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The Hindu
16 hours ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
People still struggle to accept a wheelchair-bound person as an athlete: Paralympic TT medallist Bhavina Patel
In a little over a month, it'll be four years since Gujarat's Bhavina Patel clinched silver in Tokyo and gave India its first medal in table tennis at the Paralympics. Most recently, she bagged two singles gold medals in back-to-back international tournaments in Chinese Taipei. In the second tournament, she took down five-time Paralympic medallist Moon Sung-hye of South Korea in the final. Bhavina continues to sharpen her skills with major tournaments on the horizon, but feels the current scenario of para table tennis in India leaves much to be desired. The 38-year-old sat down with Sportstar, in between tournaments, to discuss the country's accessibility issues, her hope for a para UTT, and future coaching aspirations. Excerpts: In what ways have things changed for you since that silver medal in 2021 at the Tokyo Paralympics? I've seen how people's perception changes after you win your country a major medal. Distant relatives have suddenly remembered me. I've also stopped shying away from spending on equipment. We've also got more social media coverage. Even with my family, they trust me more now. Do you think if that medal hadn't come, all these changes would have happened? No, I don't think so. Before the medal, no one knew who Bhavina Patel was. Now, the whole world knows. Before the medal, people used to say things like 'She's wasting her father's money' and 'What's the point of doing all this?'. But I had the desire to do something for the country which didn't let me sleep. What do you think about para athletes being constantly viewed from the lens of inspiration? Till people don't know the level at which we play, the medals we've won, and how we have played at the Paralympics, they will think of us as becharas (helpless). Once they know, they salute. ALSO READ | Sharath Kamal's dream Table Tennis High Performance Centre to be up and running by August They can never look at a wheelchair-bound person and think of them as an athlete. Those who don't have someone like that in their family can never understand what disability is. Awareness campaigns should be run in the country, but I don't think we can change everyone's mindset, which is okay. We don't want people's sympathy. We might not have a leg or a hand, but we're mentally very strong and are capable of doing things able-bodied people can't do. Whenever we go abroad, there's a designated road or lane which makes people using a wheelchair feel independent. There's even a system in place at traffic signals which helps us cross the road. Such things should be introduced in India as well. The government makes lifts and ramps in many buildings for accessibility, but these facilities are not maintained properly. Even the elderly and pregnant people need such requirements, not just us. You couldn't recreate your Tokyo performance at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. What do you think went wrong? I'm happy with my performance. I was playing China's Ying Zhou in the quarterfinals, and I gave my best. I don't have any regrets from that tournament. They [Chinese players] never let their strategy leak out. Tactics, facilities, they have everything. It's their game, they are almost trained like robots. Recently, you attended the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) opening ceremony. Did you speak to the organisers about the possibility of a UTT for para table tennis players? I spoke to Vita Dani ma'am about possibly starting a UTT for para table tennis players. It'll give them a platform to show the level of their game. It can also be a confidence booster. ALSO READ | Patience, strategy and a robot: The rise of new table tennis sensation Divyanshi Bhowmick After seeing your rise in the sport, are there others from your village who want to take up table tennis and follow your path? There are many athletes who are coming up in Gujarat, but the stadiums either don't have a table or are far away. I have tables at my home, and I try to call some of them over for training. That's my wish — that after my retirement, I will give India an athlete who will go on to play at the Paralympics. I want to establish an academy which will guide athletes from their early stages right till they play the Paralympics. And, I'll do this without cost because I don't want them to face the financial hurdles I had to overcome. What more do you think can be done to help and improve para sports in India? The government has provided a lot of support through schemes like TOPS, but I feel some of the funding that goes to already established athletes — who have their own sponsors — can go to beginners and those at the grassroots for their support. That can help athletes come up from the remotest of areas as well, across disciplines.
