Sir Sachin Tendulkar - The Greatest Cricketer Ever

[ajithfederer]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601081&sid=aXsJlIz7ROcc&refer=australia

Tendulkar Bags New Record as India Reaches 311-5 vs Australia

By Grant Clark

Nov. 6 (Bloomberg) -- Sachin Tendulkar claimed another batting record as he struck 109 to help lift India to 311-5 on the first day of the final cricket Test against Australia in Nagpur.

The 35-year-old, who broke the record for the most Test runs during last month's second match, passed 50 for the 91st time in his Test career today to overtake the record of 90 half- centuries set by Australia's Allan Border.

Tendulkar steadied his team after the loss of three quick wickets -- two to debutant off-spinner Jason Krejza -- as India seeks to close out the four-match series. Top-ranked Australia, which trails 1-0, is on an eight-series win streak.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who took over from the retired Anil Kumble as captain, won the toss on a grass-less wicket that may dry up and deteriorate as the match progresses, offering an advantage to the team batting first.

Opener Murali Vijay, making his debut in place of the suspended Gautam Gambhir, scored 33 in a 98-run stand for the first wicket before Shane Watson squared him up and got him to edge the ball to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin.

Krejza struck in the next over, removing Rahul Dravid for a duck as Simon Katich took the catch at short leg. He bowled Virender Sehwag, who'd made 66 off 69 balls, to reduce India to 116-3.

Tendulkar then combined with VVS Laxman in a century partnership to restore the home team's advantage. Laxman, playing in his 100th Test, scored 64 before edging Krejza to Haddin for the bowler's third wicket.

Tendulkar was dropped by Brett Lee as he attempted to bring up his century with a six, then was stuck on 99 for 10 balls before reaching a record-extending 40th in Tests. He'd earlier been dropped by Mitchell Johnson, who eventually trapped the batsman leg before wicket.

Former captain Sourav Ganguly -- playing in his 113th and last Test match before retiring -- is 27 not out, with Dhoni unbeaten on 4.

[Sourav]

[tscii:8fc18a6bf5]
‘Bhagwan Bharose,’
Sachin Tendulkar told Sourav Ganguly on completing his 40th Test ton, after being dropped twice and surviving a run-out chance. Sachin scored 109 as India notched up 311/5 against Australia at Nagpur | P 21 In the course of scoring his century, Sachin set a new world record for most 50-plus Test innings. He now has 91 (40 tons + 51 fifties), overtaking Allan Border’s 90 (27 centuries + 63 fifties).
Sachin now has 17 Test hundreds in India, the most on Indian soil, bettering Sunil Gavaskar’s 16
Second batsman to record 10 tons (in 29 Tests) against Australia after England’s Jack Hobbs (12 in 41)
First to aggregate 5,000 runs in first innings of Tests — 5086 in 75 innings at average of 72.65

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH/2008/11/07&PageLabel=1&EntityId=Ar00106&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T
// Innum vera yethavathu micha meethi records irukka batting-la? //
:notworthy::notworthy::notworthy::notworthy::notwo rthy:[/tscii:8fc18a6bf5]

[ajithfederer]

'kkaali :shock: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

[Sourav]

[tscii:8ea5a98ac9]Tale of a legend and a lamb
Harsha Bhogle


In the unmatched drama of Test cricket, two unlikely competitors stood face to face. They inhabited different worlds. One, a legend of the game, who strolls in a world others don’t even know exists; the other was accompanied to the ground by scorn, derision and a record so inadequate that only nepotism or skullduggery could have worked.
A son of eastern European parents, with a history of alcohol and drug use and one match on tour where he had been taken apart by batsmen who weren’t yet good enough to be selected here. Ronaldo might have been lining up for a penalty against a Division IV goalkeeper; a qualifier from a Challenger might have been standing in front of Sampras or Federer.
As it turns out the legend, Sachin Tendulkar, scored his fortieth Test century, nobody else knows what that is. But the lamb they threw into the lion’s den went into the green room and emerged with horns, fangs and claws. Jason Krejza is going to play a lot more Test cricket and the Australian thinktank, normally so spot on, must be feeling a touch stupid.
He tossed the ball up and saw it vanish, he tossed it up again and it vanished again. It was a tough examination and Krejza could have re-sponded by pushing it through fast and straight. He might even have been forgiven.
Instead he tossed it up and in doing so, he backed himself. His first three overs had gone for thirty one and failure was calling him back into the pub.
But life has a way of rewarding those who back themselves. He found a captain who was willing to throw the ball to him and he responded by opening a new box of riches. He bowled an excellent length, he found turn and he found bounce. You cannot ask for more from a player in his first game.
Meanwhile, Tendulkar played an innings in two parts. He motored to 49 and stopped. Then in the eighties and nineties, like Haroun-al-Rashid, he put on a disguise and walked the streets like a common man.
Suddenly a celestial display became coated with the insecurities that you and me are more aware of. Two chances were put down; maybe a couple of wrongs in the nineties in days gone by were being corrected. Then Number Forty arrived; a square-cut of Krejza who had twice tempted Tendulkar into indiscretion only to see sure fielders falter.
Many shades of character had been displayed. Test cricket had won again.
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[Sourav]

TON OF ENTERTAINMENT: :notworthy: Sachin Tendulkar took centrestage on the opening day of the Nagpur Test on Thursday with a classy century. Here he sends Matthew Hayden scampering towards the boundary after steering one off debutant Krejza

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/getimage.dll?path=TOICH/2008/11/07/21/Img/Pc0211000.jpg

[HonestRaj]

Well Pllayed sachin. :clap: :clap: :clap:

Would have been much happy if he was not out. Ganguly and Dhoni should lead the charge. Hope atleast one of them make a century.

From office, I left for the day at 4:30pm still 10 overs left for the day...... adhukkullae :(

[Sourav]

[tscii:ebac467cce]SACH SHOWS TRUE COLOURS
Surviving Two Dropped Catches Along The Way, Tendulkar Records His 40th Century As India Sit Pretty At 311-5
Sandeep Dabhekar | TNN

