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Cricket - The Infinite Belief
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“The bat is not a toy. It’s a weapon. It gives me everything in life which helps me do everything on the field.” Virat Kohli
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“If it’s difficult I’ll do it now, if it’s impossible I’ll d lose the game because of the 11 you select. You wi – Rahul Dravid | “It’s hard work making batting look a balanced diet is a cheese burger in each hand” – you are the best, because the rest of your life is go “I have to learn from Sehwag how to play in the ne off the last over, pressure is on the bowler, not o crowd, you play for the country” – MS Dhoni | “If I’v or Dravid” – Brian Lara | “There is no shame in being b Vaughan | “Pujara is a classical musician in the era o a DNA test of AB de Villiers, this game is only for h a weapon. It gives me everything in life which h “If it’s difficult I’ll do it now, if it’s impossible I’ll d lose the game because of the 11 you select. You wi – Rahul Dravid | “It’s hard work making batting look a balanced diet is a cheese burger in each hand” – you are the best, because the rest of your life is go “I have to learn from Sehwag how to play in the ne off the last over, pressure is on the bowler, not o crowd, you play for the country” – MS Dhoni | “If I’v or Dravid” – Brian Lara | “There is no shame in being b Vaughan | “Pujara is a classical musician in the era o a DNA test of AB de Villiers, this game is only for h a weapon. It gives me everything in life which h
ll do it presently” – Don Bradman | “You don’t win or win or lose with what those 11 do on the field” ook effortless” – David Gower | “Shane Warne’s idea of nd” – Ian Healey | “First of all convince yourself that s going to go proving this to others” – Wasim Akram e nervous 90s” – Sachin Tendulkar | “If 15 runs are needed ot on MS Dhoni” – Ian Bishop | “You don’t play for the f I’ve to put anyone to bat for my life, it’ll be Kallis ng beaten by a genius. Virat Kohli is a freak” – Michael ra of Yo Yo Honey Singh” – HarshA Bhogle | “I demand or humans” – Aakash Chopra | “The bat is not a toy. It’s h helps me do everything on the field” – Virat Kohli ll do it presently” – Don Bradman | “You don’t win or win or lose with what those 11 do on the field” ook effortless” – David Gower | “Shane Warne’s idea of nd” – Ian Healey | “First of all convince yourself that s going to go proving this to others” – Wasim Akram e nervous 90s” – Sachin Tendulkar | “If 15 runs are needed ot on MS Dhoni” – Ian Bishop | “You don’t play for the f I’ve to put anyone to bat for my life, it’ll be Kallis ng beaten by a genius. Virat Kohli is a freak” – Michael ra of Yo Yo Honey Singh” – HarshA Bhogle | “I demand or humans” – Aakash Chopra | “The bat is not a toy. It’s h helps me do everything on the field” – Virat Kohli
CUP OF JOY India captain Kapil Dev and the Man of the Match of the final Mohinder Amarnath are thrilled after beating West Indies to win their maiden World Cup triumph at Lord’s in June 1983. Patrick Eagar/Getty Images
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Editor’s Note India has sports leagues, private sports leagues in several sports apart from cricket: football, badminton, even kabbadi. The number of medals India will win in the next Olympics is most likely going to be the highest ever for the country – and also the most diverse in terms of the disciplines involved. Finally, with almost every city worth its name having a marathon or a mini-marathon, and cycling clubs proliferating across the country, the sporty Indian has finally emerged, replacing the traditional image of Indians as un-sporty and unfit. There are more such nuggets pointing to a larger whole – India is clearly in the midst of a sporting revolution that spans several dimensions. At one level are sportspeople. Across sports, India is discovering a new breed of sportspeople who have what it takes to make the cut at the highest level. At another level are the sports themselves. The emergence of private leagues and the broadcast (and narrowcast) of these creates a virtuous cycle that makes these sports bigger – in turn attracting more players and viewers. There are business opportunities as well at each of these levels – from straightforward signing fees to individual endorsement contracts to gigantic rights deals to really smart marketing campaign where the association between brands and sports becomes a symbiotic relationship that benefits both. The Hindustan Times Cricket: The Infinite Belief is an attempt to navigate this exciting, but still emerging landscape in India. SUKUMAR RANGANATHAN Editor-in-Chief Hindustan Times
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Contents 1
The Story of Cricket
A Brief Time Travel
2 Bat, Ball & Brands 3 The World Cup OBSESSION
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The IPL Story 54-71
4 The New Wave 5
Cricket the Unifying
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language of India of cricket
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In the beginning 1743, A game of cricket being played on the Artillery Ground in London. Rischgitz/Getty Images
cricket the Infinite belief
The Story of
Cricket A Brief Time Travel
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ne would be amused to know about one of the first definitive references to cricket as an adult sport which dates back to 1611 when two men were prosecuted for playing cricket on a Sunday instead of attending the church. This happened in Sussex, England. However, the church could not stop this sport from slowly gaining popularity amongst the masses, not just in England but across the world.
The Rise of Cricket Things really took off for cricket by the end of the 17th century when the English nobles realised how it was not just a great sport but an excellent opportunity for gambling. While the stakes for betting were limited to £100, that was still a fortune during those times. The freedom of press, granted in 1696, fuelled the popularity of the sport as cricket started being reported in the newspapers, even though the news was focused more on betting rather than the on-field action. Cricket & Gambling Cricket gave the English nobles an opportunity to gamble, thus the popularity of the sport became evident in the early years. Kean Collection/Archive Photos/ Getty Images
Establishment of Rules The 18th century was significant for cricket as a number of patrons, including aristocrats and businessmen, started promoting the sport. Due to their influence, there was an obvious improvement in the reportage of cricket. As the stakes escalated, it was deemed necessary to come up with uniform rules. The rules may have been established much earlier, the oldest surviving set of cricket laws dates back to 1744, printed on a handkerchief. The handkerchief now rests in the MCC Museum at Lord’s in London. It was followed with birth of many famous clubs in England, out of which Hambledon in Hampshire deserves special mention. The club remained the focal point of the game until the formation of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which later became the holy grail of all complex rules of cricket.
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The rules of cricket The oldest surviving set of cricket laws date back to 1744 – printed on a
handkerchief. This rare gem is preserved in the MCC Museum at Lord’s in London. Source: www.the-saleroom.com
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Evolution of the bat An illustration showcasing a variety of old cricket bats used in the sport over the years. Hulton Archive/Getty Images
A Transformation in Playing Style The original form of bowling involved rolling the ball along the ground, which was later replaced with flighted delivery or throwing the ball through the air. This allowed the bowlers to produce different variations in line, length and pace. Thus the old ‘hockey-stick’ styled bat proved to be ineffective against such deliveries. It was only meant for a ball that came trundling along the ground. The straight bat was introduced to respond to the pitched or flighted delivery.
Crossing Boundaries Cricket soon started to spread to various British colonies. British officials played a key role in diversifying the game and in building respect for it in colonial territories. Playing cricket became a symbol of superior social and racial status. Numerous overseas settlers as well as the elite wanting to blend in with the ruling community became ardent propagators of cricket in countries like South Africa, Australia, the Carribean region and India.
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The 19th century cricket also saw the rise of many county clubs which exist even today. Moreover, the development of rail networks ensured that cricket teams, long-distances apart, could travel in order to play against one another. The first-ever international game was played between the United States and Canada in 1844. Surprisingly, baseball caught up and gained more popularity than cricket in both these countries later on and the popularity of cricket dwindled. On the other hand, the popularity of cricket in other English colonies grew dramatically.
THE ORIGIN OF the ASHES Right: In 1882, a newspaper obituary on the death of English cricket after England lost a Test match against Australia. The bails were burnt and the ashes placed in an urn to became ‘The Ashes’ for which Australia and England slog it out. Hulton Archive/Getty Images
The Test Matches In 1877, two epic matches were played between England and Australia. Australia won the first but England settled the score in the next. The matches were dubbed as “Tests”, since the gruelling nature of playing over five days was deemed as “the ultimate test” for any side. In 1882, when Australia beat England at The Oval, its first Test win on English soil, a British newspaper, The Sporting Times, published a mock obituary “in affectionate remembrance of English cricket, which died at The Oval on 29th August, 1882”, adding that “the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia”. There began the story of the Ashes, the high-voltage Test series played between England and Australia. The growth of Test cricket largely began with the birth of the Imperial Cricket Conference (now known as the International Cricket Council or ICC). Founded in 1909, England, Australia and South Africa were the three members of the conference. These countries were known as ‘Test nations’. West Indies, New Zealand and India became Test nations before World War II and Pakistan joined the list soon afterwards. Considered to be the highest standard of the sport, Test cricket remains widely respected across the cricketing globe.
Gentleman’s Game An early picture of a group of cricketers circa 1871. From left: CI Thornton, CE Green, WG Grace, VE Walker, FC Cobden, WB Money, FER Fryer. Bob Thomas/Popperfoto/ Getty Images
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The good old MCG Left: A view from the grandstand of the AllEngland XI in action during a match at Melbourne Cricket Ground in Yarra Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1862. Popperfoto/Getty Images
father of Cricket Above: Cricketer and physician William Gilbert Grace (1848-1915), circa 1900. Known as WG, he started playing first-class cricket for Gloucestershire in 1864 and made 126 centuries during his illustrious career. Hulton Archive/Getty Images
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One-Day Internationals Limited-overs cricket began as a form of knock-out competition in 1963. It eventually started gaining popularity, especially with young and busy spectators who could witness the result within a single day. Melbourne Cricket Ground witnessed the first limited-overs international in 1971. It took place as a time-filler due to a Test match being cancelled as a result of heavy rain. What began as an experiment helped tremendously in improving cricket’s appeal far and wide. The ICC took notice and reacted in 1975 by organising the first Cricket World Cup in England.
Cricket Meets Technology As cricket followers continued to grow, the sport started becoming a favourite for local and global media all over the world. The viewership for cricket on television boomed and newer means of graphic technology started being used to show the audience nitty-gritty of action on the field. Multiple cameras in various locations, including hidden camera in the stumps, high-speed photography and in-depth visual analytics were soon adopted. The third eye Left: Umpire David Shepherd refers a decision to the third umpire.
The Test series between South Africa and India in 1992 was historic since it saw Below: India’s Sachin the first instance of a batsman adjudged Tendulkar became the first run-out by a third umpire. On the second cricketer to be given run-out by the third umpire. day of the second Test at Kingmead, Durban, umpire Cyril Mitchley referred a run-out appeal against Sachin Tendulkar to third umpire Karl Liebenberg. Based on the television replay evidence, Liebenberg ruled Tendulkar out. While Tendulkar went on to become a legendary cricketer, his run-out in Durban turned out to be a watershed moment in the use of technology in decision-making process in cricket. Michael Steele/EMPICS/Getty Images
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the ODI Saga begins Australia captain Bill Lawry is dismissed for 27 after being caught by Alan Knott off Ray Illingworth during the first One Day International (ODI) between Australia and England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Australia, 5 January 1971. Australia won by 5 wickets. Keystone/Hulton Archive/ Getty Images
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The Cricket of Today
The packer punch Ian Chappell during a Packer Series match between Australia and the West Indies in Sydney, January 1979. Adrian Murrell/Getty Images
The Age of T20 The 21st century has seen some of the most rapid changes India cricketers celebrate in the history of the sport. The ICC introduced a “Test their win against Pakistan in the final of the inaugural Championship Table” and a “One-day International ICC World Twenty20 at the Wanderers Stadium Championship Table”. These have evolved into ICC team on 24 September 2007 in rankings across all formats of the game. This century, Johannesburg, RSA. Hamish Blair/Getty Images though, is unarguably defined by the advent of Twenty20 (T20) cricket, which has made the game even faster and more aggressive with batsmen aiming to score at a quicker rate and bowlers relying on newer variations, Twenty20 has not only made the game shorter but also far more exciting than the conventional formats.
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A Fantastic Beginning Top: Fans revel during the ICC World Twenty20 final between India and Pakistan on 24 September 2007 at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, RSA. Duif du Toit/Gallo Images/ Getty Images
The Taste of Victory Right: The Indian team celebrates after beating Pakistan and winning the inaugural ICC World Twenty20.
In September 2007, the final of the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 between arch-rivals India and Pakistan attracted a worldwide TV audience of more than 400 million. It was followed by the unveiling of the Indian Premier League the following year. With newer Twenty20 leagues coming into existence around the world, new-age cricketers are now playing cricket all year round. In a bid to spread cricket’s wings in unexplored territories, the ICC Intercontinental Cup brought first-class cricket to 12 nations, mostly for the first time. These countries included promising teams like Afghanistan, Netherlands, Ireland and Kenya.
Tom Shaw/Getty Images
Moreover, the technological innovations don’t seem to stop and are accelerating both the accuracy of judgement and appeal for the game. These include ball tracking technology, flashing stumps and bails, infra-red cameras and the ultraedge technology. A large part of the century is yet to unfold and the face of cricket will keep evolving. One thing that will remain constant is the love for the sport.
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Darrian Traynor/Getty Images
The pioneer Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji in action in 1902. He represented England in Tests. Hulton Archive/Getty Images
India’s love story with cricket 1721: F irst traces of a cricket match played in India by English sailors of the East India Company. 1792: E stablishment of the Calcutta Cricket Club, where Eden Garden majestically stands today. 1848: Formation of the Parsee Oriental Cricket Club in Bombay. 1864: First-class cricket begins in India with Calcutta taking on Madras. 1867: Publication of first known instructional book on cricket in Hindi. 1877: T he Parsees beat the Europeans in a match that emerged as a milestone moment. 1892: F irst Bombay Presidency Match played between the Europeans and the Parsees. The Presidency matches evolved into Bombay Quadrangular and Pentangular matches. 1896: I ndian Prince Ranjitsinhji, popularly known as Ranji, makes his Test debut for the English cricket team. 1911: A n Indian team goes for its first official tour of the British Isles but only to play against English county teams. 1922: M aharaja of Patiala’s XI win the first All India Cricket tournament in Delhi. 1927: Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is founded.
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1929: KS Duleepsinhji makes his Test debut for England against South Africa. 1932: India make a historic tour to England and their debut as a Test-playing nation. Duleepsinhji continues to play county cricket and represents Sussex against India. 1934: Efforts of several Indian princes lead to the beginning of the Ranji Trophy, named after KS Ranjitsinhji. 1936: The first major stadium in India – the Brabourne Stadium opens in Bombay. 1952: India record their first Test victory in Madras, against England. 1961: Duleep Trophy is instituted as an inter-zonal tournament, named after KS Duleepsinhji. 1971: India record their maiden Test series win in England. 1983: India, under the leadership of Kapil Dev, creates history by winning the Cricket World Cup by defeating the defending champions the West Indies. 1987: The cricket euphoria spreads across the nation. World Cup staged outside England for the first time. India and Pakistan jointly host the event. 1989: Sachin Tendulkar makes his Test debut against Pakistan at the age of 16 years. 1992: The World Cup in Australia infuses cricket with coloured uniforms and day/ night matches.
The ultimate cup Kapil Dev lifts the trophy after the 1983 Prudential World Cup final victory against the West Indies at Lord’s, London. Adrian Murrell/Allsport/Getty Images
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The cup returns Harbhajan Singh, Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh with the winners trophy in the players’ dressing room after the 2011 ICC World Cup final between India and Sri Lanka at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India on 2 April 2011. Michael Steele/Getty Images
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1997: Jagmohan Dalmiya becomes the first Indian to be elected as the president of the world governing body. 2000: Appointment of New Zealand stalwart John Wright as India’s first foreign coach. 2001: India becomes the third team to win a Test after being forced to follow-on in Kolkata, en route a famous series win against Australia. The series marks the beginning of the newage rivalry between the two teams. 2002: India registers record successful highest run-chase of 326 runs in the Natwest Series final versus England at Lord’s. 2002: I ndia becomes the joint-winner of the ICC Champions Trophy with Sri Lanka, with the final being abandoned due to rain. 2003: India reaches the final of the ICC World Cup, only to be defeated by Australia by 125 runs. 2006: India beat South Africa in their maiden Twenty20 international. 2007: India wins the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa, beating arch-rival Pakistan in the final. 2008: BCCI launches the Indian Premier League as a result of the growing popularity of Twenty20 cricket. 2009: India secures their first Test series win in New Zealand in 41 years. Later in the year, India tops the Test ranking charts for the first time. 2011: Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led India beats Sri Lanka in the ICC World Cup final in Mumbai to join West Indies and Australia in the elite club of teams with at least two World Cup titles. 2013: India defeats England in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy final and Mahendra Singh Dhoni becomes the first captain in history to win three major ICC trophies - ICC World Cup, ICC World Twenty20 and ICC Champions Trophy. 2015: India begins a streak of 19 unbeaten Test matches under the new captain Virat Kohli. 2016: “The Grand Home Season” begins for India, including series at home against New Zealand, England, Bangladesh and Australia. The team regains the No. 1 ranking in Tests after a long time. 2019: India becomes the first Asian team to register a Test series win against Australia on Australian soil. Virat Kohli-led team wins the series 2-1.
