Mahesh Bhupathi, Rohan Bopanna banned for 2 years

September 16, 2012

Bupathi_BopannaNew Delhi, September 16: Even before the jubilation of the Davis Cup triumph had died down, the shock ban on Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna by the All India Tennis Association (AITA) shocked the tennis fraternity late on Saturday.
The AITA will stick to the young Indian side and will not include Bhupathi and Bopanna in the Davis Cup squad until the country moves up from the Asia/Oceania Group.

The young guns have given India an unassailable 3-0 lead in the relegation play-off tie against New Zealand and the national federation wants them to carry forward the good work in the 2013 season when India will strive to re-enter World Group.

"The young Indian team has done well. After a long time our team is 3-0 up. In Asia/Oceania zone, it will be good to continue with a young team," AITA president Anil Khanna told PTI.

It is a clear indication that Bhupathi and Bopanna, who have been ousted from the side on the count of indiscipline, will have to wait for a long time to return to the side.

India cannot reach the World Group play-off stage before the end of 2013 season since it will have to play atleast two ties in Asia Oceania group to reach that stage.

It is not clear if AITA will consider Leander Paes for the Asia/Oceania tie. Paes missed the ongoing tie as he preferred to play for a club in World Team tennis.


"It was decided in the AITA executive committee meeting here today that Bhupathi and Bopanna will not be considered for selection up till June 30, 2014," the AITA stated in a release.

The two players had objected to partnering Leander Paes at the London Olympics. Following which AITA sent two doubles team - one of Bhupathi and Boppana, and the other of Paes and Vishnu Vardhan.


AITA also decided to go in with a new-look and young team for the ongoing Davis Cup for India's home encounter against New Zealand.


And Bhupathi has already come up with an angry reaction on the Twitter. "The cranky old grand fathers on the executive committee, who have never played tennis waiting for a reaction? There is one coming.stay tuned!," tweeted the veteran.



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Agencies
May 25,2020

Chandigarh, May 25: Legendary former hockey player Balbir Singh Senior died in a private hospital on Monday, his family said.

He was 96 years old. His condition was critical for nearly a fortnight.

He was undergoing treatment at Fortis Mohali and was in a "semi-comatose condition".

He was hospitalised on May 8 with high fever and breathing trouble. His COVID-19 test came negative.

Balbir was part of the Indian teams that won gold at the 1948 London Olympics, Helsinki 1952 and Melbourne 1956. His record for most individual goals scored in an Olympic men's hockey final remains unbeaten.

Balbir had set this record when he scored five goals in India's 6-1 win over Netherlands in the gold medal match of the 1952 Games.

He was the head coach of the Indian team for the 1975 men's World Cup, which India won and the 1971 men's World Cup, where India earned a bronze medal. He was also conferred with the prestigious Padma Shri in 1957.

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Agencies
August 9,2020

Manchester, Aug 9: Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler played knocks of 84 and 75 respectively as England gained an improbable three-wicket win over Pakistan in the first Test of the three-match series here at the Emirates Old Trafford.

England chased down a total of 277 on the fourth day of the first Test.

Chasing 277, England openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley put on 22 runs for the first wicket, but Mohammad Abbas finally provided the breakthrough to Pakistan as he had Burns (10) adjudged leg-before wicket in the 12th over.

Skipper Joe Root came to the crease next, and he along with Sibley ensured that the side does not lose any more wickets before the lunch break, and England went into the lunch break at 55/1.

Sibley and Root eventually put up a 64-run stand, but their partnership was finally brought to an end by Yasir Shah as he dismissed Sibley (36) in the 36th over. Soon after, skipper Root (42) was also sent back to the pavilion by Naseem Shah, reducing England to 96/3 in the 39th over.

All eyes were on all-rounder Ben Stokes (9), but Pakistan's Yasir Shah sent him back to the pavilion in the 42nd over, and England was left in a spot of bother. Shaheen Shah Afridi, then also got among the wicket-taking charts as he scalped the wicket of Ollie Pope (7), reducing England to 117/5 in the 45th over.

Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler then got together at the crease, and the duo played in an aggressive manner to retrieve the innings for England. The hosts went into the tea break at 167/5, still, 110 runs away from the target with five wickets in hand.

Buttler and Woakes continued their march to frustrate the Pakistan bowling attack and the duo brought the target within the grasp of England. Both batsmen put up a stand of 139 runs, however, with just 21 runs away from the target, England lost the key wicket of Buttler (75) as Yasir Shah had him trapped in front of the wicket.

With England just needing four more runs for the win, Yasir Shah dismissed Stuart Broad (4), but in the end, Woakes and Dom Bess ensured England's win by three wickets.

For Pakistan, Yasir Shah was the pick of the bowlers as he scalped four wickets.

Earlier, resuming day four at 137/8, Yasir Shah (33) along with Mohammad Abbas (3*) and Naseem Shah (4) added 32 more runs to the overnight score to give England a target of 277 to win the first Test.

Stuart Broad was the pick of England bowlers as he scalped three wickets.

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News Network
April 8,2020

London, Apr 8: England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler has raised more than 65,000 pound (USD 80,000) to help fight the coronavirus by auctioning off his World Cup final shirt.

Buttler's shirt, which he wore when completing the last-ball run-out that saw England beat New Zealand at Lord's last year, was sold to raise money for specialist heart and lung centres provided by the Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals in London.

Buttler, who earlier in the showpiece match had hit a fifty and batted in the Super Over, put his long-sleeve keeping jersey up for sale on eBay a week ago.

By the time the auction closed on Tuesday, the shirt had attracted 82 bids with the winner paying 65,100 pound.

Buttler, speaking on Monday, said: "It's a very special shirt but I think it takes on extra meaning with it being able to hopefully go to the emergency cause.

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