B R Sharan Kumar

  Developing Champions in Cricket : A Book That Goes Beyond the Boundary   By Sharan Kumar   Cricket has travelled a remarkable distance in India. Once confined largely to a handful of metropolitan centres, the game today has captured the imagination of children in the smallest towns and remotest corners of the country. Television, the IPL, and countless rags-to-riches stories have transformed cricket into a dream that knows no geographical boundaries. Every youngster now believes that with talent, guidance and opportunity, the journey to the top is possible.   It is against this backdrop that Developing Champions in Cricket , authored by noted journalist Vedam Jaishankar , assumes significance. More than a coffee table book, it is a thoughtful guide for parents, coaches and young cricketers embarking on their cricketing journey.   The Brijesh Patel Cricket Academy , the oldest private cricket academy of its kind in the country, deserves enormous...

        When Punters Need More Luck Than Form   By Sharan Kumar   Pune racing produced another day when favourites looked more like suggestions than selections, while outsiders repeatedly helped themselves to the spoils. From 20-to-1 winners to fancied runners finding creative ways to disappoint, punters were left wondering whether the form book had quietly resigned. Upsets are the salt in racing’s diet, but when they become the main course, the sport risks losing the confidence of the very people who keep the betting ring alive.   The problem is not that outsiders win. That is part of racing’s charm. The problem arises when the same pattern keeps repeating itself: stables enter two or more horses, good jockeys are put up on all of them, and punters are left trying to work out which one is actually expected to win. Inevitably, the horse carrying the biggest price, and consequently attracting the least attention, seems to find the winn...