Sport plus

A new paradigm for fighting cancer

Asian — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 21:25:19 GMT

Dr Tejinder Katariya

Augest.29 : During a radiation treatment session and also from one treatment session to another, tumours can move due to normal internal organ action (digestion, elimination, and breathing). This unplanned position/ movement of tumour leads it to not receiving the full amount of radiation it should and normal tissues may receive more radiation than they can tolerate.

Through this treatment, the tumour-bearing area, mapped by a radiation oncologist, is imaged and a reconstruction of the anatomy by virtual CT-scan is carried out in the treatment machine. The images are acquired using diagnostic X-rays (Kilovoltage imaging) also known as Cone Beam CT-scanning: the advantage of this is a lesser dose of X-rays radiation being received by the patient.

Image Guided Radiotherapy or IGRT is best suited for sites where internal organ motion is expected. For example, cancer of lung, breast and liver (breathing motion), stomach and prostate (filling), brain (neck movement). The use of image guidance not only improves the focus and precise delivery of radiation, it is expected to improve upon the cure rates for cancers where the dose delivery is limited with conventional methods of radiotherapy due to proximity of affected tissues to critical organs like eyes, brain, heart, lungs and spinal cord.

Today, IGRT has become a harbinger of hope for millions of cancer patients for the many benefits it offers. Not only has this technique significantly improved survival rates amongst cancer patients, it has also resulted in reducing the side-effects of radiation like difficulty in swallowing food and pneumonia for patients with cancers in the chest. Another advantage is that as the cancer shrinks with treatment, it will be possible for physicians to implement adaptive radiotherapy using IGRT. Adaptive radiotherapy is a new concept in radiotherapy where individual patient data is collected for the first few fractions of treatment and is then used to individualise treatment for the remaining fractions and treatment is re-planned based upon the tumour shrinkage.

As compared to conventional radiotherapy, by increasing the daily dose of radiation with image guidance, smaller normal tissue coverage can be given, thus reducing the overall treatment time. This increases the compliance for treatment completion and reduces the number of visits to the hospital, resulting in greater patient comfort.

At present, there are three such facilities in India offering image guided therapy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Artemis Health Institute, Gurgaon and Indo American Hospital in Hyderabad.

The writer is head, radiation oncology, at Artemis Health Institute, Gurgaon

Even the blind can donate eyes

Asian — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 21:22:52 GMT

Dr Anita Sethi

Augest.29 : There are an estimated 4.6 million people with corneal blindness in India waiting for a corneal transplant. Ninety per cent of these people are below the age of 45 years, including 60 per cent below the tender age of 12 years. Eye donations by you or your loved ones can make a big difference to the lives of at least two people.

Who can be eye donors?

Eye donation can only be done after death. Practically anybody above one year of age can donate without any upper age limit.

People with poor eyesight, old age, spectacles, cataract surgery, diabetes and blood pressure can also donate their eyes. Even a person who is blind from retinal or optic nerve disease can donate eyes.

Those who cannot donate their eyes are the ones who have died of unknown causes, or due to infectious rabies, syphilis, infectious hepatitis, septicemia, and AIDS.

Does eye donation cause delays in funeral arrangement?

No. Eye removal itself takes only 15-20 minutes and does not cause any disfigurement that would interfere with common funeral practices.

How to make an eye donation?

All one needs to do is tell your relatives and friends about your desire to donate eyes after death. You can also sign a simple pledge available at any eye bank, which will then provide you with a pledge card which can be carried in your pocket.

While taking a pledge during one’s lifetime itself is a noble deed, it requires the support of the relatives or friends to carry out the process of donation after death. They need to call up the Eye Bank as soon as possible after death so that the eye can be obtained and preserved. Can the next of kin donate eyes of a relative if the deceased person had not signed an eye donation form? Yes, the relatives of the deceased can decide on the eye donation of their beloved one.

How to make the eye donation?

The eye should be collected soon after death and the sooner the better. Though the quality of the eye deteriorates with time, eyes may even be taken till 12 hours after death depending on circumstances such as the temperature at which the body had been kept. In case of significant delay after death, you need to discuss with the eye bank personnel regarding possibility of donation. Till the time eye bank team reaches to take the eyes, a few precautions need to be taken to prevent damage to the eyes. These include:

Both eyes of the deceased need to be closed and covered with moist cotton.

The ceiling fan above the body should be switched off.

The body should be kept at as low temperature as possible. If required, ice blocks and air conditioners can be used to keep the body cool.

The head should be raised above the level of the body

Once the eye bank is informed about your desire to donate the eyes of your beloved one, a team of eye bank personnel will reach at your place to collect the eyes. Call 1919 to contact the local eye bank.

The writer is consultant and HoD Ophthalmology, Artemis Health

Institute, Gurgaon

The eyes are then taken and preserved in an special liquid for preservation.

Will the recipient be informed of the donor’s details?

As per law, no information of the recipient or the donor is passed on to each other.

Whom should I contact in case somebody wants to donate eyes of the deceased.

A dedicated number of 1919 (from MTNL / BSNL phones) can be used to contact the local eye bank.

Change of seasons may trigger asthma attacks

Asian — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 22:54:56 GMT

Dr R.K. Mani

One of the well- known causes of an asthma attack is the change of season, especially during monsoon. During this period, there is a rise in humidity, frequent changes in temperature, dust storms, all of which can trigger asthma attacks. Also, the frequency of these attacks increase by 25 per cent.

Often the occurrence of this disease is underestimated and misdiagnosed for being a seasonal cough or cold. This, in turn, leads to a large percentage of patients missing out on proper treatment that can prevent a full-blown asthma attack.

Other common causes are mites present in the dust in homes, animal dander (hair), food items, like certain seafood and canned food with preservatives.

