The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

SPORTS

Sunil Gavaskar launches Wisden Asia
Arvind Katyal

Chandigarh, December 2
It was around 7.20 pm when the select gathering of guests and sportspersons alongwith mediapersons assembled at the Chandigarh Golf Range for a date with ace legendary cricketer, Sunil Gavaskar. He had been invited by the Spenta Management Private Limited to launch a cricket monthly ‘W’isden Asia Cricket’.

While opening the packed parcel of a set of magazines, Gavaskar said it was easy to open the innings for India than to launch a magazine’. Sunny, as he is more popular among his fans, was the most sought after person at the gathering on the grassy lawns of the CGA. Gavaskar was flanked by Managing Director of the Wisden Online magazine Mr Yajurvindra Singh Bilkha, and the Editor of the magazine, Mr Sambit Bal.

Sunny in his brief speech said till date in India no English magazine could become so popular and now with this launch he predicts a good rise in its readership. Gavaskar further said it was nice that Mr Bilkha himself remained a former test cricketer and now involved with the promotion of the game.

Earlier, Sambit Bal recalled that it was John Wisden, an English fast bowler who once clean bowled all 10 batsmen in an ininngs, would not have foreseen the popularity of this magazine when he launched a small book called ‘Wisden Cricketers Almanack’ in 1864.

Gavaskar was also bestowed with honorary membership of the CGA range by the CGA President, Mr Desh Prem Azad, and Mr CSR Reddy, secretary of the association. Gavaskar later honoured the four-member Chandigarh golf comprising Sandeep Sandhu, Girish Virk, Vikramjit Singh and Harinder Gupta by giving them a cash award of Rs 5,000 each given by the CGA in recognition of bronze medal they won in the just concluded National Games.

Today’s function was also graced by Sanjay Manjrekar and Arun Lal, former Test cricketers, Mr I.S. Bindra, former president, Board of Control for Cricket in India, Mr Amrit Mathur, media manager, Indian team.

‘Now a days I play badminton a lot and whenever I am in Mumbai, I go to the Gymkhana to play said Sunny, in an exclusive brief interaction with Chandigarh Tribune. Gavaskar asked the correspondents. Do you know that last week, youngster Sachin Ratti of Jalandhar defeated. All England Champion Gopi Chand. Later he said, “I recall when the coach of Sachin at Mumbai, Uday Pawar, a former badminton player had told me that one day Sachin will be a world beater. He also shared with this reporter that why Sachin Ratti could not perform well during past few years.

Big squad, small performance
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh
The main events for the 31st National Games were over yesterday and the Chandigarh contingent of 270 athletes including 114 women which took part in 18 disciplines was able to win only two gold medals.

This shows the poor state of affairs in the UT, which boasts of high class infrastructure and playing environment.

With each year, the performance has been going down. The two gold medals have been won in rowing and weightlifting.

Chandigarh is the nodal centre for the neighbouring states which send their trainees here for practice.

At present, the UT has nearly 50 coaches and a full-fledged sports department. The Chandigarh Olympic Association under whose banner the teams had taken part, must be under scrutiny for sending a huge contingent of 270.

But they cannot be squarely blamed, since their job was only to send the entryies.

The rest lay with the state sports associations and the sports departments under whose guidance these sportspersons practise.

The next National Games at Hyderabad are only a year away. So the bosses manning sports in the city must plan their strategy now.

Euphoria of Test

The National Games which could not generate enthusiasm among the people here are over. Now the Test match between England and India will begin on Monday.

Already more than 50 per cent of the tickets have been sold. It appears that people will throng the PCA stadium in large numbers, eclipsing the extravaganza called the National Games.