The Hindu
19 hours ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
They are a team that believes they can win anything: Former England captain Allan Lamb on Ben Stokes' side
Ben Stokes led from the front as England went on to register one of its most thrilling wins against India in recent times at Lord's. As things got tough and India tried its best to dominate the game, Stokes extracted every bit from his teammates and ensured the side put up a spirited show to take a much-needed lead in the five-match series. Former England captain Allan Lamb believes that while England has slowly realised that it's important to adapt to the horses for courses approach, instead of getting into the Bazball mode every time, it is Stokes who has instilled that belief and positive mindset in the dressing room. 'When it comes to even chasing 180 on the last day, it is still a big thing in the mind, especially with India losing those wickets the night before. The pressure was always on India. Stokes had motivated that team. I think everything came down to Stokes, because the night before, he was so fired up. He wanted to bowl as he was fired up. And, he got his whole team behind him,' Lamb told Sportstar. 'They are a team that believes they can win anything. That brought a real positive approach to it…' Moving on from its Bazball model, where England would invariably insert the opponent and then chase down the target, the team decided to bat first, and that proved crucial. 'Everyone thinks that England is going to play the Bazball [way]. But now, they've learned when the wicket is not right to play the Bazball approach, they have to get in. I don't think it was a great wicket at Lord's. It was the right wicket to bat first on. It was very difficult to score runs,' he said. And, England eventually managed to win a low-scoring contest. While his captaincy has impressed Lamb, he wants to wait before passing a judgment on whether Stokes is one of the finest skippers to have led England. 'It's a little bit early, but his approach is great,' Lamb said. Allan Lamb of England plays a shot in the second Test against New Zealand at Lord's, held between June 21 to 26, 1990. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES 'They have got a very positive approach in terms of the way they play. If the wickets are flat, they're going to go after the ball. They want to score runs quickly because if you score runs, you get to 500, and by doing that, you are suddenly putting the sides under pressure…' That's exactly what India did in Birmingham. 'They put England out of the game. That's what it's all about. If you score big runs, and the quicker you score them, it's better because you take the other side out (of the game),' Lamb said. Turning up the heat The ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series has been a contrasting mix in some ways—with sedate over-rates and flaring tempers ruling the roost. Lamb, who belongs to a generation that viewed sledging and banter as going hand-in-hand, feels 'it's absolutely alright' for players to have heated arguments. 'In the second innings, England didn't want to lose the wicket on that last over. They thought one over was going to be enough, maybe then to survive, which they did. And there was a lot of heated feeling between the two sides. But that's cricket, that's what it's all about,' Lamb said. 'I think (Ravindra) Jadeja running into (Brydon) Carse was a bit accidental, but then, in a series like this, the teams should be fired up. They should be having a go at each other. That's what cricket is all about. It's not about patting people on the back. It is alright to have a bit of verbal with the opposition, and telling them, 'Hey, you are not good enough to be here.' That's what cricket is about,' Lamb said. Reminiscing about his playing days, Lamb, who featured in 79 Tests for England, said: 'When I played the game, people used to say, 'Well, how did you play Test cricket? How did you get selected?' They go at you and that's part of the game and there's nothing personal about it. I think getting into someone's face is personal, but banters and heated exchanges are absolutely alright in such games…'
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Nepal women's team coach Patrick De Wilde resigns after differences with federation
Belgian Patrick De Wilde has resigned as the head coach of the Nepal women's national team after having differences in opinion with the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA). The 61-year-old was appointed by the ANFA in June. His first major assignment with the side was the AFC Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers, in which Nepal lost out to Uzbekistan on penalties in a decisive fixture. In the other qualifiers, his side had beaten Laos and Sri Lanka comfortably, scoring a combined 17 goals against the two teams without conceding. Soon after the qualifiers, De Wilde came out to the media to vent his frustrations around how the federation operated and meddled in his work. Sportstar understands that the Belgium Pro Licence-holding coach will not continue his collaboration with ANFA over differences in their vision regarding the future development of women's football in the country. ANFA had announced that De Wilde's tenure would last one year. This was the Belgian's first stint of coaching a women's team. In his career of more than 20 years, he's coached clubs across Ukraine, China, Austria, and Tunisia and also coached national teams like Algeria, Hungary, and Lithuania. Most recently, he assisted China's Under-23 team and was appointed as Nepal Super League outfit Kathmandu Rayzrs FC head coach, technical director, and international scout.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Dickie Bird on slow over-rates during IND vs ENG: Umpires should not tolerate stoppages in play