Symptoms to look out for

Asthma symptoms may vary over time, and also from individual to individual. In an asthma attack, there is a temporary narrowing of the airway with termed spasms. The patient experiences breathlessness, wheezing and tightness in the chest. A few people may experience episodic coughing without breathlessness or wheezing, while some patients may experience breathlessness or other symptoms only when they exercise. Yet others may only have these symptoms at night time.

Dos and don’ts to

control asthma

Patients who have been diagnosed with asthma should continue to take the prescribed preventive medication.

Asthma patients should avoid exposure to frequent temperature change (for example, going out in the sun from an A/C environment or drinking chilled water immediately after getting back from the heat).

It is advisable to avoid contact with dust. While going out, if there is a duststorm, cover your face and nose with a mask.

Keep your environment clean as house dust can also trigger an attack.

It is also recommended to take influenza or flu vaccine once every year and pneumonia vaccine once in three years as infections are also common causes for an asthma attack.

One must not try any alternative treatments at home.

It is important to remember that asthma at times can be fatal. So, always seek medical advice.

Asthma management: Myths & Facts

Myth: Modern medicines don’t offer a complete cure.

Fact: Well-in-time diagnosis, coupled with suitable treatment, can effectively control the condition.

Myth: Inhalers are recommended only for advanced cases of asthma.

Fact: Established medical standards advise the use of inhalers as first-in-line therapy as it is most efficacious and has minimum side-effects. When you show symptoms, take an inhaler puff. At times, even several puffs can be taken in short intervals of 1-2 minutes for quick relief.

If inhaling is found to be difficult, a nebuliser (form of mist) can be used at home. If inhalation fails to give relief within half an hour, then one must opt for emergency medical treatment.

Myth: Asthma patients should not use steroids.

Fact: Use is unavoidable in case of life threatening or potentially life threatening conditions. In some cases, withholding steroids has even proved to be fatal. Therefore, asthma self-care instructions almost always include self-administration of first dose of steroid even before seeking medical help.

The writer is director, dept. of pulmonology, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Artemis Health Institute,

Gurgaon

Bariatric surgery right way to lose weight

Asian — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:56:21 GMT

Dr Sandeep Malhotra

Obesity is a problem with people across the world. With economic progress, a large percentage of urban Indians are obese. Obesity is a disease that increases the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attack, cancer and premature death.

Obesity is caused by multiple factors. The most important ones are poor diet, lack of exercise, genetic factors and hormonal changes. A poor diet includes large portions, fried foods, sweets and snacking between meals.

A person is considered severely obese when the body mass index (BMI) is 32.5 or more. The BMI depends on the height and weight of a person. High weight can affect health adversely and cause premature death.

Most severely obese individuals have tried to lose weight with diet control and exercise. Even if they get temporary success, unfortunately they re-gain the weight they had lost, plus gain some more. This "Yo-Yo" effect is even worse for health.

Bariatric or weight loss surgery is the only means of successful and durable weight loss among those who have tried other means. The most popular surgeries are:

Lap Band: An adjustable band is placed on the upper part of the stomach. This reduces stomach capacity and hunger.

Roux-en-y Gastric Bypass: The stomach is divided into a small pouch the size of a golf ball, and a part of the intestine is bypassed. This reduces hunger, makes a person feel full quickly and a part of the food is not absorbed into the body.

Sleeve Gastrectomy: Eighty per cent of the stomach is removed leaving a narrow sleeve of stomach behind. A person feels less hungry as a hormone called Ghrelin, which is responsible for hunger, is no longer produced. In addition, the person feels full quickly during a meal.

All these operations can be done laparoscopically so that the patient spends only one to two days in the hospital and can return to their daily routine quickly. Patients can lose 50-80 per cent of their excess weight over 1-2 years. However, regular follow-up with the surgeon and good diet and exercise are important to maintain the weight in the long term.

Dr Sandeep Malhotra is consultant, Bariatric Surgery, at Artemis Health

Institute, Gurgaon

Centre Court fans no longer at rain god’s mercy

Asian — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 22:00:37 GMT

Pritha Sarkar

Never again will Wimbledon stage a men’s final such as last year’s rain-soaked epic in which Rafael Nadal ended Roger Federer’s five-year reign as dusk fell over southwest London.

The contest which finished in near-darkness thanks to two rain breaks will be consigned to Wimbledon folklore as the All England Club prepares to unveil its newest innovation when the grasscourt grand slam begins on Monday — a translucent retractable roof over Centre Court.

The showers and fading light added extra drama to the five-set thriller won by Nadal 12 months ago but such episodes are usually an unwelcome sight for weather-weary Wimbledon fans.

Never again, promise organisers, will Centre Court ticket holders go away from the championships disappointed that they did not catch any tennis because the British rain gods decided to play spoilsport. "People have a life time ambition to get a seat ticket here on Centre Court and I always feel terribly sorry for them when it rains and they miss it," All England Club chief executive Ian Ritchie said.

"Previously if you came, for example, from the States and you only had a ticket for one or two days, there was always in the back of your mind the possibility that it was going rain. You could come all the way over and not see anything."

While the roof will keep 15,000 visitors to southwest London happy on a daily basis, the other beneficiaries will be the millions of global television viewers who will be guaranteed live action from Wimbledon almost everyday come rain or shine. To do that Wimbledon has erected a 1,000-tonne concertina structure over Centre Court which unfurls at 20 centimetres a second. The two sections of the translucent roof take about seven to nine minutes to lock together and turn the most famous tennis stage in the world into an indoor arena, complete with bright floodlights.

The addition of lighting means matches will be played to the finish and not suspended overnight. "All the players are excited to see how it’s going to really work especially with the lighting as well and having 15,000 people in a stadium," said Federer.

"We appreciate it very much that Wimbledon has gone forward by mixing innovation and tradition."

