Ganguly has had a safe run so far both as president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India alongside his responsibilities as head of Cricket Association of Bengal. No doubt, Ganguly has been making the right moves in his twin administrative positions but stepping up to the ICC may leave him a bit exposed as the responsibility needs a vast amount of experience in juggling both the interests of affiliated boards and players.
It's a proven fact that Ganguly has managed to steer the ship in most difficult times. His being catapulted into Team India's leadership is just a case in point. Global cricket was going through an upheaval following the match-fixing saga. But the then fondly called "Prince of Kolkata" was up to the challenge and put Indian cricket back on the right track.
Cricket in India has never looked back since and with Ganguly taking over the CAB top post it was only a matter of time he moved into the BCCI. That it happened much sooner than even he would have anticipated is evidence of the confidence he enjoys in the cricket fraternity.
The same confidence now draws the call for him to guide ICC through the unprecedented crisis that the world of sport as a whole finds itself in. But ICC may yet be uncharted territory for the stylish left-handed batsman as he continues to consolidate his grip on Indian cricket affairs. 
More than money, its the safe restart of cricket that Ganguly must negotiate at present. Suspension of the hugely popular and financially lucrative Indian Premier League is only part of the challenge. Getting the players back on the field of play without putting their physical well-being into jeopardy would prove a major headache for even the most experienced of men.
For one, Ganguly has shown right from his playing days that he is not one to shy away from a battle. But cricket administration needs him to also work as a diplomat, balancing interests of different nations at every level. Members countries, both at the Test level as well as associates, each present a different need which the ICC must look into as it moves through an uncertain future.
India, without a doubt, has to provide the leadership for international cricket to be put back on track. But it may be too early to hand the ICC mantle to Ganguly for now. Experienced administrator that Manohar is, he deserves to be allowed to remain in his post through the current turbulence. The man has had a pretty smooth run so far and there's little doubt about his ability to govern. Other international sports bodies, like field hockey, have already done away with elections scheduled for 2020.
Ganguly and India would be better served if the present BCCI president is allowed more time to learn the ropes at the highest levels of sports administration. As BCCI president he already has a major contribution in ICC affairs
Best to let the man himself decide when he wishes to step up to the plate!

Cricket's survival cannot be tied to IPL season

The Indian Premier League, since its 2008 launch, has become the richest cricket tournament in the world. Without doubt IPL has provided many a player the platform for global recognition while churning out loads of cash for not just hosts Board of Control for Cricket in India and its partners but other national boards as well.
Financial implications of a "no show" may be pretty big but it cannot be expected to threaten the very survival of the game, as one former senior IPL official opined.
Former IPL head honcho Sunder Raman has gone on record to say that world cricket's very survival could be threatened if the tournament is not held during 2020!
Not really true, though this year's IPL was scheduled for a March-end start and hence nearly all commercial commitments would have already been wrapped up. But with no IPL due to the worldwide Covid19 pandemic, there is little chance that the money would be paid at all. In fact, some partners may want a refund on their advance as the economy reels under weeks of forced closure.
Without a doubt everyone associated with IPL ... from BCCI and franchises to players, officials, trainers, ground staff, stadium managements, host associations, hospitality and travel ... stands to suffer a big loss. Many might not even make it through, pretty much like the airlines and tourism industry.
However, cricket boards are not solely dependent on IPL revenue for survival. Even before 2008 there was plenty of cricket played around the world but yes its valuation was not as high as it became post the IPL marketing blitz.
BCCI, for one, certainly has enough reserves to see it through the pandemic. It has already announced its intention to not enforce a pay cut on its contracted players.
Others may not be as fortunate but to see their survival itself tied to the staging of the IPL may be a bit of an over-reach. The tournament does generate money like nothing before but most of the benefits accrue to the players, both home and abroad. 
Most likely, foreign boards would not be losing sleep over the IPL suspension. More worrisome for them would be sword dangling over the ICC World T20 scheduled for later in the year. 
There is indeed intense lobbying to replace the ICC event itself with the IPL. Actually not a bad idea as far as India is concerned. With international travel still in limbo, everything is up in the air.
But will the ICC oblige? Only time will tell ...

Biased selection has curtailed many a promising sports career

India's cricket captain Virat Kohli in a social media interaction with his football opposite number Sunil Chhetri made a frank admission about the malaise that affects sports right across the board. Corruption in selection can mar many a deserving talent and has been happening without fail not only in India but across the world.
Kohli's late father was asked to provide that "little extra" to ensure his selection in the Delhi age group squad. Virat Kohli may now be considered the best batsmen in the world apart from being touted as a players' captain, but a couple of more selection disappointments early in life could well have killed his passion for the game.
That he fought his way through to captain India from the under-19 to the senior squad is proof of not only his prodigious talent but also his steely determination to go all the way to top!
One recalls a youthful Kohli, fresh from under-19 success, biding his time in the 2009 Champions Trophy in South Africa and grabbing his chance with both hands once Yuvraj Singh was injured.
But he had traveled thus far despite the Delhi selection matters going against him early makes him an exception rather than the rule.
Selection committees, across all sports, are well known for their sharp likes and dislikes. Government has tried to put a balanced structure in place with its own nominees through various routes for national selection committees but down the line its still not so transparent. Performance evaluation is what a selection committee is expected to do and are considered the most competent to do the job. The moment other considerations come into play, bias is bound to set in and fairness is tossed out of the window.
This global pandemic has given the world of sport to pause and re-calibrate. Those that can set their house in order will continue to flourish. If not, a definite slide awaits! 
Kohli's remarks should serve as an eye-opener of how deep this malaise is.Time is ripe to stem the rot!