Nagpur: Just like it has done in the series so far, the opening day of the fourth and final Test too followed the same script on Thursday. First, the Indian captain called the toss correctly and promptly said: “We will bat.” Then, Virender Sehwag began his ride on top gear just to depart when the Australian bowlers were at his mercy. Finally, Rahul Dravid failed yet again while VVS Laxman painted another beautiful innings.
The only deviation, a pleasant one though, was provided by Sachin Tendulkar. After failing to reach triple figures in the series, despite essaying many innings that promised more, the master undid the wrong by scoring 109 as India finished the first day on 311 for 5.
The breathtaking shots Tendulkar played during his 40th Test hundred were equally matched by the many breathless moments he gave to his fans as he lived a charmed life. On way to his second Test hundred of the year, the earlier one came against the same opponents in Adelaide, Tendulkar got three lives.
It was Jason Krejza who failed to hit the stumps with Tendulkar stranded in the middle of the pitch following a moment of indecision over a run. As Laxman backed off too far Tendulkar had no option but to go for it. Luckily, Krejza was off the mark and the master blaster survived. The off-spinner paid the price for it and lived to see two chances being put down off his own bowling.
Tendulkar, playing on 85, gave charge to Krejza but miscued the ball to mid-off; but Mitchell Johnson, with the sun in his eye, dropped the catch. A few overs later, he played the same shot to the same bowler with the same result. This time he was on 96 and Brett Lee had to run backwards to make a catch of it. Aided by the sloppy Australian fielding, Sachin reached his hundred with a four off Krejza.
But in between the hiccups, the master blaster played with authority. Along with Laxman (64), in fact, he revived India after the loss of three quick wickets just before lunch. Tendulkar’s first three scoring shots were all boundaries. But after the departure of Sehwag, he adopted a watchful approach
and consolidated the innings
with Laxman.
The three quick dismissals
prior to lunch marred an otherwise fruitful morning session. After cruising through the most part of it, India suddenly lost wickets in a cluster. Sehwag and debutant M Vijay were hardly troubled by the Aussie pace as they scored at almost five runs per over. India cruised to 59 in 12 overs without losing wickets.
With a leather-hunt looming large, Shane Watson struck for the Aus-sies, removing Vijay. In the next over, Krejza scalped his first Test wicket as he got Dravid for a duck. But the biggest blow came three overs later. Krejza snapped up Sehwag who dragged the bowl attempting a cut to a ball which didn’t give him the space. After scoring 70 in the first hour of the play India lost three wickets in just five overs.
But the Tendulkar-Laxman duo added 146 runs for the fourth wicket before Laxman got out to Krejza. With close of play nearing and Tendulkar past his century, signs looked ominous for the visitors. But the second new ball did the trick as Mitchell Johnson trapped Tendulkar in front. Sourav Ganguly along with captain MS Dhoni saw off the remaining overs.
With the ball turning, evident from the three wickets taken by Krejza, the Indian score looks quite a handful. If the hosts manage to take the tally past 500 on Friday, they may well be able to call the shots. A draw looks most likely though on this unhelpful track and that itself should be enough to secure the Border-Gavaskar
Trophy.

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH/2008/11/07&PageLabel=21&EntityId=Ar02100&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T[/tscii:ebac467cce]

[ajithfederer]

Ten Test Tons of Sachin Tendulkar against Australia (http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/player/35320.html?class=1;filter=advanced;opposition=2;or derby=start;runsmin1=100;runsval1=runs;template=re sults;type=batting;view=match)

Guys Pick your Top Five Tons against Australia

Mine

1) 114 @ Perth 91/92 tour

2) 148* @ Sydney 91/92 tour

3) 116 @ Melbourne 99/00 tour

4) 241* @ Sydney 03/04 tour

5) 153 @ Adelaide 07/08 tour.

[Sourav]

http://epaper.dinamalar.com/DM/MADHURAI/2008/11/07/photographs/001/07_11_2008_001_003_001.jpg

[Sourav]

http://epaper.dinamalar.com/DM/MADHURAI/2008/11/07/Article//016/07_11_2008_016_011.jpg

[Sourav]

http://epaper.dinamalar.com/DM/MADHURAI/2008/11/07/Article//016/07_11_2008_016_012.jpg

[Sourav]

http://epaper.dinamalar.com/DM/MADHURAI/2008/11/07/Article//103/07_11_2008_103_003.jpg

[selvakumar]

was quite impressed with Sachin's innings yesterday. Ippadiyae aada koodaatha ! enna oru confidence :notworthy:

ippadi aadaamaa, kappi thanamaa part time bowlers kku ellam wicket kodukaatheenga ! :(

[ajithfederer]

Selva,

Welcome back to sachin thread :D

[Sanguine Sridhar]

Feddy,

We are unable to post the picture, its not working.

[viraajan]

Sachin to skip first 3 ODIs against England :cry2:

[Sourav]

Sachin to skip first 3 ODIs against England :cry2:Romba late-a vanthu azhureenga.... :hammer: Team was announced 2 days ago.... :P

[viraajan]

Sachin to skip first 3 ODIs against England :cry2:Romba late-a vanthu azhureenga.... :hammer: Team was announced 2 days ago.... :P

:cry2:

Yes, old news thaan :evil: forgot to post it... so posted :evil:

Innonnu solla marandhutten,

Sourav (neenga illa :poke: ) hugged Sachin yesterday... Kan kollaa kaatchi :redjump: :bluejump: :boo: :bow:

[ajithfederer]

http://i38.tinypic.com/28wjjav.jpg

Feddy,

We are unable to post the picture, its not working.

[selvakumar]

Selva,

Welcome back to sachin thread :D
Illa.. I was disappointed with his style of batting of late. But intha maari play panna super ah irukkum.. He should be consistent in this... Not sure about others. But I would love to see him dominating the bowlers again

[crajkumar_be]

Illa.. I was disappointed with his style of batting of late. But intha maari play panna super ah irukkum.. He should be consistent in this... Not sure about others. But I would love to see him dominating the bowlers again

:shock: :shock: kadandha sila pala series neenga paakkave illa pola :huh:

[selvakumar]

Illa.. I was disappointed with his style of batting of late. But intha maari play panna super ah irukkum.. He should be consistent in this... Not sure about others. But I would love to see him dominating the bowlers again

:shock: :shock: kadandha sila pala series neenga paakkave illa pola :huh:

You are right :)
Highlights paarkurathoda sari.. Nethum appadi thaan..
but in this series, he is good..

Sachin's look & approach itself is enough to guess his mind these days. :D He looks active in this series.
but will he continue ? :roll:

[ajithfederer]

Selva :shock:

Agree with CR !!

[ajithfederer]

watch sachin in seedi-baat with prabhu chawla on aaj -tak .. this sunday 8pm ......or on 3-30 pm on monday

[ajithfederer]

http://cricket.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/My_body_doing_fine_no_immediate_plans_to_retire/articleshow/3684443.cms

My body doing fine, no immediate plans to retire: Tendulkar
7 Nov 2008, 1129 hrs IST, PTI

NEW DELHI: Two of his celebrated peers, Anil Kumble and Sourav Ganguly have decided to walk into the sunset after glorious careers but Sachin
Tendulkar says his body is "doing fine" and he has no plans to retire in the immediate future.

"My body is doing fine and at the moment I am not thinking of any plans to retire. Normally I prefer to think of the present, not of what I am going to do in the next four, five of six years of my life," he said.

"If I think it is time to hang up I will let everybody know. There is nothing to hide in it. I know it will make news but that I don't think it is a negative news that I have to hide from everyone," he added.

Tendulkar was non-committal when asked if he was thinking of playing in the 2011 World Cup which will be held in the sub-continent.

"I normally prefer to think of which match I am going to play next and what sort of planning I should do and which bowling attack would be used on me.

"Even if I have to play in 2011 World Cup it is 700 days to go. For now my focus is on the next four days against Australia," he told a news channel.

Tendulkar, who hit his 40th Test hundred in Nagpur, said he will miss Sourav Ganguly with whom he shared a special understanding on the filed while batting.

"I will definitely miss him. It happened many a times with Sourav that when we were on the wicket and between the overs we used to know looking at each other's face that there is a lot a of stress and the situation is important or whether it is necessary to relax.