Some critics have suggested that building a roof over such an iconic structure goes against the belief of a tournament which prides itself for upholding age-old traditions, such as implementing a predominantly white dress rule on competitors. Ritchie disagreed. "I don’t think that will intervene with the tradition at all. Any time you change anything, you can say that’s a break with tradition," said Ritchie. —Reuters

Baby may disturb Roger’s Grand Slam dreams

Asian — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:49:35 GMT

By Pritha Sarkar

If Roger Federer thinks becoming a father will have little impact on his goal of equalling and then breaking Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slam titles he might be in for a rude awakening. Federer excitedly announced his news last month, declaring: "It's not going to really disturb my mindset on tennis a whole lot," but any parent who has had to deal with sleepless nights may think the Swiss is deluding himself.

While Federer and his girlfriend Mirka Vavrinec eagerly await the arrival of their first child, his fellow professional Ivan Ljubicic had a word of warning.

"I'm sure it's going to be a shock for him. There's no question about that," said the Croatian, who is still trying to come to grips with the demands of his five-month-old son. "It's just that your life changes completely. Priorities are different. You're not the one in the family who's the most important. You kind of lose your wife for a while."

In case Federer thinks Grand Slam champions like him can easily buck the trend, he would do well to flick through the record books. The last time a mother won a Singles Grand Slam crown was in 1980 when Australian Evonne Goolagong triumphed at Wimbledon. Since then, only eight men have captured a major after embracing the joys of fatherhood.

While four - Pat Cash, Andres Gomez, Petr Korda and Albert Costa - were one-Slam wonders, multiple champions Boris Becker, Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Andre Agassi managed to add just one further slam to their haul after becoming parents.

DRIED UP

Jimmy Connors was the only Singles player to successfully combine family life with playing on the tour in that time, winning three of his eight majors after the birth of his son Brett in August 1979.

For the likes of John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl and Stefan Edberg, the titles dried up as soon as they gingerly cradled the new additions to their families.

Tennis fathers have won only 10 of the last 115 grand slam titles. "(Fatherhood) changes (your) life dramatically," explained Becker, who won the 1996 Australian Open after the birth of his first son Noah.

"It would be more difficult to focus on one thing alone because your main focus is for your child and your wife, and tennis becomes secondary. That's a fact."

If the tennis annals are to be believed, the arrival of Federer junior could end the world number two's chances of adding to his collection of 13 Grand Slam titles. The Swiss has remained cagey about exactly when his baby is due, with his only comment being: "The baby is due in summer. I'm not going to say any more."

His reluctance to be more specific has sparked theories that the arrival of baby Federer could coincide with any of the three remaining majors - the French Open in May, Wimbledon in June or the US Open, where he is the defending champion, in August. Should that occur, it will be interesting to see where his loyalties lie. Will he choose personal glory over family commitments?

BABY DREAM

While Federer is ready to embrace the next stage of his life, it is hard to imagine the 27-year-old swapping his racket for regular nappy-changing duties.

"I always had the dream that once I became number one in the world that if I have a child I hope I have it early enough so he can see me playing," said Federer. "So this is very exciting."

Apart from the Sampras record, Federer still yearns to get his hands on an elusive title at the French Open, where his great rival Rafael Nadal has ruled since 2005.

Already struggling to find a way to beat players such as world number one Nadal and Andy Murray - against whom he has 6-13 and 2-6 losing records respectively - the prospect of turning up bleary eyed for a major final could cost him dearly.

With his record of achievement and his strong mental outlook, Federer could perhaps succeed where many of his predecessors failed.

"Roger always handles the pressure and I'm sure he's going to do the same with this," said Ljubicic. "He enjoys this sport so much that he doesn't really need to be focused 24 hours a day to play well."

Federer, who has already committed himself to play on until at least the 2012 London Olympics, added: "If it does something to me, I think it's going to motivate me to play for a long time."

-Reuters

Go out and play

Asian — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:12:38 GMT

By Dr Aijaz Ashai

Did you know that Mahendra Singh Dhoni has enrolled in St Xavier's college, Ranchi, for a Bachelor's degree in commerce? He plans to enroll for an MBA thereafter. Fellow cricketer Anil Kumble is a mechanical engineer and had passed with distinction in the top of his class, while Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra is an MBA from the University of Colorado. On the other hand, Anil Ambani is a marathon enthusiast. Vijay Mallya, as a racehorse owner, has won numerous trophies in horse racing including several Derbies and as a young sportsman was a race car driver,while Sulajja Firodia Motwani, joint MD Kinetic Engineering, has been a national level badminton player. Is there a message here for all to see?

Life is multidimensional and hence success should be defined taking all the aspects into account, be it career, finance, health or social life. And sport is one of the major factors that catalyse the development of qualities that help people face challenges in life. It is, therefore, crucial to introduce sport, and hence the concept of overall fitness, from childhood itself, at homes and in schools.

Having been associated with sports people for a greater part of my life, I have had the opportunity to observe them closely and have concluded that they are different, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. Evidently fitter and healthier owing to the nature of their profession, they are even mentally more resilient. For instance, the fundamentals of any game teach that both success and loss are not permanent. Hence, a sportsperson is compelled to shrug off the disappointment of a game gone bad and faces any new challenge with renewed vigour. In comparison, an office-goer who is not into sports is generally hit harder by disappointments and is pushed into depression. People who pursue sports along with their careers are generally better off when it comes to strategic thinking. Team spirit, leveraging individual strengths for collective benefit and refined social skills are some of the bonuses sports bestows.

It is unfortunate that in India sports has always been relegated below academics. At school or at home, children are usually pushed to devote time to academics and sacrifice play time. Yes, perhaps the child will score top marks at school the following day, but it would cost him dear in the race of life. There is nothing wrong if children play video games. In fact, videogames often help develop mind-body coordination. But what is the point of playing football or cricket on video when one can play these games outside in the field? The child totally misses out on the team experience and the opportunity to play in a real competitive environment where he/she needs to coordinate with a dozen or so other children, understand their mindset and formulise a game plan together. It is up to parents to encourage their children to spend time outdoors, while schools must make participation in sports as important as excellence in academics.

