QPlay: India Start Practise, Clarke On Back Foot & Di Maria’s Move

All the latest sports news in The Quint’s morning wrap.

The Indian test team at an indoor practice session in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (Photo: PTI)

India Start Practise, Vijay Says No Pressure on Batsmen

After arriving in Sri Lanka on Monday, the Indian test team held their first practise session in Colombo on Tuesday to get ready for the upcoming three-match test series.

After the session, M Vijay spoke to the media and commented on skipper Virat Kohli’s strategy to field five bowlers. The move would mean that six specialist batsmen in the squad would have less leeway, however, Vijay said there won’t be any extra pressure on them.

It’s actually not demanding. It is actually our role and if any one of us clicks, it’s going to be good for the team. If you are looking to dominate in a Test match, you have to perform as a team. You should have the plans and work according to them.
– M Vijay

Question My Performance But Not My Desire, Says Clarke

Australia captain Michael Clarke has hit out at critics who have questioned his desire in the wake of his poor run of form during the current Ashes test series.

Clarke, 34, has scored just 94 runs in his six innings against England so far, at an average of 15.67, and he has not scored a test century since December, when he hit 128 against India in Adelaide.

However Clarke, writing in Australia’s Daily Telegraph, said it was “rubbish” that he was finished as a test cricketer.

I think somebody said they could see it in my eyes that I was finished after this series. That’s a complete load of rubbish. I just need to find a way through hard work, self-belief and a bit of luck to get to 30, and I think I’ll be in a much different place.
– Michael Clarke

BCCI Needs to be Accountable And Transparent: Sports Minister

Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, on Tuesday, said that like any other sports federation of the country, the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) also needs to be made accountable and transparent in its functioning as according to the Apex Court of India it is a “public body”.

Asked whether BCCI should be brought under the purview of Right To Information Act, the Sports Minister said: “Let me be very clear...I have been telling time and again that as per the observation of the Supreme Court of India, BCCI is a public body.”

“Now it is the expectations of the sports lover of the country that transparency and accountability should be there in the day-to-day affairs of all the sports federations,” he told reporters

My Aim is to Break Jack Nicklaus’ Record: Shubham Jaglan

Legendary golfer Tiger Woods is his idol and India’s boy wonder Shubham Jaglan says his aim is to “become world number one” some day and break Jack Nicklaus’ record of winning Majors.

The 10-year-old golfer touched down in the capital after a successful sojourn of Scotland and USA where he won two prestigious titles at the IMG Academy Junior World Championships in San Diego followed by the World Stars of Junior Golf in Las Vegas, last month.

I had missed out last year by finishing second, which made me more determined to get better and win this year. The first victory gave me real confidence to go out win another one. I’m now even more hungry to go out and win more events and better my own self with every passing week.
– Shubham Jaglan

Argentina’s Di Maria has Medical Ahead of PSG Move

Angel Di Maria has undergone a medical ahead of his move from Manchester United to Paris St Germain, according to the hospital where he is having the tests.

The former Real Madrid wide midfielder, whose 59.7 million pounds ($93.28 million) transfer a year ago set a British record, is preparing to join the French champions for a considerably lower fee, according to media reports.

“I am very happy to join Paris Saint-Germain,” Di Maria told beIN Sports. “What I know about PSG is that they are a team who have won all possible titles in France last season.

5% Indian Athletes Among Blood Dope Offenders: Reports

The media reports of widespread blood doping in world athletics has also pointed the finger of suspicion at Indian athletes, though experts in the country are not very clear about how it could have happened.

The reports, which claimed that leaked results from 12,000 blood tests on 5,000 competitors by International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), showed the wide extent of cheating in the sport.

The ‘Sunday Times’ report cited India among countries under suspicion of blood doping, saying that five per cent of the 12,000 blood samples which returned “abnormal blood tests” were from Indians.