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DELHI THE HINDU 18 SPORT WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2020 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Nadal runs hot; Sharapova crashes out Kyrgios moves into second round; Konta loses to Tunisia’s Jabeur; Halep survives a series of falls Agence France-Presse Melbourne THE RESULTS

Top seed Rafael Nadal First round turned on the style as he Men: 1­Rafael Nadal (Esp) bt launched his bid for a record­ Hugo Dellien (Bol) 6­2, 6­3, equalling 20th Major title at 6­0; 23­Nick Kyrgios (Aus) bt the Australian Open on Tues­ Lorenzo Sonego (Ita) 6­2, 7­6 day, but falling star Maria (3), 7­6(1); 10­Gael Monfils Sharapova hit a career low. (Fra) bt Lu Yen­Hsun (Tpe) 6­1, Australia’s Nick Kyrgios al­ 6­4, 6­2; 5­Dominic Thiem so cantered into the second (Aut) bt Adrian Mannarino (Fra) round, but fourth seed Daniil 6­3, 7­5, 6­2; 4­Daniil Medve­ Medvedev had to fight his dev (Rus) bt Frances Tiafoe (USA) 6­3, 4­6, 6­4, 6­2; 15­ way past American Frances Stan Wawrinka (Sui) bt Damir Tiafoe in four sets. Dzumhur (BIH) 7­5, 6­7(4), 6­4, 6­4; 7­Alexander Zverev (Ger) bt Marco Cecchinato (Ita) 6­4, 7­6(4), 6­3; 12­Fabio Fognini (Ita) bt Reilly Opelka (USA) 3­6, 6­7(3), 6­4, 6­3, 7­6 (5); 9­Roberto Bautista (Esp) bt Feliciano Lopez (Esp) 6­2, Tunisia’s pride: The unseeded Ons Jabeur knocked out 12th seed Johanna Konta. * GETTY IMAGES 6­2, 7­5; Tatsuma Ito (Jpn) bt stranglehold that has straight Grand Slams for the painful­looking falls to beat Prajnesh Gunneswaran (Ind) brought them all but one of first time. America’s Jennifer Brady, 6­4, 6­2, 7­5. Women: 10­Madison Keys the last 14 Australian Open Britain’s Johanna Konta, a and 2016 champion Ange­ titles. Nadal, the first player lique Kerber dropped only (USA) bt Darya Kasatkina (Rus) two­time Slam semifinalist , 6­3, 6­1; Ons Jabeur (Tun) bt to be World No. 1 in three dif­ four games against Elisabetta also fell at the first hurdle as 12­Johanna Konta (GBR) 6­4, ferent decades, is still thriv­ she battles to overcome a Cocciaretto of Italy. 6­2; 6­Belinda Bencic (Sui) bt ing at 33 but it’s a different knee problem, losing 6­4, 6­2 Anna Karolina Schmiedlova Nadal, one shy of Roger story for five­time Grand to unseeded Tunisian Ons Prajnesh bows out (Svk) 6­3, 7­5; 19­Donna Vekic Federer’s Grand Slam mark, Slam winner Sharapova. Jabeur. Prajnesh Gunneswaran, who (Cro) bt Maria Sharapova (Rus) dropped just five games as he A new star emerged in 18­ entered the main draw as a 6­3, 6­4; 4­Simona Halep swatted aside Bolivia’s Hugo Dubious hat­trick year­old Italian Jannik Sin­ lucky loser in the qualifiers, (Rou) bt Jennifer Brady (USA) 7­6(5), 6­1; 5­Elina Svitolina Dellien 6­2, 6­3, 6­0 in just ov­ The 32­year­old, playing on a ner, last year’s NextGen lost 6­4, 6­2, 7­5 to Japanese (Ukr) bt Katie Boulter (GBR) er two hours. wildcard as she wrestles with champion, who earned his wild card Tatsuma Ito, 6­4, 7­5; 17­Angelique Kerber He joins Federer and de­ a shoulder injury, lost 6­3, first Slam victory against ranked 22 places below the (Ger) bt Elisabetta Cocciaretto fending champion Novak 6­4 to Croatian 19th seed Australia’s Max Purcell. Indian, in a rescheduled first­ (Ita) 6­2, 6­2; 2­Karolina Djokovic in round two as the Donna Vekic, making her an Women’s fourth seed Si­ round tie that lasted two Pliskova (Cze) bt Kristina Big Three look to tighten a opening­round loser at three mona Halep survived some hours and one minute. Mladenovic (Fra) 6­1, 7­5. 40 Years of Sportstar, 40 Superstars Samson replaces injured Dhawan Pitches in NZ have Lavanya book along with L.V. Nava­ kar writing on tennis legend CHENNAI neeth, CEO, THG Publish­ Roger Federer and West In­ Shaw gets maiden ODI call­up; Ishant likely to miss Tests changed: Tendulkar World badminton champion ing, and Ayon Sengupta, Ed­ dian great Michael Holding P.V. Sindhu launched the 40 itor, Sportstar. talking about fellow­Jamai­ INDIA IN NZ Press Trust of India er pitches got harder (Wel­ Years of Sportstar, 40 Super- “Sportstar marked its can Usain Bolt. New Delhi lington and Napier) but not stars book on Tuesday. 