"When you go to play the next ball then it is important to have 100 per cent concentration. But when you do not need 100 per cent concentration it is important to relax. So at that time I use to try to speak to him in Bengali whether it was correct or not. So the atmosphere gets relaxed and we play our natural game," he said of his 12-year association with Ganguly.

Talking about the captains under whom he has played in the 19 years of his international career, Tendulkar said Rahul Dravid was different from a Ganguly or a Krishnamachari Srikkanth in that he was a serious sort who wants to maintain peace in the dressing room.

"Rahul is a serious sort of a player. He is focused and he likes to maintain peace in the dressing room. So he was a different captain. There is a Srikkanth who used to crack jokes and laugh and there is Rahul who is focused and serious.

"Srikkanth used to joke with me then (when I first played under him) and also when I became 35-year-old. When there is tension in the dressing room he would crack some jokes to try to make a relaxed atmosphere and prepare everyone for the game. He used to prepare in a different way.

"Like Srikkanth, Sourav also used to entertain teammates. He used to crack different jokes and try to ease off pressure."

[viraajan]

Will miss sachin-ganguly opening partnership in ODIs :cry2:

Best pair in the world :bow:

[littlemaster1982]

Sachin as good as the Don: Hadlee (http://www.espnstar.com/cricket/international-cricket/news/detail/item147683/Sachin-as-good-as-the-Don:-Hadlee/)

Sir Richard Hadlee believes there is no doubt that Sachin Tendulkar is by far the best batsman of the modern generation.


In his capacity as the brand ambassador for the Delhi Half Marathon, the New Zealander said that though Tendulkar, Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting were all greats, the Indian maestro was better than anyone else. "Sachin is magic for the game of cricket," said Hadlee, going on to add: "He is the one who can even be mentioned in the same league as Sir Don."

Former India captains Anil Kumble and Sourav Ganguly had said on Thursday that Indian cricket was destined for great things under new captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Hadlee echoes similar sentiment.

The New Zealand cricket officials hate it, but the Kiwi all-rounder partly thanked the Indian Premier League for exposing several young players to the international arena. "Young players are coming through. Their depth and ability are there for all to see. With them, India could well be No. 1 very soon," Hadlee said.

Hadlee said a win in the ongoing Test series against Australia could see India go a long way in bridging the gap with the world champions. Then, he cheekily added, "I hope your guys soften up the Aussies, so that our guys (New Zealand) can do something that hasn't been done for 23 years - win a Test match in Australia."

The legendary all-rounder said Twenty20, ODIs and Test cricket could definitely co-exist, but he also hates to think that the shorter versions could compromise Tests.

When asked about the exodus of New Zealand players to the Indian Cricket League, Hadlee agreed that the Kiwis were worse-hit than most other countries. "You can't blame them for choosing financial security over their international careers. But it was sad to see people like Shane Bond, Craig McMillan and Daryl Tuffey, who had some cricket left in them, go away."

The 57-year-old, who played international cricket till the age of 39, had one final thing to say, about whether age should be an issue for a cricketer. He said: "There's no age limit, whatsoever. Players themselves know when they can or can't mentally cope with the daily grind of international sport."

[Sourav]

My body doing fine, no immediate plans to retire: Tendulkar :cool2: :D



New Delhi, Nov 7 (PTI) Two of his celebrated peers, Anil Kumble and Sourav Ganguly have decided to walk into the sunset after glorious careers but Sachin Tendulkar says his body is "doing fine" and he has no plans to retire in the immediate future.
"My body is doing fine and at the moment I am not thinking of any plans to retire. Normally I prefer to think of the present, not of what I am going to do in the next four, five of six years of my life," he said.

"If I think it is time to hang up I will let everybody know. There is nothing to hide in it. I know it will make news but that I don't think it is a negative news that I have to hide from everyone," he added.

Tendulkar was non-committal when asked if he was thinking of playing in the 2011 World Cup which will be held in the sub-continent.

"I normally prefer to think of which match I am going to play next and what sort of planning I should do and which bowling attack would be used on me.

"Even if I have to play in 2011 World Cup it is 700 days to go. For now my focus is on the next four days against Australia," he told 'Aaj Tak'.

Tendulkar, who hit his 40th Test hundred in Nagpur, said he will miss Sourav Ganguly with whom he shared a special understanding on the filed while batting.

"I will definitely miss him. It happened many a times with Sourav that when we were on the wicket and between the overs we used to know looking at each other's face that there is a lot a of stress and the situation is important or whether it is necessary to relax. PTI :cry: :cry: :cry:


http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/F32F70D7B8727994652574FA0020CBEC?OpenDocument :cry:

[Sourav]

http://epaper.dinamalar.com/DM/DINAMALAR/2008/11/08/Article//015/08_11_2008_015_010.jpg

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:c61636629e]http://blogs.cricinfo.com/thebuzz/archives/2008/11/felicitations_at_nagpur.php
November 6, 2008

Felicitations at Nagpur

VVS Laxman, Anil Kumble, Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar at the felicitation ceremony © Getty Images

After a satisfying day's cricket at the new VCA Stadium in Nagpur, the Indians headed to the plush club house for a function felicitating Sachin Tendulkar, for becoming the highest run-scorer in Test cricket; VVS Laxman, for playing his 100th Test; Sourav Ganguly, because the ongoing Test is his last; and Anil Kumble, who ended an 18-year career in Delhi.

The function was hosted by BCCI president Shashank Manohar, who also heads the Vidarbha Cricket Association, and was attended by the ICC vice-president Sharad Pawar, N Srinivasan, the BCCI secretary and several other board officials. The national selectors were also present as were the families and friends of the cricketers being felicitated.

After a short introduction the cricketers were called up on stage one by one to receive their awards after which each of them spoke to those gathered.

Laxman went first. He had even invited coaches from his formative years for the function. "From the background I came from, with my parents being doctors, it was expected that I would become a doctor," he said. "And I also wanted to become a doctor. I think I was given a better gift. Playing cricket was a dream, a fantasy."

Tendulkar was next and he received a fancy jewel-studded trophy for breaking Brian Lara's record. "Anil, Sourav and Laxman, I'd like to congratulate all of you for your tremendous contribution that has inspired a whole new generation of children," said Tendulkar.

"I first met Anil way back in 1988-89. At that time I was told that Anil is actually a batsman who can bowl. He's deceptive but he's actually a batsman. Then to see what he has done in Test cricket, it's truly remarkable."

"I was Laxman's captain on the 1996-97 tour of South Africa," Tendulkar said. "On that tour he got hit on his knuckle and fractured it. I remember one guy sitting and crying because he was going to miss the remaining part of the tour. I went and sat next to him and said there's a long way to go for you. Don't worry, these things happen.

"I personally don't think that you get the get the praise you deserve. I felt that your performances were always under-rated. From a team's point of view you've been truly fantastic."

It was a sentiment that Kumble also shared and the loudest applause was reserved for the outgoing captain as he went up to collect his award. He referred to the Indian team as his
"colleagues" before he smiled and said "sorry, my former colleagues".

"It's been emotional. It's always tough when your time is up and you have to give up something that you love," he said.