The wait is over Above: Team India celebrates its Test series win against Australia and poses with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Australia on 7 January 2019. Mark Metcalfe/CA/Getty Images
Below: Virat Kohli receives the ICC Test Championship mace from Sunil Gavaskar in 2018. International Cricket Council
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The World Cup
OBSESSION
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The cup is ours India captain Kapil Dev receives the Prudential World Cup Trophy after India’s amazing victory over the West Indies in the 1983 World Cup final at Lord’s cricket ground in London. Bob Thomas/Getty Images
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he World Cup, played once in four years, presents an opportunity to the Men in Blue to take the field and lift the holy grail of cricket on behalf of a billion fans. Few things in India are as widely loved and respected as cricket. Cricket acts as an emotionally binding agent as cricket fans bring with them a commitment of indulgence and faith in the spirit of the game.
THE STRUGGLE India’s wicketkeeper Farokh Engineer makes a valiant attempt to dismiss New Zealand’s Glenn Turner during his unbeaten 114 in the Prudential World Cup in 1975. Bob Thomas/Getty Images
The passion, the craze, the thrill and the excitement that the spectators experience is magical. There is an obsession to watch, talk, analyse and dissect every aspect of this game. The sport has given India heroes to look up to, reasons to celebrate triumphs and even burst into tears of joy, at times disappointment. The sentiments that come along with cricket are unparalleled as compared to any other sport in India. Every four years, the collective Indian spirit dreams about the home-coming of the World Cup trophy.
World Cup 1975 The first World Cup saw off-spinner S. Venkataraghavan leading a relatively inexperienced Indian side, having featured in a solitary ODI going into the tournament. India’s opening fixture, the inaugural match of World Cup, was against England at Lord’s in London. The match is remembered for Sunil Gavaskar’s infamous super-slow innings. Chasing England’s formidable total of 334/4 in 60 overs, India were three for 108 at one stage, thus forcing Gavaskar to opt a more cautious approach. He, however, just couldn’t switch gears and remained unbeaten on 36 off a whopping 174 balls. The victory margin of 202 runs for England was the highest in ODIs till 1984-85. India finished third in the group of four teams with a win and two losses, thus failing to qualify for the semifinals. Gavaskar was the highest scorer for India with 113 runs while S. Abid Ali’s six wickets were the most for an Indian bowler.
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THE CAUTIOUS INNINGS India’s Sunil Gavaskar pulls one during the 1975 Prudential World Cup opener against England at Lord’s, London. Hulton Archive/Getty Images
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THE APPEALING SPORT India’s Dilip Vengsarkar is dismissed against the West Indies during the 1979 World Cup at Edgbaston, England. Patrick Eagar/Getty Images
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World Cup 1979 England hosted the second edition of the World Cup as well, with the 60-over-aside retained for the eight-team event. India were again led by Venkataraghavan. It turned out to be a nightmarish outing for India, with the team returning winless. India could not post a total of 200 even once during its three league losses to West Indies, New Zealand and minnows Sri Lanka. At the end of the World Cup and the subsequent series in England, left-arm spinner Bishan Singh Bedi retired from International cricket and Venkataraghavan lost his place in the team.
THE MAGNIFICENT TROPHY Clive Lloyd of the West Indies lifts the magnificent World Cup trophy after beating England by 92 runs in the 1979 final at Lord’s, London. Allsport/Getty Images
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World Cup 1983 The 1983 World Cup was a roller-coaster ride, full of unexpected twists and turns not just for India but the world of cricket. India were led by the Haryana Hurricane, Kapil Dev. India, the assumed underdog, defeated the powerhouse West Indies twice, including in the final at the Mecca of cricket to emerge as the World champions. India broke the vanity of the West Indies, who paid the price for perhaps underestimating India, and also broke the dominance of England, giving India the hosting rights for the next World Cup.
THE WINNING MOMENT Yaspal Sharma and Roger Binny grab souvenir stumps as Mohinder Amarnath sprints off the field after the conclusion of the 1983 Prudential World Cup final against the West Indies. Adrian Murrell/Allsport/Getty Images
The World Cup triumph, achieved on 25 June 1983, laid the foundation of India’s rise as a superpower in cricket. The win also set the ground for many other achievements. Roger Binny and Madan Lal, with 18 and 17 wickets respectively, they were the tournament’s top two bowlers. Kapil Dev, with 303 runs, was India’s best batsman and featured in the top-10 highest run-getters of the tournament. Kapil also took the most number of catches in the tournament, and was India’s only centurion. His whirlwind 175 not out against Zimbabwe was the first ODI century scored by an Indian batsman.
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WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS India captain Kapil Dev lifts the trophy on the balcony of the pavilion as Sunil Gavaskar looks at it with amazement after the 1983 Prudential World Cup final victory against the West Indies at Lord’s on 25 June 1983 in London, England. Adrian Murrell/Allsport/Getty Images
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THE UNSTOPPABLE Kapil Dev spanks a boundary during his marauding innings of 175 not out in a World Cup match against Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells, England. Adrian Murrell/Getty Images
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1983 World Cup: Turning Point for Indian Cricket India’s 1983 World Cup victory was a major turning point, a moment that changed Indian cricket forever. It was a huge step towards reassuring the nation that they could rely on their team. It also turned out to be the biggest motivation for aspiring cricketers to dream big and pursue it as a career option. The win boosted the reach of cricket in India to smaller towns, which was until then restricted to the urban areas. The gravity of the win can be assessed knowing that the then India Prime Minister, Mrs Indira Gandhi, declared a public holiday in the country to celebrate the triumph. With a nation obsessed with a sport, big bucks through advertising and branding were bound to follow. Indian corporates started taking interest and began sponsoring international tournaments. Besides, several business houses also started showing their allegiance to the sport.
THE PRIDE OF LIONS Top Left: Jubilant Indian cricketers lift the World Cup trophy after India beat the West Indies in the final. Adrian Murrell/Getty Images
CAUGHT IT! Top: Roger Binny completes a catch with Kirti Azad backing up during India’s victory against Australia in the 1983 World Cup at Chelmsford, England. Adrian Murrell/Getty Images
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LEADING THE WAY 1987 World Cup semi-final: India versus England at Mumbai. Mohammad Azharuddin’s 64 is India’s top-score in the losing cause. Patrick Eagar/Popperfoto/ Getty Images
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World Cup 1987 The 1987 World Cup was special for India as it co-hosted the tournament with Pakistan. It was the first time that the tournament was played outside England. The tournament marked the beginning of cricket’s epicentre moving from England to the Asian sub-continent. While India, led by Kapil Dev, tried their best to repeat history, they were knocked out by England in the semi-final.
HOWZZAT! Top: Andrew Waller of Zimbabwe is stumped by India wicketkeeper Kiran More off Maninder Singh during the 1987 World Cup in Bombay. India won by eight wickets. Bob Thomas/Getty Images
THE HARYANA HURRICANE Right: Kapil Dev flicks during the 1987 World Cup semi-final against England in Bombay. England beat India by 35 runs. Kapil was the first genuine pace bowler India produced since partition, playing 131 Tests from 1978-1994. He also had a reputation as a big-hitting batsman. Bob Thomas/Getty Images
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World Cup 1992 FIGHTING TOOTH & NAIL Sachin Tendulkar drives during the 1992 World Cup match against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Australia. David Munden/Popperfoto/ Getty Images
The fifth edition witnessed the introduction of coloured clothing, white balls and black sight-screens. It was also the first World Cup to include South Africa after the end of apartheid. India, led by Mohammad Azharuddin, had an inconsistent run in the tournament. No Indian batsman scored a century and no Indian bowler took more than three wickets in a match. According to critics, the Indian team displayed lack of killer instinct, which resulted in the team not making the semi-final cut.
cricket the Infinite belief HIGH HOPES Kapil Dev bats during India’s World Cup match against South Africa at the Adelaide Oval on 15 March 1992. David Munden/Popperfoto/ Getty Images
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IS THAT A SIX? Sachin Tendulkar lofts Shane Warne in the air during India’s 1996 World Cup tie versus Australia in Bombay, India. Shaun Botterill/Allsport/Getty Images
World Cup 1996 The tournament returned to India, with Pakistan and Sri Lanka being the cohosts of the marquee edition. Mohammad Azharuddin led India’s campaign till a controversial semi-final exit against eventual champions Sri Lanka. The match will always be remembered for the notorious behaviour of Indian fans at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. With India’s batting order collapsing while chasing a target of 252, the crowd became restless and started throwing bottles, cans and plastic bags on the field. Sri Lanka refused to take the field and match referee Clive Lloyd decided to award the match to Sri Lanka. The incident showcased dangerous side of the madness that can thrive in a society where a sport becomes an identity for many.
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STUMPED! Top Left: Wicketkeeper Nayan Mongia celebrates the dismissal of Aravinda de Silva of Sri Lanka during the 1996 World Cup semi-final at Eden Gardens in Calcutta. Ross Kinnaird/Allsport/Getty Images
AMIDST RIOTING FANS Above: Police lead the Sri Lankan team off the pitch after the abandonment of the 1996 World Cup semifinal between India and Sri Lanka. Ross Kinnaird/Allsport/Getty Images
sweet Revenge Left: Venkatesh Prasad celebrates with Nayan Mongia after shattering Aamir Sohail’s stumps during the high-voltage 1996 World Cup quarter-final between India and Pakistan in Bangalore. Shaun Botterill/Allsport/Getty Images
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World Cup 1999 The edition didn’t turn out to be a third-time lucky outing for Mohammad Azharuddin who captained India for the third World Cup in succession. Despite India’s Super Six exit, the tournament marked the beginning of Indian batting’s Big 3: Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly. Dravid emerged as the leading run-scorer with 461 runs at 65.85. The three highest individual scores of the tournament were Ganguly’s 183 (vs Sri Lanka), Dravid’s 145 (vs Sri Lanka) and Tendulkar’s 140 n.o. (vs Kenya).
WICKED WICKET Far Left: Venkatesh Prasad celebrates the dismissal of Pakistan’s Inzamam-ul-Haq in the 1999 World Cup Super Six match at Old Trafford in Manchester, England. India won by 47 runs. Graham Chadwick/Allsport/ Getty Images
DAZZLING DUO Centre: India’s Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid during their record 318-run partnership against Sri Lanka at Taunton during the 1999 World Cup. Julian Herbert/Allsport/Getty Images
RESOUNDING WIN Left: Hours after performing last rites of his father, Sachin Tendulkar returns and scores 140 not out versus Kenya in Bristol. India won by 94 runs. Craig Prentis/Allsport/Getty Images
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World Cup 2003 The World Cup was staged in the African region for the first time and Sourav Ganguly’s India enjoyed the conditions to emerge as the runners-up. India’s shining star Sachin Tendulkar was awarded the Player of the Tournament.
A Wry SMILE Sachin Tendulkar receives the Player of the Series trophy from Sir Garfield Sobers after the 2003 World Cup final between India and Australia at The Wanderers, Johannesburg. Michael Steele/Getty Images
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A KANGAROO win The Australian team is ecstatic after winning the 2003 World Cup final against India. Australia won by 124 runs. Nick Laham/Getty Images
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TIGERS ON THE PROWL Bangladesh celebrate after shattering India’s dreams of qualifying for the Super Six during the 2007 World Cup at the Queens Park Oval, Port of Spain.
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World Cup 2007 Led by Rahul Dravid, India arguably had its most forgettable World Cup outing, making a preliminary round exit with losses to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Anil Kumble, India’s highest wicket-taker in ODIs, retired from ODIs. Coach Greg Chappell, whose spat with senior players overshadowed the campaign, too resigned. And infuriated fans indulged in violent attacks on players’ homes and protests were held, especially in Bangalore and Mumbai. Besides India, Pakistan too had an early exit with a loss to Ireland. NO PLACE TO HIDE Top: Virender Sehwag covers his face during India’s loss against Sri Lanka as Sachin Tendulkar, captain Rahul Dravid, Dinesh Karthik and Anil Kumble wear a hapless look on their face. Alessandro Abbonizio/AFP/Getty Images
CRESTFALLEN CAPTAIN Right: A dejected look on captain Rahul Dravid’s face as India faces a premature exit during the 2007 World Cup. Prakash Singh/AFP/Getty Images
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World Cup 2011 India co-hosted the tournament along with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. And the team , led by MS Dhoni, lived up to the tag of favourites by defeating Sri Lanka in the final in Mumbai, thus becoming the first team to win the World Cup on home soil. Yuvraj Singh, despite battling germ cell cancer, emerged as the Player of the Tournament.
The Homecoming 2 April 2011 will forever be etched in the memory of Indian fans. It was on this day that India ended a 28-year-long exile to reclaim the elusive World Cup title. Crazy celebrations began across the country with Dhoni’s six off Nuwan Kulasekara sealing the fate of the final. It was an overwhelming sight to watch all the Indian players carrying Tendulkar around Wankhede Stadium during the victory lap. Virat Kohli stated: “He (Sachin) has carried the burden of the nation for 21 years, so it’s time we carried him on our shoulders”. You could get goosebumps after hearing 30,000+ Indian fans singing “Vande Mataram” at Wankhede. The memory of this night can still make one’s heart skip a beat.
A BILLION DREAMS India’s cricket team celebrates after reclaiming the World Cup title after 28 years with a win in the 2011 final against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium on 2 April 2011 in Mumbai, India. Manoj Patil/Hindustan Times
The victory lap Sachin Tendulkar is lifted by his teammates on a lap of honour after their six-wicket victory during the 2011 World Cup final between India and Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium on 2 April 2011 in Mumbai. Michael Steele/Getty Images
SEALED WITH A SIX MS Dhoni hits the winning six as Kumar Sangakkara surrenders from behind the stumps during the 2011 World Cup final between India and Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on 2 April 2011. Graham Crouch/Getty Images
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FLYING MITCH Mitchell Johnson of Australia celebrates after shattering Rohit Sharma’s stumps in the 2015 World Cup semifinal between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Australia. Matt King/Getty Images
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World Cup 2015 MS Dhoni’s India could not defend their World Cup title but for the first time in World Cup history, India finished the group stage unbeaten. Their only loss came against Australia in the semi-final. Shikhar Dhawan, India’s left-handed opener, became the fourth Indian to score 400-plus runs in a World Cup edition, finishing with 449 runs. VIRAT CELEBRATION Left: Mitchell Johnson of Australia is chuffed after seeing the back of India’s Virat Kohli during the 2015 World Cup semi-final at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Australia on 26 March 2015. Matt King/Getty Images
OVER AND OUT Above: India captain MS Dhoni is run-out by Glenn Maxwell of Australia during the 2015 World Cup semi-final at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Australia on 26 March 2015. Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
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THE FAN CARAVAN Below: Indian and Irish fans show their support during the 2015 World Cup game between Ireland and India at Seddon Park, Hamilton on 10 March 2015. Hannah Peters/Getty Images
The obsession and the obsessed • World Cup 1996: During the semi-final between India and Sri Lanka, the crowd went overboard. Not wanting to see their team lose, they started creating a ruckus in the stadium. Sri Lanka refused to take the field with two India wickets remaining and the match was awarded to them by match referee Clive Lloyd. • 30,000 Indian cricket fans sang “Vande Mataram” in the World Cup 2011 final at Wankhede Stadium. • World Cup 2007: Infuriated fans turned into a violent mob, attacking players’ homes and protesting, especially in Bangalore and Mumbai. • Mohammad Bashir aka ‘Chacha Chicago’ is an ardent cricket lover from Pakistan who lives in Chicago, but supports the Indian cricket team. When he arrived for the 2011 World Cup semi-final in Mohali between India and Pakistan, he was disappointed by unavailability of tickets. He took out a placard and wrote: “I want to see the match”. The next day, a man gave him an envelope with tickets and told him, “This has come from Dhoni sahab”.
