AMONG THE STELLAR invitees for the recent silver jubilee celebration of Sunil Gavaskar’s CHAMPS Foundation (which supports former sportspersons and their families) were Rahul Dravid and Ajit Agarkar.
The past few months have been frenetic for the head coach and chief selector, given the number of assignments and travel involved, as also emotionally draining, with the roller-coaster ride Indian cricket has been through. A spectacular ODI World Cup campaign ended in heartbreak in the final. The quest to finally win a Test series in South Africa misfired as India lost the first match. Though the team fought back to square the rubber, glory proved elusive. The season was turning out to be a bit of a letdown, but then came the redemption song against England; India clinically dismantled Bazball to hand the visitors a 4-1 drubbing.
Fresh from the win, Dravid and Agarkar said they were looking forward to some rest and recreation this IPL season. Dravid, an inveterate ‘home bird’ as it were, revealed he would be spending time with his family in Bengaluru. Agarkar, a self-confessed golf-junkie, was eager to resume teeing off on the greens of Mumbai.
However, the desire to savour this triumph quietly and not be in the thick of things for the IPL season was wishful thinking. The IPL is always compelling, but this season even more so for those handling portfolios like coaching, selection and captaincy, as it leads directly into the T20 World Cup. Even if away from the action directly, Dravid and Agarkar have to be ‘on the ball’.
Tracking and analysing players from all over the world—who will be part of opposing teams in the World Cup—will be an important part of the agenda for these two, and by extension, captain Rohit Sharma, too.
This story is from the April 07, 2024 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 07, 2024 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Trump And The Crisis Of Liberalism
Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.
Men eye the woman's purse
A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.
When trees hold hands
A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges
Ms Gee & Gen Z
The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.
Superman bites the dust
When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.
