RTMNU’s athletics synthetic track getting in shape

By Paritosh Pramanik

Despite several weather interruptions, the work of athletics synthetic track of Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University at its Ravi Nagar Sports Complex is going at a fast pace.

The unwanted rains since past one week might be a hindrance but the laying of the synthetic track is being carried out on a war footing with workers even doing ‘extra hours’.

After the black liquid solution spreads at the base of the track, the work of sprinkling black granules and then coating the red layer is being done.

“This is the first layer of red solution after black granules were spread on the entire track. There will be two more layers of red solution. This work is being done at the long jump pit area. Though rains have delayed our progress a bit, we are on time,” Dr Sharad Suryawanshi, Director, Department of Physical Education and Sports, RTMNU told ‘The Hitavada.’

The Bhoomipujan of the work (spreading rubber solution on the track) was held last Tuesday by RTMNU Vice-Chancellor Dr Subhash Chaudhari.

The Poly Urithin rubber solution has been spread all over the track which will be completed in 20-22 days.

After that around 10-12 days will be required for marking of lanes.

If all goes as per schedule, the eight-lane synthetic athletics track will be ready for competitions by the month

of June.

Rs 10 cr sanctioned for hockey astro turf at Div Sports Complex

By Paritosh Pramanik

AFTER more than 20 years, the dream of hundreds of players of having a hockey astro turf in Nagpur is going to be fulfilled.

Despite having two hockey grounds in the heart of the city, Nagpur is bereft of a hockey astro turf which has hampered careers of several players.

However, the efforts of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis along with District Collector Vipin Itankar, Divisional Commissioner Vijayalakshmi Bidari and others have now bore fruits.

The Maharashtra State Planning Department, through District Collector, has sanctioned Rs 10 crore for astro turf which will be constructed at the Divisional Sports Complex in Mankapur.

Shekhar Patil, Deputy Director of Sports and Youth Affairs, Nagpur, confirmed the news and expressed happiness on getting the funds.

“It’s a great news for all sports lovers, especially hockey players of the region. It is because of the efforts of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Collector Vipin Itankar, Divisional Commissioner Vijayalakshmi Bidari madam and others, that funds for astro turf has been sanctioned,” Patil, who is also the Secretary of Divisional Sports Complex Committee, told ‘The Hitavada’.

The Divisional Sports Complex off Koradi Road in Mankapur was constructed in 2001 and since then a hockey astro turf was demanded. But previous governments showed little interest. But with the Eknath Shinde-led Government taking charge and Deputy Chief Minister Fadnavis taking keen interest in sports infrastructure development, the funds have been allocated.

Earlier this month, the Maharashtra Government had sanctioned Rs 100 crore to the Divisional Sports Complex in Nagpur.

The Maharashtra government had proposed Rs 491 crore State Sports Budget out of which Rs 100 crore was allocated for the Divisional Sports Complex in Mankapur.

In an order dated 30.3.2023, District Collector sanctioned Rs 10 crore for astro turf under Sports field development scheme.

According to Patil, a master plan is being prepared and will be submitted to the relevant authorities in a couple of months.

“The astro turf will be constructed behind the athletics synthetic track. There are minute chances in the previous plan,” said Patil.

“Architect Shashi Prabhu along with a few others are working on the master plan and if all goes well, it will be ready in next two months,” hoped Patil.

‘The Hitavada’ has been relentlessly pushing forward the construction of hockey astro turf at Divisional Sports Complex. Many reports were carried out in the newspaper. On occasions, the files were not moved an inch which 

was also reported by this 

newspaper. 

However, with the funds being sanctioned, it seems that the work will begin soon and players would be able to ply their trade on the turf.

Synthetic track material ready, laying work to begin in 8-10 days

By Paritosh Pramanik

THE wait is finally over. After several delays, the laying of synthetic track at Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU) Sports Complex in Ravi Nagar will commence in a week’s time.

RTMNU’s athletics synthetic track will be second in Nagpur after the one at Divisional Sports Complex, Mankapur.

“The rubber material for the eight-lane synthetic track has already arrived in the city and the work of laying will begin once the World Athletics officials (Observers) arrive in Nagpur,” informed Dr Sharad Suryawanshi, Director, Physical Education and Sports Department, RTMNU while talking with ‘The Hitavada’ on Saturday.