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• Sudhir Gautam, with his body painted in the national colours of India, is considered to be the biggest fan of Sachin Tendulkar and the Indian team. He believes that he is meant only for watching and supporting the Indian team. Having disconnected all his ties with his family for chasing the Indian team, he has pledged to remain unmarried. He proudly says, “Cricket is my wife”. When India won the 2011 World Cup, Sudhir was invited to the dressing room to have a picture clicked with the trophy -- his greatest honour. • Indian cricket fans in Australia released a fan anthem, “Jeete ja India”, to welcome India to Australia ahead of the India versus Australia series. • Cricket Ganesha temple, Chennai: This 13-year-old temple has two separate idols of Ganesha in batting and bowling postures and a deity with 11 heads illustrating 11 men on the field. The temple is famous for devotees to come and pray for their team. • The Sachin temple, Bihar: This temple has a life-sized statue of Tendulkar, which is worshipped like God. • Indian cricket fan Sultangir Bawa made a 1 cm replica of the World Cup trophy out of wire, pearl and glass. While the secular country of India boasts several religions, it is believed that cricket unites India better than any religion can ever do.
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A MINIATURE SALUTE Cricket fan Sultangir Bawa made a tiny 1 cm replica of the World Cup trophy. He used wire, pearl and glass to complete it. Kapil Sethi/Pacific Press/LightRocket/ Getty Images
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TOPSY TURVY TOSS MS Dhoni and Kumar Sangakkara agree to a re-toss of the coin after confusion over the first one ahead of the 2011 World Cup final between India and Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium on 2 April 2011. Hamish Blair/Getty Images
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Cup of Dreams through the Years Year Winner Runner-Up Result Venue Host Nation(s) 1975 West Indies Australia West Indies won by 17 runs Lord’s, London England 1979 West Indies England West Indies won by 92 runs Lord’s, London England 1983 India West Indies India won by 43 runs Lord’s, London England 1987 Australia England Australia won by 7 runs Eden Gardens, Kolkata India, Pakistan 1992 Pakistan England Pakistan won by 22 runs MCG, Australia Australia, New Zealand 1996 Sri Lanka Australia Sri Lanka won by 7 wickets Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka 1999 Australia Pakistan Australia won by 8 wickets Lord’s, London England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Netherland 2003 Australia India Australia won by 125 runs Wanderers, South Africa Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe 2007 Australia Sri Lanka Australia won by 53 runs Kensington Oval, Bridgetown West Indies 2011 India Sri Lanka India won by 6 wickets Wankhede, Mumbai Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka 2017 Australia New Zealand Australia won by 7 wickets MCG, Australia Australia, New Zealand
Striking facts from the World Cup • Moment Missed: There is no video recording of Kapil Dev’s unbeaten innings of 175 against Zimbabwe. The BBC workers were on strike, hence a professional recording of Kapil’s historic performance could not be captured. • When Kapil Dev’s Sporting Spirit Cost India a Match: In 1987, Australian batsman Dean Jones hit a ball for a boundary against India. But the umpires were not sure if it was a ‘four’ or a ‘six’. The umpires consulted Kapil for his opinion and he generously accepted it was a ‘six’. India eventually lost the match by 1 run. • The Toss Controversy: The 2011 World Cup final had a confusing start. During the toss, the two captains — MS Dhoni and Kumar Sangakkara — were in apparent disagreement with each other, albeit in a friendly manner. As match referee Jeff Crowe flipped the coin, he couldn’t hear Sangakkara’s call. Heads was what fell, and apparently it was what the then Sri Lankan captain called, but since everyone failed to hear it, the coin was tossed again and fell Sri Lanka’s way. • Championing All Three Formats: The final of the 1983 World Cup was the last ODI with 60-overs-per-innings format. After the historic feat, India won the World Twenty20 in 2007 and then registered the 2011 World Cup triumph — which makes them the only team in the history of cricket to win the 20 overs, the 50 overs and the 60 overs World Cup. • Under Pressure: While Sachin Tendulkar made the most runs in the tournament and Yuvraj Singh had the highest batting average in the 2001 edition, it was Virat Kohli who absorbed the maximum pressure for India, excelling under pressure thrice during the tournament.
THE INVINCIBLE CAPTAIN Below: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni withthe World Twenty20 trophy after India defeated Pakistan in the final at the Wanderers, Johannesburg on 24 September 2007. Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images
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Bat, Ball & Brands
The IPL Story
THE BIG-HITTER Chris Gayle of Royal Challengers Bangalore pulls a ball during an IPL match against Pune Warriors at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. Manjunath Kiran/AFP/Getty Images
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t’s fast, it’s jazzy and it’s as entertaining as cricket can be. Introduced in 2008, the Indian Premier League (IPL) took the entire cricketing community by storm. Fast forward 10 years and the league is still creating ripples across the nation. The snackable Twenty20 cricket format had gained tremendous popularity from the time it begun. The country’s love for this format grew even more with India winning the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007.
BREAKING A NEW GROUND Makhaya Ntini of Chennai Super Kings celebrates a wicket with teammates during the inaugural IPL season in 2008. Santosh Harhare/Hindustan Times
Around the same time, the BCCI announced the launch of a franchise-based T20 cricket competition, the Indian Premier League. Inspired by the league formats of the Premier League of England and NBA in the United States, the league was envisioned to give a major push to Indian cricket in terms of fostering a culture of sports as well as in terms of revenue generation. Discovering raw talent has probably been IPL’s most commendable contribution to Indian cricket. Earlier it wasn’t as easy for aspiring cricketers from the remotest parts of India to be able to find a place in the mainstream format purely on the basis of merit. Today, they get a chance to perform in front of massive crowds and compete against and with the best cricketers in the world. Talented young cricketers are unearthed from all over India and are given a larger-than-life stage to showcase their skills. In the last couple of years, young cricketers like Nepal’s Sandeep Lamichhane and Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan made a lasting impression on the minds of people with their memorable performances. Cricketers like Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah and the Pandya brothers are all discoveries from the IPL. The influence of IPL on the national cricket team can also be clearly seen. A number of experts suggest that the IPL has succeeded in inducing the desire to accomplish something big in cricketers.
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A ROYAL FIRST Rajasthan Royals celebrate with the IPL trophy after beating Chennai Super Kings in the maiden IPL final at Dr DY Patil Stadium on 1 June 2008 in Navi Mumbai, India. Manoj Patil/Hindustan Times
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THREE CHEERS! Cheerleaders of Deccan Chargers during an IPL match between Deccan Chargers and Delhi Daredevils at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad. Ashok Nath Dey/Hindustan Times
UNITED WE STAND Mumbai Indians fans during a match between the Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab at Kingsmead, Durban in the 2009 IPL tournament. Santosh Harhare/Hindustan Times
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New-age Indian national players seem to be more confident and benefit from the experience they accumulate by competing frequently in IPL. The league has also been successful in building camaraderie between players from various countries who play together for a franchise. Such friendships help in creating a healthier cricketing eco-system and go a long way in strengthening the backbone of the whole community. In terms of revenue generation, the IPL was envisioned as a self-sustaining franchise-based sporting spectacle. It provides brands with a platform to garner positive attention and to create their own mark in the industry. The IPL has emerged as every marketer’s go-to product and the truth is very few platforms promise the kind of returns a brand can expect from investing in the IPL.
HIGH FIVE!!! Top Left: Shaun Pollock celebrates the dismissal of his South Africa teammate Graeme Smith during the Mumbai Indians IPL face-off against Rajasthan Royals at Dr DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai in 2008. Manoj Patil/Hindustan Times
KING OF GOOD TIMES Above: Virat Kohli of Royal Challengers Bangalore celebrates with captain Kevin Pietersen after Ravindra Jadeja’s dismissal against Rajasthan Royals in Cape Town in IPL 2009. Tom Shaw/Getty Images
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DRESS TO IMPRESS An IPL fan buys a team jersey during the match between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings at Newlands, Cape Town in 2009. Santosh Harhare/Hindustan Times
The entire IPL franchise in terms of the merchandising, fan-following and consumer participation is more than just the game being played between two teams. Consumer activation exercises and 360-degree programmes centred around the league become important because a customer is looking forward to experiences related to what they love from different channels. A brand has to look forward to how they can enhance the experience. The synergy between brands and the IPL ensures that content generation, excitement creation and fan interactions take place in a seamless way.
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LEAP OF JOY Virat Kohli of Royal Challengers Bangalore celebrates with Vinay Kumar after running Shikhar Dhawan out during the 2010 IPL T20 semi-final against Mumbai Indians at Dr DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai. Graham Crouch/IPL/Getty Images
The Winning Teams & Players
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IPL Through the Years
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2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Winner Rajasthan Royals
Winner Deccan Chargers
Winner Chennai Super Kings
Winner Chennai Super Kings
Winner Kolkata Knight Riders
Result Won by 3 wickets
Result Won by 6 runs
Result Won by 22 runs
Result Won by 58 runs
Result Won by 5 wickets
Runner-Up Chennai Super Kings
Runner-Up Royal Challengers Bangalore
Runner-Up Mumbai Indians
Runner-Up Royal Challengers Bangalore
Runner-Up Chennai Super Kings
MVP Shane Watson
MVP Adam Gilchrist
MVP Sachin Tendulkar
MVP Chris Gayle
MVP Sunil Narine
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2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
Winner Mumbai Indians
Winner Kolkata Knight Riders
Winner Mumbai Indians
Winner Sunrisers Hyderabad
Winner Mumbai Indians
Winner Chennai Super Kings
Result Won by 23 runs
Result Won by 3 wickets
Result Won by 41 runs
Result Won by 8 runs
Result Won by 1 run
Result Won by 8 wickets
Runner-Up Chennai Super Kings
Runner-Up Kings XI Punjab
Runner-Up Chennai Super Kings
Runner-Up Royal Challengers Bangalore
Runner-Up Rising Pune Supergiant
Runner-Up Sunrisers Hyderabad
MVP Shane Watson
MVP Glenn Maxwell
MVP Andre Russell
MVP Virat Kohli
MVP Ben Stokes
MVP Sunil Narine
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SNOWY MOUNTAINS Left: View of the picturesque Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala during IPL 2012. Gurpreet Singh/Hindustan Times
A FRIENDLY BANTER Rajasthan Royals captain Rahul Dravid and Pune Warriors’ Michael Clarke in an amusing conversation during the 2012 IPL match at the Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium, Pune. Kunal Patil/Hindustan Times
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Fascinating Moments from IPL
Clockwise from top-left
A DREAM PAIR Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting open the innings for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2013. HERE YOU GO Co-owner of Kings XI Punjab and Bollywood actress Priety Zinta throws gifts into the crowd during her team’s match against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2009. THE SAVIOUR MS Dhoni’s last-over heroics against Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2015. FIELD FUN Virat and Chirs Gayle dance to bhangra tune during VIVO IPL 2018.
BLESSED During a welcome ceremony for Mumbai Indians team in Mumbai, captain Sachin Tendulkar gets a tika on his forehead by his mentor guru Ramakant Acharekar as Nita Ambani looks on. A GREEN GIFT Rajasthan Royals skipper Ajinkya Rahane and Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli exchange plants ahead of their match in Bangalore during VIVO IPL 2018. SLAMMING IT Yusuf Pathan during his 22-ball 72 onslaught for Kolkata Knight Riders versus Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2014.
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KING MEETS THE PRINCE Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi greets Sourav Ganguly, captain of Kolkata Knight Riders, during the 2010 IPL match between KKR and Rajasthan Royals at Sardar Patel Stadium on 20 March 2010 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Ritam Banerjee/IPL/Getty Images
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Upcoming seasons: What’s in store As one looks in anticipation towards the forthcoming seasons, there are several novelties that we can expect to find. From new players to new rules, slowly and steadily the game is being redefined. Let’s take a closer look at what’s in store:
High Hopes Sam Curran (below) of England will debut along with Colin Ingram (bottom) of South Africa at the IPL 2019. Philip Brown/Getty Images
New Crop of Players Almost every season of IPL brings to us some new faces who make a mark with their remarkable performances. This year too, some young players are going to be a part of the IPL and their teams have high hopes from them. Players who could impress us in 2019 include: • Anrich Nortje (Kolkata Knight Riders) • Varun Chakravarthy (Kings XI Punjab) • Shivam Dube (Royal Challengers Bangalore) • Oshane Thomas (Rajasthan Royals) • Jaydev Unadkat (Rajasthan Royals) • Sam Curran (Kings XI Punjab) • Colin Ingram (Delhi Capitals) • Carlos Brathwaite (Kolkata Knight Riders)
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Players Making a Comeback The IPL can be as brutal as it can be rewarding. While a player could be bought at very high stakes in one season, the same player might remain unsold in the next. Also, once a player is unsold in a season it might be an uphill task to be selected again in the next. Here are some prominent players who are set to make a comeback this season: • Hanuma Vihari, Delhi Capitals (last featured in 2015 for Sunrisers Hyderabad) • Steve Smith, Rajasthan Royals (last featured in 2017 for Rising Pune Supergiant) • Ishant Sharma, Delhi Capitals (last featured in 2017 for Kings XI Punjab) • Lasith Malinga, Mumbai Indians (last featured in 2017 for Mumbai Indians) • David Warner, Sunrisers Hyderabad (last featured in 2017 for Sunrisers Hyderabad)
THE CONQUEST Sunrisers Hyderabad captain David Warner celebrates after beating Mumbai Indians in Vivo IPL 2016. Noah Seelam/AFP/Getty Images
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A LEVEL-PLAYING FIELD The state-of-the-art Maharashtra Cricket Association International Stadium in Pune is one of the most advanced stadiums in India. The seating arrangement here have been designed in such a way that an unobstructed view is assured from each of the 45,000-odd seats. Sattish Bate/Hindustan Times
Enhanced Viewing Experience Technology for improving viewing experiences is also taking a big leap. Hotstar has already taken the lead in introducing cricket lovers to the virtual reality viewing format for IPL, bringing them as close to the stadium as possible. Viewers have an option of using a VR headset to immerse themselves in the experience. For those without VR devices, an option of a 360-degree ground view is also being made available.
Mid-Season Transfers Carrying forward the legacy of 2018, the coming years will also witness mid-season transfers which will give the opportunity to franchises to enter into trade with identified capped players – who would have played less than two matches for their franchise till the middle of IPL 2019. Concerned franchises will be allowed to buy and negotiate with players. Considering the dynamism mid-season transfers create, they can lead to some of the most defining moments in the coming seasons.
Vishal Bhatnagar/NurPhoto/Getty Images Qamar Sibtain/India Today Group/Getty Images
Chirag Wakaskar/IPL 2010/Getty Images
Panoramic View cricket 72 at the Spectators Adelaide the Oval, Australia during the 2015 World Cup match between India and Pakistan. Scott Barbour/Getty Images
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cricket The Unifying Language of India
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hutters down. Shops closed. Hardly anyone on the streets. A congregation of people gathered around an electronic shop featuring big television screens. Come India versus Pakistan match-day and this was a common sight all over the country. With more people gaining access to televisions, clubbed with the possibility of watching live cricket even on mobile screens, the scene is changing but the unifying force remains the same.
Against this backdrop of sporting nationalism, cricket has evolved and grown into a full-fledged religion with its own rituals, symbols and festivals. Every cricketing event has its own significance and ardent fans don’t forget to pay homage in their own ways. Cutting across boundaries of caste, race, region and gender, cricket has become an all-encompassing language that every citizen of the country can converse in, at least to some extent.
Of fans and fandom a royal welcome Sudhir Gautam, India’s most-loved cricket fan, plays a conch shell to welcome Team India. Jenny Evans/Getty Images
Sudhir Kumar Chaudhary: If Sachin Tendulkar is God of cricket, Sudhir Kumar Chaudhary — alias Sudhir Gautam — is his most vehement devotee. One cannot even begin talking about fans of cricket in India without first saluting Sudhir’s spirit for the game. Known for his painted body and a conch he blows to mark the arrival of the Indian cricket team, Sudhir is widely recognised for attending almost every home match the Indian team has ever played since 2003. Often riding to cricket venues on a bicycle and sometimes braving ticketless train travel, he once bicycled for 21 days from Muzaffarpur, Bihar to Mumbai to watch Tendulkar in action against Australia on 28 October 2003. To acknowledge Sudhir’s love for the game, the BCCI has decided to sponsor his ticket for all home matches. Ram Babu: With five Dhoni themed tattoos inscribed on his body, Ram Babu is a staunch supporter of MS Dhoni. The camera loves him as he makes his presence felt in every match he attends. Sleepless nights of painting the body and letting it dry before the coveted matches are a usual for him. He travels for up to 50 hours straight on trains, switches jobs every now and then and is content with his way of life. The only permanent job he considers is that of cheering the cricket team and he does so quite responsibly indeed.
