Riches for Indian squash
It's desination Mumbai for Squash Legends
By Pradeep Vijayakar
For a country starved of big time squash it's riches time.
Last year Jahangir Khan came for the second Herald Maritime
Services Open and vowed everyone with his simplicity.
This time around it is his arch-rival Jansher who has come
and has created a grand impression on the Indian fans.
On Thursday it was a great sight for Jansher and wife Naseem walking
on the poolside of Mumbai's Otters Club where the Rs 11 lakh prize
money third Herald Maritime event was taking place.
Jansher saw Indian star Ritwik Bhattacharya being beaten by
Colombian Bernardo Samper and said the Indians needs more
players of quality to play regularly with. He also said he needs a
good coach without realising that Neil Harvey has been guiding the
India No 2 these past years.
When Jansher last came to Mumbai for the Standard Chartered Mumbai
Marathon he was sporting a beard.
"Got it off just this morning," he said shyly. Jansher said when he
told people back home that players' food and lodging bills were
taken care of by the organisers they could not believe it. "I hope
more sponsors follow your lead and squash becomes a sport people
want to play," he told Capt Jamshed Appoo, a racing man whose
fancy squash has caught because his son Cyrus was playing.
Capt Appoo was sad players were not getting much, not media coverage
not prize money, and so founded this event. His son was a sophomore
at Trinity College playing at No 17.
Back to Jansher, he said he would try and arrange for coaching of
Indian kids in Pakistan. Coaching there means, hopefully, contact
with his own coach Fahim Gul.
If you listen to the stories Gul relates of how he put Jansher
through the pain barrier, you will know why Jansher became an
all-time great. Jansher says Gul is the best coach in Pakistan. But
the federation finds him pricey and hence he cannot be the national
coach.
Jansher believes Pakistan squash is down because the federation
keeps playing the juniors too long in juniors ranks. "They must be
thrown at the deep end of the PSA circuit. I didn't play junior
events after 17."
People make stories of his rivalry with Jahangir. But Jansher played
it down. "We come from the same region, we had a common goal, we are
friends." Is he going to write books as Jahangir did? "My
autobiography should be out in two months' time."
How's life been after retirement? "Half the year I am in Pakistan,
the other half I am abroad playing in exhibitions and invitation
tournaments."
As for wife Naseem said she was lucky to get more of her husband
post retirement. But she has been luckier than most wives. "He used
to win when I was present. So he began taking me more often on
tour," she said blushing.
She said Jansher's retirement had not made any difference to his
lifestyle. "He still eats as before and trains every day as he needs
to play in exhibition games from time to time."
The wife said their children haven't yet begun playing squash. They
have three girls and two sons. Jansher said his son is 13 and he
could start playing. But he also said the best age to start would be
at six.
Jansher pins hope on his nephew Amir Atlas who we saw winning the
Asian juniors title in Chennai. "He has good talent. At 17 he has
age on his side. If he works hard he could be the next World champ
from Pakistan."
Jansher, we share that hope with you and dream of an Indian also
getting there thanks to two great catalysts - Jahangir and Jansher.
Pradeep Vijayakar
|
 Three
cheers
for this Colombian
By Pradeep Vijayakar
Imagine a Colombian being cheered in Mumbai against an Indian champ.
It happened.
Bernardo Samper who beat Ritwik Bhattacharya to end
the Indian Challenge at the Herald Martime Squash event had his
Trinity College teammates Sahil Vora and Cyrus Appoo
rooting for him.
Samper plays at No 1 for their Trinity College who won the US
collegiate title with a 8-1 thrashing of Harvard. Samper had beaten
Indian Siddharth Suchde the Harvard No 1 and Vora and Appoo
recounted the sheer magic Samper displayed in playing eight nicks in
a row when he recovered from 1-2 down in the third game to reel off
the third game against Suchde.
Sahil played at No 7, Vishal Kapor at No 9 and an NRI Eric Wadhwa at
No 8 for Trinity winning their ties. Wadhwa beat another Indian
Mihir Sheth.
Having beaten Saurav Ghoshal in the British Open, Samper now
has beaten the Big Three of Indian squash.
Said Sahil Vora at the Otters on Thursday:"I had told a few guys
that I expected this result. I don't think Bernardo would be happy
about the game he played today but that it was good enough to beat
Ritwik shows what potential he has."
Samper says collegiate squash is big. "Over two thousand watched the
final. There are just 200 for a PSA event."
He owes his presence in Mumbai to Cyrus Appoo who is his
close associate and plays at No 18 for Trinity. Cyrus asked dad Capt
Jamshed if Bernardo could be invited and dad said 'yes'. And the
Colombian has vindicated his teammate's faith in his ability. Samper
has graduated while Cyrus is a freshman.
"Cyrus was very supportive to the team during its campaign," said
Bernado.
Samper reached the final of a the PSA
La Hacienda Open in Colombia
before coming here.
Asked about popularity of squash in his country he says: "Just as
cricket is No 1 here football is our top sport, squash and other
sports tag behind."
In fact Bernado gave up soccer for squash. Colombia are No. 3 in
South America behind Brazil and Argentina. He says if squash catches
on in the USA and China it could find its place in the Olympics. "US
is trying to raise its standards by inviting players from all parts
of the world to play in university squash."
If not through the soccer team Samper could at least fulfil his
Olympic dream through squash.
Samper in La Hacienda Final
|