“We received the World Athletics approved material two months back. The contractor for the track is Sports Facilities Company Limited, Mumbai. Licensed officials from World Athletics will be arriving in a week’s time and we will start laying off the track in 8-10 days. At present the solution, which will bind the synthetic track, has been applied on the track,” Dr Suryawanshi informed.

The synthetic track is being constructed as per the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) or World Athletics’ norms. It will have eight lanes along with steeple chase, jumping pits for long and triple jumps.

The entire track area is already fenced. The track also has a grass surface football ground in the middle. “The work of the water filtration plant is also over. A sump of around 5 lakh litres has been constructed where the used water of track will be collected and treated. The treated water will then be used to water the football ground,” said Dr Suryawanshi. “An added sump with a capacity of around 2 lakh litres has also been constructed to store the overflowing water from the bigger sump,” added Dr Suryawanshi, who is also Secretary of Nagpur District Athletics Association.

State Government grants Rs 44.41 cr for RTMNU indoor sports complex

By Paritosh Pramanik

SPORTS is getting its deserving due in Nagpur. The State Government, which has recently granted Rs 100 crore for Divisional Sports Complex a few days ago, has okayed financial assistance worth crores of rupees for the development of multi-storied sports complex of Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU).

Already, the laying work of synthetic athletics track of RTMNU at its Ravi Nagar Sports Complex is in final stages. The material (track rubber) will be laid in a few days’ time. On its heels has come the new announcement. 

Celebrating its centenary year, RTMNU had requested the Maharashtra Government for funds for construction of an international standard sports complex on its land situated off Ravi Nagar.

The State Government, in a major decision, granted Rs 44,41,38,000 for construction of indoor sports complex, on Wednesday.

The international standard multi-storied sports complex will come up behind Subhedar Hall on around three acres of RTMNU land.

‘The Hitavada’ was first to report about RTMNU’s plans to construct indoor sports complex in its centenary year.

“We had requested the State Government for funds for construction of an international standard sports complex. I am thankful to the Government for sanctioning the funds. The structural plan is ready and we will perform the bhoomipujan as soon as possible,” said an elated Dr Sharad Suryawanshi, Director, Department of Sports and Physical Education, RTMNU while talking with ‘The Hitavada’, on Wednesday.

The three-storied indoor sports complex will house international standard volleyball, basketball, handball courts, table tennis area, wrestling rings, separate kabaddi and gymnastic areas, squash area, gymnasium, sports medicine room apart from rest rooms, changing rooms, store rooms on every floor with lift facilities.

“We will be using the space very sensibly. We will try to make hanging basketball boards so that the area can be utilised for other sports as well. We will also decide later about the slots to each sport,” informed Dr Suryawanshi, who is a former international runner.

The construction work will be done by the Public Works Department. “The structural map has been already sanctioned. We will not waste any time in starting the work,” assured Dr Suryawanshi.

To make the indoor stadium one of the best in the country, Dr Suryawanshi, along with former Director Dr Dhananjay Welukar, Arjuna awardee Vijay Munishwar, architect Aanand Sarda, had visited Manipal Indoor Sports Complex, NIT Suratkal, Karnataka and Savitribai Phule Pune University. They studied the structure and planning in and around the sports complexes and prepared the best possible design.

“At our indoor sports complex, which would be three-storied, the seating arrangement will be detachable. That will help us in utilising space as per our need,” Dr Suryawanshi elaborated.

Apart from this, RTMNU is also planning a sports hostel adjacent to the indoor hall.

“A youth/sports hostel is also in our scheme of things. However, that will be done in the second phase. Our priority is to give our city the best indoor sports complex in the country,” Dr Suryawanshi concluded.

Divisional Sports Complex gets Rs 100 cr boost

Deputy Director (Sports) Patil says, funds would be used to develop best sports infrastructure

By Paritosh Pramanik

THE Maharashtra government has proposed Rs 491 crore State Sports Budget out of which Rs 100 crore has been allocated for the Divisional Sports Complex in Mankapur. 

The sports complex, which is spread on 61 acres of land, has an athletics synthetic track apart from a multi-sport indoor hall at present.

Since its official inauguration in 2001, the development of the Sports Complex is at snail’s pace. However, with Rs 100 crore allocated for the infrastructure development, it seems that more facilities would be added in near future.

In January, 2020, the then State Government had proposed an ambitious Divisional Sports Complex expansion plan worth Rs 123 crore. The plan included construction of an international standard swimming pool, shooting range, hockey astro turf, a multipurpose sports indoor hall, an athletics track for practice apart from renovation of the present indoor hall.