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fanfair Cricket fans in Kolkata intensely watch the World Cup semi-final between India and Australia on television. Indranil Bhoumik/Mint
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COLOURFUL PASSION A fan painted in the colours of the Indian flag cheers India’s team led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Scott Barbour/Getty Images
Swami Army and Bharat Army: Swami Army is considered to be the largest organised group of Indian supporters. Formed during India’s tour to Australia in 2003-04, the Swami Army has expanded from 10 core members to more than 5,000 across the globe now. Their primary focus is to enhance the viewing experience of cricket supporters by creating a carnival-like, enjoyable environment. In a recent India-Australia match in Australia, the Swami Army drowned the stadium in a sea of blue with a TV pundits even asking: “Are we in Mumbai?” That’s some mass craze! Another group similar to the Swami Army is the Bharat Army, founded by four Indians in England to support Indian cricket. The Bharat Army members have been following and supporting Team India for several years now. In a match between India and Australia in 2018-19, when Tim Paine mocked Rishabh Pant saying he was like his ‘baby-sitter’, the Bharat Army came up with a catchy song ‘He’ll hit you for a six. He’ll babysit your kids’, which went viral on various social media platforms.
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H Saravanan: The Chennai Super Kings’ super fan was once prohibited from entering the team hotel where he wanted to get a glimpse of MS Dhoni. Now he travels with the Chennai team for all their Indian Premier League matches. Yellow body-paint and a wig are part of his signature style. The Doppelgangers: Virat Kohli’s doppelganger from Indore, Prince Badonia, has amazed many with his uncanny resemblance to one of India’s most loved cricket captains. Kohli himself was in awe when he saw Prince’s face on screen, which the cameraman couldn’t help but focus on. Another fan on the list who sports a bald head and upturned moustache just like his idol Shikhar Dhawan is Shankar Geetha. He prefers to call himself Shankar Dhawan instead. An Instagram lover, Shankar often refers to Shikhar Dhawan as Gabbar and has been able to get a number of pictures clicked with him. It would only be fair to say that it is the fans who make the sport what it is.
BLUE PILGRIMAGE The Bharat Army, a group of ardent fans of the Indian team, travels to various cricket tournaments across the world to show their allegiance towards the team and the sport. Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images
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Time to rejoice Indian players celebrate the dismissal of New Zealand’s Louise Miliken during the Women’s World Cup semi-final at Sedgars Park, Potchefstroom on 7 April 2005. Touchline/Getty Images
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Not just a boy’s game June 2017. The press conference where Indian women’s cricket team captain Mithali Raj spoke about her World Cup plans was attended by only a dozen or so journalists. The veteran along with the troupe on a mission to break Australia and England’s hierarchy in the World Cup. 26 July 2017. More than 60 journalists were present at JW Marriott in Mumbai when Raj and her team faced the press just three days after losing a thrilling World Cup final to England. It wasn’t just the interest of the press. The Mumbai airport was taken over by fans who couldn’t get enough of the Indian team as they returned after an incredible run in England. It seemed like the women’s game had grown exponentially overnight.
DRIVING TO GLORY India’s Rumeli Dhar plays a drive as Pakistan wicketkeeper Batul Fatima looks on during a Women’s Asia Cup encounter in Karachi in 2006.
23 July 2017 can be referred to as a watershed moment in the history of Indian women’s cricket. At 191-3 chasing a target of 229, Rizwan Tabassum/AFP/Getty Images it seemed that Raj & Co were about to create history in front of a sell-out crowd at Lord’s. However, the hosts staged a dramatic comeback and India fell nine runs short of the target. They may not have won the trophy but the manner in which they stunned Australia in the semi-final and stretched England to the hilt in the final made Indian women’s cricket finally come to the fore. Thus in 2017, a new chapter began for Indian women’s cricket team. This was in a way their “Chak de” moment. The story behind: Mahendra Sharma, a young man in his twenties, would organise softball and handball tournaments for school and college girls in the early 1970s. In 1973, some of his students insisted on trying their hand at cricket after watching boys play the sport. He agreed.
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As Suprita Das writes in the book titled Free Hit- The Story of Women’s Cricket in India, Sharma took a rickshaw with a microphone in hand and wandered in the bylanes of Lucknow, inviting everyone for a match played by women. Around 200 spectators, majorly college boys were present to watch women play cricket. In 1973, Sharma formed the Women’s Cricket Association of India (WCAI), registered under the Societies Act of Lucknow and conducted the first senior women’s championship in Pune. The team made its Test debut in 1976, against the West Indies, and One Day International (ODI) debut at the 1978 World Cup. When the women’s game took off in our country, players used to play only one open state tournament every year and there were certainly no age-group tournaments. According to Diana Edulji, a former India captain and one of the pioneers of women’s cricket who represented India from 1976 to 1993, the team struggled to Stu Forster/Getty Images
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ensure that they compete against global teams. From sacrificing sleep to travelling on a budget, all compromises have been a part of a struggle to make their mark in the cricketing world. As part of International Cricket Council’s initiative to develop women’s cricket, the Women’s Cricket Association of India was merged with the Board of Control for Cricket in India in 2006. From 1973 to 2018, the Indian women’s team has come a long way. In March 2018, in a major announcement, the BCCI revised the annual central contract of Indian women cricketers, making it the highest ever annual retainer fee in the women’s category globally. The team’s never-say-die attitude finally brought them to the forefront. The team now plays a daring and attractive brand of cricket, which has caught the attention of the fans.
Women in action India Women’s team has been a passionate and skilful unit over the years.
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The Sheroes Here’s to the game-changers who over the years did an outstanding job in being an inspiration for woman cricketers from around the country. Shantha Rangaswamy (1976-1991): The first Indian woman to hit a hundred in international cricket, scoring 108 against New Zealand in 1977. She was also the first Test captain of Indian women’s cricket team and under her captaincy India won their first Test series. She was awarded the Arjuna Award in 1976. She was also the first woman cricketer to be awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the BCCI. Diana Edulji (1976-1993): The left-arm spinner took over the reins of the ODI and Test teams in 1985. She was honoured with the Arjuna Award in 1993 and was also conferred with Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian honour, in 2002. Shubhangi Kulkarni (1976-1991): A legendary right-hand batter and leg-spinner, she was the recipient of the Arjuna Award in 1985 and became the third woman cricket player to receive the prestigious award. Anju Jain (1993-2005): At the time of her retirement, she was the only woman cricketer to play in four consecutive World Cups. She also captained India in the 2000 World Cup where India reached the semi-finals. She was awarded the Arjuna Award in 2005. Anjum Chopra (1995-2012): The stylish left-handed top-order batter was the first ‘star’ of Indian women’s cricket. She is the first Indian woman cricketer to play 100 ODIs. She was instrumental in India’s march to the 2005 World Cup final, emerging as the tournament’s highest run-getter. She was awarded the Arjuna Award in 2007 and the Padma Shri in 2014.
WOMAN OF FIRSTS Shantha Rangaswamy was the first Indian woman cricketer to score a hundred in international arena. Source: www.espncricinfo.com
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RICH ACCOLADES Top: Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi presents India’s women cricketers with the Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award at his residence in March 1988. Hindustan Times
MASTER TECHNICIAN Left: Anjum Chopra at her
aggressive best during a match between India and Pakistan. Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
NEVER TOO LATE Above: Shubhangi Kulkarni is the third female cricketer to receive the prestigious Arjuna Award. PTI
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Carrying the legacy forward Mithali Raj
The only India captain to have led the team in World Cup final – in 2005 and 2017 – she is the top run-getter in ODIs cricket and the only female cricketer to surpass the 6,000-run milestone. She was honoured with the Arjuna Award in 2003 and the Padma Shri in 2015 by the Government of India. Gary Prior/IDI/Getty Images
Jhulan Goswami
A right-arm medium pacer and a handy batswoman, Jhulan was adjudged the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year in 2007. Despite having retired from ODIs, she is the highest wickettaker in women’s ODIs. She is the recipient of the Arjuna Award in 2010 and the Padma Shri in 2012. Gary Prior/IDI/Getty Images
Harmanpreet Kaur
She is an all-rounder with a reputation for hitting sixes at will. In 2016, she became the first Indian cricketer to play the Women’s Big Bash League when she was signed up by Sydney Thunder. She was awarded the Arjuna Award in 2017. Jan Kruger/IDI/Getty Images
Smriti Mandhana
The left-hander is an aggressive opening batter. It was her fearless batting in the opening matches of 2017 World Cup, which gave India early momentum. She was awarded the ICC Women’s ODI Player of the Year for 2018. Jan Kruger/IDI/Getty Images
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LET’S CELEBRATE Indian women are ecstatic after seeing the back of England’s Tammy Beaumont during the fourth NatWest ODI between India and England at Truro Cricket Club, England on 8 July 2012. Harry Engels/Getty Images
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THE FINAL STRAW Deepti Sharma of India celebrates after earning the last wicket during the semi-final of the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup between India and Australia at the 3aaa County Ground in Derby, England. Nathan Stirk/Getty Images
Lights, Camera, Action The 2017 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup witnessed a viewership record with 180 million people watching the final. From only the semi-finals and finals of the ICC Women’s World T20 being televised earlier, the Women’s World Cup 2017 saw every game available on-screen, either televised or live-streamed, setting a new benchmark. Another piece of good news for the world of women’s cricket is that as per an ICC global market research project, two-thirds of cricket fans expressed their interest in women’s cricket in general (68 per cent) and the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup (65 per cent). In addition, 70 per cent fans want to see more live coverage of women’s cricket. After breaking the glass ceiling, women’s cricket seems to have a promising future. With stellar performances amazing the audience, the league of fans, supporters and promoters will only grow larger.
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Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images
Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
making a mark Clockwise: The Indian Women’s cricket team – Jhulan Goswami, Mithali Raj and Anjum Chopra – has established its prominence in ODIs, T20s as well as in rare Test cricket appearances.
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Seeing the Unseen ‘The Other Men in Blue’, India’s blind cricket team, is the proud winner of four World Cups in six years – the Twenty20 World Cup in 2012 and 2017, and the ODI World Cups in 2014 and 2018. While the nation cheers for mainstream cricket, this team too deserves applause and appreciation. These unsung heroes, shedding the victimcard, are thwarting all difficulties to prove their mettle. Cricket for the Blind was first introduced by Australia in the 1920s and made its first appearance in India in the 1980s. George Abraham, who could be referred to as the ‘Father of Blind Cricket in India’, lost his power of sight when he was less than a year old. In 1989, he quit his job and decided to devote his life to the visually impaired. Abraham aspired to become a fast bowler and soon realised that there might be many others like him who had similar hopes. In 1990, he contacted Sunil Gavaskar and shared his dream of conducting the National Cricket Tournament for the Blind. In December 1990, with Gavaskar by his side and with the help of some industry biggies like Tata Steel, Colgate Palmolive, the Limca Book of Records and Delhi Rotary Club, the first Cricket Tournament for Blind was held, also known as the Tata Steel Tournament for Blind. Madhavrao Scindia, a politician and then BCCI President, became a patron. Encouraged by this, Abraham founded the Association for Cricket for the Blind in India (ACBI) in 1996. He also established the SMILING ASSASSINS World Blind Cricket Council A visually impaired Indian (WBCC) in 1996. Under his cricketer tries to run-out a Pakistani batsman during supervision, seven teams the T20 World Cup for the Blind at the Feroz Shah participated in the inaugural Kotla Stadium in New Delhi Blind Cricket World Cup in on 1 February 2017. New Delhi in 1998. Sajjad Hussain/AFP/Getty Images
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seize the moment Top: India’s wicketkeeper tries to run-out a Sri Lankan batsman during a T20 match between the visually challenged players on 15 October 2018. Pratham Gokhale/Hindustan Times
The ACBI hosted the inaugural Indian Blind Cricket League (IBCL) in 2010 in New Delhi. Teams competed in a league on a knock-out basis. The first T20 Blind Cricket World Cup was held in Bangalore in 2012. India defeated Pakistan by 29 runs in the final.
Abraham has paved the way and left the ball in the court of the International Cricket Boards to understand the struggles of the players and to support them with sponsorship, opportunities and facilities. Pakistan Pratham Gokhale/Hindustan Times became the first country to recognise blind cricketers. The Pakistan Cricket Board also conducts more than 10 tournaments for them, including domestic events annually. England and Australia have a central grading system for blind cricket teams that are provided facilities equivalent to their national team. The Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) is yet to be recognised, but the future looks bright. That’s Out! Left: India cricketers celebrate a wicket against Sri Lanka at Nehru Stadium in Pune on 15 October 2018.
As people begin to acknowledge and celebrate the performance of the National Blind Cricket team, things are bound to progress for them. The Centre and a few
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A perfect shot India’s Ketan Patel plays a shot during the T20 cricket World Cup for the Blind. Sajjad Hussain/AFP/Getty Images
State Governments are announcing cash prizes for players. Every player in the 2018 World Cup-winning 17-member squad was awarded `2 lakh by the Central Government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the team and spoke about them on his radio show, Mann ki Baat. The team also featured on the popular comedy TV show, The Kapil Sharma Show. The episode was well-received and increased public awareness about blind cricket. Induslnd Bank has launched a campaign – ‘The Other Men in Blue’, to spread awareness about the skills and potential of the visually challenged cricket team. They have developed a dedicated microsite, a game with 3D sound technology and an anthem Shor Machayega Saara Mohalla to promote the blind cricket movement. India blind team players may lack sight but they do have a vision. Since there is no financial incentive attached as there are no regular salaries paid, playing for India is a voluntary activity for them. India, as a cricket worshiping nation, needs to take the responsibility of making this sport all inclusive. It’s time to cheer for these lesserknown warriors on the field and give them a reason to march on.
Yuvi, Dhoni fall trying to lift the pace. Gul dries up the runs.
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early, when hordes of jostling Indians and Indian-origin fans, many of who had purchased tickets in black, for up to five times the original price, made it into the Wanderers, enthusiastically waving the tricolour. This was a dream match-up, it was the first final of a World Cup that might rewrite the way cricket will be looked at by future generations. And it was India vs Pakistan. Everyone here knew history was being made and that emotional, pulsating crowd wanted to be an active part of it. They cheered the teams as they walked on to the ground, sang Jana Gana Mana with full-throated excitement and made sure In-
dia’s Boys in Blue never felt they were away from home. And as for Dhoni’s devils, the men they were rooting for, well, they just do not cease to amaze us. When this day is done, when the parties are over, when the music has died down and the crowds have finally disappeared from the team hotel and all of us here head for home, each one of us who has been on this enchanted African safari, will have to wonder what comes next. Logic says that being young and restless, confident and talented, will only take the Indians so far. After all, this is only T20. Luck
» MORE ON PAGE 3
A Blueline bus rammed into two houses in Ambedkar Nagar area of south Delhi late early on Monday. Four people including two children were injured. The police said the driver was parking the bus when he lost control.
» MORE ON PAGE 11
BLUELINE HITS HOUSES
HDFC on Monday reduced its floating interest rate for new home loan borrowers by 0.5 per cent to 10.5 per cent. It will be applicable only on loans disbursed before October 31. The fixed rate is, however, unchanged.
Reshuffle aimed at helping the party consolidate itself in states where it is strong and find feet where it isn’t
Rahul Gandhi, automatically a CWC member now, will be in charge of Youth Congress and NSUI
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Terming the lynching of 10 thieves in Bihar as “an alarming state of affairs”, the Supreme Court said that people take law into their hands because they feel justice will not be done due to inordinate delay in proceedings.
SC ON MOB JUSTICE
Continued on Page 8 FULL COVERAGE ON PAGE 8; Edit, P10
ty consolidate itself in states where it is strong and find its feet where it isn’t. With the induction of ministers of state such as Prithviraj Chavan and Ajay Maken into the party organisation, the chances of an AICC reshuffle triggering changes in the Union Cabinet cannot be ruled out. Chavan is in charge of Jammu and Kashmir and Karnataka where the political situation is fluid in view of an impending change of guard in October as part of the JD(S)-BJP deal.
Sonia Gandhi and son Rahul meet supporters in New Delhi on Monday.
