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The Plot to End Mumbai's Grip on the Ranji Trophy NBA

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After 20 years at the top, his most revealing interview ever!

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Gaurav Gill ● Yuki Bhambri ● Magic Johnson ● Jose Ramirez Barreto ● Vinod Kambli

SACHI N SPECI AL

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These20 year shave beent he bestof myl i f e

THECENTURY ATPERTH I N 1 992REALLY QUI CKENED THE PULSE BYGI DEON HAI GH

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2 0 year s of Li t t l e Mast er

TENDULKAR W ASTHE TOUGHEST BATSMAN IEVER BOW LED TO BYW ASI M AKRAM

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These20 year shave beent he bestof myl i f e

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2 0 year s of Li t t l e Mast er SACHI N SPECI AL

THECENTURY ATPERTH I N 1 992REALLY QUI CKENED THE PULSE BYGI DEON HAI GH

TENDULKAR W ASTHE TOUGHEST BATSMAN IEVER BOW LED TO BYW ASI M AKRAM

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Gaurav Gill ● Yuki Bhambri ● Magic Johnson ● Jose Ramirez Barreto ● Vinod Kambli

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Team of the Year INDIAN DAVIS CUP SQUAD GLAMOUR & GRIP

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Gaurav Gill ● Yuki Bhambri ● Magic Johnson ● Jose Ramirez Barreto ● Vinod Kambli

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KC ON SPEED

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ANAND’S FIGHT TO KEEP THE CROWN

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Captain Mojo

LUGE

Photog ra ph b y JONAT H A N FE R R E Y/a f p

Iceman Cometh

A silver medal at the Asian Championships is just the boost Shiva Keshavan needed ahead of the Vancouver Games | B Y V I V E K M U K H E R J I

E

very time you talk to Shiva Keshavan, the term “skating on thin ice” acquires a vivid meaning. His world revolves around ice, speed and blades of steel. He goes down, legs first, at speeds exceeding 150km/h without brakes. He lies on a flimsy sled negotiating the curves of a semi-circular ice tunnel with nothing more than the subtle shift of his body weight as gravity threatens to launch the man and his sled against the unforgiving wall of ice. In the end, the results are decided by wafer-thin margins that the human eye can’t even discern. It’s all in a day’s play for India’s only luge athlete. At 28, the blade slider is set to enter the Olympic arena for the fourth time when the 2010 Winter Games get underway in Vancouver on Feb. 12.

SLIDE SHOW Keshavan trains at the Whistler Sliding Centre in Canada where his Olympic event will be held.

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It all began in 1995 in an unplanned manner when talent scouts of the Federation Internationale de Luge de Course came looking for young talent as part of their programme to promote the sport in developing countries. Keshavan, then a student of the Lawrence School in Sanawar, decided to tag along for a bit of fun. He tried out on street luge and impressed the scouts with his natural inclination to slide on his back. They took him to the Innsbruck track in Igls, Austria, for further training. It marked the beginning of a pioneering journey for the young man from Vashist, a small village nestled in the Himalayas near Manali, famous for its sulphur springs.

In that part of the country, sliding on ice is every child’s joy in winters when the snow comes down in packs. The tools of entertainment range from homemade skis to pieces of flatwood to which metal strips have been nailed underneath to serve as runners. The more enterprising boys try to rig up rudimentary sleds using wood and metal. Keshavan started out similarly, going out skiing with the boys from the neighbourhood. In the process he developed the “heart for speed.”

On Feb. 7, 1998, the gangly 16-year-old walked into the Olympic Stadium in Nagano, Japan, holding aloft the tricolour. When his name was announced during the competition, a ripple of

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curiosity and intrigue streaked through the stands before a thunderous applause rose from the pit of the cavernous stadium for the smallest contingent in the biggest arena of winter sports. On that cold evening, Keshavan became the first Indian to represent the country of over a billion people at the Winter Olympics.

“Luge has received big exposure in India,” says Keshavan.

“That gives me immense satisfaction.”

A L B EL LO/G E T T Y IM AG E S

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his face. Perhaps it stems from the knowledge that the gold medal was just a sliver of a second away.

“It has been pretty hectic for the past couple of days doing interviews for newspapers and TV but I’m not complaining,” the 29-year-old slider says, letting out an infectious laugh. “But more importantly it’s the sport that received big exposure and that gives me immense satisfaction. It has been a lot of hard work. It is every bit enjoyable when things go your way and pretty frustrating when they don’t. Hopefully, the government will pay a little more attention to winter sports now.”

For the past six months, Keshavan’s daily

E ZR A SH AW/G E T T Y IM AG E S (SL ID E); M L A D EN A N T O N OV/A F P

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f he was an unknown entity in Japan, his sport was even more obscure in his homeland. “Luge! What’s that?” used to be a familiar refrain. Things have changed a bit since then. Keshavan is now regularly featured in the mainstream press and often appears on national TV. “I remember that evening and the applause vividly. I still get goosebumps,” says Keshavan as he settles down into a chair at an upmarket coffee shop in south Delhi for a steaming cup of latte and a wedge of lemon cake. “Over the past few years there has been some amount of awareness about luge in India. At least I don’t have to go around explaining what I do.

I had a tough time explaining my sport earlier.”

Twelve years is a good enough time span to put distance and perspective on how things have shaped up for Keshavan. He was recently back in India for a short break en route to Austria from Japan, where he won a silver at the Asian Championships last December at the same track on which he made his Olympic debut.

This result is one better than the bronze he won in 2006, which made him India’s only winter sports medal winner at the international level. Keshavan missed the gold by two-tenths of a second after the fourth run despite gaining a slender lead at the end of the opening two runs.

“I made a small mistake during the final few turns of the last run,” Keshavan reveals.

“That allowed Japan’s Takahisa Oguchi to sneak in. I wasn’t fully accustomed to the new sled which I got just a week before the competition. It’s the kind of boost I needed going into the Vancouver Olympics.”

But every time Keshavan casts a furtive look at his medal a hint of wistfulness clouds

to train abroad. He has spent a great part of his Keshavan, the career in Italy where he first Indian to take part in the Winter earned a Masters in InOlympics, finished ternational Relations 33rd at the 2002 at the University of Salt Lake City Games (far left, Florence while trainleft), 25th at the ing with the Italian 2006 Turin Games (below) and eyes national team. Prior a top 10 showing to the Turin Olympics in Vancouver. in 2006, he was even offered a place in the Italian squad but the proud Himachali refused, preferring to represent his motherland.

Results apart, 2009 was one of the better years for Keshavan. The Indian sports ministry finally came forward with a grant to take care of his training expenses and his coach’s salary. It was the attentive ear of sports minister M.S. Gill and the compelling argument of Indian Olympic Association secretary-general Randhir Singh which got the wheels of the sports ministry rolling through the maze of red tape.

“It has been a great help,” Keshavan says.

“I’m thankful to the sports ministry. At least I can concentrate more on my training and competition and work more closely with my coach. It helps when you have a free mind.

The Asian Championship result is the proof.”

Apart from the government grant, Swissair and the Limca Book of Records have also chipped in with sponsorship money.

Keshavan is aware that the Olympics is a tough proposition. “It will be great if I manage a top 10 finish,” he says. “But on any given day anything can happen.”

The track at the Whistler Sliding Centre where the sliding events—luge, bobsleigh and skeleton—will be held during the 2010 Games is the fastest in the world with a vertical drop of 152m and 16 corners covering a distance of 1,374m. Keshavan has already gotten a taste of what lies in store. When the track was opened in October last year, he did a 15-lap practice run. Going into one of the early runs he misjudged a turn and lost control of his sled at a speed of more than 150 km/h.

“When I got thrown off I could see the sled flying away and smash into the wall,” Keshavan recalls. “In a blink it was reduced to a mangled heap of fibreglass and metal. I was hit by the debris and even had a hairline fracture on the left thumb but it could have been worse. The speed gun recorded me going off on my bum at more than 140 km/h. That was one super speed bump,” adds Keshavan, breaking into a fit of laughter as he gets up to make his exit. He is cool as ice. ± GETTING BETTER

routine has been pretty hectic: training, practising and competing as he gets ready for the Vancouver Games. Luge demands brute strength in every muscle, neck down.

To Keshavan’s 85kg weight, lying on the pod of the sled adds another 23kg. Going into the turns, the body gets pounded by Gforces reaching 7Gs as the sled and the rider transform into a speeding missile seven times its original weight, propelled by the highly polished steel blades skimming the ice. Shifting the body weight, pushing the runners with one’s legs to alter the contact point of the steels with the ice for control while trying to keep the neck level with the torso to see the entry and exit points of high speed turns

and angles, extracts every ounce of primal strength and concentration. And to build strength, the pain barrier has to be broken time and again in gruelling training sessions.

K

eshavan is currently ranked 45th in the world after four rounds of the Viessmann Luge World Cup. Going into the Olympics, his ranking won’t improve significantly as he has opted to skip two of the remaining three rounds of the World Cup competition to concentrate on training with his French coach Yann Frichteau and the Austrian national team in Innsbruck.

Due to the lack of a luge track—artificial or natural—in India, Keshavan has no option but

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Photog ra ph s b y CL I V E ROSE / g e t t y i m a g e s

FORMULA 1

Driven to Win Again He may have nothing left to prove but Michael Schumacher is back on track to quench his thirst for racing on the F1 asphalt B Y S T E V E S L AT E R

WATCH OUT

All eyes will be on seven-time champion Schumacher when he returns to the F1 track next month.

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s it a heroic decision by a champ who simply can’t walk away from winning? Or is it, at 41 years, the ultimate midlife crisis?

Michael Schumacher has stunned motor racing by announcing that he’s had enough of the quiet life and is ready to place his reputation as the sport’s most successful driver on the line. The German, who quit the sport in 2006, enjoyed an unprecedented 91 Grand Prix victories and seven F1 world championship titles.

Now his return after a three-year absence to drive for Mercedes GP (the team known last year as Brawn GP) has added new spice to the sport. Can Schumacher still be a match for younger rivals? ¶ His decision certainly puts pressure on all drivers on the grid. No longer can “new kids on the block” such as Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel lament that they didn’t have the opportunity to race against him. Schumacher has already joked that they had better all be at the top of their game if they want to beat him. The first question that comes to mind is whether he is up for the challenge physically and mentally. He always had a reputation for being one of the fittest, hardest-training drivers in the F1 paddock but the fitness demands for F1 motor racing are particularly gruelling.

The immense G-forces generated by a GP car during cornering on acceleration and braking place sustained loads on the body even in excess of that experienced by fighter pilots. A unique mixture of aerobic fitness and upper body strength is required to ensure one can merely breathe, let alone hold their head upright. Most people would find their neck muscles severely tasked in less than three laps in an F1 car. Even Schumacher has struggled. He had to abandon plans to substitute for injured Ferrari driver Felipe Massa last summer when a neck injury sustained while racing a motorcycle early in 2009 caused excruciating pain after a single day of testing. Insiders will, however, tell you that Schumacher has now been training hard for seven days a week for more than six months.

“Before I gave the final nod, I made sure that I worked it out myself to be sure myself,” says Schumacher. “I can say 100 percent that the neck is no longer an issue. Unfortunately it was too close to the accident when I tried for Ferrari but the time now is enough for it to have healed completely.”

Schumacher, though, is racing against the sands of time. Some

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FORMULA 1 EIGHTH WONDER

of the drivers in the F1 paddock weren’t even born when he first began racing in 1984.

Schumacher’s new teammate Nico Rosberg was born in June 1985, at which point the former was on his way to winning his second German kart racing title. Red Bull Racing driver Vettel, whom many have called the “new Schumacher,” arrived in July 1987.

Back then, Schumacher was 18, on his way to becoming European kart champion.

“For sure you are not as sharp at 41 as you are at 21,” says Eddie Irvine, a Schumacher teammate at Ferrari from 1996 to ’99. “But Michael is fast enough to win races again.

Jenson Button won the title last season so Michael can win it next season in the right car, and even if he doesn’t have a competitive car, we have seen that he can do incredible things. There is no comparison between them in terms of ability.”

Certainly Schumacher was still at the top of his game when he retired at the end of the 2006 season. Ferrari had dipped in form in 2005 and he won just a single race, yet the following season he took the title battle with Renault to the final round. He narrowly missed out on an eighth title when he lost to Fernando Alonso. However, Schumacher’s final win in 2006 at Shanghai was his seventh of the season. In comparison, Button won the 2009 title with just six victories.

Schumacher has admit ted t hat t he abortive attempt to return with Ferrari in the summer of 2009 whetted his appet ite. Money might not have been a motive, although a figure of more than $7 million has been mooted for his comeback. He has amassed a sufficient fortune over the past 15 years in F1 to cover all his and his family’s future needs.

What apparently clinched the decision was the approach from Ross Brawn, the race engineer and team manager who guided him to all seven previous world championships with Benetton and Ferrari. To that can be added the patriotic pull of racing for Germany, as well as returning a debt of gratitude to Mercedes-Benz who supported him at the start of his racing career.

A recent survey revealed that 70% of Germans believe Schumi will win the title this season.

“I think there would have been no other teams seriously considered,” said Schumacher at the Mercedes press conference. “I think the only reason I seriously thought about my return was because of old friends who asked me. Mercedes first gave me the chance to enter F1 and over the years it was never possible to race for them. Finally now a combination of Ross and Mercedes makes it possible to work together and I’m happy to be able to give something back to Mercedes.”

There is no doubt that Schumacher has a winning record to protect. However, even were he never to win again, his record in F1 is unsurpassed. He has started 68 of his 248 Grands Prix from pole position, better than a one in four average. In 76 of those races he set the fastest lap and, of course, he has

Schumacher will face some new challenges. The cars of 2010 will feel very different.

Track Record

B

M

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M A RK T H O M P S O N /G E T T Y IM AG E S

any of those close to Schumacher believe that the competitive urge has never left him. For the German, as with so many racers, the need to compete is paramount. However, even by their standards, Schumacher was, and is, hyper-competitive.

“I last raced with him in November at Massa’s charity karting event in Sao Paulo,” said Brazilian driver Lucas di Grassi, who this season will make his F1 debut with the Virgin GP team. “We were all racing hard and having a good time but Michael just never stopped. He was even filing millimetres off his seat to get a better driving position. I beat him the last two years, but this time he was determined to win—and he did!”

Irvine adds, “I think he just got bored.

When he was going to the races with Ferrari he was probably thinking ‘what am I TEUTONIC CLASH doing here?’ He reVettel and Schumi ally didn’t have a job. teamed up for He was just turning Germany at the 2008 Race of up as a poster boy for Champions but the sport. At least now now will battle he has a proper job.” against each other.

won 91 Grands Prix. The next most of the season in Australia. In 1997, successful driver in F1 history, Alain he was disqualified from the world Prost, scored 51 wins. Of the current championship by the FIA after a colpack, Alonso is the most successful lision with Jacques Villeneuve at the Schumacher has had a stellar 15-year F1 career with 21 wins, Hamilton and Massa GP of Europe in Jerez. are equally matched with 11 each and SEASON TEAM RACES POLES WINS POINTS RANK Button has seven. oth drivers were forced to reSchumacher will face some new 1992 Benetton 16 0 1 53 3 tire but Schumacher claimed challenges. The cars racing in the 1993 Benetton 16 0 1 52 4 the title by a single point.

2010 season will feel very different 1994 Benetton 14 6 8 92 1 Hill, who ultimately went on to beat in their handling characteristics to 1995 Benetton 17 4 9 102 1 Schumacher to the 1996 title, is, perthose he last raced in 2006. Their hard1996 Ferrari 16 4 3 59 3 haps understandably, more pragmatic compound slick tyres and more limited 1997 Ferrari 17 3 5 78 DSQ about the comeback. “At some point aerodynamic downforce will require a 1998 Ferrari 16 3 6 86 2 it is going to get very tough, going different driving style this season. The 1999 Ferrari 10 3 2 44 5 to get unpleasant and it might bring end of refuelling stops will mean that 2000 Ferrari 17 9 9 108 1 back memories of why you retired in the cars will be notably heavier in the 2001 Ferrari 17 11 9 123 1 the first place,” Hill says. “A season early stages of the race with full tanks.

2002 Ferrari 17 7 11 144 1 is a long time and it will put Michael Since Schumacher last raced, a 2003 Ferrari 16 5 6 93 1 through a severe test of his ability.” number of new tracks have appeared 2004 Ferrari 18 8 13 148 1 However, Schumacher’s no-comwhich he will need to learn, too. He’ll 2005 Ferrari 19 1 1 62 3 promise philosophy may well be the face a new battle in racing under the 2006 Ferrari 18 4 7 121 2 key to ensuring that his comeback is a floodlights in Singapore and into the winning one. A recent survey showed twilight in Abu Dhabi. He may well find the Barrichello’s wish for a clean fight is an that 70 percent of Germans believe that he change in regime from intensive driving on incisive comment into the uncompromis- will make history with an eighth title in the test track to using a computer-driven ing psyche that has in the past added some 2010. Schumacher himself believes it is a simulator tricky, as do most 40-somethings unsavoury aspects to Schumacher’s racing. logical target. when faced with digital technology.

“I was tired of F1 by the end of 2006, but Sometimes it has to be remembered that Another former Ferrari teammate is sure Schumacher’s genius was marred by gra- after three years of absence I have been that Schumacher’s vast experience will add tuitous unsportsmanship. getting back all the energy that I’m feeling up to a race-winning return. “Experience In 2006, he attracted controversy for at- right now,” he says. “I played around with is all that matters in F1 now,” says veteran tempting to block the track during qualify- motorbikes and I feel ready for some seriRubens Barrichello, winner of two races for ing in Monaco in a bid to stop Alonso from ous stuff now. I have won the championship the Brawn GP in 2009 who is set this year to claiming pole position. However, that pales seven times, I’m now with the team that won become the first driver in GP history to start in comparison to Schumacher’s act of delib- both titles last year and Mercedes is there 300 races. “The Brawn team needed me last erately driving his rivals off the racetrack. as a partner and team owner, so you can’t year and it needs Schumi now. I hope for a In 1994, he deliberately drove into the side expect anything else other than to go for the great fight with him, but a clean one as well.” of title rival Damon Hill in the final race world title. The fire has started again.” ±

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Scorecard

SPORT

A snapshot view of recent news from across the globe

C L O C K W I S E F R O M L E F T: E L S A H A S C H /A L L S P O R T (M CG W I R E); M A R K T H O M P S O N / G E T T Y I M A G E S ( V I E I R A); DAV I D C A N N O N / G E T T Y I M A G E S (S T E N S O N); C L I V E B R U N S K I L L / G E T T Y I M A G E S (S H A R A P O VA); L AU R E N C E G R I F F I T H S / G E T T Y I M A G E S (A D E B AYO R)

Jan. 10, New York, New York, United States > Former major leaguer Mark McGwire (left) finally comes clean and admits that he used steroids when he broke baseball’s alltime home run record in 1998. “I was given a gift to hit home runs,” said McGwire, who added that he used steroids on and off for nearly a decade.

