Table of contents for Wednesday, March 3, 2021 in Post

A PASSIONATE CALLING Saving lives through emergency medicine JANINE MOODLEY janine.moodley@inl.co.za Supplied WITH a lifelong dream to save lives, Dr Shivani Pillay, formerly of KwaDukuza, has qualified as a specialist physician in emergency medicine. Pillay, 34, was the first of three doctors in South Africa to be awarded the bursary via the Wits division of emergency medicine in partnership with the North West Department of Health. The bursary allowed Pillay to study through the Wits emergency medicine registrar programme funded by the Net-care Foundation. The aim of the programme is to build health-care expertise and capacity in the country. The qualified specialists will now apply their skills in the public sector. As the first doctor to complete the qualification through the initiative, Pillay recently moved to the North West from…

ONE OF 8 CANDIDATES Trikamjee shortlisted for lottery commission CHARLENE SOMDUTH charlene.somduth@inl.co.za ASHWIN Trikamjee is one of eight candidates chosen by Parliament’s Trade, Industry and Competition portfolio committee to be considered for the position of chairperson of the board of the National Lotteries Commission. Trikamjee, an attorney, is currently the president of the South African Hindu Maha Sabha. He was also the former president of the South African Soccer Federation Professional League. The seven other candidates are the Reverend Frankie Chikane, Beryl Ferguson, Themba Dlamini, Dr Muthuhadini Madzivhandila, Dr Barney Pityana, Terry Tselane, and Gugulethu Xaba. The term of the former chairperson, Alfred Nevhutanda, ended in November last year. Zandile Brown, who represents the Trade, Industry and Competitions Minister on the board, will serve as acting chairperson until a permanent…

ISIPINGO Refuse piles up, not collected in weeks NADIA KHAN nadia.khan@inl.co.za Supplied BO Dayal, a community activist in Isipingo, says the area has had issues with infrastructure and service delivery for about 10 years. He said officials at the eThekwini Municipality must be held accountable. “The community is cognisant that the municipality can only perform such functions that are legally permissible for them to exercise and this requires substantive evaluation of the law – constitutional or otherwise. “However, according to the Constitution, some of the objectives of local government are to provide a democratic and accountable government for local communities. This is to ensure the provision of services to communities in a sustainable manner, to promote social and economic development, and to promote a safe and healthy environment. “Regrettably, the…

NEWLANDS WEST Poor signage, road markings a cause for concern JANINE MOODLEY janine.moodley@inl.co.za Supplied OVERGROWN verges, poor street lighting and road maintenance are among the service delivery concerns in New-lands West. Viresh Bhana, who grew up in the suburb, said he lodged complaints with the parks depot in Loopwest, regarding the trimming of trees and verges. “There are no planning and rotational services that were set up to reflect conformity. The parks depot has only one excuse, that they cannot cut the overgrown bushes as it falls under the housing department.” He said certain street lights on Newlands West Drive were not working. Bhana said he reported the matter several times to the municipality. “After the complaints are lodged, the customer service centre provide reference numbers but the appropriate departments…

CHATSWORTH Electricity theft going on for years CHANELLE LUTCHMAN chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za Supplied THE overgrown grass in Chatsworth had become a safe haven for criminals and land invaders, said Omi Nair, a community activist from Crossmoor. “Since the pandemic, we have noticed that staff from the parks department are working on a rotational shift, and as a result the bushes are overgrown. Those who want to build informal structures on vacant land with dense bushes, scope the area and start building without being detected.” She said some of the street lights, especially on the Higginson Highway, had not been working for a few years. “I have complained to police and various ward councillors. It is scary to drive on the highway between Croftdene and Moorton. Some motorists have to use their bright…

‘TO CAPTURE THE END MOMENTS OF A LOVED ONE ON CELLULOID FOR POSTERITY IS SOMETHING I FIND DIFFICULT TO ACCEPT’ Death during the times of Covid DR AMAN MAHARAJ Pixabay THAT the world, as we know it, fundamentally changed with Covid, is not seriously debatable. It was often said in jest between relatives and friends, that they found time to see one another only at weddings and funerals. Now, with grandiose weddings being cancelled, leaving potential brides to remain for a little while longer as single Miss Havishams, it is the funerary rites that have most been affected. In the past 18 months, many of us have been inundated with the live-streaming of Covid funerals. I’m a tad unsure of whether this doesn’t leave a space open for a wound…