Sport is for everyone, whether or not it is pursued professionally. Swim, cycle, play badminton, squash, cricket, football - do anything that you enjoy! Along with better blood circulation, a stronger heart and greater lung capacity, physical exertion also helps deal with mental stress. Though physical exercise may cause fatigue, the release of endorphins or "happy hormones" brings a sense of rejuvenation. When children play, their physique improves, and it shows in their confidence as well as the way they present themselves. Eventually it helps them grow up to be strong and healthy adults. Such children also have better attention span, good communication skills and greater learning capacity, in addition to a higher IQ of around 80 to 95.

While it is important for children to pursue physical fitness, training in a gym must not begin unless they grow out of their teens. While the body is growing, any strenuous exercise such as weight training might cause lingering damage to joints. Diet is an important component of long-term fitness and children must have wholesome food to fuel their growth. Home food is way better than fast food and health food drinks and fruit juices are much better options than cold drinks.

It is interesting to note the difference between under-16 players from different countries. While in India players are selected on the basis of skill, in Australia and elsewhere they are selected on the basis of athleticism. Though it is true that skill is necessary to win, it cannot be employed in the absence of athleticism. This is one of the main factors that influence the dynamics of our nation's performance in sports. We have the skill, but usually lack the physical machinery to convert that skill into action - all the more reason why sport should be inculcated in our lives from a tender age.

I am reminded of the words of Eliud Kipchoge, Kenyan runner-up in the 5,000 m in the 2008 Olympics.

He said, "In 2004, I won a bronze. This is a silver. Maybe in 2012, it will be a gold. Slowly, slowly." This is what sport is teaches - patience, grace, determination. Go out and play. There is a lot to learn out there.

The author is a physiotherapist of the Indian rugby team

Dhoni has got the looks

Asian — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:45:46 GMT

By R. Mohan

Was this really a watershed series it was touted to be? Are the Australians in terminal decline or were they merely hit by Indiaitis, the disease that debilitates most comers? The answers, as with an elusive universal truth, lies somewhere in between. Considering that Ricky Ponting was to skipper this side to India and given his miseries on three previous tours, the end result was nearly predictable. He simply lost the plot in the final Test from when on it became a typical Indian mela with all the trappings.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni emerged with all the credit after masterminding the two Test wins as well as thinking up nice little emotional tugs on Indian hearts, first by asking Ganguly to lead for a few overs and then inviting Kumble to the podium at the presentation ceremony.

There is no doubt Dhoni comes up as the ultimate hero who combines deftly the ruthless touch on the field with his elaborate negative tactics - with which not all with their heart in the welfare of the game will agree - and the twanging of sentimental Indians. Given the fact that he will make several more millions than his predecessors in the game and so will be financially secure past all the recessions in the economy, Dhoni may end up bigger than the biggest of Indian stars, perhaps with a political party to his name one day. He has got the looks and the qualities of mass leadership. Dhoni did, however, take several liberties with the spirit of the game by employing blatant negative tactics. He probably did not need those to shut out this Ponting-led side that showed fighting spirit up to a point but collapsed each time any match was in the balance.

Let us not forget that the Aussies came as if with the same intent as in 2004, with Ponting dismissing his long-term India demons with a century in the company of Mr Cricket Hussey who made his first in Tests on Indian soil. It seemed the Aussies meant business, including their bowlers who had the doubtful Indian middle order on the ropes before the feisty Harbhajan and the resourceful Zaheer Khan held them up. The final results were in keeping with the new millennium trend in which the Indians have inflicted seven of a total of 13 defeats that the Aussies have suffered, and also won two series in those eight years (England is the only other team to have beaten them in a series, in 2005).

This time, India's number 2 ranking is a thoroughly deserved one. Before considering seriously the ambition of Team India to be ranked No. 1, we must take into account the couple of pressure points in the Border-Gavaskar series when the world champions posed a threat - the first when India batted a second time in Delhi and were in some fear of defeat after having declared on 617 in the first essay and when Ponting took his unusual view of his over rate crisis in Delhi.

If we leave out the Pakistanis and the Sri Lankans for their inconsistencies and their somewhat poor away record in most recent times, other serious contenders for the No. 2 ranking with the ambition to top the table are the South Africans and the Englishmen. Of them, the Proteas are more of a threat. The scenario is sanguine for Indian cricket whose future may lie in Dhoni's hands to shape. The feeling that he has greater responsibilities than merely leading Team India might serve to remind the skipper that he can't be seen lending scant regard to the image of the game.

If he does not go down the negative road again, he would surely be even more successful at the helm than Ganguly. All are convinced the future is India's. And since the country is the engine of the world cricket economy, such an exalted status can only help.

It is apparent that a strong Indian cricket alone can ensure the sport lives and grows internationally. So a lot more is riding on Dhoni's leadership than his impressive 100 per cent record as a Test captain besides his T-20 world championship and his CB tri-series cup won Down Under from the World Cup champions and the runners-up.

Viswanathan on top of the world

Asian — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:35:09 GMT

By T.N. Raghu

Viswanathan Ana-nd is on top of the world, again. The Indian Super GM has retained the world chess title after beating Russia’s Vladimir Kramnik 6.5-4.5 in Bonn, Germany. There were doubts in same quarters about the 39-year-old Indian’s mental makeup and resilience after Kramnik won the 10th game. But Anand showed no nerves in the end as he sealed his third world title with a draw in 24 moves.

The Chennai star won his first world crown in 2000 and his second last year. Incidentally, Kramnik finished second behind Anand in the 2007 World Championship, which was played in a tournament format. Had Kramnik managed a win on Wednesday, the title race in all probability would have gone down to the wire because the Russian would have started with white in game 12. Anand, however, saved his fans’ fingernails with a calm display over 64 squares. Credit should be given to Kramnik for injecting life into the biggest showdown between two classy players in recent memory.

