'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On the occasion of National Sports Day, we decided to take stock of Indian sports and the condition each sport find itself in. In some sports, India has done remarkably well, and set benchmarks for the rest of the world to aspire to. In others, there is a lot of work to be done before we can even dream of calling ourselves champions.
There are few notable sports in which the country finds itself at crossroads, with organisations being de-recognised by world sport governing bodies and athletes suffering the brunt of mismanagement and high-handedness of the officials.
Sports like boxing and archery have been most affected, as more and more irregularities are found in the way the sport’s governing bodies work in India. In the case of athletics, athletes are being forced to participate as independent factions, rather than risk their careers by continuing to play under the tainted IOA banner.
Trending
So let’s take a look at how India is doing in a handful of sports: cricket, football, badminton, hockey, athletics, archery, boxing, wrestling, tennis, F1, shooting, squash, basketball and chess.
Cricket
The Good
By far the most profitable sport in the land. Viewership and sponsorship numbers in cricket have gone through the roof.
The Indian cricket team tops the ICC ODI rankings and is one of the best sides in Test cricket.
Emerging players are aiding in the smooth transition as veterans call it a day one after the other.
The Bad
The lack of transparency and accountability in the BCCI’s working continues to undo all the good work done on the field.
The IPL match-fixing saga had the fans in a frenzy.
What’s happening right now in Indian cricket
The Indian senior team is currently enjoying a rare and much-needed break from international cricket. Australia visit in October and then there is the much-anticipated tour of South Africa.
The India A side recently completed a tour of South Africa and are currently playing New Zealand.
Ranking
ODIs: 1
Test: 3
T20: 3
Football
The Good
The heartwarming rags-to-riches story of the Yuwa girls captured the country’s attention and brought to light the latent talent in India.
Indian teenage sensation Brandon Fernandes is set to make a mark in world football.
The Bad
Despite the wide football fan-base in the country, the AIFF, the governing body for football in India, has struggled in marketing the game fully and migrating the millions of EPL fans that the country boasts of, to the I-League.
Lack of international friendlies has hurt the national team in the recent past, with six international friendly defeats in a row – three of them coming under the tutelage of coach Wim Koevermans. The most recent defeat, against Tajikistan, brings to light the issues plaguing the AIFF.
India had not played an international game for five months prior to the game against Tajikistan – a disturbing statistic, and one that needs to be addressed.
What’s happening right now in Indian football
The 2013 SAFF Championship, a tournament that India have won a record six times, is set to showcase the national team in action in Nepal. Hopes are high that India will bring home the cup for a seventh time, with preparations in full swing in Bangalore.
IPL-style tournament mooted by IMG-Reliance, I-League clubs protest.
Ranking
Men’s Football Team
FIFA Ranking: 145 , Asia Ranking: 24
Women’s Football Team
FIFA Ranking: 50, Asia Ranking: 11
Badminton
The Good
PV Sindhu’s meteoric rise in the world of badminton was rewarded with a bronze medal finish at the recently concluded World Championships.
The Indian Badminton League, a franchise-based tournament, has given a fantastic platform to the sport.
It remains to be seen whether this transforms the fortunes of badminton in India, but the signs are encouraging, with fans thronging the stadiums and cheering on their favourite superstars.
Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu break into women’s singles top 10, and Parupalli Kashyap leads the men’s charge at No. 14.
The Bad
In a case of alarmingly lax work by offficials, four Indian badminton players found that their names were not sent by the Badminton Federation of India (BFI) for their respective events at the Nanjing Asian Youth Games. The shuttlers were left in a state of limbo, with no communication regarding their next move.
IBL auction controversy ensured a shaky start for badminton’s latest initiative.
What’s happening right now in Indian badminton
IBL 2013 draws to a close, the Saina Nehwal-led Hyderabad team oust the Ashwini Ponappa-led Pune team 3-0 to reach the finals.
Ranking
Highest ranked player in Women’s Singles: Saina Nehwal (4)
Highest ranked player in Men’s Singles: Parupalli Kashyap (14)
Highest ranked players in Men’s doubles: Pranaav Jerry Chopra and Akshay Dewalkar (38)
Highest ranked players in Women’s doubles: Ashwini Ponnappa and Pradnya Gadre (29)
Hockey
The Good
In December 2012, the Indian Men’s hockey team finished 4th in the 34th Champions Trophy in Melbourne and followed that up with a bronze medal finish at the 2012 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
In the recently held 7th Women’s Junior Hockey World Cup, the Indian girls created history by grabbing bronze for the first time ever.
The young guns beat England 3-2 in the bronze medal playoff match to notch India’s first podium finish at the event.
Indian junior women’s team
The Bad
Indian hockey hit its nadir at the 2012 London Olympics, when the men’s team returned home after finishing last. Coach Michael Nobbs and the team came in for a lot of criticism following the dismal performance, but things have improved since.
What’s happening right now in Indian hockey
The Asia Cup 2013 is the last opportunity for the teams to grab a World Cup seat.