Jan. 8, Karachi, Pakistan > China claims four gold, one silver and two bronze medals at the inaugural Benazir Bhutto Boxing Championships to clinch the top spot in the 20-nation tournament. The host nation finishes with a haul of one gold, three silver and eight bronze medals.

Jan. 5, Paris, France > A French court overturns the life ban and five-year suspension imposed by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile on former Renault chief Flavio Briatore and engineer Pat Symonds, respectively. The duo had been punished for race-fixing the Singapore GP in 2008.

Jan. 11, Tokyo, Japan > Thailand’s Poonsawat Kratingdaeng defeats Japan’s Satoshi Hosono to successfully defend his World Boxing Association super bantamweight title.

The 29-year-old stretches his record to 40 victories, including 28 KOs, against one defeat.

Jan. 10, Chonburi, Thailand > Henrik Stenson (above) does the trick on the final hole to secure a 8 ½-to-7 ½ victory for Europe over Asia in the Royal Trophy golf tournament. Asia goes into the final day’s play one point behind Europe and fails to bridge the gap.

GRAPHICS BY DURGA PRASAD

WORLD OF

Jan. 11, Manchester, England > Patrick Vieira (left) returns to the Premier League after more than four seasons to join Manchester City from Serie A club Inter Milan. The French midfield maestro initially joined on a six-month contract but has the option of staying on for another year.

Jan. 8, Cabinda, Angola > The buses carrying Togo’s football squad come under attack from a rebel militia, resulting in the deaths of the assistant coach and spokesman. The distraught team, including star striker Emmanuel Adebayor (left), pulls out of the African Nations Cup as a result.

Jan. 18, Melbourne, Australia > Maria Sharapova (right) becomes the first big casualty on the opening day of the Australian Open. The 2008 champion and former world No. 1 is stunned by fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 6-4 in the first round.

M a p n o t d r aw n t o s c a l e

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FORMULA 1

Ready, Set,

GO

The sight of Michael Schumacher taking on his old team, Ferrari, is enough to set the pulse racing but that is just one highlight of the 2010 season which promises to be a rollercoaster ride | BY V I V EK MUK HERJI Photograph by

V I NCENZO PI N TO/a f p

84 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | M A R CH 2010

START ME UP

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone flags off a new-look Ferrari team, which includes Fernando Alonso (left) and Giancarlo Fisichella, at a ski resort in Italy.

pairings are a source of glee among fans. Since Alonso (below) the days when A lain is the only driver Prost and Ayrton Senna on the grid who has overpowered drove for McLaren way Schumacher back in the late 1980s, (left) to win two championships. the sight of two world champions in one team, racing against each other, had remained in the realm of wishful thinking.

Those with fertile memory will remember the legendary Senna-Prost duels of the 1988 and ’89 seasons, when the rest of the cast was reduced to a sideshow. It made McLaren virtually invincible, except on occasions when the two drivers hit the self-destruct button as they did in Suzuka, Japan, in 1989.

Will the Button-Hamilton rivalry be able to recreate the magic of that bygone era?

Let’s wait and watch. Though both are extremely driven racers who have sampled the sweet taste of winning the world championship, they’re not Senna or Prost.

Times have changed. It’s very much possible that the current and former world champions will corner most of the glory, provided the McLaren-Mercedes MP4-25 is up to the pace right from the start. It’s unlikely that the British pair will be able to recreate the friction and tension that the Brazilian and Frenchman served to their deBLAST FROM THE PAST

Track List 1 March 14 Sakhir (BAH) 2 March 28 Melbourne (AUS) 3 April 4 Kuala Lumpur (MAS) 4 April 18 Shanghai (CHN) 5 May 9 Catalunya (ESP) 6 May 16 Monte Carlo (MON) 7 May 30 Istanbul (TUR) 8 June 13 Montreal (CAN) 9 June 27 Valencia (ESP) 10 July 11 Silverstone (U.K.) 11 July 25 Hockenheim (GER) 12 Aug. 1 Budapest (HUN) 13 Aug. 29 Spa-Francorchamps (BEL) 14 Sept. 21 Monza (ITA) 15 Sept. 26 Singapore (SIN) 16 Oct. 10 Suzuka (JPN) 17 Oct. 24 Yeongam (KOR) 18 Nov. 7 Sao Paulo (BRA)

E

Then you have the most improved driver of last year, Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel, itching to set right the mistakes that cost him the title after a mid-season surge of pace. Going

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lower down the order, you have Force India.

It’s one of the two teams (Red Bull being the other) to have retained its 2009 lineup, thus ensuring continuity. Force India’s de-

cision to skip the first round of official tests in Jerez, Spain, last month in order to spend more time in the wind tunnel tweaking the aerodynamic package is an indication of the team’s newfound confidence. If that was not enough, the arrival of four new teams—Lotus Litespeed, Virgin F1, Campos Meta and US F1— will add further spice, expanding the grid to 26 cars provided all the new teams are able to put together their cars before the start of the season this month. That will make it the largest F1 grid in over a decade.

The revamped scoring system that awards

MARK THOMPSON/GET T Y IMAGES

ven before the first car has gulped gas, the word out there is that the 60th F1 season will be a “jaw dropping” one. This assertion, made by the commercial capo of the sport, Bernie Ecclestone, may indeed come true. ¶ The way off-season developments have panned out during the winter months, the 2010 season holds the promise of turning out to be spectacular with plenty of fireworks on the track. Hopefully there will be lesser off-track piffle than last year, all of which took off a lot of sheen from the 2009 season. ¶ A combination of factors has stirred the pot to cause all this preseason euphoria. The return of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, the pairing of current world champion Jenson Button with 2008 champion Lewis Hamilton, and Fernando Alonso joining Ferrari alongside Felipe Massa do raise visions of keen contests.

MARK THOMPSON/GET T Y IMAGES

19 Nov. 14 Abu Dhabi (U.A.E.)

25 points to winners, with a lesser number trickling down to 10th place, will ensure jousting right until the tail end of the field.

After all, each point is worth a few million dollars. In theory this will act as an incentive for the back-of-the-grid teams to battle it out with the established mid-rung players—something that was lacking until now.

Add to this already intriguing milieu the ban on refuelling during the race. It means that the cars will be starting on cold tyres from a stationary start lugging an extra 160kg. Spectators can anticipate the prospect of some spectacular skirmishes going into the first right-hand hairpin bend at the Sakhir track in Bahrain on March 14.

But more than anything else, the driver

lirious fans. But even without flying at each other’s throats, Button and Hamilton have the potential to add some twist to the tale.

Over in Italy, the Tifosi is yet to warm to Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard will be more than eager to prove that he has long shed his whining ways from his McLarenMercedes days. The Prancing Horse doesn’t like to share the stable with cry babies. Apart from that, the former double world champion (2006 and ’07) has an extremely tough teammate in Brazilian Felipe Massa, who knows how to fight hard on the track, win and accept defeat with grace.

C

oming back into the thick of action after his life-threatening accident at the Hungarian GP last July, Massa will be a highly focused man. Had Nelson Piquet Jr. not pulled off the most despicable act of cheating in the Singapore GP in 2008, deliberately crashing his car on the 13th lap, which brought out the safety car and gave track position to Alonso immediately after the Renault driver pitted, Massa would have easily won the race. It threw Massa’s pit plan into the Marina Bay, which was further compounded by his own mistake during the chaotic pit stop. He ended up with a 13thplace finish. A victory in Singapore would have given him the championship. Instead

It would be fun to see how other drivers measure up to Schumacher. Or will it be the other way round? the title veered Hamilton’s way at turn 15 in Interlagos, a few hundred metres from the finish line on Nov. 2.

At the same time one doesn’t have to be an Alonso fan to appreciate his ability behind the wheel. He is the only driver on the 2010 grid who has beaten Michael Schumacher fair and square to win the world championship two years in a row.

The blindingly quick and crafty driver in a well-engineered Italian car will be a very hard man to catch. After two frustrating years at Renault, he is yearning for the spotlight once again. And what better way to do it than to join the most glamorous team in the sport.

Though both the drivers made the right

M A R CH 2010 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | 87

FORMULA 1

88 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | M A R CH 2010

Podium Challenge Drives Sutil After a promising season in which he nailed a fastest lap at Monza, the Force India driver is looking to build on the momentum in 2010

T

legality over double diffusers settled, Adrian Newey’s creations came alive in electrifying fashion. By retaining the same drivers, the team will be going into the season in a settled manner. Vettel has shown on more occasions than one what he can do with a reliable car, especially in wet conditions.

Team principal Christian Horner says Vettel will be stronger than ever this season after chasing Button for the 2009 title.

“Vettel has five Grand Prix wins, pole positions and fastest laps and there is only one trophy missing from his cabinet at the

moment: the world championship,” Horner says.

After a long break, some of the focus will return to the men in the cockpit. The ban on refuelling will significantly reduce the chances of taking advantage of pit stops to move up the order and that will force drivers to do more overtaking in the race.

The heavier load will make the drivers fret about a few more things while racing at 300 km/h. They will need to put in more effort. And even the fans would like their favourite drivers to work up a sweat. ±

S A N J AY A R O R A

Will the Button-Hamilton rivalry be able to recreate the magic of that bygone era? Let’s wait and watch.

MARK THOMPSON/GET T Y IMAGES

kind of noises at FerraTHE BRITISH CHALLENGE ri’s Wrooom ski event in McLaren will be Madonna di Campiglio, the team to beat Italy, where the new this season as it has the past two lineup was officially champions introduced, the potenpowering its bid. tial of sparks flying is very real when two determined drivers are gunning for glory.

Meanwhile, pairing the greatest driver of this generation with the most successful strategist of the same period is huge news.

Ross Brawn is the driving force who played an important role in propelling Schumacher to stratospheric heights. The Teutonic totem won each of his seven championships with Brawn by his side as the technical director.

Last year Brawn scripted a fairytale to add another title against his name, taking the total to eight. Thus, when Brawn made a call to Schumi, the dyed-in-the-wool Ferrari man decided to team up with “old friends.”

With Mercedes buying out Brawn GP, marking the return of the iconic Silver Arrows with a German legend in the seat, it makes for a sell-out story. After all, Schumacher started his climb through the ranks of Mercedes’ junior driver development programme. There couldn’t be a better time to pay back those who invested in his talent when he was a nobody. The only question that seems to persist is his ability to compete against younger drivers at the age of 41. When he quit the sport three years ago, it was not because others had become better drivers. He chose to hang up his helmet because of “lack of motivation and energy.”

Strictly speaking, he never gave up racing.

After F1, he was racing bikes, though he did meet gravity on more than a few occasions.

Then a neck injury from a fall last February prevented his first attempt at a comeback in the aftermath of Massa’s accident.

Schumacher has nothing left to prove except for having a bit of fun. But when one is a seven-time world champion, competition is a very serious business. In this case, a number of reputations are on the line and we are talking about Schumacher, the most ruthless personification of racing acumen we have known in our times.

It would be fun to see how other drivers measure up to him. Or will it be the other way round? On the big stage, Schumacher has been the biggest protagonist.

Last year Red Bull finally sprouted some wings. Vettel and Mark Webber were the only two drivers who looked as if they were catching up with the Brawn GP cars. Once the

he first thing that strikes you when you meet Adrian Sutil is his trunk-like neck and long fingers, which befit a man of fine arts rather than someone who streaks down F1 circuits at speeds of 300 km/h for a living. He was pretty much destined to follow in the footsteps of his mother, Monika, and Uruguayan father, Jorge, who played violin for the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra.

By 14, Sutil had become an accomplished pianist. But then he drove a kart in a local race for the first time and his destiny changed forever. The high and low notes of the piano gave way to the rising crescendo of engines and exhaust.

“I still play the piano when I’m not racing,” says the Force India driver, breaking into a grin as he eases into a chair. “It’s a good way to take your mind off racing. It’s certainly soothing and very relaxing. But there is not much time to indulge in it.”

Going into the fourth season with liquor baron Vijay Mallya’s team, the German driver has a long and crucial period ahead of him. “It’s a very important year for us,” Sutil says. “Our objective for the 2010 season is to finish among the points more consistently and put up a challenge for podium finishes.”

Following the departure of Giancarlo Fisichella—who was poached by Ferrari after his stunning second-place finish at the Belgian GP last year—Sutil bears the responsibility of being Force India’s lead driver. Four years down the line, he is well qualified to appreciate how far Force India has come since a group led by Mallya bought the team in September 2007.

“The atmosphere is very different now,” says Sutil. “The biggest change is that we have started trusting our abilities. It was very tough in the beginning. The morale was low. Vijay was able to infuse trust which was lacking during the Midland and Spyker days. We are now confident of challenging the bigger teams; we are no longer the back markers.”

After a rather sluggish start to the 2009 season, the team made a series of technical updates throughout the year culminating in a dramatic weekend at the cold Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium. Fisichella scored a stunning pole in qualifying and went on to finish second in the race behind Kimi Raikkonen. Before the next race in Monza, Fisichella had joined Ferrari, leaving Sutil as the main driver. The 26-year-old driver rewarded the team with a second-place finish in qualifying and was fourth in the race on the fastest track of the F1 calendar. He also nailed the fastest lap for the first time for Force India.

“We surprised everyone, including ourselves,” says Sutil. “It was the first podium for the team since 2005 and it came after a very difficult phase. Then I was able to come up with a good result at Monza. We want to build on the gains this year.”

Force India and Red Bull are the only teams who have completely retained their drivers and management from last season. Both decided to skip the first round of testing in Spain last month to spend more time in the wind tunnel. They will go into the season with just 12 days of testing.

Force India’s drivetrain package, sourced through McLaren-Mercedes, passed the performance and reliability tests last season. With engine

development frozen, the team has one less thing to worry about. However, the car seemed to lose its legs The mood on high downforce circuits indicating a gap in the has changed for the better aerodynamics efficiency. in Force India, Last December, Force India tied up with Puneclaims Sutil. based Computational Research Laboratory, and gained access to CRL’s supercomputer, Eka. With a processing capacity of 133 teraflops, Eka is among the top 20 most powerful supercomputers in the world. It makes it possible to use Computational Fluid Dynamics to extract aero efficiency in conjunction with the team’s wind tunnel.

These developments indicate that Force India is seriously addressing the aerodynamic issues that cropped up last year.

“In many ways, the 2010 cars will be different from what we drove last year,” says Sutil. “We have to rework the braking points as the cars will be very heavy at the start of the race. Narrower front tyres mean there will be understeer to take care of. With more cars on the grid making a dash for the first corner, it will definitely make things very interesting.”

Limited pre-season testing as part of FIA’s austerity endeavour has evoked criticism. Some experts believe that the testing time is too short to solve any major problems. But Sutil is not complaining. “It’s in the greater interest of the sport and smaller teams like us,” he says. “I think a lot of winter testing resulted in wastage of money. I’m just dying to get into the new car and race.”

—V.M.

FEEL-GOOD FACTOR

M A R CH 2010 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | 89

I N D I A N P R E M I E R I NLD IEA NAPG UE PREVIEW REMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW

Spinners had a ball at IPL-2 in South Africa. But, as the league returns home, slow bowlers are likely to become an endangered species when the flat-track bullies launch their hunt for leather

Out of the Loop B Y W.V. R A M A N Photog ra ph by

M A NOJ SI NGH /a f p

SEMIFINALS

SI’s PREDICTION 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

DELHI DAREDEVILS CHENNAI SUPER KINGS DECCAN CHARGERS MUMBAI INDIANS KINGS XI PUNJAB ROYAL CHALLENGERS KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS RAJASTHAN ROYALS

62 ER 2009 54 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | | D MEACEM R CHB2010

HAPPY FEAT

Herschelle Gibbs celebrates with Pragyan Ojha after the spinner snared a wicket in the final of IPL-2.

D E CEM M ABRER CH 2009 2010 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | 63 55

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW

E

ven several weeks before the third edition of t he Indian Premier League is due to start, all sorts of issues are keeping the tournament in the news. The franchises have started looking for global partners, the release of Kolkata Knight Riders owner Shah Rukh Khan’s latest movie has run into rough weather and Cricket Australia has expressed its displeasure with the league’s reluctance to disclose security details. However, the television promos of the tournament are harping on the theme of players having missed the support of fans last time and the captains’ delight over the IPL being back in India. ¶ Yet, for all the fans’ gratification at being able to attend matches, there will be a modicum of anxiety among the spinners. The

first edition was not a significant one for them, though they did have some memorable moments in South Africa last year.

The spinners did well in IPL-2 largely due to the fact that the pitches had undergone wear and tear right through the season.

Besides, they got some drift due to the pre-winter chilly breeze. Anil Kumble, Roelof van der Merwe, Pragyan Ojha and Shadab Jakati took wickets at will. This also underlined the fact that a team’s success is related to the performance of its spinners. Both the finalists were well served by their slow bowlers—Kumble, Ojha and Venugopal Rao. It bears mention that the size of the grounds was more or less the same in South Africa and India. As a result of last year’s success story, the team administrators will expect the spinners to perform better in India. It’s likely that the slow bowlers will face a considerable challenge as the pitches in India will be batsmenfriendly. In IPL-1, it was the genius of Shane Warne that prevailed over the batsmen. Who can forget the way he ripped

No Captaincy? No Problem!

Yuvraj Singh looks forward to playing without the pressure of leading Q: Does the IPL demand the same sort of preparation that a Test or ODI series would?

A: It’s always easier to switch from Test or ODI mode to T20 mode and tougher the other way around. Like last year we went from IPL to the World T20 championship and then played the ODI series against West Indies right after.

Q: What’s the biggest challenge of playing in the IPL? A: I think the real challenge is in having a fully fit team. In the last edition we had a lot of injuries but still managed to perform pretty well. As for playing alongside foreigners, it’s not really an issue. We had some adjusting to do in the first

56 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | M A R CH 2010

edition, but now that we’re going into our third season we have gelled as a team.

