Rowing at Olympics: India's Panwar finishes 4th in heat, moves to repechage
Chateauroux (France) (PTI): India's lone rower in Paris Olympics, Balraj Panwar moved to the repechages after finishing fourth in heat 1 of the men's singles scull competition here on Saturday.
The 25-year-old Panwar came up with a time of 7:07.11 to finish behind New Zealand's Thomas Mackintosh (6:55.92), Stefanos Ntouskos (7:01.79) and Abdelkhalek Elbanna (7:05.06).
The top three in each heat qualifies for the quarterfinals.
In repechages, Panwar will have a second chance to advance to the semifinals or finals.
Panwar had finished 4th at the 2022 Asian Games in China, and claimed a bronze medal at the Asian and Oceanian Olympic Qualification Regatta in Korea.
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I am worried for all those who are worried about Abhishek's form: Suryakumar
Ahmedabad (PTI): Suryakumar Yadav was cheeky and sarcastic at the same time when the inevitable query on Abhishek Sharma's hattrick of ducks came up ahead of India's T20 World Cup game against South Africa on Sunday.
"About Abhishek's form, I worry for the people who are worried about Abhishek's form. I worry about them. Why are they so worried about Abhishek's form?" Surya, the protective skipper, who walks the talk when it comes to team ethos "All For one and One For All", said dismissing the query like his customary 'Supla' shot.
"Last year, Abhishek covered for all of us. Now it is our duty to cover for him," said Surya, with an obvious reference to his own wretched form that continued for last one year."
For world's No 1 ranked T20 batter Abhishek, the skipper was ready to go that extra mile for what all his junior teammate achieved in the one year run-up to the World Cup.
"But I think about those teams who are going to play against him. That he has not yet scored a run. You know the rest of the answers. When he scores a run, you have seen what happens. It happens, it's a team sport, it keeps going on."
Abhishek has been dismissed by off-spinner in successive games trying to slog and the skipper is least bothered about the type of bowling that's getting him out or the manner of dismissal.
For Surya, important point is to see Abhishek playing his natural attacking game, hell or high water.
"Our team requires a certain kind of game from Abhishek and he is trying to play in that manner. We never want him to lose his identity. If his method doesn't work, we are there to cover for him," Surya said.
During South Africa's practice session on Friday, skipper Aiden Markram, who bowls off-breaks, was seen trying to bowl keeping two cones one on off stick and one on the leg stick. It was an effort to keep it within line of three stumps.
This is a ploy that has given both Salman Ali Agha and Aryan Dutt success against Abhishek.
"Whether they put off-spinners or left-arm spinners, we have played so much cricket, I think everyone is well equipped. You won't get a rough patch even if an off-spinner bowls in first two overs. We play franchise cricket, domestic cricket. In that, off-spinners also bowl with the new ball so many times to the left-handers."
The skipper said that it is imperative to have one's own gameplan.
"Everyone has their own game plan of how to play and who to play. At that time, if the team has a requirement to play shots and make runs, then we will make runs against off-spinners also. But as I said, everyone has their own game plan."
