PRG's Thoughts

"A man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?"                                                                                       -Robert Browning   There are certain athletes that fall in to another category. There isn’t a name for it, but you just know it when you see them.  While Danill Medvedev was winning his first Grand Slam at the US Open in 2021, Rafael Nadal was battling with the unforgiving reality that all athletes face- my body just won’t allow it anymore. He was questioning his return to the tour, let alone playing in the Australian Open.  January 30th 2022 has left me speechless.  The category Rafa is now in, or maybe he always was, is of those select few athletes that defy the physical and mental confines of a human bein...

In a shocking decision, Virat Kohli stepped down as Captain of the Indian Test Side, leaving a lacuna in team leadership that no current player can fill.  KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma were not certainties in the side eight months ago. Ajinkya Rahane is done. Rishabh Pant has barely matured as a batsman let along making him Captain and the team is left with no one who can lead. The big mystery in Cricket, that I have struggled to unravel for some time, is why bowlers are not made captains. Not just in Indian cricket but the world over. Pat Cummins is currently captain of Australia but it seems like it was just because Tim Paine ran in to a controversy and they had to make a choice at the last moment.  The last Australian bowler to captain the side over a long period of time was Richie Benaud in the late fifties and sixties. The last English bowler was Bob Willis in the early eighties. Anil Kumble captained India for 14 tests in between Rahul Dravid and MS Dhoni but that seemed lik...

The Covid-19 virus does not discriminate. I wish the same could be said for the Australian Open. In one of the most appalling and cringeworthy decisions the Australian Open granted a medical exemption to Novak Djokovic to play the tournament.  The rules state, that to play in the Open a player must either be fully vaccinated or receive a medical exemption.  The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has guidelines on why a medical exemption should be given. Those with acute medical conditions, including undergoing a major surgery, those who have had Covid in the past 6 months, or have had a serious adverse event attributed to a previous vaccine dose, could receive an exemption.  The chief of Tennis Australia Craig Tiley, said, the exemption given was the same as any other player could have received. Novak's application of course is not disclosed and so we are not sure why he qualified.  I am happy to be proved wrong, but I am not buying that he q...

Rahul Dravid is the new coach of the Indian National Cricket Team. Not surprisingly, his appointment has been received with praise on social media and the press. One of the greats to play the game and a proven coach at the under-19 level. I for one am not too thrilled by the selection.  The Great Developer Rahul Dravid is my favourite Indian cricketer of all time. His contribution to the Indian team over the years is second to none but his contribution as a developer of young talent may be the best we've ever seen.  It is tough to remember a time where India's depth and bench strength in the sport has been as good as it is today. Sure, the IPL and overall infrastructure has acted as a catalyst, but a key player in this remarkable growth has been Dravid. His work in developing not only the skill but also the mental strength and attitude of young players is evident. Having a rich bench is the key to sustained success. The Australian sides of the late 90's and early 00's w...

The term I have just about had enough of is- 'Spirit of Cricket'. Give me a break.  Either you have rules that prevent players from doing things, or you don't. It is senseless to have certain actions permissible by the rules, but consider these same actions against the 'Spirit of Cricket'. What does that even mean? Ravinchandran Ashwin and Eoin Morgan got in to it in DC's game against KKR after Ashwin took a run despite the ball being ricochetted off Rishabh Pant.  England won the ODI World Cup because a similar thing happened with Ben Stokes. Yes, that situation was slightly different but let's not act holier than thou Mr. Morgan.  As for the hogwash- 'Spirit of Cricket'- Isn't it time we got rid of this? Every time a bowler 'Mankad's' a batsman or an incident like this occurs, we go in to the antiquated debate of 'Spirit of Cricket.'  What I don't understand is how can there be a rule which contradicts the 'Spirit of...

Mental Health is a serious issue. It was historically neglected and the global movement to bring awareness of its impact is long overdue.  Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles recent decisions to pull out of major competitions have brought mental health front and centre in the sports world.  An athlete is expected to perform to the peak of their ability at the highest level of competition. Four factors that could enable or derail them from achieving this are  1) Physical Health 2) Physical Fitness 3) Mental Health 4) Mental Fitness Physical Health - Injuries- These can be diagnosed with X-rays, MRIs, CT Scans.  Physical Fitness - Stamina, weight, muscle strength, BMI, hydration, nutrition etc.  Mental Health - Depression, Anxiety, Stress etc.  Mental Fitness - Ability to manage pressure, expectations, focus and also anxiety and stress.  A low level of Physical Fitness can sometimes lead to Physical Health Issues A low level of Mental Fitness can sometimes lead...

Dear Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal fans, Remember all the years you spent debating, sharing articles, ravaging through statistics and even getting emotionally involved to prove that your guy is the GOAT of men's tennis....That was time well spent. Not as beloved as Roger or Rafa, a certain player named Novak Djokovic has proved, undoubtedly, that he is The Greatest Men's Tennis Player of All Time.  There is no logical argument to prove otherwise.  THE STATISTICS                                                        Novak                Roger                Nadal  Grand Slams                           20              ...

