Belief is the only thing that matters, says Bopanna
Stepping up:
India’s way.
With the contest in the balance, Chhetri swung it
It wasn’t ‘entertaining’ viewing as the Indian men’s head coach Igor Stimac would later say after his team narrowly beat Bangladesh 10 in the Asian Games at the ◣iaoshan Sports Centre Stadium here on Thursday. But a win will do for India after its 15 loss to China in the opening Group A game two days ago.
After the missed opportunities, it seemed like India would be left to rue its missed chancess — a staggering four of them in the space of 10 seconds — but skipper Sunil Chhetri stepped up when Bangladesh gifted a chance from the penalty spot. And the veteran doesn’t usually miss twice.
In the 85th minute, Bangladesh skipper Rahmat Mia brought down Miranda inside the box with a clumsy tackle and the referee showed the spot. Chhetri took his time and slotted it away from the reach of Marma to put India ahead.
Stimac didn’t want to play the 39yearold Chhetri, who hasn’t had a full preseason and is returning from a paternal leave, for 85 minutes against China and 94 minutes against Bangladesh but circumstances left him with no choice.
“I wouldn’t take him out. Simple as that. He is important for us. And for these young boys as the skipper and the leader to communicate to them what needs to be done on the pitch. The penalty came and he was there to take charge,” said Stimac.
The result: India 1 (Chhetri 85pen) bt Bangladesh 0.
PTI adds from Wenzhou: The Indian women lost to Chinese Taipei 12 despite going ahead through Anju Tamang in the 47th minute.
LiChin Lai (68) and Hsuan Su (84) scored for Taipei.
At 43, there is little Rohan Bopanna hasn’t seen in a career spanning more than two decades and even less that he regrets or aspires to.
His longevity as much a result of his stubbornness to push the limits as the dearth of challengers within the country, the ‘elder statesman’ of Indian tennis continues to be the star of the squad.
At the Delhi airport late on Wednesday night, while leaving for what will certainly be his last Asian Games, the excitement among people rose only when Bopanna appeared even though others were already going through the formalities.
He posed gamely for photographs and jibed with the youngsters, relishing his role as the leader of the pack. But all he wishes is for them to be aspirational.
“To inspire the next generation to be able to push all limits, no matter what juncture of your career you are at — it doesn’t matter whether you are just starting your journey, in the middle or the fag end of it.
“I feel a sporting career is so short, if you can push all limits and still enjoy it, to be known as someone who persisted and constantly found ways to improve as an athlete, that would be my legacy,” Bopanna told The Hindu in an exclusive interaction soon after arrival here.
That’s easier said than done — it takes someone special to have the belief and ability to push himself for so long in a punishing sport and still remain at the top of his profession. That belief, Bopanna admits, is the only thing that matters for success.
“My nature as an athlete was such I always wanted to find ways to bring in that 100%. Maybe not everything was accessible back when we started, but now, even though we have it all, faith and belief is all that matters.
“In 2021, at the age of 41, I went five months without winning a match. That’s when you start fighting your inner battles — there’s always someone trying to say what or how you should do things but the athlete is the only one who is putting in the effort and time. You may have the best coach or mental trainer or physio — if you don’t have belief in yourself, none of it matters,” he said.
As an outspoken advocate of rewarding merit without caveats, Bopanna continues to be vocal about how the Indian system needs to be more objective about assessing merit.
“The fact is, in India, how you term any achievement kind of decides its value. I was the US Open runnerup. That might barely make a difference for someone who doesn’t know anything about tennis. But if you say I was the silver medallist, it relates very differently even though it means the exact same thing.
“Which is why yes, I absolutely feel there should be a clear criteria of achievement in each sport.”