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Sunil Gavaskar wished by former and current cricketers

Sunil Gavaskar, Sunil Gavaskar Birthday, Sunil Gavaskar Birth date, Sunil gavaskar Birthday wishes, Sunil ganaskar Cricketer, Sunil Gavaskar India, Indian Cricketers, social media, BCCI, little master, birthday messages, Cricket The first man to score 10,000 runs in Test cricket and the first player to score more than 30 centuries, Gavaskar was among the best batsmen in the world during his playing days. (Source: Reuters)

Sunil Gavaskar turned 66, on Sunday, as former and current cricketers heaped praises on the ‘little master’. Gavaskar, who was among the best batsmen during his time, was referred to as the ‘Rock of Gibraltar’ by the BCCI.

Social media was full of praises for the former skipper with tweets and pictures from around the world.

Premier Futsal unsanctioned, will create unwanted issues: AIFF

Premier Futsal, Premier Futsal Luis Figo, Premier Futsal Virat Kohli, Premier Futsal India, Premier Futsal AIFF, AIFF, All India Football federation, Futsal, football, sports, sports news The first edition of Premier Futsal is set to take place in India from July 15 to 24 but there is no clarity on the schedule of matches. (Source: PTI)

All India Football Federation today said that the unsanctioned Premier Futsal, scheduled to begin on July 15, will create unnecessary issues and also expressed serious doubts about the survival of the tournament.

The AIFF has asked its state units to advise the players under their jurisdiction not to associate with Premier Futsal with its General Secretary Kushal Das saying that no domestic footballer will take part in the unsanctioned league.

“AIFF has informed FIFA and all its stakeholders that this is an unauthorised and unofficial Futsal League since AIFF is also the governing body for Futsal in India. Such unauthorised and unofficial events can result in unnecessary issues, especially integrity issues. All our stakeholders understand that and will act accordingly. We do not need to take recourse to legal action,” Das told PTI.

“I understand from various sources that there are many issues regarding the event. I have heard from many sources that most of the players like Deco have not been paid the signing amount and have refused to travel to India,” Das said.

He said sponsors would be wary to be associated with such unsanctioned events.

“Besides, I don’t know whether they have any sponsors and whether they have all the franchisees in place which raises serious doubts about the event. This is exactly what happens to such kind of unapproved events and I really wonder why any sponsor would want to associate with such events,” he said.

Premier Futsal, a franchise-based international futsal (a form of football being played indoors on a smaller field with five players in a side for 40-minute duration) tournament and promoted by an entity formed by Indian entrepreneurs, has attracted some of the world’s best players but has struggled to convince domestic players to jump on its bandwagon.

It has Portuguese football legend Luis Figo as its president and Indian cricketer Virat Kohli as ambassador. The tournament will be governed by Futsal Association of India (FAI), a body affiliated to the world body, Asociacion Mundial de Futsal (AMF). But with FIFA, the world governing body for football, and the AIFF refusing to recognise Premier Futsal, domestic players risk suspensions if they join the league.

The first edition of Premier Futsal is set to take place in India from July 15 to 24 but there is no clarity on the schedule of matches. Even the venues and the roster of the players of the proposed eight teams are not known with just a few days left for the scheduled kick-off of the tournament.

Asked if the AIFF has been able to stop its stakeholders from joining Premier Futsal, Das said, “Our stakeholders clearly understand the problems with such events and will not act in any manner to undermine the AIFF’s governing role.”

“The AIFF will announce the launch of the Official Futsal League soon. In fact, one of the reasons the players do not want to play in the unofficial League is because they know the official league will be launched soon.”

Das expressed surprise at the reports that an Indian team, reportedly selected by Futsal Association of India, will take part in the Under-17 Futsal World Cup beginning on July 11 in Paraguay.

“We are completely unaware of the unauthorised U-17 Futsal World Cup in Paraguay and do not know if any team has been sent from India,” he said.