It’s only a minority of Indian farmers protesting THE column from The Conversation, “No incentive to plant climate-resilient crops” (the POST February 17-21), refers. Is it not interesting that farmers have been protesting in Germany as well, but nobody is talking about it, not even the Twitter user, Rihanna? Yet in the case of India, every Jill or Johnny come lately wants to have a say. The writers, Shruti Bhogal and Shreya Sinha, claim that in India it is a “historic mass mobilisation of farmers against three new farm laws”. It is neither historic nor a mass mobilisation by Indian standards. They have no knowledge of history. They wish to create the impression that farmers in general are protesting against these reforms. A minority of farmers are protesting against the…

Radio station plays old, boring music THE letter, “Do more to improve Hindvani”, by Veena Rambran (the POST, February 24-28) refers. Thank you for printing that well-deserved letter. I also called the station and complained about the DJs only playing old, boring, depressing and somewhat irritating music. In addition to this, I complained about the DJs having no sense of humour or intelligent humour. I was told by a senior management member that he would talk to the DJs, but nothing happened. My friends and children refer to Hindvani as a senior citizens’ station. Then during the lockdown, when many people lost their jobs, Hindvani had recipes for three hours. People did not have food or were awaiting food hampers and the DJs did not have compassion. Instead they chose…

WE ARE CONDITIONED TO BELIEVE FINANCIAL SUCCESS IS THE BASIS TO ALL OTHER SUCCESSES IN LIFE OPINION When deviance, criminality become the new normal DR SHEETAL BHOOLA IN RECENT years, there has been a prevalence of media reports which focus on a wide criminal activities with particular attention on white collar crimes. These journalistic reports are rich in factual evidence, opinion and perception that allow the readers to develop a certain standpoint in regard to these crimes. Notable amongst sources for these reports have been the Zondo and other commissions of inquiry, which have been responsible for high profile arrests and prosecutions. According to sociological terminology the concept of white-collar crime is a broad term which includes a wide variety of criminal activities such as tax and land frauds, illegal sales…

CHOPRA-JONAS REFLECTS ON HER CAREER Priyanka releases her memoirs “ThERE is no rulebook for me and I don’t believe in planning too much. I have never allowed my work to define me completely. All my life, I have chosen diverse roles – across genres, continents and platforms, and my career has never been dependent on my co-actors,” said actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas. She was talking about her recently released memoir UnFinished at the Jaipur Literature Festival. The book details the 38-year-old actress’s childhood in India and abroad, and her rise to fame. Speaking to Shobhaa De, a columnist and writer, Chopra Jonas said she was at a place where she had come together and was in charge of everything in her life. “That is a long way from a young…

‘PLANET CANNOT HANDLE MORE MAN-MADE DISASTERS’ Look after nature as we ride the pandemic JOHANNE PILLAY Pexels. com FEBRUARY 2021 marked one year that our family had been locked away from the rest of the world, owing to the Covid-19 pandemic and, further, to other health complications. Let me be frank: staying at home blows – this is not how we were meant to live life. Being locked away so suddenly felt like slamming into a brick wall at high speed; not a pretty sight. Being Durbanites at heart, a weekly trip to the beach was ingrained in our culture, an event that we eagerly awaited. We just longed to feel the cool breeze of the Indian Ocean against our faces and the hot sand beneath our feet. We decided…

Four day TV guide TODAY Cricket:: ANZ Bank Women’s T20 International: New Zealand v England, First T20, 3.50am, CRI, GSD; ANZ Bank Twenty20 International: New Zealand v Australia, Third T20, 7.30am, CRI, GSD; Pakistan Super League; Karachi Kings v Peshawar Zalmi, 10.50am, VR1, GSD (12 noon); Quetta Gladiators v Multan Sultans, 3.50pm, CRI; T20 Series: Windies v Sri Lanka, First T20, 11.45pm, CRI Soccer: DStv Premiership; Chippa United v Cape Town City, 2.30pm, PSL; Golden Arrows v Baroka FC, 4.50pm, VR3; Orlando Pirates v Bloemfontein Celtic, 4.55pm, PSL; Premier League: Burnley v Leicester City, 7.30pm, EPL, SSM (7.45pm), Sheffield United v Aston Villa, 7.50pm, VR3; Crystal Palace v Manchester United, 10pm, SSM, EPL; Serie A: Sassuolo v Napoli, 7.20pm, FTB; Atalanta v Crotone, 9.35pm, VR2; Genoa v Sampdoria, 9.35pm, LIG;…

