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
Blame game on as team misses flight
The Indian hockey team got ‘stick-checked’ even before it could leave its shores. In a glaring goof-up, the 27-member contingent, on its way to London via Delhi, underwent the agony of missing the early morning flight from Pune and reached Delhi after nearly 10 hours as the alternate flight too got delayed.
Updated on Jul 23, 2009 11:22 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant and Sahil Sharma, Mumbai/new Delhi
With sport, heal thyself
Viral Dormadia was barely nine months old when a virulent attack of meningitis resulted in seizures and a cognitive deficit. Every Saturday and Sunday, Viral, Rahul take part in sports like athletics, cricket, volleyball, basketball and table tennis, writes B Shrikant.
Updated on Jul 13, 2009 11:31 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
Back to kindergarten
Jose Manuel Brasa, the newly appointed Indian hockey coach, speaks to B Shrikant about his plans to revive Indian hockey.Brasa fact-file
Updated on Jun 24, 2009 01:46 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
Campers give Ministry ‘food’ for thought
The sports Ministry may have doubled the food allowance for 'core group' sportspersons preparing for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, but news trickling out of the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune could well evoke frowns in the Capital's Shastri Bhawan, report Ajai Masand & B Shrikant.
Updated on Jun 18, 2009 11:19 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Ajai Masand/B Shrikant, New Delhi/mumbai
Dutch, Kiwis ‘fixed’ India: Bansal
India's plunge down the hockey pecking-order continued as the junior team failed to qualify for the quarterfinal league in the Junior Men's World Cup, finishing third in their preliminary round group in Singapore, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Jun 13, 2009 02:40 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
Fitness tops think-tank’s priority
Ask any Indian hockey coach — senior or junior — about his main area of concern during a camp and the prompt answer would be fitness, B Shrikant reports.
Updated on Jun 01, 2009 01:03 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
India slip to 12th in world rankings
India slipped out of the top 10 in men's world hockey rankings following their first-round exit from the Asia Cup and are currently 12th, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on May 19, 2009 11:33 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
India crash out after draw
India relived the 2006 Doha Asian Games nightmare on Tuesday. China had denied India a place in the semifinal for the first time in the history of the quadrennial event. On Tuesday, India failed to breach the China wall once again as the dragon denied them a place in the last-four of another continental event - the Asia Cup, B Shrikant reports.
Updated on May 13, 2009 02:59 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
Humpy stays in contention
Koneru Humpy scored a timely win in the ninth round and remained in contention for the title in the 2nd Mumbai Mayor's Cup Chess tournament, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on May 08, 2009 02:05 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
Breaking them softly...
Lalit Modi and Navjot Singh Sidhu may call them innovations but statistics prove that the mid-innings stoppage enforced by the organisers is having a devastating effect on IPL matches, B Shrikant reports.
Updated on Apr 30, 2009 02:46 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
FIH to correct ‘wrong’
The international hockey federation, FIH, could change the ‘lottery’ system of Olympic qualifiers and revert to the old format of one 12-team competition with six making it to the finals of the quadrennial showpiece, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Apr 20, 2009 11:43 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B. Shrikant, Mumbai
A first by a state cricket association
Taking inspiration from the BCCI’s special fund to support sports other than cricket, the Andhra Cricket Association has decided to extend monetary support to two rifle shooters — Vijay Pardhasardhi and Chaitanya Naidu — and chess player MR Lalith Babu for this year, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Apr 13, 2009 12:56 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
It happens only in India
In these times of economic prudence, profligacy is a crime. But the Sports Authority of India doesn't seem to believe in it as is evident from the Rs 1.07 crore loss it has suffered for laying an astro-turf encircled by an athletics track at the SAI Training Centre, Kandivali, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Feb 28, 2009 10:51 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
Confusion persists over Hockey India’s existence
In july 2008, the Indian Olympic Association and the ad hoc committee agreed to set up Hockey India, a body merging the Indian Hockey Federation and Indian Women' Hockey Federation to run the sport, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Feb 10, 2009 10:44 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
Handing over reins to Harendra is no solution
Never mind the result. India lost the Punjab Gold Cup final to The Netherlands 2-1 but what mattered was that the team came up with a good performance despite playing a tournament after more than 10 months, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Feb 10, 2009 02:09 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant
A connect with India through hockey
When the New Zealand hockey squad boards the plane for the four-nation Punjab Gold Cup in Chandigarh, there will be a youngster eager to set foot on Indian soil. B Shrikant reports.
