India can be in Asia top 10: Baichung Bhutia backs Constantine's faith in youngsters

January 6, 2016

Kolkata, Jan 6: Former India football captain Baichung Bhutia on Wednesday said the national team can be among the top 10 countries in Asia in near future through developing strong U-15 and U-17 teams.

Bhutia "Through the under-15, under-17, we are going to develop so that within the next 10 to 15 years we can be one of the top 10 teams in Asia. Let's not talk about the World Cup and be unrealistic,"

Bhutia told reporters in Kolkata at a Walk For a Cause media conference where he has been roped in as a goodwill ambassador."We are now spending on the youth, at the moment we should give strong support, money to grassroot development."

The 39-year-old Bhutia credited coach Stephen Constantine for the SAFF Cup triumph recently.

India defeated Afghanistan 2-1 to win their seventh SAFF Cup.

"In the SAFF games, we have seen a lot of new players have been brought in. We have to congratulate Stephen on the success and for getting in guys like Lallianzuala (Chhangte). He was also under a lot of pressure after the World Cup qualifiers but he has now won the SAFF with so many new players, so we must give him credit," Bhutia said.

"It is all on the training camps. If Stephen gets time to prepare players, India will have results. Ultimately, if the national team does well, Indian football will progress. If national team does not do well, I-League, ISL -- nothing will succeed."

On the I-League, he said, "I-League is deteriorating in terms of crowd and fan following. We should not forget I-League has produced many players. There's no doubt that the competition and the standard of the league has increased but in terms of popularity and crowd it hasn't happened.

"For the federation, I-League is very important. Whoever wins it can play in the Asian Football Confederation Cup (AFC) and all, so it is a very important tournament. The clubs and the federation should work towards the betterment of I-League. Even though we have ISL now, the federation should support the I-League."

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India beat Sri Lanka by 7 wickets in 2nd T20

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January 8,2020

Indore, Jan 8: Skipper Virat Kohli struck an unbeaten 30 as India beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the second Twenty20 international in Indore on Tuesday.

The hosts rode a 71-run opening stand between KL Rahul, who hit 45, and Shikhar Dhawan, who made 32, to chase down their target of 143 in 17.3 overs and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after the first match was rained off.

Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga took the wickets of the Indian openers but Shreyas Iyer, who scored 34 before falling to paceman Lahiru Kumara, and Kohli, who hit the winning six, got the team home.

The third match is on Friday in Pune.

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I thought of committing suicide thrice, reveals Shami

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May 3,2020

New Delhi, May 3: In a startling revelation, India speedster Mohammed Shami has claimed that he thought of committing suicide thrice while battling personal issues a few years ago, forcing his family to keep a watch over him at all times.

He said his family members feared he "might jump" from their 24th floor apartment.

Shami, one of India's leading bowlers in recent years, opened up on his personal and professional life during an Instagram chat with teammate and limited overs squads' vice-captain Rohit Sharma.

"I think if my family had not supported me back then I would have lost my cricket. I thought of committing suicide three times during that period due to severe stress and personal problems," Shami revealed during the session on Saturday.

Now one of the mainstays of Indian bowling attack across formats, the 29-year-old was struggling to focus on his cricket, then.

"I was not thinking about cricket at all. We were living on the 24th floor. They (family) were scared I might jump from the balcony. My brother supported me a lot.

"My 2-3 friends used to stay with me for 24 hours. My parents asked me to focus on cricket to recover from that phase and not think about anything else. I started training then and sweated it out a lot at an academy in Dehradun," Shami said.

In March 2018, Shami's wife Hasin Jahan had accused him of domestic violence and lodged a complaint with the police, following which the India player and his brother were booked under relevant sections.

The upheaval in his personal life forced his employer BCCI to withheld the player's central contracts for a while.

"Rehab was stressful as the same exercises are repeated every day. Then family problems started and I also suffered an accident. The accident happened 10-12 days ahead of the IPL and my personal problems were running high in the media," Shami told Rohit.

Shami said his family stood like a rock with him and the support helped him get back on his feet.

"Then my family explained that every problem has a solution no matter how big the problem. My brother supported me a lot."

Speaking about another painful period in his life after his injury in the 2015 World Cup, Shami said it took him almost 18 months to get back on the field.

"When I got injured in the 2015 World Cup, after that it took me 18 months to fully recover, that was the most painful moment in my life, it was a very stressful period.

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Virat Kohli only Indian again in Forbes' list of highest-paid athletes

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May 30,2020

New York, May 30: Cricket superstar Virat Kohli remains the only Indian in the Forbes' list of world's highest-paid athletes with total earnings of USD 26 million, jumping to the 66th spot from 100 in the 2020 standings.

Kohli's earnings from endorsement stand at USD 24 million and USD 2 million from salary/winnings. The 31-year-old is also the only cricketer in the top-100 list.

With earnings of USD 25 million, Kohli was ranked 100th in 2019 and 83rd in 2018 with USD 24 million.

Tennis legend Roger Federer has toped the list for the first time with earnings of USD 106.3 million, rising from fifth place last year.

Football icons Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are second and third respectively with earnings of USD 105 and USD 104 million.

The others in the top-10 are Neymar (football), LeBron James (basketball), Stephen Curry (basketball), Kevin Durrant (basketball), Tigers Woods (golf), Kirk Cousins (American football) and Carson Wentz (American football).

The athletes' earnings have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic which led to suspension of sporting activities all around the world.

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Saina Nehwal is the only Indian to feature in the world’s 20 most charitable athletes, as per a list compiled by the US based website in Athletes Gone Good.