The hockey astro turf and shooting range were proposed at the far corner of the premises, behind the athletics synthetic track gallery.

But nothing moved since that announcement.

Shekhar Patil, Deputy Director, Sports, said that it is a good news that such a huge amount is proposed for Divisional Sports Complex in the State budget.

“Its a very good news for all Nagpurians. Rs 100 Crore allocation for Divisional Sports Complex will help in developing best sports facilities at the complex.

“The process of increasing and improving facilities have already been started and we will meet again soon to discuss the way ahead,” Patil told ‘The Hitavada’ on Thursday.

“We will try to provide the best infrastructures to the athletes. Grounds for various sports, be it football, hockey, or swimming pool, sports science centre, sports hostel will be definitely developed with this fund,” assured Patil.

When asked when the meeting regarding allocation of work will be held, Patil said, “the assembly session is going on in Mumbai and our Sports Development Committee will be meeting soon to chalk out the plan.”

The committee includes District Guardian Minister, Divisional Commissioner, Commissioner of Police, Deputy Director of Sports among others.

Nagpur’s Slum Soccer shortlisted for Laureus Sport for Good Award

By Paritosh Pramanik

NAGPUR, Feb 22

IT WAS started to divert the minds of slum-dwellers from committing petty crimes. Slum Soccer, founded in Nagpur by the then Head of Sports Department of Hislop College Prof Vijay Barse, was ‘born’ to help the down-trodden and neglected ones shape their wayward careers.

But today, the organisation has grown into an institution which has shaped and saved many careers.

With its disciplined hard work and commitment, the organisation which was started in 1999 by Prof Vijay Barse, started getting recognition nationally.

Slum Soccer has made a lasting impact in the lives of many and it has now been acknowledged around the globe. The organisation has been nominated for this year’s Laureus Sport for Good Award.

The Laureus World Sports Awards is a much-awaited annual award ceremony that honours individuals and teams from the world of sports along with sporting achievements throughout the year.

Laureus tweeted on its social media about the nomination of Slum Soccer for Laureus Sport for Good Award.

“@slumsoccer has been shortlisted for the #Laureus23 Sport for Good Award for the work it does tackling the root causes of poverty in India and giving young people the skills to break the cycle of deprivation.”

Slum Soccer is doing several life changing programmes through soccer which includes EduKick, DeafKidz Goal, Shakti Girls, Community Centre, GameChangers Youth Leadership and National Inclusion Cup.

‘EduKick’ is teaching math, language and life skills in low income schools through football while through ‘Shakti Girls’, it focuses on reproductive health, women’s rights and leadership through football.

Similarly, ‘DeafKids Goal’ works with hearing impaired children and youth while through ‘Community Centres’ it helps youth stay away from drugs and alcohol.

The ‘GameChangers’ is to promote leadership in youth while the National Inclusion Cup is a national-level football tournament that gives a platform to youth from the country to showcase their football talent. The organisation also selects players who represent India at the Homeless World Cup.

Abhijeet Barse, CEO, Slum Soccer was elated with the nomination and said that it’s their disciplined hard work that has led the organisation to get recognised globally.

“It is an immense honour to be shortlisted for this award. I am grateful for the opportunity given to use sports to make a positive impact in the community and I look forward to continuing this work,” Abhijeet Barse shared his happiness with ‘The Hitavada’.

“While our work has been recently in the spotlight regionally, this award will take us to an international level of recognition,” Barse proudly said.

Slum Soccer had won the TimesNow Amazing Indians Award last August (2022).

With a small centre at his Civil Lines residence, Prof Vijay Barse took Slum Soccer to Pune, Kolkata and Delhi along with smaller training centres in Chandrapur and Wardha as well.

Slum Soccer will compete with four other nominees for the award which include TeamUp a movement-based psychosocial support intervention developed by War Child, Save the Children and UNICEF the Netherlands that uses physical activity to relieve stress in children affected by war or conflict; ‘Boxing Girls’ that uses boxing to challenge stereotypes and empower young women in Kenya; ‘Made For More’, a programme whose mission is to make sport inclusive for people with disabilities in South Africa and ‘High Five’, a project that uses action sports to help orphaned and migrant children integrate into new communities in Germany.