His campaign appeared doomed after Anand had raced to a 4.5-1.5 lead midway through the championship. Not for nothing, Kramnik was accorded a place in the Russian "K" troika, also comprising Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov. Bobby Fischer, Garry Kasparov and Anand, the line-up of greatest champions in contemporary chess is complete after the Indian edged Kramnik.

After a sedate start, Anand picked up steam, à la Usain Bolt, midway to silence pundits who had questioned his record in match play against a top player. The Chennai superstar is now the only world champion with success in every possible format — knockout (2000), round-robin tournament (2007)and match play (2008). Not that Anand needed endorsement from the cognoscenti before getting a place in the pantheon of chess greats. His sparkling CV will speak for itself. A slew of titles in key events across the globe in more than two decades and five chess Oscars are proof enough that Anand is past the evaluation stage. Yet, there had been a lingering yearning among his fans for a majestic performance in match play.

Anand has buried his match play demons in style. The Indian, without a shadow of doubt, is the most complete player in the history of chess. With a brain ticking ever so meticulously, Anand has few peers in shorter and speedier formats of the game such as blitz and blindfold. His dominance was not so complete in classical chess under time control.

Anand has now delivered on that front as well to stake his claim for the greatest-ever honour. Admittedly, the snappier formats of chess had not evolved much in Fischer’s time. But it’s a fair bet that the Indian would have blitzed any one from any era if quick thinking were to be the primary quality. To borrow from Ashish Nandy’s Tao of Cricket, chess is a Russian game accidentally invented by Indians.

The roll of honour in world championship is littered with Russian names since 1930s. After Fischer, the chess world has not seen a dominant non-Russian player like Anand. It was only fitting that Anand defeated one from the fabled chess country to win his latest crown. Beating a Russian in chess is akin to putting it across Brazil to win a football title.

What has endeared Anand to fans cutting across nationalities all over the world is his impeccable demeanour on and off the playing arena. The Indian has achieved what he has till date without a scent of a scandal. Chess at the top level is comparable to heavyweight boxing without punches. For Russians, a World Championship is a veritable ego trip.

Even when Kramnik started the mindgame a few months ago, the Indian remained serene, as always. Anand has interest in a wide range of subjects including astronomy and history. He is obsessive about telescopes. A big fan of history, Anand loves William Dalrymple’s seminal work, The Last Mughal.

According to his father Viswanathan, the chess champion doesn’t do anything superficially. In an interactive session in the city after his world title last year, the Super GM held forth on subjects ranging from chess player’s excellence in poker and stock brokering, thanks to their speculative ability to an ancient Chinese game resembling chess.

Anand’s perspective and worldview helps him to keep his feet on the ground even after a triumph of great significance. Magnus Carlsen of Norway may be the new kid on the block in world chess, but there is no doubt about Kramnik’s class.

Kramnik is the last of the "K" troika from Russia. And he is now the proud torchbearer of his country’s enviable chess tradition. With a proud record of being the last player to beat Garry Kasparov in match play in 2000, Kramnik started his series against Anand as a slight favourite. His record in match play is indeed impressive.

After Kasparov, he had accounted for Peter Leko (2004), Vaselin Topalov (2006) for two more world titles. Having belittled the Indian’s previous world titles by saying "Anand just won two events that were called the World Championships," Kramnik heaped pressure on himself before the Bonn series. In the end, the Russian’s words came back to haunt him as Anand defended his title with aplomb.

For the record, before the game three at Bonn, Kramnik had not lost to Anand with white pieces in 11 years. International Master P. Konguvel says Anand’s sustained success "is an amazing story". "Anand won his first major international title, the World Junior Championship, in 1987. He has been playing competitive chess from four years prior to that win. From 1988, the year in which he became a GM, Anand has maintained his status as one of the top players in the world. It has been a wonderful ride for him. I would say his dedication has made him what he is today," he adds.

All professional players, the Chennai-based IM says, must have their passion for the game intact to maintain consistency. "It’s not easy to play chess at this level for 25 years and be at the top rung. Thanks to his discipline, Anand has done that to stand out from his peers. The key is his love for the game. I don’t think playing chess will ever get taxing for Anand because he enjoys doing that. Sustained excellence is not easy in chess. Anand’s track record over the years is enviable," he explains.

Is Mohali beginning of end for Oz Test might?

Asian — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 18:05:49 GMT

By R. Mohan

IS MOHALI the beginning of the end of Australia’s domination of Test cricket? On the evidence of India’s biggest ever win in terms of runs that came this week, it does appear the world champions are in real danger of losing their crown somewhere along the line while the threat of losing the series is much more real and immediate.

The Aussies’ record since snatching the unofficial world crown from the West Indies in 1994-95 is awesome, their win-loss ratio in the new millennium being even more formidable. Since 1 January 2000, they have won 70 Test matches while losing only 12. They have also won 25 series while losing only two, to India in the famous 2001 turnaround series after the miraculous Kolkata Test and to England in the Ashes of 2005.

It is in the manner of the latest defeat that the signs of a decline are to be seen as otherwise the record is pretty even with Australia and India winning two Tests apiece in their last six meetings. Having marched over the narrow cricket world like a Colossus, Australia are now facing the dire threat of having to mingle with the rest to eke out Test wins. It is simple enough to say that all good things must come to an end but the Aussies in their pomp did represent one of the great powers of sport, their domination of world cricket being of such a degree that they won the last three World Cups besides building up two extraordinary runs of 16 Test wins on the trot.

The loss of great players has obviously weakened them. Replacements don’t come readily, if they come at all, for the likes of Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath who between them took over 70 per cent of the wickets in Australia’s Test wins. Great Test teams tend to roll on their bowlers even more than on their batsmen.

Even so, it is only in India that the weaknesses have been exposed like this, that too only in Mohali. The moment Ricky Ponting’s men return home, their cricket will pick up on the true and sporting pitches with bounce where the premium will be on sustained fast bowling.

