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Indian Express
3 days ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Nephew Nadal and how everyone needs to have an Uncle Toni in their lives
Back in the day, Rafael Nadal, 15, endured a strange evening. In the company of two men he respected, Rafa sat silently listening to them speculate about his future. This was early 2000 and Nadal, along with his coach and uncle, Toni, were guests at the home of Spain's national hero of that period – the square-jawed, long-haired Carlos Moya. During dinner, Moya, Spain's first-ever World No.1, threw a ridiculous question at Toni. Can you sign on a paper proclaiming that Rafael will turn out to be as good as Albert Costa? Just a few months back, Costa had won the French Open. Not known for diplomacy or false modesty, Toni declined. In his deep tenor-like voice, he said Nadal would do better than Costa. Moya didn't end the game there. 'Do you think he is as good as me, can you sign on to that?' Years later, recalling those bizarre meal-time events in a podcast; Toni said he reluctantly signed the paper just to be courteous to their generous host. But once the goodbyes were done and Toni was sure that the door behind their back was shut, he looked at an utterly confused young Rafa. 'I told him, I should have never signed on it but had to. I am sure you will be better than him. For me, it is not enough for you to be Carlos Moya.' Everyone deserves an Uncle Toni in their lives but only a few lucky nephews and nieces are blessed to have one. Nadal would at times feel the greatness inside him but he wasn't sure. Toni was always around to remind Rafa that he was the 'Special One'. The uncle also forced him to train hard, shielded him from distractions and, like that evening at Moya's home, didn't let his impressionable ward be satisfied by being merely as good as one of his idols and limit his goals. That day when he had signed the paper at Moya's home, Toni knew Rafa would one day put his indelible signature on the game. What he couldn't have imagined, it would be in the form of a red-clay footmark, etched on a sparkling white tile and cemented next to the net at Court Philippe Chatrier forever. Who could have read the mind of the aesthetically blessed and incredibly graceful French? In his teary, emotional speech at his grand Paris farewell the other day, where the French in the stands kept reaching for their handkerchiefs, Nadal extended a 'thousand thank yous' to Toni. He did mention his parents, sister, friends and wife but Nadal's virtual 'what do I say' surrender when it came to paying tribute to his mentor and guide underlined uncle Toni's role in the making of the Clay King. This was so like Sachin Tendulkar at the end of his career at Wankhede, pouring his heart out when talking about his own Toni – elder brother Ajit. 'Toni, you are the reason I am here. Thank you for dedicating a large part of your life to wanting to be with me. Training, speaking and winning, making me suffer, making me laugh, and pushing me to my limit. What I experienced was not always easy but, without doubt, it was worth the pain. Toni, my gratitude for the sacrifice you made for me is infinite. The best trainer I could have had. A thousand thank yous.' In the stands, Toni was being his stone-faced self. His eyes did squint, but there were no tears. He had been at Nadal's 14 triumphs here, sat through some disappointing losses, gulped down emotions watching his warrior nephew play through pain. He had seen it all. This was a happy 'last goodbye' party. Known as 'Dr No' for his stubborn nature, Toni isn't known to be the sentimental kind. Having an uncle, and not a father, as coach has some unique advantages. With a parent, a child can take liberties, throw a tantrum to try to get concessions in training. A strict uncle doesn't allow all that. Toni had a torturous coaching regime – he would make a young Rafa train on under-prepared clay courts, make him play with old bald balls, didn't allow him to drink water during a session, forced him to have endless repetitions and on days even reduced him to tears. Teenager Rafael Nadal playing tennis with uncle Toni 😊 — Luigi Gatto (@gigicat7_) October 16, 2024 But Toni knew the limits of the young boy's patience. He ensured that Nadal didn't start to hate tennis. He would also cajole him, show patience with his mistakes and also be his protector. Once Toni couldn't travel for a tournament with pre-teen Nadal, so he asked a local coach to accompany him. Before they left, Toni had a word with the new coach. 