Bangalore, Mar 1 (UNI)
Robin Uthappa, who successfully led the Karnataka team to lift the Subbaiah Pillay trophy, has been retained as Captain to lead a 15 member team in the tournament for Vijay Hazare Trophy to be played from March 5 to 12 at New Delhi.

The selectors, who met here today, felt that Bharth Chipli cannot be considered since he is playing in T20 State Tournament next month. C M Gautham was dropped as he has not regained his form and in his place off spinner K Gautham has been selected as he had performed well in the State U-25 tournament. Manyank Aggarwal will be the stand-in wicket keeper as a cover up for Robin Uttappa, who will be keeping wickets, according to a release from Karnataka State Cricket Association.

The Team: Robin Uthappa (Capt & WK), Karun Nair, Mayank Agarwal, Ganesh Satish, Amit A Verma, Stuart T Binny (V Capt), Manish Pandey, Sunil N Raju, Abhimanyu Mithun, Ronit More, Abrar Kazi, K P Appanna, Raajoo Bhatkal, Kunal Kapoor, K Gautham. Coach: K Jeswhanth, Asst. Coach: Somashekar Shiraguppi,Manager: R Sudhakar Rao, Physio: Shravan, Video Analyst: Santhosh.

source: http://www.DeepikaGlobal.com / Sports News / UNI / March 01st, 2012

New Delhi:
With India qualifying for the London Games after their 8-1 victory over France at the Olympic qualifiers, Hockey India (HI) today named a list of 48 probables who would be in consideration for the quadrennial event starting from 27 July.

Chief coach Michael Nobbs and Hockey India selectors Col. Balbir Singh, BP Govinda and Syed Ali alongwith the Government Observers Harbinder Singh and Dilip Tirkey held a selection meeting and unanimously selected the 48 probables.

Top-ranked team in the tournament, India completely dominated the proceedings during the nine-day event at the Dhyan Chand National stadium and the team will next attend a series of coaching camps commencing for the Men Probables at SAI Centre Bangalore from 5 March.

In the run-up to Olympics, India will play at various tournaments overseas and has already received invitations for two four nations tournaments at Lahore, Pakistan and Santandar, Spain, besides the Olympic Test Events at London and Sultan Azlan Shah Cup at Ipoh, Malaysia.

List of probables: Goalkeepers: Bharat Chetri, PR Sreejesh, Naveen Kumar, Harmanpreet Singh, Nanak Singh. Defenders: Sandeep Singh, VR Raghunath, Rupinder Singh, Manjit Kullu, Gurjinder Singh, Harbir Singh, Amit Rohidas, Rahul Shilpkar. Midfielders: Ignace Tirkey, Kothajit Singh, Sardar Singh, Birendra Lakra, Manpreet Singh, Vikas Sharma, Gurbaj Singh, VS Vinaya, Bharat, Pardeep Mor, SK Uthappa. Forwards: Yuvraj Walmiki, Tushar Khandker, Shivendra Singh, Danish Mujtaba, Sarvanjit Singh, SV Sunil, Gurvinder Singh Chandi, Pradhan Sommanna, Roshan Minz, Malak Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Chinglensana Singh Kangujam, Ramandeep Singh Nithin Timmaiah, Dharamvir Singh, Mandip Antil, MB Aiyappa Gurmail Singh, Arjun Antil, Damandeep Singh, Prabhdeep Singh, Ranjit Singh, Mandip Singh, MG Poonacha.

PTI

source: http://www.FirstPost.com / Sports / February 27th, 2012

OPTIMISTIC: Gutta Jwala (left) and Ashwini Ponnappa, who will set out on a three-event sojourn in Europe, with Dronacharya awardee S.M. Arif in Hyderabad. Photo: V.V. Subrahmanyam
Badminton’s China Wall may seem well-nigh impossible to breach. But the Indian women’s doubles players — Gutta Jwala and Ashwini Ponnappa — have been chipping away at the formidable fortification.

“Over the years, we have been getting better against the Chinese,” avers Ashwini. That may not be just a tall claim, going by a cursory look at their recent matches.

In the Uber Cup, they lost to Qing Tian and Yunlei Zhao. Before succumbing 10-21 in the decider, Jwala and Ashwini had stretched their Chinese counterparts 19-21 in the opening set. The opponents they ran close are currently World no. 2!

Against the World no. 1 pair of Xiaoli Wang and Yang Yu, the Indians acquitted themselves honourably at the Victor Korea Open, Seoul last month. If the latter lost the first set tamely at 10-21, in the second they got pretty close to equalising with 17-21.

In the subsequent Maybank Malaysia Open, Jwala and Ashwini bowed out in the first round itself. Only that they were vanquished 13-21, 21-15, 17-21 by Christinna Pedersen and Kamilla Rytter Juhl, who eventually went on to claim the crown. India’s top doubles duo even wrested a set from the Danish pair, currently rated World No. 7.

