Hove, Aug 14 (Cricket News) India's Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara smashed his way to a career-best List A score of 174, notching up his second hundred in a span of 48 hours as Sussex amassed a mammoth 378 for 6 against Surrey in the Royal London Cup One Day Championship on Sunday.

On Friday, Pujara had caned the Warwickshire attack en route his 79-ball 107 albeit in a losing cause.

On Sunday, Sussex batted first on a small county ground at Hove, and were 9/2 inside first four overs when Tom Clark (104 off 106 balls) and Pujara joined forces to add 205 runs for the third wicket.

Pujara, who has a near 55 average in List A cricket, scored his 13th hundred in the 50-over format and in all faced 131 balls from which he hit 20 fours and five sixes.

By the time he was dismissed in the 48th over, Pujara had nearly scored half of his team's runs (350) at that time.

Pujara hit a six each off pacers Matt Dunn, Conor McKerr and Ryan Patel. Spinners Amar Virdi and Yousef Majid were also tonked for a maximum each.

Krunal gets 3 for Warwickshire --------------------------------- At the Grace Road ground in Leicester, left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya emerged as the most successful bowler for Warwickshire with figures of 3/69 against Leicestershire in another List A game.

Pandya's victims were Louis Kimber (78), South African international Wiaan Mulder (68) and Aaron Lilley (33).

Leicestershire scored 338 for 8 in 50 overs.

Umesh Yadav gets 2 for Middlesex ------------------------------------- Veteran Indian Test pacer Umesh Yadav continued his good showing for Middlesex in the ongoing 50-over competition with figures of 2/58 from 10 overs with wickets of Somerset openers Andrew Umeed (10) and skipper James Rew (114).

Umesh currently has 13 wickets from four games with a five-for and four-for under his belt. Somerset scored 335 for 6 in 50 overs.

Navdeep Saini goes wicketless for Kent ------------------------------------------ Out of favour India pacer Navdeep Saini had figures of 0/43 for Kent against Northamptonshire, who were bowled out for 210 on the day.

While Saini went wicketless, this was the least number of runs that he has conceded in Royal London Cup so far, having gone for above 61, 71 and 68 runs in his previous three appearances.

Women's Hundred: Jemimah out for 2 but team wins --------------------------------------------------------- Jemimah Rodrigues was dismissed cheaply for 2 but her team Northern Superchargers beat London Spirit by five runs in 'The Hundred Women's Competition' game at Leeds.

Rodrigues was clean-bowled to a leg-cutter from seamer Freya Davies.

Also Read : Zimbabwe ODIs: With Rahul back as opener, Gill might have to come in at No. 3

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Aug 14 (Cricket News) The ODI series against Zimbabwe will be KL Rahul's dress rehearsal before the Asia Cup and hence he is all set to replace Shubman Gill at the top-of the order alongside Shikhar Dhawan for the upcoming games.

With T20 World Cup being paramount and Gill not exactly in the scheme of things as far as shortest format is concerned, he might be handed a number 3 slot in order to ensure that his captain gets enough game-time before the continental championship in the UAE, starting August 27.

This provided all three are fit and available for all the games in the series.

While there will be no Rahul Dravid heading the team of support staff for the short three-match series, starting August 18 in Harare, NCA head VVS Laxman is almost certain to follow the blue-print set by the head coach.

Rahul's comeback also creates problems for young Gill, who has had a stellar 50-over series in the West Indies, where he scored 64, 43 and 98 not out in three games to win the 'Player of the Series' award.

So will Rahul allow Gill to continue his good form at the top of the order or perch himself out there at the onset with one eye on the Asia Cup? "I think Shubman is being groomed in the right way by the Indian team management. While he has done exceedingly well in the Caribbean ODIs, what I can gauge from this team's philosophy is prepare players for multiple slots. Hence I feel for this particular series, Shubman might have to come in at No. 3," former national selector and Test opener Devang Gandhi gave his viewpoint on the issue.

Agreed Deep Dasgupta, another former India player and now a commentator.