It is in cricket outside Australia that the world champions will be sorely tested from now on. It must be an enduring mystery to them why their bowlers are unable to reverse swing the virtual new ball like Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma are doing. This, despite having Troy Cooley, the coach who is thought to have taught the Englishmen their bag of swing tricks that tilted the ’05 Ashes, on their side now.

Adding to their woes in India will be the fact that the Kotla is very much the home team’s favourite hunting grounds where India have won their last seven Test matches and where they have not been beaten for more than two decades since Richards and Logie defied a steep fourth innings target soon after the first World Cup in the subcontinent.

The Aussies cannot point their fingers at the chit-chat that is going on. Having once been the masters of the game of mental disintegration, it would sound a bit peevish on their part if they should even speak of the banter out in the middle. Ponting has brushed aside all such media talk, saying India were such front runners in the game they were naturally a bit more vocal too.

Truth to tell, events have caught up with the Aussies. Major stars have walked away over the last couple of years and an attack run by virtual greenhorns is not designed to get over the harsh bowling conditions of India where the pitches have shown a distinct tendency to slow down rather than really deteriorate.

The days of total domination of the opposition may be over already. Playing India, who have taken more Tests off them (six) in the new millennium than any other country, at a time when their resources have declined is a proposition made that much tougher. It would still take some doing for India or South Africa to displace Australia from their perch. What has happened now is the Australians are being welcomed back to the pack. They are no more the juggernauts of world cricket.

Greg, Sourav fire back

Asian — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:33:01 GMT

R. Mohan

This is the ultimate of sporting ironies. Sourav Ganguly gets a renewed lease of Test life from the new selection committee that has ruled the batsman must play on while guru Greg Chappell sits in the opposite camp, wearing his nation's colours.

The public spat between Greg and Ganguly had gripped the nation during a tour of Zimbabwe in 2006, the matter hotting up further with a leaked email that was suspected to have come from within the team via the coach's laptop. Time has played the strangest tricks on both parties who continue to be in the limelight of international cricket.

The pair was once so close to each other that Ganguly had, some years ago, even gone Down Under to have a private dinner with Chappell to tap his brain for batting tips. From there to the Indian coaching job was a natural succession that may have also been helped along by the then Team India captain.

Their fallout in Zimbabwe, allegedly over Ganguly's politicking with other senior batting greats like V.V.S. Laxman, changed the scene so much that the sparks were flying around the cricket scene until the World Cup disaster. While Ganguly survives to the day, Chappell packed his bags. Called upon by Australia to fill the bench as a guru with a huge Indian connection, Greg wears the gold and green colours of his home country again. Team India may initially have found that perplexing but then sport, like art, is universal and coaches do move from one country to another.

In the high tech era of enhanced video technology, analysis is available to anyone through a computer program. What extra inputs about the Indian team can Greg bring that Australia does not know about already after years under John Buchanan?

Nothing is a secret anymore, with each batsman's strengths and weaknesses already analysed threadbare on high definition screens and the actions of all bowlers the subject of careful video study. Where Greg is expected to be useful is with regard to his knowledge of Indian conditions although he never toured here for Australia as a batsman.

The new committee under Krish Srikkanth has taken a sympathetic view of Ganguly who had just been abandoned by the Dilip Vengsarkar panel that had left the former skipper out of even the Irani Cup match, the eternal selection trial that heralds each new season.

A failure in one series cannot wipe out 10 years of achievements is the skipper's line of thinking that has been endorsed by Srikkanth, the very man who once put Ganguly down as his 14th man in World Cup 2003. That comment brought on so much frost that Cheeka was restricted to studio duty and asked not to be present at India matches for fear of a conflagration.

Much water has flowed down the Hooghly and the Cauvery since then to the extent that the chairman and middle order fixture are seen as buddies. The sneaking suspicion is the new committee would not have wanted a wave of negative publicity that invariably follows in the wake of Ganguly omissions.

The committee may actually be in a win-win situation now because they can distance themselves quickly from the issue if Ganguly continues to fail, as he did on the tour of Sri Lanka. But, if he succeeds, they can take the credit for keeping him on the team.

Chappell, who ensured Ganguly was ejected from the captaincy after the team returned from the controversial tour of Zimbabwe, will now be part of a think tank that will be seriously plotting Ganguly's downfall.

If there is one thing common in their batting, it is awkwardness against the short ball. So, we can expect more physical bouncers on the field than verbal beamers as the two run into each other in the series. It is somehow fitting that Greg and Ganguly should be in opposite camps now. Let the sparks fly.

Dada’s dilemma: To go or not to go

Asian — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:06:43 GMT

R. Mohan

The heat is on Sourav Ganguly. He has to decide quickly whether another big fight to extend his career is worth the trouble. As a battler against the odds, he has had few equals in the country's cricket setup and he has come back strongly every time he has been written off. But then time takes its toll of everyone.

As a message, his omission from the Rest of India XI team for the Irani Cup was as subtle as a rhinoceros moving through the grass. As with most communication from the Dilip Vengsarkar-led selection committee, this one comes with the sort of finality that may not go down well with Dada's fans. But that is hardly relevant at a time when the call for youth is the big push in Indian cricket.

As the oldest of the "Fab Four", Dada was bound to be the first target. Ideally, he would be given the choice of timing his own retirement from international cricket rather than be dropped as he has been in the latest episode of the long running episodic, serial-like Indian cricket.

Only last season, Ganguly was scoring them by the ton against Pakistan, admittedly on feather beds. In fact, the year 2007 was the most productive in his career. More recently, his knock on a difficult Kanpur pitch saved India the blushes against South Africa and so, if we went strictly by the Test formbook, Sourav is not to be cast aside like waste paper caught in a sea breeze.

