Wiser and more experienced, Shubhankar returns to complete unfinished business

Shubhankar Sharma is back home. The highest ranked Indian in the field and the only one on the DP World Tour (European Tour) at the moment has not won a title since 2018 and the Hero Indian Open, starting Thursday, hasn’t had a home winner since 2017.

Over the next four days, Shubhankar would be hoping to change both.

His previous best here was a tied seventh finish in 2018 after leading on the final day and by his own admission, both him and the course have changed. “That was a long time ago. I was in good form, very similar to what I am now. But now I have a lot more experience.

“My approach will be very different from what it used to be. The course has changed too. It is one of the tougher courses we play on. The rough has grown a lot, the trees have grown, it’s much thicker and lush around the fairways.

“There’s a way to score here, but it’s all about consistency. You can’t overpower this course,” he declared in an interaction here on Wednesday.

Only 27 and already into his 12th season as a professional, there is no worldweariness in Shubhankar. “I don’t want to make it sound like I’ve been out here for so long and not having fun. I’ve had the time of my life, I’ve made so many friends, travelled all around the world. And over the years I’ve learned more about myself and gained experience,” he added.

The Olympics, not surtoughest that we play all year,” Shubhankar reiterated, “This is home for me. I spent my teenage years here and all my evenings were spent practising on the putting green, playing putting matches with friends.

“And every year I’ve become a better player and a better person. I have a better understanding of the game and something that I’m really proud of — the journey that I’ve taken till now,” said Shubhankar, whose search for a third Tour title continues.

Lahiri, the 2015 winner and looking to add another Tour title since then, returns to his home Open after five years. “I am desperate to win,” said Lahiri, ranked 401 in the world.

The twotime Olympian is also keen to raise his World ranking in order to make it to the Paris Games. He is currently ranked behind Shubhankar (188) and Gaganjeet Bhullar (240). India, at best, can get two entries in the men’s section. prisingly, is on the radar, but Shubhankar is not thinking too much about it at the moment.

“I am very happy to be in the reckoning. My goal right now is to just play well in every event I enter, that should take care of everything else. Playing well at the British Open last year gave me the belief that I can compete against the best at the highest stage.”

Once the Paris qualification gets finalised, however, Shubhankar would rather focus on winning a medal than socialising at the Games.

T. Lokesh (Rising Stars, 117 n.o.); M. Boobalan (PSG Tech, 7/50); A. Thillai Mani (Akshaya CET, 6/38); Aathilingam (Rainbow Classic, 103 & 3/32); Ganesh Perumal (SRII, 5/33); S. Ragul (Devil Strokers, 5/29); Santhosh (Nehru, 5/44); Thatchinamoorthy (ARS, 5/29).

Lokesh slams ton

UDHAGAMANDALAM: T. Lokesh (117 n.o., 16x4, 6x6) steered Rising Star to a sevenwicket win over Don Bradman CC in the NDCA first division league recently.

The scores:

Don Bradman CC 180 in 34.2 overs (I. Dinesh 61, B. Vyshak 3/26) lost to Rising Star 181/3 in 19 overs (T. Lokesh 117 n.o.).

Boobalan scalps seven

COIMBATORE: M. Boobalan’s seven for 50 enabled PSG Tech score a sixwicket win over Warriors XI in the CDCA sixth division league recently.

The scores:

IV div.: Thambi Memorial 234 in 48.2 overs (R. Kishore Kumar 67, R. Praveen Kumar 31, G. Kalaivanan 38, A. Arul Kumar 36, Arunjunai Kumaran 4/39, B. Nandhakumar 3/28) bt Seahawks 161 in 43.2 overs (Arunjunai Kumaran 46, S. Dhileepan 4/34, R. Praveenkumar 3/33).