Kumble had his side of the anecdote that Tendulkar shared. "The first paper clipping that I have is of an under-17 match and the top headline says 'Tendulkar and Kumble score centuries'," Kumble said. "He scored a century for West Zone and I got a century for South Zone and I didn't know who Sachin was at that point of time.

"When we first came into the Indian team, everybody in India said you [Tendulkar] would break all records. You've done that. Congratulations to you. To me, when I first came, they said you won't last two Test matches. You had the challenge of proving everybody right. I had the challenge of proving everybody wrong."

The function ended after Ganguly had his turn. "To MS [Dhoni] and Gary [Kirsten], my sincere good wishes for a wonderful future. You two are the torch bearers of Indian cricket. I hope you take Indian cricket forward.

"Over the last 13-14 years I've made some friends and I've made some enemies. One thing I would like to say that it's all been for the good of Indian cricket. Hopefully you've walked the part with me and enjoyed the journey."

Ganguly didn't say much but, then again, he has four days to go in an outstanding career and has bigger statements to make when he goes out to bat on Friday.[/tscii:c61636629e]

[ajithfederer]

Flintoff on Sir (http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/indveng/content/current/story/377475.html)

It is a shame Sachin will not be there for the first three ODIs. In a strange way I enjoy playing against him. He is the greatest I have ever bowled to. You want to play against people like that. You want to test yourself."

[ajithfederer]

http://week.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/contentView.do?contentId=4733628&programId=1073754912&pageTypeId=1073754893&contentType=EDITORIAL

Saturday,8 November 2008 19:38 hrs IST
Nobody is bigger than the game: Sachin
-
New Delhi: Even after scoring more than 25,000 runs and 80 centuries in the international cricket, batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar feels that nobody is bigger than the game. ''If you start feeling that you are bigger than cricket, sooner comes the fall. ''No, never no body is bigger than game. When I started learning from my coach Ramakant Achrekar, I was told clearly by him that not only I should respect the game, I should worship cricket also and than only cricket will take care of me. I still believe in that,'' Tendulkar told 'Aaj Tak'.

Speaking about his retirement plan, Sachin said,''I am not at all thinking about retirement. And if I feel like calling it a day, I will tell the world straight. There is nothing to hide and negative when you do that.''

Tendulkar, who had already played in the five World Cups, however, did not make any comment when asked whether he would be there to serve India in the 2011 World Cup to be held in the sub-continent.

''Every cricketer wants to be a part of a World Cup winning team. Same is the thing with me. If I get a chance to be part of a world cup winning team it will be a great thing for me,'' he added.

The 35-year-old Tendulkar said he will miss Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble with whom he shared an amazing level of understanding.

''I used to talk with Ganguly in Bengali. How correct was my language I don't know. But we had great time both on the field and off the field. While batting we both understood each other better and talking to each other.

''Similarly with Kumble I have spent a lot of time. He has played for the country for 18 long years. One can't become Ganguly or Kumble overnight; it takes years of perseverance to reach that level. Surely I will miss both of them,'' he said.

[Sourav]

Flintoff on Sir (http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/indveng/content/current/story/377475.html)

It is a shame Sachin will not be there for the first three ODIs. In a strange way I enjoy playing against him. He is the greatest I have ever bowled to. You want to play against people like that. You want to test yourself."
:notworthy::notworthy::notworthy:
//Flintoff->one of my most fav cricketer... :P //

[ajithfederer]

Kevin Pietersen on Sir (http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/cricket/2008/11/09/kevin-pietersen-hails-sachin-tendulkar-s-staggering-achievements-115875-20881050/)

Kevin Pietersen hails Sachin Tendulkar's staggering achievements


By Gary Fitzgerald, sundaymirror.co.uk 9/11/2008


Kevin Pietersen would love to follow in the footsteps of the man known as the Little Master.

But the England captain admits he may have trouble getting anywhere near Sachin Tendulkar's monumental batting feats.

Pietersen is relishing another chance to lock horns with the 35-year-old genius from Mumbai who surpassed Brian Lara as the game's greatest ever Test runscorer.

Tendulkar will face England in the seven-match oneday series, which begins on Friday, and two Tests. And Pietersen said: "The man is a true cricketing legend who doesn't need to boast about what he has done in the game - his record speaks for him.

"Would I love to emulate him? Of course. Wouldn't anyone want to finish with figures like that from such a long, illustrious career? But he started playing international cricket when he was about eight! Well, it seemed that young.

"The Indians identified him as a precocious talent with an old head on his shoulders. They weren't afraid to throw him into the deep end and he has repaid them by becoming the best batsman in the world. I was pleased for him when he broke the record. He's a lovely man off the field and a wonderful role model on it for youngsters to copy.

"As far as trying to emulate his achievement goes, I'm a very long way off. I've only got about 4,000 Test runs from 43 Tests compared to his 12,000-plus from 153.

"I'd love to score 10,000 - but I've got a lot of work to do."

The ODI series starts in Rajkot on Friday and England play two warm-up games before then, with the first in Mumbai today.

Pietersen added: "Apart from Sachin, they have a world-class batting line-up with Dravid, Ganguly, Laxman and the rest. But we know what they are capable of doing with the bat. We're not so sure about their bowling make-up, with Anil Kumble now gone and one or two changes in their attack.

"Winning builds confidence and this team still has a lot of improvement in it. I believe we can do well here in India."

[ajithfederer]

http://www.sportingo.com/all-sports/a10678_vishwanath-anand-sachin-tendulkar-living-proof-that-nice-guys-do-finish-first
Vishwanath Anand and Sachin Tendulkar: Living proof that nice guys DO finish first
The two greats of chess and cricket have taken Indian sport to the pinnacle through their performances both on and off the field.

There is a famous saying - nice guys don't finish first. This means to say that there is no place for gentlemen in this age and era of cut-throat sports.

Sportsmanship has taken on a new meaning in the last decade. But the last fortnight saw the scaling of great heights in the fields of chess and cricket by two Indians who are not only champions on the field but off it as well.

Vishwanathan Anand defeated Vladimir Kramnik to become the unified world champion in the chess world. The victory could not have come to a nicer person. Anand has been fighting against the various Russians who had dominated the field for a long time - including the greatest experts like Gary Kasparov and Anatoli Karpov. With his recent win, he has shut the mouths of all the cynics who were not ready to accept his superiority.

Similarly, Sachin Tendulkar scaled the cricketing Everest in terms of runs scored in Test cricket. He went past the record of Brian Lara during the Kotla Test to regain the spot that was initially that of Sunil Gavaskar.

What is common to both Anand and Tendulkar? Both started their careers almost at the same time.

Of course, there is no doubt about their skill and class. They have also been, through their performances for the last two decades, very consistent in their respective fields. Anand (against the Russians) and Sachin (against the Australians) have repeatedly done well against the country that has dominated their fields.

No one else has come close to them, with respect to longevity of superior performance. They can be easily considered to be among the sporting greats in their fields.

More importantly, they have been a class act to follow - for their countrymen off the field as well. They have never got into any conflicts with their ruling bodies, nor with their sporting rivals. Off the field, it is very difficult to recall any incident in the last two decades where they have even raised their voices, never mind got into a controversy. It is no wonder that they have inspired hundreds of followers in chess and cricket.