I N D R A N I L M U K H E R J E E /A F P ( WA R N E); CO U R T E S Y O F K I N G S X I ( Y U V R A J)

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW

The curators will take the easy way out by preparing pitches that are hard and full of runs. the ball across the batsmen and tantalised them with deceptive flight? In comparison, other bowlers struggled to make an impression. Ironically, Warne had a quiet time in South Africa. But it will not be a surprise if he produces his magic once again. The main point of interest in IPL-3 will be how well the spinners respond to the challenge of restricting batsmen whose mission is to whack the

for a 40-day T20 tournament, it’s not really an issue. I play my normal game in any case. It’s just that without captaincy you don’t have additional responsibilities.

Q: Were you disappointed when Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara replaced you as captain of Kings XI Punjab?

A: No. These are management decisions and it’s up to the franchise to make them. I think I won’t have that much pressure on me now.

Q: How is your relationship with Sangakkara now that he has taken over the reins?

A: I don’t see there being any effect on our relationship with him becoming captain. He’s a great guy and a great friend too and an icon to look up to for the youngsters in the side. He’s also the captain of Sri Lanka and has a lot more experience. He has my support.

Q: Without the pressure of captaincy, will you have more time and energy to concentrate on your batting?

A: When you’re captaining a side

Q: You’ve been labelled one of the greatest T20 players. What’s your take on the tag?

A: Honestly, it’s not a label I’m very proud of. Not that I don’t enjoy the format, but it’s not a real test; it’s more fun than a challenge. But,

MIXED LUCK

Warne had a whale of a time in IPL-1 but failed to shine in last year’s edition.

having said that, one can’t deny that you still have to play well to win in T20.

Q: Australia has its KFC T20 Big Bash and England has its domestic T20 league. If the right opportunity came up, would you consider playing in one of those leagues?

A: Yeah, why not? If the right opportunity were to come up, I wouldn’t see the harm in trying it out. It would be a very different experience.

Q: Have you met Stuart Broad after hitting six sixes off his over?

A: I’ve met him a couple of times.

Once you’re off the field you forget things. There’s no bad blood between us.

Q: Kings XI had a run of bad luck with injuries in 2009. How far do

ball. After the fiasco at the Ferozshah Kotla, it will be reasonable to presume that the curators will take the easy way out by preparing pitches that are hard and full of runs. Entertainment is the name of the game and only flat surfaces will ensure that the public gets to see the ball being smashed all over the park.

A measure of how difficult it is for finger spinners is indicated by the fact that leading wicket-takers such as Muttiah Muralitharan and Harbhajan Singh have been subjected to some rough treatment on Indian tracks. John Emburey’s famous quote of “bowl and just hope” has proved prophetic. His words were in response to a question asking what a bowler can do when he is up against Viv Richards.

How well the spinners shape up in terms of skill, both strategically and mentally, will decide the fate of the teams.

Will it prove to be a case of third-time lucky? Only time will tell but a tough season looms ahead.

The writer is a former India Test opener

you see the side going this year?

A: Well, it depends on how many players are available for the full season. A full team will mean a better shot at doing well.

Q: What is the major strength of the Kings XI side?

A: In this format the major strength will definitely be the all-rounders.

Having Irfan Pathan, Brett Lee and Piyush Chawla are big pluses. Shaun Marsh is going to be an important factor as well.

Q: Any particular team you’re going to be wary of?

A: Delhi and Chennai are very strong, yet they haven’t been able to win the title. It’s very difficult to predict in this format, so you really can’t say.

Q: Is it disappointing that no Pakistanis will be in the IPL? A: No comment.

M A R CH 2010 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | 57

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW

1 Delhi Daredevils

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW

VITAL STATISTICS

VITAL STATISTICS

Coach Greg Shipperd

PAST RECORD

PAST RECORD YEAR

M

W

L

T

NR

WIN%

YEAR

M

W

L

T

NR

WIN%

2008 2009 Total

14 15 29

7 10 17

7 5 12

- - -

- - -

50.00 66..67 58.62

2008 2009 Total

16 14 30

9 8 17

7 6 13

- - -

- - -

56.25 57.14 56.66

HIGHEST INNINGS TOTAL

HIGHEST INNINGS TOTAL RUNS

O

RR

OPPONENT

VENUE

DATE

194/4

20.0

9.70

Deccan

Delhi

15.5.2008

RUNS 240/5

HIGHEST SUCCESSFUL CHASE

Past Performance: In the

held for drug possession at Dubai airport, Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath forced to rot on the bench and the inconsistency of the Ferozshah Kotla pitch, to name a few.

Prized Catch: The Daredevils bought Wayne Parnell for $610,000 at the 2010 auction. An outstanding performer

ACE IN THE PACK It was Dilshan and his Dilscoop that did the trick for the Delhi team in IPL-2.

Expect more of the same.

58 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | M A R CH 2010

OPPONENT

VENUE

DATE

Punjab

Mohali

19.4.2008

O

RR

OPPONENT

VENUE

DATE

RUNS

O

RR

OPPONENT

VENUE

DATE

179/5

19.5

9.17

Mumbai

Delhi

24.5.2008

188/6

20

9.40

Delhi

Delhi

8.5.2008

M

WKTS

AVE

BEST

BOWLER

M

WKTS

AVE

BEST

Amit Mishra

17

25

17.28

5/17

Albie Morkel

25

30

24.23

4/32

LEADING RUN-GETTER

LEADING RUN-GETTER

Gautam Gambhir 820 (ave 34.60) in 29 matches

Suresh Raina 855 (ave 34.20) in 30 matches

PERFORMANCE METER

PERFORMANCE METER

BATTING

1 |||||||||||| 2 |||||||||||| 3 |||||||||||| 4 |||||||||||| 5 |||||||||||| 6 |||||||||||| 7 |||||||||||| 8 |||||||||||| 9 |||||||||||| 10

BATTING

1 |||||||||||| 2 |||||||||||| 3 |||||||||||| 4 |||||||||||| 5 |||||||||||| 6 |||||||||||| 7 |||||||||||| 8 |||||||||||| 9 |||||||||||| 10

BOWLING

1 |||||||||||| 2 |||||||||||| 3 |||||||||||| 4 |||||||||||| 5 |||||||||||| 6 |||||||||||| 7 |||||||||||| 8 |||||||||||| 9 |||||||||||| 10

BOWLING

1 |||||||||||| 2 |||||||||||| 3 |||||||||||| 4 |||||||||||| 5 |||||||||||| 6 |||||||||||| 7 |||||||||||| 8 |||||||||||| 9 |||||||||||| 10

1 |||||||||||| 2 |||||||||||| 3 |||||||||||| 4 |||||||||||| 5 |||||||||||| 6 |||||||||||| 7 |||||||||||| 8 |||||||||||| 9 |||||||||||| 10

FIELDING

1 |||||||||||| 2 |||||||||||| 3 |||||||||||| 4 |||||||||||| 5 |||||||||||| 6 |||||||||||| 7 |||||||||||| 8 |||||||||||| 9 |||||||||||| 10

FIELDING

Compiled by Rajesh Kumar

at the 2009 World T20 championship with nine wickets, Parnell is the match-winning bowler the team has been looking for.

Team Strength: The Daredevils team is a fairly balanced side with the most explosive set of openers in Sehwag (below right), Gambhir and Tilekaratne Dilshan. When you add to

2 Chennai Super Kings

LEADING WICKET-TAKER

BOWLER

L

ed by Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Chennai Super Kings will be itching to go two steps further in the third edition. In both the last seasons, the Chennai team has disappointed its supporters by losing in the semifinal stage. With a winning percentage of 56.66, the team’s batsmen have always managed strong starts but they have shown a tendency to slip up in the final overs which has resulted in some narrow defeats.

that the overseas recruits— A.B. de Villiers, Dirk Nannes and Parnell—the squad looks positively potent. The Daredevils have bought out the contract of McGrath, who was largely unutilised last year. The team has also traded Manoj Tiwary and Owais Shah for Mosies Henriques from the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Past Performance: In the

S A EED K H A N /A F P/GA L LO IM AG E S /G E T T Y IM AG E S (SEH WAG); RIZ WA N TA BA S S U M /A F P/G E T T Y IM AG E S (D IL SH A N)

first edition, the Daredevils had one of the strongest runs in the league phase.

They pulled off four straight wins to begin with, had a bit of a stumble in the middle and still managed to make the semifinals. However, the team failed to overcome the Rajasthan Royals. In IPL-2, the Daredevils dominated most of the league matches until they ran into a blizzard by the name of Adam Gilchrist. The Deccan Chargers captain decimated the Daredevils with a quickfire 63 and ended the Delhi team’s campaign.

The Daredevils haven’t been without their share of controversy—paceman Mohammad Asif being

RR 12.00

RUNS

T O M SH AW/G E T T Y IM AG E S (M U R A L I T H A R A N); C A M ER O N SPEN C ER /G E T T Y IM AG E S (H AY D EN)

G

O 20.0

HIGHEST SUCCESSFUL CHASE

LEADING WICKET-TAKER

autam Gambhir is not a numbers man. But throw these percentages at him and even he would take a second look. The Daredevils have increased their winning percentage from 50 (IPL-1) to 66 (IPL-2). But what would worry Gambhir are the two semifinal losses the team suffered, marking it out as an “underperforming” outfit. The tag might seem a bit harsh but a team with the firepower of Gambhir and Virender Sehwag that was billed as the favourite in both seasons should by now have inscribed its name on the IPL trophy.

Coach Stephen Fleming

inaugural season, Matthew Hayden, Jacob Oram and Michael Hussey ensured a winning start for the team. The Super Kings won their first three games.

Yet, when the three went to honour commitments to their countries, the team couldn’t maintain its winning momentum.

Some wonderful batting displays by Suresh Raina, Albie Morkel, and skipper Dhoni himself got the team going. The Super Kings won eight of 14 matches.

In the final, they were up against the Rajasthan Royals. Only the inspired captaincy of Shane Warne kept Dhoni’s boys from clinching the trophy. The Super Kings had identical figures in the second edition,

winning eight of their 14 league matches to qualify for the semifinals. But a resurgent Bangalore Royal Challengers defeated them by six wickets, leaving Dhoni a distraught man.

Prized Catch: Once tipped to play the role of Lance Klusener, Justin Kemp lost his way somewhat in international cricket. After the collapse of the Indian Cricket League, Kemp is back with the Super Kings, who bought him for $100,000. His multiple skills will be an asset for a team that tends to falter in the final overs.

Team Strength: Though packed with all-rounders like Kemp, Morkel, Oram, Subramaniam Badrinath and Thilan Thushara, the team is slightly low on

firepower when it comes to pure bowlers. Muttiah Muralitharan (above) and Makhaya Ntini are not at the top of their games. The team appears batsmenheavy with not much in the bowling department.

Hayden’s explosive batting, along with Raina’s lusty hitting, is its main strength.

A good start from Hayden is what the team needs if it has to notch up scores of 175plus consistently. Dhoni’s

aggressive captaincy, the hustling methods of Hussey and Kemp’s all-round skills should see the Super Kings again in the last four.

ACE IN THE PACK Matthew Hayden defies age. He’s not only destructive but also delivers with the bat consistently.

M A R CH 2010 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | 59

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW

3

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW

VITAL STATISTICS

VITAL STATISTICS

Coach Darren Lehman

PAST RECORD YEAR

M

W

L

T

NR

WIN%

YEAR

M

W

L

T

NR

WIN%

2008 2009 Total

14 16 30

2 9 11

12 7 19

- - -

- - -

14.29 56.25 36.66

2008 2009 Total

14 13 27

7 5 12

7 8 15

- - 1

- - -

50.00 38.46 44.44

Deccan Chargers

HIGHEST INNINGS TOTAL

T

BOWLER

M

WKTS

AVE

BEST

BOWLER

R.P. Singh

30

38

22.60

4/22

Dwayne Bravo 20

Past Performance: Despite

ACE IN THE PACK Whenever the team struggled in IPL-2, Rohit Sharma came up with a big knock.

His fielding is an asset as well.

Pragyan Ojha and Rohit Sharma, who performed spectacularly with both bat and ball.

Prized Catch: Everybody woke up to Kemar Roach’s hostile pace bowling after he forced Ricky Ponting to retire hurt in the series against Australia in 2009.

At $720,000, some may perceive him as expensive but if he delivers wickets with his scorching pace, the West Indian will be worth his weight in gold for the Hyderabad team.

Team Strength: The Chargers are blessed with naturally-gifted batsmen.

But the challenge this season will be to find the ideal balance. Gilchrist might prefer loading the side with powerful hitters.

The Australian and Gibbs will form the opening partnership. Andrew Symonds will be there to take charge if things go wrong at the top. Sharma and Dwayne Smith will also shoulder the batting

60 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | M A R CH 2010

O

RR

OPPONENT

VENUE

DATE

214/5

20.0

10.70

Rajasthan

Hyderabad

24.4.2008

RUNS 202/7

HIGHEST SUCCESSFUL CHASE

O

RR

OPPONENT

VENUE

DATE

20.0

10.10

Chennai

Chennai

23.4..2008

HIGHEST SUCCESSFUL CHASE

RUNS

O

RR

OPPONENT

VENUE

DATE

RUNS

O

RR

OPPONENT

VENUE

DATE

169/4

19.3

8.75

Chennai

Durban

27.4.2009

158/1

13.5

11.70

Chennai

Mumbai

14.5.2008

LEADING WICKET-TAKER

LEADING WICKET-TAKER M

WKTS

AVE

BEST

22

22.31

3/24

LEADING RUN-GETTER

LEADING RUN-GETTER

Adam Gilchrist 931 (ave 32.10) in 30 matches

Sanath Jayasuriya 735 (ave 30.62) in 26 matches

PERFORMANCE METER

PERFORMANCE METER

BATTING

1 |||||||||||| 2 |||||||||||| 3 |||||||||||| 4 |||||||||||| 5 |||||||||||| 6 |||||||||||| 7 |||||||||||| 8 |||||||||||| 9 |||||||||||| 10

BATTING

1 |||||||||||| 2 |||||||||||| 3 |||||||||||| 4 |||||||||||| 5 |||||||||||| 6 |||||||||||| 7 |||||||||||| 8 |||||||||||| 9 |||||||||||| 10

BOWLING

1 |||||||||||| 2 |||||||||||| 3 |||||||||||| 4 |||||||||||| 5 |||||||||||| 6 |||||||||||| 7 |||||||||||| 8 |||||||||||| 9 |||||||||||| 10

BOWLING

1 |||||||||||| 2 |||||||||||| 3 |||||||||||| 4 |||||||||||| 5 |||||||||||| 6 |||||||||||| 7 |||||||||||| 8 |||||||||||| 9 |||||||||||| 10

FIELDING

1 |||||||||||| 2 |||||||||||| 3 |||||||||||| 4 |||||||||||| 5 |||||||||||| 6 |||||||||||| 7 |||||||||||| 8 |||||||||||| 9 |||||||||||| 10

FIELDING

1 |||||||||||| 2 |||||||||||| 3 |||||||||||| 4 |||||||||||| 5 |||||||||||| 6 |||||||||||| 7 |||||||||||| 8 |||||||||||| 9 |||||||||||| 10

responsibilities. Gilchrist might also consider the allround ability of Smith too important to sacrifice, so Roach may well walk into the final XI at the expense of Gibbs. The Chargers’ bowling strength will be sorely tested. R.P. Singh

had a wonderful season last year but has been off-colour since. Gilchrist will still rely on the left-arm seamer and Roach to achieve the early breakthrough. Helping with his handy spin will be the immensely-talented Symonds.

TO M SH AW/G E T T Y IM AG E S (G ILC H RIS T ); PA L PIL L A I /A F P (R O HI T )

being the favourite to win the inaugural season, the Chargers had a forgettable outing and ended up last.

Struggling in the middle of IPL-2, the team gained form late. Once into the knockout stage, it delivered the sucker punch to the Delhi Daredevils in the semis and then prevailed in a tense final against the Royal Challengers. The second edition saw a change in command and attitude under Gilchrist (right). The mercurial Shahid Afridi was dropped from the squad due to disciplinary issues.

The Chargers found new heroes in Herschelle Gibbs, Dwayne Smith, R.P. Singh,

HIGHEST INNINGS TOTAL

RUNS

G I A N LUI G I G U ER C I A /A F P ( T EN D U L K A R); A LO K N AT H /A F P (P O L L A RD)

he Deccan Chargers won only two matches out of 14 in IPL-1. In the second season, when no one gave the team a chance, it prevailed in nine out of 16 and went on to clinch the title. It was a fairytale triumph which also proved the unpredictable nature of the T20 format. If the Chargers can win after finishing at the bottom in the first season, anyone can dream of reaching the podium.

Skipper Adam Gilchrist would probably laugh and agree. But now that the Chargers are playing all their home games in Mumbai due to fears of unrest in Hyderabad over the Telangana issue, there will be concern over lack of crowd support.

Coach Robin Singh

PAST RECORD

M

umbaikars love their cricket. Yet, when it comes to their own team, they might just be running out of patience. The Mumbai Indians, powered by the wealth of Mukesh Ambani, one of the world’s richest men, represents the heart of Indian cricket and has in the team India’s biggest sports brand, Sachin Tendulkar. But, except for rousing enough passion to pack the stadium and raise viewership numbers, the team hasn’t lived up to its billing.

4 Mumbai Indians Past Performance: Mumbai had a false start in the inaugural season, losing skipper Tendulkar to injury even before the tournament began. Harbhajan Singh stepped into the breach but lost the first four matches.

And then “Slapgate” with Kings XI Punjab bowler S. Sreesanth happened, resulting in Bhajji’s suspension. Experienced South African all-rounder Shaun Pollock took over and the team won a few matches but didn’t manage enough points to make the semifinals. It finished with seven wins in 14 matches, not quite a fitting advertisement for the most expensive team in the IPL. Pollock and Sri Lankan batting maestro Sanath Jayasuriya were the most powerful performers but lack of consistent support from others led to the team’s downfall. The second season was even worse.

Though Tendulkar (left) returned to lead in South Africa, things didn’t change for the better. The team could win only five matches out of 14 and failed to make it to the knockout stage yet again.

Prized Catch: Fans all over the world still remember Kieron Pollard’s 18-ball 54 for Trinidad & Tobago against New South Wales

in the T20 Champions League final last year. A big hitter, Pollard’s form will be crucial for the Mumbai outfit. The West Indian player is a handy bowler as well as a nimble fielder.

Team Strength: The first XI is as competent as any in the competition. Even with age catching up, Tendulkar, 35, and Jayasuriya, 40, have enough skills in their repertoire to smash bowlers all over. In Pollard, Mumbai has an all-rounder who can hold the side together if the opening pair fails to get going. South African sensation J.P. Duminy is rock solid and is expected to play a pivotal role once again. The South African has the ability to drop anchor and score in singles and twos, and suddenly change gears to hit boundaries. The bowling attack looks pretty balanced now. Zaheer Khan, Lasith Malinga and Harbhajan have enough experience to keep up the pressure and bag crucial wickets.