"I agree it is difficult after you have had such a good series. But currently, the aim would be to prepare Rahul for the Asia Cup T20's opening slot. He needs to get a lot of batting time and that's a priority. I think it will be a short-term arrangement as Shubman I feel is being groomed as an opener for the ODI World Cup," Dasgupta, currently commentating in 'The Hundred', said.

In the 50-over set-up since the home series against England in 2021, Rahul was being seen as a middle-order anchor rather than an opener but once he was the skipper in the ODI series in South Africa, he had promoted himself as an opener.

But the last ODI that he played was against West Indies in Ahmedabad, where with both Rohit Sharma and Dhawan present, Rahul was back in the middle-order.

So won't it be unfair to Gill if he isn't opening the innings? Gandhi feels otherwise.

"Look, No.3 is a proper top-order slot. He might have to come in as early as second ball of the innings and that is as good as opening the batting. Also my hunch is that once Rahul has enough game time under his belt, he will again bat middle-order with Gill being prepared for 2023 event," Gandhi said. 

Also Read : Shakib Al Hasan appointed Bangladesh T20 captain for Asia Cup, T20 World Cup

News Source : PTI

Kolkata, Aug 14 (Football News) Defending champions FC Goa will clash with local giants Mohammedan Sporting Club in the opening Group A game of the 131st Durand Cup here on Tuesday.

FC Goa had claimed their maiden Durand Cup title after beating Mohammedan Sporting 1-0 in the summit clash of the last edition in October last year.

The first game of the tournament gets underway amidst a build-up which saw a Trophy tour of five-cities including Guwahati and Imphal, the two first time host cities.

The Goan side is brimming with young talent and Mohammedan Sporting coach Andrey Chernyshov of Russia reiterated the importance of a win to open the season.

"We all remember that we lost to FC Goa in the last final. Of course, this will give us additional motivation in this match," he said in a release.

"But we also understand that this is the opening match of the tournament and is an additional excitement. We have lot of new players that we want to see in serious games. Therefore, it is very important for us to start the tournament with a win." The Gaurs, who are being managed by Deggie Cardozo this time look to grasp the opportunity of performing on the big stage.

The young side will be led by Muhammed Nemil, who first caught Sunil Chetri's attention during the previous edition of the Durand with a wonder goal.

Phrangki Buam and Ayush Chetri also lend a lot of solidity to the line-up.

"We're excited to kick-start our Durand Cup campaign on Tuesday. They may have done their homework but so have we, and our focus is completely on ourselves and what we can do to get a good result," Cardozo said.

"Starting the tournament on a positive note, with a good result is important and that is what we hope to do on Tuesday. That the match will be held in front of fans gives us some extra motivation." The Black and White brigade, on the other hand, have retained the nucleus of last year's squad with Trinidadian marksman Marcus Joseph still leading the lines. Milan Singh in midfield and Abhishek Ambekar will bring in the experience, while the likes of Tajik national-team recruit Nuriddin Davronov brings in the likely x-factor.

Star singers at Opening Ceremony =============================== The build-up to the game will see a short and lively opening ceremony, with bands of the Armed Forces on display as well as a performance by star singers Papon and Rewben Mashangwa, of the tournament theme song.

The ceremony will conclude with the playing of the FIFA Theme song. 

Also Read : Don't pay too much attention: Chhetri tells players on FIFA ban threat

News Source : PTI

Tokyo, Aug 14 (Motor Sports News) IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team earned a point with Senthil Kumar finishing 15th in round 3 of 2022 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) here on Sunday.

In his first stint at the Sportsland SUGO international circuit, Senthil managed to bounce back from a DNF in race 1 to claim a point for the team.

However, teammate Rajiv Sethu, who had finished fifth on Saturday, could not recover from the mistake in the initial laps and finished the race in 17th Position.

The duo of Senthil and Rajiv battled their hardest with 17 best of Asian riders from six countries (Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam) in Asia Production 250cc (AP250) class.

With four riders crashing out in the last lap, it proved to be a challenging race for everyone.