At first glance, it is not clear what the selectors intentions are because they have also left out Yuvraj Singh who for long has been thought of as the first middle order replacement. And the recall of Md Kaif does not send out any great message regarding youth being fast tracked. It is not as if the "Fab Four" are being threatened yet by the likes of Rohit Sharma and Badrinath who are not yet in the Test picture.

Of far more interest in this game of love and hate between the former skipper and those invested with the responsibility of picking and running Team India has been the manner in which Ganguly used his sense of outrage to come roaring back as a batsman. His captaincy ambitions may have been done once for all when Greg Chappell gave him the push after the Zimbabwe tour. He managed to put that disappointment aside.

Ganguly's incredible strength of mind has been instrumental in his being able to come back each time. Whether anything remains now to be proved is a point to be considered. Even if he recaptures his decisive footwork on Indian pitches, he is never going to get his Test average up to 50. The only remaining ambition could be to contribute to another Test series victory over the Aussies. Is that a strong enough reason is the question.

So often has he proved everyone wrong when they said his international career is over that it is never wise to write him off with a sense of finality. In fact, he is one cricketer who has defied the pundits while pleasing the aesthete with his play through the off side about which Rahul Dravid said unforgettable words.

For all that he has achieved, what Ganguly deserves most is a proper farewell Test match or series. It should obviously be in the 2008-09 season beyond which he himself will be reluctant to give his body and reflexes a chance at anything except a T-20 dash. The soft wickets of New Zealand and the general air of being free in a country far removed from the mainstream may be the ideal platform.

If we forget for a moment some of the politicking he did when he was ensconced as captain but was afraid of being dethroned, Ganguly's contribution to the national cause should be etched in gold. For all the words that other spoke on becoming captain, Ganguly was the one who did most to pick an Indian team. Besides all the brave runs he scored in all types of cricket, what we should not forget is his approach to leadership that gave no space for great regional bias. He has had a long and wonderful run and when to stop should be his decision alone.

Fired-up Flintoff transforms England

Asian — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:04:32 GMT

R. Mohan

To say Andrew Flintoff is greater than the sum of his parts is the simplest way to praise the man. As class acts go, he is in a league of his own, so rare has the bowling all-rounder become in the modern game. A fired-up Flintoff has transformed England from a rag tag and bob-tailed ODI outfit into a fighting unit that has gone up the ranks from number seven to three in a matter of weeks. Sometimes, to swing games, all it takes is one classy cricketer.

Just a couple of months ago, England were losing matches like novices to New Zealand. They were in free fall then, so much that the Collingwood incident with the run out even led to a change at the helm.

It's no mere coincidence that Kevin Pietersen is in charge when England charged up the rankings. It takes one gladiator to bring out the best in another. Freddie has acknowledged this by saying that a move up the order, to three drop, had led to his resurgence as a batsman. At the beginning of the season when he was struggling to put bat to ball, Flintoff had more ducks than on dining tables at sumptuous English feasts. He might even have threatened the inglorious run that Ajit Agarkar had when he got nicknamed as the "Bombay Duck" on a tour of Australia once.

The thing with these characters who are class acts is you don't judge them in backyard cricket. Put them in the big arena and the adrenaline flow will see to the recapturing of form far sooner than nets or not so meaningful first class games. Champs tend to target the big occasion to come good. They need atmosphere.

The fact remains that England have not won a big limited-overs event (World Cup, Champions Trophy, T-20 Worlds) since the one-day international was invented in 1971. To credit them with a world championship chance is still very hard, more so considering the next World Cup is in the sub-continent where they have done very little. To write the home side off in next year's T-20 Worlds would be unwise. In English conditions, they have an attack that commands respect. The run-denying middle overs, operated by Flintoff and the rediscovered international cricketer Stephen Harmison, make them a particularly competitive side.

The fear with Flintoff has, of course, to do with injuries. He has recovered from a fourth ankle operation, each one possibly to tackle a problem worse than the previous one. When he is fit and raring to go, there are few sights more inspiring than the quick stuff he sends down that sees the ball come up with a distinct bounce even on the slower and well-prepared ODI pitches.

It is a measure of the man and his new captain's influence on him that Freddie should be such a willing workhorse with the ball even when the soft hotel beds got to his back on the eve of the fourth ODI. There is no doubting the KP influence on both quick bowlers, Flintoff and Harmison, who have responded brilliantly.

Imagine the value Flintoff and Pietersen will fetch in the IPL now. While English cricketers may have been feigning a lack of interest, would they in their heart of hearts wish to forego the chance to earn in millions for not so demanding work? The star value of both the Lancashire man and the South African from Pietermaritzburg has shot up considerably and all eight IPL franchises will be lining up to rope them in.

For a bowler plagued with an ankle problem, the finite look to a career must impel Flintoff to look at the IPL option. With the Ashes to be played next summer, the focus would, however, not be on the IPL T-20. Also, the window will be a small one. In theory, Flintoff may be the player least likely to be enticed by the concept of the quick dash for cash, but India is the favoured destination for all cricketers now.

How much Flintoff has transformed England with his contributions with bat and ball brings us back to the argument that class is class and that it will come out regardless of other circumstances like fitness problems. Not in the last couple of years has Flintoff been up and firing on all cylinders as he has in his team's four dramatic wins.

A Freddie in pomp is a major spectacle the game was in dire need of.

Tongue-tied when meeting the Don

Asian — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:22:43 GMT

R. Mohan

There has been an outpouring of emotion over Sir Donald Bradman this week during which his birth anniversary (August 27) was celebrated with the kind of reverence associated most with sporting demigods.

Bradman, the boy from Bowral, who went on to dominate the cricket world like none other (his Test average of 99.94 is bested only by the freak appearance of Andy Ganteaume of the West Indies who made 112 in the only innings he played) was much more than just a cricketer.