Strict protocols needed to open sports complexes

The government of India has finally declared it's intention to keep sports complexes out of its list of restricted activities. Great news for both sports persons as well as sports enthusiasts, though there is a clear bar on entry of spectators. But it does raise hopes of sporting competitions beaming into homes rather than a complete blank!
India, though, is the second most populous country in the world. The sheer size of its citizenry makes its bigger in size than entire Europe put together. It also brings along with it unique advantages and challenges.
The biggest hurdle for sports arenas is to regulate entry and keep a strict vigil on those permitted to use the facilities to prevent any spread of the dreaded Covid19 virus. A strict security and screening protocol needs to be put in place to prevent any kind of outbreak of the virus which so abruptly caused a global shutdown like never before!
Its a brave new world that will step out and it must realise that restrictions need to be placed judiciously so as not to put unnecessary curbs on the training regimens of top level sports persons and yet ensuring their safety from the pandemic.
Easier said than done, but professionals need to be consulted before the doors are thrown open. Sports training, by its very nature, is all about physical and mental preparation. Sweat and toil are routine so safety measures need to take that into account.
As the good old saying goes, its horses for courses! 
Staggered training times for different sports disciplines along with time-limit blocks for use of gyms and spas which are more susceptible to viral spread. More than the sports persons, it is going to be a learning curve for coaches and trainers as the regimens will need to be tailored to fit into the new restrictions that will allow for a safe environment for all.
The problem of Covid19 isn't going anywhere in a hurry. The quicker people learn to come to terms with restrictions to keep the viral infection at bay the better opportunities could be there for all. After all there are no national or international competitions round the corner. It allows competitors to ease into their revised training methods and schedules to achieve best results.
Watchword is ... Safety First!

Football steals a march with Bundesliga kick-off

The beautiful game has once again stolen a march on the world of sports. Recovering from the forced shutdown of the earth, the Germans decided to take on the Covid19 virus head-on and ordered a re-start of the Bundesliga.
What seemed impossible only a few weeks ago, has been done, albeit due to economic necessities. DFL, who run the German football league, took the bold step to successfully negotiate the dangerous route of holding games in empty stadia. That television viewing around the world went through the roof should come as no surprise when sports lovers have been denied Live action for more than 10 weeks now!
Cavernous 80,000-seater stadium in Dortmund reverberated as Borussia Dortmund took on neighbours Schalke 04 in the hotly contested riviera derby. But the ghostly quiet that accompanied the game, which would have otherwise found the venue bursting at the seams, adds an altogether new chapter in sporting competitions.
Doing it for TV has long been the watchword in US sports, with every league schedule tailored to suit audience tastes! But for Europe and football, much like the rest of the world including USA, this was an entirely new experience. DFL walked into the unknown and seems to have made a sound start. After all it was a whopping 300 million euros at stake. That's the kind of money DFL stood to lose if the league was not completed as part of the rights holder agreement with TV channels.
Its a brave new world that sport has walked into. 
There were, without doubt, hiccups along the way as well. One club, struggling to avoid relegation, lost services of its newly appointed coach, the man denied his debut only because he broke quarantine rules to step out and buy a tube of toothpaste.
That may have been the exception but it was enforced without any sympathy is evidence to the German steely determination to tide over this global crisis as only they can. Germans have, without doubt, taken the lead and the sporting world now has the brave new moves of the DFL (not DFB, the German federation) to thank for showing them the way.
Sports no longer need to remain in limbo! Heil DFL!!!

Up to cricketers after BCCI shows the way with no pay cuts

Sports, along with entertainment and tourism, has been among the worst hit sectors by the worldwide pandemic with no end in sight yet. The global lock-down shut the doors on sporting contests leaving even the richest of institutions vulnerable.
Despite the economic difficulties created by the unprecedented closures, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has decided to stand by its players, not enforcing any pay-cuts to those holding annual contracts. Each players stands to earn seven and eight figure retainers whether they see any cricketing action or not.
Obviously it protects the players from taking a financial hit, though the fatter pay cheques from the Indian Premier League are good as gone. That leaves the fringe players in a bit of a tizzy but something completely beyond human control at the present moment.
Apart from the players themselves, there is an entire army of people whose livelihood is directly related to the conduct of cricket. Groundsmen must mow the grass and look after the pitches. Various other facilities need to be maintained in the practice and match areas for players as well as the spectator areas in readiness for sporting action to resume, however long it may take for the restarts.
Though cricket with packed stadia may not happen any time soon, the salaries need to be paid. And state associations on their own are hardly in a position to honour such commitments without generous contributions from the BCCI. Not that the board has been found wanting in loosening the purse strings, but more needs to be done when income has run completely dry.
Here is where the contracted players can pitch in big time!
The Indian Cricketers Association, led by former Test batsman Ashok Malhotra, has launched a fund to help former and current members in these troubled times. BCCI has made a fair contribution as have several former players! Current players too should not be holding back to help their less fortunate brethren. 
In such critical moments, as the old saying goes, every rupee counts!