ACE IN THE PACK A four-way tie in the auction to buy Kieron Pollard, even at $750,000, proves the man’s worth.

M A R CH 2010 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | 61

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW

5

VITAL STATISTICS

Coach Tom Moody

PAST RECORD YEAR

M

W

L

T

NR

WIN%

2008 2009 Total

15 14 29

10 7 17

5 7 12

- - -

- - -

66.67 50.00 58.62

Kings XI Punjab

HIGHEST INNINGS TOTAL

W

BOWLER

M

WKTS

AVE

BEST

Irfan Pathan

28

32

23.12

3/35

RR

OPPONENT

VENUE

DATE

20.0

11.05

Rajasthan

Mohali

28.5.2008

RUNS

O

RR

OPPONENT

VENUE

DATE

178/4

19.3

9.22

Deccan

Mohali

23.5.2008

LEADING WICKET-TAKER

seemed a winning streak had been established. But a loss to the Super Kings dismantled any hopes of gaining a place in the semifinals.

ACE IN THE PACK Yuvraj Singh is one of the best T20 players and there is little any team can do to stop him when he is on song.

62 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | M A R CH 2010

LEADING RUN-GETTER

Kumar Sangakkara 652 (ave 32.60) in 24 matches

PERFORMANCE METER BATTING

1 |||||||||||| 2 |||||||||||| 3 |||||||||||| 4 |||||||||||| 5 |||||||||||| 6 |||||||||||| 7 |||||||||||| 8 |||||||||||| 9 |||||||||||| 10

BOWLING

1 |||||||||||| 2 |||||||||||| 3 |||||||||||| 4 |||||||||||| 5 |||||||||||| 6 |||||||||||| 7 |||||||||||| 8 |||||||||||| 9 |||||||||||| 10

FIELDING

1 |||||||||||| 2 |||||||||||| 3 |||||||||||| 4 |||||||||||| 5 |||||||||||| 6 |||||||||||| 7 |||||||||||| 8 |||||||||||| 9 |||||||||||| 10

Prized Catch: Eyebrows were raised when the Kings XI bought Mohammed Kaif for $250,000, though the owners must have been delighted by his string of

impressive scores in the domestic season. The team also brings together Yuvraj and Kaif, architects of that famous 2002 Natwest Trophy triumph where India successfully chased 326 to beat England. While Yuvraj went from strength to strength, cementing his place in the Indian side, Kaif was pushed to the sidelines after a promising start. However, after being dropped by the Rajasthan Royals last year, Kaif returned to form with some sparkling centuries in the 2009-10 Duleep Trophy.

Team Strength: Though there is some great batting talent—Shaun Marsh, Sangakkara, Yuvraj (left), Simon Katich—in the side, Kings XI’s forte is that it will always feel comfortable defending any total with bowlers like Lee, S. Sreesanth, Irfan Pathan and Yusuf Abdulla. Spin is aplenty in the reliable fingers of Yuvraj, Piyush Chawla and Katich. The roping in of Kaif will ensure top-notch fielding.

AD

S A EED K H A N /A F P (D U O); I A N WA LTO N /G E T T Y IM AG E S ( Y U V R A J)

first edition, after a slow start, Kings XI Punjab found its bearings and reached the semifinals where it was halted by the Chennai Super Kings. But with 10 wins in 14 games, it had as good a record to show as anybody else in the league phase. The second season was a mixed bag.

Two early losses did stall the momentum but then the team seemed to have made up with three consecutive wins. A loss to the Royal Challengers by eight runs in the middle of the league proved crucial when it played the Super Kings in a must-win match to enter the semifinals. A match earlier, Kings XI beat the Deccan Chargers by one run and it

O

221/3

HIGHEST SUCCESSFUL CHASE

ith Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara taking over the captaincy, Kings XI Punjab enters the third season with single-minded focus: win the IPL. The Punjab side has a feel of youthful exuberance. Yuvraj Singh’s explosive talent, Sangakkara’s fluency and the all-round skills of Irfan Pathan make for a heady mix. And if Australian speedster Brett Lee can recover from his knee injury to bowl at a regular 140km/h, Kings XI might just rule the roost.

Past Performance: In the

RUNS

M A R CH 2010 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | 63

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW

Royal Challengers Bangalore

A

nil Kumble is not known for knee-jerk reactions. Sullen and disappointed after the 2009 loss to the Deccan Chargers in the IPL final, his explanation was, “We should have played better.” Kumble took four wickets in the final which the Bangalore team lost by a mere six runs. For sure, the training sessions of the Royal Challengers with coach Ray Jennings will focus on situations where the last over is the winning one.

Past Performance:

ACE IN THE PACK Manish Pandey was one of the biggest stars of IPL-2 so you can bet on him setting the third edition afire.

48 by Pandey helped the Challengers into the end game. Despite a great effort

by Kumble, Bangalore lost to the Deccan Chargers.

However, it was a great reversal of fortunes for both finalists who had risen from the bottom of the table in 2008 to the top two spots in 2009.

Prized Catch: Eoin Morgan, the Irish-born Englishman, is a crisp hitter. After a successful run in the English T20 side and a good record of scoring against spinners, he has been signed up for $220,000.

Team Strength: There’s a nice blend of foreign and domestic players. Skipper Kumble’s main worry will be picking the batting order as he has an array of talent to choose from.

Three of India’s most talented batsmen are with the Challengers—Robin Uthappa, Virat Kohli and Pandey. Add Kevin Pietersen, Ross Taylor and Cameron White and there’s a lineup that can keep the

64 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | M A R CH 2010

VITAL STATISTICS

Coach Ray Jennings

PAST RECORD

Coach Dav Whatmore

PAST RECORD

YEAR

M

W

L

T

NR

WIN%

YEAR

M

W

L

T

NR

WIN%

2008 2009 Total

14 16 30

4 9 13

10 7 17

- - -

- - -

28.57 56.25 43.33

2008 2009 Total

13 13 26

6 3 9

7 9 16

- 1 1

- - -

46.15 23.08 36.53

HIGHEST INNINGS TOTAL

HIGHEST INNINGS TOTAL

RUNS

O

RR

OPPONENT

VENUE

DATE

RUNS

O

RR

OPPONENT

VENUE

DATE

181/5

20.0

9.05

Delhi

Delhi

30.4.2008

222/3

20.0

11.10

Bangalore

Bangalore

18.4.2008

HIGHEST SUCCESSFUL CHASE

HIGHEST SUCCESSFUL CHASE

RUNS

O

RR

OPPONENT

VENUE

DATE

RUNS

O

RR

OPPONENT

VENUE

DATE

176/4

19.2

9.10

Kolkata

Centurion

12.5.2009

189/3

20.0

9.45

Chennai

Centurion

18.5.2009

LEADING WICKET-TAKER

LEADING WICKET-TAKER

BOWLER

M

WKTS

AVE

BEST

BOWLER

Anil Kumble

26

28

23.25

5/5

Ishant Sharma 24

M

WKTS

AVE

BEST

18

34.77

2/15

LEADING RUN-GETTER

LEADING RUN-GETTER

Rahul Dravid 642 (ave 25.68) in 27 matches

Sourav Ganguly 538 (ave 23.39) in 26 matches

PERFORMANCE METER

PERFORMANCE METER

BATTING

1 |||||||||||| 2 |||||||||||| 3 |||||||||||| 4 |||||||||||| 5 |||||||||||| 6 |||||||||||| 7 |||||||||||| 8 |||||||||||| 9 |||||||||||| 10

BATTING

1 |||||||||||| 2 |||||||||||| 3 |||||||||||| 4 |||||||||||| 5 |||||||||||| 6 |||||||||||| 7 |||||||||||| 8 |||||||||||| 9 |||||||||||| 10

BOWLING

1 |||||||||||| 2 |||||||||||| 3 |||||||||||| 4 |||||||||||| 5 |||||||||||| 6 |||||||||||| 7 |||||||||||| 8 |||||||||||| 9 |||||||||||| 10

BOWLING

1 |||||||||||| 2 |||||||||||| 3 |||||||||||| 4 |||||||||||| 5 |||||||||||| 6 |||||||||||| 7 |||||||||||| 8 |||||||||||| 9 |||||||||||| 10

FIELDING

1 |||||||||||| 2 |||||||||||| 3 |||||||||||| 4 |||||||||||| 5 |||||||||||| 6 |||||||||||| 7 |||||||||||| 8 |||||||||||| 9 |||||||||||| 10

FIELDING

1 |||||||||||| 2 |||||||||||| 3 |||||||||||| 4 |||||||||||| 5 |||||||||||| 6 |||||||||||| 7 |||||||||||| 8 |||||||||||| 9 |||||||||||| 10

7 Kolkata

Knight Riders

T

he Kolkata Knight Riders have fuelled passion, courted controversy, been booed more than cheered and plummeted to the bottom of the pool, disappointing millions of followers. No other team epitomises the idea of IPL better than the Knight Riders.

Buying some of the most explosive cricketers like Chris Gayle, Ricky Ponting and Shoaib Akhtar in IPL-1, generating a huge fan base, signing an iconic player like Sourav Ganguly to drive local support and having a Bollywood megastar in Shah Rukh Khan as owner—the team couldn’t have asked for more.

But instead of setting the Hooghly on fire, the Knight Riders slipped from one abyss to another, finishing last in IPL-2.

Past Performance: After

scoreboard ticking at a furious pace. With Kumble (above) bagging 28 wickets, Bangalore has plenty of

match winners. Dale Steyn and Praveen Kumar join Kumble to form a trio that can take wickets at will.

TO M SH AW/G E T T Y IM AG E S (K U M B L E); P E T ER L IM /G E T T Y IM AG E S (PA N D E Y )

Forget the first edition where the Royal Challengers were castigated for virtually assembling a Test squad to play a T20 tournament.

Sacked captain Rahul Dravid emerged as the top scorer with 371 in 14 matches, though. Jacques Kallis was the top scorer in 2009 with 361 runs in 15 matches. The Royal Challengers went all the way to the final. The team had a brilliant hundred from Manish Pandey off 73 balls that set off a winning sequence, taking the Challengers to the semifinal to face Chennai. The Super Kings were on a great run and were favourites to move into their second straight final but a crucial knock of

VITAL STATISTICS

S A EED K H A N /A F P (GA N G U LY ); B R A D L E Y K A N A RIS /G E T T Y IM AG E S (GAY L E)

6

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW

the sixth-place finish in IPL-1, the team sought to change its fortunes in the second edition. Coach John Buchanan came up with a new strategy: the multiplecaptain theory. Instead of Ganguly, New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum took charge, aware that Buchanan could make changes at the helm during the tournament. Incensed fans in Kolkata took on the team management for insulting the city and Ganguly. It wasn’t a good advertisement for a team courting city and regional loyalties. But worse was to follow. Multiple captains

could not reverse the team’s loss of form and motivation.

Its insipid performance and losing streak were compounded by axing Ganguly (right) from the playing XI in the later matches. Protest marches were held in support of Ganguly. Effigies of Shah Rukh Khan were burnt with such regularity that King Khan contemplated taking the initial K out of KKR— shifting base from Kolkata.

Thankfully, the matches were held in faraway South Africa and the team’s management escaped the real heat. The Knight Riders finished the second edition with just three wins.

Prized Catch: New Zealand’s injury-prone Shane Bond will partner the new-ball attack with Ishant Sharma. The team depleted its kitty by $750,000 to sign the Kiwi policeman, who will be counted on to strike early in the absence of Pakistan pace twins Umar Gul and Akhtar.

Team Strength: Apart from the big-hitting Gayle, it is Ganguly’s captaincy and mid-innings bowling that the Knight Riders will rely on. Brad Hodge, Owais

Shah and Manoj Tiwary are the others who can turn matches around with their big hitting. In Ishant, Bond and spinner Murali Karthik, the Knight Riders have a balanced attack.

ACE IN THE PACK The return of Chris Gayle will be a big boost for KKR, which desperately needs a change in fortunes.

M A R CH 2010 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | 65

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW

8 Rajasthan Royals

VITAL STATISTICS

Coach Shane Warne

PAST RECORD YEAR

M

W

L

T

NR

WIN%

2008 2009 Total

16 13 29

13 5 18

3 7 10

- 1 1

- - -

81.25 38.46 63.79

HIGHEST INNINGS TOTAL RUNS

O

RR

OPPONENT

VENUE

DATE

217/7

19.5

10.94

Deccan

Hyderabad

24.4.2008

HIGHEST SUCCESSFUL CHASE RUNS

O

RR

OPPONENT

VENUE

DATE

217/7

19.5

10.94

Deccan

Hyderabad

24.4.2008

LEADING WICKET-TAKER BOWLER

M

WKTS

AVE

BEST

Shane Warne

28

33

23.30

3/19

LEADING RUN-GETTER

Yusuf Pathan 678 (ave 26.07) in 29 matches

PERFORMANCE METER

ACE IN THE PACK Heavy-hitter Yusuf Pathan is in a rich vein of form and the Royals will soar to the top if he keeps his calm.

Past Performance: Being the underdog team in the first season without too many big names had its distinct advantages. The Royals were under no pressure. A nine-wicket loss in the first game against the Delhi Daredevils had

66 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | M A R CH 2010

1 |||||||||||| 2 |||||||||||| 3 |||||||||||| 4 |||||||||||| 5 |||||||||||| 6 |||||||||||| 7 |||||||||||| 8 |||||||||||| 9 |||||||||||| 10

BOWLING

1 |||||||||||| 2 |||||||||||| 3 |||||||||||| 4 |||||||||||| 5 |||||||||||| 6 |||||||||||| 7 |||||||||||| 8 |||||||||||| 9 |||||||||||| 10

FIELDING

1 |||||||||||| 2 |||||||||||| 3 |||||||||||| 4 |||||||||||| 5 |||||||||||| 6 |||||||||||| 7 |||||||||||| 8 |||||||||||| 9 |||||||||||| 10

critics mouthing, “I told you so.” Enter Warne with his passionate captaincy and the Royals won the next five games. Every T20 fan sat up and took notice. At the end of the league phase, the Royals topped the table with 11 victories. Matchwinners Sohail Tanvir, Graeme Smith, Dimitri Mascarenhas (left) and the unknown Swapnil Asnodkar stepped into the limelight.

Revenge was sweet as the Royals crushed the Daredevils by 105 runs in the semifinals. In a gripping final, the Royals got the better of the Chennai Super Kings for the title. Shane Watson was declared Man of the Series, while Tanvir bagged the Purple Cap for the maximum wickets in the tournament. IPL-2 saw a struggle on the South African pitches. The initial victories were made possible only by the big-hitting efforts of Yusuf Pathan. He destroyed the opposition bowling with some brutal batsmanship, but found little or no support at the other

end. With only six victories to show, the Royals were a far cry from the champion outfit that they had been in the first season.

Prized Catch: After a stint in the rebel Indian Cricket League, Damien Martyn had packed his gear. But a phone call from Warne has brought him back to the big stage. The 38-year-old was famous for his silken touch and effortless batting during his Baggy Green days. The Royals fans would love to see the $100,000 signing revive that old form.

Team Strength: Warne will be spoilt for choice as three of the best strikers in the game—Smith, Watson and Pathan—are on the Royals’ roster. Don’t be surprised if Asnodkar walks in to open with Smith. The skipper can also use the experience of Martyn and, if he succeeds, it will be a masterstroke to remember. With all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja serving a one-year ban for violation of league guidelines, Warne and Pathan will be the main spinners in the attack. ±

AD TO M SH AW/G E T T Y IM AG E S ( T E A M); L EE WA RREN /GA L LO IM AG E S /G E T T Y IM AG E S (PAT H A N)

L

ed by the skill and charisma of Australian spin legend Shane Warne, the Rajasthan Royals, the least expensive and also the least fancied team in the IPL, have acquired a regal sheen. After an amazing first-season win that had “Halla Bol!” echoing from the remotest corners of the desert in Rajasthan, the team from Jaipur is expected to dominate the third season on home soil.

BATTING

M A R CH 2010 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | 67

EXPEDITION

The Icewoman Antarctica may be a frozen wasteland without any visible signs of life but my epic trip to the South Pole was the experience of a lifetime | B Y R E E NA K AUS H A L DH A R M S H A K T U w i t h ya n a b e y

Photog ra ph s b y Rob er t Hol l i ng wor t h

102 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | M A R CH 2010

C

ongratulations!” called out the old lady who lives in the house opposite ours. I was lazing on the balcony with my mixed breed, Babu, who was sleeping with his snout resting on my low stool. Antarctica’s freezing -30°c winds were a world away from New Delhi. It was a relief to be back on familiar terrain with my family, dog and neighbours.

People had been waiting at the gate to give me a ceremonial welcome when I arrived home from my South Pole trip on Jan. 15. At the airport, too, I was overwhelmed by the sight of mediapersons and well-wishers, the bouquets and garlands, and the band playing folk music from the Himalayan region to which my husband, Loveraj, belongs. ¶ Looking back, I still get goosepimples when I think about how I nearly didn’t make it to Antarctica. In August 2008, I had read a report about how British adventurer Felicity Aston was looking for women skiers from the Commonwealth for a South Pole expedition. I thought I was ineligible because I couldn’t ski. Days later, when I learnt that the ability to ski was not mandatory, I applied. There were 130

LONG WALK TO GLORY

Reena was part of the sevenmember team which walked for 900km in 38 days to reach the South Pole.

M A R CH 2010 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | 103

EXPEDITION

We bought thermals made from NZ merino wool.

Some needed two layers. he wrote about our mission to his company’s Reena and Co., CEO, Eugene Kasperwho flew to the start point on sky. The firm decided Nov. 21 (above), to sponsor us. That’s skied for 10 how the Kaspersky Lab hours daily in the 24-hour daylight Commonwealth Antarcseason (left) tic Expedition sprang to and lived in tents which were at life. the mercy of We assembled in Lonfurious blizzards. don in late October and began shopping, sorting and packing. We were going to live on oats, noodles, lamb, chicken, barley, butter popcorn, sesame snaps, chocolates, toffees, hot chocolate and nutritional supplements. Fuizion made special dehydrated meal packets for us— breakfast, dinner and snacks. Each day’s three packets added up to 4,500 calories. We also had to drink three litres of beverages a day, every day.

We bought thermals made from New Zealand merino wool. Some members even needed two layers of thermals. On top of these, went a fleece jacket and then fleece salopettes. The salopettes had zips running down the full length of each leg’s outer side.