Asked if the AIFF has written to the Sports Ministry not to allow Premier Futsal use government facilities for the league, Das said, “We have a very good relationship with the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs and working closely for various initiatives relating to U-17 World Cup and the BRICS U-17 Cup.

“We were one of the first federations to change our Constitution to align with the Sports code. The Ministry is fully aware of the governance structure of AIFF.”

Krishna Poonia fails to qualify for Rio 2016 Olympics

Krishna Poonia, Poonia, Rio 2016 Olympics, Rio Olympics, Olympics, India Rio Olympics, India athletics, Poonia Olympics Krishna Poonia was in the TOPS list but couldn’t convert her improvement over the years into qualification for Rio Olympics. (PTI File Photo)

Ace Indian discus thrower Krishna Poonia has failed to qualify for the Rio Olympics as she could not touch the qualifying standard in the competitions she took part in the United States.

34-year-old Poonia, the lone Indian woman track and field athlete to have won an individual gold in the Commonwealth Games, finished first in her last competition in the United States with a throw of 57.10m at Florida but that was far below the Rio qualification mark.

The Olympics qualification mark stands at 61m and the deadline for making it to the Rio Games is Monday.

In the two months Poonia trained and competed in the United States with funding from the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) of the Sports Ministry, she could come up with a best effort of 59.49m. She had a personal best and national record of 64.76m which she did in 2012. She won the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games with a throw of 61.51m.

Poonia has taken part in three Olympics (2004, 2008 and 2012) and she is one of the few Indian track and field athletes to have qualified in the final rounds of any event in the Olympics when she finished sixth in 2012 London Games.

“I tried my best to qualify for Rio Olympics but in the end I could not do it. I think I did not have enough time to come back to my best after my knee surgery (last year),” Poonia said from US.

“I will now look forward to the 2018 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. I thank the Sports Ministry and Sports Authority of India for supporting me and allowing me to train and compete in the United States. I wish all my countrymen taking part in the Rio Olympic Games all the success,” she said.

India men’s 4X400m relay team qualifies for Rio Olympics

Rio Olympics, Rio 2016 Olympics, Rio Olympics athletics, India Rio Athletics, India Rio Olympics, India athletics olympics, Olympics news, Olympics India men’s team was already in the top-16 for the Rio qualification and bettered the mark on Sunday to assure themselves a place.

India men’s 4×400 metres relay team qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympics with a timing of 3:00:91 at the Indian Grand Prix being held at the Sree Kantaveera Stadium in Bengaluru. This puts the team in the second spot for fastest 4×400 relay timing in the world in 2016 behind USA who had clocked 3:00:38.

July 11 is the deadline for the Rio Olympic qualification and the Indian Grand Prix is being held just for that purpose.

The fourth edition of the Grand Prix will be held on Monday.

Before the event, the 4X400m team stood 17th with a best timing of 3:02.94s.

Before the event began, the Athletics Federation of India Secretary C.K. Valson said, “We are extremely delighted that 24 athletes have already qualified for the Rio Olympic Games in individual events and the women’s 4x400m relay team is ranked world No. 13 and fulfills the qualification criteria. On behalf of the AFI, I also take this opportunity to congratulate all those athletes who have already qualified and extend my best wishes to those who will be contention over the next two days.”

England’s Jos Buttler has fractured thumb, say Lancashire

Jos Buttler, Jos Buttler England, England Jos Buttler, Jos Buttler Lancashire, Lancashire Jos Buttler, sports news, sports, cricket news, CricketJos Buttler, Jos Buttler England, England Jos Buttler, Jos Buttler Lancashire, Lancashire Jos Buttler, sports news, sports, cricket news, Cricket Jos Butler’s match-winning innings came three days after he had struck an unbeaten 73 in England’s T20 win over Sri Lanka. (Source: AP)

Lancashire’s England ODI vice-captain Jos Buttler hit 57 off 22 balls with a fractured thumb in a T20 win over Worcestershire on Friday, the county club said X-rays had revealed.