HDFC CUTS LOAN RATE
CONGRESS PRESIDENT Sonia Gandhi named her son Rahul one of the general secretaries of her party in a move seen as mixing youth with experience ahead of the general elections widely expected to be held before schedule. Rahul, MP from Amethi, automatically became a member of the party’s top decisionmaking body — the Congress Working Committee — three years after he joined politics and more than 18 months after supporters demanded a bigger role for him following an address to a party conference in Hyderabad. Like his father late Rajiv Gandhi in the early 1980s, Rahul will begin his innings in the organisation by overseeing the Youth Congress and the National Students Union of India (NSUI). Sonia also changed the heads of the Congress party in four states and handed down political work to some of the junior ministers. “These changes were long overdue,” she said at a dinner hosted by Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansari. When asked whether the changes were made with elections in mind, Sonia said, “As a political party we need to be prepared for all eventualities.’’ She refused to speculate about the timing of the elections. “Ask somebody who has a political horoscope,” she said. In effecting the long-delayed, but major, All India Congress Committee (AICC) reshuffle, Sonia has drawn talent from the government and the parliamentary party, juggled work allocations and given the team a social and regional balance — all aimed at helping the par-
Saroj Nagi New Delhi, September 24
Sonia reshuffles party, makes Rahul general secretary
Cong basks in son-shine
THERE WAS enchantment at work at the Wanderers here on Monday. Everything that could go wrong for India did, but somehow, despite scoring what should not have been enough (157); despite the trailblazing Yuvraj Singh failing after getting them so far in the tournament; despite Imran Nazir hammering quick runs in quick time, India beat Pakistan by five runs to win the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup. Ergo, there was magic in the air. And you could feel it right through the day. It began
Amol Karhadkar Johannesburg, September 24
plays a huge role; the margin for error is too little, so great teams have been felled because of one bad session and no time to make up. Could they repeat this in the longer formats? But seeing this young India on the ground and off it, their enjoyment of the moment, the joie-de-vivre they bring to everything they do, their affection for each other and their gelling together as a unit has got to make you a believer. There is something about this band of boys that makes you want to laugh and cry with them, embrace them, if only for giving you hope for the future.
6 runs, 4 balls, 1 wicket. A catch ends match
The tournament prize money
$4,90,000
for Yuvraj Singh, the first batsman to hit six sixes in an over in the shortest version of the game
Rs 1 crore
For the boys, declares BCCI President Sharad Pawar.
HEARTSTOPPER
Gambhir fires. Makes sure the runs are coming.
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Engineer kills wife with a bat, commits suicide GHAZIABAD: A computer engineer beat his wife to death with a cricket bat and later committed suicide in Ghaziabad on Saturday. Nitin Sharma allegedly had an altercation with his wife P3 Vijay Laxmi.
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FIGHTING RAGES IN IVORY COAST, 800 DEAD IN TOWN
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A billion hearts break as Tendulkar falls for 18, caught behind off Malinga, dashing his hopes of scoring his 100th ton
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500 runs
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Highest scorer
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and 109 for the fourth with Dhoni. Yuvraj Singh, who was named the man of the tournament, partnered his skipper till the end with 21 not out after Gambhir was bowled by Thisara Perera in the 42nd over when 52 more were still needed.
21 wkts
Shahid Afridi
Highest wicket taker
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NEW DELHI: The CBI on Saturday filed its first chargesheet in the 2G spectrum scam case against a shocked former telecom minister A Raja, eight other persons and three companies for causing a loss of R30,984 crore to the exchequer in the allocation of licences for airwaves. The chargesheet filed in the court of special judge OP Saini
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Sumit Saxena
2G spectrum scam
accused Raja of conspiring with top bureaucrats, including a retired IAS officer, and corporate bigwigs to cause the huge loss to the government by manipulating the procedure for allocation of spectrum to favour companies such as, Reliance Telecom (of the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group), Swan Telecom (now Etisalat DB Telecom) and the Unitech group. Raja and the others have been charged with criminal conspiracy, forgery, cheating and corruption. Along with Raja, the other accused named in the chargesheet are former telecom secretary Siddharth
Raja: In deep trouble
Behura, Raja’s former personal secretary RK Chandolia, Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Usman Balwa, Unitech Wireless managing director Sanjay Chandra, Mumbai-based DB Realty’s director Vinod Goenka, Reliance Telecom’s group man-
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aging director Gautam Doshi and two of the company’s vicepresidents, Hari Nair and Surendra Pipara. The agency alleged that Etisalat DB Telecom and Telenor India partner Unitech were ineligible for 2G spectrum licences but Raja manipulated the rules to make them eligibile. “Raja manipulated the priority list on the basis of letter of intent compliances instead of existing guidelines,” the chargesheet said.
CHARGESHEET FILED Attorney-general, lobbyist Niira Radia named witnesses
Lasith Malinga dismissed Virender Sehwag (0) second ball and had Sachin Tendulkar (18) caught behind in his fourth over. Gambhir, who was dropped on 30 and escaped a run-out chance on 49, turned the match around by adding 83 for the third wicket with Virat Kohli
362 runs, 15 wkts
Yuvraj Singh
Man of tournament
since 1983 with a six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka on Saturday. Sri Lanka, who won the toss and elected to bat, rode on Mahela Jayawardene's 103 not out off 88 balls to pile up 274-6 in their 50 overs. India had slumped to 31-2 by the sixth over when fast bowler
91 not out
MS Dhoni
Man of the match
ROLL OF HONOUR
Raja, 11 others charged
MUMBAI: Men who make history defy all odds. For India, it was a question of doing two things which had never happened before. No team had won the World Cup on home soil and no team had won a World Cup final chasing such a big target. Both achievements were consigned to history with Saturday's six-wicket win as 274 was surpassed with lots to spare. A cauldron of noise all day, the Wankhede Stadium broke all decibel levels after the match anditwasaresoundingannouncement of India's official coronation as the world's best team. Gautam Gambhir made 97 and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni smashed an unbeaten 91 off 79 balls as India won the World Cup for the first time
Dhoni promotes himself to No. 4 and plays the innings of his life, leading from the front
MANOJ PATIL / HT PHOTO
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Gambhir seizes control of the innings after Sehwag, Tendulkar fall cheaply. Scores a classy 97, forcing Lanka into submission
Dhoni’s boys give Lanka the blues, end India’s 28-year wait
Jayawardene strikes a neatly paced 103* to guide a shaky innings and set up a challenging Lanka total
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Thanks a ton p25 He stayed hungry: Dravid p26 Able to adapt: Ganguly p27 A to Z p28 Master’s kit p29 100 milestones p30
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NEW DELHI: Budget 2012-13 has proposed making it mandatory for the taxpayer to declare a host of assets, including property deals in India and abroad and purchase of bullion and jewellery worth R2 lakh or more. The step is seen as an effort to widen the scope of the wealth tax. Also, income tax officials have been allowed to scrutinise returns filed by suspected tax evaders during the past 16 years.
Friday proposed changes in the Income Tax Act to tax companies for assets acquired in India even if the deal was concluded overseas, retrospectively from April 1, 1962. This is a fallout of the Supreme Court ruling that telecom giant Vodafone Plc did not need to pay a R11,218-crore tax for acquiring the majority stake in Hutchison Essar in 2007.
NEW DELHI: The government on
VODAFONE-LIKE WEALTH TAX NET DEALS FACE TAX TO BE WIDENED
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
ing economic growth, high and unrelenting inflation, and inability to balance government spending with revenues — finance minister Pranab Mukherjee had little room for manoeuvre. As Budget 2012 has failed hindustantimes atoresult, serve the growing aspirations of India 2012. For an economy that is crying for reforms — structural like in manufacturing, labour or factories; capital through increases in foreign direct investment in various sectors; or regulatory with focus on consumer protection — 2012-13 Mukherjee’s seventh budget offers little more than a reversal. As far as households go, on the personal income tax front, while Mukherjee has given benefits with one hand, he has dealt financial blows with both — first on account of inflation, second by increasing the number of services he will tax. At the lower end of the income ladder, therefore, the R20,000 increase in exemption limit to R2 lakh will put about R172 in the pocket every month. But the 10% inflation rate will increase the monthly cost of living by R1,600 and the tax on new services will eat R200. Even on the highest slab, the R1,888 per month he has doled out to households earning more than R10 lakh per annum in no way compensates the R8,000 worth of price increases and R1,000 on account of service tax. The flame of inflation will continue to burn households through this year. Economic recovery in the US, crisis abatement in the EU and major oil producer Iran in a geopolitical crossfire will ensure global oil prices rise all over again. Now, read into his proposal to throw all subsidies out such that they add up to less than 2% of the GDP next year, and what you have is probably a petrol and diesel price hike that will sustain high inflation. There is no way the government can pass and fund the Food Security Act unless fuel subsidies are done away with by deregulating diesel prices. For households, it will increase prices in the system. This is necessary, however, and if the government has the political will to bite the bullet this year, things would stabilise by the next budget. Beyond households lies an economic atmosphere. Here, Mukherjee has taken a U-turn towards the control-and-command economy of the 1980s.
NEW DELHI: Walled in on four sides — by politics, slow-
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Gautam Chikermane
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Friday’s Budget was Pranab Mukherjee’s fifth as the UPA finance minister and his seventh overall. SUNIL SAXENA / HT
Opposition thumbs down ‘regressive’ budget >>P13
Tough times for reforms >>P20
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Funds unused, Delhi gets a budget cut >>P19 No cheer in industry
‘Economy will gather pace over next two years’ >>P18
Defence modernisation budget hiked by 20%
Service tax net widens, raised from 10% to 12% >>P9
FM’s budget tunes in to food security
Hike in excise duty will hit consumer spending >>P8
Choppy day of trading, Sensex ends down 209 pts >>P7
>>P14
Minister promises white paper on black money >>P12
>>P6
R60,000-crore push for infrastructure
How Indian firms paid taxes: The story in numbers >>P5
Tech sector disappointed, rues ‘lost opportunity’ >>P11
by multiple blows: its main constituent, the Congress, took a drubbing in the recent Uttar Pradesh and Punjab polls; its allies have been coercive; and, last, but not the least, the effects of adverse global conditions on the Indian economy, have all come around the same time. Untamed inflation has been
Tax slabs reworked, a little more cash in your hand >>P4
Price rise an unavoidable scenario now, says FM >>P2
inside
be overly surprised that Pranab Mukherjee's fifth budget as finance minister in the UPA government lacked a raft of measures that could usher in a wave of new economic reforms. Mukherjee, who has earned the epithet of Mr Fix-it for the coalition government, knows better than anyone else that any reform that is not likely to pass muster with the Congress’s allies is akin to being no reform at all. After all, it has been he who has had to bear the brunt of trouble-shooting every time an ally, the Opposition or even civil society activists have been irked over issues such as FDI in multi-brand retail, ushering in a uniform tax system or drafting of a new lokpal bill. So, those who dismiss the budget as inadequately reformist must see the predicament of the finance minister in a government that has been hit
NEW DELHI: Only the naïve would
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The fragility of the political situation has had its impact on the general budget. Pranab Mukherjee clearly didn’t want to go the Dinesh Trivedi way, >> P16 writes Yashwant Sinha.
CRUEL ALL THE WAY
comment
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boxing in the UPA government ever since it came to power for the second time in 2009, ruling out any opportunity for reformist initiatives whether through looser monetary policies or otherwise. As Mukherjee said at the beginning of his budget speech, the government has “for the better part of the past two years” had to “battle double-digit inflation” with the result that a tight monetary policy impacted investment and consumption growth. Though obliquely, he later lamented that FDI in retail and the attempt to move to a goods and services tax regime have been caught in political wrangles. In a TV interview after the budget, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said, in the context of the possibility of raising prices of essential commodities as the government attempts to reduce subsidies: “I think there are compulsions of managing the coalitions… there will be difficulties.”
HURDLES Poll drubbing, price pressure, combative allies weigh heavy
ILLUSTRATION: RAHUL KRISHNAN
Saving Proposed tax 2,060 0 2,060 10,300 2,060 30,900 2,060 92,700 22,660 1,33,900 22,660 5,97,400 22,660 13,69,900 * All annual figures in R
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WHAT’S UP Cars Cigarettes CDs, VCDs, DVDs Pan masala, gutka ULIP premiums ■ Air, rail travel ■ iPads, gadgets ■ Money changing services ■
SOURCE: DELOITTE
■ LED lamps ■ Branded readymade garments ■ Gold coins of 99.5% purity ■ Intraocular lenses ■ Non-leather footwear up to R500 ■ Stay at hotels
WHAT’S DOWN
HOW THE BUDGET AFFECTS PRICES
Income * Current tax 2 lakh 2,060 3 lakh 12,360 5 lakh 32,960 8 lakh 94,760 10 lakh 1,56,560 25 lakh 6,20,060 50 lakh 13,92,560
HOW BUDGET 2012 AFFECTS YOUR MONEY
WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU
BLACK MONEY Renewed thrust to PRICES All but 17 services costlier on back of new taxes; goods not spared either check tax evasion in India and abroad
Pranab treads softly as coalition gets choppy
TAXES Marginal cut that puts R172 to R1,888 a month in the hands of taxpayers
REFORMS ON REWIND
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A billion-dollar baby is born
RUSSIAN PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin on Friday denied he planned to divorce his 50-year-old wife Lyudmila to marry Olympic champion gymnast Alina Kabayeva (pic). A Russian newspaper had reported that Putin had secretly divorced Lyudmila in February and would marry the 24-year-old Kabayeva in the summer. “There is not one word of truth,” Putin said when asked about the report. Reuters
Atreyo Mukhopadhyay Bangalore, April 18 FOR THE pigeons that live on the terraces of the Chinnaswamy, this was shock and awe. Light, sound, and flying leather came together in a spectacle never seen before in cricket’s 150 years. The build-up had spurred great expectations, and what followed went far beyond that. Music, dance, acrobatics, a laser show and firecrackers combined in an explosive cocktail of colour and spectacle. Shankar, Ehsan and Loy had 55,000 fans screaming, only to have the American NFL’s shapely Wash-
DMK wants cream included in quota
Bihar cops force child marriage Purnia: Policemen allegedly forced a 14-year-old schoolboy to marry another minor at a temple in a remote Purnia village in Bihar. The boy had gone to a fair when he was forcibly taken captive by the girl’s family, his mother said. She said the police, instead of helping, forced her to get her son married to the girl. P10
WEATHER Saturday: Clear sky with a very warm afternoon. Surface wind may be moderate. High 37°C, low 21°C, R.H. 60% Detailed report on P6
TODAY: 80 pages, including 16 pages of HT City, 20 pages of HT Estates and 4 pages of HT Splurge. Vol. LXXXIV No. 95
New Delhi / METRO ■ Vol. LXXXVI No. 48
SHOWTIME
ington Redskins cheerleaders and Dutch stilt dancers take their breath away. And then, there was Brendon McCullum. He dazzled in a T20 innings never seen before, smashing 13 sixes in a 73-ball 158, and giving the IPL a start that has probably ensured packed stands across India for the next month and a half. The result: Sourav’s gladiators in gold helmets first blasted the bowlers away and then took the wind out of Bangalore’s sails with some penetrative bowling. And when Ponting hugged Ishant Sharma after the rookie had sent back Dravid, the global flavour to the local billion dollar extravaganza was complete.
FULL IPL COVERAGE, PAGES 20, 21 & 22
The 2 bn-dollar IPL, cricket’s richest tournament ever, got off to a breathtaking start with fireworks and lasers in the sky; acrobats, rockers, dancers and cheerleaders on the ground; and SRK in the stands.
MAHIWAY: M.S. Dhoni writes for HT. P20 EXCLUSIVE: Canadian firm bags IPL website deal for Rs 200 crore. P22
MATCHES TONIGHT Mohali v Chennai, in Mohali at 4.30 pm Delhi v Jaipur, in Delhi at 8.00 pm
S A C H I N
Traffic jams forced passengers to walk to airport on Thursday Sidhartha Roy New Delhi, April 18 AFTER BRINGING the Capital to a standstill on Thursday afternoon, on its way to Bangkok, the Olympic torch relay paralysed operations at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in the evening. The enormous traffic jam that the torch left in its wake delayed over 50 flights and left hundreds of passengers in the lurch. Traffic troubles began at around 7 p.m. after the relay got over and the Olympic torch was being transported to the IGI Airport. The torch, along with a huge entourage of officials accompanying it, reached the airport in three buses. During this period traffic was closed on a section of NH-8, leading to a huge pile-up. The torch left Delhi on time but disrupted the schedules of hundreds of passengers. Passengers could be seen walking to the airport with luggage in hand, leaving their ■ The entourage of vehicles behind. officials accompaThe jam impacted nying the torch, those who had to catch reached the airport evening flights the in three buses. most. Not only did a Traffic was closed number of passengers on NH-8, leading to miss their flights, even a huge pile-up. the cabin crew failed ■ Kingfisher, Air to report in time after India, Jet were being stuck in the among the same traffic. “The airlines affected roads leading to the airport were choc-ablock and members of our cabin crew got delayed. At least six of our flights were delayed for intervals ranging between 40 minutes and two hours,” said an Air India official. The national carrier wasn’t alone — flights of almost all airlines, both domestic and international, were impacted with the delay caused by the torch. “Flights had to be held because many passengers had failed to arrive. Almost all flights left without 30-35 passengers who couldn’t make it in time,” said a Kingfisher official. Their cabin crew, too, got stuck in the traffic, added a Jet Airways spokesman. Continued on page 5
AIR DESPAIR
CAR PRICES — and loans to buy them — are set to head north. The prices of aluminium, steel and copper have been rising steadily in the past two years, while the Reserve Bank of India has cut money available for loans in a bid to rein in inflation. February and March brought good news for car companies and buyers, as prices were slashed after sops in the Budget and sagging sales began to look up. But rising costs of materials are set to negate that. While car
companies have been trying to absorb some of the price rises, they may now pass them on to buyers, said Aniket Mhatre, analyst at brokerage firm Prabhudas Lilladher. While no car company is categorical about how much they’ll raise prices, sources said they are thinking about a 2-3 per cent hike. This means, a Rs 3 lakh car could cost Rs 6,000 to Rs 9,000 more. Maruti Suzuki sources said the company plans to announce a hike soon. Honda and Tata Motors officials said it was too early to comment. A steel company official said the price of cold rolled steel, used in car bodies, has risen
by Rs 12,000 per tonne over the past year. Hot rolled steel, used in other parts, rose recently by Rs 5,000 a tonne. Critical imported parts are also becoming costlier as manufacturers in Japan and Taiwan are demanding higher prices to cover for currency fluctuations. Several companies import car components from countries like Taiwan and Korea. On Thursday, the RBI raised the cash reserve ratio — the proportion of deposits banks are supposed to keep with it — to 8 per cent from 7.5 per cent. This means banks would have less cash to loan out, thus making car loans more scarce and perhaps costlier.
