![[Image]](sp4.jpg)
Rahul
Dravid is the new heart-throb of teeny boppers. He is used to female fans
gushing all over him in Bangalore, his home state which has produced most
of the Miss Indias recently, Delhi, Bombay, Johannesburg or in Colombo,
but keeps his cool as Pepsi, the soft drink giant has signed him on as
the most promising young batsman of the Indian cricket team. Pepsi is sure
to cash in on the 24 year old boyish charm when this guy continues to score
on and off the field.
He was born on January 11th 1973 and received his education at St. Joseph's High School in Bangalore. He captained both the junior and senior teams at school and has a degree in B.Com and studied for his Masters in Business Administration. He enjoys reading thrillers, fictions and books on philosophy.
The right hand middle order batsman, wicket keeper and occasional off break bowler is the only Indian to score a ninety on Test debut, 95 vs England at Lords and he has become the New Rock of India due to his solid batting, having scored 148 vs South Africa and 107 vs Pakistan recently. His patient knock of 69 helped India reach a good total against Sri Lanka in the Pepsi Asia Cup match on the 18th. He has 14 Test matches and 37 One Day Internationals to his credit.
I met him at the Taj Samudra Ports of Call for our cricket special this Sunday.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q. Who has been your cricketing inspiration?
A. My parents. They are very supportive and non interfering. My idols are Gundappa Viswanath and Sunil Gavaskar.
Q. Why are you called the heart-throb of teeny boppers?
A. May be because I am new. But that will end soon when someone else comes over. I think Afridi has already taken the tag.
Q. Your many female fans want to know whether you have got a girl friend?
A. No. But I have lots of friends from school and college.
Q.Why do you want to concentrate only on cricket?
A. No. Things are not related here. One can always have friends off the field and it helps you to take the mind off cricket. However, I have no girl friend.
Q. Why have all the girls gone crazy over you ?
A. Everything in life is a passing fancy. Things never remain the same and you cannot remain popular all the time.
Q. Tell us more about your advertising contracts.
A. I am tied up with Pepsi for 3 years and Reebok. They provide me with new avenues and a wealth of experience.
Q. How can you be so disciplined ?
A. The upbringing makes a lot of difference. There is no doubt about that. I am glad to have been brought up by semi-orthodox parents.
Q. People call you the rock and how did you cultivate so much patience?
A. It has been with me even when I was young. I never got excited. I realised that in cricket I play best when I am more relaxed and cool. If I get excited I tend to do stupid things. So I remain cool.
Q. Do you have a good relationship with Ganguly ?
A. Yes. We get along very well. We made our Test debut together but he started playing before me early in 1991 when he went to Australia. We talk about cricket a lot and our friendship is really good as two youngsters.
Q. People hail you as a future captain of India. Are you getting ready ?
A. I don't look at it that way at the moment and I have a long way to go. Sachin is very young and a very good captain. Kumble is here as the vice captain and I don't even captain Karnataka, Anil does. I am not worried about it. It might take its own course and I am really here to concentrate on my batting and to improve it as much as possible.
Q. Are you happy about Azar's return?
A. Very happy. I played first when Azar was captaining the zonal side and India. I have shared a few good partnerships with him and hope he will keep going for some time.
Q. Where will India go from here?
A. We have blooded a lot of players in the last one year. This side is very young and in transition and you must give us some time. Today Sri Lanka has become a top side in the world after going through difficult times.
Q. What do you prefer? One day or Test cricket?
A. We need to play both and I like to play an equal amount not an overdose. It is important for every cricketer to play 10 - 12 Test matches a year.
Q. Do you consider Pakistan as India's arch rival? Why are you under so much pressure when you play Pakistan ?
A. It is all to do with history and it goes back very far to our independence. But I do not think the cricketers have any tension as such and for us it is another game. May be played with a bit more keenness.
Q. Do you like to play in Pakistan ?
A. Yes. We are going to Pakistan after the Sahara Cup in Toronto this year for 3 one day matches. I really like to see what Pakistan is about as they say it is so much like India. I love to play Pakistan because they are a very good Test side and it will be a great challenge.
Q. How did you feel when India and Pakistan played the solidarity match in support of Sri Lanka ?
A. I was very happy as we are neighbours and I am sure Sri Lanka would have done the same for us.
Q. Most Sri Lankans like your home state Bangalore. Do you feel very homely here ?
A. I do. It is lovely and Sri Lankans are very friendly and approachable. I enjoy having good chats with Murali. We do hope this will be a good tour cricket, and otherwise.
Q. Do you enjoy the pin-up status of present day cricketers ?
A. There have always been pin up stars next to film stars and it is nothing new.
Q. Why are female fans of cricket on the increase ?
A. Because it is a great game and television has obviously changed a lot and taken the game to drawing rooms and bedrooms around the world. It has helped a lot and we have become entertainers.
Q. There is no sport without players, spectators and fans. But fans do complain that most cricketers ignore them. Why?
A. I have never come across a situation of cricketers genuinely wanting to be rude. Cricketers are international sportsmen and we are aware of the responsibilities towards the people who watch us. This game is everything to us and we can improve the popularity only if we have more and more fans. But we cannot accommodate each and every one as it is humanly impossible. Few people will be disappointed and if they complain it is not fair by us as we have many restrictions on our time. Cricketers cannot spend all their time obliging autograph hunters as time is needed for practices, recovery from matches and other preparations. I try to oblige as much as possible but we have to understand each other.