'Don't be tough with my nephew, I am tough enough,' he said. Nadal's father was Toni's elder brother and they all lived in one big building. The family patriarch was a musician. Rafael was the family's first grandchild, a favourite among his uncles. In his book 'The Warrior: Rafael Nadal and His Kingdom of Clay,' Christopher Clarey mentions how Toni, besides teaching him tennis skills, was also his 'unofficial performance psychologist'. He was an incredible story-teller, who wanted the trust of his nephew. Toni wanted Nadal to believe that he had magical powers and can do anything – even make him invincible. A charming little anecdote from the time Nadal was seven explains this. To relax his nephew before a crucial game against an 11-year-old, Toni came up with a story. He told Little Nadal that in case he was trailing in the game, he could magically arrange for rain and the game would be washed out. The game would start with Nadal trailing 4-0 and Toni getting restless. But the tide turned and it was 4-3 soon. That's when the skies opened up and there was a downpour. Nadal took his word. He was too obedient to challenge his elder. The match had started with Nadal 0-4 down. Toni's promised showers were nowhere around. Left with no option, Nadal hit back. 1-4, 2-4, 3-4 … Over to the book, where Clarey quotes Toni. 'At 4–3, it starts to rain, so I stop the match and take shelter on a porch at the club. And Rafa comes up to me when the other player can't see him and tells me, 'Listen … I think you can stop the rain because I think I can beat this guy.'' That lovely story then takes a big jump. Cut to 2008 and the Wimbledon final against Federer. Here Nadal takes the first two sets and it starts to rain. 'Toni reached Rafael in the locker room during the forced break, Rafael's first words to him were – 'Now was not the time to make it rain!', writes Clarey. The two laugh and after a while the rain actually stops. Nadal loses the next two sets, but in the final set, beats Federer to win his first Wimbledon. It was a miracle, a Spaniard had won on grass. So how could Toni agree that his nephew was as good as Costa or Moya? How could he have undervalued the precious diamond he was so diligently polishing? Everyone deserves an Uncle Toni in their lives but only a few lucky nephews and nieces are blessed to have them.
India Today
22-05-2025
- Sport
- India Today
Hardik Pandya never gives up, good to see his turnaround in IPL 2025: Ajay Jadeja
Hardik Pandya soaked in the roar of a rapturous Wankhede as he led Mumbai Indians' lap of honour on Wednesday, May 21. The MI captain was all smiles, celebrating a resounding 59-run win over Delhi Capitals that sealed their spot in the IPL 2025 play-offs. It was a moment of redemption and resurgence and Hardik stood proudly at the heart of a high-profile transfer from Gujarat Titans, Hardik had taken over the captaincy from Rohit Sharma — a fan favourite. When results didn't go MI's way in 2024, it was Hardik who bore the brunt of the backlash as MI finished bottom of the 2025: MI vs DC Highlights But Hardik did not throw in the towel. The pressure mounted once again this season after MI lost four of their first five matches. However, the five-time champions staged a stunning comeback, winning seven of their next eight games to storm into the play-offs in the season, Hardik has remained content to stay in the background, focused on getting the best out of a star-studded squad. On Wednesday, they delivered under pressure, displaying the composure of a team accustomed to big-match COOLadvertisementFormer India batter Ajay Jadeja heaped praise on Hardik's leadership, noting that the all-rounder hasn't altered his captaincy style but has simply managed his team more effectively this time has already proved his credentials, having led Gujarat Titans to the IPL title in 2022 and the final in 2023. Now, he'll be aiming to guide Mumbai Indians to a record sixth championship.'Hardik has been fabulous. He has got the energy. He has got a different style of captaining. Unfortunately, last season wasn't a success. He has kept his cool. He has carried on the way he captains, whether he was at GT, whether it was last year,' Jadeja told JioStar.'He is an excellent motivator. He is one man who has shown he never gives up. Yes, there is an excellent analytical team out there who is helping him out. But the energy that he brings in!'It's lovely to see, for a man who has had such a tough time last year — with the same team, same ground, same fans — he has turned it around. The same fans at this ground were booing him last year; now they are cheering for him. That shows his character. You want to always have a leader like him — not just when you're winning, but when you are losing as well.'BETTER BOWLING GROUP, BETTER RESULTSadvertisementJadeja also pointed out that Hardik has benefitted from a vastly improved bowling line-up in IPL 2025, so much so that the captain himself hasn't needed to bowl in most Jasprit Bumrah carried much of the bowling burden last season with 20 