Recently, a movie on Prof Vijay Barse named ‘Jhund’ was released with Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan in lead role. The movie was based on the works of Barse through Slum Soccer.

In 2016, Slum Soccer had won the inaugural FIFA Diversity award.

The award winners will be announced at the Laureus World Sports Awards.

India beat Australia in first Test

 

Rohit delivers a masterclass

Skipper Sharma leads from the front

Jadeja, Patel hit half centuries as 

India take first innings lead

By Paritosh Pramanik

NAGPUR, Feb 10

CAPTAIN Rohit Sharma banged his bat into pads. He was furious after Cheteshwar Pujara threw his wicket giving a simple catch to Scott Boland off debutant Todd Murphy at short fine leg. India were still trailing by 42 runs to Australia’s 177 during the first Test of Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Sharma knew the importance of Pujara’s wicket. He also knew the task at hand as the Indian captain (120; 212b, 15x4, 2x6) came up with a masterclass to put his team in the driver’s seat.

After Pujara’s departure Sharma saw wickets fall at the other end but continued to bat superbly in testing conditions. Despite falling short of partners, the Indian captain led from the front and hit an excellent 

century which helped India 

to 321 for seven, a first lead of 144 runs.

Apart from Sharma, it was ‘Rockstar’ Ravindra Jadeja (66*) and Axar Patel (52*) who stood strong scoring unbeaten half century each.

Jadeja’s undefeated partnership of 81 runs with Axar Patel should not go unnoticed as that helped India frustrate the Australians the most in the third session of the second day.

The way the Indians batted on the track proved that there were no demons in the 22-yard strip. A section of visiting Australian media termed it as ‘doctored’. But they were proved wrong by some sensible batting from the hosts, especially from Rohit Sharma.

Sharma’s century was chanceless. Barring a run-out chance before lunch, there was hardly anything that troubled the captain. He completed his 9th Test century with a cover driven four. There were 14 boundaries and two sixes in those 100 runs which came from 171 deliveries.

Sharma, who scored his second century at this venue (the earlier one came against Sri Lanka (102*) in 2017) showed how to bat on this track which had a low bounce. He was in a different zone and never looked in trouble while facing Todd Murphy who made a dream start to his Test career. Sharma’s innings was a controlled one, full of confidence and concentration. His shot selection was perfect. He used his feet well against Murphy denying him any chance to dominate.

Murphy, who took five wickets in the match, cleaned up India’s top order single-handedly but could not breach the Indian captain’s defence. He was lucky to get Pujara and Kohli apart from night-watchman R Ashwin, but Sharma did not give him an inch to dictate.

Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin had seen the day’s first hour well and had managed to take the score to 118 when Ashwin perished to the Victorian spinner.

India were looking strong in the first hour of the morning but lost the plot to some extent losing Pujara and Kohli in the space of just eight overs. The two mainstays managed to add only 19 runs to India’s total.

Pujara (7) edged an attempted sweep to short fine leg. Kohli fell on the first delivery after lunch for 12. He poked his bat to a leg side delivery from Murphy only to see wicketkeeper Alex Carey collecting the ball on the second attempt.

After Kohli’s departure, debutant Suryakumar Yadav could not replicate his T20 heroics as he was bowled by Lyon who found enough gap between the batter’s bat 

and pad.

Jadeja and Sharma then stretched India’s lead as they went to tea 226-5 with a lead of 49 runs.

But like the post lunch session, India lost the Indian captain four balls after tea. Rival skipper Pat Cummins cleaned up Sharma with the new ball which moved enough to crash into the stumps.

Debutant KS Bharat, like Yadav, couldn’t survive long and was trapped in front to give Murphy his maiden five-for. Jadeja and Axar then frustrated Australian bowlers with their rearguard unconquered partnership.

The Australians were clearly tired toiling under the sun the whole day. They dropped at least four catches including that by Steve Smith who spilled Jadeja two deliveries before stumps.

Ponytailed Jadeja foxes Kangaroos

 

Takes five-for as Australia skittle out for 177

Captain Rohit Sharma hits unbeaten half century as India make 77-1 on opening day of first Test

By Paritosh Pramanik

NAGPUR, Feb 9

LAST September during the Asia Cup, Ravindra Jadeja injured his knee and was out of India set-up for quite a while. During the recovery course he missed the T20 World Cup held in Australia as well.