Reassignment of 61 Cav could signal end of equestrian sport in India

Riders mounted on perfectly groomed horses make for a pretty picture anywhere in the world. That perhaps would be the reason why cavalry has been such an integral part of ceremonies all over the globe. Ceremonies apart, horse riding in itself is not for a faint-hearted. And when it comes to competitive riding, 61 Cavalry has few parallels, being the only horse-mounted regiment in the world.
Raised in 1953 with riders drawn from various princely states of the time, the 211-strong 61 Cavalry continues to be the nursery for equestrian sports in India. All Asian Games medals in equestrian right from 1982 (3 gold, a silver and a bronze) to 2018 (Fouaad Mirza) have all been connected with the regiment in one way or another!
While the 1982 gold medalists Dfr Raghubir Singh and Col Rupinder Singh Brar (later commandant) both served with 61 Cavalry, Mirza's grandfather was a part of the regiment and as a youngster the Jakarta silver medalist earned his spurs on cavalry mounts!
Besides there are innumerable horse polo players connected with the regiment. The 1995 world polo championship (14-goal) finals in St Moritz, Switzerland, saw India's maiden appearance led by then 61 Cavalry commandant, Col Kuldeep Singh Garcha, an Arjuna Awardee for horse polo. That the team comprised of mainly players drawn from 61 Cavalry pedigree is hardly a surprise.
Col Jagdeep Singh Virk went on to later command 61 Cavalry, Col Bhawani Singh served 61 Cavalry before he commanded the prestigious President's Bodyguards (PBG) while the Godara brothers Manupal and Dhruvpal, honed their riding skills during their father Lt Col Udai Pal Singh Godara's tenure in the regiment where he was second-in-command  to Col Garcha before retirement.
Present national polo coach Uday Kalaan also has his father Lt. Col Raj Kalaan's connect with PBG and 61 Cavalry, which he commanded before retirement, to thank for his love for riding.
With so much of history and tradition tied to one single regiment, it is quite surprising that the Army headquarters is seriously considering replacing the horses with tanks. Given that the Jaipur based 61 Cavalry is indeed part of the Armoured Corps, its three squadrons are split between Delhi and the Rajasthan captial, which is steeped in polo history apart from other things.
The 100-acre campus for 61 Cavalry, complete with stables, was in fact donated by then Maharaja of Jaipur, Col Sawai Man Singh, himself a keen rider and polo player. The Maharaja led a crack team that included one of the finest polo players ever - Rao Raja Hanut Singh - on an all conquering tour of Europe and England in 1920s is part of polo folklore.
Even though the top handicapped (10-goal) players ever in India - Gen Chanda Singh and Gen Jaswant Singh - belonged to Patiala, Rajasthan has been the traditional torch-bearer for horse polo in the country. That no Rajasthan player ever went beyond nine goals was in deference to the royalty. Sawai Man Singh was rated a 9-goaler and that magical number was not to be breached at least during his lifetime.
That apart, 61 Cavalry is India's last remaining connect to the famous 1918 Battle of Haifa (now in Israel) which involved the riders from Hyderabad, Jodhpur and Mysore. The regiment continues to celebrate September 23 as Haifa Day, made immortal in New Delhi by the statues of the three lancers at the famous Teen Murti roundabout.
Armoured regiments still proudly carry names like Poona Horse and Deccan Horse, evidence of their mounted pedigree which in due course was replaced by the noisy metal monsters of today.
To keep history and tradition alive, it is important that 61 Cavalry remains untouched even as it continues to be the unique supply line for equestrian sports in India. Or else, riding into the sunset may be what the future could bring!

