Dehradun: Cricketer Rishabh Pant has been shifted from the ICU to the private ward of the Max Hospital here following improvement in his condition.

He was shifted to the private ward on Sunday evening as his condition improved but the pain in his leg persists, sources said.

No MRI is planned yet, they added.

Pant was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of the hospital hours after the wicketkeeper-batsman suffered multiple injuries in a car accident on the Delhi-Dehradun highway, near Roorkee, in the early hours of Friday.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who met Pant at the hospital on Sunday, had said quoting the cricketer that he had lost control over his car while trying to avoid a pothole and something black on the road.

Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) director Shyam Sharma, who met the cricketer on Saturday, had also told reporters that the accident took place when Pant was trying to negotiate a pothole.

The accident took place at around 5.30 am on Friday, when Pant’s luxury car hit a road divider, rolled over to the other side of the road and caught fire.

Pant had a miraculous escape but he sustained injuries on his forehead, leg and bruises on his back.

New Delhi: The legendary Kapil Dev believes any cricketer representing the country like Rishabh Pant should be “more careful” and hire drivers instead of getting behind the wheels to avoid the mishap that happened last week.

Kapil made the statement while reacting to Pant’s horrifying accident on Friday while driving his Mercedes on NH-58. The wicket-keeper batter is currently admitted in Max Dehradun with multiple injuries on head, back, knee and ankle. He was on Monday shifted from ICU to a private ward.

“We can avoid things that can lead to mishaps like these,” Kapil was quoted as saying by ABP News.

“Especially for these special players. I remember during my early playing days, I was riding a bike and met with an accident following which my brother never let me ride one.

“The players should be careful. They don’t need to drive themselves. They can afford drivers. I know a lot of people are passionate about driving but when one has so many responsibilities, one must take care of oneself,” the 63-year-old stated.

Pant’s injuries, especially the ones on knee and ankle, will keep him out of action for a minimum period of six months.

New Delhi: There is no imminent threat to Rohit Sharma’s ODI and Test captaincy as the BCCI brass hasn’t found anything unsatisfactory about his leadership in the traditional formats, according to sources in the board.

Skipper Rohit, along with head coach Rahul Dravid, attended the review meeting in Mumbai. The meeting was conducted by BCCI secretary Jay Shah.

Along with last selection committee’s chairman Chetan Sharma, NCA head VVS Laxman, president Roger Binny also attended the review meeting.

Since the focus is the World Test Championships (WTC), where India have a good chance of making it to the finals, and the 2023 ODI World Cup, new T20 captain Hardik Pandya wasn’t a part of the meeting.

Hardik is in Mumbai for the T20 international series against Sri Lanka, which starts on Tuesday.

“Rohit is leading India in Tests and ODIs and there was no such discussions about his future as leader in these two formats. Look at his captaincy record in Tests and ODIs and it is more than impressive,” a BCCI source privy to the development told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

It was also decided that a pool of 20 players will be rotated till the 2023 World Cup.

“The BCCI has shortlisted 20 players who will be rotated till the 50 overs ICC World Cup,” Shah said after the meeting.

In what could be a significant move by the board, Sharma, who attended the review meeting on Sunday, could once again retain his chairmanship of the senior national selection panel.

If not chairman, he is likely to be the representative from North Zone. The name of former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad is also doing the rounds from South Zone, but his induction in the panel isn’t a certainty.

Sharma being included in the planning of roadmap up to the 2023 ODI World Cup in itself is a significant development.

“First things first, if Chetan wouldn’t have been told, he wouldn’t have applied in first place. That itself is an indication. India have a World Cup to play in 10 months. Chetan and Harvinder’s presence will add continuity along with three new members,” the source added.

It is understood that SS Das, a former opener, is a big favourite from East Zone because of his 21 Test experience, unless some other compulsions lead to the BCCI choosing a lightweight candidate from east.

From West, Gujarat veteran Mukund Parmar, Salil Ankola, Sameer Dighe are engaged in a three-way race.

The new committee will be named in the coming week.

Haryana Sports Minister Sandeep Singh

Chandigarh: Haryana Sports Minister Sandeep Singh has been booked on charges of sexual harassment and wrongful confinement at the complaint of a woman coach, police here said on Sunday.