If we felt too hot while skiing, we could unzip and carry on. For the extreme cold, we had heavy fleece smocks with fur-lined hoods, Inuit style. For the feet, there were SmartWool socks followed by two layers BRAVING THE ELEMENTS

applications from India. Felicity shortlisted 10 and flew down for interviews. She chose two of us to go to Norway for a selection camp last February. I was one of them.

I’m a qualified outdoor instructor from the National Outdoor Leadership School, Wyoming, and the exposure to A laska during the training was helpful. After the trip to Norway, I had to concentrate on my physical training—an intensive programme concentrating on the strengthening of the lower back. The team was to undergo three

104 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | M A R CH 2010

weeks of further training in New Zealand in September.

It was also the time when the recession reared its ugly head. It was to shadow me for all of 2009, right until I left for Antarctica.

Though the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) gave me a grant which covered more than half the cost of the trip to Norway for ski training, I still ended up exhausting all my monetary resources. After spending a week in Norway, the final seven-member team was announced. I had made the cut.

Relief. Next, back to home base.

Though I was happy—delirious, to be honest—at the back of my mind lurked the thought that, now, the difficult task of raising funds was on my hands. I had to start knocking on the doors of corporate houses and government departments for money.

It’s painful to recollect that period so I’ll gloss over the small details and stick to the major roadblocks. I approached women ministers but was turned away. The Union Government gave me a reply which left me

nonplussed: “Your activity cannot be slotted in any category. It’s neither an Olympic sport nor a national sport like cricket or football.

So we cannot give you any money.”

Out of numerous companies, only one— Bajaj—gave me a donation. In the end, the IMF stepped in with a grant. Since it still wasn’t enough, I had to borrow money. Family, friends and well-wishers chipped in. And that was how, scraping the bottom of the barrel, I made my Antarctica dream come true.

While I was struggling in my hunt for

sponsors, my teammates—Dk Najibah Eradah binti P.A.M. Al-Sufri Pg M-L Kahar (Brunei Darussalam), Stephanie Solomonides (Cyprus), Barbara Yanney (Ghana), KimMarie Spence (Jamaica), Kylie Wakelin (New Zealand) and Sophia Pang (Singapore)— hadn’t been successful in raising the huge amount needed, either. Sitting in various countries, we exchanged worried e-mails.

And then the glorious news arrived. Sophia had met Harry Cheung from software firm Kaspersky Lab. His interest was piqued and

M A R CH 2010 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | 105

EXPEDITION

of booties. My shoe size is 42 (European) but, because I was wearing so many layers of socks, it went up to 44. We wore lined gloves and over them, thick mittens. Our faces were completely covered with “gorilla masks,” goggles, and nose and cheek guards.

The buffs (neck gaiters) were also useful in blocking out the light while sleeping—it was Daylight Season 24/7 in Antarctica. When we skied, we had to pull the buffs up to our noses because our breath would freeze into long icicles. We had to break them away in order to be able to eat.

We flew to Punta Arenas on the Chilean coast. There I fell in love with the penguins.

A little over a foot tall, they looked like pompous but cute little butlers as they waddled about. I also felt sad because overfishing has reduced their food supply. We could see the mountains of Antarctica across the ocean.

I was afraid to speculate on what the next few weeks held in store for us.

that represented comfort and security, and turned our faces towards the great white void, to be led faithfully through it by a tiny, quavering compass needle pointing towards the bottom of our planet.

We took a Twin Otter from Patriot Hills to the start point—named the Messner Start—at 82 degrees latitude, on the coast of Antarctica. From there on, we had only our legs for transport. Our epic adventure had started.

Once the journey began, we lived from day to day, gritting our teeth. We would start skiing at 9 a.m., after using our GPS

mad rush to complete our chores. We were assigned specific chores according to our designations which were Outside 1 and 2, and Inside 1 and 2. The former had to unload the pulks (sleds), put snow on the snow balances and drive in the stakes. I was Outside EXTREME LOVE AFFAIR 2, and would be the Husband Loveraj last to enter the tent (left), who has scaled Mt. Everest in the evening and thrice, inspired the first to exit in the Reena to visit the morning. Inside 1 and southernmost tip of Earth (below).

2 would get inside as

A

106 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | M A R CH 2010

We’re proud of the fact that we were the first traverse team to ship out our poop. a moment of crisis, we scrambled to make sure we were dressed warmly. To be out in the blizzard without additional layers of clothing was inviting a cold end. We packed the tent and everything inside it on to sleds and rushed towards the clamps (sturdier tents with metal supports). After the transfer of people and equipment, we returned to our refuge.

Back inside, the four of us sat in the four corners of our tent trying to hold it down.

Our precious little home in that frozen wilderness took the beating bravely for a long

time. Finally, it tore. We, too, had to charge to the clamps with all our luggage.

It took two days for the storm to blow over. We repaired our tents and set off for a mini-expedition, hauling loaded sleds. But it had to be cut short when Kim, our Jamaican team member, discovered frostbite on her fingers and had to leave for home. We felt sad, but were also sobered by the thought that injury had struck even before our journey had begun. Who knew what lay ahead?

Nov. 21 dawned. We turned our backs to Patriot Hills, to the coast, to home, to all

L L M P H OTO BA N K

ntarctic expeditions sometimes get stuck in Punta Arenas for weeks due to bad weather. We were lucky.

Right on schedule, on Nov. 12, we boarded an Ilyushin Il-76 that would drop us at Patriot Hills, the base camp at the rim of Antarctica.

It was the start of the season, so the plane was also carrying staffers of the Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions (ALE), the company that handles South Pole expeditions.

There were two more groups, too, along with their guides. We didn’t need any since Felicity had previous Polar experience. ALE does not allow any team in without guides unless they are satisfied about the safety of their members in polar conditions. Besides human cargo, there were also trucks and disassembled machinery on board.

At Punta Arenas, you have to be ready for takeoff anytime because the weather is unpredictable. Our turn came at night and we reached Antarctica at 8 a.m., after a fourhour flight. Patriot Hills is in reality, a flat stretch of frozen land with the mountains in the distance. It has a marvellous natural runway of blue ice. The ALE camp is a small settlement of tents to which we added our two. It was Nov. 13, and the day was spent skiing around without a load.

The next day, a fearsome storm hit the camp. We had circled our wagons with walls of snow which acted as wind buffers. We had also packed ice on the snow balances of the tents to weigh them down. But the tents were relentlessly battered by the wind and ultimately a pole broke. Even though it was

to set our compass. The skiing would last for 90-minute stretches with seven-minute snack breaks in between. On the blades, if it was not windy, it was quite comfortable clad in just thermals and a windproof cover.

But when we stopped moving, even during those seven-minute breaks, the body would grow extremely cold. The worst was when the wind wouldn’t stop.

We would wind up the day’s journey around 7 p.m., after travelling anywhere between 12 to 25 nautical miles, depending on the conditions. Then there would be a

soon as the tent was put up and start getting the kitchen ready.

At start, our pulks weighed 55kg. They grew lighter as the days passed and rations were consumed. We were carrying our poop, too, and each day a little was added.

It might seem gross, but the refuse was a very important part of the expedition. We were the first traverse team to ship out our waste. ALE rules demand that feculence be sent out only for those people who do the Last Degree trip: arriving by air at 89 degrees latitude and skiing to 90 degrees, or

the Pole. This is the most popular Antarctica adventure and the sheer numbers compel ALE to enforce the rule. But earlier expeditions, who have done the complete traverse from the coast to the geographic Pole, have left behind signs of their passage.

The portable toilets were ziplocked bags supplied by Anteon. They contained a powder which froze the excrement. Most of us used one bag twice. And, of course, it did take a bit of getting used to. We also went without a bath for 54 days. But like I said, when you are forced into it, it’s easy.

The really difficult part was bearing the physical pain and the malice of the wind.

Most of us got blisters on our feet. We also learnt to be in touch with our bodies. For instance, I realised that my left side ached more because I planted my left pole harder while skiing. So I consciously adjusted that.

Crossing the sastrugis was another pain in the. . . well, every part of the anatomy. Sastrugis are wind-formed waves in the snow which have both crests and troughs. The others would go around them. I just dragged the pulk over them.

It was hard going at times. No one shed tears, but you could tell when someone was in utter misery. I’ve often been asked about my thoughts then. I thought about everything except what I was going through. And, above all, I thought about home. But it was worth it—a journey of a lifetime. We were the only living beings traversing that immense white vista. Yet the amazing landscape of Antarctica throbbed with latent, teeming and invisible energy. You bathed in it. You reveled in it. It kept you company.

We covered 900km in 38 days. On the penultimate day, we stopped less than 20 nautical miles from our destination. Afar, we could see smoke rising, and the cluster of buildings of the U.S. research station at the Pole. We chose to stop since we were bone weary. We also had to do the first-ever live broadcast from Antarctica the next morning.

On Dec. 29, we arrived at the geographic South Pole at 11:09 p.m. After a photo session near a board bearing the names of legends like Roald Amundsen and Robert Scott, we went to the “ceremonial” South Pole, about 10 metres away. Standing around the Crystal Globe, we sent out our podcast, cheering wildly as Felicity announced each of our names.

And, standing on Earth’s southernmost tip, I thought about my husband who has been thrice to its highest point, Mount Everest. I wept with joy. ±

M A R CH 2010 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | 107

INDIA

CAPTAIN MARVEL He came out of nowhere to lead India in 2007. Three years and a plethora of milestones later, it is not too soon to declare Mahendra Singh Dhoni the country’s best skipper ever

BY DI L EEP PR E M ACH A N DR A N Photograph by INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP

GAME ON

Dhoni is a veritable multi-tasker and excels in both batting and ’keeping.

A PRIL 2010 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | 41

DHONI

M

ahendra Singh Dhoni stares down from a massive billboard in Chennai.

T he adver t isi ng campaign shows him reprising the role of Quick Gun Murugan from the eponymous movie-spoof about an MTV-inspired, tough-talking, bullet-chewing vegetarian South Indian cowboy, whose John Wayne swagger hides a soft heart. Despite having no ties to Tamil Nadu, Dhoni pulls off the very “Madrasi” role

42 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | A PRIL 2010

other captains is his fierce, incessant desire to win. Criticism or jeers seem not to matter.

After India’s innings defeat to South Africa at Nagpur in February, Dhoni’s leadership came under a cloud. At stake was India’s No. 1 position in Test rankings—achieved under his very captaincy. But Dhoni kept his counsel and faith in himself and his players, and retained the title at Kolkata a week later.

Captaincy with Flair

In less than five years at the top Dhoni has managed 339 dismissals (133 in Tests) and made 11 international centuries at a rate few can match. Dhoni’s Midas touch has lent concord and confidence to a team known more for possessing spectacular individual performers like Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid than for being a cohesive fighting machine.

His ODI record is staggering—he averages 51.13 after 162 games. Dhoni finishes innings as adroitly as Michael Bevan once did for Australia, while possessing the sort of turbo power that Lance Klusener had for the Proteas.

Dhoni’s leadership has been a mixture of the diplomatic and the bloody-minded.

Against Australia at Nagpur in November 2008, he had no qualms about employing 8-1 or 7-2 fields to choke off runs. When visiting journalists suggested he was destroying the game, he merely smiled and recited the facts—eight wickets and an opposition run rate of two an over.

Last January in Bangladesh, locals were beside themselves with rage when Sehwag, stand-in captain for the first Test after Dhoni suffered back spasms, suggested the home team was an “ordinary” side incapable of bowling India out twice. On the eve of the second Test, Dhoni went on a public relations blitz and combined subtlety with courtesy to win back those alienated by Sehwag’s derision of their beloved Tigers.

“Definitely, Dhoni will become the most successful Indian captain very soon,” predicts former India skipper and ex-chairman

Dhoni’s leadership has been a mixture of the diplomatic and the bloody-minded.

BORN LEADER

Dhoni is never afraid to take risks and that has worked wonders for the Indian team’s fortunes.

L A K RU WA N WA N NI A R AC H C HI /A F P

with panache. The punchline—Mind It—provides a hint of the impishness that makes his batting so captivating. The boy who grew up in a mining town in an area that Arvind Adiga called “Darkness” in his Booker Prize-winning novel The White Tiger is now a pan-Indian sporting icon, second only to Sachin Tendulkar in popularity.

What makes Dhoni special? Statistically he is India’s most successful Test captain, having overseen nine wins, three draws and only one defeat. Of the 78 ODIs which he has led, India has won 44. As Twenty20 skipper, he took India to a spectacular triumph in the inaugural world championships that provided the springboard for the Indian Premier League and other game-changing innovations.

Numbers alone don’t tell a story. Dhoni’s success can be attributed to three factors that define the captain, the player and the man.

His ability to remain cool under pressure, as in the recent Kolkata Test when South Africa was 218 for one on the opening afternoon, keeps his teammates anchored to the job. His affable and far from vindictive nature (evident in the grace with which he handled “Show-Dhoni Show-Pony” jibes from the English tabloids in 2007) endears him to players and fans alike. He inspires the kind of fierce loyalty rarely accorded to an Indian sportsperson and his instinctive understanding of situations has earned respect from both teammates and opponents.

Above all, what sets Dhoni apart from

of selectors Ajit Wadekar. “He will break the record set by Sourav Ganguly.”

Some had perceived the signs well before.

In a 2003 TV chat, former cricketer Ashok Malhotra mentioned a wicketkeeper playing for a Kolkata club who had hit some of the biggest sixes he had ever seen. Malhotra predicted that the long-haired, flamboyant hitter would one day play for India. In 2004, after

he savaged the Pakistan A side during a triseries in Kenya, Dhoni was parachuted into the senior side in place of Dinesh Karthik. In April 2005 he eviscerated Pakistani bowling at Visakhapatnam to make 148, inspiring comparisons with Adam Gilchrist.

“Dhoni has a sharp mind,” says Tendulkar.

“His situational awareness is very good, that is the quality I noticed quite early in him.”

Derided as Iron Gloves and an “unsophisticated slogger” on debut, Dhoni has gone on to become a platinum player in ODIs and T20s. His leadership is defined by a composed, self-deprecatory manner (“the boys did well,” “we need to improve” delivered sotto voce at the end of a match) which veils the onerous burden of captaincy that has broken many a predecessor.

Tendulkar was frankly relieved to be rid of the crown so that he could concentrate on his batting. But Dhoni wears his captain’s cap lightly while compiling a win-loss record unrivalled in the annals of the game and at the same time accruing friends and admirers all over the world.

A PRIL 2010 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | 43

Dhoni in Numbers DHONI

“Even in the first two or three series he played, it was obvious from the way Dhoni handled himself that he would go far,” says former Test cricketer Ravi Shastri. “He is also very good at dealing with the opposition. I remember the way he captained in the ODI series in Australia after the racism controversy in Sydney. The Indian players weren’t confrontational but they didn’t allow Australia to walk all over them either with what Steve Waugh liked to call mental disintegration. With Dhoni, I don’t like to use the word captain. I prefer to call him a leader.

There’s a big difference.”

Waugh could turn grouchy when things went wrong. South Africa’s Graeme Smith retreats into a defensive shell. Ganguly brought out the best in others. Australian Ian Chappell made his men feel bullet-proof. Dhoni is perhaps most similar to Aussie Mark Taylor.

Tactically, he may not yet be in Tubby’s class but the calm under pressure and the readiness to smile should fool no one. This is a man who likes to do things his way and a player who steps out of line once too often will soon feel isolation’s cold chill.

Dhoni’s shy charm conceals the mind of an astute strategist with a will of steel.

He is an assertive captain in the mould of Ganguly—on the field as well as off it. He has backed players and even fought for their selection.

In November 2008 Dhoni allegedly threatened to quit as captain during a selection meeting headed by Kris Srikkanth. Pacer R.P. Singh had been replaced with Irfan Pathan for the fourth and fifth ODIs of the Hero Honda Cup against England. The selectors had decided to drop the bowler after his poor performance in the first three games. BCCI president Shashank Manohar was eventually forced to intervene to sort things out.

The drama that transpired at the closeddoor meeting was leaked to the media by an anonymous source. Dhoni was livid when the news broke. “There will be debates within the BCCI and that information should not be put out in the media,” he said. “If it is meant to come out then I can say we may as well have the whole meeting telecast live on television.”

Dhoni is known to play his cards well when it comes to dealing with selectors.

When vice-captain Sehwag was ruled out of the world T20 championships in England last year, cricket watchers attributed it to a rift between him and the captain. The selectors had picked Sehwag for the squad despite knowing about his shoulder injury

44 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | A PRIL 2010

The hard-hitting batsman has a good average as well as strike rate

BATTING RECORD IN TESTS

BATTING RECORD IN ODIS

Tests

Inn

N.O.

Runs

H.S.

Ave

100

50

43

66

9

2,428

148

42.59

4

17

Mister Innovator

S.R.

60.83

Keeps his composure even under difficult circumstances Has mellowed his style to become a more reliable batsman Is a good finisher, which makes him a huge asset in ODIs and T20s

Mahendra Singh Dhoni thrives in the death overs thanks to his repertoire of unorthodox shots

1 Whiplash over midwicket

2

Slap cover drive

S

Has missed a few matches owing to back troubles in recent times Is susceptible to the short ball, as seen during the world T20 in 2008 Is not very technically sound, tends to play crossbat shots at times

W 3

Punchy square cut

4

Flick off the pads

1. Whiplash over midwicket: This is a Dhoni special, a shot probably only he can play. He picks a near-yorker length delivery and deposits it into the stands with the sheer strength of his wrists and bat speed. There is no backlift in the shot. He owes this unique ability to tennis-ball cricket which he played in his early days.

2. Slap cover drive: The ball sails through the covers but it is not hit like an orthodox cover drive. His feet aren’t in the perfect position but he manipulates the ball to clout it powerfully. He uses his forearms to full effect instead of using his wrists like V.V.S. Laxman or his elbow like Rahul Dravid, to execute the drive.

3. Punchy square cut: This is the most orthodox shot he plays, only with a lot more ferocity than other players.

The bat comes from over the right shoulder and the wrists roll over at the point of impact, ensuring the ball remains along the ground. He ends it with a flourish, resting the bat over his left shoulder much like a warrior resting his mace.

4. Flick off the pads: This is his bread-and-butter shot which enables him to get some quick runs. It is another stroke he uses to convert yorkers into low full tosses, virtually making the killer delivery ineffective. Although not very graceful to watch, he uses the shot very successfully—especially in the death overs.