Slow over-rates and frequent ball changes during the three Tests in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy have put the umpires, and their inability to maintain the tempo of play, under the scanner. Several former cricketers, including former England captain Michael Atherton, have criticised the umpires for losing their grip on the game. India captain Shubman Gill and England opener Zak Crawley were involved in a heated exchange in the third Test at Lord's. Ravindra Jadeja also drew flak for allegedly ignoring the umpire's message to get on with the game when he was having a drink between overs. Legendary umpire Dickie Bird now weighed in on the topic, stating that it's important for the umpires to be assertive and ensure that they have the last word on the field. 'Now, I see they are changing the ball every now and then, and that automatically slows down the game, but the umpires should make sure that they don't allow unnecessary breaks as it kills the buzz.'Dickie Bird 'The spectators pay a lot of money to watch Test matches nowadays. Too many stoppages is not a good advertisement for Test cricket. That's where the umpires need to be strong and tell the players such stoppages won't be tolerated,' Bird told Sportstar. The 92-year-old, who has followed the series closely, felt the on-field umpires could have been more stern with the frequent requests for ball changes. At a time when technology - Decision Review System - has diminished the authority of the umpires slightly, it is important for them to ensure that they are taken seriously. 'Now, I see they are changing the ball every now and then, and that automatically slows down the game, but the umpires should make sure that they don't allow unnecessary breaks as it kills the buzz,' he said. 'In my time, I would jokingly tell the players, 'come on, lads, get on with the game, let's not kill [the charm of] the game.' We would have a good laugh and I ensured that we were back in action as quickly as possible,' Bird, who officiated in 66 Tests and 69 ODIs, said. Ajit Wadekar, coach of the Indian cricket team, and umpire Dickie Bird (R) snapped at Harare Sports Club before the start of the cricket Test match between India and Zimbabwe in 1992. | Photo Credit: V.V. Krishnan/The Hindu Belonging to an era where many greats played the sport, a nostalgic Bird revealed that dealing with the biggest names of the sport wasn't a challenge. 'My era also had some great characters like Merv Hughes, Sachin Tendulkar and several others, who were stars. We had the best years, but we still got going without (much trouble),' he added. In a five-day Test, 90 overs are scheduled for each day. As per the rules, to prevent teams tactically wasting time to ensure a draw, all of the overs must be bowled on the fifth day, weather permitting. The ICC has also introduced penalties for slow over-rates. England was docked two points in the World Test Championship and fined 10 per cent of its match fee for a slow over-rate at Lord's.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Anshul Kamboj added as injury cover in India squad ahead of Manchester Test vs England
Fast bowler Anshul Kamboj has been added to India's squad ahead of the fourth Test as a cover for Arshdeep Singh, who suffered a cut on his bowling hand during a training session in Beckenham earlier this week. With Arshdeep unlikely to recover in time before the Test in Manchester, which begins on Wednesday, the national selection committee has decided to add the young fast bowler from Haryana as a back-up option. Sources in the BCCI confirmed the development to Sportstar and added that the pacer will link up with the squad later on Sunday. READ: With series on the line, captain Gill's real test begins now After a successful domestic season, where he claimed 79 wickets in 24 games for Haryana, Kamboj had a productive stint with India A during its two-match series against England. He claimed five wickets in two games, impressing the selectors with his performance. Last season, he claimed a 10-wicket haul in a Ranji Trophy innings, becoming the third cricketer to do so, after Premangshu Chatterjee and Pradeep Sunderram. With Arshdeep likely to take another 10 days to recover and Akash Deep still nursing an injury, it would be interesting to see if Kamboj is directly drafted into India's playing eleven. The Indian team will train at the Old Trafford on Sunday.