The FIR against the 36-year-old BJP leader, who is also a former Indian hockey team captain and a first-time MLA, was registered on Saturday, they said.

The minister, however, has dismissed the accusations as baseless and has called for an independent probe.

“In the matter of complaint made by a lady coach of Haryana against Sports Minister Haryana, a case FIR dated 31.12.2022 under Sections 354, 354A, 354B, 342, 506 of the IPC has been registered at Police Station Sector 26, Chandigarh and is being investigated,” a police spokesperson said.

A junior athletics coach from the state had on Thursday come up with allegations of sexual harassment against the minister and filed a police complaint a day later.

The former Olympian has been booked under IPC Section 354 which pertains to assault or use of criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty, 354 A (sexual harassment), 354 B (compelling her to be naked), 342 (wrongful confinement), and 506 (criminal intimidation).

After receiving a complaint from the woman coach, Chandigarh Police had earlier said an inquiry will be conducted into the allegations against the minister.

The woman had told reporters on Friday: “I have given a complaint to SSP madam (Senior Superintendent of Police) here. I am hopeful that I will get justice and the Chandigarh Police will investigate my complaint.”

She has alleged that Sandeep Singh had first seen her at a gym and then contacted her on Instagram.

The coach claimed that the MLA from Pehowa in Kurukshetra kept insisting that they meet. “He messaged me on Instagram and said my national games certificate is pending and wanted to meet in this regard.”

“Unfortunately, my certificate has been misplaced by my federation and I have been taking it up with the authorities concerned,” the woman had said.

She, according to her complaint, agreed to meet Sandeep Singh at his residence-cum-camp office here with some other documents she had. When she went there, the minister molested her, she said.

“He took me to a side cabin of his residence… placed my documents on the side table and placed his hand on my foot. He said when he saw me for the first time, he liked me… He said you keep me happy and I will keep you happy,” the woman alleged.

“I removed his hand he even tore my T-shirt. I was crying and I raised an alarm for help and though all his staff was there, no one helped me,” she had alleged.

Asked about the allegations, Sandeep Singh had on Thursday called them baseless and called for an independent probe. “I want an independent probe. We will also get it probed because my image has been tarnished.”

The minister also said that all details of the woman’s entire life should be looked into.

Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had earlier demanded an impartial inquiry into the allegations, while the Indian National Lok Dal asked the Manohar Lal Khattar government to immediately sack Sandeep Singh and set up a Special Investigation Team to probe the matter.

DUBAI: India’s 2-0 series sweep over Bangladesh in Mirpur on Sunday consolidated their position at the number two spot behind leaders Australia in the ICC World Test Championship standings.

The series win brightened India’s hope for a back-to-back WTC final appearance.

Chasing 145, India were in real trouble at 74 for 7 but Ravichandran Ashwin (42 not out ) and Shreyas Iyer (29 not out) held the fort and stitched unbeaten 71 runs for the eighth-wicket to pull off a three-wicket win on the fourth day of the second and final Test.

This helped India consolidate their position behind Australia with 58.92 per cent of possible points with a crucial home series against Australia (four Tests) due in February-March next year.

India need to produce some good results during their series against pacesetters Australia if they are to make it to back-to-back appearances in the WTC final.

Australia are in the box seat to qualify for their first WTC final, with the Pat Cummins’ side currently holding a healthy lead at the top of the standings with 76.92 per cent of possible points. Fresh from their six-wicket win over South Africa, Australia have two more matches at home against the Proteas in Melbourne and Sydney.

Four Tests in India for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in February and March next year will be Australia’s final assignment in this period, but they also have the chance to seal their place in the ongoing home series.

India took second place after the Proteas’ loss but Dean Elgar’s side still have an opportunity to reclaim their place inside the top two by bouncing back in the ongoing series in Australia.

South Africa do have the luxury of two matches at home against the West Indies in February and March.

NEW DELHI: Neeraj Chopra continued to conjure up history-scripting performances, inspiring the likes of Avinash Sable and Murali Sreeshankar in their quest for global success, but the age-old dope menace raised its ugly head again and shamed the nation at the global stage. 

At least six top Indian athletes were caught for using banned drugs and the run-up to the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, as usual, was marred by a series of dope-positive cases.

The legendary long jumper Anju Bobby George, also senior vice president of Athletics Federation of India, dropped a bombshell, saying that athletes who trained abroad brought back banned drugs for distribution among some of their colleagues.