Their on-field achievements (even though they are greatly documented) pale into insignificance when compared to their sporting charisma. Indian sport has benefited greatly by the contribution of the duo - not only in chess and cricket but also in other sports.

It is probably a good time to rephrase the old saying...

[ajithfederer]

http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/81D9E646EB611580652574FD002E9681?OpenDocument

Nagpur, Nov 10 (PTI) Sachin Tendulkar today joined the list of players who have taken 100 or more catches in Test cricket when he pouched a dolly offered to him at mid-on by Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin on the last day of the fourth and final Test here today.
The batting maestro, who holds several batting records in Tests and ODIs, reached the milestone in his 154th Test to follow compatriots Rahul Dravid (179), Sunil Gavaskar (108), VVS Laxman and Mohd Azharuddin (105) into the record book.

The world record for the most number of catches in a Test career, 181 in 128 matches, stands in the name of Mark Waugh of Australia. PTI

[crajkumar_be]

ethana?!? (a la Vadivel signing the security documents) :lol:

[ajithfederer]

Bala :lol:

well, there are many critics, who claim that sachin is a total failure, when it comes to pitches outside india...they say the real test of character comes, wen india is not playing at home.. these are sachin's stats outside india..

1.) considering only overseas,i.e excluding the asian subcontinental piches..

TESTS:- 5017 at an average of 50.67
ODIs :- 5933 at an average of 41.20


2) considering all abroad or away matches, i.e any match outside INDIA

TESTS:-6821 runs at an average of 53.70... this is a world record for most away runs..
ODI's :- 10595 runs at an average of 43.42...

[littlemaster1982]

A Story a Day - All about Sachin

No.3

On a train from Shimla to Delhi, there was a halt in one of the stations. The train stopped by for few minutes as usual. Sachin was nearing century, batting on 98. The passengers, railway officials, everyone on the train waited for Sachin to complete the century. This Genius can stop time in India!!- Peter Roebuck, Australian Journalist.

P.S: This has been already posted in the previous thread. Reposting it as this is one of my favorites.

[Sourav]

Actor Shahid Kapur admits he froze on meeting Sachin

CNN-IBN: You also went recently for a long shoot in Chandigarh for Yash Raj Films with Rani Mukherjee. It revolves around the cricket background. Are you a cricket fan yourself?

Shahid Kapur: Oh, I love cricket, absolutely. I am a huge cricket buff. In fact, I remember bumping into Sachin inside a hotel lobby and I suddenly turned into this fan. I still remember how when I was in school and he used to be playing, we would all be sitting next to the television and cheering for him. So, I suddenly turned into this 8-year-old when I saw him and froze. So, I am a huge cricket fan and I love cricket.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/actor-shahid-kapur-admits-he-froze-on-meeting-sachin/77851-8.html

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:5258a459af]http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=148134

Tendulkar’s fans have high expectations from him
One of Sachin’s die-hard fan, this writer, hopes against hope that his favouratie player never hangs up his boots. Calling him the greatest cricketer he feels Sachin’s humble behaviour off the field adds to his charming personality..

WELL KNOWN sports journo Boria Majumdar recently analysed Sachin’s greatness through his article in The Times of India. Here are some more points which were missed out in the article and which I am adding to endorse the same view.

Majumdar’s article asks: Is Sachin the greatest? It is a good analysis of Sachin Tendulkar’s greatness. A Sportsman’s greatness not only lies in his sports skill but also in his overall persona. Sachin’s cricketing skill is god-gifted but his humble and down to earth nature, attitude towards game, on and off the field character and relationship with rival team members, undisputed career, simplicity and dedication are all those aspects of his persona which bear testimony to his greatness as a cricketer.

Despite being a master of many strokes in the game he has never hesitated in sweating it out for singles and doubles for himself and for his partners, too. It could be debatable whether Sachin is the greatest cricketer of all times in context of skill. But the argument against him that opposition bowling quality in his era was lower than that in the previous one, holds no water. Even if it was, so can he be blamed for it?

Secondly, how can one say that he could not have overpowered such quality fast attack of yesteryears, had he faced it? Above all, Don Bradman himself included Sachin in his all time greatest world eleven barring Gavaskar, Richards, Steve Waugh, Lara and Ponting with whom Sachin’s greatness is being compared. Moreover, Lara wants his son to play like Sachin. Richards is ready to go to any corner of the world at his own expense to watch Sachin play. Shane Warne, Steve Waugh and Glen Macgrath consider him the best after Bradman. They all are not Sachin’s compatriots.

Offering his wicket mostly to debutants or less experienced bowlers also underlines his greatness only and not his weakness as is argued by his critics. Most of the times it is his over-enthusiasm or unforced error (silly stroke in cricketing terminology) and not bowlers’ skill that make him lose to debutants sometimes.

Some critics say that Sachin is a record maker but not a match winner. Their definition of match winner is that cricketer (especially batsman) who takes the team till final run of victory is the match winner. I suppose one who lays foundation for the victory by scoring century or handy score but unfortunately does not sustain it till the end is also a match winner.

It is well known fact that whenever India has won in any cricketing format in Sachin’s tenure, his contribution has remarkably mattered in the form of batting, bowling or fielding.

Whenever he scores a century or big score, India at least does not lose the match. In fact, when he gets out without scoring a century but healthy score of more than 50 runs, people expecting a century of him get disappointed and term this as his failure. There are many spectators like me who frankly want to switch off television when he gets out in any format of cricket.

Spectators, media and critics for God’s sake should henceforth stop debates on his form and retirement if they want to enjoy more cricket of his batting in the interest of Indian cricket. His current so-called poor form is an after effect of the frequent breaks in the continuity of his prolonged career and concentration due to injuries. Such meaningless debates certainly don’t help him empower his form but add more to his woes.

At present he needs the best fitness mantra and of course our best wishes and support to overcome these adversities. All the Best Sachin! yeh dil mange more from you![/tscii:5258a459af]

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:4cb897c756]http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/i-will-miss-sachin-others-ganguly-lead_100117892.html

I will miss Sachin, others: Ganguly (Lead)
November 12th, 2008 - 12:53 am ICT by IANS -

Sachin TendulkarKolkata, Nov 11 (IANS) Having retired from international cricket, former captain Sourav Ganguly Tuesday said he would miss his colleagues like Sachin Tendulkar in the Indian team, but would root for them whenever he watched them on television. “I will watch them on television. I will root for them,” Ganguly told reporters at his residence, when asked how he would be in touch with other players in the team, particularly those he had groomed for the big league.

Asked about Tendulkar, with whom he formed one of the all-time best opening combinations in one-day cricket, Ganguly replied: “Sachin was very close to me. Lot of other boys in the team were also close. I will miss their company.”

Ganguly rated his debut Test, the experience of captaining India for the first time and his last Test at Nagpur, which ended Monday, as the three best moments of his glittering career.

Ganguly said he was now looking forward to some rest before deciding his future. “I have to wait and see how things unfold. Haven’t decided yet. There are lot of opportunities before me. I have to look forward,” he said at the media meet, a couple of hours after returning to his city following his retirement.