Has the chance to create history by winning the T20 and ODI world titles Good show at the ODI World Cup can make him an alltime great Is poised to rebuild Team India as a transition period looms

0

His team has been found wanting in major ICC tournaments Fatigue could catch up in captaining all three formats Hectic schedule could leave him without key players at times

T

Tests

Inn

N.O.

Runs

H.S.

Ave

100

50

S.R.

162

143

37

5,420

183*

51.13

7

35

89.86

THE TOP SIX TEST INNINGS Runs

Balls

S.R.

Opponent

Venue

Series

Result

148

153

96.73

PAK

FAISALABAD

2005-06

DRAWN

132*

187

70.58

S.A.

KOLKATA

2009-10

WON

110

159

69.18

S.L.

AHMEDABAD

2009-10

DRAWN

100*

154

64.93

S.L.

MUMBAI

2009-10

WON

92

81

113.58

ENG

LONDON

2007-08

DRAWN

92

124

74.19

AUS

MOHALI

2008-09

WON

Opponent

Venue

Series

Result

THE TOP 10 ODI INNINGS Runs

Balls

S.R.

183*

145

126.20

S.L.

JAIPUR

31.10.2005

WON

148

123

120.32

PAK

VIZAG

5.4.2005

WON

139*

97

143.29

AFRICA XI

CHENNAI

10.6.2007

WON

124

107

115.88

AUS

NAGPUR

28.10.2009

WON

109*

96

113.54

H.K.

KARACHI

25.6.2008

WON

107

111

96.39

S.L.

NAGPUR

18.12.2009

LOST

101*

107

94.39

BAN

DHAKA

7.1.2010

WON

96

106

90.56

ENG

JAMSHEDPUR

12.4.2006

LOST

95

130

73.07

W.I.

KINGSTON

28.6.2009

LOST

94

96

97.91

S.L.

COLOMBO

5.2.2009

WON

THE TOP FIVE INDIAN CAPTAINS IN ODIS P

W

L

N.R.

T

WIN %

MAHENDRA SINGH DHONI

78

44

27

7

-

61.97

RAHUL DRAVID

79

42

33

4

-

56.00

KAPIL DEV

74

39

33

2

-

54.16

MOHAMMAD AZHARUDDIN

174

90

76

6

2

54.16

SOURAV GANGULY

147

76

66

5

-

53.52

TEST HIGHLIGHTS Has the best success rate among the Indian players with a minimum experience of 10 Tests as captain (69.23% thanks to nine victories out of 13).

Is one of only three skippers in Test history to have recorded five wins or more without losing a match since making his debut. The first two were Australia’s Warwick Armstrong and England’s Brian Close.

Led by example as the Indian team zoomed to the top of the ICC Test rankings. No other captain had achieved this feat before.

Is the second Indian wicketkeeper after the legendary Syed Kirmani to have aggregated 2,000 runs and effected 100 dismissals or more.

ODI HIGHLIGHTS Career batting average of 51.13 is the best among Indian batsmen in the 50-over game. (Minimum qualification: 1,000 runs).

Feat of reaching 5,000 runs in 135 innings is the quickest by a wicketkeeper in ODIs. He took just four years and 357 days to reach the milestone, the fastest by any batsman in history.

Is the only batsman among players with a minimum of 5,000 runs to have maintained an average of 50 (53.58) and a strike rate of 85.00 (89.86).

Took just three years and 51 days to play 100 ODIs—a world record, obliterating Pakistani star Shahid Afridi’s mark by 74 days.

Compiled by Rajesh Kumar

A PRIL 2010 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | 45

Leaders of the Pack

These are still early days but Mahendra Singh Dhoni has an enviable record as a captain in the Test arena. He’s among the top skippers in ODIs as well

90

80

70

60

90 Win% 80.00

M W L D T

10 8 2 -

50

TESTS Win% 71.92

M W L D T

57 41 9 7 -

Win% 73.70

Win% 69.23

M W L D T

ODIs

Win% 65.67

13 9 1 3 -

M W L D T

67 44 11 12 -

40

Win% 62.50

Win% 61.53

M W L D T

M W L D T

24 15 3 6 -

13 8 3 2 -

Win% 60.00

M W L D T

15 9 3 2 1

Win% 60.00

M W L D T

15 9 1 5 -

Win% 61.95

Win% 61.97

M W L NR T

M W L NR T

97 57 35 5 -

78 44 27 7 -

Win% 64.06

Win% 65.04

Win% 65.23

M W L NR T

M W L NR T

M W L NR T

97 60 33 1 3

105 67 36 2 -

M W L NR T

106 67 35 1 3

138 99 35 3 1

Win% 77.71

Win% 78.21

M 84 W 64 L 18 NR 1 T 1

M 213 W 157 L 43 NR 11 T 2

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

20 Graphic by Durga Prasad

30

10

Australia

Steve Waugh Australia

Mahendra Singh Dhoni India

The Adman’s Dreamboy

Dhoni’s prowess on the field, combined with the small-town-boy-done-good image, has pushed him to the front of the celebrityendorsement caravan. The hour produced the man: with marketing budgets targeting suburban, small-town and rural India, and advertisers’ obsession with photogenic celebrities, Dhoni was the ideal candidate for those looking for a new icon. In the 2009 Forbes list of top earning cricketers Dhoni relegated Tendulkar to second place. He was the only cricketer in history to earn $10 million a year: a jaw-dropping Rs. 255,000 for every run he scored during the year. Out of that, $8 million comes from 17 brand endorsements, including Pepsi and General Electric.

After Dhoni scored a swashbuckling 148

46 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | A PRIL 2010

Don Bradman Australia

against Pakistan in the fifth ODI at Visakhapatnam in October 2005, journalists travelled by train to the next match venue, Jamshedpur. During the journey, a senior cor p or at e b o s s de GOOD VALUE scribed having torn up The suave Dhoni a contract intended for has overtaken Tendulkar (right) another Indian player in the lucrative so that he could sign on world of brand endorsements.

Dhoni instead.

William Grace England

Frank Worrell West Indies

Douglas Jardine England

“Tendulkar and Shah Rukh Khan enjoy special positions in the endorsement circuit but Dhoni has caught young India’s popular imagination,” says leading ad filmmaker Prahlad Kakkar. Dhoni’s debut in the cricket arena was a photo-op in itself: a Tarzanlike mane, a Colgate smile and a boyish fuzz, accompanied by an array of woodcutter strokes, manna for a cricketing nation waiting to exhale.

The Making of a Leader

Dhoni’s luck took a nosedive in 2006. During India’s tour of South Africa, Karthik’s opening innings seemed in stark contrast to his teammate’s bumbling game. Throughout the tour, Dhoni was out of form. In the unforgiving world of cricket, what matters most is the current score. The collective scrutiny is intense and the player is placed on a veritable slide under the microscope, warts and all.

For Dhoni, 2006 and ’07 were slog years— full of derision and public inquisition. The hair style that once was compared to Samson’s became a subject of ridicule—“How many guys spend more than their sisters on hair products?” So did his love for fast cars and bikes. It was said he had been seduced by the good life at the cost of cricket. Dhoni remained unflappable, his trademark smile firmly in place.

Each sporting career has a moment, the

P O P P E R F O T O / G E T T Y I M AG E S (A R M S T R O N G); S E A N G A R N S W O R T H Y/ G E T T Y I M A G E S ( WAU G H); B E N R A D F O R D / G E T T Y I M A G E S (D H O N I); W I L L I A M W E S T/A F P (P O N T I N G); A F P (B R A D M A N , G R AC E , W O R R E L L); H U LT O N A R C H I V E / G E T T Y I M A G E S (J A R D I N E)

during the second IPL season. Sehwag attended only one net session and sat out all the games before the decision was taken to send him home.

Dhoni may have been annoyed at the selectors for their inexplicable inclusion of an injured man in the side. Instead, he carefully directed his ire towards the Indian media, calling reporting of the alleged rift “false and irresponsible behaviour.” He must have had the last laugh when Sehwag was sent home but his wrath at the selectors was never made public.

Ricky Ponting Australia

Mahela Jayawardene Sri Lanka

S I M O N C R O S S / G E T T Y I M A G E S (J AYAWA R D E N E); M A R K KO L B E / G E T T Y I M A G E S (D H O N I); D U I F D U T O I T/ G A L L O I M A G E S / G E T T Y I M A G E S (P O L L O C K ); B E N R A D F O R D /A L L S P O R T (R I C H A R D S); A F P (G I L C H R I S T, D H O N I); A D R I A N M U R R E L L /A L L S P O R T (C R O N J E , L L OY D); M A R K N O L A N / G E T T Y I M A G E S (P O N T I N G)

Warwick Armstrong

Mahendra Singh Dhoni India

Shaun Pollock South Africa

sort described so poignantly by Michael Ondaatje in The English Patient: “From this point on, we will either find or lose our souls.”

The Indian tour of England in 2007 was no pastoral sojourn through the shires.

Coach Greg Chappell had quit after India’s debacle in the World Cup and no replacement had been found. The 73-year-old Chandu Borde was manager and it fell to captain Dravid to organise everything from practice balls to press conferences.

Predictably, most of the time India played badly at Lord’s. In the second innings, with an Indian defeat near certain, Dhoni walked in to bat. Three-and-a-half hours later a laconically smiling Dhoni returned to the famous pavilion at close of play, having scored an unbeaten 76. India had the sort of narrow escape that England would patent later in the decade.

At the end of that trip, with Indian Test cricket preparing for a future without Tendulkar, Dravid and Ganguly, Dhoni was rewarded with the T20 captaincy, perhaps as a test for the future. Tendulkar had taken over from Mohammad Azharuddin whose personal troubles were affecting his batting.

Ganguly was brought in after Tendulkar lost his appetite for the big cap. Dravid was left to pick up a poisoned chalice when Ganguly’s well of inspiration ran dry. Sehwag was in

Vivian Richards West Indies

Steve Waugh Australia

Hansie Cronje South Africa

Clive Lloyd West Indies

Ricky Ponting Australia

The skipper’s Midas touch has lent confidence and concord to the Indian team.

poor form. Dhoni was the right man at the right time.

Expectations of the young team that Dhoni led to the southern cape were low but the spectacular success of his T20 campaign ensured him the ODI captaincy as well. At that point, it was hard to believe that “Show Dhoni” had made his Test debut less than two years earlier.

The f low ing locks t hat appealed to

Generation Next had gone by then, replaced by a convent iona l haircut the old-timers would approve of. But t he f l a i r r e m a i ne d in his f lashing g rin and whiplash blade.

Chappell, India’s coach when Dhoni made his first Test appearance, had pronounced his jud g me nt , “A nyone who can just whip the ball over the stands at midwicket like that must have something special in him.”

Dhoni sees hostile environments as a challenge. In the 2006 tour of Pakistan, the home team posted a score close to 600 on the placid Faisalabad pitch. India slumped to 281 for five in answer, causing bedlam in the stands. Shoaib Akhtar’s predatory bowling nearly scalped Dhoni, new to the crease. A furious Chappell stormed into the umpires’

A PRIL 2010 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | 47

10

DHONI

The Skipper with Style

“Dhoni is very much his ow n man,” says Shastri. “What the media or experts say doesn’t bother him. He is very upfront about everything. If he tries something and it doesn’t come off, he will admit that it didn’t work. The fact that he is a certainty in the side gives him that confidence.”

In Shastri’s eyes, though, Dhoni isn’t a finished article yet. “Tactically, I think there’s room for improvement and that’s a most positive sign,” he says. “He has the qualities that a captain needs in abundance. He radiates calm, he has the ability to rally the troops around him and he has always shown that he has what it takes to lead from the front. He rarely gets flustered and has very good body language.”

Recently, Shastri was asked to pick his

48 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | A PRIL 2010

alltime Indian ODI XI and he chose Dhoni as captain. “Bear in mind that this was a team with Kapil Dev, Azhar, Tendulkar and Ganguly,” laughs Shastri. “I didn’t think there would be anyone better than Dhoni to handle the egos involved.”

Handling superstars also taught Dhoni a bitter lesson in the art of captaincy. Fed up with rumours and innuendos about rivalry within the ranks during the last world T20 championships, he made the entire team as-

is very smart and very grounded. I thought he was the only one that could lead the team once Dravid made way. He has an excellent cricket brain and has inherent belief in himself. No false modesty but not a big head either. And, unlike most, he is not afraid of responsibility and is not scared to make decisions and back himself most of the time.”

Despite the failures at global events since the 2007 world T20 triumph, Shastri dismisses suggestions that Dhoni may not be

semble in front of the media at Trent Bridge to present a united front. The tribute to Paul McCartney—Win or lose, sink or swim . . .

We all stand together—didn’t work, and three straight losses in the Super Eights sent the defending champion packing, even as Pakistan and its supporters celebrated an epic triumph.

When that setback was followed by losses in the Champions Trophy on home soil to Australia, the sound of blades being drawn could be heard. But in the Tests and ODIs that came afterwards, Dhoni engineered the fall of Sri Lanka as India ended 2009 as No. 1 in five-day cricket and No. 2 in pyjama cricket.

the best man for the job. “He’s been brilliant for Indian cricket,” he says. “He’s lost just one Test as captain and India is now ranked No. 1. I’m pretty certain that he has it in him to win another World Cup.” Dhoni has no baggage to contend with.

“He’s unaffected by tradition and conventional wisdom,” says Shastri. “You never see him overawed by an occasion or by someone’s reputation. He gives respect to seniors but they know he’ll pull the reins if needed.

He treats everyone the same but is also keenly aware that someone like Tendulkar has been around a long time and deserves respect. At the same time, he’s tough enough not to take nonsense from anyone.”

There is a charming story from the England tour of 2007, of Sunil Gavaskar asking Tendulkar to introduce him to Dhoni.

When they reached the dressing room and Dhoni came out, Gavaskar extended his hand

Challenges In Store

To the captain go the spoils and Chappell has no doubt that the selectors did the right thing by appointing Dhoni. “He is one of the most impressive young men I have worked with,” he says. “I’m not sure that it is the small town or his family background but he

FUTURE PLAN Dhoni’s biggest challenge will be to regain the world T20 title which he helped India win in 2007.

F R O M L EF T: PR A K A SH SIN G H /A F P ; A L E X A N D ER J O E /A F P

room. “One of my players could get killed out there,” he said. “If you allow this to go on, there’s nothing to stop me playing two baseball pitchers in the next match.”

But Dhoni was unfazed. When Akhtar pitched short the next time, he hooked the ball into the stands with ferocious speed.

He went on to take 46 from 28 Akhtar deliveries. Dhoni’s first Test hundred came on that blade-dominated pitch—a dazzling 153-ball 148—and brought India back from the brink, strengthening his position as one of Chappell’s favourites.

Four years later at Nagpur in February, India lost a Test for the first time under Dhoni. Opener Hashim Amla’s 253 and Dale Steyn’s mastery of new- and old-ball swing were instrumental in South Africa scoring a crushing innings win. There’s a sporting adage that goes, “When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.” Dhoni had not prevailed in selecting the team but, instead of a public tantrum, he simply admitted that the home team had been played off the park. In the days leading up to the next Test in Kolkata, a side that had done so well at home and away in the previous 18 months faced no knee-jerk reactions or axes. When Dhoni came out for the toss at the Eden Gardens, there was only a single change on the teamsheet: V.V.S. Laxman took Wriddhiman Saha’s place.

Throughout both innings, Dhoni kept a cool head and rotated his bowlers astutely.

The ruthlessness that has made the team feared opponents in recent times resurfaced over the next two days as four Indian batsmen made centuries, including Dhoni. In the end, Harbhajan Singh trapped Morne Morkel to end the South African challenge.

and said, “Hi, I’m Sunil Gavaskar.” Dhoni merely smiled shyly and said, “Of course, sir, I know you.”

Tendulkar is full of praise for the boss.

“Our team’s success under his leadership has vindicated my faith in him,” says Tendulkar, “I suggested his name for captaincy after Dravid decided to quit and he has not let me down.”

Wise heads say that a captain’s writ should run for five years before the need for fresh ideas and a new direction dilutes his authority. Under that principle, Dhoni is only half done. T20 and ODI world titles remain to be won over the next 12 months. Test tours of South Africa and Australia have to be completed before January 2012.

Changing Face of Cricket

Two decades ago, a lanky kid who grew up shooting pigs in rural New South Wales came to Sydney, set himself up in a caravan and proceeded to become the standout bowler of his age. By the time Glenn McGrath retired, Australia was firmly established as the best team in the world. If Dhoni has a similar impact on Indian cricket, then no one will begrudge him a single one of the Ducatis he loves to collect.

In recent times a wealth of talent has emerged from India’s small towns, unlike the 1980s and ’90s when the gentleman’s game was dominated by the big boys from metros such as Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru. Dhoni epitomises Indian

Dhoni has reached the top, all the way from the dusty grounds of bucolic Ranchi.

cricket’s drift away from its upper- and middle-class roots.

Like the Pathan brothers (Irfan and Yusuf), Suresh Raina and S. Sreesanth, Dhoni, too, is an ambassador of small-town India. “I feel we are tougher than players from the metros,” he said in one of his earliest interviews. “In Ranchi there were no academies, good gyms or high-profile coaches so we had to learn cricket the hard way.”

The previous generation of young boys and girls took to the bat because of Tendulkar. A new brigade, willing to leave homes behind to try their luck in sports hostels with the most rudimentary facilities, now see Dhoni as their guiding star. His journey from Ranchi to Indian captaincy is their roadmap.

It no longer matters that they’re 1,000 miles from Shivaji Park or Azad Maidan.

As the Adidas ad with Zinedine Zidane said, “We all come from somewhere.” Dhoni has reached the top, all the way from the dusty grounds of bucolic Ranchi. To stay at the summit, he still has a long way to go. ±

A PRIL 2010 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | 49

WHAT’S ON TV THIS APRIL?

Monte Carlo Masters The tournament is the first of three ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events played on clay. It is popular with both players and fans due to its magnificent location and long tradition of champions with Bjorn Borg, Gustavo Kuerten, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Rafael Nadal among the past winners.

Monte Carlo has been a happy hunting ground for Nadal (left) who has remained unbeaten at the event for five straight years. In 2009, he got the better

Malaysian Grand Prix When: April 4 | 1:30 p.m.

Sport: Formula One Channel: Star Sports

More than 100,000 spectators are expected at the Malaysian GP thanks to the spurt in interest following the comeback of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher. Ticket sales had dropped last year amid the global economic crisis and only 80,000 fans turned up (compared to about 120,000 in 2008).

But the local economy has found its feet again and the return of Schumacher (left) after three years of retirement has set the stage for one of the most anticipated title duels in the sport.