Gamefish all the rage with couta, tuna on menu THE offshore fishing has been kind to the boats in KZN. The billfish are loving the warmer water and the bait is starting to make an appearance. The North Coast has been the most consistent spot for those targeting the gamefish. Couta and tuna have been the main targets. The couta have been enjoying a frisky live mackerel down rigged with about a 6oz sinker (depending on the depth you are fishing). The bonnies have been around but the sharks have found these too tasty to leave alone. Speaking of which, the shark tax has been high this past week. The sharks are in the mood to feed so this is the right time to bring out the heavier tackle to…

BATTLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE BILLS Msunduzi residents brace for above-inflation tariff increase CHANELLE LUTCHMAN chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za RATEPAYERS in Msunduzi have until the end of the month to comment on a proposed tariff increase that could be implemented in July. Last month, the Msunduzi Municipality proposed a 10% tariff increase for the 2021/22 financial year. This is 4% higher than the National Treasury recommendation. The city said each year it prepared its annual budget and set proposals as to how the tariffs could be rearranged. Some residents are concerned about the proposed 10% increase on their bills. Anthony Waldhausen, chairperson of the Msunduzi Association of Residents, Ratepayers and Civics (Marrc), said they had already objected to the proposal. Marrc represents 17 ratepayers’ associations in Pietermaritzburg and two civic organisations. “The…

ANJANA BUGWANDEEN IS KZN’S NUMBER 1 LSEN ACHIEVER Open Air’s top pupil defies all odds JANINE MOODLEY janine.moodley@inl.co.za Supplied ANJANA Bugwandeen, a KZN top matric achiever who has cerebral palsy, spastic quadriplegia and asthma, claimed the top spot in KZN for matric Learners with Special Needs (LSEN). The 20-year-old matriculated from the Open Air School in Berea with As in English, history, religion studies and life orientation. Anjana said she was happy with her achievement even though she never pushed herself. “It was never something I strived for but I’m grateful for the accolade.” Spending most of her spare time writing stories or reading novels, Anjana hopes to pursue a career in English creative writing. “I’m a big fan of Arundhati Roy. My favourite book of hers is The Ministry…

TOP SELECTIONS Singer in tune with language, culture LATOYA NEWMAN latoya.newman@inl.co.za YOVANI Naidoo, a South Indian vocalist from uMhlanga, outside Durban, represented South African Tamil singers in an international programme at the weekend. Tamil singers from 15 countries collaborated for the Anbudan Thamil Global Music Concert in support of establishing a Tamil Chair at the University of Toronto in Canada. The Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) hosted the virtual concert on Sunday. It was streamed on CTC’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. Naidoo, 21, said: “This is a great initiative and I was blessed and humbled to be a part of it. The effort aims to have Tamil as a subject at the University of Toronto. As a youth and a young woman, it’s an honour to propagate for Tamil culture…

RESERVOIR HILLS Residents fed up with potholes and overgrown verges JANINE MOODLEY janine.moodley@inl.co.za Supplied THE area has several service delivery and infrastructural challenges, according to Ray Jeawon, a community activist and the public relations officer for the Reservoir Hills community police forum. This, said Jeawon, had resulted in the suburb losing its once pristine image. “The growing informal sector has become one of the biggest concerns. Large amounts of waste are piled on the roadsides where many of the informal settlements are situated. It is unsightly and it becomes a breeding ground for rodents and consequently, snakes. If you drive through Reservoir Hills, you will see the despicable conditions that some residents (formal and informal) are living under.” Jeawon said the informal sector was growing rapidly and there seemed to…

PHOENIX City’s turnaround time to resolve issues is too long CHARLENE SOMDUTH charlene.somduth@inl.co.za Supplied OVER the years with the development of houses and businesses, the population of Phoenix has grown. But despite the developments, the infrastructure and the level of service delivery have remained the same, says Alice Govender. The community activist, of Redfern, has lived in the area for most of her life. She spearheads a WhatsApp group aimed at resolving some of the service delivery issues. “I believe we have more than 500 000 residents in Phoenix, and the eThekwini Municipality does not have the capacity to provide efficient service delivery to the community. In most areas, the street lights don’t work and this often means that the residents cannot see their attackers. “We have asked that the…

