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IN BRIEF ‘Chance to revive national circuit’ F1 could be held behind Pujara’s deal with Gloucestershire called off NEW We can have all the top players in the country competing, says Vishnu closed doors: Brawn Cheteshwar Pujara’s deal with Gloucestershire for the first six matches of the County Says a July date now looks likely Championship has been Kamesh Srinivasan IANS cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The 32­year­old was supposed to In difficult times, it is natural Formula One motorsport play six matches for the club to fall back on good memo­ managing director Ross at the start of the County’s on Thursday said that the deal ries. Brawn has said that in the first season back in Division is off now given the global compet­ wake of the coronavirus One. However, Gloucestershire health crisis. PTI ed in his maiden pandemic, the 2020 main draw in Wimbledon in season could potentially Former hockey player Australia’s Test tour of 2018, and he cherishes it be held behind closed Diwan seeks IOA’s help Bangladesh postponed dearly. doors. SYDNEY NEW DELHI So far, nine races have Australia’s two­Test Among best memories been affected by the Ashok Diwan, member of the tour of Bangladesh in June has “It was one of the best me­ outbreak, with the March Ross Brawn. * GETTY IMAGES 1975 hockey World Cup­ been postponed because of mories of my tennis career — 15 season­opening winning team, sought help to the coronavirus pandemic. The playing my debut Grand Australian Grand Prix If we were to start get back to the country from <> first Test was to start on June Slam main draw in Wimble­ cancelled along with USA. His deteriorating health at the beginning of 11 in Chattogram and the don with , one May’s showcase Monaco July, we could do a adding to the trauma, the second from June 19 in Dhaka. 65­year­old made a distress of my closest friends, and Grand Prix. 19-race season Both were part of the World winning a match with my fa­ “Travel for the teams call to the IOA president Test Championship. The final Narinder Batra, requesting him mily watching,” recalled the and travel for everyone June 28, Brawn explained of that tournament is 32­year­old Vishnu, who re­ involved is going to be one a July start now looks to take his plea to higher scheduled for next June. presented the country in the of the big issues. You more likely. authorities. It was confirmed Trying to find a new slot for London Olympics with Lean­ could argue once we get that Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju the Tests will be a challenge. “If we were to start at has received the letter. PTI AP der Paes. there, we could become the beginning of July, we This season, Vishnu was Family man: Vishnu Vardhan is spending time with his son Siddhartha, and helping fairly self­contained. Our could do a 19­race feeling they still have playing his second profes­ his wife Sonia. * FILE PHOTO view is probably a season,” he said. “It’s something to prove. The sional tournament in European start will be Lakers were in the midst of a tough, three races on, in March, before the tourna­ was a regular cough and I re­ top­ranked players in the have been completely revival season, having made favourable and that could weekend off, three races covered soon. I was ready to country competing in the home,” said Vishnu. the playoffs for the first time ment was cancelled midway even be a closed event,” on, weekend off — but get tested, but the doctor as­ tournaments,” he said. in seven years. At the time of by the International Tennis “We have breakfast to­ Brawn told Sky Sports. we’ve looked at all the the postponement, the Lakers Federation (ITF). sured me that it was normal, Now, he is happy spend­ gether. When Siddhartha logistics.” were in first place in the “I actually was having a as I did not have any other ing time with his two­year­ goes to my parents’ place Better than no racing F1 is already working Western Conference and had terrible cough at that time. symptoms,” recalled Vishnu. old son Siddhartha, and [on a different floor], I get a “We have a race with no with promoters on a the second­best record in the That was when there were Vishnu is confident that helping his wife Sonia bake workout. We both enjoy our spectators. That’s not revised 2020 calendar James hopeful of Lakers league behind Milwaukee. If some initial cases of CO­ will control the virus some “amazing cakes”. long afternoon naps, which great, but it’s better than with the actual sequence resuming revival the season doesn’t resume, VID­19 in India, just before soon, and suggests a nation­ “Being home has been was never in my schedule. In no racing at all,” he and schedule dates for LOS ANGELES James says there will be a void. the WHO called it a pandem­ al circuit to revive tennis. fine for me. My dad ( Jaga­ the evening, we go to the ter­ added. races likely to differ LeBron James says the abrupt “I’ll be able to look back and ic. The players in the tourna­ “It will be a great oppor­ deesan) and Sonia are the race, watch the sunset and Although the French GP significantly from the shutdown of the NBA season say we did something special in ment were very concerned tunity to revive the national designated people to go out water the plants,” said Vish­ is currently scheduled for original calendar. has left the Los Angeles Lakers that small period of time.” AFP about my cough. Luckily, it circuit. We can have all the and buy the essentials. So, I nu. Sunrisers set Real players accept to donate ₹10 crores upto 20% pay cut NEW DELHI MADRID India doesn’t need money, can’t Australia first, IPL contracts Real Madrid players have franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad agreed to cut their salaries by on Thursday decided to donate as much as a fifth, the LaLiga ₹10 crore towards the nation’s club announced on have cricket now, says Kapil secondary: Tim Paine fight against the COVID­19 Wednesday, as Spanish Press Trust of India cricket match. raise the money. Press Trust of India “I certainly didn’t notice ing easy on him; we certain­ pandemic. “Sun TV Group football remains on hold due New Delhi Akhtar, on Wednesday, “We have enough. For us, too many people being that ly had a thing where we (SunRisers Hyderabad) is to the coronavirus pandemic. The legendary Kapil Dev, on proposed a closed­door se­ what is important right now The Australian cricket team nice to Virat or not trying to didn’t want to provoke any donating ₹10 crores towards In a statement, Real Madrid Thursday slammed Shoaib didn’t want to unnecessarily get him out or anything like fight with him because we Corona Covid­19 relief said players and coaches from ries to jointly raise funds to is that how our authorities measures,” the franchise said the side’s football and Akhtar’s idea of a made­for­ fight the deadly virus both work together to deal with provoke but his that,” Paine told ESPNcricin- think that’s when he plays at in its official twitter handle. basketball teams, as well as television three­match ODI in India and Pakistan. this crisis,” Kapil said. predecessor Michael fo. his best,” Paine said. Sunrisers’ initiative drew praise key directors, had voluntarily series between India and “The situation is unlikely Clarke’s claims of players be­ “I thought everyone who India is scheduled to tour from the team’s skipper David agreed to the reduction, of Pakistan to raise funds for Not feasible to get normal anytime soon ing scared to sledge the India had the ball in their hand or Australia from October, Warner. “How good is this well either 10 or 20%, “depending the COVID­19 pandemic, Kapil said the proposal is and organising a cricket in order to protect when we were were 2020 to January, 2021 to play done Sun TV Group on the circumstances that may saying “India doesn’t need not feasible. game means putting our their IPL deals is far from trying their absolute best to four Tests, three One­Day In­ @SunRisers,” the Australian affect the closing of the the money” and it is not “He is entitled to his opi­ cricketers at risk which we truth, says current Test skip­ win the game for Australia. ternationals and three tweeted. PTI current 2019/20 season”. AFP worth risking lives for a nion but we don’t need to don’t need to,” he said. per Tim Paine. “I’m not sure who was go­ Internationals. Was willing to die on the field: Richards Always aware of the risks but it didn’t bother him, says the legend