The revival of the Lotus F1 team after 16 years, backed by the Malaysian government and businessmen, adds to the excitement.

Meanwhile, Karun Chandhok has given Indian fans yet another reason to stay clued in to F1 action.

Loyalties are bound to be divided between Force India and Chandhok but the more the merrier, right?

34 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | A PRIL 2010

of Andy Murray in the semifinals and Novak Djokovic in the title clash and extended his winning streak to 27 matches at the tournament.

However, injuries recently have blighted Nadal’s career and the Spaniard has slipped to third in the ATP rankings since so this event would be a perfect platform for him to score plenty of points.

Standing in his way will be the usual suspects such as world No. 1 Roger Federer, Djokovic, Murray and Juan Martín del Potro. It promises to be one ace of an action-packed show.

When: April 8-11 | TBA Sport: Golf Channel: ESPN

Rumour has it that it’s easier to get into a White House state dinner than play at Augusta National.

No wonder that only the cream of the world’s top golfing talent will be in action at the picturesque course during the U.S. Masters, the first major of the year. With Tiger Woods choosing the Masters as his comeback tournament, this is definitely one show not to be missed.

Woods has won four times at Augusta and a fifth title might be the way to put the events of his personal life behind him.

Last year’s edition threw up a surprise as Argentina’s Angel Cabrera (left) won the title in a thrilling sudden-death playoff. Will some underdog bite the competition once again? Wait and watch.

Blockbuster

Of the Month Manchester United vs. Chelsea bit and high-profile losses to Inter Milan and Manchester City have dented the confidence of the Blues.

It doesn’t get bigger than this.

But they have enough strength in Manchester United and Chelsea the squad to upset Ferguson’s besthave been fighting neck-and-neck laid plans. in this season’s English Premier The battle has an interesting League title race and this could well sideshow. Rooney and Didier be the encounter that decides who Drogba are the top two strikers in gets the crown. the league and nothing would give Life without the talismanic either of them more satisfaction Cristiano Ronaldo, who left for Real than scoring the goal to seal three Madrid last summer, was difficult in points and take him closer to the the beginning for United but Wayne Golden Boot award.

Rooney (left) has taken his game John Terry lost the England to the next level and his goals have armband to United defensive propelled the club to the top. Sir lynchpin Rio Ferdinand and will be Alex Ferguson’s Red Devils are itching to prove that he remains famous for their ability to finish the best centre back in the league. strongly and they will be hot With so much riding on favourites to tame Chelsea this clash of the titans at the WATCH OUT! at Old Trafford.

Theatre of Dreams, don’t April 10 Tottenham vs.

Arsenal Carlo Ancelotti’s magic even think of giving this April 17 Manchester City vs.

Manchester United seems to have waned a match a miss.

When: April 3 | 6:15 p.m.

Sport: Football Channel: ESPN

M I C H A E L S T E E L E / G E T T Y I M A G E S (N A D A L); A N DY LYO N S / G E T T Y I M A G E S (C A B R E R A); J A M I E M C D O N A L D / G E T T Y I M A G E S (R O O N E Y ); M A R K T H O M P S O N / G E T T Y I M A G E S (S C H U M AC H E R)

When: April 11-18 | TBA Sport: Tennis Channel: Ten Sports

The U.S. Masters

April 1 I-League Mahindra United vs. Dempo Zee Sports IPL Knight Riders vs. Deccan Chargers Set Max April 2 IPL Kings XI Punjab vs. Royal Challengers Set Max April 3 I-League Mumbai FC vs. Pune FC Ten Sports English Premier League ESPN/Star Sports IPL Super Kings vs. Rajasthan Royals Set Max IPL Mumbai Indians vs. Deccan Chargers Set Max April 4 English Premier League ESPN/Star Sports IPL Knight Riders vs. Kings XI Punjab Set Max IPL Delhi Daredevils vs. Royal Challengers Set Max F1 Malaysian Grand Prix Star Sports April 5 IPL Deccan Chargers vs. Rajasthan Royals Set Max April 6 IPL Super Kings vs. Mumbai Indians Set Max April 7 IPL Rajasthan Royals vs. Kings XI Punjab Set Max IPL Knight Riders vs. Delhi Daredevils Set Max April 8 IPL Royal Challengers vs. Deccan Chargers Set Max The U.S. Masters ESPN April 9 I-League Chirag United vs. Pune FC Zee Sports IPL Kings XI Punjab vs. Mumbai Indians Set Max The U.S. Masters ESPN April 10 I-League Mohun Bagan vs. Salgaocar Ten Sports English Premier League ESPN/Star Sports IPL Deccan Chargers vs. Super Kings Set Max IPL Royal Challengers vs. Knight Riders Set Max The U.S. Masters ESPN April 11 I-League East Bengal vs. Dempo Ten Sports English Premier League ESPN/Star Sports IPL Delhi Daredevils vs. Kings XI Punjab Set Max IPL Rajasthan Royals vs. Mumbai Indians Set Max The U.S. Masters ESPN April 12 IPL Deccan Chargers vs. Royal Challengers Set Max April 13 IPL Mumbai Indians vs. Delhi Daredevils Set Max IPL Super Kings vs. Knight Riders Set Max April 14 IPL Rajasthan Royals vs. Royal Challengers Set Max April 15 IPL Super Kings vs. Delhi Daredevils Set Max April 16 IPL Kings XI Punjab vs. Deccan Chargers Set Max April 17 English Premier League ESPN/Star Sports IPL Royal Challengers vs. Mumbai Indians Set Max IPL Knight Riders vs. Rajasthan Royals Set Max April 18 English Premier League ESPN/Star Sports IPL Kings XI Punjab vs. Super Kings Set Max IPL Delhi Daredevils vs. Deccan Chargers Set Max F1 Chinese Grand Prix Star Sports April 19 IPL Knight Riders vs. Mumbai Indians Set Max April 21 IPL First Semifinal Set Max April 22 IPL Second Semifinal Set Max April 24 English Premier League ESPN/Star Sports IPL Third-place playoff Set Max April 25 English Premier League ESPN/Star Sports IPL Final Set Max April 30 World T20 New Zealand vs. Sri Lanka Star Cricket World T20 West Indies vs. Ireland Star Cricket

AB PRIL 2010 | N OV EM ER 2009 | S SP PO OR RT TS S II L LL LU US ST TR R AT AT E E D D | | 35 35

CHESS

Defender of The Crown

The showdown at Sofia promises to be a cerebral battle of the highest order as reigning champion Viswanathan Anand gets ready to thwart the challenge of Bulgaria’s Veselin Topalov | B Y D E VA N G S H U DAT TA

S

ome titles and championships are won or lost on spreadsheets where the scores are transformed into mere statistics, pasteurising the drama that accompanies a game. Then there are the ancient traditions of the arena that have survived through the centuries, where two men stand locked in a deadly struggle for victory until only one is left standing.

That’s boxing for certain. Or wrestling. Metaphorically speaking, it is also how the world chess champion is determined. The ring and gloves are replaced by an 8x8 board of alternating colours and 32 pieces. The assault is purely cerebral. But the principle is the same—two men fight until one king is dead or captured. Between April 12 and May 12, the Bulgarian capital of Sofia will host a gladiatorial contest of this nature; the two rivals who will fight for the title of world champion over 12 games and tiebreaks (if necessary) are both fit and wellbuilt. But neither Viswanathan Anand nor Veselin Topalov will ever be mistaken for a pugilist. Anand, the 40-year-old world champion, is solidly built with somewhat above-average height; his trademark is a benign smile. Topalov, the 34-year-old Bulgarian challenger, is taller and leaner; his goatee frames an engaging grin.

The showdown in Sofia is likely to be one of the tightest contests ever, its outcome impossible to predict because both players are matched so closely. They have legitimate claims to being considered alltime greats.

They are intimately acquainted with the pressures of playing for the highest stakes since each has won the title before.

Anand first became world champion a decade ago. He won the title again in 2007 and has held it since. Topalov was world No. 1 in ’05 and ’06. In addition to under-

standing the nuances of competing for the top position, each knows the other very well.

They have played 87 games with Anand winning 23 times and Topalov prevailing in 14.

To carry the boxing analogy a little further, the “game of kings” takes place in far more polite surroundings than the brutal atmosphere of knockouts. Champion and challenger alike will arrive impeccably dressed.

They will shake hands as they sit down to play. When the game ends, hands will be shaken again. Then both will head for a press conference where they will sit side-by-side and explain in dignified fashion what went right and what wrong. The whole thing is a charade. Beneath the surface politeness and the in-between displays of genteel formality lies an elaborate mindscape of diabolical deceit, cunning and savage aggression. The two antagonists will plot and scheme to drive each other into total mental disintegration.

In the past year each man has expended much time (and considerable money) on working out the most efficient ways to make the other sweat, squirm and despair.

BRAIN FEVER

Anand can expect aggressive tactics from Topalov during their battle.

Photog ra ph b y

LU IS ACOSTA /a f p

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A PRIL 2010 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | 79

CHESS

Victory will go to the one who has done that job best. The adversaries will also struggle to keep their nerve as tension ratchets up and this is something that may in the ultimate analysis be the critical factor in the battle. The match will be played at a pace that has all the classical discipline of an opera, imposing severe physical strain on the players. “Your body has to be in top condition,” the great Bobby Fischer once observed. “Your chess deteriorates as your body does. You can’t separate body from mind.”

Typically when the mind game begins, time is not a luxury; there is an allowance of 120 minutes each for the first 40 moves.

The players usually zip through a flurry of initial manoeuvres that they have employed many times before. Soon enough one begins to slow down and then the other, as both exit “preparation” stage and move beyond the positions they know to start solving new problems. The fine art of chess and its seduction lies in the discovery of more variations.

By move 40, either one or both may be reeling from acute time-shortage. Beyond the 40th, there’s only an hour left to make the next 20 moves. Then play deescalates to a rapid 15 minutes and sudden death for the rest of the game. During the last phase, 30 seconds are added back on to the clock after each move. A long game may see the last hour being played out with both players relying purely on that increment. In such circumstances pulses race above 150/minute

specific moves and also for a deeper under- variations of “I won’t tell you and if I do, standing of the opponent’s style and playing you shouldn’t believe me!” preferences. Computers are indispensable for Topalov is also keeping his team composithis. A standard issue Grandmaster’s arsenal tion veiled. His long-term second has been includes five million game databases and compatriot GM Ivan Cheparinov. On occaoff-the-shelf computer analysis programs (or sion, the challenger has also worked with “engines” as they are known). These engines Paco Vallejo of Spain and with Jan Smeets are good enough to outplay Anand and Erwin L’Ami of Holland.

YOUNG AND and Topalov, getting stronger every A nand and Topalov have RESTLESS year as the databases expand. played very little in public in Topalov is banking on the In addition to high-tech help, the the past six months, a delibage factor to battle at Sofia also involves teams erate attempt to conceal their outwit Anand on of human assistants, each of them a home territory. evolving strategy for the world

I

Anand and Topalov have played very little in public in the past six months in a bid to conceal strategy.

80 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | A PRIL 2010

Grandmaster (GM) with specialised knowledge and skills.

Close friend and long-term second Peter Heine Nielsen, a GM from Denmark, will head Anand’s team. It might also include Suryasekhar Ganguly, the Indian national champion, and either Polish No. 1 Radoslaw Wojtaszek or Rustam Kasimdzhanov, a world-class player from Uzbekistan. All are top 100 GMs. That was Team Anand when the champion played the 2008 title match in Bonn, where he successfully held off Russian challenger Vladimir Kramnik. But his responses to questions about his Sofia team have been

championship. It is pointless trying to extrapolate the result from their recent form because when they have played it has been with little motivation, sparring only lightly to keep their respective eyes in.

In February, Topalov won the Linares tournament in what was his last outing before the Sofia match. Anand was an unimpressive fourth in his last appearance at the Corus tournament in January. (He had been a five-time winner at Corus.) Both played sloppily by their own admission. Topalov said he was lucky to win after escaping several times from losing positions. Anand said he was “ridiculously lucky” to not end lower on the Corus finishers’ list.

At Sofia, the circumstances will be different. There is the title to vie for and a guaranteed ¤1 million each as payoff. Matchplay and tournament play are radically different.

In matchplay, the victor needs to win one game more than his opponent unlike the high-win ratios which determine the outcome of a tournament. Therefore, “safety

F R O M L EF T: M A R T IN M O O IJ/A F P ; D IMI TA R D IL KO F F/A F P (2)

for hours at a stretch. Tension and fatigue play a big part in inducing error.

The first person to introduce a new move (or novelty as it’s known in the trade) can generate significant leads in time as well as on the board. A novelty incorporates some new and perhaps unfamiliar idea to which the opponent must find an adequate response. He must not take too long in doing so or else he could end up blundering later when the seconds are ticking down—hence the emphasis on preparation.

The chess equivalent of roadwork and sparring involves checking out historical games. Analysts look for improvements on

first” tactics often accompany ultra-intense preparation.

However, neither player is known for playing it safe. Anand won his last title match by dragging Kramnik into wild complications, which the Indian prepared and assessed better. Topalov skated on the edge of disaster with similar tactics in his last match with Gata Kamsky in 2009, which he won to become the challenger. He also used sharp tactics in his previous title match when he lost in tiebreaks to Kramnik in 2006. In fact, Topalov’s strategy appeared to be to increase tension, both on and off board, as much as possible. Many chess players and fans feel that the Bulgarian and his manager, Silvio Danailov, went too far. The match degenerated into a flurry of ill-tempered accusations. t is now referred to as “Toiletgate” because Topalov complained that Kramnik was spending too long in the loo between moves, perhaps to receive computer assistance. Kramnik responded to the cheating accusations with contempt and defaulted a game. They stopped shaking hands. Ultimately the high-voltage strategy backfired on Topalov. He worked himself up to fever pitch and finally lost.

Ironically, Topalov had earlier been accused of cheating after he won the world title in 2005 at San Luis, Argentina. Comments by former challenger Nigel Short, who was an eyewitness, sparked a storm. Short wrote, “In 27 years as a professional player I have only ever once been present at a tournament where the majority of participants believed the eventual winner to have cheated.”

Topalov won with a commanding performance while Anand came second. But Anand has never been dragged into such controversies. He will need to stay focused and be mentally strong to ignore the fact that Danailov, who is still Topalov’s manager, also heads the Match Organising Committee at Sofia. Even the lurking fear that one player may be receiving unfair assistance can destabilise equanimity. As the old proverb goes, “a player surprised is half beaten.”

Cheating will actually be unlikely. The venue, spectators and players w ill be screened for electronic communication devices before each game. Move transmission inside the hall may be deliberately delayed to prevent external help. When Anand’s wife and manager, Aruna, recently visited the match site at the Military Club, she asked for curtains to screen off the audience and eliminate any visual signals.

Masterminds at War

The Indian champ edges the head-to-head record but the challenger from Bulgaria is ranked higher Viswanathan Anand

Veselin Topalov

Anand was born on Dec. 11, 1969, in Chennai.

He learnt how to play the “game of kings” from mother Suseela at the age of six.

Achievements 1984: Asian junior champion 1987: World junior champion 1987: India’s first Grandmaster 1991: First super-tournament victory 1993: World championships quarterfinalist 1995: World championships finalist 2000: World champion 2007: World champion 2008: World champion Current rating: 2,787 Current world ranking: 4 Chess Oscar Player of the Year: 1997, ’98, 2003, ’04, ’07 and ’08

Topalov was born on March 15, 1975 in the Bulgarian city of Rousse.

He learnt chess at the age of eight from his father, Alexander.

Achievements 1989: World Under-14 champion 1992 : Becomes Grandmaster 2000: World championships quarterfinalist 2004 : World championships semifinalist Feb 2005: First super-tournament victory.

Prevails over Garry Kasparov in the Russian legend’s final competitive game October 2005: World champion 2009: Beats Gata Kamsky in the challenger match for the right to take on Anand Current rating: 2,805 Current world ranking: 2 Chess Oscar Player of the Year: 2005

Familiar Foes Anand and Topalov have played each other 87 times. Their first meeting was in the Spanish city of Las Palmas in 1993, when Anand won in 40 moves. Their last encounter was at the Zurich Rapids last August when they drew.

Category

Classical Rapid/Blitz Total

Anand Win

Draw

Topalov Win

10 13 23

23 27 50

10 4 14

Obviously, home advantage counts for something because Topalov will certainly sleep more soundly in Sofia. But the expectations of the home crowd may weigh on his mind. “Psychologically for Anand, it will be much easier to play than for me,” Topalov says. “Everyone awaits victory from me, while from him—nothing.”

Russian chess great Viktor Korchnoi recently remarked that “Anand is superior at the board” but title matches test far more than technical skill. Neither player has displayed loose lips so far. “Anand is one of the greatest talents in the history of chess,” concedes Topalov. And Anand said after Linares,

“Topalov seems in good nick. He is such an unpredictable player and can surprise you with the most weird-looking moves.”

More than home advantage, Topalov places store on the five-year age difference in his favour. At 40, Anand may be hitting the age at which chess players get stretched for physical stamina. Of course, Kramnik had a similar difference in his favour in 2008, and the Indian GM has shown little signs of slowing down.

German legend Emanuel Lasker once gave sage advice to players, “When you see a good move, look for a better one.” The last man standing will have to do just that. ±

A PRIL 2010 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | 81

AWARDS 2009 INDIA

sportsperson of the year

I’M GOING TO BE

NO.1

Her world revolves around badminton.

Now the badminton world might soon revolve around her. No Indian woman has made such an impact on sport and that’s why world No. 6 Saina Nehwal is sports illustrated india’s Sportsperson of the Year | B Y S U N D E E P M I S R A Photog raphs by A RV I N D CHEN JI

38 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | AU GEUST , 2009 DAT 00, 32009

DAT E 00, 2009 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | 39

J

AWARDS 2009 INDIA

akarta’s Bung Karno Stadium was a seething, sweltering cauldron of 8,000 screaming fans on June 21. In tiny groups scattered across the rafters, fistful of Indians were going crazy, dancing, shouting, screaming—their lungs at bursting point—as they sang, “Sainnna, Sainnna, Sainnna.” ¶ The 2009 Indonesia Super Series final was at match point after one set each. Saina Nehwal served, the shuttlecock going low over the net, almost hanging in mid-air for what seemed an eternity. Wang Lin, taller and stronger than her Indian opponent, didn’t seize the chance of sending the 5’ 6” Saina scurrying back to the baseline. Lin’s return was feeble. The Indian played on her nerves. Saina’s return was hard, forcing the Chinese to open up the game with a backhand high toss. The crowd sensed a dramatic finish, a smash, maybe a drop. Saina jumped and a cross-court smash left Lin scrambling for the shuttle. Saina became the first Indian to win a Super Series title.