FAMILIES CAN LIVE STREAM Virtual havan for Covid-19 CHANELLE LUTCHMAN chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za A MASS virtual yajna or havan to pray for healing in South Africa amid Covid-19 has been planned for Sunday. Prayers will take place at the ABH in Chatsworth and at Radhe Shyam Mandir in Marlboro, Sandton, Johannesburg. A prayer has also been planned for Kenya. The event has been organised by the World Hindu Foundation South Africa (WHF-SA), World Hindu Pundits Organisation (WHPO) and the Gauteng Hindus Facebook page. Pravesh Hurdeen, the chairperson of WHF-SA, said: “We have two venues that will be conducting the havan but we also encourage families to participate from their own homes, virtually. “The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has been severe to most families. The prayer will seek to bring comfort and…

‘INDIANS ARE KNOWN TO PUNCH ABOVE THEIR WEIGHT IN MOST SPHERES OF ENDEAVOUR’ Success of top matriculants all spelt out YOGIN DEVAN THE Scripps National Spelling Bee was cancelled last year owing to the Covid-19 pandemic and is hoped to return in June this year. In the past Scripps National Spelling Bee,in 2019, there were eight winners: Rishik Gandhasri, Erin Howard, Saketh Sundar, Shruthika Padhy, Sohum Sukhatankar, Abhijay Kodali, Christopher Serrao and Rohan Raja. Looking at their names, you might think the winners were from New Delhi or Mumbai or other parts of India. Not so. However, while they are all from the US, seven of the eight winners can trace their ancestry to India. A spelling bee is a competition in which contestants are asked to spell a broad…

I am a pukka South African A LETTER by Pavania Naidoo “Columnist should keep his opinions to himself” (the POST, February 24-28) is distorted and framed similar to the apartheid regime causing a hullabaloo. Her writing is tantamount to fanning hatred and developing tensions with divisions. The writer intertwined a person’s birthright to his/her religious convictions. By birth, I am a pukka (pure) South African and I shall protect this motherland with the last drop of my blood. I have made many trips to India and on one of the trips, I met a retired army officer. He questioned his and my similarities, like dressing, eating and praying. He then posed the million-dollar question: If India and South Africa have to go to war, on whose side will I lift…

Hindvani is heading for the iceberg I REFER to the letter, “Do more to improve Hindvani”, (the POST, February 24-28). A professional, competent and experienced station manager is required at Hindvani. Since its inception, those who were tasked with its sustainability failed dismally. They had no idea of execution. Twenty-two years on and the majority of their presentations are in English. Listeners are encouraged to take up classes in Hindi, while the majority of their presenters cannot read, write or speak in Hindi. It is heading to hit the iceberg like the Titanic. Zeal without knowledge is a runaway horse. A RAMNARAIN Avoca…

‘IT’S NOT EASY TO RUN AWAY FROM YOUR HEART’ Durban actress lives her dreams LATOYA NEWMAN latoya.newman@inl.co.za Supplied DURBAN actress Katishcka Chanderlal will soon be seen on screen in season 2 of the Netflix series, Blood & Water. Netflix recently announced new characters for season 2 which is currently shooting in Cape Town. Blood & Water is a South African Netflix original series. The series revolves around Puleng, a high school girl whose sister Phumelele was kidnapped as part of a human trafficking network shortly after birth. One day, Puleng is invited to the party of a popular athlete, Fikile, studying at Parkhurst College, a prestigious school in Cape Town. After a new acquaintance points out their resemblance, Puleng starts to suspect that Fikile is Phumelele. Puleng has lived in…

Kangana opens restaurant ACTRESS Kangana Ranaut has ventured into the food and beverage business by opening a café and restaurant in her hometown, Manali. Ranaut shared photographs from the location where her café would be set up. She called this her dream venture. ‘Sharing my new venture, my dream with you all, something which will bring us closer, other than movies, my other passion food, taking baby steps in to FnB industry, building my first café and restaurant in Manali, thanks to my terrific team dreaming of something spectacular. Thanks,’ the actress tweeted. IANS…

MY SPORTING MEMORY An everlasting love for tennis ESHLIN VEDAN eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za 85-year-old Reservoir Hills senior citizen Roy Naidu not only continues to play tennis, he also serves as chairman of the New Germany Road based Jeevan Kara Tennis Club. Born in Pietermaritzburg, Naidu moved to central Durban with his family in the 1950s. A Liverpool fan for over 60 years, Naidu’s love for sport was cultivated at the Curries Fountain Soccer Stadium situated near his former residence where he saw his beloved Berea FC as well as the likes of Dharam Mohan and Daya Maistry in action. As a football fan, Naidu boasts the rare distinction of having watched two World Cups in person. He was present at the 1994 World Cup final in the US when Brazil beat Italy…

