QPlay: Sachin on Coach Kumble & Giggs, Ronaldinho to Play in India

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

Indian Test skipper Virat Kohli(R) and new coach Anil Kumble. (Photo: AP)

1. Kumble Will Teach Players How to Win Big Moments: Sachin

Sachin Tendulkar described the Indian cricket team’s newly-appointed head coach, Anil Kumble, as a “fabulous” player who will teach them how to “win big moments”.

Tendulkar, alongside another former captain Sourav Ganguly, was part of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) that selected India’s highest wicket-taker and former Test captain for the coaching job.

“Anil is a fabulous player, a hard competitor who will not make any compromises on the field. There are always big, crunch moments in any match and how to approach those moments is important. We may plan a lot of things but eventually execution matters,” Sachin said.

File photo of Mohammad Amir. (Photo: Reuters)

2. Amir Doesn’t Deserve a Second Chance: Kevin Pietersen

Out of favour England batsman Kevin Pietersen has joined the bandwagon of players who believe Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir should be banned for life as he was involved in the infamous 2010 spot-fixing scandal.

They have broken the rules, should pay the price and not be given a second chance. If you cheat the system either by taking drugs or money to under-perform then you are mugging the spectators, your teammates and a sport that has been around a lot longer than you. People always deserve a second chance in life but sport is different. 

Kevin Pietersen on The Telegraph

3. Giggs, Ronaldinho, Crespo to Play in Premier Futsal

Football legends Ryan Giggs of England, Ronaldinho of Brazil and Hernan Crespo of Argentina will be playing in the inaugural edition of the Premier Futsal scheduled to start on July 15.

The world’s first multi-national futsal tournament will kick-start its inaugural edition at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium on July 15. There will be six franchises divided in two groups to battle it out over eight match days and 13 matches to make it to the final, which will be played in Goa on July 24.

The unveiling of Manchester United legend Giggs, Ronaldinho -- the 2002 World Cup winner and two-time World Footballer of the Year, and the former Argentine forward Hernan Crespo completed the signing of their six marquee players.

The men’s hockey team after the selection announcement in New Delhi on Tuesday. (Photo: AP)

4. Sreejesh Replaces Sardar as Captain at Rio Olympics

In a significant but surprise move, India named senior goalkeeper PR Sreejesh as the captain of the national team for the Rio Olympics, removing long-standing skipper Sardar Singh.

Sreejesh, one of the finest custodians in world hockey at the moment, was rewarded after the team, under his leadership, ended up with a silver medal at the Champions Trophy in London, their best-ever result in the 38-year-history of the blue riband six-nation tournament.

The philosophy behind changing the captain is that we felt people need to take more responsibilities on the pitch and off the pitch. Sardar was taking too much responsibilities because of which he was not performing at the level that is expected of him.

Roelant Oltmans, Indian Hockey Coach

Playmaker SV Sunil, who is also a key component in the team, has been named vice-captain. He was Sreejesh’s deputy in the Champions Trophy.

The women’s hockey team after the announcement on Tuesday in New Delhi. (Photo: IANS)

5. Ritu Dropped, Sushila to Lead Indian Women’s Hockey team in Rio

Seasoned midfielder and long-time skipper Ritu Rani was dropped from the Indian women’s hockey squad for the Rio Olympics next month and defender P. Sushila Chanu named the captain on Tuesday.

Ritu has been an important member of the national team over the years and led them to their first Olympic qualification in 36 years. But she left the national camp last week following allegations of poor performance and attitude problems from Hockey India (HI) officials.

Sushila, 24, had captained the Indian team in Ritu’s absence during their tour of Australia earlier this year. She also led the Indian junior women’s team to a bronze medal finish at the 2013 Junior World Cup in Mönchengladbach, Germany under the coaching of present chief coach Neil Hawgood.

6. Vikas Gowda Injured, Rio Participation In Doubt

Reigning Asian champion discus thrower Vikas Gowda has suffered a shoulder injury and his participation in the upcoming Rio Olympics is subject to fitness, the Athletics Federation of India said on Tuesday.

AFI President Adille Sumariwalla said that Gowda’s father had informed the federation that the ace discus thrower, who will be taking part in his fourth Olympics in Rio, has suffered a “minor” shoulder injury but he will be fine for the Games. The men’s discus throw event of Rio Olympics is scheduled on August 12.

He (Gowda) will have to prove his fitness sometime before the start of the Olympics. It will not be a trial but he will have to prove that he is fit. Gowda will undergo some kind of throwing session from which we can know he is fit. We will get to know this from his father and the coach.

Adille Sumariwalla, President AFI

33-year-old Gowda, who also won a gold in the 2014 Commonwealth Games, is based in the United States and he has not taken part in any competitive event since making the Rio cut in December last year, that also after the world governing body IAAF reduced the qualification standard to 65m from 66m.