New Delhi, July 11 (IANS) Former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn lauded Gautam Gambhir’s appointment as India’s head coach and said his aggression and game awareness on the field will be beneficial for the Men in Blue.

BCCI announced Gambhir as head coach of the Indian team after the departure of Rahul Dravid. India clinched the T20 World Cup title to end the 11-year-long ICC trophy drought in his last assignment.

“I’m a big fan of Gautam Gambhir. I love his aggression. He’s one of the few Indians I ever played against who came back at you, and I like that. I think he’s going to take that into the dressing room with guys like Virat and some of the other senior players who might not play as big a part anymore. I’m not too sure,” Steyn told Star Sports.

“Not just in India, but in world cricket, we need guys who are a little bit more aggressive and play the game a little bit harder. We all seem to play in the leagues against each other, and we become quite friendly and friends. I like the way that he’s fierce on the field but a gentleman off the field. He’s also streetwise, a very smart cricketer, and has a great cricket brain. So I think from that point of view, he’s going to be fantastic for them too,” he added.

Former Proteas all-rounder Jacques Kallis also remains confident in Gambhir’s ability to excel in the job with his aggressive nature.

“It’s great to see Gautam getting into the coaching side of things. He’s got a really good cricket brain. He’ll bring some fire and loves playing the game aggressively. I think he’ll bring that added touch, and the guys will certainly learn a lot from him. He’s got a lot to add and will bring significant value to that Indian side. I wish him all the best—not too much against us, but I’m sure he’ll do a fantastic job,” Kallis said.

Former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi added, “I think it’s a big opportunity, and we need to see how he makes the most of it. I have seen his interviews, and he talks positively and is very straightforward.”

Gambhir will join the Indian side for the Sri Lanka tour, where India will play three T20Is and as many ODIs against Sri Lanka, starting on July 27.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 11 (IANS) Indian hockey team senior midfielder Manpreet Singh is excited to represent the country in his fourth Olympics in Paris, a remarkable achievement that puts him alongside the legendary Dhanraj Pillay.

Set to play in his fourth Olympics, Manpreet expressed his excitement and pride, saying, “Playing in my fourth Olympics is a dream come true and a milestone that fills me with immense pride. It is a testament to years of hard work, dedication, and unwavering support from my family, coaches, and teammates. To follow in the footsteps of a legend like Dhanraj Pillay, who has been an inspiration for countless players including myself, is an honour beyond words.”

“I am excited to give my all for India in Paris, representing not just the team but the hopes and dreams of millions of fans back home. Our team is ready to show the world the spirit and strength of Indian hockey. We have prepared rigorously, and we are determined to perform at our best, bringing honour to our country and making our countrymen proud,” he added.

Manpreet made his senior team debut in 2011. Since then, the dynamic midfielder has amassed an impressive 370 caps and scored 27 goals, showcasing his skill and consistency on the field. His journey with the national team includes participation in three previous Olympic Games: the 2012 London Olympics, the 2016 Rio Olympics, and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where he led the team to a historic Bronze medal under his captaincy to mark India’s first Olympic hockey medal in 41 years.

Also, speaking about the team’s mindset and expectations for the Paris Olympics and if there will be any pressure to match the Tokyo Olympics’ performance, Manpreet asserted, “There is no pressure on us; instead, we are looking forward to enjoying our performance in every match. We must not underestimate any team, regardless of their ranking. Each team will bring their best to the field, and so will we.

“Our focus is on fulfilling our responsibilities and supporting each other as a cohesive unit. We believe that by concentrating on our game and maintaining our composure, we can achieve great results. It’s all about playing with passion and determination, without letting pressure hinder our performance.”

Notably, the Indian men’s hockey team on Monday departed for Mike Horn’s base in Switzerland, where they will undergo a three-day training period designed to instil mental toughness. Following this, the Harmanpreet Singh-led team will move to the Netherlands for a series of practice matches before arriving in Paris on July 20.

India are placed in Pool B for the Paris 2024 Olympics, alongside defending Champions Belgium, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, and Ireland.

To advance to the Quarter-Finals, the team must secure a top-four finish in their pool. Pool A features the Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Spain, South Africa, and host nation France, setting the stage for a highly competitive 12-team men’s hockey tournament.

–IANS

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Lord’s, July 11 (IANS) England pacer Gus Atkinson wreaked havoc in his Test debut against West Indies at Lord’s as he returned with the figures of 7-45 to bowl out visitors for 121 on the opening day of the match.

On James Anderson’s farewell international match, Atkinson displayed commendable skills in his bowling and kept the Windies batters at bay. The 26-year-old pacer was amazed with his performance and said it was beyond what he could dream of.

“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. I was looking up at the board seeing my figures and just thinking, ‘Wow.’ A very special day,” Atkinson reflected after the day’s play. “I was a bit nervous this morning. I woke up and all I could think about was the day ahead. I was a bit emotional this morning and then having my family there for my cap presentation – if you could have asked me what I wanted from my day that was pretty close to the top. It was pretty cool. Just to take a five-for is amazing, more than I could have dreamed of.

