Big-time squash returns to CCI

Big-time squash returns to the Cricket Club of India (CCI) with the 58th Senior National Championship and the 67th CCI-Western India Open squash tournament to be on concurrently at the Churchgate club from December 4 to 10.

The squash committee and president of the CCI club, Sevanti Parekh were all smiles at a press conference on Tuesday night to announce the event. The senior National Championship returns to CCI after five years with eight categories including men, women and professionals.

The Western India Squash tourney will see juniors playing in eight categories for boys and girls. Parekh said he was delighted that squash is coming back to CCI, especially as the players are, "coming back with fairly good showings in the Asian and Commonwealth Games."

In the men's category, defending champion and top seed Saurav Ghosal leads a men's field including second seed Siddharth Suchde (No 73 in the world)u00a0 No 3 Harinderpal Sandhu with Sandeep Jangra, Gaurav Nandrajog and Ravi Dixit in the fray.

In the women's category there is Joshna Chinappa from Tamil Nadu, nine-time national champion who will be hoping to make it a perfect 10. Deepika Pallikal will be absent. "I do not know why she has stayed away," said tourney director, Naval Pandole before adding, "but we have all the other top players in the country."

Interestingly, there is a clutch of players from Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu ready to take on local talent proving that the South and the desert state are fast becoming squash strongholds.

Pandole also spoke about the need for an upgradation of the CCI squash courts that have served well for 70 years. "But we need a change now. We are looking at making all courts glassback, changing the flooring and a few other facilities to bring the latest, international class, state-of-the-art squash facilities to the club," he said.