The 24-year-old Chopra, the poster-boy of Indian athletics, continued his exploits after his historic javelin throw gold in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

He won a silver in the World Championships in the USA in July to become only the second Indian after Anju — who won a bronze in 2003 Paris edition — to win a medal at the showpiece.

In September, he became the Diamond League champion by winning the Finals of the prestigious meeting series, adding another ‘first’ to his name.

Chopra, however, could not defend his Commonwealth Games gold at Birmingham due to the “minor” groin injury he sustained during the World Championships.

It was another eventful year for Chopra but he could not breach the 90m mark.

He came agonisingly close with his 89.

94m throw when he finished second in the Stockholm leg of the prestigious Diamond League.

Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem did the unthinkable as he beat world champion Anderson Peters with a monster throw of 90.18m for the CWG gold, thereby becoming the second Asian after Chao-Tsun Cheng of Chinese Taipei to enter the exclusive 90m club.

In the absence of Chopra, it was left to steeplechaser Sable and long jumper Sreeshankar to lead the Indian challenge in the CWG where the competition is almost world level in some events.

They did admirably well by winning a silver each in historic feats.

Sreeshankar missed the gold by a whisker while Sable ended the hegemony of the Kenyans who have won all the three medals in men’s 3000m steeplechase event since the 1998 CWG.

But the most remarkable was the 1-2 finish by Eldhose Paul and Abdulla Aboobacker in the men’s triple jump which helped India achieve its second-best medal haul after the 2010 Delhi CWG with one gold, four silver and three bronze.

High jumper Tejaswin Shankar who made it to the Indian CWG team after a Delhi High Court order also won a bronze.

Other medal winners were Annu Rani (bronze in women’s javelin throw), Priyanka Goswami (silver in women’s 10,000m race walk) and Sandeep Kumar (bronze in men’s 10,000m race walk).

India also won three medals in the U-20 World Championships in Colombia with quartermiler Rupal Chaudhary, a farmer’s daughter hailing from Meerut district in Uttar Pradesh, winning two medals.

Even as India emerges as a force to reckon with at the global athletics scene, a series of high profile dope positive cases took the sheen off the impressive performance on the field.

Kamalpreet Kaur, who had finished sixth in the women’s discus throw final in Tokyo Olympics after a drastic improvement in her personal best last year, tested positive for a steroid and the Athletics Integrity Unit handed her a three-year ban till March 2025.

This was followed by Olympian javelin thrower Shivpal Singh being banned for four years till 2025 after he tested positive for steroid Metandieonone in October 2012.

Just before the World Championships and the CWG, came the news of dope positive cases of top sprinter Sekar Danalaxmi and Aishwarya Babu, who had created a triple jump national record during the National Inter-State Championships in June.

Quarter-miler MV Jilna was first named in the CWG team and was later quietly withdrawn after testing positive for a banned drug.

Veteran quartermiler and Arjuna awardee MR Poovamma also joined the ‘Hall of Shame’ of dope-flunked athletes with the Anti-Doping Appeal Panel of the NADA handing her a two-year suspension for testing positive for stimulant methylhexaneamine last year.

Discus thrower Navjeet Kaur Dhillon was the latest top athlete to be caught in the dope net.

A few legends of athletics like Praveen Sobti, who played the character of ‘Bheema’ in blockbuster TV serial ‘Mahabharat’ serial and medal winner in both Asian Games and CWG, breathed his last in the year gone by.

India’s ‘golden girl’ PT Usha, who set the track on fire in the national and continental level in the 1980s besides missing an Olympic medal by a whisker in 1984, was elected unopposed as president of Indian Olympic Association.

KOCHI: Sam Curran and Cameron Green broke all-time Indian Premier League (IPL) auction records as they were picked on Friday for Rs 18.50 crore and Rs 17.50 crore by Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians, respectively 

Curran set a new record, surpassing South Africa all-rounder Chris Morris who was snatched up by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 16.25 crore in 2021.

Curran was Player of the Tournament in the T20 World Cup after his skills as a “death bowler” closing down opposition batsmen in the final overs turned him into a potent weapon for England.

The left-arm quick and attacking middle-order batsman had a successful stint with Chennai Super Kings but parted ways after a back injury and missed the 2022 edition.