After four months, a fit-again Jadeja returned to the field for Saurashtra with a bang. He picked up eight wickets against Tamil Nadu in a Ranji match sending warning to his rivals that he is back to his best.

On Thursday at VCA Jamtha Stadium, the pony tailed spinner wreaked havoc as he took his 11th five-wicket haul which saw Australia skittle out for 177 under 64 overs on the first day of the first Test of Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India then knocked off 77 runs for the loss of KL Rahul who got out in the penultimate over of the day. Captain Rohit Sharma 

was unbeaten on 56 in 

company of night-watchman Ravichandran Ashwin (0).

For more than a week before the Test, all talk was about the spinning Jamtha track but it was Indian seamers Mohd Siraj and Mohd Shami who shattered Australia’s confidence with two wickets in the first three overs. Jadeja then broke Australia’s back taking five wickets to see the visitors bundle out in 4.5 overs after tea. Ashwin took the other three important wickets.

India made an aggressive start to their chase with Sharma hitting three boundaries from the first over of their innings. He and KL Rahul (20) batted without any trouble playing against spinners Nathan Lyon or Todd Murphy. Sharma was more severe on the Australian bowlers hitting nine fours and six in his unfinished innings. India raced to 50 runs in 15.3 overs with the captain 

scoring bulk of runs. He 

completed his half century with a sweep off Nathan Lyon 

two overs before the end of day’s play.

In the morning, Siraj made an instant impact, trapping Usman Khawaja (1) in front on his first delivery. The ball swung back and kept relatively low to bang on Khawaja’s pads. India took the review just on the stroke of the last second and got immediate success. Next over, first ball, Shami got David Warner (1) as the ball banged onto the top of the off stump sending it cart-wheeling.

Australia’s trusted pair of Marnus Labuschagne (49) and Steve Smith (37) then showed how to bat against spinners and added 82 runs for the third wicket. Both looked at ease while tackling Jadeja and Axar Patel despite walking in under pressure.

They used their feet to perfection by going down to the reach of the turning deliveries. The Australians went into lunch break 76-2.

Indians waited for their chances. They knew it wouldn’t be too long for the Australians to commit a mistake. After lunch, the spinners found that chink in Australian batting as six wickets fell 

during that period, all to the slow bowlers.

A few overs after lunch, Jadeja gave India the much-needed breakthrough with two wickets in two balls. He first forced Labuschagne to step out only to see the batter stumped. Needing a single to complete his half century, Labuschagne stepped out to guide the ball for a single but completely missed the turn and an agile debutant 

wicketkeeper KS Bharat rattled the stumps. The next delivery was a straighter one and new man Matthew Renshaw could not read it to be trapped leg before. A few overs later, Jadeja got the big fish in Smith who presumed that the ball would turn but it went through the gap between his bat and pad.

“I tried to bowl to the stumps as there was no bounce and the ball was keeping low. We knew we would get wickets only we needed to remain patient,” said Jadeja after the day’s play.

Peter Handscomb (31) and Alex Carey (36) tried to dominate Indian spinners and added 53 runs from 68 

deliveries for the sixth wicket before the latter was cleaned up by Ashwin, to become the second highest wicket-taker for India with 451 scalps. Two deliveries later, he found an edge of rival captain Pat Cummins and Kohli took the catch at the lone slip.

India’s race to WTC final begins today

 

MEET AUSTRALIA IN THE FIRST TEST AT JAMTHA STADIUM IN NAGPUR

n By Paritosh Pramanik

NAGPUR, Feb 8

ALL the talk that built up a special aura around this edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will finally settle into a new, unknown chapter on Thursday morning when India and Australia begin their quest for supremacy at the Vidarbha Cricket Association’s Jamtha Stadium.

For the Australians, this series is bigger than The Ashes, the ‘Final Frontier’. For India, it assumes special importance as they try to extend their ascendancy and retain the trophy which is in their grip since 2004. To make it happen, the hosts have unpacked a ‘cracked’ dry surface for their spinners who would try to trap the Kangaroos in their web.

A 3-0 win would see India finish second in the World Test Championship chart. It would give them another shot at the title against Australia which will be played in June (7-11) at The Oval.

On the other hand, a depleted Australian side, which has already booked a place in the WTC summit clash, have done their home work well to counter the Indian spinners.

The Indian team had the best preparation going into the series with Rohit Sharma-led side camping in Nagpur for around seven days ahead of the first game. The home team is game for the challenge ahead. For Rohit, it would be a test of character and leadership.