40th year on July 15, 2018. It “Each writer brings in his Sports Reporter The pitches in New Zealand Hamilton. Featuring essays by Vijay is only fitting to look back on own unique style and under­ MUMBAI have become a lot more bat­ “It remained soft. But Na­ Amritraj, Shashi Tharoor, our journey so far and pay standing of the game and the Sanju Samson has replaced ting­friendly over the years, pier became hard with pas­ Michael Holding, Brian Glan­ tribute to the legends of editorial team has dug deep Shikhar Dhawan for the New says Sachin Tendulkar, in­ sage of time (where Gautam ville, and Rajdeep Sardesai sports who have dominated into our archives to curate Zealand T20Is, the BCCI an­ sisting that India has the Gambhir scored an epic among others, the book was the landscape in these four images that enable us to re­ nounced on Tuesday. “ammunition” to trouble match­saving 12­hour commissioned to commem­ decades. But this had to also live many iconic sporting In the ODIs, Mumbai’s the sprightly hosts during hundred in 2009). orate Sportstar completing be a tribute to writing, a tra­ moments.” Prithvi Shaw got a maiden the upcoming series. Meanwhile, Tendulkar 40 years and features a dition the magazine has held The book, priced ₹999, ODI call­up in the wake of Tendulkar, who has been and Courtney Walsh will champion for each year, dear since its inception” said can be pre­booked online Dhawan’s injury. on a record five New Zea­ coach star­studded teams in ranging from Bjorn Borg, Ka­ Sengupta. with a discount of 20% on Dhawan, who suffered a Selfie time: Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and Shardul Thakur after land tours since 1990, feels a charity match to raise pil Dev, Mike Tyson and Im­ Navaneeth said: “We have https://publications. thehin- shoulder injury during the landing in Auckland on Tuesday. * COURTESY: INSTAGRAM/VIRAT.KOHLI that from seaming tracks funds for victims of Austra­ ran Khan to Rahul Dravid, Australia series, did not tra­ lia’s bushfires, organisers Little Master Sachin Tendul­ dugroup.com/bookstore/ DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD during his early trips years, Michael Schumacher, M.S. vel with the team to New DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD set to continue at the NCA. the tracks became high­ said on Tuesday. Dhoni, Mary Kom among Zealand. The T20I series The squads: scoring, hard ones during others. Our Special Correspon- his last tour back in 2009. B Jan. 24 & 26, Auckland T20Is: Virat Kohli (capt.), Rohit The 24­year­old Sindhu is dent adds from New Delhi: Sharma (vice­capt.), Sanju “Of late, the Tests in New one of the subjects, with ten­ Delhi speedster Ishant B Jan. 29, Hamilton Samson, K.L. Rahul, Shreyas Zealand have been high­ Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh nis star Sania Mirza writing Sharma is in doubt for the B Jan. 31, Wellington scoring and surfaces have about her. Test series, beginning on Fe­ Pant (wk), Shivam Dube, Kul­ changed,” Tendulkar told “Sania is a dear friend, we bruary 21, in New Zealand B Feb. 2, Mount Maunganui deep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, PTI during an exclusive in­ Washington Sundar, Jasprit meet from time to time. Her following a ligament tear on B terview. All matches start at Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, India will play five T20Is, comeback from mother­ his right ankle. Ishant suf­ 12.30 p.m. IST Navdeep Saini, Ravindra Jadeja, DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD hood and her win this week fered the injury during Vi­ Shardul Thakur. three ODIs and two Tests has been phenomenal. I darbha’s second innings in Though he came to the during the tour starting with ODIs: Kohli (capt.), Rohit (vice­ congratulate her for the win the Ranji match on Monday. Ferozeshah Kotla ground on capt.), Prithvi Shaw, Rahul, the shortest format on Janu­ and it is an honour to be He has been advised six Tuesday and checked out his Shreyas, Manish, Pant, Dube, ary 24. written about by someone weeks’ rest after preliminary ankle movements under the Kuldeep, Chahal, Jadeja, Bum­ “I remember when we like her,” said Sindhu. The Relive the moments... P.V. Sindhu, along with L.V. Navaneeth, investigations revealed a supervision of a physiothe­ rah, Shami, Saini, Shardul, Ke­ played in 2009, the Hamil­ Sachin Tendulkar. ace shuttler released the centre, and Ayon Sengupta. * K. PICHUMANI grade three tear. rapist, further treatment is dar Jadhav. ton pitch was different. Oth­ * FILE PHOTO: K.R. DEEPAK Lanka closes Balance means different things in different formats Warriors have the final say in on lead The lessons of IPL haven’t translated well for India onto the bigger stage Sansomboonsuk delivers the decisive win in the final match Agence France-Presse HARARE T20 may be the least sophisticated two, despite Virat Kohli’s incredible re­ PBL Bodin Isara joined hands Praneeth and Lee Cheuk Yiu with Lee Yong Dae, the Lon­ fell flat as the 23­year­old Angelo Mathews and Kusal form of the game, often turning on luck cord in this area — is to T20 what the and power hitting, but looking down on forward defence is to Test cricket. don Olympics bronze medal­ from Hong Kong outplayed Mendis both struck half­ K. Keerthivasan these aspects is not a guaranteed way to list, to drub Arun George Praneeth 15­14, 15­9 as War­ centuries as Sri Lanka CHENNAI and Rian Agung Saputro 15­ riors got their first point. reached 295 for four at win an international tournament. Over Greater options North Eastern Warriors 12, 15­6. Despite his bulky The 23­year­old, ranked 18th close on the third day of the a decade ago, much was made of how Kohli has said that K L Rahul keeping pipped defending champion frame, Bodin was unstoppa­ in the world, seven spots be­ first Test against Zimbabwe BETWEEN WICKETS the IPL would ensure India would win wickets has given the team greater op­ Bengaluru Raptors 4­3 in the ble, attacking with gusto and low the Indian, has been in on Tuesday. many World Cups, but reality hasn’t tions. The other Rahul, Dravid, was a suresh menon caught up with marketing hype yet. The reluctant keeper, and took up the job Premier Badminton League pulling off some remarkable good form, shocking a few The scores: Zimbabwe 358 vs (PBL) here on Tuesday. Sri Lanka 295/4 in 106 overs lessons of IPL haven’t translated well under Sourav Ganguly for 73 matches in retrieves. top 10 players. (Angelo Mathews 92 batting, o begin with the obvious, a cricket for India onto the bigger stage. the middle phase of his career. With the contest tied at Chen Peng Soon, the 2016 In fact, in the Indonesia Kusal Mendis 80, Dhananjaya Tteam is made up of players with di­ In the traditional game, the wicket­ 3­3, it was the fifth tie — se­ Rio Olympic medallist, was Masters early this month, de Silva 42 batting). verse skills. The key to success lies in a Big hitter keeper was chosen for his abilities be­ cond men’s singles — that de­ the pivot as Bengaluru won Lee entered the semifinals concept that is still often misunder­ The manner in which India lost the hind, rather than in front of, the cided the outcome. Tanong­ the first match, the mixed with wins over Chou Tien stood: balance. For Test matches, spe­ semifinals to the West Indies in 2016 — stumps. India were early rule­breakers sak Sansomboonsuk doubles. Partnering Eom Chen and Shi Yu Qi. U­19 WC: India cialists who have specific roles fill the thanks to the six­hitting prowess of and chose Test ‘keepers who could bat, outplayed Brice Leverdez Hye Won, the Malaysian­ He had won the Hong slots, but as the colour of the ball chang­ Andre Russell — suggested that the big­ perhaps evens open the innings, rather 15­7, 15­8 to spark celebra­ South Korean duo put it Kong Open last year, defeat­ thumps Japan es and the number of overs is restrict­ hitter had the key role. This was con­ than the specialists whose runs came as tions in the Warriors camp. across Lee Yong Dae and ing Yu Qi, Viktor Axelsen ed, there has to be greater fluidity. firmed three days later when Russell’s a bonus. There were two reasons for Kim Na Ha 15­8, 15­11 in the and Anthony Ginting along What appears to be a balanced team for colleague Carlos Brathwaite hit Ben this: the theory that since wicket­keep­ Pulling level first rubber. the way. a five­day match may not be so for a Stokes for four sixes in the final over to ers had quick reflexes, they would play The men’s doubles Trump Against Praneeth, he T20. snatch the final from England. fast bowling