He appeared pragmatic when asked if it felt bad to be called a former cricketer. “This day was bound to come one day. Maradona, Pelle, Gavaskar, they all had to retire. One day, Tendulkar will also retire. This is part of sports.”

On the celebrations Monday after the series win against Australia at Nagpur, he said: “Oh! It was geat fun. It was fantastic. It was a night to remember for all of us.”

Ganguly said the retirement of the seniors would provide an opportunity for the youngsters to take Indian cricket forward.

Earlier, hundreds of fans mobbed Ganguly when he returned to the city.

Bouquets in hand, the cricket buffs shouted slogans eulogising the former Indian captain and constantly cheered “Dada”, “Dada” - as Ganguly is lovingly known.

They held aloft the tricolour, Ganguly’s photographs and waved posters thanking him for his contribution to the game, the country and West Bengal.

Ganguly, who arrived at the N.S.C. Bose International Airport in the evening, was received by Municipal Affairs Minister Ashok Bhattacharya and Cricket Association of Bengal joint secretaries Biswarup Dey and Arun Mitra.[/tscii:4cb897c756]

[ajithfederer]

http://www.geosuper.tv/articles.asp?id=428

Sachin Tendulkar: As human as everyone else and a demigod
by Syed Ahsan Ali
It was inevitable for Sachin Tendulkar to bag the record of highest run-maker in the history of Test cricket as well because he is that good, consistent and a dangerously serious run-maker.

Our whole generation has grown watching him bat session after session, match after match, opponent after opponent and he is still left with some gas in the tank.

My first introduction of the great modern sportsman was that every cricket lover around me praised his copy-book style, conventional straight bat, high elbow while playing an on-drive and his compact defence.

I was told that he is perfect and I started believing it. We friends debated about Inzamam-ul-Haq, Jacques Kallis, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, Steve Waugh or any other modern batting genius, we found several merits and demerits, but when the debate turned towards Tendulkar the conversation ended abruptly as if he is beyond criticism or weaknesses.

That is the aura of Tendulkar. It took me a good number of years of cricket watching before I came to the conclusion that he is also as human as everyone else but a very, very gifted one.

I always find him free of blemish. He is a compact technician that hardly bears a fault or needs fine-tuning. Consistent as the sun which shines day after day, regardless of the enormity of challenges, formidability of oppositions, lethality of bowlers, severity of conditions, adversity of media, Tendulkar always finds ways to adapt and respond in the best possible way by reasserting the fact that he is the most accomplished and consistent run-maker of our era.

Muttiah Muralitharan has been keeping everyone who faces him on his toes all these long years but not Tendulkar who handles him with serenity and command. Glenn McGrath gave all great batsmen sleepless nights in the last decade or so including Lara but Tendulkar stood against him too with his usual resolve and emerged as one of the leading run-makers against the invincible Aussies in the last 20 years.

Our own Wasim Akram, who held the unofficial status of the most versatile and complete fast bowler till the day he called it off, found it tough to find any permanent solution for Tendulkar's headache-giving run-making. Most revolutionary of all, Shane Warne became a fan of his footwork and completeness of his strokeplay when he first toured India and failed to create the magic that he spelled on everyone that countered him.

The first part of his career is filled with accolades, awards, celebrations, records, centuries and what not but all that fails miserably to make him into the greatest modern-day batsman. Centuries are still coming, runs are still pouring from his bat, and records have grown into a regular service that has to happen daily but Tendulkar unanimously is not the greatest modern-day batsman, a status that looked inevitable nineteen years back.

His stature has evolved from a young maestro to an icon of one billion people but he never emerges as the finest batsman of our time. He has shoved aside persistent injuries, adapting in all kind of conditions and situations, coming out on top in all three forms of the game time and time again but what has prevented him to be named him as the greatest batsman of the current era? He is still the greatest run-maker of our time but nowhere near to being the finest.

Maybe he does not bring that swagger, panache and aggression to the crease that Viv Richards used to carry every time he walked on to the field. Perhaps he never stood up to the most adverse situations when it really counts like the way Javed Miandad, Waugh or Lara exhibited throughout their marathon careers.

His Indian origin may have played a part in making him a good opponent but not a hard one. His childhood icons were good cricketers like Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar or Bishen Singh Bedi that challenged their oppositions ferociously but never raised a fear or two in the hearts and minds of their opponents that pinched them in their graves.

His feel-good smiles, innocence and un-confrontational style of approaching international sport made zillions of admirers and lovers but not enough who love to hate him, who wants to hit you on the chin but keep their eyes below their chins when come across. He is definitely a Pete Sampras of international cricket but not a John McEnroe that heats up the whole ground with his presence. But he can't help it. That is the way Indians play their cricket all their lives. Even the current side possesses too many cordial-natured players rather than belligerent ones.

Fortunately, God has given him everything that one can wish for but unfortunately does not bestow him with the kind of personality, image or presence that keeps pumping the adrenaline through your body as long as he stays there. The kind of anticipation, buzz and smell of dynamite one can sense when Kevin Pietersen is around or when Andrew Flintoff holds the ball in his hand, or Warne set his fields or when Viv swirled his bat like a toothpick or when Miandad counted fielders in the ring was not his forte. That remains absent throughout Tendulkar's outstanding career which would be mentioned as one of the few greatest cricketing careers if not the greatest career ever in the game's history.

It is fortunate to witness something as phenomenal and as prolific as Tendulkar has been all these years. As all good things come to an end, he would be too but not before making the game far more respectable, admirable and enviable. The Indians consider him god but I would call him a demigod as he is not free of blemishes and weaknesses.

[ajithfederer]

http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283512.html

One-Day Internationals - Highest overall partnership runs by a pair

Partners Span Inns NO Runs High Ave 100 50
SC Ganguly, SR Tendulkar (India) 1992-2007 176 3 8227 258 47.55 26 29

R Dravid, SR Tendulkar (India) 1996-2007 95 5 3927 331 43.63 11 12

V Sehwag, SR Tendulkar (India) 2001-2008 83 2 3073 182 37.93 10 11

M Azharuddin, SR Tendulkar (India) 1989-2000 77 6 3514 175 49.49 8 19

[ajithfederer]

26 Hundreds and 29 fifty partnerships between ganguly and tendulkar

:shock: :clap:

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:b9b7bd4b7c]http://indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&issueid=31&id=19564&Itemid=1&sectionid=41


Farewell, comrades - Sachin Tendulkar
November 7, 2008
It has not sunk in yet but in a few days time, I know it will. At the end of the series against Australia this week, India will find itself without two of its most distinguished cricketers.

Two of my oldest teammates won’t be part of my dressing room any more. Anil Kumble came to me during the warm-ups on the last day of the Delhi Test and told me about his decision to quit. I didn’t know what to do; he has been part of my cricket since 1990.

Sourav Ganguly had announced his decision to go in the dressing room in Bangalore and I was surprised about it as we had never had any discussion of the sort. There is always a sadness about retirements of teammates with whom you have played for so long. But I believe the individual knows best about the state of his mind and his body and so the decision to retire should be respected.

No two cricketers are alike, no two people are and so it is with Anil and Sourav. You have to respect and accept difference and acknowledge and appreciate the varied talents and skills that different players bring into a dressing room.

