Growing up, I watched my dad following cricket devotedly. I distinctly remember my father pointing Sachin Tendulkar to me, saying he was an upcoming player and would do well.

Cricket could easily pass off as a religion in India and whether you like it or not, the sport grows on you at a very young age when you see it being played by everyone, whether it’s in school, parks, on the road etc., It has been the same in my case too, so much so I still absolutely love playing cricket when I find the time.

Since the age of 13, I really started following cricket and, of course, Sachin who had become a national icon by then. The stuff, which caught my eye, was definitely his straight drive and the manner in which he moved swiftly and the ease that he hit the ball with.

Sachin is an iconic figure according to me. At such a young age he was a revelation not only on the field but also off it with the maturity in which he conducted himself during his interviews.

Playing a professional sport myself, when I read about the amount of hard work and hours of training that Sachin put in practicing to become a professional athlete, I get motivated. I was motivated to see that even a quality player like him would put in so much of time into his sport. It just goes to show that there are no short-cuts.

I remember meeting Sachin in Bangalore for the first time, when he had come to open a sports bar, which I was invited for among few others. I got to spend some time and have dinner with him and it was an honour to see how humble and down to earth he was.

Sachin is a sportsman known worldwide; I remember seeing him at Wimbledon few years ago and even met him once at the stadium as he had come to watch Roger Federer play. To just have him watching our sport was a fabulous feeling.

I would most definitely remember the innings he played in the Sydney Test match in 2004 when he was 241 not out. He was so well composed and delivered a quality innings.

In a regular scenario, time just passes by. But two minutes spent talking to Sachin Tendulkar was such an honour which I will always cherish.

I am certain he will be not forgotten easily and will be spoken about in many years to come for sure. Sachin is an icon in so many ways that no matter what he takes up I am sure he would be supported, respected and loved for it.

— As told to Sudatta Mukherjee

(Rohan Bopanna is a tennis player and currently ranked third in the world in doubles rankings. In 2010, Bopanna along with Pakistan’s Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, popularly known as the ‘Indo-Pak Express’ finished runners-up in doubles at the US Open.)

source: http://www.cricketcountry.com / CricketCountry.com / Home> News & Features / by Rohan Bopanna / October 28th, 2013

Mumbai:

Bombay Gold Cup is a popular tournament and some of India’s top teams participate in it. Some of India’s biggest stars have enthralled crowds at the Mahindra Stadium in Churchgate.

What makes the 48th edition of this tournament unique though, is that seven players from the 2001 Junior World Cup winning team are in the city.

On Thursday, the Mumbai Hockey Association Ltd. (MHAL), which is conducting the Bombay Gold Cup, felicitated the heroes of that spectacular triumph 12 years ago.

Mumbai boy Viren Rasquinha, Indian Oil’s Deepak Thakur, Prabhjot Singh and Devesh Chouhan, Air India boys Prabodh Tirkey, Arjun Halappa and Vikram Pillay were all handed mementoes in between matches at the MHA on Thursday.

All the players have fond memories of their triumph, which briefly marked the revival of Indian hockey.

Recalling his experience, Halappa who has now become a national selector, says: “It was a turning point for Indian hockey, a revival of sorts. Players started getting attention and with it came decent money from the government. We also found a sponsor in Sahara who gave us all the support we needed.

“The future of hockey was looking up.”

That entire batch was arguably the best India has seen in a long, long time. Many of the World Cup heroes graduated to become formidable India stars. Rasquinha, in fact, went on to lead the team.

Explaining the reason behind the team’s success, striker Deepak Thakur, who top-scored with ten goals including two hat-tricks in the tournament, says: “Our approach was positive. Even before we could leave for Hobart, we had created a positive atmosphere. We had decided that come what may, we have to win this World Cup. We stayed like a family and every player knew another very well, as a result of which we combined well on the field.”

Rasquinha, who probably was in the best form of his career, couldn’t agree with his teammate more: “The best thing about that team was that coach Rajinder Singh created a super atmosphere. We knew each other very well, because we were playing as a unit since 1998. I guess sharing a good rapport with teammates makes a big difference,” he insists.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Sports> Hockey> Air India / by Sudheendra Tripathi, TNN / October 25th, 2013

Mumbai :

When people embrace dual responsibilities, dealing with the double-edged sword becomes inevitable. Air India’s Arjun Halappa is currently busy negotiating the many predicaments that come along with being a national selector and being an active player.

Being a player, Halappa rubs shoulders with potential candidates who could go and represent the country some day, while being a selector though, he has to ensure bias doesn’t creep in while doing his national duty. And as Halappa puts it: “drawing a line is critical”.

“Having played hockey, people expect me to give them a hearing. They take it for granted that I will succumb to their requests just because I have shared the dressing room with them. But that is not the case. As a player, I will always respect the equation I share with my teammates. But when it comes to picking up the right candidate for India camps, I will do my job professionally,” added Halappa, who was part of India’s squad at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

At 32, Halappa is one of the youngest selectors. Dealing with senior selectors such a BP Govinda (Olympian and chairman of selectors) would sure be a tricky proposition. “You have to be respectful for sure. But I’ve been assigned a task and I believe doing my job with total commitment. Thankfully, I’ve never been required to assert myself.”

Results: Air India 6 (DS Darshan, Shivendra Singh, Birendra Lakra, Vikram Pillay, VS Vinaya, Joga Singh) bt Indian Navy 1 (Amit Kumar Goswami).

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Sports> Hockey> Air India / by Sudheendra Tripathi, TNN / October 21st, 2013