FANS ARE CONCERNED Big B recovers from surgery BOLLYWOOD veteran Amitabh Bachchan took to social media this week to thank his fans for their concern after his blog announcement that he was undergoing surgery. The 78-year-old actor did not give any details, but unconfirmed sources said he had undergone cataract surgery. Entertainment portal, Bollywood Hungama, quoted a source said to be close to the actor: “It was nothing, just … cataract surgery. Amitabh Bachchan will be home in the next 24 hours.” Bachchan wrote on his blog on Saturday night: “Medical condition … surgery … can’t write.” Many fans took to social media to wish him good health. The actor’s office has yet to officially give details. Big B has five films coming up. While his next release is Rumi…

TONGAAT ‘Employ the right people to do the jobs correctly TONGAAT ’ CHARLENE SOMDUTH charlene.somduth@inl.co.za Supplied NAZIR Sadack, a community activist and community police forum member, believes that service delivery in eThekwini will only improve if the municipality improves its management. “There’s not a day that goes by where we don’t have a service delivery issue. Tongaat is a small town but with the development of duplexes and apartments the population has grown. Our infrastructure has remained the same,” said Sadack “The area was developed for a limited number of residents. When more houses were built, the municipality did not increase the sewer line. As a result, the manholes overflow and the water remains stagnant. “Then there is the issue of the roads. There are numerous potholes, and the barriers…

VERULAM Ratepayers load garbage into cars CHANELLE LUTCHMAN chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za Supplied THE turnaround time to resolve service delivery and infrastructure issues in Verulam was too long, said Vish Roopnarain, chairperson of the Verulam Civic Association. “There have been a number of burst water pipes that could have been repaired promptly but the residents have had to wait for the employees from the department to come out. The Redcliffe area is affected most and residents are sometimes left without water for 48 hours.” He said the water leaks also damaged the roads and this resulted in potholes. Roopnarain said other problems included blocked stormwater drains caused by heavy rains. “In addition to this, the stormwater drains are blocked by grass that has been trimmed by workers from the municipality. They don’t pick…

DEMAND FOR JUSTICE Wife’s hospital death mystery baffles family CHARLENE SOMDUTH charlene.somduth@inl.co.za MARY Shunmugam was admitted to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital with an upset tummy. Five days later she was dead. According to a post-mortem, Shunmugam died as a result of a brain haemorrhage caused by multiple skull fractures. Now, three months after her remains were cremated, her family is still unsure why she died. Shunmugam, 52, of Woodview, Phoenix, was taken to hospital on Thursday, November 19. Her husband, Lionel Shunmugam, said no one was allowed to accompany her due to Covid-19 restrictions at the hospital. She was tested twice for the virus and on both occasions the result was negative. Later that day, her husband dropped off some toiletries and a cellphone with the security guards at…

Editor’s View We have overcome our greatest challenge THIS week marks a year since the first Covid-19 case was confirmed in South Africa. By the end of March last year, our country was in a hard lockdown. Since then, about 1.5 million of our country's men and women have been infected with Covid-19 and more than 50 000 people have died as a result of the pandemic. As President Cyril Ramaphosa pointed out: “By now, I am sure all of us know someone who has passed away from Covid-19.” While every life lost is one too many, the situation could have been a lot worse had it not been for our leaders. On a national level, Ramaphosa and Zweli Mkhize, our Health Minister, led from the front. In KwaZulu-Natal, it…

Rihanna denigrates culture The story, “Topless Rihanna uses Ganesha pendant to promote lingerie”, (the POST, February 24-28) refers. Rihanna is guilty of denigrating Indian culture. She had no business posing topless for her lingerie brand Savage X Fenty, while sporting a necklace with a Ganesha pendant. If whites did it, they would be labelled racist. Remember Heidi Klum and her Halloween outfit? That was racist. Why not the racist label for Rihanna? To denigrate someone else’s culture is a distinct form of racism. She could have used a pendant from her own Christian faith. Remember Madonna offending Christians by wearing a crucifix with a low-cut dress or a mesh top? But at least she was not being racist. She used her own faith. What would the reaction be if Barbadian…

Congratulations to the matric class of 2020 THERE were so many pages dedicated to matric high achievers in the POST of February 24-28. It was about their happiness and success. This will remain a memorable day for KwaZulu-Natal. The POST will definitely be a collector’s item judging by the number of successful matriculants. Let’s not forget Star College with 3 200 distinctions, which has made the province proud. I would like to extend, on behalf of all the POST readers, my congratulations. Your undeterred spirit, your hard work in these unprecedented times, have now reaped the benefits. After months of interruptions and false starts from Covid-19, the matric class of 2020 must be praised for the excellent results of 76.2 % – which is a decline of 3.7% from 2019.…

