B Shrikant anchors the Mumbai sports desk. A journalist for more than two decades, he covers hockey, chess, athletics, basketball and volleyball.
Articles by B Shrikant
Chak de India!
It couldn’t have got bigger than this. World Cup opening day and India putting it past Pakistan, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Mar 01, 2010 01:12 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, New Delhi
Spain beat SA 4-2 in inaugural match
Held 2-2 at the half-time, Spain woke up in time to add two more goals in the second session to start their campaign in the Hero Honda FIH World Cup with a facile 4-2 victory on Sunday, reports B Shrikant. See special coverage.
Updated on Mar 01, 2010 01:31 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, New Delhi
Today: India, Pakistan hockey blockbuster
For thousands of hockey fans, the Hero Honda FIH World Cup will start and end today when India play Pakistan in a blockbuster on the opening day of the two-week tournament, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Feb 28, 2010 09:15 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B. Shrikant, New Delhi
A make or break opener for India
For thousands of hockey fans, the Hero Honda FIH World Cup will start and end on Sunday when India play Pakistan in a blockbuster on the opening day of the two-week tournament. See special
Updated on Feb 28, 2010 10:13 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B. Shrikant, New Delhi
Police, SAI messed up World Cup ticketing
What hope for regular people when three-time Olympic gold medallist Balbir Singh Sr, the father of current India player Arjun Halappa and injured goalkeeper Baljit Singh are among a large number of players, families and others running from pillar to post hoping to get a ticket or a pass for the hockey World Cup? S Chakravarty & B Shrikant report.
Updated on Feb 27, 2010 11:40 PM IST
Hindustan Times | S Chakravarty & B Shrikant, New Delhi
Australia are favourites
While the focus on the opening day of the Hero Honda FIH World Cup will be on the marquee contest between India and Pakistan, defending champions Germany and Australia are the hot favourites to win the title, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Feb 27, 2010 11:35 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, New Delhi
Australia hold the aces: German skipper
Muller and four other captains who addressed the media on Friday agreed that Australia, the 1986 champions, were the favourites. They won the Champions Trophy at home with ease, coming back from a 1-3 deficit to beat Germany., reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Feb 27, 2010 12:43 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, New Delhi
India beat Netherlands in warm up hockey match
Prabhjot Singh and Deepak Thakur scored a goal each in the first half as India defeated the Netherlands 2-1 in a practice match under floodlights at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Feb 26, 2010 12:32 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, New Delhi
Players feel insecure inside team buses
Canada’s players have pointed out major chink in the elaborate security arrangements put in place by the Delhi Police for the World Cup, saying that using the red, low-floor DTC buses with huge glass windows to transport them to and fro the hotel exposes them to possible militant attacks, report Saurabh Duggal & B Shrikant.
Updated on Feb 25, 2010 11:54 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Duggal & B Shrikant, New Delhi
Hopes rest on man who beat the bullet
When it comes to the World Cup, drag flicker Sandeep Singh does not have fond memories. The young penalty corner specialist missed the last edition at Monchengladbach in 2006 due to a freak accident just before the team’s departure to Germany, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Feb 25, 2010 12:19 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, New Delhi
Airline strike delays Spain’s arrival
A strike call by the pilots union of Lufthansa has disrupted the plans of the Spanish men’s hockey team, delaying its arrival to India for the FIH Hockey World Cup starting in New Delhi on Sunday.
Updated on Feb 23, 2010 12:05 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
‘Rejection a motivation’
After being in the wilderness for months, Prabhjot Singh has bounced back.
Updated on Feb 22, 2010 10:55 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
Across language barrier
An India team in any sport is a milieu of culture, habits, dietary and otherwise, and languages. To get across his point of view can be quite a task for a coach, especially if his preferred language isn’t English. Ask Jose Brasa. B Shrikant reports.
Updated on Feb 21, 2010 11:01 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
Hockey teams seek all-clear on terror
The reported threat by a top terrorist to target foreign teams participating in this month’s Hockey World Cup in Delhi has forced New Zealand to hold back its team’s departure. Australia, England and Canada have sought assessment of the threat. Aloke Tikku and B Shrikant report.
Updated on Feb 18, 2010 02:09 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B. Shrikant and Aloke Tikku, Mumbai/new Delhi
35 years on, it’s time to bring the Cup home
The Hockey World Cup was born amidst violence when two of its superpowers — India and Pakistan — were on the verge war in 1971.
