sign in sign up
<<
Home , Glan Martins, Liston Colaco, Mithali Raj, Purnima Rau, Sunil Chhetri

THE HIMALAYAN MAIL JAMMU Q THURSDAY Q MAY 20, 2021 11

Sunil Chhetri returns for IOC reassures anxious Japan World Cup qualifiers in Qatar Olympics will be safe , May 19: In- RT-PCR COVID-19 tests NEW DELHI, MAY had been problems in the dian football talisman Sunil conducted in the last 48 19: The International reservation systems for Chhetri on Wednesday hours.Prior to their depar- Olympic Committee (IOC) medical staff, it said.The likened the national team ture, all of them were serv- reassured an anxious Japan slow pace of vaccinations of setup with his home and ex- ing quarantine in the na- on Wednesday that the doctors and nurses has pressed his relief at return- tional capital since May 15. Tokyo Olympics would be been among the complaints ing to where he belongs after Head coach Igor Stimac safe for athletes as well as cited by medical groups that missing two international stated that although it is not the host community, amid oppose the Games. friendlies due to COVID-19 the 'ideal situation' ahead of mounting opposition to the Bach said the IOC would infection. the June Qualifiers, the Blue Games and fears it will fuel a do its part to keep the The 36-year-old Indian Tigers will be putting in 'in- spike in COVID-19 cases. Japanese public safe, by , international foot- tense' sessions during the Speaking in Tokyo along- having additional medical ball's second highest scorer camp before their matches side senior Japanese offi- personnel as part of the among active players, is set get underway. cials, IOC chief Thomas NOC delegations to support to feature in the three up- "It's not an ideal situation Bach said he believed more the medical operations and coming joint 2022 FIFA as we move ahead to the than 80 per cent of resi- the strict implementation of World Cup and 2023 Asian Qualifiers in June. Due to dents of the Olympic Village the COVID 19 countermea- Cup Qualifiers in Qatar next the pandemic, our national would be vaccinated or dence that the Games paper said. sures.Much of Japan, in- month. camp which was slated to booked for vaccination should proceed."Together Cabinet figures showed cluding the key cities of "It's such a relief to be begin in at the be- ahead of the Games set to with our Japanese partners this week that three months Tokyo and Osaka, is under back in the national team ginning of May had to get start on July 23. and friends, I can only re- into Japan's vaccination a state of emergency until squad. After all, home is cancelled. He rejected growing calls emphasise this full commit- push, less than 40% of its month-end to rein in infec- where the heart is," Chhetri "The pandemic also to cancel the global sporting ment of the IOC to organise medical workers were fully tions. The southern prefec- was quoted as saying by the its first match. doesn't allow the original robbed us of a friendly showpiece, already delayed safe Olympic and Para- inoculated. ture of Okinawa will request All Football Federa- "The matches in June are format of home and away match in Dubai," Stimac once due to the pandemic, lympic games for every- The problem is especially its own emergency declara- tion. extremely tough and we games. said. saying that other sporting body," Bach said. pronounced in the capital, tion as new infections Chhetri missed the In- need to take them one at a India are currently on India's fixtures: events had proved the "To accomplish this, we Tokyo, which plays host to reached record highs, it said dian team's international time. Given the fact that we three points from three June 3: India vs Qatar Olympics could go ahead are now fully focused on the the Games, and other large on Wednesday. friendlies against Oman don't have much time, the matches in Group E. (10.30pm IST) with strong COVID precau- of the Olympic population centres, where Japan aims to inoculate and UAE in Dubai on preparatory camp will add Chhetri returns as Indian June 7: Bangladesh vs In- tions. Games." the rate of fully vaccinated most of its 36 million peo- March 25 and 29 respec- immense value helping all football team leaves for dia (7.30pm IST) Bach's comments came as Less than 30% of medics medical workers was less ple older than 65 by the end tively as he had just recov- to gel together, and strike Doha for WC Qualifiers June 15: India vs Japan kept up a battle with a in Japan's major cities have than 30%, the Nikkei of July. To reach that target, ered from COVID-19 infec- that chord ahead of the first Talismanic captain Sunil Afghanistan (7.30pm IST) fourth wave of infections been vaccinated against the added. it hopes to deliver about a tion. match," he added. Chhetri made a return after The Squad: though its slow vaccination coronavirus, with just 65 Much of the vaccine sup- million shots a day, or three Needless to say, he is "Doha has always had an recovering from COVID-19 Goalkeepers: Gurpreet campaign has undermined days left to the start of the ply was concentrated in times faster than the cur- looking forward to lead by emotional connection with infection as a 28-member Singh Sandhu, Amrinder already shaky public confi- Olympics, the Nikkei news- large hospitals, and there rent pace. example in the upcoming me. It was there that I played Indian football squad leaves Singh, Dheeraj Singh. matches. in