The toss would play a crucial role in the outcome of the match. Team winning the spin of coin will definitely like to bat first on the wicket which is being termed as ‘doctored’ by the Australians press.

India are set to go in with three spinners with Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja selecting themselves. They might go with Axar Patel as the third spinner given his ability to bat lower down the order. He will form a potent force along with Ashwin and Jadeja as Australia are packed with left-handers in David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Matt Renshaw and Alex Carey. The two pacers Mohd Siraj and Mohd Shami may get to play leaving Umesh Yadav on bench.

India’s batting looks solid but there is a selection dilemma. Rohit Sharma will be opening the innings but who will be his partner is the big question.

KL Rahul, the vice-captain of the side, had a poor Bangladesh tour where he led the team. In the same series, his opening partner Shubhman Gill had cracked his maiden Test century. If Gill is picked ahead of Rahul for opener’s job, then the latter will either be pushed down the order or may have to sit out to make way for Suryakumar Yadav, who is another in-form white-ball 

batter.

Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli will walk in in that pecking order. The wicketkeeping position is also not confirmed yet. Had there been Rishabh Pant, he would have walked in. But the team management will have to decide whether to pick relatively experienced Ishan Kishan or hand the Test debut to Srikar Bharath who was understudy of Pant after Wriddhiman Saha retired.

“It is going to be a tough one (selection). When you have selection issues that says a lot about how the guys are performing, so that is very crucial from the team’s perspective. What we have to do is we have to go to each venue, try and check the conditions and pick the best eleven,” Indian captain Sharma said.

The Pat Cummins-led side also has problems of plenty. With pacer Josh Hazlewood failing to recover from injury and Cameron Green too missing the recovery bus, the visitors have very little to choose from the resources available. 

Australia will heavily depend on spinner Nathan Lyon. He might get help from Ashton Agar, four-Test old Mitchell Swepson or uncapped Todd Murphy. 

It will be for the first time since 1988 that Australia will field two frontline spinners. The pace department will be led by captain Cummins who will have to choose his partner from debutant pacer Lance Morris or seamer Scott Bowland, a six-Test veteran.

All said and done any team batting first will try to post as many runs as they can. Batting in second innings would be an altogether tough task.

“Yeah, I think it’s more important here than anywhere else in the world, that first innings lead, hopefully. You just got to find a way to put a big total on the board especially thinking if it is going to 

spin, it’s going to get really 

hard in that second innings,” the Australian captain 

summed up.

Teams (from): India: Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, KS Bahrain, Ishan Kishan, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav.

Australia : Pat Cummins (C), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (VC), Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, 

David Warner.

Spinning track to test teams

By Paritosh Pramanik

NAGPUR, Feb 7

AUSTRALIA vice-captain Steve Smith and opener David Warner kneeled down and had a close look at the centre pitch. Slowly, other Australians surrounded the 22-yard strip and got glued to it for a few minutes. The strip looked bald, without a tinge of grass and with loose cracks on it. Though there was a bit of watering on it in the afternoon, it hardly mattered.

Later in the evening, when India’s nets session was about to conclude, groundsmen were seen sweeping the wicket with huge brushes. It is believed that the brooming is being done to break the knots of grass on the pitch, if any. The pitch was then rolled lightly.

All the talk about Indian pitches for this series has surrounded around rank turners being laid down for Australia who have not won a series here since 2004.

With the World Test Championship final slot at stake, there is no hiding the fact that Jamtha will also offer a spinning track. It always has. Vidarbha’s stunning win over Gujarat last month is the testimony to this. Chasing 74 for a win, Gujarat were bundled out for only 54 runs with spinners accounting for all second innings wickets. Vidarbha’s premier left-arm orthodox Aditya Sarvate took 11 wickets in the match while rookie Harsh Dubey five.

The first Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy is set to have a similar surface. Whether it aids spinners from Day One is the question that is haunting the Aussies most. First-hand experience of the surface can be had from the spin-twins of Vidarbha who were the architects of the last Ranji win here against Gujarat. “The Jamtha pitch was never seamer friendly. It has always been on the slower side. Three spinners would be ideal for India,” felt Vidarbha’s experienced spinners Akshay Wakhare and Aditya Sarvate who share 542 First-Class wickets between them. A look at the pitch and the preparations that went on at the fag end of Tuesday to keep good length spots dry on both ends would tempt India to play three spinners. But it should not backfire as Australia have come well-prepared and are aware of things to come.

