TOWERING PRESENCE

In the past, Indian basketball did not have too many tall players. However, the seven players from the current Indian team — all touching the 2.03 metres mark — have made people sit up in astonishment. The average age of the team is about 21 years and the average height 193.42cms. Now, this can be a heady combination. But whether the players, taking part in the conditioning camp at the SAI Complex since mid-January, can take India to greater heights is the moot question. Ethiraj, Murali Krishna, Sanjay Raj, S. Robinson, Shabeer Ahmed and Subash Shenoy form a great combination. All of them are 6ft. 8in. or more. An inch or two shorter are Jagdeep Singh, Anoop M and Yadwinder Singh. The enthusiasm among these players is palpable, but can they bring home medals from the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne?

Avinash Nair