“Their game’s very strong and capable of standing up to the world’s top players too,” says their mentor, Padma Shri S.M. Arif. Quick to rationalise, he adds, “Their 2011 World championships bronze medal-win proves this.”

LOW ON LUCK

Of their early exits of late, the Dronacharya awardee feels they’ve been low on luck. “Meeting top-ten pairs in the initial rounds itself, even before they are familiar with the flight of the ‘bird’ or wind draughts in the arena, are why they bow out early,” he explains.

“Much depends on the draws they get. If they advance into the competition and get into the groove, they can beat the best,” he adds assuredly.

Seeing falling snow flakes for the first time in Korea, Ashwini had been fascinated. The world No.19 pair has, however, to contend with not just cold climes but some hot competition too as they set out on a three-event sojourn.

A mere two-day gap separates each tournament in their itinerary, starting with the German Open at Mulheim an der Ruhr from Tuesday, followed by the All England championships at Birmingham, the last leg taking them to Basel for the Swiss Open.

STICK TO BASICS

“We’ll stick to basics, not try any extra, new stuff for the big matches. Nor will we think too much and pile on unnecessary pressure,” said seasoned campaigner Jwala, whose never-say-die attitude was evident on the eve of their departure.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Sports> Other Sports / by A. Joseph Anthony / Hyderabad, February 26th, 2012

Bangalore:
Bangalore riding on fine century by the skipper Robin Uthappa thrashed Hyderabad by 103 runs in the K.S. Subbiah Pillai Trophy played here at the Jain Residential School Ground, on Friday.

Uthappa who scored a 99-ball 120 which included 11 boundaries and five massive sixes helped his side to post a mammoth 343 in their stipulated 50 overs. The huge win earned them a bonus points and now have 13 points to their credit whereas Hyderabad stayed a point behind. (116b, 11×4, 2×6) went in vain. The 103-run victory gifted a bonus point and boosted Karnataka’s tally to 13 while Hyderabad stayed at 12.

Losing the toss and put in to bat first, Bangalore openers started off on a cautious note and piled 58 runs for the first wicket. After Mayank was out for 29, it was Ganesh Satish and helped out his captain in his onslaught. It was however sad for Ganesh to miss out a century as he was out for 90.
After Satish’s wicket the middle order came in chipped with useful cameos.

Later, Ronit More wrecked havoc and scalped five Hyderabadi wickets to upset their run chase. Bangalore received some resistance from Ravi Teja who scored 110, but it went in vain.

Meanwhile in other matches, Tamil Nadu defeated Kerala by 61 runs and Andhra picked up a four-wicket victory over Goa.

The scores: Karnataka 343 for seven in 50 overs (Robin Uthappa 120, Ganesh Satish 90) bt Hyderabad 240 in 44 overs (Ravi Teja 110, B. Sandeep 38, Ronit More 5 for 31).

Tamil Nadu 284 for eight in 50 overs (Anirudha Srikkanth 82, Arun Karthik 56, P. Prashanth 3 for 54) bt Kerala 223 in 48.3 overs (Robert Fernandez 86, V.A. Jagadesh 32, R. Jesuraj 4 for 29, C. Ganapathy 4 for 35).

Goa 383 for seven in 50 overs (Rohit Asnodkar 139, Reagan 68,) lost to Andhra 385 for six in 48.4 overs (Y. Venugopala Rao 115 n.o., A.G. Pradeep 104, Ganesh Narvekar 4 for 56).

source: http://www.IndianSportsNews.com / Friday, February 24th, 2012

Indian hockey is in the news these days and a lot of it has to do with the enhanced sponsorship it will be getting from the Sahara group.
For people like me who have still not lost hope in Indian hockey, the Sahara press release was exciting. It talked of a 170 per cent increase in sponsorship, which sounded huge.
Yet, when one sat with a calculator to check what it meant, the increase in sponsorship was from `3 crore per year to `8 crore per year. Compare it with the `3.34 crore per international match which the Indian cricket board has been getting from Sahara, and there cannot be a starker contrast.

India have fared well under coach Michael Nobbs
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To be sure, only someone foolish will compare cricket with any other sport in the country. We are often told that hockey is our ‘national game’ though this statement needs to be taken with a pinch of salt.
In the good old days when we won Olympic gold medals with flourish on natural grass, Dhyan Chand was the true hero. He symbolised success and grace and how the Western world was mesmerised by his magic with the hockey stick.
As the statue of the man greets you at the National Stadium in the Capital, you wonder whether Indian hockey can flourish again. Let’s be sure of one thing, nobody played hockey in the old days for money.
Hockey was a passion, a junoon as they say, for many who wield the stick. Today, to complain that Hockey India cannot pay its players handsome money is nonsense. One must never forget that in terms of popularity, mass reach and TV viewership, hockey can never be compared with cricket.