India vice-captain KL Rahul was not keen on revealing the team combination. “Yes, we did see it (the pitch), but it is still too early to really know what the it is going to do. We can only look at it and assume it’s going to play a certain way, but you never know with pitches. Yes, there is the temptation to play three spinners because we’re playing in India. We’ll take that call on the day of the game or the day before the game,” Rahul said.

Australian vice-captain Steve Smith was clear on his reading of the track.

“Pretty dry, particularly one end that I think will take a bit of spin, particularly to left-arm spinners spinning it back to our left-handers, there’s a 

section that’s dry,” Smith told the media.

India must also be aware of the South Africa Test at the venue in 2015-16 when the match finished inside three days with the hosts winning it by 124 runs. During that Test 33 wickets fell to spinners from both sides and ICC had slapped a “poor” rating to the Nagpur surface. In quest of a winning start India would also be weighing options to stay out of the “poor” trap.

Bend it like Kishan!

Jamtha Jottings

By Paritosh Pramanik and Anupam Soni

 THERE have been several football loving cricketers in the Indian team in the past. Former Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was a footballer in his school days. Indians prefer playing football during warm-up sessions.

On Tuesday, Indian wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan and Virat Kohli were seen kicking the ball targeting a specific area. In this ‘competition’ Ishan emerged the clear winner. The players unleashed free-kicks targeting a dugout. While Kohli’s spot kicks flew wide, it was Ishan who hit the bull’s eye on several occasions with a few shots swinging in. He pumped his fist time and again after sending the ball into the dugout forcing Kohli to acknowledge his skills.

****    ****    ****    **** 

BEGIN WITH SPIN

With rank turners expected at Jamtha Stadium, the Australians started their first practice session at the main stadium with spinners bowling at plastic stumps. They practised on the same wicket where India had done their nets the previous day.

Premier Australian spinner Nathan Lyon spun the ball sharply on quite a few occasions with the coaching staff smiling sensing what they would be in for the next five days.

****    ****    ****    **** 

Using RUGBY BALL as bat

Australians are famous for introducing new techniques and ideas during training sessions. At VCA Jamtha Stadium the Australian players were seen practising close-in catching drills with a rugby ball instead of cricket bat. A support staff threw underarm balls towards the ‘batter’ who tried to hit it with a rugby ball. The cricket ball deflected with the rugby ball and players tried to catch it. They succeeded at times and failed on a few occasions. But with this drill their reflexes got fine-tuned.

****    ****    ****    **** 

COMPULSORILY OPTIONAL!

India’s practice session, two days ahead of the first Test was labelled as ‘optional practice session’. 

Over the years, it has been observed that generally senior players give it a miss. But that was not the case on Tuesday. All the players with sole exception of Mohd Shami turned up for the optional session. With cut-throat competition in place for a spot in the final eleven, nobody wanted to give the session a miss. 

Out of sight is out of mind, they say! n

Indian cricketers slog it out in nets

 Fit-again Jadeja batted for over an hour in the morning session

n By Paritosh Pramanik

Aware of how humongous this Border-Gavaskar Series will be, Indian cricketers started their preparations for first Test at the right earnest at Vidarbha Cricket Association’s Civil Lines Stadium on Friday.

The Australians are calling the four-match Test series ‘Final Frontier’ or the ‘Everest’ and winning it means a lot to the Pat Cummins-led team who haven’t won a Test series in India since 2004.

The Indian think-tank too are taking it seriously as a spot in the ICC Test Championship final is at stake.

Australia are leading the chart with a 75.36 percentile (136 points) and have confirmed their place in the final. 

India are at the second position with 58.93 PCT (99 points). They need to win the series 4-0 to ‘book’ a final date with the Australians.

On Friday, with an eye on the Test Championship final  spot, Indian cricketers batted behind closed doors at the old VCA Stadium. The first Test gets under way from Feb 9.

With fans and an eager media not allowed to watch the proceedings, Indian cricketers went into the routine under the watchful eyes of the coaching staff led by Rahul Dravid.

According to sources at VCA, the team did their nets session in two batches.

“#TeamIndia have begun their preparations for the Border Gavaskar Trophy ahead of the 1st Test in Nagpur,” tweeted BCCI.

In the morning, Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd Siraj, Ravichandran Ashwin were at the Stadium for the nets.