Kovai Legends CA 234/9 in 50 overs (U. Sathish Kumar 59, K. Narasimhan 36, V. Naveen 43, R. Surya Prasannah 30, A. Thillai

Mani 6/38) bt Akshaya CET 161 in 41.4 overs (U. Sathish Kumar 4/42).

V div.: Rathinam College 152 in 45.1 overs (M.S. Rahul 79, B. Manikandan 4/38) lost to Fanatic Force 153/5 in 38.1 overs (B. Manikandan 36, R. Vengadesh 47, P. Ayyappan 3/28).

SRII Cricket Club 250/8 in 50 overs (R.A. Raghul 42, T. Avinash 40, T. Hejin Prakash 39, K. Praveen Kumar 38) bt RB Groups 165 in 38.5 overs (K.B. Bineesh 39, B. Ganesh Perumal 5/33, T.R. Venkatesa Babu 3/27). Coimbatore Raiders CA 153 in

48.3 overs (G. Gokulnath 61, G.R. Nagaraj 39, D. Srinivasan 3/22, S. Ragul 5/29) lost to Devil Strokers 156/6 in 45.4 overs (M. Sakthivel 44).

VI div.: Warriors XI 150 in 37.5 overs (S. Paramasivam 31, R. Poomagan 45, M. Boobalan 7/50) lost to PSG Tech 152/4 in 42.2 overs (K.S. Pranav Aadithya 39, Tanuj Sivakumar Shridevi 34).

DCAE U19 trials

ERODE: The District

Cricket Association of Erode (DCAE) will conduct selection trials for the interdistrict under19 tournament at the KCS

grounds in Chinniampalayam on April 13 from 7 a.m. Players born on or after September 1, 2005 are eligible. For details, contact S. Surendran, the DCAE honorary secretary, at 94433 50016 or 94437 28266.

Thatchinamoorthy’s fivefor trumps Aathilingam’s effort

RAMANATHAPURAM: M. Thatchinamoorthy’s fivewicket haul set up ARS CC’s twowicket win over Rainbow Classic CC in the RDCA first division league. S. Aathilingam’s allround effort (103 & three for 32) for Rainbow Classic went in vain.

The scores: I div.:

Selvam Memorial 181 in 37.2 overs (S. Sugesh Kumar 42, S. Seeni Umar Mukthar 4/21) lost to Agni 183/5 in 35.1 overs (Gopikrishnan 40, S. Seeni Umar Mukthar 59).

Rainbow Classic 192 in 44.2 overs (S. Aathilingam 103, M. Thatchinamoorthy 5/29) lost to ARS 193/8 in 34.3 overs (S.

Subramani 54, M. Mohamed Kaif 43 n.o., S. Aathilingam 3/32). Nethaji 257/8 in 45 overs (S. Sathyavan 67, U. Dinesh Kumar 50, K. Santhosh 5/44) bt Nehru 75 in 22.2 overs (A. Aravind 4/33).

II div.: Keelai Kings 125 in 21.2 overs (N. Srimukilan 3/13, S. Mohamed Ibrahim 3/36) bt Syed Ammal ASC 117/8 in 25 overs (S. Ramamoorthy 3/16).

Syed Ammal EC 172/9 in 25 overs bt Kalaipuli 141/8 in 25 overs (M. Gowtham 69, N. Ajay Kumar 4/17).

Mithran Sports Club 130 in 24 overs (I. Naganathan 3/21) lost to Rainbow KTKM 134/4 in 20.5 overs (P. Rabinkumar 83 n.o.). Ramnad Sun Risers 118/9 in 25 overs (I. Wahith 4/29) lost to New Ilampuyal 122/3 in 17 overs (Y. Ajithkumar 68 n.o.).

TDCSA U14, U16, and U19 selection trials

The Tirupattur District Cricket and Sports Association’s selection trials for the age groups U14, U16, and U19 will be held on April 7 at Sacred Heart College, Tirupattur. For details, contact M. Saravanan, 7010702567; S. Jagan, 9095129075.