the 2011 Asian Cup, and for Doha evening for the Defenders: , India are scheduled to also the AFC Cup final for three upcoming joint 2022 Rahul Bheke, Narender Why Federer can't even think of play Asian champions my club Bengaluru FC." FIFA World Cup and 2023 Gehlot, Chinglensana Qatar on June 3, National coach Igor Sti- Asian Cup Qualifiers. Singh, , Bangladesh on June 7, and mac said the training ses- The team will have a Adil Khan, Akash Mishra, Afghanistan on June 15 sions in Doha will be in- preparatory camp inside a Subhashish Bose. winning French Open with all three matches to be tense. bio-bubble in Doha before Midfielders: Udanta NEW DELHI, MAY lose 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in his French Open?" the 20- on to just win everything played at the Jassim Bin "We understand the mag- its first match on June 3 Singh, , 19: Roger Federer said he only tuneup event on clay times major winner told straight." Hamad Stadium in Doha. nitude of the situation, and against hosts Qatar. , Rowllin is not playing well enough before the French Open reporters."I'm just realis- Federer said the next "Personally, I am eagerly it will be intense sessions in After missing the two in- Borges, , to have a chance of win- starts on May 30. tic that I know I will not few weeks were important looking forward to being in Doha to raise the tempo and ternational friendly matches , Pronoy ning the French Open af- It was Federer's first win the French and who- for his season. Doha. The last time I was in try to get ready for the against Oman and the UAE Halder, Suresh Singh, ter the Swiss' prepara- match since his comeback ever thought I would or "Regardless if you play Doha, I couldn't be a part of matches which starts with in March, Chhetri is set to Lalengmawia Ralte, Abdul tions for the claycourt in Doha in March after sit- could win it is wrong. tournaments or not, if the match against Qatar ow- the one against the Asian feature in the forthcoming Sahal, Yasir Mohammad, Grand Slam were cut ting out over a year due to "Of course, crazier you're back on the Tour or ing to illness," Chhetri, who Champions Qatar in Doha," games. , short in Geneva on Tues- two knee surgeries. things might have hap- you're practising again has 72 international goals to Stimac said. As per the health parame- Bipin Singh, Ashique Ku- day. "I think when you pened, but I'm not so sure with top guys that you go his name, said. The qualifying round ters required to travel to runiyan. The 39-year-old was up played so little and you in the last 50 years at the through the rhythm ... The team will have a matches are being played in Qatar, all the players and Forwards: Ishan Pandita, 4-2 in the final set against know where your level is French Open, somebody how it feels to be back on preparatory camp inside a Doha in view of the COVID- staff will carry with them , Manvir world number 75 Pablo at, and I think you saw just rocked up at 40- the Tour and this is then Andujar of Spain but lost that today, how can I years-old, being out for a how you start taking bet- bio-bubble in Doha before 19 pandemic situation which negative results from the Singh. the next four games to think of winning the year and a half and just go ter decisions. 'A lot of politics in Indian women's !' NEW DELHI, MAY W V Raman's removal as- between the or listen to the coach and not has not been affected by 19: Romesh Powar's re- coach? when fielding. the players.And when the the extra responsibility of turn as the coach of India's One year of Raman's The girls used to just players don't perform to captaincy. women's cricket team last tenure was lost due to the come to the camp to do expectations, it all comes If you see, in the 2017 week was hotly debated as COVID-19 situation from their or bowling. down to the coach only. World Cup, Mithali led he replaced W V Raman the T20 World Cup (in They even complained The players keep com- from the front with the bat, ahead of next month's tour 2020) till the South Africa against my approach in plaining about the scoring a lot of runs. of England. series (in March). I per- practice sessions before coaches, but they should And this story no one During his previous sonally feel he should have the 2017 World Cup to a look at their own perfor- knows. Harmanpreet got tenure as coach, Powar got one more chance, as senior BCCI official who mances. So, the players injured during the match guided India to the T20 under him the Indian team dismissed the issue, say- should be held account- against the West Indies. World Cup semi-final in reached the T20 World ing, 'Tushar is doing the able. One of her fingers got in- 2018 before he was re- Cup final last year. right thing; I have been Talking about the selec- jured because the outfield moved following a fall-out In his letter to BCCI watching him. He is not tion of the team, look at the was wet. with senior pro Mithali President sitting in the shade, but he Indian team selected for She was crying and said, Raj. and , aman is out in the ground.' the South Africa series. "I was waiting for the Raman's ouster was sur- has said the 'prima donna How do you look at the How could the selectors World Cup and now this prising considering he culture' of the Indian appointment of Ramesh rest or happened." I consoled her guided India to the - women's team needs to Powar, who was earlier