Cricket now needs Test matches more than ever

Not so long ago, many epitaphs were penned announcing the death of Test match cricket. The game was said to have moved on with shorter formats gaining far better traction with people. So true! Only it is proving to be as long-lasting as attraction to instant coffee or, better still, fast food!
Sport is all about celebrating superlative performance! Its a celebration of better skills, both physical and mental, than the average human can be expected to possess! That is the reason why champions are placed on a pedestal to be admired and their achievements serve as challenges to the rest of the world.
That's exactly what Test matches are to the game of cricket. The crucible where talent is ground to perfection and performances scanned under microscopes as player after player displays his talent. Test cricket, now played over five days, is the true examination of all that international sporting competition requires ... fitness, skill and stamina (both physical as well as mental).
Shorter formats appear more spectacular and may seem to be more marketable but that is like picking a burger over a traditional masala dosa!
Over limit cricket may pack the action into a shorter span of time but the skills and mental toughness required for these slam-bang contests must be honed through long hours on the field. And the grind can only come through Test match cricket.
There haven't been many players who made a stunning arrival through the limited overs game but hung around long enough to achieve legend status. The short game also gives players short careers as they lack the maturity of technique and temperament for the long haul. Within a few seasons such players are jaded and fade away, sinking without a trace.
The advent of 20-over leagues has thrown up plenty of overnight stars but come the dawn, few seem to be fit for repeating the performances game after game, night after night! Stroke play may have got creative but when its crunch time, the correctness of pure cricketing technique is what wins the bigger battles.
Without the staying power needed to play Test match cricket, batting through full 20 overs appears a burden when Tests could require batsmen to go through more than a full day at the crease. Same goes for bowlers and fielders. Sending down a maximum of certain number of overs leaves the bowlers with no room for experiment and makes them more automatons than creative artistes. Fielding is a chore that players may loathe but when its a battle for survival, Tests push the limits of human endurance.
Of late, Test match cricket may have lost a fair bit of its sheen but the responsibility rests squarely on Australia, England and India to show the way and rekindle interest, as suggested by former Australian captain Greg Chappell. If these big three cannot do it, the game of cricket may suffer ... making it different only in patches from the far more popular baseball.
Hitting the ball out of the park is the highlight of both sports. But that's where the  similarity should end. And for that to happen cricket needs youngsters to be hooked on to Test match cricket for a sound foundation. Else cricket may soon be be robbed of the special display of skill that attracts the fans!

If cricket must bow down, other sports don't stand a chance

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has come out with a list of 54 approved national sports federations, keeping several out of its purview. Strict enforcement of the national sports code of 2011 has resulted in this fate for various sports bodies as they struggle to meet the tough requirements as well as other administrative reforms envisaged in the code.
Board of Control for Cricket in India resisted for long coming under the scrutiny of the National Anti-Doping Agency, the affiliated body of WADA, which was long accepted by ICC. That BCCI had little choice but to fall in line is ample evidence that the mandarins of sports ministry will not hesitate to crack the whip against erring federations.
Cricket not just happens to be the richest sports federation in the country but also has its independent resources like stadia and other facilities. Yet BCCI must still seek government approval when it comes to matters related to foreign exchange. That appears to be the tipping point for BCCI which knew its resistance was meaningless since it must obtain clearance from Reserve Bank of India for every such transaction.
Government approval is key for all sports since their participation in competitions abroad is dependent upon it. Training facilities also belong to the government, run through its implementation arm, the Sports Authority of India.
Payment of salaries for coaches, both foreign and home-grown, as well as permanent staff of almost all sports federations is dependent on government grants. And these come with the rider that the sports code must be accepted and followed in letter and spirit.
One of the biggest bones of contention is the fixed tenure for elected federation officials. 
Horse polo seems to be one of the sports to have successfully avoided censure by having ex-officio president and secretary. The Chief of Army Staff heads IPA and commandant of the world's only mounted regiment, the 61st Cavalry, serves as secretary general. Terms are solely dependent on the length of service in the official positions!
People in power, used to running the federations like personal fiefdoms, are reluctant to let go but now seem to have reached the end of the rope as the sports ministry hardens its stance.
The ministry's offer of appointing paid chief executives, whose complete cost would be borne by the government, has only added to the misery of federations. The move ensures that government has a say in all affairs, including selection, training and participation in competitions abroad. 
To maintain their "autonomy", several federations tried in vain to assert themselves through international body diktats but all came a cropper. Now with the sports ministry not willing to relent, may be the time has come for Indian sports to start working with the government. After all the government picks up the tab!

Leg before laws could do with a shake-up

Leg before wicket is one of the most contentious dismissals in the game of cricket. One side always feels let down because so much depends upon the "opinion of the umpire"! And the advent of technological gadgets like ball tracking and virtual imagery has made an umpire's job already tough enough without having to rely on his personal judgement to give a verdict which then would be dissected from all angles for correctness as well as fairness!
A recent suggestion by former Australian captain Ian Chappell to completely overhaul the LBW laws does make a lot of sense and is definitely worth a serious look by the MCC, guardians of the laws of cricket, as well as ICC.
Chappell wants the point of impact, spot where ball landed and whether a stroke was attempted or not ... all done away with. He says the only thing that should matter is whether the delivery was going on to hit the stumps or not. 
He does have a point. His fellow Australian Shane Warne's much celebrated "ball of 20th century" that clattered into then England captain Mike Gatting's stumps around his legs would have come to nought if the batsman's pad had got involved. The ball certainly pitched outside leg, ruling out even an appeal for a leg before dismissal.
Interestingly if Gatting had chosen to play the reverse sweep and still missed but ball hit his pads, the decision would have still gone in his favour even though he had deliberately changed his stance. Bowler must inform the umpire, who in turn tells the batsman, whether its left or right arm and if its going to be over or around the stumps! Its sacrosanct and can only be changed after informing the umpire all over again.
The extra protection against LBWs was added for the batsmen who had to play on uncovered wickets where the ball did plenty. But in these days of covered wickets and neutral umpires, the additional safety features appear to be putting bowlers in a strait-jacket, being denied the option of a fully legitimate angle of attack.
Bat should be the only implement that a batsman can legitimately use. Pads and other pieces of protective gear are just that ... to safeguard a player from incurring physical harm through impact by a cricket ball. Pads can never be allowed as defence, something that is almost the norm when facing leg spinners trying to turn the ball back into the batsman!
It needs a quick eye and smart footwork to change the line of attack or defence, as the case may be. It's only fair that the bowler who can give the ball enough of a tweak to bring it crashing back into the stumps deserves a better deal.
Change would make batsmen wary of padding up to deliveries and make them bolder with their stroke-play.
Game of cricket is all about scoring runs but giving bowlers a fair chance will make the contest between bat and ball more interesting!