As one of his biographers, Charles Williams who wrote a compelling book on him, explains — "His cricketing achievements have to be viewed within the context of a crucial period in the history of modern Australia, a time when, as the country felt her way towards something that the world would recognise as nationhood, Bradman became a focus for national aspirations, a figure of unique status."

Bradman inspired such awe in the mind that a cub reporter who went out to Australia on his first tour in 1980-81 could be forgiven for being completely tongue-tied. The buzz in the touring party during the course of the tour match against South Australia in Adelaide was that Bradman would be visiting the dressing room the next day.

In relaxed days when touring media were treated like members of the team, I was asked to be present with the team. The players probably required someone to capture the moment with pictures and I was busy clicking away with many cameras when he came to the end of the line of players and so headed straight for me.

So rattled was I that all I blurted out was I was with the Indian press. There was a long golden silence of a few seconds when Kirti Azad tried to grab a picture of me speaking to the great men, or trying to speak to the great man. Bradman looked quizzically at me, but smiled most reassuringly to say he was pleased Indian newspapers were sending correspondents to report tours.

The story of how nervousness had wrecked my great moment was to be conveyed to Sir Donald a few years later by my friend S. Ramamurthy who worked on a submarine project in South Australia and who could count himself as one of the friends of Bradman. So gracious of him then to sign a split bail, which he then handed over to Ramamurthy and asked him to ensure I would have it as a memento of the meeting.

The signed bail, nicely varnished and preserved on a wooden plate, has a pride of place in my little collection of cricket memorabilia. An year later, Sir Donald also wrote a letter saying why he could not meet a group of Indian journalists who were in Australia for the World Cup. Search as I might, I could not trace the missive — neatly typed on the manual typewriters of the day and most elegantly signed with a pen — which must be valuable at least for the signature of the great man.

Dicky Rutnagur never tires of telling the story of how another Indian journalist, a freelance, was said to have asked who the short man in spectacles was when he was being introduced to the Indian touring party at the Adelaide Test match in 1986. Given his reputation as the prankster of the press, Dicky probably invented the story.

It is unimaginable anyone could have existed in the cricket world who would not have recognised Bradman. Having said that, the story of Tony Greig must be recalled. Flying into Australia in the company of Ackermann for the World XI series on the cancellation of a scheduled tour by South Africa, the Sussex batsman was received by a bespectacled gentleman who was most polite and even carried his bag out of the terminal.

Only much later did Greig realise that the person who drove them to town in his car was none other than Sir Donald Bradman. He could not have been the icon of the cricket world if he was not as humble as he was extraordinary at the batting crease in which he had to be all timing and silken class if only because he was a shade short. Down Under, he is a national hero in the league of the great racehorse Phar Lap.

Players divided over referral system

Asian — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:33:42 GMT

V. Balaji

The curiosity that surrounded the umpire referral system at the start of the Test series was to be expected. The scheme came into being without much warning. It took a longer time for the governors of the game to implement the third umpire. The idea was mooted in 1985 and it saw the light of day in 1992 while the referral was put into practice swiftly. It came as no surprise that the system was rushed.

Players have used the referral to consult largely on LBW decisions and players, both past and present, remain divided on the topic. The accuracy of the camera and the referral umpire going by information provided by computer-generated graphics are debated. Dave Richardson, ICC’s general manager of cricket, had said the predictive element is not shown to the umpire as that itself is only a guess. But with the impact on pitching marked on the screen it will be difficult for the umpire not to get encouraged by the visuals provided in that particular format. When Karl Liebenberg pressed the red button to signal Sachin Tendulkar run out way back in 1992 he said he felt like the hangman, luckily the referral umpire is saved from that guilt as he only passes his thoughts and that is one area where the ICC has got it right. The time taken by the umpire to arrive at the decision is painfully long, which is an area that has to be addressed immediately.

The two captains who will be a part of the review process later during the season, coach of the Sri Lankan team and members of the commentary team that covered the three-Test series shared their thoughts with this paper at the end of the third Test in Colombo.

Anil Kumble

It is too early to say anything. Few things have to be assessed and that’s for sure. Teething problems with technology are there and that is the area where we will have to sit down and discuss. It is not 100 per cent correct and that has been made certain. And limiting it only to particular decisions will only help players start picking what they want. We will have to see whether the ball tracking is 100 per cent and whether it picks the height factor correctly. I am sure people will sit down and discuss the problems.

Mahela Jayawardene

The referrals probably played a hand in reducing all the matches to four days. Both teams also had really good bowlers. The referral did help. I still believe we were disappointed with a few decisions. It’s just an experiment. I’m sure there will be improvements. A lot of ideas will come up and LBW will have to go to the TV umpire if there is any doubt. The bowlers are getting a few more decisions going their way and that brings in the balance.

Tony Greig

The umpires have received a fair bit of stick with television scrutinising every decision, so if technology helps to find a solution and eradicate those mistakes, it is great. It is still early days to pass firm judgement on whether going for LBWs is right or not. It obviously needs some finetuning. Even underarm bowling was permitted once, we have to move along and this is a step in the right direction.

Ranjit Fernando

In respect to LBWs, what the field umpire asks the TV partner is very important. Even showing where the ball pitched and the impact should be taken away. That could also be something that influences the decision. The referral is a good innovation, but there are a few gray areas that have to be worked on. What inputs the umpire takes from his TV colleague is very important.

Ian Bishop

As far as LBWs are concerned, I would still like the call to be taken by the field umpire as he is in the best position. The accuracy of the camera is still in question. It can wobble a bit and so the mat can be presented differently. If an accurate prediction can be promised I am all for technology. As a bowler I would vote for LBWs to go the referral as it increases the chances for a bowler and it can help reduce complaints. I don’t think any bowler would object to this.

Trevor Bayliss

I don’t see why a referral should not be made for leg before decisions. Everyone says the game is a batsman’s game. The review system might be a little bit of a comeback for the bowlers. There will be more outs than not outs. All the bowlers should be pretty happy that the review system is in place.