best, and the reluctance of pair of Warriors got the team Falling flat came up with jump­smashes In the shorter formats, it helps when The lesson was clear, and endorsed many batsmen to open against the kind back on track as it came The second match, the and down­the line winners. a player brings more than one skill to over the years. You need batsmen, at of fast bowlers not seen in India. from 3­1 down to pull level. men’s singles, between Sai His diving returns, when the the game. T20 is a specialised sport, but least a couple of them, capable of hit­ One of the problems India had at the point seemed lost, unnerved teams cannot afford to have too many ting big and hitting consistently. India last World Cup (the 50­over version in Praneeth. specialists. The exception is the big­hit­ have Rohit Sharma at the top of the or­ England last year) was the lack of team As expected, World No. 2 Bishnoi. * COURTESY ICC ting batsman. This is something India der but need players lower down who balance. The problem of who should Tai Tzu Ying, as Trump for Press Trust of India will have to give much thought to while can hit with power and abandon. The bat at No. 4 was never resolved satisfac­ Bengaluru, increased the Bloemfontein preparing for the T20 World Cup nine likely candidates, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh torily. When he was coach, Greg Chap­ lead (3­1) with a convincing months away. They have enough time Pant, Manish Pandey, hold out hope — pell had a theory he applied in the shor­ India outclassed debutant 15­7, 15­5 victory over Ash­ and matches (they are scheduled to lack of consistency is a problem such ter format: flexibility of batting Japan by 10 wickets in its mitha Chaliha. But it was play 14 beginning with the New Zealand batsmen have to live with. But just as positions. Batsmen should be prepared second match to all but se­ Warriors’ Sansomboonsuk tour) to get it right. It is worrying that teamwork implies shared individual to go in at any number since the game cure a spot in the quarterfi­ who had the last laugh. they haven’t won the World Cup since success, it can also be about shared in­ could swing dramatically at short not­ nals of the ICC U­19 World The results: 2007 when a whole country was trans­ dividual failure — where a teammate ice. Cup here on Tuesday. North Eastern Warriors bt formed from non­believers in the for­ makes up for another’s failure in a par­ This makes team balance even more Bengaluru Raptors 4­3 (Lee Opting to field, India mat to passionate supporters of it. A ticular match. important. Rahul showed in the recent Yong Dae & Kim Ha Na lost to bowled out Japan for 41 in year later came IPL, and cricket has It is worth investing in a couple of series against Australia how he could Chan Peng Soon & Eom Hye 22.5 overs with leg­spinner never been the same. players who are expected to do little move up and down the order without Won 15­8, 15­11; Lee Cheuk Yiu Ravi Bishnoi taking four. In the early years of one­day cricket, more than hit sixes at will. This might any discomfort. That, added to his bt Sai Praneeth 15­14, 15­9; As­ India needed 4.5 overs to India made the mistake of playing it the go against the single­skill theory, but wicket keeping, has given India an un­ mitha Chaliha lost to Tai Tzu complete the formalities. Ying (T) 15­7, 15­5; Bodin Isara The scores: Japan 41 in 22.5 way they played Test cricket. They now works towards team balance. expected bonus, reducing further the & Lee Yong Dae (T) bt Arun Ge­ overs (Ravi Bishnoi 4/5, Kartik sometimes approach T20 like a 50­over Despite shots into the stands having need to go back to Mahendra Singh orge & Rian Agung Saputro 15­ Tyagi 3/10) lost to India 42/0 game ignoring the fact that it is not a re­ become commonplace, no bowler is Dhoni who turns 39 before the World 12, 15­6; Tanongsak Sansom­ in 4.5 overs (Yashashvi Jais­ duced version but a different sport happy to see the ball disappear thus. Cup, with only the IPL to test his prepa­ The final blow: Tanongsak Sansomboonsuk defeated boonsuk bt Brice Leverdez 15­7, wal 29 n.o.). altogether. The big six — not the well­run single or redness. Brice Leverdez in the fifth match. * R. RAGU 15­8). CM A ND-NDE YK