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P E A K
N E V E R
CARLTON FIRE:
OWNERS BOOKED BANGALORE: A probe has revealed that lack of safety measures led to the casualties in the Carlton Towers fire in Bangalore on Tuesday, in which nine people were killed. The building owners have been booked for negligence. Investigators also found 2,000 litres of diesel stored P9 in the terrace.
Show mercy to Sarabjit, India tells Pak again
39
years since the ODI format of cricket began
2,962 ODI matches played so far
In a major decision aimed at preserving the greenery in the Capital, the Delhi government has increased the security deposit for cutting a tree from Rs P5 1,000 to Rs 28,000.
POPULIST Minister joins war on prices but leaves concerns about Railways’ financial health
BASKET OF GOODIES
comment
He remains the flagbearer of the dwindling phenomenon of quantity matching quality. >> P10
weather today 28°C LOW 14°C HIGH
HOTTEST IN INDIA PUNALUR 40°C COLDEST IN INDIA CHUSHUL -32°C
FORECAST: Shallow fog or mist is expected to prevail during the morning. The day will be warm and dry with moderate winds. India weather, Delhi fog report, P6
TODAY: 50 pages, including 8 pages of HT City and 12 pages of Classified Special - Feb ’10 Supplement. (Areas specific Lives and add-on supplement pages are extra).
2010-11 Srinand Jha [email protected]
NEW DELHI: Mamata Banerjee was apologetic for her thick accent while presenting the rail budget on Wednesday. She needn’t have been. Her message was clear: will fight price rise, even if it means ignoring concerns about Railways’ financial health. So, there will be no change in passenger fares — the Planning Commission was pitching for a hike — and freight rates on select but significant items such as kerosene and foodgrains will be cut to keep prices down. The Indian Railways is not in the red yet, or close to it. But concerns have been raised about its declining profits and rising expenses when compared to earnings. Banerjee was expected to take tough measures, but ducked. “This budget has only Bengal and all others are left kangal (poor),” said senior BJP leader Ananth Kumar to reporters outside Parliament. CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta also said the budget was written with West Bengal elections in mind. CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
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Mamata Banerjee speaks to the media after presenting the Rail Budget in Parliament on Wednesday. ARVIND YADAV / HT PHOTO
Mamata’s Railpolitik Aurangzeb Naqshbandi ■
What does one say about something that has never been seen before? That it is special? Yes it is, incredibly so. That it is incredible? It is that too. That it could not have happened to someone who deserved it more? Absolutely. Two hundred not out in a oneday international, 2,961 matches gone by before this. And then, given that Sachin Tendulkar is the first man in history to get to the mark in his 21st year of international cricket, with mind and body intact through astonishing pressure and responsibility, makes the feat all the more laudable. CONTINUED ON PAGE 22 >> THAT MAN, P20 >> GDCA CURATOR, P22
[email protected]
NEW DELHI: Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee kept not only her own political goals in mind while presenting the rail budget on Wednesday, but also those of her UPA’s allies, especially the Congress and DMK. Assembly polls are due in Bihar later this year, and in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu in 2011. Thus, for West Bengal, as was only expected, her budget aims to expand the Kolkata Metro, introduce a Sanskriti Express to commemorate Rabindranath Tagore’s 150th birth anniversary, start an axle factory, a
diesel locomotive factory and a host of new railway hospitals. For Bihar, where the Congress is trying hard to regain a footing, she announced five new trains and reaffirmed that all the projects begun by her predecessor, Lalu Prasad, were on course. For Tamil Nadu, she announced a Railways-run sports academy, expansion of the integral coach factory at Perumbur and a host of other sops. She also showed her special affinity for Rahul and Sonia Gandhi by announcing ambitious railway projects in Amethi and Rae Bareli, their respective constituencies.
not out: 194: Saeed SACHIN’S 194 Charles Coventry Anwar (Pak) (Zim) Aug 2009 May 1997
VIRENDRA SINGH GOSAIN / HT PHOTO
SACHIN’S DREAM RUN IN 63.90 2009-10 84.25
Quit, Patnaik: Oppn on Balangir deaths hindustantimes IMPACT ■
No increase in passenger fares and freight rates ■ Freight tariff reduced by Rs 100 per wagon in transport of some essential items ■ 54 new trains, including 10 Duranto trains, to be launched ■ 1,021 km of new lines to be completed ■ Pvt operators to be allowed to invest in infrastructure and run special freight trains ■ 10 automobile and ancillary hubs to be set up ■ National High Speed Rail Authority to be set up ■ Indo-Bangla rail link to connect Akhaura in Bangladesh to Agartala in India ■ 101 new local trains to be introduced in Mumbai ■ Sanskriti Express to run across the country to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore ■ Special tourist trains, Bharat Tirth, to start on 16 routes ■ Mobile vans to be launched to issue e-tickets ■ Twelve companies of RPF ‘Mahila Vahini’ forces to be raised ■ 502 hospitals and diagnostic centres, 50 Kendriya Vidyalayas and 10 residential schools to be set up on vacant railway land
NEW DELHI:
SACHIN, THE PLAYER
ANIL KUMBLE Former India Captain
HIGHEST ODI INNINGS BEFORE
Priya Ranjan Sahu
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hindustantimes
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200
No player had scored a double ton till Sachin Tendulkar did so on Wednesday.
Didi’s Janata Express is all steam, no power
Govt hikes deposit for cutting trees
HT Correspondent New Delhi, April 18 INDIA HAS again appealed to Pakistan to spare the life of Sarabjit Singh, a death row prisoner in a Lahore jail, whose life hangs in balance after Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf stayed his execution till April 30. “I would appeal to the authorities in Pakistan to show clemency to Sarabjit Singh, an Indian prisoner who has been in (a) Pakistani jail since 1990 and who has been under sentence of death for the last 17 years,” External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Friday. “Whatever the legal position may be, on humanitarian grounds alone, I SARABJIT SINGH would hope that Will he get mercy? mercy could be shown to this unfortunate human being,” he added. Mukherjee’s remarks are an acknowledgement of how seriously New Delhi looks at the prospect of Sarabjit’s hanging and its likely impact on IndiaPakistan relations. Television channels, meanwhile, quoted sources in Pakistan as saying that the hanging has been deferred by a few more days. The reports could not be confirmed. Pakistani rights activist Ansar Burney was quoted by PTI as saying that he would file a fresh appeal with Musharraf seeking clemency for Sarabjit.
B E F O R E
Sachin Tendulkar celebrates his double ton in the second ODI against South Africa in Gwalior on Wednesday. India won the match by 153 runs, and with it the series.
MASTER BLASTER’S short stories
S C A L E D
NOT OUT
HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT
■ The cost of steel, so essential in making a car, has risen steeply over the past one year. ■ The RBI move to raise the CRR — an anti-inflation step — may result in costlier loans. RELATED REPORT, P25
Army’s uniforms lousy, jawans buy own Rahul Singh New Delhi, April 18
O D I
Brendon McCullum teed off in Over 2, and never stopped. He got a record-smashing 158 not out off 73 balls, with 10 fours, 13 sixes, strike rate of 216… IPL has got a start beyond anyone’s wildest optimism.
HOUSE RULES PARLIAMENTARY PANEL ON DEFENCE RAPS ARMY ON QUALITY
AS IF surviving on paltry salaries wasn’t enough, personnel below officer rank (PBOR) are being forced to buy their own uniforms. A parliamentary panel on defence tabled in Parliament this week has found that the army issues PBORs “poor quality” ill-fitting uniforms that make them “look untidy”. Which is why they buy uniforms from the open market. There are over 10.5 lakh PBORs in the army. The Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA), headed by a lieutenant general, is supposed to ensure that troops get the best of weapons,
C L I M B S
SHOWSTOPPER
Olympic torch Cars may become costlier, driven by rising steel costs And RBI’s rate hike means you may have to pay more on your vehicle loan DOUBLE relay delayed WHAMMY over 50 flights Suprotip Ghosh and Suman Layak Mumbai, April 18
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2010
Rs 3.00
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TNIFTY 4,858.60 -11.45 TSENSEX 16,255.97 -30.35 TDOW JONES 10,282.41 -100.97 TNASDAQ 2,213.44 -28.59 TRUPEE/$ 46.30 -0.11 SRUPEE/EURO 62.73 +0.15 TGOLD/10G 16,850 -90 TSILVER/K 25,200 -400
Kolkata rock in spectacular IPL opener
moreinside Chennai: The DMK, an ally of the ruling UPA, has said that it is fine with the ‘skimmed’ 27 per cent OBC quota this academic year but insisted on inclusion of the creamy layer from next year. “We want both the shirt (27 per cent reservation) and the shawl (inclusion of creamy layer). But if the Centre can give us only the shirt this year and not the shawl we’ll accept it. But we’ll demand the shawl next year,” DMK chief M. Karunanidhi said on Friday. P10
hindustantimes.com
Photos: SANTOSH HARHARE/HT
[email protected]
BHUBANESWAR: A day after Hindustan Times reported that at least 50 people had died of chronic hunger in Orissa’s impoverished Balangir district, the state’s opposition parties demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik of the Biju Janata Dal. The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party are plan-
ODI Average Tests Average
TRUST DEFICIT AS INDIA-PAK TALKS RESUME
ning to raise the issue in the assembly on Thursday. Neither the chief minister’s office nor the chief secretary responded to HT’s repeated phone calls and e-mails. Orissa Congress chief K.P. Singh Deo said Patnaik had no moral right to continue in office and he would urge party president Sonia Gandhi for a visit to Balangir by a central delegation. BJP chief Jual Oram said, “Government officials are becoming more and more insensitive to people’s problems. Naveen Patnaik should resign.”
NEW DELHI: Modest gains, like keeping the dialogue on, and some commitment on terrorism seems to be the best case scenario New Delhi is hoping for at the foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan on Thursday. India expects Pakistan to rake up Kashmir, Balochistan and the Indus Water Treaty arrangements. Some “humanitarian and consular issues” — such as the Sikh beheading in Pakistan — will also figure in discussions, government sources said.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
Jayanth Jacob ■
[email protected]
INSIDE >> CWG LEAD PARTNER, P3 >> LAY TRACKS, P10 >> DO THE LOCOMOTION, AN INDIAN RAILWAYS STORY, P12-13 >> UNDER BJP FIRE, P15 ON HT BUSINESS, P25: >> INDIA INC LAUDS >> PRIVATE ROLE >> 10 AUTO HUBS
N E W S T U DY
Fatty foods are deadlier than you think
factors. The Defence Instiammunition and clothing. But tute of Psychological the PBORs feel cheated. Research had advised “We are at the bottom the officer cadre to open of the hierarchy so clogged communication no one cares. We channels with troops. spend over Rs 1,000 a Apart from uniforms year on uniforms,” said a meant for daily use, several sepoy. The sepoys’ pay deficiencies have been scales ranges from Rs found in special kits for 3,050 to Rs 4,950. troops serving in Siachen. The hierarchy-obsessed Soldiers deployed there face army often engages jawans hardships because of the in demeaning household army’s failure to provide them chores. A panel set up by the despecial clothing and equipfence ministry to examine causes ABHIMANYU ment needed to endure naof suicide and fratricide found ture’s fury at altitudes of 21,000 feet last year that abusive language and and above. perceived humiliation by superiors [email protected] were among the biggest precipitating KNOW THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER, EDIT PAGE, 14
Samar Halarnkar ■
[email protected]
NEW DELHI: Eating fatty food,
( ) Identifying fat-derived factors that activate marcrophages (mutinous defensive cells) could lead to new targeted therapies. PREETI KISHORE,
Endocrinologist
Printed
and
distributed
by
even if you’re slim, could be deadlier than you think. Fat hinders the effect of medicine and can cause the body’s invisible army of warrior cells to mutiny and worsen heart disease, diabetes and even cancer, reveal the results of a five-year study by a group of 10 researchers headed by a US endocrinologist, who began her career at an Agra medical college. The key culprit is a gene
called PAI-1, roused like a terrorist sleeper cell, in this case by fatty tissue or freeroaming fat molecules that come from fatty foods or from being obese, says Preeti Kishore (39) and her team in the latest edition of Science Translational Medicine. “Even in lean adults, high dietary fat may increase PAI1 secretion and alter the risk for heart disease,” said Carey Luming, a University of Michigan pediatrics professor who reviewed the research. “Understanding these mechanisms and identifying
the fat-derived factors that activate marcrophages (mutinous defensive cells) could lead to new targeted therapies for these conditions, which have increased to epidemic proporations globally but particularly in India,” said Kishore, an endocrinologist at New York’s Albert Einstein College of Medicine, whose Indian partner is Vellore’s Christian Medical College. With nearly 35 million diabetics, India leads a world diabetes epidemic. CONTINUED ON PAGE 17
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BAD INTERVIEWS AT LEAST 82 women were secretly videotaped naked or partly undressed while applying for jobs at a Los Angeles-area Hooters restaurant and changing into the chain's distinctive uniform, police said. Detectives were interviewing the women, who range in age from 17 to 25, after seizing 180 video files from the personal computer of former Hooters manager Juan Aponte. The restaurant, is scheduled to open in April, at a trailer on the construction site. At the interview they were told to change into the uniform of bright orange shorts and a white tank. Reuters
Mild quake
A MILD earthquake, measuring 1.6 on the Richter scale, hit the Capital on Sunday morning. The tremors were felt at 9.15 am. No loss of life or damage to property was reported. HTC
Airport heist TWO JET Airways passengers flying from Delhi to Srinagar alleged that jewellery worth Rs 60,000 went missing from their baggage when the boarded the plane at Palam airport on Sunday. Malik Aftab and Rabia found the valuables missing after they reached Srinagar. Aftab's brother Mailk Arshad has lodged a complaint with Palam airport police. HTC
POLL POT BOILS
Veeru looking for triple ton Avirook Sen Multan, March 28 ON FRIDAY, Virender Sehwag had told Hindustan Times that he “would respect the new ball” in the Test matches. On the first day of the first Test in Multan, he kept his word — except that it was the second new ball that got his respect. The first, after 80-something overs of running errands to the boundary to fetch Sehwag four or six, was glad to leave the field, as were the Pakistani bowlers. At the end of play, Sehwag was unbeaten on 228. His highest individual score, surpassing the 195 made in Melbourne. But a few other facts made the innings extra-special: he'd scored almost two-thirds of the 356 runs India got during the day; and when was the last time anyone saw Sachin Tendulkar shared a partnership of 183 with anyone and get just 60? The bad news for Pakistan is that he wants 300 — at the rate he's going — his innings contained 30 fours and five sixes — he needs only a sedate morning session on Monday to get there. If that happens, the sporting Multan crowd may justifiably complain of too much entertainment. By the time Sehwag had reached his 100 with an upper-cut for six off Shoaib, they
were reduced to talking gibberish to gee themselves up. “Akhtay-Bakhtay-Lamteen-TeBakhtay. Tha!”, they chanted. This, I have checked, means absolutely nothing. Still, it was better than the only other sound to come from the crowd: a long ‘ooooh’ with as much disappointment in it as there's dust in Multan. It needn't have been this way, had Veeru not chosen 28 March as his day on a Multan pitch best described as a pace bowler's labour camp. There's a shrine in this town to the 'people's saint Sheikh Rukn-e-Alam where pilgrims try an somewhat outlandish cure for hair loss: they oil their heads and then rub them against a wall. Some concerned Pakistani might just want to take the pitch to the Sufi shrine and try the treatment overnight. Who knows, a bit of grass might grow to help the pace attack. Courtesy Sehwag, however, it looks like Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq will lose some more weight-through hair loss. For all you know, he might just be spending the evening at the mazhar. Inzamam, once he'd seen the pitch, would have had just one plan in mind. Continued on page 9
Tiger roars Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thakeray launched his party’s poll campaign at a rally in Mumbai on Sunday. P15 Surrogate ads The I&B ministry’s advertising committee will meet on Monday to prepare a reply to the Election Commission on the matter of surrogate ads No to Ram SP will not back Ram Jethmalani as the joint opposition candidate against the PM in Lucknow. It has fielded Madhu Gupta. P15 Vision Document The BJP will release their vision document on Tuesday, coinciding with the start of the second leg (east-west) of Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani’s Bharat Uday Yatra. P17 Dynasty visit Rahul Gandhi will visit Amethi for two days from Monday. It’ll be his first visit as candidate. He will return on April 5-6 to file his nomination papers. P8 VHP loves Shukla V.C. Shukla on Sunday signed an eleven-point Hindu agenda of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to secure their support. He is contesting the Mahasamund seat in Chhattisgarh after having joined the BJP. P17 Uma’s the fairest Uma Bharti claimed the Madhya Pradesh administration was impartial in handling both Advani’s Bharat Uday Yatra and Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s roadshow.