Sourav Ganguly could still head BCCI till 2024

Unusual times call for unusual actions. Some of them can prove rather beneficial, as may be the case with the Board of Control for Cricket in India which may see former national team captain Sourav Ganguly's current tenure as president extended till 2024.
Among the reforms mooted by the Supreme Court appointed committee to look into the BCCI affairs was the mandatory one year cooling off period after two successive tenures in office in either state association or the board itself. That would see Ganguly complete six years as head of the Cricket Association of Bengal in September and push him into the "cooler" barely 10 months into his term as BCCI supremo.
Now with the Covid19 pandemic having thrown normal life totally out of kilt, the SC may have little option but to take a lenient view. The December 2019 resolution of the BCCI annual general meeting chooses to treat tenures in states and the board as separate without one affecting the other. Obviously with SC approval awaited, BCCI and Ganguly can do little but wait.
Closures due to pandemic may have answered the tenure question for BCCI as holding an AGM in September or for that matter till the end of the current year may not be practical. And for the sake of continuity, the highest court of the land would do well to allow Ganguly to stay in office for the maximum five years as BCCI boss.
A precedent has already come from international hockey where the FIH deferred its October 28, 2020, congress by a whole year thereby granting a 12-month extension to incumbent Narinder Dhruv Batra and the entire executive board. 
It may be argued that it is too early to take such an important decision. But leaving it late will help none, least of all the game of cricket.
The entire cricket world is looking at the richest national board to show the way out of the present crisis. Ganguly, has been decisive in leading BCCI in these uncertain times, very much like the leader he emerged when handed the reins of Team India, again in rather troubled circumstances!
At least BCCI has indicated to the SC that it hopes to keep Ganguly at the helm. Learned judges will take the final call ... and hopefully allow the Bengal Tiger full five years as BCCI top man.

FIFA gets proactive as football shows the way

Football has taken the first tentative steps towards getting things back on track. Matches in the Korean league started behind locked doors and the international governing body FIFA has been quick to announce rule changes to better accommodate the new circumstances.
FIFA has allowed five substitutes per game instead of the previous three but allowing them to be made only on three opportunities apart from half-time to minimise stoppages in a game. If both teams make a substitution each at the same time, each uses up an opportunity, says the new rule applicable only to competitions scheduled to end in 2020.
The governing body, however, has been silent on the more divisive and potentially dangerous issue of spitting, a common sight in football. An advisory is expected in this regard but how effective will that be can only be gauged after more action unfolds. With so much physical effort being given on the pitch, a spit may be a small issue since all present would have been medically cleared beforehand.
Nothing surprising though about the changes announced by FIFA but the speed with which the proactive decision was taken is a miracle indeed. The International Football Association Board is required to approve all rule changes and it did just that within an extremely short span of time shows that powers that be are fully aware, and concerned, about the damaging effects of long-term closure.
The IFAB comprises England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland football associations apart from FIFA, which represents the rest of the world. 
German Bundesliga faced a prospective loss of about 300 million euros, while Spanish La Liga is looking at an even bigger financial hit. UEFA too pushed its case well and has requested member nations to wrap up their domestic fixtures by July so that the prestigious Champions League can be completed by August 29. England's Premier League can't be kept in suspension for long though it may be tougher to restart the Italian Serie A after almost half a dozen players and staff from one leading club tested positive for the dreaded Covid-19 virus a few days ago.
All this, however, is subject to very tight health controls and, quite expectedly, scrutiny at every level is bound to be tough! Any mis-step could bring all the effort to nought even though TV companies at the moment appear upbeat at the prospect of getting back to Live sports coverage!
The world watches with bated breath as football shows the way. If successful, other sports would be quick to follow!

