And with Reetika Hooda getting marginally beaten by Kyrgyzstan’s Aiperi Medet Kyzy, the Paris Olympics for the Indian contingent came to an end. It was a rather emotional campaign for entire India. who saw several fourth place finishes. The gut-wrenching moment came when Vinesh Phogat was controversially disqualified just before her final. Regardless, as many as 6 medals won by our athletes, with Neeraj Chopra bagging the only Silver. The cricketing fraternity also saw several developments, with one former Pakistani player even going down to say that Babar Azam should give up Pakistan captaincy. Sanju Samson was also among the news!
Babar Azam captaincy in question?
Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has urged Babar Azam to relinquish his white-ball captaincy to focus on batting. He criticized Pakistan’s recent performance and their “talkative cricket” approach. Azam, appointed T20I captain before the World Cup, failed to lead the team beyond the group stage for the first time in country’s history. Ali believes Azam’s batting could improve even further without captaincy pressure.
Sanju Samson spills beans on snub
Sanju Samson has struggled for consistent opportunities in the Indian team. Despite a T20 World Cup 2024 call-up, he’s faced inconsistent selection. Recent failures haven’t deterred him. “I’ll play whenever selected,” Samson said, emphasizing a positive approach. However, with stiff competition and past inconsistencies, the 29-year-old faces an uphill climb to secure a regular spot in the Indian side.
Naseem Shah with ‘communication’ trouble
Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah expressed difficulties in communicating with foreign coaches Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie due to language barriers. He emphasized the ease of communication in one’s native language. Despite being awarded a Grade A central contract, the PCB is cautious about Naseem’s workload management, and even denied him permission to play in the GT20 Canada.
Ashwin vs RTM rule in IPL auction
Indian veteran and Rajasthan Royals spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has criticized the Right to Match (RTM) rule in the IPL. He argues that RTM is unfair to players, citing an example: A player valued at ₹5-6 crore is released by a team. That team can then buy him back at his base price, preventing other teams from acquiring him at his true market value. Ashwin believes this benefits only the releasing team, not the player or the other franchises.
Sarabjot Singh declines Gov. job!
Olympic bronze medalist Sarabjot Singh has turned down a government job offer. The 22-year-old shooter, who won a medal with Manu Bhaker in Paris, has prioritized his sporting career. Despite family pressure to secure a stable job, Sarabjot remains focused on shooting. “The job is good, but I want to focus on shooting first,” he said.
No Sanju Samson in KCL?
The Kerala Cricket League (KCL) kicks off on September 2, culminating in a final on September 19. All matches will be held in Trivandrum. Surprisingly, Kerala’s star Sanju Samson will not be part of the inaugural season. The KCL auction, held on August 10, saw 114 players bought by six teams. All-rounder MS Akhil fetched the highest price of Rs 7.4 lakh from Trivandrum Royals. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indian’s Vishnu Vinod was bagged for Rs 5 lakhs by same franchise.
