News

Santosh Desai: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“The BCCI is a banana republic, it answers to no regulatory body.”

Santosh Desai, a social commentator, is under no illusions about how the BCCI conducts business. He was commenting on the conflict of interest inherent in Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri contracted to the  BCCI while offering their opinions for Sky Television.

What he really meant:

“The BCCI is a banana republic; working with it is akin to trying to retain one’s balance while treading a banana skin.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri endorse plantains for the BCCI.”

Poonam Pandey: What she said, really meant and definitely did not

What she said:

“God gave women legs, so we show them off.”

Poonam Pandey, who made the headlines promising to strip if Team Indian won the ICC ODI World Cup, is not shy of making further provocative comments. She is to be one of the stars leading a Slutwalk in Mumbai—come September.

What she really meant:

“Legs are not just meant for walking, you know.”

What she definitely didn’t:

“How would you  like them, waxed or in all their hairy splendour?”

Marion Bartoli: What she said, really meant and definitely did not

What she said:

“Something is not going well for me here in Toronto.”

Marion Bartoli has no real excuses for her early exit at the Rogers Cup bowing out to Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan. This is the second time Bartoli crashed out in the first round here; she lost to Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine in 2009.

What she really meant:

“I definitely can’t say that things are going swimmingly well for me in Montreal, can I?”

What she definitely didn’t:

“I’m not coming back unless I get a first round bye next year.”

Brad Gilbert: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“He hasn’t lost a stitch of hair. He plays young."

Brad Gilbert is astounded how Federer keeps on playing the game with the zest and zeal of a much younger man.

What he really meant:

“He’s got all his hair, he’s not been injured much and he has 16 majors. You say he’s old?”

What he definitely didn’t:

“The more hairy or hirsute you are, the better the player you’ll be.”

Mahendra Singh Dhoni: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

"Look at them, some day one of them will just collapse."

Mahendra Singh Dhoni is not enamoured about the amount of cricket his team has played in recent times.

What he really meant:

“My players are tired and jaded. Isn’t that evident?”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Team India are pushovers—literally.”

Alan Butcher: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

“Zimbabweans pride themselves on being hospitable. So even in this match, we keep throwing them a lifeline.”

Zimbabwean coach, Alan Butcher, throws up an innovative excuse for letting their opponents, Bangladesh, off the hook in the Test at Harare.

What he really meant:

“We do want the Bangladeshis returning for more. They’re  the only team we can beat regularly.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“We take pride in losing matches at home.”

Maria Kirilenko: What she said, really meant and definitely did not

What she said:

"I didn’t catch the bouquet. All the girls tried to catch it but Dushevina came out from somewhere and stole it from me! I said okay, whatever."

Maria Kirilenko is none-too-perturbed about missing out on the bouquet at the wedding of her friend, Elena Dementieva. Dementieva married NHL star, Maxim Afinogenov, on the 16th of July, 2011 in Moscow.

What she really meant:

“All that practice catching tennis balls from ballboys (and ballgirls) came to naught. You see, there’s no mad scramble for those, on-court.”

What she definitely didn’t:

“’Okay, whatever’ wins me tennis matches.”

Caroline Wozniacki: What she said, really meant and definitely did not

What she said:

"I’d like to be an actress. Could you see me as a Bond girl? You know I live in Monaco, right?"

Caroline Wozniacki would love to be an actress if she were not the No.1 tennis player in the world.

What she really meant:

“I’ve already got the right address for a Bond girl. Is there anything else I need (to be one)?”

What she definitely didn’t:

“Rory McIlroy would make a great James Bond.”

Parthiv Patel: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“Whenever I close my eyes and seek inspiration during trying times, I see only Tendulkar!"

Parthiv Patel, who made his Test debut at 17, has just one idol—Indian icon, Sachin Tendulkar.

What he really meant:

“Inspiration—thy name is Sachin Tendulkar.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Eyes wide shut, I have T20 vision—visions of Tendulkar.”

Sunil Gavaskar: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“It looked like a contest between a professional team and a schoolboys team.”

Sunil Gavaskar is scathing in his criticism of the Indian team’s performance against a superior English side.

What he really meant:

“It’s no wonder warm-up games feature second string players (Northamptonshire).”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Isn’t this remark pithier than Boycott’s ‘India played like Bangladesh’?”