re- who got a and told her that "All this ners-up finish in the T20 end. Did you experience moved after differences chance to play after 12 happens, Harry." World Cup last year. His something similar during with ? Do you months?There is no trans- At that point the selec- last assignment was the your tenure? expect the situation to flare parency; there is no vision tors said that we will send home series against South Honestly speaking, In- up again? from the women's selec- her back home. But I put Africa in March, which saw dian women's cricket team with the players. What do against him... It is natural that if you I don't think that will be tion panel. my foot down and said that the team lose the ODI and has a lot of godmothers. you think is happening? There is a lot of trans- take someone out of their repeated, because both are If you look at the last T20 we won't send her back be- T20I series. Each player has one per- There is no accountabil- parency in Indian men's comfort zone they will re- professionals. Both have a World Cup, Shikha did ex- cause you don't have any- Tushar Arothe suffered son or the other at the top ity of the players' perfor- cricket, I would say, and volt against you, but they common goal; they both tremely well, Taniya also one else in India who is the same fate four years to whom they go and com- mances. there is a lot of politics in don't realise that I was do- want India to do well. So I performed well with the better than Harmanpreet ago when he was shown plain. Those people are sit- Whether I perform or Indian women's cricket! ing this for their better- am sure they will work to- gloves. is and can take her place. the door despite guiding ting at the top, these are not I should be in the team These girls keep com- ment and the improve- gether for that cause. only 15, but she was I told them that even a India to the ODI World people having some hold all the time. That is how plaining to their god- ment of Indian cricket. Tushar Arothe dropped despite doing half-fit Harmanpreet is Cup final in 2017. Arothe in women's cricket in In- they think and they go and mother or godfather and What I told them was the What would your advice well.Do you have any valid better than anyone else. If resigned as India coach af- dia. They should not be lis- talk to someone at the top. keep listening to them. The reason why we lost in the be to the BCCI officials as reasons for keeping out you see, in that World Cup, ter senior players, includ- tening to the girls. Then, the full blame falls people at the top listen to (ODI) World Cup final far as the Indian women's these players? If you ask, in the first few games she ing current T20 Captain also faced on the coaches, which is whatever they say, but they (against England in 2017) team coaches are con- they have no reasons for struggled to get runs, but , com- the same thing in the past not a good sign. don't know what is hap- was mainly due to lack of cerned? dropping these players. performed well in the last plained to the BCCI about when she was removed as The coach doesn't go out pening in the team; they fitness. How do we get things There is no vision. few games (scoring a his training methods. the coach. So, it is showing and play and that is why I don't come to the ground Our girls were compar- right, because coaches Is having different - match-winning 171 off 115 In an exclusive interview that the girls are playing always say the coaching every day. ing themselves to , need a long run to make an tains for the different for- balls against Australia in with Rediff.com's Harish some games. I would re- part is more difficult. If you see, in the past, the Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, impact? mats proving to be a prob- the semi-final in Derby). Kotian, Arothe asserts that quest the people in power When you are playing, girls were not working but my argument was that Firstly, get these god- lem for the Indian team, I feel having two differ- the BCCI should stop lis- not to listen to the girls. If your fate is in your hands. hard and that is why the we need to compare our- mothers or grandfathers because Mithali Raj leads ent captains is necessary tening to India's women's someone is appointed, But, as a coach, your fate is coaches were not happy. selves with the top teams out of the scheme of the Test and ODI teams, because, anyway, Mithali cricketers and not decide they should be there. in the hands of someone But who will listen to the like Australia, England or things. while Harmanpreet Kaur has retired from T20 Inter- on the coaches according The last three coaches of else. coaches? New Zealand. Secondly, stop listening is the T20 captain? nationals. So you need a to the players's whims and the Indian women's team, The men's team is func- I don't know how they If your fitness is up to the to the players, because if Mithali has been doing different captain for that fancies. including you, were all re- tioning well under Coach can take things for granted mark, then your agility is the BCCI has placed faith extremely well over the team and Harmanpreet is What is your reaction to moved after differences Ravi Shastri. We don't see because they are playing good and you will be good in the coach they should years and her performance the natural choice. such things happening for the Indian team. when it comes to running