Senthil however, took advantage and sped up to jump ahead on the leaderboard to come in contention for winning some coveted points.

"Learning from my mistakes of yesterday I wanted to perform better today. I am happy to have bagged a point for the team and it is only with their support and guidance that this was possible," he said. 

Also Read : Formula 1 team Williams retains Alex Albon on a multi-year deal

News Source : PTI

Bengaluru, Aug 14 (Football News) Seasoned striker Sunil Chhetri on Sunday advised fellow players to continue giving their best on the pitch and not worry about FIFA's threat of suspension on Indian football.

Earlier this month, world football governing body FIFA had threatened to suspend the AIFF and strip off its right to host the women's U-17 World Cup in October due to a third party "influence", the warning coming just days after the Supreme Court's directive to hold elections of the national federation.

The SC-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) has since, though, started the electoral process. The elections are slated for August 28.

"I've spoken to the boys and my advice is to not give it too much attention because it is out of your control," Chhetri said during a virtual media interaction organised by his club Bengaluru FC in the build-up to the new season.

"People who are involved are doing their best to make sure that we are going to come out with the best results possible.

"Everyone is working hard towards it. As far as players are concerned we are going to make sure that we do our work properly.

"We have to make sure you better yourself as a player. Whenever you get an opportunity to represent your club or your country, put your best foot forward.

"All other verticals in the AIFF are trying to fix as much as possible to make sure that they come out with flying colours," he said.

India is to host the FIFA women's U-17 World Cup from October 11-30 and the Union Cabinet last month approved the Signing of Guarantees for hosting the women's age group showpiece in Bhubaneswar, Goa and Mumbai.

The Durand Cup will kick off the season in Kolkata on August 16 and Bengaluru FC will take on Jamshedpur FC on the second day of the tournament.

Having won every major national title since the team came into existence in 2013, the Blues will be desperate to add the missing Durand Cup to their trophy cabinet.

For Chhetri too, it's "very, very special" as he also has not won the oldest football competition in Asia, whose 131st edition will be held this year.

"It's very, very special. It is one of the oldest tournaments which in itself is very big. But more so for me. As a club we have not won and individually I've not won the Durand Cup.

"I've been fortunate to win a lot of tournaments, almost all the tournaments that one can in India, and the Durand Cup is missing.

"So, for me it's an added motivation. We as a club will try our best. Last year our young boys gave a good account of themselves, we want to better that." For the first time, all the 11 Indian Super League (ISL) clubs will participate in the tournament.

Trophy-less for the last couple of seasons, the BFC have had some interesting signings in former ATK Mohun Bagan marksman Roy Krishna, Javi Hernandez, Probir Das and Sandesh Jhingan.

Chhetri's pairing with Fijian star Roy Krishna may have become the talk of the town, but the India skipper tried to play it down.

"I think the pairing is over-hyped. It's not the pairing, it's just Roy. I'm just happy with Roy. We are just going to make sure that this lad is happy because we know what he can give. He has been outstanding in training.

"He has troubled us a lot in the last couple of years, so to have him wear our jersey is a pleasant feeling. We are going to sit back to keep him happy and rest we all know what he can do on the pitch.

"He's trying his best to be a part of the team, making sure that he talks to all the youngsters. He's been very chirpy.

"With so much experience he doesn't shy away from voicing his opinion. He's making sure that everyone is happy around him," Chhetri said.

Chhetri will reunite with India teammate Sandesh Jhingan at the club as the centre back returns five years after winning the Federation Cup with the team.

Terming it a "welcome addition", Chhetri said: "I wish him all the very best. I want to assure him that we are going to give him all the support he needs and also know that he's going to give everything he has for us to do well." 

Also Read : Should Manchester United listen to Erik ten Hag and buy Hakim Ziyech?

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Aug 13 (Badminton News) India's star shuttler P V Sindhu on Saturday pulled out of the upcoming BWF World Championships owing to a stress fracture on her left foot.

In a statement which she shared on Twitter, the double Olympic medallist confirmed that she will be missing the 2022 World Championships.