Amateur boxing in turmoil as AIBA struggles to stay relevant

The world of boxing is quite used to controversies. But the latest spat between the international amateur boxing federation AIBA and the Boxing Federation of India certainly appears to be bullying tactics by the former as it struggles to stay relevant.
With professional boxing already cornering much of the glory, amateur fights have been relegated to a status of nurseries. The only highlight that AIBA had under its wings was the Olympic medals every four years. But after repeated warnings and suggestions by the International Olympic Committee were ignored, even that was taken out of its grasp quite along expected lines.
The much-vaunted World Boxing Championships lost a fair mount of sheen when the IOC withdrew its qualifying status. Till the 2016 Rio Olympics, all four medals winners of the previous year's world championships were automatic qualifiers for the quadrennial games. But with AIBA not willing to accept suggestions by IOC, particularly with regards how bouts were adjudicated, it was no surprise that the Olympic bosses chose to drop the bomb.
AIBA insisted on continuing with its closed judging of bouts, quite unlike to very successful experience of the 2008 Beijing Olympics where points earned by each boxer were put on public display outside the arena! AIBA's argument that scores inevitably reached the contestants taking the fight out of the bouts did not really wash with IOC who insisted on transparency.
Not just the Olympic qualifying, IOC also took away the AIBA's right to conduct the competition like other international sports federations. That means IOC would now appoint the ring-side jury members, crucial to closely contested bouts as is expected in Olympics, apart from the ring officials.
That took the wind out of AIBA sails and its prime mover, the world championships was considerably devalued.
Indian boxing officialdom, still struggling to find their feet after the fracas that led to the disbanding of the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF), just found itself in the wrong place at the wrong time. AIBA wants to be tell the world who is Boss and cracking the whip at BFI is its way of doing it. Slapping a half-a-million-dollar fine on top of unclaimed dues takes the total money owed by BFI close to a million dollars! Nearly a third of that is money owed from the 2018 women's world championships in New Delhi.
BFI was still granted the hosting rights to the 2021 men's world championships, which has now been moved to Serbia for non-payment of the first installment of the bidding fees. The fees were due on December 1, 2019, long before the Covid-19 pandemic shut down most of the world. Obviously BFI's explanation about disruption of banking operations is an afterthought. The AIBA world championships no longer carried the same value following the IOC sanction.
Sadly, BFI and AIBA appear to be on collision course which would once again put participation of Indian pugilists in international competitions in jeopardy, as had happened not so long ago. Boxers admit its just not the same feeling fighting under the IOC flag rather than the national symbol!
With a forced suspension of all sporting activities, AIBA and BFI have time to mend fences before things reach breaking point. Already the credibility of amateur boxing has taken a huge hit with the Olympic Games taken out of its purview. About time AIBA got its house in order!

BCCI needs to take charge of Delhi cricket

Delhi plays a key role in any sphere, and Indian sports can hardly be different. The national capital enjoys the unique distinction of not only providing Team India with a long line of cricketing legends but also has the pride of place as one of the oldest Test venues in the country.

Board of Control for Cricket in India has, for long, adopted a rather liberal attitude when it comes to its relationship with the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association. But now it's decision to with-hold funds that it annually disburses to member associations shows that the BCCI mandarins have had enough!

The willingness to take action against a member that has been able to get away with cocking the snook at BCCI time and again shows the stomach for a fight. Remember DDCA has been run like a fiefdom for decades going back to the all-powerful Mehras! Then came the political backing to continue running affairs of Delhi cricket in a rather clandestine manner.

Finally BCCI under Sourav Ganguly seems to be ready to call the bluff!

DDCA has been without a president for a few months now. The secretary was reported to be in jail in a neighbouring state for a complaint about financial irregularities in his private business enterprise. Cases of corruption and nepotism are pending in courts of law against various other DDCA officials as well.

And the all-powerful sports secretary is neither seen nor heard!

First things first, BCCI must insist that DDCA separate the club affairs from cricket. Elections need to be held without the much-misused proxy-system of voting which appears to be the root cause of the malaise that Delhi cricket finds itself in.

The revamped stadium at Ferozeshah Kotla has not been granted a completion certificate despite it being completed more than a decade ago. Sanctioned plans were violated with impunity without any penal action from the municipal authorities, thanks to the political backing that DDCA enjoyed. But slowly that seems to be on the wane and an entire block has been sealed for two years plus for violation of building laws. The media and commentary boxes above the sight screen next to the historic WIllingdon Pavilion has been declared illegal though it still continues to be put to limited use during international as well as IPL fixtures.

Time has come to take stock of DDCA and put the house in order.

DDCA club members can elect their own team to look the bar and card-room affairs. It's the cricket clubs that play in the several tiered leagues that must be given control for starters. Add to that mix the former internationals and first class players who have turned out for Delhi.

It remains to be seen if BCCI is serious about revamping DDCA or is it merely posturing before the upcoming Board elections!