Virender Sehwag on way to his double century in the first Test in Multan on Sunday
Lotus temple
CBI to probe Nobel theft THE WEST Bengal government has recommended a CBI probe into the theft of Tagore’s memorabilia from Rabindra Bhavan Museum in Shantiniketan. So far, two more have been held in connection with the theft. P9
Hamas vs Bush The new leader of Hamas called US President George Bush the enemy of Islam and said “God declared war” against him. P22
ITO crossing A look into the future
Link House Science Academy
Gandharv Mahavidyalaya
DDU
Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg
THE BAHAI house of worship in New Delhi will be closed from April 1 till May 3, 2004. The temple is being closed for repair and maintenance. HTC
Police HQ
Proposed flyover
Jamiat Ulama-iHind
Marg
Vikas Marg
Andhra School
Engineers Bhawan
New road to be constructed
Income Tax Office
Road to divert traffic to Pragati Maidan Graphic: Jayanto Text: Archis Mohan
HindustanTimes.com poll
No 74.92% Can’t Say 1.84%
Today’s Question Will the Kashmir dispute be resolved if the BJP-led NDA returns to power at the Centre? www.hindustantimes.com
WEATHER Mainly clear sky. Maximum and minimum temperature will be around 34°C and 17ºC. Details, Page 4 30 pages, including six pages of HT City. Vol. LXXX No. 75
Lensman deported Kadambari Murali Multan, March 28
■ In less than two years from now, the ITO crossing, a major traffic pain in the capital, will don a new look, with a flyover and a new road layout plan
Is it fair for any political party to make electoral capital out of India's victory over Pakistan in the ODI series? Yes 23.24%
HTINPAKISTAN
■ DDA technical committee will discuss project details in April-end, civic agencies & traffic police have already given their nod
■ 10 lakh vehicles cross ITO daily. The number will increase once NH24 is linked to Vikas Marg. Main challenge will be shifting a sewerline under the crossing
A SOUTH African cameraman from Ten Sports reportedly molested a local hotel receptionist late Saturday night. It was a day of high drama, when the channel first informally denied anything had happened and then the Multan adminsitrator, Ejaz Choudhry said everything had been "amicably settled" after a "minor scuffle over allotment of rooms". By Sunday night, Ten Sports and the PCB had been asked to deport the cameraman. The PCB said he had checked out of the hotel, Sheza Inn and would be put on a flight to Dubai and on to South Africa.
Breaking the 8,000-kmph bar Reuters San Francisco, March 28 A REVOLUTIONARY jet engine flew faster than seven times the speed of sound in a high altitude test over the Pacific on Saturday, marking what NASA scientists hailed as a milestone in developing the “Holy Grail” of space travel. “It's been an outstanding, recordbreaking day,” lead propulsion engineer Lawrence Huebner said. NASA's 12-foot-long X-43A research vehicle — resembling a winged surfboard — hit slightly over Mach 7, about 8,000 km/h, during 11 seconds of powered flight before gliding at hypersonic speeds for several minutes and finally plunging into the ocean. The test, conducted off the southern California coast, marked the first time that a “scramjet,” or supersonic-combustion ramjet, has powered a vehicle at such high speed. “If you go from ground to space, you need to use a ramjet-scramjet if you're going to do it in the most efficient way you can,” project manager Joel Sitz said. Rather than carrying both the fuel and oxygen needed to provide acceleration, like a conventional rocket engine does, scramjet engines carry only hydrogen fuel and pull the oxygen needed to burn that fuel from the atmosphere.
PTI
BJP adopts stability plank Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee campaigned in Bahraich, UP on Sunday, while Deputy PM was in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Both sought mandate on the stability and development planks. P15
Anil Kumble enters the league of extraordinary gentlemen
Airtel services crash in Delhi
Airtel’s cellular services crashed in parts of Delhi on Saturday. Customers in central and northern Delhi found the signals dead for hours. Company officials blamed the crash on a technical snag. PTI
Milosevic found dead in cell
Slobodan Milosevic, the former Serbian president who was on trial for war crimes, was found dead in his prison cell near The Hague, the UN tribunal said on Saturday. He had apparently died of natural causes. P18
Rs 85 lakh offer for IIM-B graduate
IIM-Bangalore graduate Gaurav Agarwal has bagged an offer of Rs 85 lakh annual package — the highest this year for any B-school graduate in the country — from British investment bank Barclays Capital. P9
FINE PRINT
Dating gambit American men looking for a partner online are using photos of one of New Zealand’s most popular sports personalities, rugby star Richie McCaw, to lure women. Photos of the 25-year-old McCaw, an imposing figure at 1.88 metres tall and weighing 105 kg, have been found on two dating websites in AFP the US.
HindustanTimes.com poll No Did Rahul Gandhi articulate the concerns of 72.16 % the youth by flagging Yes importance of education 26.70 % for the poor? Rest can’t say
Today’s Question Gavaskar has equated Muralitharan’s 600 test wickets with Bradman’s 29 tons in 52 Tests. Agree?
WEATHER SUNDAY A cool morning, sunny afternoon. Light rain likely in some areas. High 26 oC, low 13oC. Max R.H. 95% Detailed report on p4
TODAY: 90 pages, including 28 pages of Brunch, six pages of HT City and 32 pages of HT Matrimonial and HT Commercial Vol. V No. 11
All are guilty of justice system’s collapse: CJI ● PM concerned over hostile witnesses ● Calls for restraint in judicial activism
AP
Gavaskar on the li’l master who ‘THIS ONE’S FOR MY FATHER’ won his heart, broke his record Tendulkar milestone
SPINNING MAGIC Anil Kumble appeals successfully for his 500th wicket and dismissal of England’s Steve Harmison in Mohali on Saturday. Report on P21
Now that this is done, I am sure that he will go on... he could well finish with 50 centuries in Tests
NUKE strikes MART Anti-terror Suspects picked up; West coast tragedies averted
The Indo-US N-deal has chain reactions. See P6
Kim Jong II slams US for double standards Hinting at India, N Korea calls the US biased for treating some nations as friends and rejecting others.
Uttar Pradesh TWO PERSONS, resembling the sketches of the Varanasi blast suspects, were paraded on Saturday for identification before the vendors who are believed to have interacted with them. The two were among the eight suspects detained in Hardoi on Friday. Three of them had been brought to Varanasi for further investigation.
Mumbai A DAY before the 13th anniversary of the Mumbai serial blasts, an Improvised Explosive Device (two kg of ammonium ni-
trate in a water bottle) was recovered from a toilet at the Byculla Railway Station. The IED was defused.
HT SPECIAL
Goa POSSIBLE TERRORIST strikes at tourist destinations have been prevented with the arrest of a militant from the Margao Railway Station. Explosives, including RDX, and firearms were recovered from him.
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Complete coverage, P9 The Big Story: The Terror of Politics, P12 Twin souls, one river, P17
HT Correspondent
restrained manner to fill up any institutional vacuum or failure and to clarify legal positions, retaining its character as a powCHIEF JUSTICE of India Y.K. Sabharwal erful but sparingly used instrument for coron Saturday said that part of the blame for rection. Judicial activism must also take the near-collapse of the country’s criminal adequately into account the administrative justice system lies with the executive. He viability of the reform process,” he said. said the executive was not doing much to Reacting to the PM’s remarks, Justice improve the investigative machinery and Sabharwal said PILs had done great servwas sitting on suggestions to change the ice to the nation. He said the judiciary was rules of evidence to reaware of the need to use it vamp the process. sparingly so that its jurisEven as Prime Minister diction itself was not quesManmohan Singh and tioned. Law Minister H.R. Acknowledging public Bharadwaj looked on, Jusoutrage over the failure of tice Sabharwal said: “The the system in some recent justice delivery mecha“high-profile” cases, Jusnism appears to be on the tice Sabharwal said judges verge of collapse due to dicannot “create” evidence verse reasons. Some of the in the absence of proper responsibility will have to investigation. He did adbe shared by the executive mit though that faster disbranch of the State.” He posal of cases could go a was speaking at the inaulong way in addressing guration of the Joint Conthe problem posed by hosference of Chief Justices tile witnesses. and Chief Ministers. “Significant sugges■ Jessica, revisited? On his part, the PM, tions for separation of the ■ Ajai Raj Sharma: Truth quest while calling for a “reflecinvestigative wing from tion” on whether the existthe law and order duties ing procedures were adequate to deal with and changes in the rules of evidence still the situation, expressed his full support for lie unattended. The public outrage over the judicial reforms. He did, however, caution failure of the criminal justice system in against the misuse of PILs. “We need to re- some recent high-profile cases must shake flect whether… PILs have become a tool for us all into the realisation that something obstruction, delay and sometimes harass- needs to be urgently done to revamp the ment,” Singh said. whole process,” Justice Sabharwal said. “Judicial activism too must be used in a Continued on P8 New Delhi, March 11
WHO KILLED JESSICA THEN?
Manmohan assures House on N-pact PM Manmohan Singh tries to allay concerns over the Indo-US civil nuke deal in both Houses of Parliament.
Wonks urge US Congress to back deal
35 NOT OUT: Sachin Tendulkar raises his bat after scoring his record century at Ferozeshah Kotla Ground on Saturday.
STAR STRIKES
Ex UN inspector David Albright says India has a bad nuclear proliferation record and leaks sensitive tech.
Saif hits but does not run HT Correspondent Mumbai, December 10
COLOUR BLIND
WINGS OF DESIRE: Artist’s impression of the X-43A scramjet. Researchers at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, on the western edge of the Mojave Desert north of Los Angeles, hope the new engine will revolutionise aviation, speeding the development of significantly faster aircraft and lowering the cost of launching payloads. Huebner said the test had set a world speed record for a craft powered by an air-breathing engine. “To put this in perspective, a little over 100 years ago a couple of guys flew for 120 feet in the first controlled powered flight,” he said, referring to the Wright brothers. “To-
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day, we did something very similar in the same amount of time, but our vehicle under air-breathing power went over 24 kms.” Project members said the successful test had important commercial and military implications. “Efficient access to space opens up a whole new world for industry in the future, to be able to get to space and get back, quickly, and do it several times a month,” Sitz said. The first test of the X-43A in June 2001 ended in failure after a malfunction in the booster rocket attached to the test vehicle forced NASA scientists to blow up the plane.
There’s a red alert on green this Holi NEHA Mehta New Delhi, March 11
THIS HOLI, it will be a good idea not to go green. According to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), green is the most toxic colour in the Holi spectrum — even the ‘natural’ or ‘herbal’ varieties. A team led by ocular pharmacologist T. Velpandian of AIIMS’s R.P. Centre for Opthalmic Sciences, collected ‘natural’ samples of green
PTI
Twenty-five members of the US security establishment have come out in support of the nuclear pact.
» ON PAGE P15
But not as bad as A.Q. Khan, right?
colour from markets at INA, Yusuf Sarai and Sarojini Nagar on Friday. Of these, 60 per cent tested positive for the highly toxic ‘malachite green’, an industrial dye banned in several countries due to its carcinogenic properties. (The AIIMS team, however, has labelled the natural colour brands advertised by the environment ministry, as safe.) There appears to be no government regulation on Holi colours, since they don’t fall under either the category of ‘drugs’ or ‘cosmetics’; even
the Bureau of Indian Standards does not standardise them. The RP Centre started studying the ocular toxicity of Holi colours in 1994, under its chief Supriyo Ghose. And last year, the AIIMS team embarked on a one-year study, collecting green and bluish-green colours from various Delhi markets. The results were alarming. “Though a significant number of these colours were sold as herbal or natural, the concentrations of malachite green varied from 0.3 per cent to 88 per cent,” says Dr Velpandian.
The study also showed that these colours caused severe ocular toxicity (pain or irritation to the eye) because of malachite green. Last Holi, 60 per cent of the patients reporting to AIIMS’s eye emergency unit came with ocular toxicity caused by these colours. Malachite green was confirmed in 66.6 per cent of these cases. “In extreme cases, ocular toxicity can lead to loss of vision due to secondary complications,” adds Dr Velpandian.
hindustantimes.com
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Chief of Hizb-ul-Mujahadeen Syed Salahuddin has been arrested in Muzzafarabad, capital of PoK. It is the first time in 15 years that the Pakistan police have cracked down on Salahuddin’s terror regime. P8
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SHORT TAKES Hizb chief Salahuddin arrested
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India’s most glamourous sport, horse racing
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Reflections 8
“It is best to go by the book, especially when it’s not a crime” SAIF ALI KHAN
SAIF ALI Khan almost did a Salman Khan repeat with his Land Cruiser on Friday. Except that he didn’t kill anybody and — unlike in Salman’s case in 2002 — he didn’t run away. Saif was arrested and then released on bail after the SUV he was driving hit a boy in Andheri. The incident occurred around 4 p.m. in front of Bhavans College where Saif was attending rehearsals for the MTV Immies Award, which was to be held later that night. He was leaving the venue when, as Saif told HT, “A boy appeared out of nowhere and came across my car.” Saif himself informed the police and rushed the 13-year-old Shakeel Sheikh to a
nearby hospital where his fractured foot was put in a cast. The actor then attended the Immies Award and returned to the police station to complete the formalities. The boy was discharged on Saturday. A case has been registered against Saif in DN Nagar police station under sections 279 and 338 for “rash driving” and “causing grievous hurt by act endangering life”. He tested negative for alcohol. “I have given Rs 15,000 to the boy’s mother and am taking care of the medical expenses,” Saif said. And here’s what he believes: “There is a system, however slow, and it is best to go by the book, especially when it’s not a crime.”
Left charge
Vaccine for strokes?
The CPM and RSP have alleged largescale irregularities in the modernisation process of Mumbai and Delhi airports. The two parties have written to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi demanding that the bidding process be scrapped. P6
Two scientists of Indian origin are developing a vaccine that may prevent heart attacks and strokes. The vaccines will be ready for human testing in about four years. P6 HT Netpoll on P3, Weather report on P4
TODAY: 84 pages, including 28 pages of Brunch, 8 pages of HT City and 28 pages of HT Matrimonials & Commercial. Vol. IV No. 49
WAY BACK in 1988, the Mumbai grapevine had been buzzing with two names as young cricketers to watch. One was Vinod Kambli and the other was Sachin Tendulkar. Mumbai's grapevine is famous for it has this unerring way of spotting talent, and though it occasionally gets it wrong, for the most part, it has an uncanny eye. Having heard so much about these two, it was only natural to try and see them play, and so after making the right inquiries, I found out that both would be at the nets for the Mumbai probables. It's always better to see young talent without them knowing that they are being watched, if only to ensure that they aren't too nervous if they know they are being watched and so would be much more natural than otherwise. So standing from the back of the players' sitting area of those days, I watched as a little kid with a big curly mop of hair walked in to bat in the nets against the best of Mumbai's bowlers. A few minutes was all it needed to know that here was a special talent and when I went home and told my wife about it, her reaction was that he must be really special. It's never easy to predict stardom for anybody as there are so many imponderables in life, but Sachin was lucky, for he had a family that had and still has a strong value system, and so even as he started to climb the ladder of fame, his family made sure that his feet were grounded. He was tremendously focused on the game and knew that it was his cricket that was getting him the attention, and so he never wavered from his task, which was to score runs by the hundreds. Continued on P16
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century in 125th Test
I was addressing my father. I’m sure he enjoyed a few moments from up there
Total: 10,256 runs
It was a matter of time… Sachin played a cautious innings R. ACHREKAR Coach
He must be a relieved man. I think he will cut loose now VINOD KAMBLI Former player
When my friend called to inform me, I started jumping ANJALI Wife
crowd puller Huge crowds during a Big Bash League match at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia.