Buttler, left out of England’s squad to face Pakistan in the first Test at Lord’s next week, was injured keeping wicket in Lancashire’s seven-wicket NatWest T20 Blast victory at home to Worcestershire but still opened his team’s innings.

“X-rays later revealed he sustained a small stable fracture which will be managed conservatively,” Lancashire said on their website (www.lccc.co.uk) on Sunday.

Worcestershire ran up a total of 198 which was overhauled with three wickets to spare as wicketkeeper Buttler scored Lancashire’s fastest T20 half-century off 20 balls.

He was out in the sixth over by which time Lancashire had set a record for runs scored in T20 powerplay overs in England.

His match-winning innings came three days after he had struck an unbeaten 73 in England’s T20 win over Sri Lanka.

If Dutee tries to chase an athlete faster in last 40 metres, her running style goes awry: coach N Rames

Dutee Chand, Dutee Chand India, Dutee Chand Rio, Dutee Chand Rio Olympics 2016, Dutee Chand sprint, Dutee Chand record, Dutee Chand almaty, Rio Olympics 2016, Rio 2016, Olympics, sports news In Kyrgyzstan, Dutee clocked 11.41 in the heats but was marginally slower in the finals — 11.47. (Express photo/Partha Paul)

Dutee Chand was leading the sprint till the 80-metre mark at which point Kazakhstan’s Viktoriya Zyabkina caught up with her and eventually won gold on a Saturday evening last month in Almaty.

Despite the loss it was a red-letter day for Chand. She won the silver (11.24 seconds) and also rewrote the national record for the second time in a day. In the morning, during the heats, she had clocked 11.30 and qualified for Rio Olympics at the G Kosanov Memorial meet.

A week earlier in Kyrgyzstan a similar story had unfolded. Dutee and Viktoriya had faced off in the final. Dutee started strongly and was unmatchable till the 60-metre mark before the taller and experienced Viktoriya, who has a bigger stride, pipped her to the post.

If Dutee hopes to reach the semifinals she has set a target of 11.10 seconds — at the Olympics, she will have to will herself not to taper off in the last 40 metres of the 100m.

This crucial phase of the sprint is what Dutee and her coach N Ramesh are focussing on with Olympics round the corner.

“Speed-endurance is a facet which Dutee still needs to work on. Till the 60-metre mark she runs a brilliant race, but from thereon she needs to get stronger. The women who are stronger, more experienced and have bigger strides challenge her in the last 40 metres,” Ramesh, Dutee’s coach said while analysing her recent races.

What happens in such a situation is that Dutee — who stands at 5 foot — in an attempt to find that extra yard of pace when rivals snap at her heels, tends to discard her natural running rhythm.

“If she tries to chase an athlete who is faster in the last 40 metres, her natural running style goes awry and she can even lose speed. The only way she can improve is by building speed-endurance, which will help her remain strong even after 60 meters,” Ramesh adds.

In Kyrgyzstan, Dutee clocked 11.41 in the heats but was marginally slower in the finals — 11.47. This was a result of her trying to outpace Viktoria in the final instead of sticking to her natural running style and rhythm, Ramesh explains.

Best over 60m

Over 60 metres, Dutee is at her best. At the Asian Indoor Championships in February, she set a new meet record (7.28 seconds) in the heats before winning gold in the final.

Dutee admits she has to improve in the closing stages of the 100 metres. “My body and muscles stiffen a bit after the 60-metre mark. My lower back also tightens up a bit and I am not able to sprint at my optimal speed. I have to strengthen my lower back as well as improve my endurance. I don’t have much time before the Olympics but I hope to do the right drills to improve my speed-endurance in consultation with Ramesh sir so that I can be at my best in Rio,” Dutee says.

Precious time was lost as Dutee’s training schedule was affected when she was banned for nearly a year under the international athletics federation’s hyperandrogenism guidelines — which she successfully challenged at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

But there are factors which go in her favour. “She has a high stride frequency and during the race her impact time (period when spikes touch the track) is minimal. So she is almost flying through the air. Moreover, she is like a bullet off the starting block. I think in the first 30 metres, she is maybe one of the fastest in the world. She has the potential to increase her stride length but that can’t happen overnight. She has to get stronger over time,” Ramesh claims.