Q. Are you well prepared for the two Test matches and the 3 one day internationals against Sri Lanka ?
A. It might be difficult as we are playing away from home. Sri Lanka has a good side but we will meet the challenge.
All rugby fans will wend their way to Longden Place to witness the prestigious grudge battle between two unbeaten teams in the Carlsberg trophy 'A' division league tournament - defending champions, the CR & FC and Kandy SC today (Sunday, July 27). Kick-off at 5 p.m.
Both teams, the main contenders for the 'plum' this season and this match under prevailing conditions, should turnout to be a battle royal between the respective forwards. With a set of heavy and strong forwards, the Hill Capital team should have the edge upfront. Also KSC should see plenty of good ball flooding their way through the lineouts where Sri Lanka skipper Priyantha Ekanayake and Asoka Jayasena zooming over their rivals, Annesley de Zilva and Duminda de Silva. The visitors may be able to have their own way in the set pieces, too.
But the red shirted team led by that tear-away forward, Alfred Hensman, will answer with a mobile back division, who are fit, fast and mount tremendous pressure on their opponents.
The CR will be searching for possession in the loose through their young forwards, who are fast and furious to penetrate the Kandy defence. The CR, back division has the ability of co-ordinating well which could prove awesome for the high-riding Kandy XV with their superior mid-field play.
Both teams have players, who could produce individual brilliance, to make this game most exciting. But in the end it will be the team that indulges in cohesive rugby that could prove to be the winning factor. CR are determined to play with unison, that too with sweeping moves to rattle KSC defence.
Last year at Nittawela, CR turned tables to win 15-13 in an absorbing contest. In the 'return' it turned out to be a pall of gloom when the white shirted team lost 28-5 and CR remained unbeaten to win the league after 22 years.
Whoever wins the game what matters in the end, is that both teams have skilful players who could provide red hot rugby to the avid fans. The fans from either side should not get carried away by their emotions as the game is more important than the final outcome.
Nalaka Weerakkody, who donned the red jersey last year is now playing for his hometown club. A hard-running youngster he has the ability to form the overlap from the last line. But in today's tie his former team mates are sure to mark him. Lasitha Gunaratne, that granite-hard forward will miss today's match. Lasitha, said 'I do' to Ruveni Ranasinghe on July 24.
Whoever wins this crucial match, it should be the 'decider' as both teams are going to be the ultimate winners and runners-up.
Traditional rivals Isipatana and Thurstan will clash in the final of the President's Trophy Inter- School knock-out rugby tournament at the Sugathadasa Stadium today (July 27) at 4.30 pm.
In the semi-finals Isipatana beat Royal and Thurstan beat Lumbini.
Isipatana who are the defending champions are the favourites to retain it for another year.
Isipatana beat Thurstan 15-0 in their annual fixture. Though the Patans will be at their best to produce another good performance,Thurstan who went down fighting in the previous encounter will be looking forward to unleash their best to catch the Isipatanians on the wrong foot this time
The 'green shirts' are looking forward for a deserving double to end the season on a winning note. National youth player Vajira Hewage will lead the Havelock Town school.Vajira will be hoping players such as Amith Jayaweera, Sajith Mallikarachchi, Shamly Nawaz, Shenshard Ousman, Himesh Gunaratane, Nishantha Kumar and Charith Kodagoda, who have excelled in the season would deliver the goods. Two things which Isipatana must guard against is over confidence and underestimation of the Thurstanites
Burly prop forward Vindana Ukwatta leads the Thurstanites and have the services of Vinoj Kurupanwela, Mohammed Rilwan, Gihan De Silva. Roshan Buran, Ajith Kumar and Ranil Dhammika who are likely to check the fast open rugby dished out by Isipatanians.
Interviewed the Patana coach Kalum Gunaratne said:"We are confident of winning and it will be nice to finish the season with a double and on a winning note. We are not underestimating our opponents."
Thurstan coach Ajith Fernando said that they are well aware of the odds stacked against them but will go all out to upset the apple cart."We will try hard to win the match with some innovative rugby", he concluded.
Sixteen countries will fight for the third Women's Rugby World Cup to be held in Dublin hosted by the Nederlandse Rugby Bond (Dutch Rugby Union) from May 2 to 16.
Newcomers to this tournaments are Australia and Germany while Italy, Netherlands and New Zealand who competed in Wales in 1991 will be also participating.
The other countries participating are England, USA ,Canada ,France, Ireland, Kazakhastan, Russia, Scotland, Spain, Wales and Sweden which will see an increase of 5 countries from 1994.
The line-up based on recommendations from the International Rugby Football Boards Women's Advisory Committee includes defending champions England, winners in Edinburgh in 1994, and USA which took the inaugural championships in Cardiff in 1991.USA beat England 19-6 and England beat USA 38-23.
Talking point
A former Indian cricket captain, has proposed to a top Sri Lankan cricketer that arrangements will be made for him to appear in a liquor advertistment at a payment of Rs. 7.5 million.
The Sri Lankan cricketer has, however, turned down the proposition.
The question is why this former Indian star is so keen to offer this lucrative deal to a Sri Lankan specially since he has named a cricketer in the Indan team as the best batsman in the world.
Can there be a sinister move behind this offer?
The Treasurer of the Amateur Athletic Association (AAA) Mr. Nimal Perera has tendered his resignation, to the Administrative Secretary, with immediate effect. The reason for his resignation is that his name, which was in the original list of observers for the World Championships in Athens from August 1, has been struck off.
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