Persistence and consistency was Anil’s strength and he reinvented himself all the time. Every couple of seasons he came up with a few new deliveries and I saw how much he pushed his body to the limit all the time. He put his body on the line for cricket for so long. In any list of India’s greatest cricketers, he will feature right at the top, bracketed alongside giants like Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev.

When we came out to field in the second innings in Delhi, I went up to Anil and took his cap to give it to the umpire. It is something I used to do between overs, not all the time, but when we needed something to happen, to change our luck. I would run from the other end of the ground to take his cap to give to the umpire. It had started in 1999 at the Kotla when he took 10 wickets against Pakistan and I always thought it worked from then on.

So this time, I said “Kumble, this has been special to me, so let me do this for the last time.” After the game, I told Anil that it had been an honour for me to have played cricket in the same era. And it was an era where we achieved some new landmarks for the team and Sourav was part of the best of those days.

Sourav had a great understanding of his game, of the game as a whole and I have seen very few batsman who are able to set bowlers up as well as he did.

We opened the innings for more than 100 ODIs and I have seen him get bowlers to bowl where he wanted them to. We had a very good rapport together and I could often tell from his footwork what he was going to do and vice versa. He was a masterful constructor of an innings and had a superb sense of how and when to accelerate.

I remember us batting in bad light in the Headingley Test in 2002 because we needed quick runs in very little time to set up a target. The bowlers were finding it difficult and we kept saying we had no problem with the light because the momentum was with us.

Finally, the umpires said they could not see the ball so they were stopping the game. Sourav and I protested, said the light was fine, we kept pushing it, but had to go eventually and walked off laughing. We won that Test and levelled the series. You tend to remember those kind of days.

Whenever I’m asked about how much India will miss Anil I remember what he meant to me when I was a captain. If something was happening, I would give the ball to Anil. If nothing was happening, I would give the ball to Anil. If you needed to contain runs, you give the ball to Anil. If you needed to attack, you give the ball to Anil. India will miss him every day and at all times.

Sourav has played for more than 10 years and we will miss his presence in the dressing room. I don’t think there is any cricketer who has not gone through a bad patch and so did Sourav, but he showed tremendous grit and determination to come back. As much cricket as I’ve played with him and seen him play, this period is the best I’ve seen him bat. He will go out with his head high.

I have shared a lot with them, good and bad days in cricket, happy memories on and off the field. Delhi was particularly poignant as everything happened so quickly. After Anil addressed us all at tea, I said a few words about him too and I don’t think there were too many dry eyes in that room.

When I’m asked about my most memorable moment with Sourav, there have been many but one that stays with me for some reason is flooding his room with water during our under-15 days. He had been sleeping and when he got up he had no idea what was going on. I don’t think I will ever forget the sight of his face. Of course, I’d made sure all his bats and pads were safely off the ground first, so no one could say I wasn’t considerate.

I never played pranks on Anil though, he was more of a serious person and I found that there were two personalities to him. Off the field he is calm and composed. On the field he was in control, but was very, very aggressive. You could tell he wanted to make batsmen’s life hell and send them back to where they had come from.

This will be a new phase for both Anil and Sourav and my best wishes are with them. For so long, one guy thought only about how to take wickets and win matches and the other about how to score runs and win matches. There will be other things they want to do now but I know that the heart will always be with cricket. It has been a joy to play alongside them, to share the dressing room with them and to win for India.

Anil and Sourav were two very different cricketers and very different individuals. But for Indian cricket, they are both true heroes, true inspirations for the next generation.

(As told to Sharda Ugra)

—The writer is the highest run-scorer in international cricket

Straight from the horse's mouth. [/tscii:b9b7bd4b7c]

[ajithfederer]

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/indvaus2008/content/current/story/377819.html

Sachin Tendulkar - 8.5
Sachin Tendulkar began the series on the verge of becoming the highest run-scorer in Test cricket and, during the course of achieving the landmark, he made important contributions when his team was vulnerable. His gritty 49 in the final innings in Bangalore helped India bat out the final day to save the Test; his 88 in Mohali came after three wickets had fallen for 17 runs; his 68 in Delhi helped India recover from 27 for 2; and his 109 in Nagpur consolidated the innings after a top-order wobble. He was as reliable as ever in the middle-order and was the second highest run-scorer of the series with 396 runs at an average of 57.

[littlemaster1982]

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/indvaus2008/content/current/story/377819.html

Sachin Tendulkar - 8.5
Sachin Tendulkar began the series on the verge of becoming the highest run-scorer in Test cricket and, during the course of achieving the landmark, he made important contributions when his team was vulnerable. His gritty 49 in the final innings in Bangalore helped India bat out the final day to save the Test; his 88 in Mohali came after three wickets had fallen for 17 runs; his 68 in Delhi helped India recover from 27 for 2; and his 109 in Nagpur consolidated the innings after a top-order wobble. He was as reliable as ever in the middle-order and was the second highest run-scorer of the series with 396 runs at an average of 57.

Idhellam armchair critics kannulaiye padaathu :banghead: :banghead:

[Sourav]

One-Day Internationals - Highest overall partnership runs by a pair

Partners Span Inns NO Runs High Ave 100 50
SC Ganguly, SR Tendulkar (India) 1992-2007 176 3 8227 258 47.55 26 29

26 Hundreds and 29 fifty partnerships between ganguly and tendulkar

:shock: :clap::notworthy::notworthy::notworthy:
Cricket world's best pair... :D :notworthy:

[Sourav]

[tscii:e1dbcc65be]
Tendulkar made a comment the other day that he would miss speaking Bengali in the Indian team now. Your comments?

Sourav:I’ll miss him. I will miss the players, the dressing room atmosphere and everything else. I’ve shared a special relationship with Sachin. I’ve seen him from the under-15 grade. He has been a very special player for India. [/tscii:e1dbcc65be]

[ajithfederer]

LM,

Adhellam purinjirundha dhan yindhiya eppovo vallarasu aayirukume :lol:


http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/indvaus2008/content/current/story/377819.html

Sachin Tendulkar - 8.5
Sachin Tendulkar began the series on the verge of becoming the highest run-scorer in Test cricket and, during the course of achieving the landmark, he made important contributions when his team was vulnerable. His gritty 49 in the final innings in Bangalore helped India bat out the final day to save the Test; his 88 in Mohali came after three wickets had fallen for 17 runs; his 68 in Delhi helped India recover from 27 for 2; and his 109 in Nagpur consolidated the innings after a top-order wobble. He was as reliable as ever in the middle-order and was the second highest run-scorer of the series with 396 runs at an average of 57.

Idhellam armchair critics kannulaiye padaathu :banghead: :banghead:

[Sourav]

Y no poll here? :roll:
Pls add some interesting poll abt sachin.... :P

[ajithfederer]

Poll aaa :shock:

Annan threadla poll eh?? :twisted:.