“Rahul, Virat and Pujara all batted for long hours, may be for around one-and-a-half hours,” said one of the sources. 

According to information, many Vidarba Ranji Trophy bowlers including Lalit Yadav, Rajneeesh Gurbani and others were used by the Indian batters in the morning session.

The evening session was occupied by India captain Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Washington Sundar, Umesh Yadav. All had a gruelling batting session.

Jadeja, who is returning from an injury break, too batted for long hours. There were several throwdown sessions as well and Indian cricketers batted at the centre wicket to get feel of a match.

Premier spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who would be an important cog in Indian set-up, bowled in the nets. Also did Axar Patel and part-timer Washington Sundar.

As per schedule, India would be performing the same routine on Saturday as well and will then take a break on Sunday. From Monday onwards the training session would shift to the main stadium (Jamtha Stadium).

Alfiya is Asian woman heavyweight champ

Wins gold in first round itself in Jordan

Becomes Maharashtra’s first woman boxer to win yellow metal 

By Paritosh Pramanik

THE bout lasted just over two minutes. The National Anthem was played for one last time in Amman, Jordan and Alfiya Akram Khan Pathan proudly stood on the podium with the gold dangling around her neck as she basked in glory.

The gold was shining bright, Alfiya’s face was much brighter.

Nagpur girl Alfiya, the fast rising Indian woman boxer, punched her opponent to submission as she clinched the 81+kgs weight category gold at the ASBC Asian Elite Men and Women Boxing Champions at Amman in Jordan on Friday.

Alfiya crushed hosts Jordanians’ dream as she outpunched her rival Islam Husaili in the first round itself by Referee Stopped Contest 

(RSC) and in the process won her first major senior international gold.

Alfiya, in the process, also created history by becoming the first woman boxer from Maharashtra to win gold in Asian Championship.

Alfiya, daughter of Assistant Sub-Inspector, Police Headquarters Akram Pathan, started on an aggressive note. While she gauged her opponent’s moves in the semi-finals, in the gold medal match, the Maharashtra boxer was in a combative mode.

She threw powerful left, right punches on the spot of her opponent which forced referee to briefly stop the bout 

(Contd on page 2)

Alfiya ensures India a silver

‘Was confident of defeating Kazakh boxer, again’

By Paritosh Pramanik

SHE had defeated Lazzat Kungeibayeva of Kazakhastan on her senior debut earlier this year to clinch the gold medal at the Elorda Cup, Kazakhstan in July 2022.

Indian boxer Alfiya Pathan continued in same vein to beat the same rival again within four months as she stormed into the final of the ongoing ASBC Asian Women’s & Men’s Elite Boxing Championships being played at Amman in Jordan, on Wednesday. She will take on Jordan’s Islam Husaili in the final.

The fast rising Indian boxer had made her senior debut in style with a stunning 5-0 win over 2016 world champion Lazzat. Alfiya was again at her brutal best as she once again dominated her 81+kg semi-final bout to secure a spot in the final with a 5-0 unanimous verdict.

Nagpur’s Alfiya thus confirmed at least a silver medal for India.

“Yes, I was confident enough that I will defeat her again,” Alfiya told ‘The Hitavada’ from Amman in Jordan after her bout.

Known for being as one of the most fierce boxers, Alfiya, playing from the red corner, took little time to get over her much-heavier looking rival and landed punches at the right spot. She took the first round 50-45 despite fumbling initially, but was on her feat immediately.

The second round, too, was completely dominated by the Nagpur girl sweeping it 50-45 (100-90).

In the third round, the left-handed pugilist, used her experience and consumed time instead of going all over her Kazakhastan rival.

Kazakhastan’s Lazzat did tried hard to gain upperhand in the final few seconds, but Alfiya was too clever to avoid her opponents’ punches.

Alfiya, who is trained by NIS coach Ganesh Purohit at Nagpur’s Divisional Sports Complex in Mankapur, said that the planning was same as last time but she could play the way she wanted. “This time, the plan was same but it was like (I wanted) to show my game more but it did not go like I was thinking. But I am pretty sure that in my final I will do what I want to,” she assured.

Alfiya will take on Lina Jaber of Jordan in final and said she would focus on things she could not do in her earlier bout.

“I will be going to play against the Jordan’s (Lina) and will be more focusing on the things that I was unable to do in the ring in my semis bout,” she said.