Cricket needs smart play not a smart ball

ICC's suggestion to outlaw use of natural body secretions (sweat and saliva) to shine the cricket ball has opened the proverbial Pandora's box!
Latest to join the discussion is Australian leg spin legend Shane Warne! He was an innovator if nothing else, using the revolutions on the cricket ball to make it talk! Now he suggests making the ball weighted ... heavier on one side of the seam (sutures) that keep the two pieces of the leather half-globes together!
For the uninitiated, weighting the ball makes it move very differently in the air than simple laws of physics (wind tunnel effect) would suggest. This is where the art of bowling acquires a finesse!
Sowing seeds of doubt in the mind of batsmen is the first objective of a bowler. That done, 75 per cent of the job is over. Remaining depends on the skills of the player(s) in question. Can the bowler breach the defence or will the batsman's innate skill keep him out of trouble?
The idea of a weighted ball has its roots in the "science" of reverse swing!
Laws of motion suggest that any surface with lesser resistance tend to move faster than that providing great friction! So a normal cricket ball tends to swing away from the shiny side if delivered with an upright seam. Reverse swing happens when the uneven distribution of weight of the ball makes it swing towards the shiny (weighted) side, taking batsmen by surprise!
Getting the ball ready for reverse swing is part of the responsibility of the fielding side while keeping all such efforts hidden from the eagle eyed umpires as well as the probing cameras!
For spinners too the slightly older ball with sheen on one side makes sense as it allows drift in the air, depending upon the revolutions imparted! Drift takes the spinners' delivery away from the direction in which the ball is being turned. Warne was a master of the craft as were some of the spin legends like EAS Prasanna and Bishan Bedi.
If the ball is off-balance right from the start, the element of surprise is taken away and batsmen will be able to easily read after a couple of deliveries what is being sent down! 
A bowler's life is tough enough as it is without making it more difficult by these new-fangled innovations that will make cricket even more a batsman's game!

To play or not to play, that is the question

Life has been put in suspended animation since mid-March 2020 when the worldwide pandemic literally blew up in the face of humanity!
Sports, as much of life, went into forced hibernation. The first big casualty, of course, was the Olympic Games in Tokyo which has been rescheduled for a 23rd July, 2021, start though there is no absolute certainty even about that! Neither is there any sanctity to the new 11 June, 2021, revised schedule for the European football championships.
While Wimbledon tennis cancelled 2020, French Open is hoping for a September staging on the Roland Garros clay!
But much depends on the development in the field of medicine and science, both way beyond human control.
One of the options that sports administrators have been mulling over is holding games with gates closed. It has been done ... as a punitive measure against erring hosts, especially in football. But doing it all over the world may just take the needle out of the competitive edge that sports bring to any contest. After all sports people are only human, albeit with vastly superior skills than the average person. But to perform before empty seats may just take the bite out of the high that a roar of a full stadium would bring.
Then there is always the danger of the virus spreading through close physical contact that most sports require!
Added to that is the prospect of costs if TV is going to be the only source of revenue. Someone needs to be paying for moving all the equipment and people into place ... a cumulative 50km plus of high end cables are laid for a single international game of cricket. Besides several truckloads of equipment is required to bring a truly world class audio-visual experience to homes!
Besides there is the small point of rights fees! Since that will be the ONLY source of revenue for the organisers / hosts, they would certainly not want to sell cheap. Neither would TV companies be willing to pay out of their pockets if they can't generate enough revenue from the telecast. So advertisers have to be prepared to bear the costs.
With the world economy reeling from the pandemic, are the big ticket buyers of advertising spots really prepared to go ahead! Doesn't seem likely at the moment.
Safest option would be a wait and watch policy as the summer swings by. May be the balmier days of autumn may bring in more cheer with better opportunities. Till then sports competitions must be kept in abeyance in order to keep them viable!

With all sport suspended, ICC rankings mean nothing

India have slipped to number three in the latest ICC Test ranking on April 30, falling behind Australia and New Zealand. But it was waiting to happen anyway since India was not scheduled to play any Tests after the 0-2 away loss to New Zealand in February!

The highly-valued India Premier League was scheduled for a March end start and would have continued till the third week of May. India would not have played any international games in either of the three formats during this period.

So the drop in ranking was pre-ordained anyway as the rankings take into account only the performance of the previous 12 months, updates happening at the end of each calendar month.

It defies logic, however, that with a global pandemic having brought all sporting activity to a grinding halt why is ICC trying to update rankings as before! If it continues in the same vein, with resumption not likely in the next few weeks either, ICC rankings will become irrelevant.

The administrators need to stay abreast of world developments. Various sports federations have frozen rankings on different dates depending upon the last engagement held where points were at stake. Makes sense since rankings mean more than mere numbers. For some sports disciplines, even Olympic qualification is dependent upon rankings on a particular cut off date!

But cricket? 

With a Test championship already in place, where India incidentally continues to be number one, rankings otherwise lose meaning. ICC should be more worried about the Test championship cycle being interrupted and have a contingency plan in place to take the grand finale well beyond the originally scheduled June 2021.

Even at the recent CEOs conference, such mundane matters were hardly discussed. Focus instead was how to push a Future Tours Programme down the throats of reluctant India, Australia and England. As expected it came a cropper!

Next was the attempt to salvage the World T20 scheduled for later this year in Australia. That India and Australia have expressed interest in a bilateral Test series once sporting activities resume hasn't really gone down well with ICC.

At the end of the day, does anyone really care about ICC and its rankings? Sad to say even ICC doesn't seem too serious so why should nations bother.