Former player A.B. Subbaiah
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Yet, if Sahara is spending money on hockey, it needs to be welcomed, irrespective of the figures being spent. We all know that had it not been for the Indian government’s funding, we could have never afforded a foreign coach.
Be it Jose Brasa or current guru Michael Nobbs and his support staff, if they are here in India, it’s because of the cash support the government offers. In less than six days, the Indian men’s and women’s hockey teams will be competing in the Olympic qualifiers with hope in the heart.
The tears which Indian hockey fans shed in March 2008 cannot be forgotten as India lost to Great Britain in the Olympic qualifier in Chile. One scribe from India who had gone to cover the event still swears the umpiring then was biased and the Indians were being subjected to a lot of pressure.
In a way, this Indian men’s team is very lucky it is going to play the qualifier at home against a field which is not too tough. If you go by the international rankings, India are rated higher than their opponents – France, Italy, Canada, Poland and Singapore.

The experts say that Canada, once a potent force, is not the same. Pre-tournament predictions of India being in the final sound good, but the pressure is not going to be any lower. There are several advantages of playing at home and, having arrived in the Capital well in advance, the team is being nurtured by Nobbs. It is also a good sign that Nobbs has felt free to call in my favourite former India defender Dilip Tirkey and the soft-spoken former India goalkeeper AB Subbaiah to help out the team.

These two men carry with them loads of experience, so the Indian team will definitely benefit from their valuable tips. A lot has been written about the exclusion of Rajpal Singh and how in Sandeep Singh and Ignace Tirkey, we have two seasoned players who could play a big role in India’s campaign.

If one goes through India’s performance under Nobbs, it has been okay but not brilliant. While the frontline has the punch, the defence still comes under the scanner. Having won the Asian Champions Trophy last year in Ordos, China, the team then finished runner-up in the Champions Challenge I.

More recently, the team played against South Africa in a Test series and won three out of the five matches.
All this would tend to suggest Indian hockey is in fine health but we need to wait till the end of the Olympic qualifier to see how good we are. We have to win the final if we are to seal a berth at the London Olympics.

Old-timers I spoke to are not willing to hazard a guess and say they are keeping their fingers crossed. Nevertheless, if one is looking at the future of hockey in India in a macro sense, we must qualify.
The outrage after failing to qualify for the Olympics in 2008 hasn’t been forgotten. And if you compare hockey with other disciplines where Indians have qualified for London, it is clear this team must deliver.

We all know how hockey’s popularity has dipped and the nurseries in Punjab and Jharkhand see fewer people playing the sport. If hockey has to have a future in the country, India has to make the Olympics grade.
Nobody is going to watch or support a sport where we are not doing well. At the same time as the men’s team, the women will also be trying hard to qualify in a relatively tougher field. The big advantage is playing at home.

Good crowd support and finding rhythm early on will be crucial. Till then, let’s leave aside all talk of why hockey gets less in terms of sponsorship from the corporates.

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/ India / by S. Kannan/ February 12th, 2012

One of the strengths of the Indian hockey team is its attack from the right and incisive striker S.V. Sunil is an important member of the swift forwardline.

The alarming speed with which he goes past rival defenders and the way he delivers his stinging shots make Sunil a special player. In India’s quest for an Olympic berth, the lean forward from Coorg (Karnataka) is all set to play a crucial role.

After the Test series against South Africa, chief coach Michael Nobbs had underlined the value of Sunil. Nobbs had said that if the experienced Rajpal Singh had to find a place in the team, he had to replace Sunil and it was very hard considering the Karnataka player’s present form.

A player who made his debut in the 2007 Asia Cup in Chennai (where India won the title), Sunil could not make a mark until recently. A major injury in his right knee just before the 2010 World Cup forced him to take a break of one year.

IMPRESSIVE

After undergoing a surgery, he impressed everyone with his performance since returning to the international scene in the Azlan Shah Cup last year. “It was a very bad injury. I could not even climb the steps. Thanks to Dr. B.K. Nayak and physio Shrikant Iyengar, who helped me a lot in overcoming the injury,” said Sunil during an interaction, here on Wednesday.

“The Sports Authority of India also helped me by bearing Rs. 4 lakh spent on my surgery,” he added.

HIGH POINT

The Champions Challenge in Johannesburg last year was a high point of Sunil’s career. He scored four goals, the most by an Indian striker in the tournament, and created several opportunities. “Right now, I am going through my peak. However, I am working on improving my receiving skill and accuracy in scoring,” said the 24-year-old.

One of the assistant coaches in the National camp, Clarence Lobo, heaped praise on the shy forward. “He is fabulous with his raids and tires the opponent defenders out by applying constant pressure. Besides, his sharp one-touch game inside the circle is too good,” noted Lobo.

Right-out Sunil is humble enough to acknowledge the support of right-in Sarvanjit Singh and right-half Birendra Lakra on and off the pitch. “I take their advice when they make a point. I have got a good rapport with Sarvan.”

Now, Sunil hopes that he will be able to contribute a bit in India’s campaign in the Olympic qualifier.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Sports> Hockey / by Principal Correspondent / New Delhi, February 09th, 2012