Drills comprising uphill training, strength training and the right mix of rest and exercise in the run-up to the Games can help Dutee overcome her problem to a certain extent. But with Dutee just 20, the coach believes putting excessive pressure on his ward in her very first Olympics is unwarranted.

Because of the paucity of time, it may be best to allow Dutee’s natural instincts to take over after 60 metres — even if it results in her chasing a stronger runner and risk losing her natural rhythm.

Since initially missing out on qualification by one-hundredth of a second at the Federation Cup in New Delhi in April, Dutee wanted to run in as many international meets as possible. She wanted to compete against the best runners because she believed she can find an extra gear when pushed to the limit. As she puts it: “Achi fighter hai tho mein bhi fight karoongi. Achi fighter hai tho barabar ki ladayi hogi.”

At Rio there won’t be a shortage of ‘fighters’ on the track.

Happy Birthday Sourav Ganguly: Twitterati reacts as ‘Dada’ turns 44

Happy Birthday Dada, Sourav Ganguly, Ganguly, Ganguly birthday, Sourav Ganguly birthday, Dada, Ganguly India, Cricket Sourav Ganguly turns 44 on Friday. (Source: File)

Sourav Ganguly, former captain who changed the Indian cricket’s mindset and turned around India’s poor away record, turned 44 on Friday.

Ganguly, fondly called as Dad, received plenty of wishes from cricketers along with other famous personalities on Twitter on his 44th birthday. Here’a a look at who said what about ‘Prince of Kolkata’ on ‘D Day’

India vs West Indies: Mohammed Shami’s fitness, openers’ form key issues

India vs West Indies, Ind vs WI, India, Ind, West Indies vs India, WI vs Ind, West indies, Anil Kumble, Kumble, Virat kohli, Kohli, Mohammed Shami, Shami, Shikhar Dhawan, Dhawan, Murali Vijay, India Cricket, Cricket India, Cricket For Anil Kumble, it will be a new beginning with his boys ready to hit the straps against West indies. (Source: Twitter)

India’s new chief coach Anil Kumble will be keeping a keen eye on speedster Mohammed Shami’s fitness along with the form of opener Shikhar Dhawan when the team begin its tour of West Indies with a two day warm-up game against WICB President’s XI on Saturday.

The two-day match will be an official game where both teams will get to bat a day each with all players being allowed to play.

For Kumble, it will be a new beginning with his boys ready to hit the straps in what promises to be an eventful 49-day tour in the assortment of islands where longer version of the game is no longer a priority.

Yet a team that has six current Test players including skipper Leon Johnson, Jermaine Blackwood, Rajendra Chandrika, Shane Dowrich, Shai Hope and Jomel Warrican will mean that Indians are expected to get quality match practice.

READ: India arrive in West Indies for first tour with new coach Anil Kumble

The first warm-up match will indicate as to how India’s key speedster Mohammed Shami’s body holds to the rigours of longer version — when he comes back for his second and third spells.

Skipper Virat Kohli had in fact complimented Shami terming him as someone “who bowls the ideal Test match length”.

Ishant Sharma, who has had a long lay-off, will also like to get into the groove along with Umesh Yadav as the trio will be key to Kohli’s gameplans.

PHOTOS:‘Emotionally bonded’ Men in Blue leave for West Indies

For the coach, it will be an opportunity to also test his reserve pacers in Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shardul Thakur.

It is expected that the top-order batsmen will be atleast told to face around 75-80 balls.

When India tours abroad for Test series, the general norm is for specialist batsmen to play 75-80 balls (in case they don’t get out) and then retire to allow others to get some time out there in the middle.

Shikhar Dhawan, whose form in the longer version has been pretty patchy, will look to get a few runs under his belt as it is expected that he will be facing the new ball alongside Murali Vijay, who is a certainty. Ditto for skipper Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, who need to get some batting time in the middle.