Sindhu has won the World Championships gold in 2019, along with two silver medals and two bronze.

"While I am on the high of winning a gold medal at the CWG for India. Unfortunately, I have to pull out of the world championships. I felt pain and there was an injury scare at the quarter-finals of the CWG, but with the help of my coach, physio and trainer, I decided to push as far as I could," Sindhu said in the statement.

"The pain was unbearable during and post the finals. Hence I rushed for an MRI as soon as I got back to Hyderabad. The doctors confirmed a stress fracture on my left foot and recommended rest for a few weeks. I should be back to training in a few weeks. Thank you all for your support and love," she added.

The World Championships will be held in Tokyo from August 21 till August 28.

Sindhu has won the gold medal in the women's singles event at the recently-concluded Commonwealth Games and revealed that she had been playing through pain at the multi-sport extravaganza.

Sindhu added a CWG singles gold to her wide array of medals with a convincing straight-game win over Canada's Michelle Li.

The world number seven from India outplayed her 13th ranked opponent 21-15 21-13 in front of a packed crowd at the NEC arena in Birmingham.

This was Sindhu's second gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, having earlier won the yellow metal in 2018 in the mixed team event. She also has one silver and one bronze in women's singles from 2018 and 2014 editions respectively.

The 27-year-old Sindhu also has two Olympic medals. She won silver in women's singles in 2016 and followed that up with a bronze medal in Tokyo last year. 

Also Read : PM Modi praises 'phenomenal' Sindhu after she wins gold at CWG

News Source : PTI

Dhaka, Aug 13 (Cricket News) The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Saturday appointed premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan as the skipper of the T20 team for the upcoming Asia Cup, the New Zealand tri-series and the T20 World Cup.

While the Asia Cup will be held in the UAE, Australia will host the T20 showpiece in October-November.

The BCB made the announcement after weeks of uncertainty as Shakib was told by the Board to choose between playing for Bangladesh or keeping his endorsement with a "betting company" Betwinner News.

He had ended his deal with the company.

He was appointed Test captain in June after Mominul Haque stepped down.

The BCB also announced a 17-member squad for the Asia Cup, which will be played from August 27.

Bangladesh made several changes in their T20I squad for the Asia Cup, with Liton Das ruled out of the tournament due to injuries.

Middle-order batter Sabbir Rahman, who last played a T20I in 2019, returns to the squad, while Mushfiqur Rahim, who was rested for the T20I series against Zimbabwe, is also back. There was no place for Shoriful Islam, Munim Shahriar and Najmul Hossain Shanto in the team.

All-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin returned despite a recurring back problem, while fast bowler Ebadot Hossain was also included in the squad. Nurul Hasan was also named in the squad despite a finger injury, with the BCB saying they are expecting an update on him on August 21.

Bangladesh's squad: Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Anamul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain, Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman, Nasum Ahmed, Sabbir Rahman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Ebadot Hossain, Parvez Hossain Emon, Nurul Hasan, Taskin Ahmed. 

Also Read : Pretoria Capitals sign Anrich Nortje, Migael Pretorius for CSA T20 League

News Source : PTI 

Singapore, Aug 13 (Golf News) India's Shubhankar Sharma made a sharp move up with a solid 4-under 68 to get to 9-under which saw him rise to tied 12th in USD 1.5 million third International Series Singapore here on Saturday.

Sharma's card may have looked even better but for a late bogey on 17th. But he quickly made up for it with a birdie on 18th.

Veer Ahlawat continued to be the top Indian even though he barely made a move on the third day. He had a bogey on second and a birdie on 17th and parred the rest, while missing a handful of birdie chances for an even 72. He stayed at 10-under but slipped from overnight third to tied eighth.

Sharma had six birdies against two bogeys and looked in fine form, setting himself up for a strong challenge on the final day.

Malaysian Gavin Green (72) maintained his lead but was joined by Phachara Khongwatmai (69) from Thailand. They were both at 14-under and led by one over Chinese-Taipei's Chan Shih-chang (66) and Thailand's Nitithorn Thippong (68), who had two eagles.