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The New Wave of
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he metamorphosis of cricket with every passing year is inevitable. Cricket fans and analysts across India are eyeing the new crop of young cricketers to make the most of the star-studded stage offered to them. With advanced technologies, better training facilities and guidance from senior players, the new breed will be expected to raise the benchmarks of the sport.
star in the making Prithvi Shaw during the ICC U-19 World Cup, which India won with Rahul Dravid as head coach.
The year 2018 can be termed as an experimental year with major cricket teams around the globe trying to figure out the best combination to represent them in the 2019 World Cup. This presented a big window of opportunity to young cricketers to prove their calibre. A few players have already risen to stardom and have already started raising the benchmarks.
Hannah Peters/IDI/Getty Images
Known for his conventional style of batsmanship, Cheteshwar Pujara has become a favourite for many after blunting bowlers during India’s Test series win in Australia. Ever since making his international debut, Pujara has ensured that his domestic exploits are transformed on the biggest stage without any fuss. Prithvi Shaw, an impressive youngster, has been the talk of the cricket fraternity for his consistency and unique abilities. He rose to international stardom as a teenager, leading India’s Under-19 World Cup triumph in 2018. He had a seamless transition to Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy and India A and a consistent run at all these levels meant he earned his maiden Test cap in 2018. In his Test debut against the West Indies on 4 October 2018, he became the second-youngest Indian after Sachin Tendulkar to score a Test century and the youngest Indian to do so on his debut. The ICC included him while compiling the five breakout stars in men’s cricket in 2018. Shreyas Iyer, a right-handed batsman from Mumbai, has represented India U-19, has been a run-machine at domestic and India A level and has impressed in limited opportunities in the ODI arena. But Iyer - compared with VIrender Sehwag’s ability to bulldoze opposition - is still waiting for a consistent run with India. The youngster will continue to lead the charge of Delhi Capitals (previously Delhi Daredevils) in VIVO IPL 2019.
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BEST OF THE BEST India’s Cheteshwar Pujara cuts a ball during Day 1 of the 4th Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 3 January 2019 in Sydney. Mark Evans/Getty Images
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PANTING TIMES Rishabh Pant, the unorthodox batsman who has sizzled in all formats, hits a straight drive in a Test. Darrian Traynor/CA/Getty Images
Having made his Test debut in August 2018, Rishabh Pant has carved his name amongst the stars of cricket and has earned a chance to make it to the next step of the ladder. Post his recent performance in the India-Australia Test Series, he has scaled new heights in the ICC Test rankings and has become the jointhighest ranked wicketkeeper-batsman from India. He has also attained the highest rating points by any Indian wicketkeeper, breaking MS Dhoni’s record. Mayank Agarwal made his international debut for India in December 2018 against Australia. He made 76 runs in the first innings in his debut innings, thus attaining the highest score by an Indian cricketer on a Test debut in Australia. In the 2017-18 Ranji Trophy, he was the leading run-scorer with 1,160 runs. He was also awarded the Madhavrao Scindia Award for the highest run-scorer in the Ranji Trophy by the BCCI. Shubman Gill, a right-handed batsman from Punjab, is the latest prodigy in the cricket arena. He was the vice-captain of the Indian team in 2018 ICC U-19 World Cup and was awarded the Player of the Tournament. Gill scored 665 runs in just eight innings at an astonishing average of 133 in the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy. His biggest strength is his ability to score runs consistently. With Yuvraj Singh backing his entry in the Indian team, he is one of the youngsters to watch out for.
The influence of social media It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that social media is ruling the world. Cricketers and fanatics alike have embraced it with open arms. While several players and commentators are already on board, taking the cue, the International Cricket Council’s digital wing is also doing a fabulous job, flashing match highlights that have gained a lot of traction across platforms. The fans are engaging with each other, sharing their insights and analysing the game. Not only mainstream cricket but other forms of cricket have also benefitted from social media. Mithali Raj, the captain of India’s women’s team, had only 3,000 followers on Twitter before the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017, but after the tournament the number surpassed the 50,000 mark. At the moment, she has more than 6 lakh followers. Cricketers now have an option to communicate directly with the fans without the mediation of any journalists. Their
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engagements, relations, holidays, fashion, apologies, birthdays and everything else that one can imagine, is available for public scrutiny. The current generation of fans craves for glimpses of the personal as well as professional lives of players. They want to know their idols up-close. To get a like, retweet, reply or share on any social platform by any player is a new form of autograph. Owing to the immense popularity of digital media, a number of brands too are combining traditional channels with new-age platforms. The Mauka Mauka campaign created for the 2015 World Cup was tested on Youtube first before taking it live on TV. Within 12 hours of its release, it had more than a million views. The reactions and sentiments around this ad were eclectic.
The selfless selfie Virat Kohli poses for selfies with fans after India’s T20 international versus Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Australia on 25 November 2018. Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
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a historic victory Indian team celebrates the Border-Gavaskar trophy, after their maiden Test series victory Down Under, at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 7 January 2019. Mark Evans/Getty Images
What the future holds for the Game While no one can predict the future, contemplating where this dynamic sport is headed has its own pleasures. Considering how much cricket has evolved over the last few decades, a look at the current trends may well be an indication of how the future of the game may pan out. Bringing back the love for Test cricket: With the advent of T20s, the patience and interest of cricket lovers towards Test cricket seems to have dipped. We cannot deny that Test cricket is considered to be first-class cricket and is loved by the players, but the masses with their fast-paced lifestyles prefer the short, energetic and quickresult formats. For the Test format, also known as the backbone of cricket, to survive and flourish as a spectator sport, will perhaps need some restructuring. The addition of some entertainment or glamour quotient, introduction of new teams and the creation of more traction by integrating interactive content can go a long way in ensuring that the true form of cricket stays alive and kicking.
cricket the Infinite belief
Closed-roof stadiums: Suspension or abandonment of games due to rain has been a woe for cricketers, sponsors, spectators and experts alike. The only closed-roof stadium is the Dockland Stadium, Australia at the moment. With the growing frequency of cricket throughout the year, more countries are expected to build closed-roof stadiums. Franchise-owned players: With franchise-based cricket gaining momentum all over the world, players will soon be defined by their franchises, much like soccer players. Cricket may no more just be limited by national boundaries but will boast of fans expressing their loyalties to particular franchise teams. Rise of new teams: Earlier, a number of countries didn’t have significant representation in international cricket tournaments. However, with the sport leaving its footprints behind globally, we are witnessing several nations embracing the sport including China, Russia, Afghanistan and Japan. Arrival in Olympic: The International Cricket Council is pushing to have cricket included in the 2028 Olympic. This will act as a catalyst in promoting the game to countries where cricket is still not an integral part of the sports scene. It will also help in the rise of the women’s cricket since the Olympics have long been known for promoting sports equally for both the genders.
Sport Tech: The changing face of cricket Accurate decision making, competent training and electrifying viewing experiences — cricket today is defined by all of this and more. Every year, newer technologies seep into the sport and offer a better experience to the entire cricket community. The International Cricket Council deserves due credit for incorporating technologies that promise to make the game better and richer. Moreover, cricket was forever a numbers game. This uniquely positions it to benefit from a plethora of data generated during a game, which later helps in formulating strategies leading to a phenomenal improvement in the way the game is played. One of the most used technologies in cricket, the introduction of the third umpire, also known as the TV Umpire, was in a Test match between India
under the roof Indian fans cheer as Australia takes on the ICC World XI team, under the roof of the Dockland Stadium Melbourne, Australia in 2005. William West/AFP/Getty Images
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and South Africa in November 1992. Used to supplement the role of the umpires on the ground, the third umpire is a professional umpire, who sits off the ground with access to TV replays, to advise those on the field in disputable situations. All three umpires communicate with each other via wireless technology. Now, we have the Decision Review System to give the players some power to be able to question the decision of the on-field umpire. This umpire referral system was first tried in 2008 in a Test series between Sri Lanka and India.
Spider’s view Viewers can also watch the games more closely with the Spidercam technology. Philip Brown/Popperfoto/Getty Images
One of the most disputed decisions in the history of cricket has been that of edgedetection. To solve this problem, Snickometer technology was invented by British computer scientist Allan Plaskett and was introduced in the mid-90s. A highly sensitive microphone is placed in one of the stumps which picks the sound of the ball hitting the bat. Ultra-edge is the upgraded version of the Snickometer and is now used in the DRS package along with Hotspot, which uses two infra-red cameras positioned at either end of ground to measure the heat from friction generated by a brush or touch. Performance Analysing chips in bats have also gained tremendous popularity recently. They made their debut in the Champions Trophy 2017. They help to study various bat swing patterns using the data stored in the chips. Another innovation in sport, the Hawk-Eye was introduced in 2001 and is used for tracing the path of the ball. This technology works through approximately seven cameras tracking the ball from different angles. Technologies like Pitch Vision and Merlyn by BOLA play an instrumental role in training sophisticated systems like the Dart Fish, the Gator Monitor, Speed Gun and Umpire cams help create a better broadcasting and viewing experience. As the game transcends the limitations of the past, several grey areas of cricket turn into pure colour. Less doubts, solutions to controversies, better judgement and improved performances are a result of efficient evolution.
Tech Power Above: Technology allows players to question the decision of the umpire and to test the accuracy of the final conclusions with the help of DRS. Ben Radford/Corbis/Getty Images
Influence and Impact Improving benchmarks: Technology lets us understand what the next generation needs to aim for, and the path leading to it. For example, England had found that a normal ODI hundred needs covering 10 miles of ground over two hours, while completing over 100 sprints. That made clear to the players, that irrespective
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of their skills, they need to have the physical capabilities to achieve these levels. Analysing every move and every fault drives greater accountability and leads to an overall improvement in skill levels.
KEEPING A CLOSE EYE Top: ‘Hawk-Eye’ technology on the electronic relay screen designed to help umpires make correct decisions.
Coaching and training: Gone are the days when coaching used to be done only on the basis of the observational skills of the coaches. Now technology has empowered coaches to combine their personal experiences with data-driven technologies and visual training. Self-learning modules and visual simulation can go a long way in helping budding cricketers.
Top left: LED bails help umpires make better decision and add entertainment quotient for spectators as well.
Player selection: With almost all matches being recorded and shared, domestic players do not need to rely on catching the eye of a selector at any match. Broad reach of data automatically helps good players gain the attention of the selectors. Additionally, it also helps selectors look out for specific skill-sets and create a dream team accordingly. Injury Prevention: Catapult, a partnership firm of the Australian Institute for Sport, works with teams like Australia, England and Rajasthan Royals (IPL) to prevent cricket-related injuries. Players wear micro-sensors on the top of their backs, which help to quantify the number of deliveries that a bowler delivers and measure the speed of rotation, run-up velocity and the force at play. With the help of this data, the training intensity can be adjusted.
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beat the heat Fans watch cricket from a pool during the Big Bash League match between Brisbane Heat and Adelaide Strikers at The Gabba on 19 December 2018 in Brisbane. Bradley Kanaris/CA/Getty Images
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Instilling faith in the game: Technology is making the game fairer and non-disputable. Most technologies are directed towards making the verdicts as accurate as possible. This has immensely enhanced the confidence of the players and fans. Spotting the illegal: Cricketers who are suspected of using unfair means are now tested at ICC-accredited centres. The result does not depend upon a human decision, which can have even an iota of bias, but is completely based on scientific measurements by sophisticated systems. Cricket from being just a sport has transformed into an experience. An experience that gives people a reason to feel and express their love for their nation. Not only does it evoke patriotism but also establishes a bond between lovers of the sport across the globe. Cricket teaches us to cross all boundaries, on and off the field. The cricket fraternity is going beyond all expectations to please the fans and to create enriching as well as memorable events for them. From pre-match analysis to post-match awards ceremonies – these events are meticulously planned to create compelling and impressive content that can generate enough buzz to keep the cricket buffs hooked.
The Bharat Army Indian fans cheer during Day 1 of the 4th Test between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 3 January 2019. Mark Evans/Getty Images
As we progress towards welcoming the future of cricket, the dynamism, the energy and the eclectic excitement around the sport will certainly ensure that cricket lovers have a ball!
References ynne-Thomas Peter (1997). From the Weald W to the World. Stationery Office Books. ● Altham H.S. (1962). A History of Cricket, Volume 1 (to 1914). George Allen & Unwin. ● Birley Derek (1999). A Social History of English Cricket. Aurum. ● Test matches – Team records. ESPNcricinfo. ● ODI matches – Team records. ESPNcricinfo. ● ICC Trophy – A brief history. ESPNcricinfo. ● ICC Cricket World Cup. 1 June 2013 at the ●
Wayback Machine. – ICC. Retrieved 30 June 2013. The official laws of cricket – MCC. ● “United States of America v Canada”. CricketArchive. Retrieved 2008-09-06. ● Ramachandra Guha (1998). “Cricket and Politics in Colonial India”. ● “First global market research project unveils more than one billion cricket fans”. www.icccricket.com/media-releases/759733 ● Robert Bowen (1967). Some Dates in Indian ●
Cricket History. Wisden Almanack. “Women’s Test matches”. ESPNcricinfo. ● “WODI matches – Team records”. ESPNcricinfo. ● “The history of Indian Women’s cricket”. ESPNcricinfo. ● Suprita Das (2018). Free Hit – The Story of Women’s Cricket in India. ● www.blindcricket.in ● https://www.indusind.com/content/forsports/ programmes/cricket-for-the-blind.html. ●
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“If it’s difficult I’ll do it now, if it’s impossible I’ll d lose the game because of the 11 you select. You wi – Rahul Dravid | “It’s hard work making batting look a balanced diet is a cheese burger in each hand” – you are the best, because the rest of your life is go “I have to learn from Sehwag how to play in the ne off the last over, pressure is on the bowler, not o crowd, you play for the country” – MS Dhoni | “If I’v or Dravid” – Brian Lara | “There is no shame in being b Vaughan | “Pujara is a classical musician in the era o a DNA test of AB de Villiers, this game is only for h a weapon. It gives me everything in life which h “If it’s difficult I’ll do it now, if it’s impossible I’ll d lose the game because of the 11 you select. You wi – Rahul Dravid | “It’s hard work making batting look a balanced diet is a cheese burger in each hand” – you are the best, because the rest of your life is go “I have to learn from Sehwag how to play in the ne off the last over, pressure is on the bowler, not o crowd, you play for the country” – MS Dhoni | “If I’v or Dravid” – Brian Lara | “There is no shame in being b Vaughan | “Pujara is a classical musician in the era o a DNA test of AB de Villiers, this game is only for h a weapon. It gives me everything in life which h
ll do it presently” – Don Bradman | “You don’t win or win or lose with what those 11 do on the field” ook effortless” – David Gower | “Shane Warne’s idea of nd” – Ian Healey | “First of all convince yourself that s going to go proving this to others” – Wasim Akram e nervous 90s” – Sachin Tendulkar | “If 15 runs are needed ot on MS Dhoni” – Ian Bishop | “You don’t play for the f I’ve to put anyone to bat for my life, it’ll be Kallis ng beaten by a genius. Virat Kohli is a freak” – Michael ra of Yo Yo Honey Singh” – HarshA Bhogle | “I demand or humans” – Aakash Chopra | “The bat is not a toy. It’s h helps me do everything on the field” – Virat Kohli ll do it presently” – Don Bradman | “You don’t win or win or lose with what those 11 do on the field” ook effortless” – David Gower | “Shane Warne’s idea of nd” – Ian Healey | “First of all convince yourself that s going to go proving this to others” – Wasim Akram e nervous 90s” – Sachin Tendulkar | “If 15 runs are needed ot on MS Dhoni” – Ian Bishop | “You don’t play for the f I’ve to put anyone to bat for my life, it’ll be Kallis ng beaten by a genius. Virat Kohli is a freak” – Michael ra of Yo Yo Honey Singh” – HarshA Bhogle | “I demand or humans” – Aakash Chopra | “The bat is not a toy. It’s h helps me do everything on the field” – Virat Kohli
“The bat is not a toy. It’s a weapon. It gives me everything in life which helps me do everything on the field.” Virat Kohli
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