Archive
Reuters blog archive
from India Insight:
Elsewhere in India: Maria Sharapova wins hearts, minds of cameramen
Here's some more news that we found in the Indian press over the weekend and would like to share with you. Rather than present stories of great national importance, we would like to highlight some of the items that you are less likely to see in world news reports. Any opinions that the author might express are surely beneath contempt, and are not necessarily those of Thomson Reuters.
Tennis pro Maria Sharapova visited India. Gushing ensued. "The 25-year-old, here to announce her partnership with UK-based real estate company Homestead, sported an infectious smile throughout the interaction even though the lensmen could not get to focus enough of capturing the blonde beauty. 'Well, it is just the hair and make-up you know. I don't wake up looking like this,' quipped Sharapova when a scribe called her pretty. Here only for a day, Sharapova said food and culture was something she would take back from India. 'I arrived last night and asked the chef what should I try of the Indian food. I had a dosa which tasted really nice. I wanted to have this great Indian experience. There is so much energy in the city, I have been in some quiet areas recently, resting. I really like the culture and people. You all have been really welcoming.'" Final score: love-love. (NDTV)
Mulayam Singh Yadav's interests spread wider than wrestling or politics. He is also a lover of poetry. "For more than 35 minutes, Mulayam Yadav analysed the content of the book, 'Yatharth ke Aas Pas', written by a Congress leader, Chandra Prakash Rai. “This collection of poems on some very sensitive issues like girls, female foeticide, loneliness, loss of faith and other human emotions must be read by everyone,” he said. (The Indian Express)
Starbucks pays its workers a mere 25 pence an hour at its new India stores, below the country's official living wage, according to The Mirror. "Under Indian law, restaurant, hotel and cafe owners are only required to pay their staff 17p an hour, or £6 a month. But the Indian “living wage” – the amount people need to eat, drink and pay the bills – is set at 67p an hour. When our investigators visited the Mumbai Starbucks they found cleaners were earning just 25p an hour – about £2 a day. And even the baristas who serve coffee were being paid only 56p an hour, less than £5 for a day’s work." Starbucks declined to comment. (The Mirror)
from India Insight:
Time to look beyond Rohit Sharma
Indian cricket has always been blamed for persisting with players on account of reputation -- and in some cases experience. But the way Rohit Sharma, who currently lacks both, was handed game after game on the recently concluded tour of Sri Lanka shows a new trend emerging -- one that of selecting players on the basis of "unrealised potential".
Rohit may have it in him to succeed at the highest level but the Indian team management must decide how many is too many, for now at least, especially with Manoj Tiwary and Ajinkya Rahane waiting in the wings.
from India Insight:
Mark of Boucher
In cricket, and in life, a perfect end is a rarity.
Even Don Bradman was bereft of it. Yet a not-so-perfect ending cannot deny a few sportsmen their legitimate place in the sun. South Africa's wicket-keeper Mark Boucher is one such cricketer.
His remarkably long international career, of almost 15 years, was tragically snuffed out when he was hit in the eye by a bail in a warm-up match against Somerset on July 9 during the ongoing England tour. He was only one short of 1,000 victims -- an unheard of feat in the 145 years of international cricket history.
from India Insight:
Sachin Tendulkar: from Wankhede to parliament
So it's just a matter of time, according to media reports, before Sachin Tendulkar swaps his India jersey for starched white and walks into the Rajya Sabha.
While the clamour was growing to honour him with the Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian award, few expected him to be nominated to the upper house.
from India Insight:
In Dada, Yuvraj finds a way to use his unutilised hair gel
Yuvraj Singh has finally found a way to make sure the hair gel lying unused in his cupboard is not completely wasted.
The Punjab cricketer, known for experimenting with hairdos, has gone completely bald following chemotherapy sessions in his battle against cancer.
from India Insight:
Sari-clad cheerleaders add Indian touch to IPL franchise
The upcoming session of the Indian Premier League (IPL), India’s glamour-packed cricket tournament, will see a sartorial anomaly come to life -- cheerleaders wrapped in saris.
Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan’s IPL team, the Kolkata Knight Riders, has decided to cover their cheerleaders in one of the most traditional Indian outfits -- a marked departure from their 2008 wardrobe when a lot of skin, from midriff to thighs, was on display.
from The Great Debate (India):
Congratulate Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar is the first cricketer to score 100 international centuries, reaching the long-awaited milestone during the Asia Cup one-dayer against Bangladesh.
Since his 1989 Karachi debut, what the 38-year-old has accumulated is much more than scoring almost 34,000 international runs from 188 test matches, 462 one-dayers and one T20 international.
from Left field:
DRS in cricket…to use or not to use?
By Sudipto Ganguly, India sports correspondent
The inconsistent use of the Decision Review System (DRS) has put the International Cricket Council (ICC) in the firing line once again, strengthening the already popular notion that the governing body is helpless against the wishes of its most influential member board – India.
As the rest of the cricketing world went up in unison in a huge appeal, like a stern umpire, India once again shook its head and refused to budge on the use of technology in the game.
from India Insight:
Congratulate Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag has registered the highest individual score (219 runs) in 50-over cricket, blasting seven sixes and 25 fours during his 149-ball stay to light up Indore's Holkar Cricket Stadium.
Playing his 240th one-day international, the 33-year-old right-handed batsman overtook compatriot Sachin Tendulkar, a player he was often compared to early in his career.
from Left field:
Wanderers test will not match Newlands. But for better or worse?
Last week's crazy Cape Town test match between South Africa and Australia, where 23 wickets fell in a day and the visitors narrowly avoided the lowest ever test score, will go down in cricket's esteemed annals.
They meet again at the Wanderers from Thursday. But would test cricket fans want to see a repeat?