The men’s team has already reached the semifinals of the ongoing Asia Cup after knocking out defending champions South Korea. They face Malaysia in the semifinals, and a win in this match would take the team one step closer to the World Cup. Interim coach Roelant Oltmans has high expectations from his wards.
The women’s team is set to compete in the Asia Cup in late September, and it has been slotted into a tough group alongside defending champions China, hosts Malaysia and Hong Kong.
P R Sreejesh (File photo)
Ranking
Indian Men’s Hockey Team: 11
Indian Women’s Hockey Team: 12
Athletics
The Good
Indian athletes register strong performance at the 20th Asian Athletics Championships. India finished 6th overall in the medal tally with 2 gold, 5 silver and 10 bronze medals.
The amazing story of Anjana Thamke, a Nasik-based girl who won the gold medal in girl’s 800 metres at the Asian Youth Games.
Photo courtesy Anglian Medal Hunt
Padma Shri awardee Devendra Jhajharia won the gold medal in F42 Men’s Javelin throw event at the IPC (International Paralympic Commitee) World Championships. Jhajharia, who won the gold in the Athens Paralympics in 2004, is a one-armed javelin thrower from Rajasthan.
The Bad
The ongoing ban on the Indian Olympics Association or IOA (the national Olympic committee), invoked in the first place due to a tainted official (Lalit Bhanot) being made eligible for the post of secretary-general, resulted in no funding from the International Olympic Committee IOC to the IOA and Indian athletes being banned from competing at the Olympics under the country’s flag.
Recently, the IOC drove home its point in the form of a letter to the IOA, where it clearly states that no official who has been convicted by the courts of the nation can be allowed to be eligible for election for the country’s Olympic association post. Only when fresh elections are held will the ban on the IOA and its athletes be lifted.
18 Indian athletes were sent home from the Asian Youth Games in Nanjing, China after being found overage. Amidst the blame-game and the mud-slinging, it was the athletes who suffered the most.
Ranking
Vikas Gowda
Men’s Overall Ranking: 228, Men’s Discus Throw: 7
Archery
The Good
The Indian women’s recurve team, consisting of Deepika Kumari, Bombayala Devi and Rimil Buriuly, pipped top seeds South Korea in the final to take the gold medal in the Archery World Cup in Poland.
Deepika Kumari led India to their second successive gold medal in the Archery World Cup Wroclaw, Poland
The Indian archery team collected a haul of eight medals, including two gold, two silver and four bronze, in the first Asian Grand Prix Archery Championship.
Indian Junior archers win four medals, including a gold, at the Asian Grand Prix Archery Championship.
The Bad
Sports Ministry derecognises AAI, World Federation lends support to AAI (Archery Association of India ), chaos ensues.
Triumphant archers return home to rude reception from media personnel. Archers harassed for questions despite repeated pleas from jet-lagged archers to leave them alone.
Indian women archers Rimil Buriuly (L), Deepika Kumari (C) and Bombayla Devi pose with their gold medals
What’s happening right now in Indian archery
The Indian archery contingent travels to Turkey for the World Championships in September. Following success in the Archery World Cup in China and Poland, medal hopes are high.
Ranking
Deepaki Kumari: World No. 2
Boxing
The Good
Shiva Thapa became the youngest Indian to win the gold at the Asian Championships last month. The Olympian and 2012 Asian Olympic Qualifying tournament gold medallist reasserted his stature as one of the rising stars of Indian boxing with another brilliant performance in the title round of the ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championship.
Indian pugilists create history by winning a European circuit tournament for the first time. The Indian pugilists displayed grit and talent throughout the tournament, and a stunning performance in the finals ensured that the team took home a total tally of 10 medals — four gold, three silver and three bronze – ensuring first place in the overall standings for the Indian contingent.
Manoj Kumar of India
Young Indian boxers painted a bright future for themselves by winning four gold medals in an international youth boxing tournament in Kikinda, Serbia.
The Bad
Following the AIBA banning the IBF (Indian Boxing Federation) in December 2012, the world boxing governing body extended the suspension to all AIBA competitions post the October World Championships. In a letter to the IBF, the AIBA appealed to the IBF to hold fresh elections so as to ease the confusion and suffering of its boxers.
Vijender Singh’s name being dragged into the heroin consumption controversy brought fresh trouble for a sport that had already been shamed by the IBF fiasco.
What’s happening right now in Indian boxing
The Indian boxing contingent is gearing up for the World Championships to be held from October 11-27. The AIBA had already granted Indian boxers entry into the tournament before the IBF de-recognition.
Ranking
Highest ranked player in Men’s category
Devendro Singh: World No. 2 (46-49 kg)
Highest ranked player in Women’s category
Mary Kom: World No. 3 (51 kg)
Wrestling
The Good
India finished with nine medals – 2 gold, 1 silver and 6 bronze – their best-ever tournament display – at the 26th Asian Wrestling Championship. Amit Kumar Dhankar picked up India’s second gold medal as the hosts put up their best-ever showing.