Press Trust of India donning a helmet. Richards, looked at other sportsmen Melbourne 68 now, was always aware of and women who I have a lot The legendary Viv Richards, the risks but it didn’t bother of respect for doing it to an one of the greatest batsmen him. extreme level,” said Ri­ to have ever played the “My passion for the game chards, who amassed 8,540 game, says such was his pas­ was such I didn’t mind dying and 6,721 runs in 121 Tests sion for the game he didn’t on the field playing someth­ and 187 ODIs respectively. mind dying on the cricket ing I loved,” Richards told “I see a guy driving a For­ field while representing the former Australia all­rounder mula 1 racing car, what could West Indies. in a podcast. be more dangerous than Known for his aggressive Richards said he had al­ that?” said Richards, to batting, Richards dominated ways looked up to other ath­ which Watson quipped: some of the fiercest fast bow­ letes, who risked their lives, “Facing 150kmph without a

Vivian Richards. * FILE PHOTO lers of world cricket without for inspiration. “I have helmet?” Boxing, drawing keep Simranjit occupied She is incorporating the inputs received from coaches to finetune her game Y.B. Sarangi KOLKATA Olympics qualified boxer Simranjit Kaur is making the best use of the lockdown by training with her brothers and pursuing hobbies like drawing and sewing. Simranjit is fortunate that her brothers — Kamalpreet Singh and Arshdeep Singh (the current National silver medallist in 81kg) — are also boxers, who spar with her at home in Chakar village of Ludhiana district in Punjab during her daily training.

Help from brothers “Since I don’t stay at home Support: Simranjit Kaur training with her brother Arshdeep Singh at her home. for long periods, I never real­ * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT ly had such an opportunity. My brothers’ familiarity with ver medal in the Asia/Ocea­ Lakshya Sports. ship medals. Following my boxing is an advantage. Both nia qualifying event in Am­ According to National Olympic qualification, more of them are helping me with man, Jordan. coach Mohammed Ali Qa­ people recognise me.” padding,” Simranjit told The “I kept my focus on win­ mar, Simranjit has immense Amid expectations, Sim­ Hindu. ning the trial for the Olympic potential. “She is an attack­ ranjit looks forward to the The 24­year­old is incor­ qualifier. I didn’t have to ing boxer who can fluster the Olympics. “Good that we porating the inputs received bother much about my new best of opponents with her have one year to prepare. I from National coaches weight as my natural weight punches. Only, she has to am focusing on physical fit­ through video conferencing stayed around 60kg. I had work on some technical and ness. After the lockdown, we to fine­tune her game. some solid punches, but I tactical aspects,” said will focus on other areas.” Simranjit, who won a had to make some technical Qamar. Simranjit keeps herself 64kg World championships changes. Simranjit, who gave a engaged with some creative bronze medal in Delhi in “I have been in touch with power­packed performance work. “Drawing is one of my 2018, had lost the 60kg trials B.I. Fernandez (former In­ to claim her maiden National passions. I learnt it on my for 2019 Worlds to the sea­ dia’s foreign coach). Whe­ title and bag the Best Boxer own. I had learnt sewing soned Sarita Devi. However, never I find time I go to his award in Haridwar in 2016, is from my mother (Rajpal she improved her game to centre in Mohali. He sends happy to get some attention. Kaur) when I was young. beat Sarita in the Olympic me videos and tells me to try “People in my village Since there is a lot of time in qualifier trial and secured a out different techniques,” knew about me after I got hand, I do some drawing and quota place by claiming a sil­ said the boxer backed by Asian and World champion­ sewing,” she said.

CM A ND-NDE YK