KL Rahul would like to breath down Dhawan’s neck with a couple of good knocks in the practice games.

Similarly Rohit Sharma would aim to give Cheteshwar Pujara a tough fight for the only middle-order slot.

Stuart Binny comes into the equation depending on what the Kumble-Kohli duo think about him as the fifth bowler or third seamer.

With the pitches in West Indies getting slower by the day, all the three spinners will take turns to roll their arm over.

Barring fitness issues, Ravichandran Ashwin will be the premier spinner and in terms of pure skills Amit Mishra is certainly ahead of Ravindra Jadeja with his ability to get sufficient turn on his leg-breaks and bowl the odd googly.

Squads:

India: Virat Kohli (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Lokesh Rahul, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Stuart Binny.

WICB President’s XI squad: Leon Johnson (capt), Jermaine Blackwood, Rajendra Chandrika, Roston Chase, Jason Dawes, Shane Dowrich, Shai Hope, Damion Jacobs, Keon Joseph, Marquino Mindley, Vishaul Singh, Jomel Warrican.

Sri Lanka hand Kithuruwan Vithanage one-year ban for misconduct

Kithuruwan Vithanage, Vithanage banned, Sri Lanka cricket, SLC, Kithuruwan Vithanage banned, Sri Lanka, Cricket Kithuruwan Vithanage has made 10 Test appearances and has scored 370 runs at an average of 26.42. (Source: ICC)

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) have suspended Kithuruwan Vithanage from all forms of the game for one year after finding him guilty of misconduct and breaching the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Code of Conduct.

According to local media reports, the 25-year-old was involved in a late night public brawl in Colombo last month. This is the second disciplinary issue involving Vithanage in as many years.

In September 2014, the left-handed batsman, who last played for his country in January, was fined his full match fee and handed a “suspended sentence of one year” after leaving the team hotel overnight during a test tour.

“The Disciplinary Committee was presented with written and oral evidence from witnesses to the incident in question and Vithanage was invited to present similar evidence in his defence,” the SLC said in a statement on Thursday.

“Accordingly, the Executive Committee has confirmed the intimation made to Vithanage of his immediate suspension, and for a period of one year. He may appeal this decision.”

The last of Vithanage’s 10 test appearances came against New Zealand in December. He has scored 370 runs at an average of 26.42 in the longest format of the game. He has also played six one-day internationals and three Twenty20 games.

Twitter livestreaming sports starts with Wimbledon

Twitter Wimbledon livestream, Twitter sports livestream, sports livestream Twitter, twitter, twitter sports, twitter livestream, Wimbledon livestream, news, tech news, news, technology news, India news, latest news, national news, world news, international news, Wimbledon, recode, recode net, ESPN Wimbledon livestream Wimbledon’s official Twitter account tweeted the live feed early Wednesday morning, opening up Twitter plans to stream live sports more broadly. (representative image; Source: AP)

Micro-blogging website Twitter started streaming from Wimbledon, one of the most-watched tennis tournaments of the year, a media report said.

Wimbledon’s official Twitter account tweeted the live feed early Wednesday morning, opening up Twitter plans to stream live sports more broadly.

“Twitter is increasingly a place where people can find live streaming video, and that includes exciting sporting events like Wimbledon. This live stream is an extremely early and incomplete test experience, and we’ll be making lots of improvements before we launch it in its final form,” recode.net quoted Twitter’s statement on Wimbledon stream.

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Twitter will have access to live interviews and analysis and match replays, but ESPN still holds the US digital streaming rights for all live matches at Wimbledon.

Twitter worked with both Wimbledon and ESPN to make this happen. ESPN bought exclusive TV rights for Wimbledon back in 2011, and the stream on Twitter includes a mix of content from Wimbledon and ESPN.

Twitter also paid the NFL $10 million for the rights to stream some of the league’s Thursday Night Football games later this fall, the report added.