wickets in 13 matches, this year he has found ample support from Trent Boult, Mitchell Santner and Deepak Chahar. The trio have collectively picked up 37 wickets, while Hardik himself has chipped in with 13.'The results have come his way this year. I think he has got a better bowling attack this year. So that makes a big difference.'A man who bowls for India and plays as a pure bowler is not even required. That's the kind of arsenal that has been put around him. A captain is always as good as his team.'Mumbai Indians will now look to finish in the top two and earn themselves an extra shot at reaching the final. Their final league fixture will be against Punjab Kings on Monday in MI, PBKS, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans completing the line-up, the play-offs race for IPL 2025 is officially over — and the business end updated on IPL 2025 with India Today! Get match schedules, team squads, live score, and the latest IPL points table for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Plus, keep track of the top contenders for the IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap. Don't miss a moment!Must Watch IN THIS STORY#IPL 2025
Hindustan Times
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Surya, Santner and Bumrah guide MI into playoffs; DC out
Mumbai: T20 is the most merciless of formats in cricket. Up until the 19th over, Mumbai Indians batters had managed only three overs with double digit returns, the highest being a 15-run over. In the final two overs, Naman Dhir and Suryakumar Yadav combined for an almighty onslaught, with five fours and five sixes. All of Delhi Capitals' hard work over 90% of their bowling was undone in two expensive overs by Mukesh Kumar (27 runs) and Dushmantha Chameera (21 runs). From 132/5 in 18 overs and aiming to post a fighting 160, MI soared to 180 on a Mumbai pitch offering grip and turn on Wednesday. DC batters were no match, dismissed for 121. MI's 59-run win saw them book the fourth playoff berth. DC became the sixth team to be left stranded before IPL 2025's final week. In the final over, as Chameera leaked boundaries, DC captain Faf du Plessis kept coming to his bowler to discuss the field for the next ball. Despite du Plessis's calmness, the Sri Lankan pacer never recovered his composure or control. Dhir, MI's designated finisher, played the most crucial hand (24 - 8b, 2x4,2x6). That and Surya's 73 not out (43b, 7x4,4x6), marked by late acceleration, meant 48 runs came in the final two overs. It swung the equation in the home side's favour. At the innings break, smiles were back in the MI dugout, the Wankhede crowd had found their voice. Earlier, another packed house wearing newly minted Rohit Sharma jerseys, didn't get a reason to cheer for their hero. Rohit, playing at the Wankhede since a stand was named after him, perished on five to another left-arm seamer's dismissal – caught behind off Mustafizur Rahman in the third over. Most of the remaining Powerplay was cat-and-mouse play. Will Jacks came to the crease to hit out against pace but was soon greeted by Vipraj Nigam's leg-spin. Jacks got away, only to fall to Mukesh Kumar's slower ball. Jacks (21) and Ryan Rickelton (25) batted with freedom in the Powerplay – 54/2- before batting got tough. DC would have loved Axar Patel's overs in the middle as the ball began to grip, but the skipper did not play due to illness. Watching Axar and Kuldeep Yadav challenge Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma would have been a box office middle overs contest. Enter Nigam, DC's 20-year-old leg-spinner from UP. He applied the squeeze on Surya, who had until then swept spinners at will for most of the tournament. Nigam's miserly spell (4-0-25-0) complemented Kuldeep's guile; the India spinner, with figures of 4-0-22-1, came into his own with the pitch taking significant turn. The Surya-Varma fourth wicket stand was only a little over run-a-ball (55 off 49b), giving a measure of how difficult batting had become as DC's pacers also began to bowl off-pace. KL Rahul had not played a shot in anger during his century in the previous match on being promoted as opener. In an uncharacteristic hurry during DC's chase, he swiped outside off-stump in an early exchange against Trent Boult's angle. His top hand came off the bat as Rickelton behind the stumps completed the catch. As Rahul (11) returned to the change room, and with captain du Plessis already dismissed, DC's tournament hopes lay in tatters. From 20/2, DC could never mount a fight after losing their two big batting names. Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner (4-0-11-3) ran riot in the middle overs, extracting prodigious turn. How different T20 cricket can look with the cushion of runs. MI's late batting blitz and their sharp bowling made the difference.