“At that moment, it seemed unbelievable,” recalls her coach Pullela Gopichand. “It was a big win for badminton and Saina. It almost equalled a win at the All-England or the World Championships. The top eight singles players were all in action.”

Lin was unstoppable as she won the first set 21-12. Indonesian Atik Jauhari, now coaching the Indians, told Saina to force Lin to play longer rallies. “Lin will lose patience and play more at the net,” was Jauhari’s advice to Saina before the second set. Saina bounced back 21-18.

“I had promised myself that I would beat her under 10 in the third set,” Saina remembers. The third set was a walk in the park as Lin buckled under the constant pressure of Saina’s net play and was crushed 21-9.

Across India, sportswriters scrambled, searching for scores on the Internet as wires flashed news of the triumph. Questions on the Super Series brought up blank stares.

It’s a miracle that the Badminton World Federation website didn’t crash as journalists dived in, desperately searching for information. The Nehwal home in Hyderabad was inundated with phone calls.

“I didn’t know who all called,” says her

40 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | D E CEM B ER 2009

father, Dr. Harvir Singh, a scientist with the Directorate of Oilseeds Research in Hyderabad. “But it seemed that the entire country was calling. After a point of time, all I said was, ‘Bahut khush hun’ [I’m very happy]. I just kept repeating it.”

Television channels went into an overdrive. Across stations, phone interviews with former badminton players were played like hit pop numbers. Journalists, who had never seen Saina in action, were telling news audiences how she played and what sort of bearing she would have on Indian badminton after the Indonesia title. On the impact of Saina’s win, they were right on target.

“The impact has been huge,” says Madhumita Bisht, a former national champion who coached Saina at the Uber Cup. “In the women’s game, we have never had someone break into the top 10 and win such a big title.

In the men’s game, we have seen Prakash [Padukone] and Pullela win the All-England title. Indian badminton can only gain as more titles come home.”

Saina has always spoken about her ambition of breaking into the top 10. Saina, who

SWEAT IT OUT

Saina’s punishing training regimen lasts for seven hours every day.

won her first Grand Prix title at the age of 16 and a Super Series title at 19, is a role model for aspiring shuttlers. Her impact on the game goes beyond the sports pages, her grit and determination inspires millions. And that’s why Saina is sports illustrated india’s 2009 Sportsperson of the Year.

Saina seems unmoved by all the adulation and accolades. Not even when she comes to know that she has been chosen for sports illustrated india’s coveted honour.

“O.K. [smiles], thanks,” and she walks off to court No. 6 at the P. Gopichand Badminton Academy. Saina is very “in your face.” Yes, she does smile when she misses a shot or fails to pick up a deceptive drop. But how can a 19-year-old girl remain unaffected by awards, praises, victories, money, whatever?

“She simply refuses to show any emotion,” explains Harvir. “She is happy that she is progressing in the sport and seriously believes that she would be in the top three.”

And believe it or not, Saina would have remained in Hissar, Haryana, probably playing local badminton and studying for a graduate degree or receiving a doctorate

“I’m not fluent with my and tire the opponent.

strokes,” Saina says. “I can run around I’ll return anything. I’m a hard worker.”

D E CEM B ER 2009 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | 41

Every Month . . . Best of Sports . . . Ever

EXCERPT | Dec. 18, 2000

Better Than Imagined Serial winner Tiger Woods has not just lived up to high expectations but has also exceeded our wildest projections | B Y F R A N K D E F O R D After becoming the first player since 1953 to win three majors in the same year, the golfing superstar finished 2000 as the only athlete to win the coveted sports illustrated Sportsman of the Year honour two times.

S

ure we love Tiger Woods. We adore him. He da man. But enough. What about the fans who support the Game— us, the Worldwide Gallery? ¶ What are we going to do about him? Is there a certain point at which he starts to ruin things for us, when he gets so good it’s boring? We have to think about this. Has anybody in any sport been this much better than everyone else? Maybe the Babe when he was hitting more home runs than whole teams. But that’s the point: He wasn’t the whole damn team. He couldn’t control the game on his own.

Maybe Joe Louis, when every month the best they could do was dredge up a new palooka. Maybe the Great One, maybe Michael.

But, hell, even Michael wasn’t that much better than Magic or Bird.

Tiger is alone. Before this year we thought he might be “the next Jordan.” No longer. The way we see it now, it is Jordan who is “the previous Woods.”

Tiger’s old man said Tiger was going to be Gandhi. Wrong. Gandhi was special, sure. But Buddha and St. Francis of Assisi, Martin Luther King. . . all in the Gandhi mix. A better analogy: Tiger is da Vinci. Nah, scratch that. Good as da Vinci was, he had Michelangelo at his shoulder, No. 2 with a bullet. Robin Hood had William Tell, Beethoven had Mozart, Oprah has Martha. But Tiger? He’s all alone; nobody else in his line of work has ever been on the same fairway.

On the Cover

WORLD AT HIS FEET

Woods takes a break at his Isleworth, Fla., house before going on to rule the greens in 2000.

Photog ra ph s b y

WA LT E R IO OSS J R .

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L AU REN U R A M (19 96); G ER A RD R A N C IN A N (2000); R O B ER T B EC K (2007 )

Out of the Woods

1996

2000

2007

Woods wins his third straight U.S. Amateur title and is named the Sportsman of the Year

by Sports Illustrated

Tiger’s opponents are nowhere in the picture as the coolest cat on the greens continues his hot streak to stay at the top

John Garrity trails the superstar for six months and more than 30,000 air miles and discovers a transformed legend

D E CEM B ER 2009 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | 91

SI.COM/VAULT Maybe we bought into him too fast. After all, we made Nicklaus earn our affection. We even resented him at first. Fat Jack.

Remember that? Tiger? He is the American Prince William.

We watched him grow up, waiting lovingly for him to take the throne. Has an athlete ever been so ordained? Then he not only lives up to our expectations but also tops our impossible dreams.

Tiger Woods, dream beater.

So what fun is that? How many times can we depend on somebody named Bob May to catch lightning in Jack Fleck’s bottle? We’re all rooting for Tiger to win every major by 17 strokes, to win every tournament in the Northern Hemisphere. (Is

put-upon Members of the Golfing Fourth Estate who chronicle the Game. It is not our problem that you star-kissers at sports illustr ated are making him Sportsman of the Year. Again.

What are you going to do when he wins the Grand Slam next year? Retire the trophy? Well, join the party. We’ve got to genuflect in newsprint and on the air most every week.

I

t’s getting harder, too, to spin anything original. For a long time we could dine out on what amounted to the Tiger nativity story, with Papa Earl and Fluff, the magic caddie, to fill in the blanks, which they were only too delighted to do. Ad

SI.COM over your ratings meal ticket on CBS or writing the periodic 1-A testimonial in USA Today.

Unfortunately for us journalists, the piece Charlie Pierce did on him in GQ in 1997 spooked Tiger. Pierce described him as telling sophomoric dirty jokes and doing Buckwheat accents, the way most normal college kids do. That, however, didn’t jibe with orthodox Tiger Woods theology, so, after that, he pretty much took the sports version of omertà. Now he presents himself as equal parts cliche and politeness. The guy who always goes for the pin keeps the world an arm’s length from his heart. He is handsome (demonstrably) and bright (he attended Stanford,

Before 2000 we thought he might be “the next Jordan.” No longer.

The way we see it now, it’s Jordan who is “the previous Woods.”

nauseam. But then the kid eased Dad into the Barcalounger and fired Fluff. It was like shooting Lassie. That was when we understood that Tiger didn’t turn into a buccaneer only when he arrived at the 1st tee. He can run up that Jolly Roger, grasp the cutlass in his teeth and slit throats anywhere he has to. Of course, you don’t want to put it quite like that when you’re swooning

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didn’t he?), and his game does the rest. Besides, the consensus is that he really is a nice guy, and given the plethora of dim-witted knaves in sports, we treat nice, bright guys who are on top like the rare gems they are.

In fact, it’s almost as if we feel a compulsion to protect him. Tiger made only two public mistakes in 2000. Number 1: He was heard cursing on television

after he hit a bad drive at the U.S. Open. Number 2: He filmed a commercial for Buick even though the Screen Actors Guild, of which he is a member, was on strike against commercial producers. The vulgarity was a trifling gaffe—and spontaneous and natural—while his defiance of his union was a calculated decision that was constructed of hubris and greed.

Yet most of us Tiger correspondents made a terrible fuss about the silly boo-boo—ohhh, Jack would never utter a profanity on a hallowed golf course; my, my, Michael was always above such coarseness—while little was made of the disregard for his union and its members, many of whom were suffering harsh financial consequences for forgoing work they needed.

Then again, golf is not exactly hearth and home to the labour movement, and we who cover the game do it more gen-

R O B ER T B EC K

Thailand in the Southern Hemisphere? Whatever.) Yes, absolutely, we are into excellence, but we have to admit that deep in our dark souls most every one of us now longs for the day when the kid misses a cut or shoots an 80 or even pulls a Van de Velde. Just once, humbled. Do you know, in the London betting shops, he is 3-2 to win the Masters next April and 16-1 to sweep the Grand Slam? Excuse us: only 16-1 on what was inconceivable.

We are not mean-spirited, you understand. We love Tiger Woods. It is only that we are human, and you need human stuff on the golf course. Otherwise it all becomes one of those standard golf jokes in which Moses and St. Peter and Mohammed are trading miracles in a five-buck Nassau. Has Tiger made that a foursome?

Oh, we’re supposed to go on even more about Tiger for your benefit? Give us a rest, us poor,

tly t han do TIGHT RACE Woods lost o u r b r e t hthe Match Play ren who Championship (above) by a lu r k a b out whisker but sweatier ath- clinched the PGA letic venues, Championship where a za- (left) in a playoff. leas never bloom.

Tiger is such an extraordinary champion and so widely admired that we have granted him a sort of spiritual amnesty.

His persona is still insulated by his deeds, his misjudgments immunised by his youth. Sometime soon, though, we will weary of the tedium of his success and start peering more deeply into that heavenly smile and beyond those steely eyes. Won’t we? Because that’s the nature of the beast—us. This, right now, may be the best Tiger will ever have it. Until, that is, he becomes a Grand Old Man, and we fall in love with him again.

Don’t even talk to us about him. Please, think about our

feelings, have a heart for us other guys on the PGA Tour— we, the Members of the Professional Golfers Anonymous Tour, who make the Game.

People used to talk about how poor Colin Montgomerie hadn’t won a major. The way things are going, we’re all going to be Colinised. Tiger, though, has made it worth our while to be spear carriers. Since it became the Tiger Tour, our prize money has tripled and our TV contracts have doubled. That means more exposure (at least for the lucky donkeys among us who get to play a round with him), which means more money for our endorsement contracts, too. Everybody can’t be Buddy Holly. Somebody has to be the Crickets.

Are we envious? Sure, we are human. The skinny kid comes on the Tour, he’s already famous—as an amateur. But he’s good. He can hit it a continen-

tal mile. Then he gets to be No. 1, and he redoes his game and his body. On the Everest summit, sans oxygen, he performs a makeover. This is not fair. From 60 or 65kg, now he’s packing 85kg, all muscle. Cut us a break.

P

lus he’s only 24. What happens when he hits his peak? Ever ybody says, What’s the matter with you w imps? W hy can’t you cha llenge him? Hey, tell it to t he Marines. Maybe t he golfer who’ll finally take out Tiger hasn’t been born yet.

Listen to this: “W hen he plays well, he wins. When he plays badly, he finishes second.

When he plays terrible, he finishes third.” Guess who? Wrong.

That’s Johnny Miller talking about Nicklaus in 1973. Miller is a whiner. He didn’t know how lucky he and his bunch were.

Tiger only plays great, greater,

greatest. The sonuvabitch is relentless, too. The same jackasses we have to put up with every week who scream “you da man” say he can only beat himself. As if it were the truth of the ages.

Yeah, O.K., occasionally some young hotshot comes along who wins a lot and then acquires the entourage and the bimbos and the big head. Our problem is that the more Tiger wins, the less he lets up on himself.

His mother, Tida, said, “Tiger has Thai, African, Chinese, American Indian and European blood. He is the Universal Child.” We’ve all talked about this racial bouillabaisse that he is, but usually only as a matter of curiosity. How interesting!

(Which also means: especially compared to all of us cookiecutter white guys who make the Republican electors look like Heinz 57.) Maybe he got the best of all those bloodlines. That’s what it seems like when he’s

D E CEM B ER 2009 | S P O R T S I L L U S T R AT E D | 93

SI.COM/VAULT playing against you. He is not merely Universal. He is Universally Best. How can we expect him to beat himself when the sum of the parts seems to be larger than the whole?

well-being and close every eveWoods also ning in a prayer claimed the first of his of thanksgiving three British that he came to Open titles Golf. But I am in 2000. merely the Game and not the commissioner of the PGA Tour.

I do look forward to a siesta of especially long duration. Before my envious friend Atlas was saddled with holding up the sky, he had what you would now call a PR man, a Greek named Hesiod.

To be sure, Hesiod was no Tiger Woods of poetry, no Homer, but still a man of considerable gifts—a Jones, a Hogan, I would say. Atlas told me that Hesiod wrote this: “Badness you can get easily, in quantity: the road is smooth, and it lies close by.

But in front of excellence the immortal gods have put sweat, and long and steep is the way to it, and rough at first. But when you come to the top, then it is easy, even though it is hard.”

I believe that wisdom applies perfectly to young Tiger TROPHY HUNT

F R A ZER H A RRIS O N /G E T T Y IM AG E S

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R O B ER T B EC K

I

’ve been w a it i ng here, laddie. It’s about time you heard me out, because all these other chaps are just so many blowhards, and they’ve all got an axe to grind, haven’t they? But you’re here at the sacred place, and, Shhh! Let me speak, for I am the Game.

Nobody is bigger than the Game. Oh they do love to trot out that bromide, don’t they?

Especially the tired old blue blazers who have a vested interest in the proceedings. But I am the Game, remember, so I don’t have to be literal. I can be lyrical. Right now your Mr. Woods is bigger than I am. Do not be shocked. Sometimes—and ever so happily—our institutions are, for a moment in time, overwhelmed by an extraordinary human talent. ’Twas always so.

Was not Joan of Arc bigger than War, Shakespeare bigger than the Stage, the Beatles bigger than Music?

No, I am not troubled to be subsidiary for a while. In good time I will wrest back primacy.

For now, though, I appreciate the respite. I speak occasionally to Atlas, poor devil, who’s had to hold up the sky through the ages, and he understands how wearisome it must be, supporting Golf 24/7/365, what with all those pompous asses speechifying about how nobody is bigger than the Game.

At times, to be perfectly honest, I would rather be Wrestling than Golf. I find that endeavour curiously refreshing and so ingenious. Tradition can be so overbearing. As I was telling Atlas only last summer: One more hallowed reference to Old Tom Morris or the claret jug or Amen Corner and I think I’ll scream.

Here are those self-appointed

Tiger is such an extraordinary champion and so widely admired that we have granted him a sort of spiritual amnesty. sentinels of Golf complaining that young Mr. Woods is bringing in the wrong sort to our courses. Please: A bit of noise and joy will surely do us no real harm. And how grand it is that so many ladies and gentlemen of colour are teeing up. Heavens, I understand that now there are a third again more AfricanAmericans playing in the U.S. Oh, gracious me, I was so sympathetic towards the young bloke last month when he ventured the most modest grievances about how the PGA Tour exploits him. Certainly he should be accorded special consider-

ation—with hosannas! But there were those supercilious critics who cried out, Ah, where would Tiger be without the PGA Tour?

I reported that to Atlas, and he screeched. (It would surprise you, but Atlas—not unlike your Nicklaus and Mike Tyson—has an uncommonly high voice for such a strong fellow.) He positively shrieked to me, “That is like saying, Where would Alexander be without Persia?”

Let me tell you, if I were not the Game, if I were the commissioner of t he PGA Tour, I would begin each morning inquiring about Mr. Woods’s

Woods. He w ill continue to overcome what is hard, so that he might, with ease—and with my benediction—long carry the burden of being bigger than the Game. Now, if you will excuse me, since at last I find myself at leisure, I should rather like to play a round. Would you please thank Tiger for affording me that splendid opportunity? ± Tiger Woods has gone on to claim eight more major titles, taking the total to 14. The 33-year-old is on course to eclipse the world record of compatriot Jack Nicklaus, who has 18 major titles.

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2009

PICTURES OF THE YEAR

Nine Alive It’s been a memorable year for the sports fan. Here’s a selection of some of the most arresting scenes captured from far and wide

MAKING WAVES July 17: Jenna Randall of Great Britain tested the waters for the women’s solo synchronised swimming at the World Championships in Rome, Italy. Randall finished eighth in her technical solo, ninth in freestyle solo and 10th in freestyle duet.

Photograph by Clive Rose/Getty Images

2009

3

PICTURES OF THE YEAR

RISE AND SHINE June 10: Garrett Johnson of London North scaled new heights in the women’s pole vault during the UKA Super8 in Cardiff, Wales. In the unique event’s first edition, British athletes tested their mettle against teammates in a city vs. city format.

Photograph by Paul Gilham/Getty Images

2009

PICTURES OF THE YEAR

FEAT OF CLAY May 28: Roger Federer of Switzerland tapped the clay off his shoe during his French Open second-round encounter against Jose Acasuso of Argentina in Paris, France. Federer went on to sweep his rivals for his maiden French Open title.

Photograph by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

2009

PICTURES OF THE YEAR

THREE CHEERS May 27: Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola was literally flying high after the UEFA Champions League triumph over Manchester United in Rome, Italy.

Guardiola also won the La Liga title and the Copa del Ray in his rookie season.

Photograph by Alex Livesey/Getty Images

2009

PICTURES OF THE YEAR

SKY SCRAPERS May 30: Matty McFerran of Australia took a flying leap during the Hart and Huntington Freestyle Tour at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia. The country’s best freestyle motocross riders took to the ramp and displayed an awesome array of stunts.

Photograph by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

2009

PICTURES OF THE YEAR

HEADS, YOU WIN April 24: Russia’s Arsen Galstyan (in white) brings Georgiy Zantaraya of Ukraine down to earth during the men’s 60kg final of the Euro judo championships in Tbilisi, Georgia. Galstyan proved his superiority to claim the gold medal in style.

Photograph by Vano Shlamov/AFP