Naomi Osaka pulled out of the French Open after dealing with a backlash on her boycott of the mandatory post-match press conferences that players are required to attend.  In a heartfelt tweet , Osaka talked about her battle with depression post the 2018 drama filled US Open Final. She shared how she gets ‘huge waves of anxiety’ before speaking to the media. Mental Health is serious issue and I hope Osaka gets the help she needs to deal with her anxiety.  Her tweet on May 27th likened press conferences post a loss to ‘kicking a person while they’re down’. She also alleged that people have no regard for athlete’s mental health. A rather aggressive accusation.   She is an athlete that has taken a stand on issues in the past. In the 2020 US Open she wore a mask that had the names of victims of racial injustice like George Floyd. Not afraid of dealing with issues that could be considered controversial she often speaks her mind. She was named Time’s 100 most influential p...

The IPL and BCCI have come under severe criticism for continuing a cricket tournament during one of the greatest crisis in India’s history. Calls for stopping the tournament are all over social media. What a waste of a good opportunity.  Don’t shut down the IPL- USE IT!!! In 1985, Live Aid, a music concert held on one afternoon raised over $125 million for the famine in Ethiopia. A 24-hour telethon led by George Clooney ‘Hope for Haiti’ raised more than $57 million for the earthquake ravaged country.  Can you imagine how much awareness and money can be raised with a T20 match being played every single evening?  The BCCI is missing out on being one of the greatest contributors to India during this challenging time.  There are a number of people in India and abroad who would like to donate money and contribute in any way they can. The absence of a credible NGO or an easy-to-use platform hinders them in the process. There is no greater opportunity at the moment than the...

“The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings.” Cassius Julius Caesar Act I Scene II It came on slowly. The first few doses were small and perked your curiosity. ‘Wow,’ you said, 'this is good stuff.' It was after all a brilliantly concocted cocktail. It had a suicide, alleged murder, drugs, celebrities, nepotism, arrests, whatsapp chats, Bollywood and multiple stars with multiple opinions. It consumed you. You didn’t just wait till your supply arrived at 9 pm, you were addicted all day. You forwarded videos and articles. You tweeted with hashtags and debated with friends. And all along the enablers of this addiction had you begging them for more. Yet, today, months after this started, you are standing here demanding apologies from the very media houses and anchors who provided you with the supply for your addiction. That is like an alcoholic blaming the bartender for serving him.  While I do agree that journalism and the media hit rock ...

The decision to ‘default’ the match against Novak Djokovic was a harsh one. The punishment, in my view, did not fit the crime.  I may be in the minority when it comes to this viewpoint. Legends of the game like Billie Jean King have said on twitter - ‘The rule is the rule. It is unfortunate for everyone involved, but in this specific situation the default was the right call’.  The US Open website had a report on what happened. In a nutshell when a player violates a code, the Point Penalty Schedule is as follows- The first code violation is a warning, the second is a point penalty and the third (and subsequent) is a game penalty. This scheduled may be bypassed in favour of an immediate default.  The USTA Statement read, ‘In accordance with the Grand Slam rulebook, following his actions of intentionally hitting a ball dangerously or recklessly within the court or hitting a ball with negligent disregard of the consequences, the tournament referee defaulted Novak Djokovic fr...

Did they all get it wrong? An even bigger concern is whether they are still getting it wrong. Trump, Modi, Merkel, Johnson, Conte and the rest of the world leaders. Are they leading us to safe waters or bringing on a storm of Tsunamic proportions? Some locked down their country and some did not. Some have announced stimulus’ while others are waiting for things unfold. In the darkest of times which leader has made the right choices and whose decisions are bringing on a despondent future? Possibly for the first time in history, there is no incontrovertible right answer. Even if there is one, at this point in the crisis, it is certain that neither you, any head of state or I know the right way forward. For leaders of countries this is a watershed moment. In their lifetime, no crisis or calamity will ever eclipse what they face today. There have been wars, terror attacks, famines, floods, recessions and financial meltdowns. Yet, this faceless enemy is more unpredictable, dangerou...

What a year in sports, it's been really exciting; A number of champions, went down fighting. It’s time once again, for a year-end summary; 2019, filled us with memories. Let’s start with cricket, it was a World Cup year; The final was tied, the outcome brought tears. The number of fours, determined the winner; The rule is so sickening, I threw up my dinner. NZ were robbed, without another chance; But a rule is a rule, ‘Twas England’s dance. Nadal and Djoko dominated the courts, Federer losing Wimbledon, boggled us with thoughts. Four different women, winning each of the majors; Serena came close, but in finals caused no danger. We’re still really pleading, the young ones come through; It’s almost 2020, someone new is due. It looked all sown up, by Liverpool in Jan; Things then turned sour, just don’t ask their fans. They haven’t won it all, since 1990; Don’t choke Reds, it’s time for your party. Jose is at Tottenham, is it a desp...