On a sluggish Day 1 pitch, Atkinson was called into the assault after the West Indies appeared to have sailed beyond the early turbulent waters, reaching 34 for no loss. Visiting captain Kraigg Brathwaite inside-edged Atkinson’s second delivery to the leg-stump. He had bowled three overs and grabbed two wickets before conceding his first run.

Atkinson admitted to being nervous during his first over and recalled his father’s advice to “relax”.

“I was trying to keep as level as possible. My dad was saying, ‘It’s the biggest day of your life.’ I was like ‘Relax! Relax – try not to think like that.’ I was a bit nervous to start with but once the first few overs were bowled I was pretty calm,” he reflected.

Atkinson relied on his ability to bowl fast cross-seam deliveries. He combined this by exploiting the Lord’s slope to good effect, as seen by left-handers Kirk McKenzie and Alick Athanaze getting thick edges to the slip cordon.

“My stock ball is that scrambled seam, it felt like today, bowling with the slope, bowling from the Pavilion End, that was my most dangerous ball,” Atkinson said.

“I was targeting fourth stump and trying to run it down the hill and with the left-handers, I was trying to push it across them with the odd in-swinger. I felt like that was the best way I could get the wickets. The seam was probably a bit more scrambled than I’d like but that is something I can work on. I feel like I can bowl quicker and hit the pitch harder when I bowl scrambled seam and it’s worked pretty well for me in the past.”

Antinkon’s second spell produced more fireworks as he took three wickets on fours balls in his ninth over, dismantling West Indies’ middle order. During the process, he also joined the growing list of England players including Tom Hartley, Josh Tongue, Rehan Ahmed, and Will Jacks, who have taken a five-for on their Test debut under Ben Stokes’ captaincy.

Atkinson continued his stunning run by taking two more wickets in his 11th over to wrap up his debut Test performance with seven scalps.

“The focus was on Jimmy so it was nice to go under the radar a bit and just focus on performing as best as I could,” Atkinson said. “To be out there alongside Jimmy in his final test was incredible, being in the Long Room, Jimmy leading us on the pitch was a pretty surreal moment.

“I’ve played a few white ball games here. It was special, I’ve always felt like I would bowl quite well here with the red ball so to be able to come out and get the opportunity in the first Test of the summer is great, and thankfully it went well,” the pacer added.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 11 (IANS) Team India is unlikely to travel to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy as the BCCI will propose a hybrid model to International Cricket Council (ICC), the sources told IANS.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has proposed that the ICC Champions Trophy will be scheduled from February 19 to March 9, 2025 with all the matches to take place across three major cities — Karachi, Rawalpindi and Lahore — refusing to opt for a hybrid model for India’s matches.

PCB has also proposed Lahore as base for Team India for the tournament including India vs Pakistan match to be played in the city due to the security reasons.

Last year, Pakistan had the hosting rights for the Asia Cup 2023 but the Indian government did not give approval to the team to travel and their matches were shifted to Sri Lanka.

The Indian cricket team has not played in Pakistan since the Asia Cup in 2008 and the two sides play each other only at ICC or ACC events.

In their last meeting in the T20 World Cup 2024 last month, India defeated Pakistan by six runs in the group stage and went on to lift their second title.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will be the first major international cricket tournament hosted solely by Pakistan. Previously, Pakistan had co-hosted the 1996 Cricket World Cup with India and Sri Lanka and before that co-hosted the Reliance Cup with India in 1987.

–IANS

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Mumbai, July 11 (IANS) Monsoon Pickleball Championship second editon is set to be held from the August 20-25 here with 800 participants are expected to compete in a total of 47 categories.

The Championship offers a total of USD 100,000 (close to Rs 1 crore) prize money that will be up for grabs for all participants in the 47 categories ranging from Open PRO, 19+ intermediate, 30+ Open, 40+ Open, 50+ Open, 18+ Open, 60+ Open, Split Age 35+.

Former World No. 2 on the PPA Tour, Jocelyn ‘Jay’ Devilliers, often referred as the Flying Frenchman, has shot to the top of the sport in all three divisions. He has proven himself to be one of the most fiery and exciting players to watch and is one of the most popular professional pickleball players on tour and will bring flair and talent to the Monsoon Pickleball Championship 2.0.

Other international pickleball stars namely Meghan Fudge, Ryler Dheart, Rob Nunnery and Thaddea Lock will also feature at this championship.

“We are extremely happy to announce the second edition of the Monsoon Pickleball Championship. Global Sports’ main aim is the absolute commitment towards growing the sport of pickleball in India and this edition will be bigger than the last tournaments we have conducted. Having Jay DeVilliers playing this tournament will inspire younger talent and give them a road map into playing professional pickleball,” said, Niraj Jain, Tournament Director, Monsoon Pickleball Championship 2.0 & Partner, Global Sports.

–IANS

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