Chennai lad Karun Chandhok on Thursday became the second Indian Formula One driver — following in Narain Karthikeyan’s footsteps — after signing a deal with F1 team Campos Meta, which changed its name to Hispania Racing Team (HRT).

“I’m pleased to announce our official car livery today,” team principal Colin Kolles told reporters in Murcia, Spain.

“We also complete the driver’s team line-up with the Indian Karun Chandhok at the wheel of the car for our first ever season,” Kolles told the press conference there.

Karun’s name was not in the official entry list for the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship revealed last night with only Bruno Senna — nephew of F1 legend Ayrton Senna and Karun’s GP2 teammate at iSport International — named as the team’s confirmed driver for this season.

Details were not known whether Karun, a third generation driver from a family of motorsport enthusiasts, would be driving for the team for the whole season.

The Alzira-based Spanish team did not have pre-season testing with their future looking in doubt due to lack of funding.

Founded by former driver Adrian Campos, the team changed its name after Spanish businessman Jose Ramon Carabante took over the outfit.

Karthikeyan became the first Indian F1 driver in 2005 when he joined Jordan.

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India ended Australia’s seven-year run at the top of the Test rankings as they will finish as the numero uno Test team this year (2009-10) after their emphatic victory against South Africa at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday.

India beat South Africa by an innings and 57 runs to level the series 1-1 and also retain the No.1 position in the Test rankings.

It is the first time India have topped the table at the annual cut-off date (April 1) since the rankings were introduced in June 2003. It has been a steady climb by the Indian team as they were ranked sixth in 2004. They were placed third in 2005 and 2006 and finished second last year.

India are at 124 ratings points while South Africa stayed second with 120 points. Australia are third with 116 points.

India will thus retain the Test championship mace, which it received after defeating Sri Lanka last year in December, and will also pocket a cheque for $175,000.

For South Africa, it was heartbreak for the second successive year. Last year they needed a series-win against Australia to finish at the top of the Test table, but lost the home series 1-2 and finished nine ratings points behind Ricky Ponting’s side.

This year, a series win again would have fetched them the top spot.

India and South Africa will fight for the second spot in the One-day rankings during the three-match series starting Feb 21. Australia have guaranteed themselves a number-one finish.

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Tennis star Sania Mirza’s family has reportedly called off her engagement to Mohammad Sohrab Mirza due to ‘incompatibility’. Sania got engaged to long time friend Mohammad in Hyderabad in July 2009.

Six months after the engagement took place amid much fanfare, the couple decided to part ways as they felt incompatible.

She confirmed it saying, “We were friends for half a decade, but found ourselves incompatible during our engagement period. I wish Sohrab the best in life”.

Sania’s father Imran, who coaches and manages her career,  said that the engagement had been called off. The two families took the decision, Imran said in a SMS sent to some media organisations. He, however, did not divulge the reason.

Sohrab, 23, is a commerce graduate from Hyderabad. Sohrab met Sania at St Mary’s College, where she also studied. An ambitious Sohrab is in Britain, pursuing MBA degree course. Sohrab belongs to a wealthy business family with a popular bakery chain also dealing in real estate.

The engagement had taken place at a glittering function here July 10 last year. The 22-year-old tennis star had exchanged rings with Sohrab.

Sania’s family had then said that the marriage would take place only after a couple of years and that she would focus on her tennis career now.

Sania, who is in Melbourne, has crashed out of Australian Open. She will go to Kuala Lumpur on Friday for Fed Cup Asia Oceania Group 2 competition.

As soon as the reports of her engagement came in, there were speculations over how long it will last, since she is a superstar and has a huge fan following. (With IANS inputs)

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Lalit Modi’s high-profile auction of international players for the domestic Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament failed to attract the big bucks today. Eight teams ignored the star-studded Pakistan players. They were expected to be sold at fancy prices.

Even highest-paid Kieron Pollard from West Indies and New Zealand fast-bowler Shane Bond were picked up for $1 million (Rs 4.6 crore), much lower than what had been paid for Kevin Pieterson and Andrew Flintoff last year – $1.55 million (Rs 7.4 crore) each.

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Of the total $6.5 million (Rs 30 crore) that eight IPL teams coughed up, the franchisees forked out $4.15 million (Rs 19 crore) to take 11 players on board, each at an average of $377,000 (Rs 1.73 crore).

Had it not been for the two top players, the average price paid for nine others was $238,000 (Rs 1.1 crore).

While there is a cap on the price a team can pay for each new player – $750,000 (Rs 3.45 crore) – the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said that if a team gets into a tie over a player and has reached the price limit, it could bid higher.

However, the money paid over $750,000 would go into the BCCI kitty, and not to the player, said the board. Sources said IPL has made $500,000 (Rs 2.3 crore) – not much by its standards.

During IPL-II, a team was allowed to spend up to $2 million (Rs 9.2 crore). Eight teams together paid $7.63 million (Rs 36 crore) for 17 players – an average of $448,000 (Rs 2.06 crore) for each player.

The strike rate for this year has been lower – one out of six players has been bought compared to one out of three in the last two IPL seasons.

“Most of the teams this year focused on the players they wanted to buy since there were only a few slots to be filled. We had three choices and are glad to have the player we wanted,” said Amrit Mathur of Delhi Daredevils.

The team has roped in Wayne Parnell for $610,000 (Rs 2.8 crore).

Said Lalit Modi, chairman & commissioner, IPL: “The biggest question for the franchisees has been the availability of players. They are not ready to spend $7-8 million for someone who would not be available for the tournaments.”

“During the first two seasons of IPL, teams went all out because the contracts were for more than one season. This time, contracts are for the third edition of the tournament only. Also, one has got the sense of price correction. Last year, Bangladesh’s Mashrafe Murtaza was bought at almost 300 per cent over his base price of $50,000 by Kolkata Knight Riders. Eventually he didn’t even play much in IPL2. Teams, therefore, are more rational this year,” said Indranil Blah, former VP-Sports, Globosport.

This auction’s hot picks are Kieron Pollard (all-rounder batsman), who has been grabbed by Mukesh Ambani’s Mumbai India. Shane Bond has been bagged by Shah Rukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders. Both teams’ bid amount crossed the $750,000 threshold. According to sources, Pollard was won for $1.1 million and Bond, for $1 million.

The disappointing part of the auction was that there were no takers for the Pakistani players. There were 11 Pakistani players in a pool of 66.

“This is no surprise, given that there is a lot of uncertainty around the Pakistani players,” said an IPL executive.

Added Shilpa Shetty, co-owner of Rajasthan Royals: “We were not convinced about the availability of the Pakistani players, so didn’t want to take the risk.” IPL3 is scheduled to begin in March 2010 and 59 matches will be played over 44 days. The final will be held in Mumbai.

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