Updated on Feb 18, 2010 12:32 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
Hockey teams await Friday briefing
This Friday (February 19) may be the most important day as far as the Hockey World Cup in New Delhi is concerned, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Feb 16, 2010 02:07 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
English players can skip WC over security fears
So far, the hockey World Cup was largely about an India team split wide open by the issue of who should be captain. On Thursday, security fears ensured that the tournament continues to be in the news for the wrong reasons.
Updated on Feb 11, 2010 11:34 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B. Shrikant, Mumbai
HI elections deferred indefinitely
The Hockey India (HI) elections have been deferred once again ---this time indefinitely following a stay order issued by the Jaipur bench of the Rajasthan High Court, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Jan 23, 2010 11:07 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
IPL imbroglio: PHF plays waiting game
Despite growing demands for its hockey team to pull out of next month’s World Cup in India following the “humiliation” meted out to its cricketers in the IPL auction in Mumbai, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has no plans of pulling out its team from the mega event unless its government orders it to do so, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Jan 22, 2010 12:54 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
Players’ gamble paid off
What prompted Hockey India (HI) and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president, Suresh Kalmadi, to accept the players’ demands and end the recent stalemate?
Updated on Jan 20, 2010 12:06 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
Mattoo given a raw deal in hockey fiasco
It were not the allegations by the players but the manner in which Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi handled the hockey players’ strike that prompted Mattoo to quit, a Hockey India source told Hindustan Times on Sunday, writes B Shrikant.
Updated on Jan 17, 2010 11:22 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant
Bungling Sport
No accountability While the government is spending huge amounts to promote sports, mismanagement is a stumbling block. A look at four sports that have got it wrong
Updated on Jan 16, 2010 10:43 PM IST
None | Saurabh Duggal/B Shrikant/Abhijeet Kulkarni
National Stadium 95% complete
The Indian hockey team will have to wait till the end of January to know when it will be able to start training at the National Stadium, the venue for the World Cup starting on February 28.
Updated on Jan 15, 2010 11:04 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B. Shrikant, Mumbai
'Players need to be eased into training'
The Indian hockey team will play warm-up matches against the Developmental Team (like the India A team in cricket) and France and will meet only one top team — the Netherlands — in their run-up to the World Cup opener against archrivals Pakistan in New Delhi on February 28.
Updated on Jan 15, 2010 12:16 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B. Shrikant, Pune
Maharashtra affiliation issue gets murkier
Just when Hockey India has warded off one crisis, another looms large for the body, which goes to polls on Feb 7.
Updated on Jan 15, 2010 12:08 AM IST
None | B Shrikant, Mumbai
Finally, truce in hockey ranks. But will it last?
On Wednesday, the active involvement of Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi and former player Dhanraj Pillay brokered peace. The players’ wishlist includes graded contracts, match fees, a higher daily allowance and bonuses for winning. B Shrikant reports.
Updated on Jan 14, 2010 01:34 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Pune
It takes a crore to get players back on track
Addressing a hurriedly convened press conference at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi, the 22 rebels and president of the Indian Olympic Association, Suresh Kalmadi, said training would start in right earnest for the World Cup in New Delhi next month.
Updated on Jan 13, 2010 11:22 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Pune
Hockey India may shut camp, choose new team
In 48 hours, India, with eight Olympic gold medals behind them, could be the laughing stock of world hockey and have to select a second string team for next month’s hockey World Cup in New Delhi. B Shrikant and Amit Sharma report.
Updated on Jan 13, 2010 12:50 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant and Amit Sharma, Pune/ludhiana
A shrewd move: Players pay back in the same coin
At least in India, money and sport often make strange bedfellows. Without the moolah, you can't get the top dogs whose presence means an event has a bigger draw. At the same time it not reaching the right people at the right time can a disincentive for many aspiring sportspersons, writes B Shrikant.
Updated on Jan 13, 2010 12:27 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant
FIH official mediates with the disgruntled players
On Tuesday, Hockey India brought in international hockey federation (FIH) vice-president Antonio von Ondarza to further their cause. Ondarza told the players that hockey didn’t generate enough money for the federation to pay them, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Jan 13, 2010 12:11 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B. Shrikant, Pune