Gets pretty lonely at the top

International sport is played more in the mind!
That does hold good for all spheres of life. And perhaps the reason some are more successful than others is because of mental strength. Trial by fire is the hallmark of a champion but it takes years of careful molding and shaping to get the right frame of mind in the first place.
Several top performers have, in recent times, been distressed by lack of proper support as they stay busy. Mental fatigue is one thing but going into depression is quite another!
Rest and relaxation can take care of simple fatigue but depression needs a much more nuanced approach.
Australian cricketers Glenn Maxwell, Jonathan Trott and Marcus Trescothick have all admitted to battling anxieties. So has current Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli. Champion seamer Mohammad Shami even contemplated suicide on more than one occasion as he battled through injuries and family troubles.
First, a person must accept the flaw in the mental make-up. Easier said than done for a person who has already tasted success at the highest levels. But it is the pressure to maintain the level of performance that brought them thus far is what takes a toll. The first question that pops up is: Am I really good enough? And the moment that question mark appears, each performance is put under the microscope.
Here is where professional help is needed. Lingering doubts are not the end of the world. In fact, as one champion sportsperson openly confessed, it is good to have butterflies in the stomach each time you step out. Whether that helps a performer focus more or becomes a distraction is what separates the champions from the rest.
But when performances fail to match expectations, the pressure begins to get worse. Add to that the struggle to stay in the top bracket where the competition is cut-throat! 
Champions know how to surmount the hurdles presented by the mind. They can overcome the pressure and move on ... Its a battle that sports-persons must win on their own. A champion is also the target that everyone looks to knock off the pedestal. And it does get pretty lonely up there!

Ridiculous of Premiership football to even think of a restart

England's Premier League football, with active prompting from the UK government, seems to be seriously looking at ways to restart the games in order to complete the current season!
Given the prevalent global pandemic, it seems a show of normalcy has become more important to the powers that be. A realistic assessment of  the dangers faced by those involved is a prime necessity. And it needs to involve not only players but all present at the venue(s) including support staff for teams as well as ground personnel. Such a move could put to risk even the families and beyond.
The prompting or encouragement seems to have from across the pond with Nascar announcing races behind closed doors. Fair enough! Some Live sport for aficionados cooped up without their regular fix of adrenaline rushes! 
If anything, auto racing is very different as it avoids need of direct contact among competitors! Even the team crew working on the race can afford minimal contact with each other. Plus the provisio for each team to provide test reports of all personnel likely to be at the race before they are allowed entry to the venue. Any positive test result for the dreaded Covid-19 virus means immediate withdrawal of the team from the competition for the next four weeks till each member has three straight negative results during that period, the last being not more than 72 hours old.
Sounds pretty complex, doesn't it? Well there are no simple solutions to this complex world pandemic.
Travel can be difficult in these times ... containment is the watch-word. 
Even the offer of providing the iconic Wembley Stadium to hold more than one game each day may not meet the requirements. Clubs need to be live and train in London with players and staff mingling freely at sessions to keep the competitive edge. And then one mis-step is all it takes for the entire thing to blow up.
Social distancing on the pitch is not possible, nor would it be desirable if the stakes are as high as they are likely to be in a Premier League clash!
France has declared Paris-Saint-Germain as the Ligue One champions. Dutch Ere Divisie maintained status quo with no titles being awarded. Others are mulling similar options. But what Premiership is trying appears, without doubt, frightening to say the least.
Its like playing catch with a live hand grenade inside a crowded trench! Danger far outweighs the benefits!

Chuni Goswami was an all-rounder in every sense

Captain of the Indian football team that won the 1962 Asian Games gold medal at Jakarta and a decade-long career in first class cricket!
Passing away of Subimal 'Chuni' Goswami has indeed robbed the country of a true sporting icon who strode the Kolkata maidan like a colossus. His sporting achievements are unparalleled even after several decades ... 
Scoring 200 goals for his only club Mohun Bagan for whom he turned out from 1954 to 1968, football was without doubt his first love. Chuni-da made his international debut in the 1958 Asian Games at Tokyo, scoring a goal against Burma in his maiden appearance. Four years later the centre forward was leading the Indian team to the gold medal in Jakarta. That he was captain of the national team in 16 of his 36 appearances showed how valuable his leadership was to the side.
Added to that were his 47 Ranji Trophy appearances for Bengal who he represented as a true all-rounder from 1962-63 season to the 1972-73 season, including an appearance in the title clash. He even captained Bengal in the 1968-69 season, the same year he hung up his football boots. His 1592 first class runs included a century and 7 fifties. Add to that 47 wickets and his true value to the side becomes apparent.
Arjuna Award in 1963 and Padma Shri 20 years later were just desserts for the man whose exploits on the tennis courts of Kolkata's South Club is stuff of legends. Ask Davis Cupper Akhtar Ali!
Gifted with a rare "ball sense", he could be a champion at any sport he tried. No wonder the sports world looked at the man with a glamorous and charming personality with awe!
The aura never diminished even with the passing years. In fact, it was strengthened even more as people came to realise what a rare talent Chuni-da was. His ready wit easily endeared him to his myriad fans who will no doubt miss the legend that finally bid adieu to life at 82 following a prolonged battle with age-related ailments.
Sports stars may come and go but there will only be one Chuni-Da!