Pauw added his name to our hall of shame FROM the corridors of political power to the boardrooms of multibillion-rand private and public institutions, a multitude of names in our country have lost public favour. Journalist Jacques Pauw added his name to our hall of shame. In a drunken stupor, he made allegations that were without merit and threw his reputation under the bus. When sanity was restored, he gathered the courage to apologise to the nation for his serious and false accusations. It takes courage under fire to admit publicly that you were wrong, unlike those who sit on various power thrones and are the subject of criminal investigations and commit perjury. They are treated like celebrities. Power and prestige do not last forever, and in many cases over…

Deep ENDSTAR IN SHOWMAX SERIES Carishma Basday plays LittleMissMom CHANELLE LUTCHMAN chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za ACTRESS Carishma Basday and her daughter Ayla Oceane feature in the Showmax series, Tali’s Baby Diary. The 33-year-old Durban-born actress, who now lives in Cape Town, starred in films including Deep End, Material and Bhai’s Cafe. She was also a presenter on the SABC 3 show Mela and was Marie Claire's 19th sexiest woman in the world in 2012 for its naked campaign around body positivity. This time, Basday will play the role of LittleMissMom in Tali’s Baby Diary, the sequel to Tali’s Wedding Diary, which broadcast on Showmax in 2017. The first series starred Julia Anastasopoulos, aka SuzelleDIY, as Tali, who was preparing for her wedding. Tali’s Wedding Diary was the most awarded comedy at the…

THE BEST OPTION IS INCINERATION What really happens to waste PPE? CARLY FLETCHER Pexels ALL over the world, the Covid-19 pandemic has seen more and more people admitted to hospital where the high infection rate of the virus makes the use of personal protection equipment (PPE) vital for health-care workers. PPE includes single-use gloves, aprons and gowns, surgical masks, respirators and face protectors in the form of glasses, goggles or face shields. The type of PPE used depends on the task being performed and the setting. For example, nurses in a Covid-19 ward are advised to wear disposable gloves, an apron, a gown, a respirator and face protection, while community-based carers are advised to wear gloves, aprons and a mask. Hospital-grade PPE can only be used once to avoid the…

Djokovic back on top NOVAK Djokovic, pictured, has tied Roger Federer's all-time record for the most weeks at the top of the men's tennis rankings. Djokovic on Monday entered his 310th week at the top of the ATP rankings. The 33-year-old Serbian reclaimed the top spot from Spain's Rafael Nadal in February 2020. The 18-time Grand Slam champion grabbed his ninth Australian Open title last month, which ensured he will surpass Federer's record next week. Federer, Nadal and Djokovic have dominated men's singles tennis, particularly the Grand Slams, for nearly two decades. From the 2003 Wimbledon to the 2021 Australian Open, the three players have won 58 out of 70 Grand Slams. They won 18 consecutive slams from the 2005 French Open to Wimbledon in 2009, and 13 consecutive slams…

India’s spin web awaits England again INDIA’S Test deputy Ajinkya Rahane said yesterday that the pitch for the fourth Test against England at the Narendra Modi Stadium would be similar to the second and third Test. India had managed to defeat England by ten wickets within two days in the third Test at the same venue. The match saw both India and England batsmen failing to shine and getting out to balls that did not turn and skidded through from the spinners. But critics have looked to blame the pitch for the failure of the batsmen. India batsman Rohit Sharma clarified that he did not think the pitch had any demons. Even skipper Virat Kohli was vocal about the dreadful batting display from the two teams. “The wicket would be…

ESHLIN VEDAN’S VIEW Gerrard could be the next manager of Liverpool ESHLIN VEDAN eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za LIVERPOOL have finally ended a barren run which included four straight league defeats are topping basement club Sheffield United last weekend. Reds goalkeeper Adrian was a spectator in the game which would be encouraging to supporters ahead of their difficult home fixture against Chelsea tomorrow. Also encouraging for the Anfield club was the fact that Ozan Kabak finally looked solid, as did Trent Alexander-Arnold who delivered one of his best performances in a long time from the right. Something which Reds fans should take note of is Steven Gerrard’s rising managerial career. Their club legend is all but certain to win the Scottish Premiership title with Rangers this season and thus prevent Celtic from winning a…