Nitithorn achieved the rare feat of making two eagles on par fours on the front, on three and nine.

Chan and Nitithorn were a shot behind the leaders, following rounds of 66 and 68 respectively, while England's Steve Lewton came in with a 69 to sit a stroke further back.

Jyoti Randhawa, who turned 50 in May this year, started on the 10th and double bogeyed the 11th. But he quickly turned things around with birdies on 13th, 14th and 18th to make the turn in 1-under 35.

On the second nine he had four birdies between third and eighth for a day's work of 67 as he moved to tied 20th, up from overnight tied 46th. Randhawa's eight Asian Tour wins include one in Singapore more than two decades ago in 2000. He also won once in Japan.

Rashid Khan (71) was tied 41st as was Ajeetesh Sandhu (70), while Gaganjeet Bhullar, winner in Indonesia last week, and SSP Chawrasia, both shot 72 and were tied 57th. Aman Raj, who had a stunning hole in one on the second day shot 73 and was tied 67th. 

Aslo Read : Diksha and Aditi survive cut in Northern Ireland; Doherty leads

News Source : PTI

Ranked 4th in the Boys U17 Category, squash player Yuvraj Wadhwani is the winner of the Asian Junior Squash Championships (U13) 2018, becoming only the second Indian to win the prestigious tournament. He was inducted into the Virat Kohli Foundation in 2019 and finished third at the British Junior Open World Championships Birmingham BU13.​ 

In this exclusive interview, Yuvraj Wadhwani speaks about his journey as a professional squash player, experience at the German and Dutch Open, biggest inspirations in his career, importance of mental strength and his future goals.
 
Q 1) When did you first start playing squash? What about the sport caught your attention and motivated you to pursue it professionally?
 
I started playing squash at the age of 7. Prior to that I swam at the district level and won many medals in swimming. My keystroke was the butterfly stroke. I also played chess at a district and state level till the age of 8 before making squash my primary sport. I started playing squash with my dad for fun and joined the squash academy at Khar Gymkhana during my summer vacation. I enjoyed it a lot as it involved a lot of interaction with other players and even uncles who sweetly played with me there. But as school timings did not allow me to pursue all 3 sports I had to choose. I chose squash as it was fun, energetic and like playing physical chess. Also, the fact that I always had an excellent hand eye coordination from a young age probably helped me in squash. 
 
Q 2) You finished 4th and 6th in the German and Dutch Open. How was the experience and what did you learn from it?
 
I love the feeling of representing India. It makes you feel proud and on top of the world. You learn a lot about your own game especially when you play the best of the best in the world. There is a learning curve involved and it pushes you to work harder. Unfortunately, my 10th Standard board exams were over just a month before these 2 tournaments, not giving me the adequate time required to train for them. Though I did train during my exams I wasn’t able to put in the kind of hours I would have liked. Despite that I would say that the results were great. I also secured a 97.8 % in my ICSE board exams.
 
Q 3) Who have been the biggest inspirations in your career so far and why?
    
One of my biggest inspirations is Mr. Virat Kohli. Nothing was handed to him easily. He has earned everything from pure dedication, hard work and passion. Few things I love about him are his never give up attitude, always putting his best foot forward and his hunger to succeed.

Also read: Everything that I have done in rugby is to represent India: Shahnawaz
 
Q 4) What is your training regime before a big event? How important is mental strength to succeed as a professional squash player?
 
A lot of preparation goes in before an event. One needs to start fitness training & technique correction months prior to the event and then step up to match practice just prior. Mental fitness plays a huge part in the game. Especially when it’s a 3-2 game and you are at 10 all in the 5th set. It's all about grit and nerves. My current coach Ritwik Bhattacharya is a great mentor and pushes you to do your best. I also have a great team of coaches, my parents and my Nani (my biggest fan) backing me who help me with the support I need. 
 
Q 5) You’re currently in the top 5 in the U17 category. Would you say it’s the biggest achievement of your career? If not, which accomplishment do you consider the most special and why?
 
