Fair is not the only lovely or handsome: Abhinav Mukund slams racism

Agencies
August 10, 2017

New Delhi, Aug 10: Indian cricketer Abhinav Mukund has slammed racial abuse on social media, saying that he has himself been at the receiving end of insults and ridicule for his skin tone.

In a statement posted on his Twitter page, Mukund, who featured in the first Test against Sri Lanka in the ongoing series and scored 81 in the second innings, expressed his disappointment at some of messages sent to him targetting his skin tone.

The left-handed Tamil Nadu batsman, however, made it clear that his statement had nothing to do with any member of the Indian cricket team. "I am writing today not to garner sympathy or attention but with the hope to change the mindset of people on an issue I feel strongly about. I have been travelling a lot within and outside our country since I was 15. Ever since I was young, people's obsession with my skin colour has always been a mystery to me," his statement, posted last night, read.

"Anyone who follows cricket would understand the obvious. I have played and trained day in and day out in the sun and not even once have I regretted the fact that I have tanned or lost a couple of shades.

"It is simply because I love what I do and I have been able to achieve certain things only because I have spent hours outdoors. I come from Chennai probably one of the hottest places in the country and I have gladly spent most of my adult life in the cricket ground."

Further, the 27-year-old said that he has been subjected to this abuse for long and it has not ended.

"I have been subjected to a lot of name calling and I have laughed and shrugged it off because I had bigger goals! Affected young, I toughened up because this was never something that would pull me down.

"There were many times when I chose not to dignify these insults with responses. Today I am speaking up not just for me but for many from our country who experience ridicule based on the colour of one's skin. Obviously with the rise of social media, it has gone to magnitude that I see people hurling abuses left, right and centre at something I have absolutely no control over!

"Fair is not the only lovely or handsome guys! Stay true, stay focussed and be comfortable in your own skin," he concluded. His statement evoked strong response from his fans, who praised him for sharing his thoughts on the subject.

Bengal cricketer Manoj Tiwary, replying to him, tweeted, "Well said ABHINAV." In his latest post this morning, the 27-year-old Mukund made it clear that his statement has nothing to do with Indian team.

"Guys please don't turn this into something else,it has absolutely no connection to anyone in the team. It is mainly targeted at people Who have been posting abuses about colour and saying absolutely derogatory things about the tone of my skin. That s all !," he tweeted.

He further appealed,"Please don't turn this into something political,I just wanted to make a positive statement hoping to make a change. That's all."

Mukund has played seven Tests for India and is yet to make his ODI debut.

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News Network
June 3,2020

Colorado, Jun 3: Formula One boss Chase Carey has said that races will go ahead even if a driver tests positive for coronavirus.

His remarks come as organisers revealed a revised 2020 calendar and the schedule for the first eight races was put in the public domain.

"An individual having been found with a positive infection will not lead to a cancellation of a race. We encourage teams to have procedures in place so if an individual has to be put in quarantine, we have the ability to quarantine them at a hotel and to replace that individual," the official website of Formula One quoted Carey as saying.

"Some things we'd have to talk through and work through. The array of 'what ifs' are too wide to play out every one of them, but a team not being able to race would not cancel the race. I do not think I could sit here and lay out the consequences," he said.

Carey added the organisers will be having the necessary procedures in place so that the race does not get cancelled if a driver ends up testing positive for coronavirus.

"But we will have a procedure in place that finding infection will not lead to a cancellation. If a driver has an infection, teams have reserve drivers available," Carey said.

"We would not be going forward if we were not highly confident we have necessary procedures and expertise and capabilities to provide a safe environment and manage whatever issues arrive," he added.

The Formula One 2020 season will be beginning with the Austrian Grand Prix in July.

F1 currently expects the opening races to be closed events but hopes that fans will be able to attend again when it is safe to do so.

The season will kick off with the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring on July 5, followed a week later by a second race on the same track.

The Hungarian Grand Prix will follow a week after that, before a break. There will be then two back to back races at Silverstone, followed by the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.

The Belgian Grand Prix will follow that, with the Italian Grand Prix at Monza a week later on September 6.

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Agencies
January 14,2020

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News Network
May 21,2020

Mumbai, May 21: Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has chosen legendary Sachin Tendulkar over current skipper Virat Kohli as a better batsman in the ODI format, considering the changed rules of the game and the Mumbaikar's longevity of career.

Tendulkar, who retired in 2013, played 463 ODIs and amassed 18, 426 runs with 49 hundreds at an average of 44.83.

Kohli, on the other hand, has played 248 ODIs and scored 11, 867 runs with 43 tons at an average of 59.33.

"Sachin Tendulkar, because probably with one white ball and four fielders inside the circle, not five fielders outside, it will be Sachin Tendulkar for me," Gambhir said on Star Sports show 'Cricket Connected'.

Nowadays, a one-day innings is played with two white balls and with three powerplays.

In the first power play (overs 1-10), two fielders are allowed beyond the 30-yard circle, while in the second powerplay (overs 10-40) four fielders are allowed. In the last powerplay (overs 40-50), five fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle.

Gambhir, who was the star performer in 2011 ODI World Cup final which India won, feels that the change in rules has helped batsmen.

"It's difficult because Virat Kohli has done phenomenally well but I think the rules have changed as well, which has helped a lot of new batters," elaborated Gambhir, who played 58 Tests and 147 ODIs.

"The new generation, with 2 new balls, no reverse swing, nothing for the finger spin, five fielders inside for the 50 overs, probably that makes batting much easier.

He said he would also go with Tendulkar, considering his longevity and flow of the ODI cricket format at that time.

"Probably I’ll go with Sachin Tendulkar if we see the longevity and flow of the one-day cricket format.

"Look at how Sachin Tendulkar has played, different rules, that time 230 to 240, was a winning total," Gambhir signed off. 

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