Virender Singh, a deaf-mute wrestler hailing from Delhi, won India’s only gold medal at the Deaflympics in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Saturday. He competed in the men’s 74kg freestyle event at the 22nd Summer Deaflympics.
Virender Singh
Junior Indian wrestlers create history by bagging 17 of the 24 medals up for grabs in the recently concluded Asian Junior Championships in Thailand. At the Cadet Asian Championships in Mongolia, Indian wrestlers grabbed a further 3 gold, 9 silver and 9 bronze medals. India also bagged the Championship Trophy in the freestyle category.
The Bad
Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar revealed that he was offered money to throw the final championship bout in the world meet at Moscow in 2010. The Russian contingent is alleged to have offered Kumar Rs. 5 crore to throw the final match.
Indian wrestling legend Kartar Singh handed six-year ban by Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) for allegedly conducting a sham tournament without any top wrestlers contesting. Despite repeated pleas by the WFI to postpone the Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Wrestling Tournament 2012, Kartar Singh went ahead with it and is alleged to have pocketed sponsorship fees in the region of Rs. 1 crore.
What’s happening right now in Indian wrestling
Budapest is set to host the World Wrestling Championships from September 16 to 22. Sushil Kumar’s involvement in the marquee event is still doubtful.
Ranking
Highest ranked player: Amit Kumar: Asia No.1, World No. 4 (55 kg, Freestyle category)
Tennis
What’s happening right now in Indian tennis
12-time Grand Slam doubles champion Mahesh Bhupathi outlined his plans for the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL), a franchise based tennis tournament featuring the who’s who of tennis. The tournament is set to be launched in late 2014.
Somdev Devvarman continues his resurgence in the world of tennis at the ongoing US Open. Devvarman knocked out Lukas Lacko in the first round.
Mahesh Bhupathi is set to team up with Swiss Miss Martina Hingis for the 2013 US Open mixed doubles. This is Bhupathi’s last Grand Slam.
Rohan Bopanna achieved a career-high ranking of 5 in the ATP World Tour doubles rankings, following his semifinal appearance at Wimbledon.
Ranking
Highest ranked Men’s singles player: Somdev Devvarman (114)
Highest ranked Men’s doubles player: Rohan Bopanna (7)
Highest ranked Women’s singles player: Ankita Raina (311)
Highest ranked Women’s doubles player: Sania Mirza (16)
F1
Indian motorsport enthusiasts were handed a bitter blow when F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone confirmed that the Buddh International Circuit would not be playing host to Formula One in the year 2014. Ecclestone expressed hope of seeing the Indian GP back again on the circuit in 2015. It is rumoured that the teams are not comfortable with the customs and tax laws, as well as the political red tape involved in hosting the race.
India’s first F1 driver Narain Karthikeyan called for government support in ensuring the sport does not lose its footing in India.
Shooting
Rahi Sarnobat became the first Indian to win a World Cup gold when she won the 25m pistol final in the ISSF World Cup held in Korea. Prakash Nanjappa won the bronze medal in the men’s 10 metre Air Pistol event.
Rahi Sarnobat
As of March 1st 2013, Vijay Kumar is the top-ranked shooter in Asia in the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men’s category with 2,321 points, more than 300 points clear of second-placed Ding Feng of China.
Shooter Abhinav Bindra, the only Indian to win an individual Olympic gold, has been recommended for the Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian honour, by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI). India’s ace double trap shooter Ronjan Sodhi was selected for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna.
Ranking
10m Air Rifle Men: Gagan Narang (World No. 8)
25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men: Vijay Kumar (World No. 4)
Squash
At the recently concluded Asian Youth Games, the Indian squash contingent grabbed 1 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze. Kush Kumar beat Mohd Syafiq Kamal of Malaysia in the men’s final to bring home the sole gold medal.
Ranking
Highest ranked Indian: Dipika Pallikal: World No. 15
Basketball
The Indian men’s basketball team competed in the FIBA Asian Championships recently, held in Manila, Philippines. India managed to finish 11th after beating Bahrain in the last match. Against Japan, India had a healthy lead and had they won that match they would have finished in the top 10.
Coach Scott Fleming’s men lost all their matches in the second round but ensured they avenged their early loss against Bahrain.
Ranking
Men’s Basketball team: 58
Women’s Basketball team: 40
Chess
Grandmaster and former world junior champion Abhijeet Gupta won the Commonwealth Chess Championship held in South Africa in July 2013. It was a clean sweep of medals as veteran Grandmaster Dibyendu Barua got the silver medal and Grandmaster M.R. Lalith Babu won the bronze.
Among women, Soumya Swaminathan won the silver medal, while national women’s champion Mary Ann Gomes won the bronze.
The Indians also swept the junior section with G. Akash winning the gold, Sahaj Grover getting silver and Rakesh Kulkarni securing the bronze medal. Kulkarni also won the South African Open blitz championship.
World chess champion Vishwanathan Anand is confident of defending his title when he faces Magnus Carlsen in Chennai in the World Chess Championship. The event in set to start in November 2013.
Ranking
Highest ranked player: Vishwanathan Anand, world no. 7