My most special accomplishment was when I was chosen to represent India in the Boys Under 13 category in the No. 1 position. I was only 11 and the youngest player to represent India in Asian Junior Individual Championships that year. My Asian Junior Gold & Silver medal along with my 4 Junior National titles are extremely dear to me and I hope to win them again. My biggest dream in the junior category is to win the British Junior Open one day.
 
Q 6) What are your future goals as a squash player? How do you plan to achieve them?
 
If wishes would come true then in the short term I do hope to win a British Junior title, an Asian Junior and a Junior National title. This will involve a lot of teamwork, hard work and dedication. I will need to work on my fitness, my game, my strength, and mental conditioning all in 1. I must thank my school, Bombay Scottish School, Mahim who have extended help in all possible ways to help me achieve my goals. My coach Ritwik Bhattacharya and his team, coach Avinash Bhavnani, the Indian squash federation, my clubs, and everyone who contributed towards my success. In the long term, I do hope to represent India in the Asian and Commonwealth games and win a PSA title.

Hailing from Bhubaneswar, Shahnawaz (Sonu) has been playing rugby since 2015. The 26 year old has represented Odisha and aims to not just win accolades for the country but also promote the sport of rugby. In this exclusive interview, Shahnawaz speaks about his journey as a professional rugby player, his idols growing up, playing the nationals for Odisha, importance of mental strength, overcoming challenges, special achievements and future goals.

Q 1) Hailing from Bhubaneswar, when were you first introduced to rugby and what motivated you to take it up professionally?

I was introduced to rugby in school by my coach who encouraged me to participate in the trials. I was selected for the Club Sevens first and I was a bit wary of the sport since there is a lot of body contact but that’s how I was introduced to rugby. 

Q 2) Who were some of your rugby idols while growing up?

I was not aware of foreign players who played rugby while I was growing up but I looked up to my coach Manoj Kumar and a player called Piyush Khatri. I wanted to be like both of them.

Q 3) How was the experience of playing the nationals for Odisha? 

I started playing nationals in 2015 and my selection was unexpected as there were many people who had been playing rugby for much longer than I was and worked harder than me. Initially, I couldn’t believe that I was selected but the coach reassured me that I was indeed selected for the nationals.

Q 4) How important is mental strength to become a professional rugby player?

The game is played mentally and how strong you are will determine how high you will climb in rugby. Since rugby is a contact sport, injuries are inevitable and being prepared mentally to deal with such situations is very important. It’s important to ignore the naysayers and keep your eye on the goal.

Also read: I want to promote the sport of rugby in Mizoram: Sangzuala Zosanguala

Q 4) What are some of the challenges that you have faced in your career? How did you overcome them?

There have been many challenges. A rugby player needs supplements to build their physique and travelling to locations requires money. There wasn’t enough support we had to finance our own careers. It’s hard to mention the hardships that I have faced in my journey simply because there are so many. 

Q 5) What is your most special achievement in your rugby career and why?

In 2021, we reached third in the nationals which was a very special achievement for me. Now that I’m representing India, getting the jersey was very memorable because everything that I have done in my career has been to represent my country.

Q 6) What are your goals in the future? How are you working towards achieving them?

India is a cricket crazy country while rugby is relatively unknown. I want rugby to get more recognition and development of the sport is very important. I also want to win gold at the upcoming tournament that I’m participating in so that people come to know that the Indian rugby team is capable of achieving medals at the highest level.

At the age of 28, Sangzuala Zosanguala (a.k.a Zuala) has been playing professional rugby since 2016. He finished fifth at the Asian Sevens Trophy Tournament in Indonesia and won the silver medal in the National Games in 2019. With an aim to promote rugby in Mizoram, Zuala is working hard to prepare himself for upcoming tournaments and aims to serve as an inspiration for future generations.

In this exclusive interview, Zuala speaks about being introduced to the sport, his achievements so far, experience at the Asian Sevens Trophy Tournament, promoting the sport in Mizoram, overcoming challenges and his future goals.

Q 1) Hailing from Mizoram, a state not known for rugby, how were you first introduced to the sport? What motivated you to pursue it professionally?

