Olympic and World Championship bronze medallist Vijender Singh has achieved yet another first for Indian boxing by becoming the world's top-ranked pugilist in the middle weight (75kg) category.
The 23-year-old Bhiwani boxer, who won India's maiden World Championships medal in Milan earlier this month, is ranked higher than the reigning champion Abbos Atoev of Uzbekistan.
Atoev, to whom Vijender lost in the World Championship semifinals, is third in the list and Olympic silver medallist Emilio Correa Bayeux of Cuba occupies the second spot in the International Boxing Association's (AIBA) list updated after the Milan event.
"I am obviously elated at being ranked the highest in the world. It's a fantastic feeling and would motivate me to do better in future events," Vijender, who broke India's Olympic jinx with his bronze in the Beijing Olympics, said.
Among the other Indians, former world youth champion Thokchom Nanao Singh has slipped three places to eighth in the light fly weight (48kg) category.
Nanao, a silver medallist in this year's Asian Championships in China, lost in the second round of the World Championships.
Olympian Akhil Kumar, whose World Championships campaign was cut short in the first round itself due to a wrist injury, has gone down a rung to 10th in feather weight (57kg) category.
Fellow Olympian Jitender Kumar (54kg) also lost some ground because of his first-round exit in Milan as he dropped a place to 14th.
Suranjoy Singh was 17th in the fly weight (51kg) category rankings.
World Championship quarterfinalist Dinesh Kumar held on to his sixth spot in the light weight (81kg) category.
India's Champions Trophy campaign suffered a major setback even before it started with Yuvraj Singh fracturing a finger during a practice session in Johannesburg. The injury will sideline him for six weeks, which puts him in doubt for the home ODI series against Australia. Virat Kohli will replace him in the Champions Trophy squad while Gautam Gambhir takes over as vice-captain.
Yuvraj's absence presents fascinating challenges to a batting line-up struggling to cope with Virender Sehwag's unavailability and the failures of Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina. Rahul Dravid was recalled as a result of those problems, and his role grows in stature with the current crisis.
There has been a pattern to India's innings since Sehwag's injury: Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir are solid at the top, MS Dhoni anchors the innings during the middle overs, while Yuvraj provides firepower to propel India to a strong total. That will now have to change.
Yuvraj's injury is likely to most affect Dhoni. Of late Dhoni has adopted a more sedate approach and has almost cut out his big shots. It could be said that even when Dhoni tried to play big shots during the final overs of ODIs, and in tournaments like the World Twenty20 and IPL, he could not pull them off consistently. However, with Yuvraj in the team, Dhoni could play the anchoring role, which he has done brilliantly. Time and again he promoted himself, especially when India made a good start, to steer the side through the middle overs, allowing Yuvraj to flex his muscles at the end.
That worked like a charm but it may change now. Dhoni could be forced to do what he has given up, turning the clock back and playing the aggressive shots that captured the imagination of his fans. It will be intriguing to see what route he takes: Will he bat at No 4 and leave the attacking roles to his younger team-mates, or will he take it up himself?
The good news is that Kohli, Yuvraj's replacement in the squad, is in fine form. He scored 398 runs at an average of 66.33, with two hundreds and two fifties, in the Emerging Players tournament in Australia and is a genuine talent in limited-overs cricket. Kohli was unfairly bracketed as a Twenty20 player; his skills are actually more suited to the 50-over format. He is not a power hitter in the conventional sense, he likes to take his time to settle down but possesses the shots to dictate terms later. Along with Dravid, he can be expected to take the lead during the middle-overs and allow Dhoni, Raina and Yusuf Pathan(or Abhishek Nayar) freedom during the final overs.
Ironically, even if India can compensate for Yuvraj's batting skills, they are likely to miss his left-arm spin. He has taken 12 wickets at 30.91 this year and Dhoni has increasingly used him in ODIs. He has allowed India to get away with just one regular spinner in Harbhajan Singh and his absence is likely to upset the balance of the team.
India successfully launched its 16th remote-sensing satellite Oceansat-2 and six nano European satellites in 1,200 seconds with the help of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV- C-14) from Sriharikota on Wednesday.
The launch was carried out as per schedule at 11.51 am and ended at 12.06 pm.
The 44.4-metre tall, 230-tonne Indian rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) freed itself from the launch pad at the spaceport and lifted itself up, lugging the 960-kg Oceansat-2 and the six nano satellites all together weighing 20 kg.
Of the six nano satellites, four are from Germany, one is from Switzerland and one from Turkey. The seventh is a big one, India's Oceansat-2 weighing 960 kg.
Soon after the satellites were put into orbit, Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) satellite tracking centres started monitoring them.
President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh congratulated the ISRO team for successful launch of Oceansat-2 satellite, saying this would herald a new beginning in understanding of the oceans.
Vice-President Hamid Ansari who was present at the Satish Dhavan Space Centre SHAR, congratulated the scientists and technocrats over this splendid achievement for the nation.
India's dashing opener Virender Sehwag has decided to step down as Delhi Daredevils captain, making way for Gautam Gambhir who will lead the team in the Champions League next month.
Sehwag wanted to concentrate on batting and expressed his desire to step down.
"I would like to thank GMR for their understanding in accepting my request to step down. Personally, I would like to concentrate on my own batting and contribute to the team. Gautam did a great job of captaining Delhi and also during IPL-2 in South Africa this year. He has shown very good leadership skills and will bring fresh energy to Delhi Daredevils," Sehwag said.
Team owner GMR considered many candidates but found Gambhir to be the most apt leader for the team. Dinesh Karthik has been appointed vice captain.
"Viru has been a source of great strength and inspiration to the team. When he expressed a desire to step down in order to fully focus and concentrate on batting, we respected his decision and accepted his request," said Srinivas Bommidala, chairperson of GMR Sports.
Gambhir said it would be a challenge for him to step into Sehwag's shoes.
"I am delighted at my selection by GMR as captain of Delhi Daredevils and I am committed to deliver my best. I have always looked up to Viru. He has been a guide and friend for me. It is always difficult to fit into the shoes of someone as illustrious as him," he said.
"I have led Delhi in the past in Ranji Trophy and we won the title. I have also had the opportunity to lead the Delhi Daredevils in IPL-2 when Viru was injured. It was an enriching experience and hopefully I can put into practice all that I have learned. I can always turn to Viru for any advice, as also to the other seniors in the team. We have had great camaraderie on the side and this will help reach greater heights."
B. Vanchi, director of GMR Sports, was confident that under Gambhir the team would be successful.
"We are confident that with Gautam leading the side, and Dinesh Karthik assisting him as the vice captain, Delhi Daredevils will achieve greater success," he said.
Karthik, who led Tamil Nadu with distinction in the Ranji Trophy, said: "It is a great honour to be made the vice captain. I have enjoyed responsibility within the team and we have a great team which can deliver good results".
Sainikudu
Ek Niranjan
Olympic and World Championship bronze medallist Vijender Singh has achieved yet another first for Indian boxing by becoming the world's top-ranked pugilist in the middle weight (75kg) category.
Pellaina Kothalo
India's Champions Trophy campaign suffered a major setback even before it started with Yuvraj Singh fracturing a finger during a practice session in Johannesburg. The injury will sideline him for six weeks, which puts him in doubt for the home ODI series against Australia. Virat Kohli will replace him in the Champions Trophy squad while Gautam Gambhir takes over as vice-captain.
Mahatma
Rakhi
India's dashing opener Virender Sehwag has decided to step down as Delhi Daredevils captain, making way for Gautam Gambhir who will lead the team in the Champions League next month.
