In yet another year of Covid-led disruptions across the globe, disappointments were not merely restricted to the constant lockdown scenarios. There were some heartbreaks with regard to certain match results and individual/team crises as well. But it has not been all bad in the sports arena but there were some dark clouds in the midst of the silver linings. So, it is time to bid adieu to some of the sporting lows of 2021 for good.
Barcelona Reach Nadir
If the financial mess and the emotional exit of talismanic Lionel Messi were not enough, the Catalan club endured many more setbacks till the end of this year. Their poor outing in the Champions League saw them missing out on the qualification for the first time in a decade. The ultimate setback was the consequence of some disastrous losses that also saw the ouster of the coach Ronald Koeman. Things have not changed much even after the appointment of new coach Xavi and their precarious monetary situation bars them from any high-profile signing. So, the Barcelona fans can only keep their fingers crossed for the time being and hope for the best in 2022.
“The Two” Goes Out Of Reckoning From The “Big Three”
In the tennis world, it was indeed a sublime tragedy to see both Roger Federal and Rafael Nadal taking a back seat to leave the courts entirely at the disposal of Novak Djokovic. The Swiss legend after the two knee surgeries in 2020 returned to the court in 2021 for just five events, including the Wimbledon Quarters. Nadal, on the other hand, after the French Open Semi-Final loss to Djokovic missed the US Open and the entire 2021 season to a foot injury. Resultantly, the murmurs have only grown louder that the era of “Big Three” is over with the sword now firmly in the grip of the Serb.
Indian Shooters’ Meltdown In Tokyo Olympics
For India, the Tokyo Olympics offered several pleasant surprises but the shooting contingent’s performance stood out like a sore thumb. Much was expected from the shooter however they simply could not get going in Japan. Out of the Rs 1169.65 crore spent on Indian athletes this year a significant chunk of the budget was allocated to the shooters, considering the cost of the equipments needed for the sport. However, in the Olympics shooters were made to eat the humble pie and the not-so-fortunate sportsmen, in terms of funding, walked away with the glories. Better luck next time is the only thing that can be said to shooters right now.
India’s T-20 WC Fiasco
With UAE and Muscat jointly hosting the T-20 World Cup, everyone expected Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul etc to light up the event with fireworks, considering the IPL exposure prior to the coveted event and the humongous fan base in the region. However, Team India superstars came a cropper when it mattered the most and the squad made an early exit from the desert region without making it the knockouts of a T-20 World Cup for the first time since the 2012 championship in Sri Lanka. Blame it on the Bio Bubble fatigue or workload management, Indian team after the twin losses against Pakistan and New Zealand looked, at best, like a club team and a sacrificial lamb, at worst.
The Century Eluding Kohli For Two Years In A Row
Yes, it is indeed shocking that even in 2021, the prominent member in the exclusive “Fab Four Club” is yet to score a ton in any format. Kohli’s last ton came in 2019 against Bangladesh, and after that, his highest score has been 74 against Australia in the Adelaide Test in 2020. Such a long wait is not unusual looking at the new normals brought in by the Covid, however, the former captain of the
limited-overs formats is getting out mainly to innocuous deliveries, underscoring his desperation to score the 71st international century of his career. Every great player goes through a rough patch at some point or the other in their careers, so one can only pray that Kohli ends the century drought in 2022.