Updated on Jan 22, 2009 11:24 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
Randhir resigns from ad hoc panel
Indian Olympic Association secretary general Randhir Singh has resigned from the ad-hoc committee governing the Indian Hockey Federation, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Jan 17, 2009 11:22 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
Unholy saga continues
Three of the five national selectors are unhappy as they feel the IOA has failed to hand over the reins to former players as it had announced while suspending the KPS Gill-led IHF managing committee, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Jan 14, 2009 01:29 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
Sasi aims to stay in Club 2700 this year
V Anand is now just a step away from becoming the second Indian to make it to the top 20 in World rankings. His chance to make it to the elite league comes at this year’s first major, the Corus 2009 at Wijk Aan Zee (the Netherlands). Experts from an interview with B Shrikant.
Updated on Jan 11, 2009 10:51 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant
German green light for Punjab meet
The German foreign ministry has finally given the go-ahead to their men’s hockey team to participate in the Punjab Gold Cup, starting January 31 in Chandigarh, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Jan 09, 2009 12:00 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
No 1 ranking, 2800 rating targets for 2009, says Anand
The undisputed world champion bares his deepest desires in an exclusive interview with HT.
Updated on Dec 31, 2008 10:27 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
Busy 2009 for men’s hockey team
As Indian hockey's annus horribilis nears end, the ad hoc committee governing the sport in the country has lined up a number of tournaments to help prepare for major events in 2010, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Dec 16, 2008 11:36 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Mumbai
Anand’s choice, Surya shines
The 24-year-old from Kolkata was picked by Viswanathan Anand as part of his four-member team that included a former World Champion in Rustam Kasimdzhanov of Uzbekistan, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Nov 01, 2008 12:11 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Bonn
Chess goes the T20 way
This is the about the World Blitz Chess Championship - the shortest version of the game which could be compared to a Twenty20 match, but a bit speedier. B Shrikant reports.
Updated on Oct 30, 2008 01:08 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Bonn
Anand retains world chess title
The Indian Grandmaster mixed aggression with caution to eke out a draw and retain the World Championship title in the 11th game on Wednesday. The win also made him the undisputed champion of the game, reports B Shrikant.Congratulate Anand | Surfers' Response
Updated on Oct 30, 2008 01:24 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Bonn
Anand loses game, still in title hunt
World Champion Viswanathan Anand lost the 10th game against Vladimir Kramnik in the world chess championship at Bonn in Germany.
Updated on Oct 28, 2008 10:38 AM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Bonn
From paint brush to hammer
Kramnik's style has been very successful in the past but against Anand he looked to make a change as he got desperate in the second half of the 12-game match, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Oct 27, 2008 10:57 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Bonn
Second to none
“If I’m dying of hunger then only I’ll go to Vlady (Vladimir Kramnik) and say ‘Vlady, give me this job’.” This was Russian Grandmaster Evgeny Bareev’s answer to the question as to whether he would become a ‘second’ again, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Oct 26, 2008 11:43 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Bonn
Great player & a gentleman
It's been far from good going for Vladimir Kramnik at the World Chess Championship match against Viswanathan Anand, but that hasn't affected his pleasing personality, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Oct 25, 2008 11:42 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Bonn
Anand assured of title save freaky Sunday
Leading 5.5-2.5 after eight games in the 12-game clash, Vishwanathan Anand needs only a point to reach the unbeatable tally of 6.5 points, reports B Shrikant.
Updated on Oct 25, 2008 11:44 PM IST
Hindustan Times | B Shrikant, Bonn