I was first asked to play Rugby in the army and I really enjoyed the game instantly. It was the army who introduced me to this sport.

Q 2) You have been playing rugby professionally since 2016, how has the experience been so far and what is your most special achievement?

Till now the biggest achievement would be winning the Silver medal in the National Games 2019. 

Q 3) Tell us about your experience at the Asian Sevens Trophy Tournament in Indonesia where the team finished fifth.

It was my first international tournament and I was a little nervous to be honest as I had very little experience. Playing that tournament was a great experience as I got to learn a lot of things. Playing with the senior players for the country was a really special feeling.

Also read: My goal is to take the Indian rugby team to a higher level: Surinder Singh

Q 4) As an experienced rugby player, how do you want to promote the sport in Mizoram?

I want to promote rugby in Mizoram but to make that happen, I need to speak to Rahul Bose (the President of the Indian Rugby Federation) because I am in the Army and I cannot promote the sport on my own.

Q 5) What are the challenges you have faced in your professional rugby career? How did you overcome them?

When I was in the Army team there was too much competition for a single position. Out of the 50 players only 12 were to be selected and the position I wanted already had an experienced veteran who was already in the Indian team but ultimately with my hard work and dedication I got a place in the Indian National Rugby team. 

Q 6) What are your future goals? How are you working to achieve them?

The future goal right now is to put in my best performance in the upcoming tournaments. I plan to achieve this by showing regular consistency in my game and improving my weaknesses.

As one of the senior players in the Indian rugby team, 36 year old Surinder Singh has represented the country at the highest level, playing in the Commonwealth and Asian Games. Hailing from Punjab, he enjoys playing other sports such as volleyball and basketball but remains focused on his one true love: rugby. The player is also using his invaluable experience to groom the younger generation into future rugby stars and ensure that the sport remains in safe hands going forward.

In this exclusive interview, Surinder Singh speaks about his journey as a professional rugby player, his experiences at the Commonwealth and Asian Games, love for volleyball and basketball, guiding younger players to have successful careers, overcoming challenges and his future goals.

Q 1) You began playing rugby in 2005, who introduced you to the sport and what made you take it up professionally?

A rugby team was formed in the army in 2003, so when I joined the army in 2005 they were recruiting new guys and I got selected due to my height and physique. After going through a fitness test, we started training and since then I have been playing for the army. As my performances kept improving over the years, I got the opportunity to play for India and it's been a great journey.

Q 2) Tell us about your experience in representing India at the Commonwealth and Asian Games?

It was an incredible experience for me, both the Commonwealth and Asian Games were great tournaments for us. Before the Commonwealth Games we had a foreign exposure tour where we learnt a lot of things. 

Q3) Apart from rugby, you also play volleyball and basketball. What do you enjoy about them?

My absolute favourite is rugby and nothing else comes close. I really love playing rugby and I never want to stop playing. Now I am playing for the Indian team but I don't know how many more years I will play. Maybe 2 or 4 even though 4 seems way too much.

Also read: My aim is to coach rugby to future generations: Indian rugby player Akash Balmiki

Q 4) As a senior Indian rugby player, how do you guide the younger players to have a successful career?

I want to share all the knowledge that I have gained about rugby with the younger generation. Even nowadays when a youngster is in the India squad, they tend to ask a lot of questions, which I happily oblige so that not only he can improve his game but also give him advice for the future.

Q 5) What are some of the challenges you have faced in your journey as a professional rugby player? How did you overcome them?

There have been a lot of challenges in my career as it takes a certain level of consistency to play for the Indian national rugby team. To get into the Indian team you need hours of dedication and sole focus on your objective to become a better player. My father was also a sportsman for the army as he used to play different sports like Hammer throw and Discus throw. You can say he was my biggest inspiration to take up rugby as a profession.

Q 6) What are your future goals and aspirations? How do you plan to achieve them?

My first main objective currently is to take my army team forward and I want to bring back the glory days for them. My ultimate goal is to take the Indian national rugby team to a higher pedestal.