Sports Blogs News - Page 17

Lee Chong Wei now wants to go for ultimate glory

The World Championships is the only major crown that eludes the world's top shuttler. The Malaysian thinks his sixth attempt at the title next month could prove lucky as six has been a lucky number for him.

Rain and cricket have a special charm

Cricket and rain in the hills – add that element of unique location, and you have paradise – except, that it is paradise lost.

ICC's new rules a game changer, but conditions apply

The sheer dedication towards making one’s own set of laws to achieve maximum profit in the game made Dhirubhai Ambani the polyester king and is taking Pawar and cricket to new highs.

How more Indians can find their way to Formula One

Remember that only 24 drivers in the world make it to the grid. So, here is a road map to help you along the way.

Of media battle, technology and rule changes

The BWF is trying its best to rope in technology to keep the sport abreast with other chic sports that rule the market.

Gopi Chand: A victim of politics?

Efforts to create a parallel power centre in badminton coaching is self-defeating. It is no secret that the decision has been taken to clip chief national coach Pullela Gopi Chand’s wings and rehabilitate coaches loyal to the new dispensation.

Bring those old days back, serve me some volleys

While the world’s eyes will be on Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, I’ll be closely following two players – one a veteran, the other a rising star – who play the game with a throwback to the sport’s golden years.

Rose Bowl Delight

The Lankans are looking for revenge and a final victory but I predict an England victory.

Sounds like a severe case of Cricketopia

When the Toronto Grand Prix was interrupted by rain last Sunday, English spinner Graeme Swann’s belted out this classic on his Twitter account: “Rain stopped play at the Canadian grand prix. Umpires have called an early tea, restart 1925, 45 overs left in the day.”

Who's to blame for the Bahrain GP controversy?

The Commercial Holder (headed by Bernie Ecclestone) is solely responsible for any change in the Formula One calendar and it should be done after getting an approval from the teams. So before proposing a change in the date for the Bahrain GP, wasn’t it Ecclestone’s responsibility to get the teams to agree to the rescheduled date? This should have been done before the World Council meet and not after a week of the race being reinstated.

Guts and glory of the old school

It takes a certain amount of character to continue playing when age or your body has got the better of you.

A shot of testosterone for Tests

May the Tests in the Windies surprise us all – may Gayle return, and may Sachin sit at home and regret and regret and regret.

A style India can call its own

Indian badminton is distinctive – it's free expression with wristy deception and control. It is unlike the Asian style of play which is more mechanical and dominated by speed and power. It is also different from European badminton wherein we see bigger physiques resulting in limited court movement but more strokeplay and power.

Bored of Control of Cricket: Wanted a perfect pitch

How much can we allow grey haired men in blazers to intervene in current cricketing matters?

Not sending our Top 6 to Windies is an insult to cricket

I wish the younger players all the best – I will watch – and if they win, let the ‘super-six’ take permanent rest and retirement. We do not need them.

Gayle storm shows its fury, but WICB looks the other way

Watching Gayle in action is a pleasure for all save the West Indies Cricket Board. The decision of the WICB to drop him for the first two ODIs against India points to a bigger story.

Why Peter Gade is still a force to reckon with

His movements on court are fluid, to say the least, and his strokes attacking and deceptive. Badminton legend and former world no. 1 Morten Frost observed that when Peter burst on the international scene, he was just quicker than other players.

From Monaco to the Indy 500, a weekend to cherish

Along with the Le Mans 24 hour race, the Monaco GP and Indy 500 are unofficially regarded as the Triple Crown in any driver’s career.

Is it a case of one-step forward and several backward for BAI?

V K Verma’s resignation from the post of the BAI president had created hope for a new dawn in Indian badminton. But the new dispensation doesn't seem to have the will to change things for the better.

A coach-student relationship is as sacred as a blood relation

The danger arises when a player feels that he/she has garnered enough experience to fight battles alone. A few wins and the player feels fully equipped to conquer the world. He/she feels they have found their own wings. Once such instance is the recent tiff between Indian badminton star Saina Nehwal and her coach P Gopi Chand.

IPL and the world it will create

As the IPL draws to a close, one needs to ponder over the impact of league cricket as a whole.

Bonjour for Sania at Roland Garros

The deciding factor for Sania, as always, was whether she could manage a positive winner-error ratio.

Monaco separates the men from the boys

It is the one track in the world where you have to be on the limit every second of the lap as the cars drive barely inches from the wall.

Surface tension for Somdev, Sania, first week crucial

India’s top ranked singles players might have avoided drawing any of the 32 seeds when the draw for the French Open was released a few hours ago. But they open up against tricky opponents, nonetheless.

Shuttlers have little choice but to play a different game

Just one senior ranking tournament was held between the last two nationals – a sad state of affairs for a sport that is trying to ‘move’ up.

ManU on honeymoon, but EPL excitement is still on

The EPL relegation battle is a lot like a bungee jump. It reminds you why it's great to be alive.

The gum-chewing master of Red Devils inspires awe

At a time when managers have to face musical chairs every few years, this man has been there at the top for a good 25 years and is still up and running. One of the aspects of Ferguson’s longevity that catches your eye instantly is the desire within that seems to be the main driving factor.

Vettel heads to Barcelona as the clear favourite

After three wins and one second place in the first four races, the German definitely looks unstoppable as he heads back to F1’s favourite testing track.

Double standards of our badminton association

Doubles has been a neglected discipline in Indian badminton for over five decades now. BAI takes recourse in the argument that we don’t have enough talent in that department. But remind them about the fact that India’s only mixed doubles pair to break into the world top-10 rarely trains together and would have gone no where had they lacked the talent to play doubles, the officials scurry for cover.

Strong is Beautiful?

On Thursday, the WTA unveiled its new marketing campaign ‘Strong is Beautiful’ to an overwhelmingly positive response. But while a fantastic publicity campaign can help generate buzz, it’s the product itself that needs to be strong enough to sustain itself.