Curran has a strike rate of nearly 150 and was placed in the top band of the auction list alongside big-hitting compatriot Ben Stokes.

Star all-rounder Ben Stokes was sold to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for Rs 16.25 crore.

Earlier, England batter Harry Brook had become the first millionaire at the IPL 2023 Mini Auction after Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) snapped him up for a whopping Rs 13.25 crore. Sunrisers Hyderabad also picked India opener, Mayank Agarwal, for Rs 8.25 crores.

New Zealand veteran batter and skipper Kane Williamson was bought by the defending IPL champions Gujarat Titans for his base price of Rs 2 crore.

Williamson had an ordinary IPL 2022 with SRH. In 13 matches, he could only score 216 runs in 13 matches at an average of 19.64 with just one fifty. His strike rate was also extremely sub-par at 93.51. He was released by the franchise ahead of the IPL 2023 auction in November.

In 13 T20Is this year, Williamson scored 443 runs at an average of 36.91 with three fifties. His strike rate, however, has been a little subpar for T20I standards, sitting at 118.76.

Out-of-favour India batter Ajinkya Rahane was sold at his base price of Rs 50 lakh to Chennai Supper Kings, the only bidder for the player.

West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder was sold to Rajasthan Royals for Rs 5.75 crore.

South Africa batter Rilee Rossouw and Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib-Al-Hasan went unsold.

The soon-to-be 24-year-old Harry Brook had recently emerged as the leading run-scorer in the Test series against Pakistan, scoring 468 runs at an average of 93.60, with three centuries and one half-century and the best score of 153. He was also given the ‘Man of the Series’ for his superb performance in the longer format.

Brook was also given the ‘Man of the Series’ award for his superb show in the seven-match T20I series against the Asian giants that took place in September-October as a part of the tour. In seven innings, he scored 238 runs at an average of 79.33, with one half-century and the best score of 81*.

Meanwhile, former England captain Joe Root (base price Rs 1 crore) and South Africa’s Rilee Rossouw (base price Rs 2 crore) went unsold.

Eighty-seven players went under the hammer in the auction.

The IPL tournament made more than $11 billion for the economy each year, according to pre-pandemic estimates.

In June, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sold the broadcast rights for the next five seasons to global media giants for $6.2 billion.

This year it expanded to include 10 franchises battling it out in 74 matches, climaxing in a final in the world’s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad in front of 105,000 fans — and millions more watching on television and smartphones.

Debutants Gujarat Kings won that battle on their home ground.

The Mumbai Indians are the richest and most successful side in IPL history with five titles to their name.

Attracting some of world cricket’s top stars with bumper salaries, the IPL helped make Twenty20 hugely popular, attracting hundreds of millions of viewers and spawning copycat events worldwide.

The BCCI is also working to launch a five-team women’s edition of the tournament next March, ahead of the next IPL season.

NEW DELHI: India’s ace tennis star Sania Mirza will pair up with Kazakhstan’s Anna Danilina to compete at the Australian Open 2023, which will begin on January 16.

For the first Grand Slam of 2023, the Indian tennis player will partner with the World number 11 in the world, according to Imran Mirza, the tennis star’s father and coach.

However, Sania Mirza’s participation in the Australian Open’s mixed doubles competition has not yet been confirmed.

Sania ranked number 25 in the world in the WTA doubles rankings, had intended to give up playing competitive tennis after the 2022 season, but later changed her mind.

The Indian tennis player is presently competing in the World Tennis League, which is taking place in Dubai.

Former number 1 in the world in women’s doubles, Sania Mirza, reached the finals of the WTA 500 Charleston Open and the WTA 250 Strasbourg Open in 2022. She participated in six other women’s doubles semifinals in addition to two finals.

An achievement of Sania for the year was reaching the Wimbledon 2022 mixed doubles semifinals with her Croatian partner Mate Pavic. Saina, 36, made her first Grand Slam semifinal appearance in five years.

Sania has won two Australian Open championships in her career, one in women’s doubles with Martina Navratilova and the other in mixed doubles with Mahesh Bhupathi in 2009.

At the Australian Open 2022, Sania Mirza paired with Nadiia Kichenok in women’s doubles and was knocked out in the first round. She teamed up with USA’s Rajeev Ram in the mixed doubles and made it to the quarter-finals.