Hindustan Times
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Why is Axar Patel not captaining Delhi Capitals against Mumbai Indians? DC's new skipper Faf du Plessis answers
Faf du Plessis walked out for the toss instead of Axar Patel in Delhi Capitals' must-win game against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, leaving fans scratching their heads. A few minutes later, du Plessis himself ended the suspense by revealing the reasons behind Axar Patel's absence. Du Plessis said Axar was suffering from flu. "He has been really ill for the last two days, down with flu. We'll miss him today," du Plessis said after winning the toss and opting to field first in the match against MI that could virtually seal the last remaining place in the IPL playoffs. When asked about the composition of the side, du Plesis said there was no like-for-like replacement for "a great bowler and brilliant batter like Axar". "Axar is not there, Axar is two players and it's difficult to replace him. We'll see how it goes," du Plessis. Young Madhav Tiwari, who is a fast-bowling all-rounder from Madhya Pradesh, was brought into the side in place of Axar. The former South Africa captain said DC have not been at their best in the last few games but they would like to make a solid case for the playoff by beating MI on Wednesday. "The last game of the season, you have a crack to get to the top four, you'll smile and you'll grab that opportunity with both hands. Playing a good team today, we are ready for it. We haven't been at our best in the last 5-6 games. Everyday there's a new opportunity,. Looks a bit different to a normal Wankhede wicket, a bit dry, so we're sticking with the tone of the campaign and chasing," he said. Teams: Delhi Capitals (Playing XI): Faf du Plessis(c), Abishek Porel(w), Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Madhav Tiwari, Kuldeep Yadav, Dushmantha Chameera, Mustafizur Rahman, Mukesh Kumar Delhi Capitals Impact Subs: KL Rahul, Sediqullah Atal, Karun Nair, Tripurana Vijay, Manvanth Kumar Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Ryan Rickelton(w), Rohit Sharma, Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya(c), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah. Mumbai Indians Impact Subs: Karn Sharma, Corbin Bosch, Raj Bawa, Ashwani Kumar, Satyanarayana Raju
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
MI vs DC Pitch Report: Batting-friendly Wankhede pitch & evening weather set stage for high-stakes match
Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals will face off in a high-pressure encounter on Wednesday, May 21, at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. With only one playoff spot left in IPL 2025, both teams are entering the match with everything to play for. Mumbai, currently sitting at 14 points, need just one more win from their remaining two games to secure qualification. The match between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals will begin at 7:30 PM IST at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Live telecast will be available on the Star Sports Network, and fans can stream the match on JioCinema. Whether the weather plays spoilsport or sets the stage for a classic finish, Wankhede is ready for a showdown. Delhi, slightly behind with 13 points, must win both their remaining fixtures — including a challenging match against Punjab Kings — to keep their playoff hopes alive. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Specialist Down Jackets for Ultralight Adventures Trek Kit India Learn More Undo This match effectively acts as a 'knockout', given the playoff implications. Mumbai Indians, led by Hardik Pandya, have a slight edge with their current position in fourth place on the points table. A win would cement their spot in the top four. Delhi Capitals, captained by Axar Patel, sit just behind in fifth place and need to win both remaining games to sneak into the playoffs. Live Events Mumbai will bank on their experienced lineup featuring Rohit Sharma — returning to competitive cricket after his Test retirement — and Suryakumar Yadav, who has been in exceptional touch this season. However, they'll face a selection challenge ahead of the playoffs, as South African players Ryan Rickelton and Corbin Bosch are expected to leave the squad before the knockout phase begins. Pitch report: Wankhede expected to favour batters The Wankhede Stadium has consistently produced high-scoring contests in the IPL, and the pitch for Wednesday's game is expected to continue that trend. The surface offers a true bounce and short square boundaries — measuring 66 and 61 metres — which are favourable for aggressive strokeplay. However, the slightly longer 74-metre straight boundary may add a layer of difficulty for big-hitting down the ground. With the recent rainfall in the city, there may be some moisture on the surface, offering early movement for seamers. This could make the initial overs challenging for batters, especially under overcast skies. As the game progresses, the pitch tends to settle, and spinners may get some grip later in the innings. Due to expected dew in the second half, chasing might be easier, and the team winning the toss is likely to opt for bowling first. Historically, the average first innings score at the venue sits around 170, with the highest recorded total being 235. Mumbai Indians have an impressive record at Wankhede, having won 55 out of 91 matches played at the venue. In contrast, Delhi Capitals have struggled here, winning only 6 out of 18 games. Weather forecast: Threat of rain looms Mumbai has been experiencing heavy rain over the past 24 hours, prompting the India Meteorological Department to issue a yellow alert for the region. Thunderstorms, accompanied by lightning and gusty winds, were reported late Tuesday night, and the IMD has predicted similar conditions for Wednesday morning and afternoon. There is more than a 60 percent chance of rain during the day, and both MI and DC were forced to wrap up training early on Tuesday evening due to persistent showers. In response to the inclement weather, Delhi Capitals co-owner Parth Jindal reportedly requested the IPL management to consider relocating the game, though no official move has been confirmed. Despite the gloomy outlook earlier in the day, the evening forecast offers a silver lining. The likelihood of rain drops significantly after 7 PM, with only a 7 percent chance of precipitation during match hours. Temperatures are expected to hover around 29 degrees Celsius, with high humidity levels of up to 78 percent, which could lead to discomfort for players. While the skies will remain cloudy, the improving weather conditions suggest that the game is likely to proceed without major interruptions.
