COMEBACK KINGS
Potchefstroom, December 7
It was just a warm-up match at Potchefstroom, South Africa, on Thursday, but one man in the middle played as if it was the real Test.
Sourav Ganguly, who was unceremoniously booted out of international cricket over 10 months ago and whose epitaphs had been written and emailed, stood amid the ruins of the Indian batting, scoring a precious 83. “Dadagiri” was back and with a bang, boundaries and square drives.
After Irfan Pathan’s century, Ganguly’s was the biggest score yet by an Indian on the tour. The rest of the scoreboard said it all: Virender Sehwag gone for a duck; Sachin Tendulkar for 10; V.V.S. Laxman for 23.
Fired-up Jaspal shoots for a gold in Doha
Doha, December 7
Waking up with a fever of 103 degrees F is not the best way to begin a medal hunt at the Asian Games. But shooter Jaspal Rana steadied his hand, tossed aside criticisms about his form, and shot for the gold in the 25 m standard pistol event. It was India’s first gold in shooting at the current Asian Games, after R.S. Rathore and others settled for baser metals.
The 30-year-old Delhiite, who shot 574 out of 600, proved one more point: that 12 years after he won the gold at the Hiroshima Games, he remains among the country’s best shooters. “This is not a comeback for me. I was always there, just lying low,” said Rana, whose performance helped India win the silver in the team event as well.
The 30-year-old Delhiite, who shot 574 out of 600, proved one more point: that 12 years after he won the gold at the Hiroshima Games, he remains among the country’s best shooters. “This is not a comeback for me. I was always there, just lying low,” said Rana, whose performance helped India win the silver in the team event as well.