[Sourav]

Poll aaa :shock:
Annan threadla poll eh?? :twisted:.
Avaroda Best innings yethu-nu poll vaikkalam.... :|
Ungaloda sachin's fav shot...etc :|

like wat we did in GM's thread....
oru 5 to 10 pages pogum...seekirama next thread start pannalaam...athan sonnen... :P

[littlemaster1982]

Sachin's comment on Sourav's jersey today

Today i Saw at Star Anando (Star's Bengali News Channel) that Sachin had written heartwarming comments on sourav's jersey, That too in BENGALI!!!!!!!!!

comments were :
"DADA JEO NA"- which means dada dont go
"AMI TOMAYE MISS KORBO"- i will miss u.

From Orkut (http://www.orkut.co.in/Main#CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=23803&tid=5267013266659352111)

[Sourav]

sachin-sourav... :cry: :notworthy:

[ajithfederer]

Shall we start one for best test innings? :huh:

or

Other Members give thier ideas.

[littlemaster1982]

Best one day innings? Favourite shot?

[ajithfederer]

Nekku edhuvaa irundhalum ok. Hope that triggers some useful discussion :)

[littlemaster1982]

8-)

[ajithfederer]

8-)

[crajkumar_be]

I request the powers that be (mods) to kindly look the other way when we react to imbeciles spewing their critical crap on non-issues about Sachin

LM,

Adhellam purinjirundha dhan yindhiya eppovo vallarasu aayirukume :lol:


http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/indvaus2008/content/current/story/377819.html

Sachin Tendulkar - 8.5
Sachin Tendulkar began the series on the verge of becoming the highest run-scorer in Test cricket and, during the course of achieving the landmark, he made important contributions when his team was vulnerable. His gritty 49 in the final innings in Bangalore helped India bat out the final day to save the Test; his 88 in Mohali came after three wickets had fallen for 17 runs; his 68 in Delhi helped India recover from 27 for 2; and his 109 in Nagpur consolidated the innings after a top-order wobble. He was as reliable as ever in the middle-order and was the second highest run-scorer of the series with 396 runs at an average of 57.

Idhellam armchair critics kannulaiye padaathu :banghead: :banghead:

[Nerd]

Best one day innings? Favourite shot?
Lets list! Shots:
1. The Pull (first 10-12 years)
2. The straight (On) Drive
3. Flick
4. Cover drive
5. Late cut
6. Paddle sweep
7. Six over the slips' head :?

[Nerd]

I don't think any thing can be more demoralizing to a bowler (that too a McGrath) than pulling him over mid-wicket with such grace and ease. Watch out for the cover drive the very next ball. Genius at work :bow:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVcpV_38JLc

[crajkumar_be]

Best OD innings:
Tough to soose one. One has to pick one from the following i guess...


Sharjah qualifier, 98
Sharjah final, 98
WC 2003 vs Pak
One match in Gwalior (he made 90-something) in our last series against Pakistan
CB series finals performance-um kanakkula eduthukkalaam but not the VERY BEST...

naduvula neraya miss panren.. pl add... (tough to beat the bolded ones though, IMO)

[Sourav]

Best one day innings? Favourite shot?
Lets list! Shots:
1. The Pull (first 10-12 years)
2. The straight (On) Drive
3. Flick
4. Cover drive
5. Late cut
6. Paddle sweep
7. Six over the slips' head :? (Upper cut? :?)

8.square cut

[Vivasaayi]

sand storm innings - the one which put him as the undisputed superstar of his era :cool:

[Nerd]

Another innings that comes to my mind immediately is the 6th ODI (at headingly??) against England last year. Chasing 320+ thalaivar chummA pOlanthu kattvuaaru. Gets out for 90+. Sach/Ganguly opening partnership 180 or something. Uthappa finally won it. There were some nice comments on that innings by us, hubbers :P

[Sourav]

[b]Sharjah qualifier, 98
Sharjah final, 98
:redjump: i wil vote for anyone of the above...
Ithulernthu than neraya per sachin-ku HC fan aagiruppenga... :D
Tony Greig.... :notworthy:

[ajithfederer]

http://www.orkut.com/Main#CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=34362644&tid=5267302124825088496

Border-Gavaskar Series |Series of Records|
Compiled by me and Arun

1. Sachin crossed Lara as Leading Runs Scorer

2. Sachin was the first to reach 12k Runs in Test Cricket

3. Sachin scored his 50th half century in Test Cricket

4. Sachin crosses Border for most 50 + scores.

5. Sachin becomes leading runs scorer in India beating Gavaskar.

6. Sachin has completed 10k runs at number 4 position.

7. Sachin has completed 5000 runs in first innings of Test Cricket.

8. Sachin has joined 100 catch club.

9. Sachin is the first and only person to have 40 Centuries in Test Cricket.

10. Sachin is now the proud owner of Highest runs in both tests & ODI as well as having the record of most centuries in both formats.

11. Sachin has crossed Gavaskar & Kapil for most tests played in India. Sachin - 67, Sunny & Kapil - 65

[littlemaster1982]

Sachin in 2003 WC (http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=2FYtC4H-u7o).

Superbly edited video 8-) :notworthy:

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:f73e05a7bf]http://cricket.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Sachin_was_quite_a_prankster/articleshow/3613689.cms

'Sachin was quite a prankster'
19 Oct 2008, 0047 hrs IST, Jaideep Marar, TNN

MUMBAI: For most of them, Sachin Tendulkar remains the boy-next-door. Only that they lead different lives. They are members of Sachin Tendulkar's
first playing eleven who got together every evening in the serene settings of Sahitya Sahwas — also known as the abode of Maharashtra's famous literatures — to put bat to ball much before he became a cult figure. The boys, who obviously are among his biggest admirers, remember him as much for his cricketing feats as they do for his childhood antics. "He loved to pick up a fight," says Sunil Harshe, Sachin's senior in school.

"Every time I introduced him to somebody in school, his first reaction was, will I be able to beat him? Invariably, if one entered the class during the recess, he would be fighting."

He also had a weakness for spinning yarns, remembers another friend Satyajit Anekar. "Once when he had cut his finger he said it was because he tried to touch a helicopter that had flown over his terrace, which had emerged between two adjacent buildings. And he went on to tell us how he had bled buckets!"

Harshe says he was equally good at tennis and was a big fan of John McEnroe. "We started off playing without racquets. I still remember how happy we were when we brought our first racquets. In fact, there was a time when I believed he would turn out to be a good tennis player. But look what he has turned out to be," muses Harshe, who incidentally was the first captain Sachin played under during the inter-colony soft-ball matches. Academics was never his cup of tea. He loved the outdoors so much his maid Laxmibai had to run around to feed him. But Little Sachin never forgot to share his meals with the colony watchman's son, Ramesh Pardhe, who was a regular companion.

Pardhe distinctly remembers Sachins cricketing acumen. "We used to often play on the terrace. One day I saw him carry a bucket of water to the terrace. He asked me to dip the rubber ball in water and then hurl the ball at him. He would then see the marks the wet ball made on the bat and know whether he had middled the ball correctly.."

Another fascination for Sachin were band-aids. Any semblance of a wound would make him rush for the band-aid strip, says Pardhe. He was an expert at sticking it with one hand.

The cricketing turnaround happened soon. Everything started to change once he joined Shardashram High School. Once he began representing Shardashram he had this immense self-belief that he could make it in cricket, says Anekar.

Much has changed since, but Sachhu continues to be the same for the entire neighbourhood, even though he no longer lives there. [/tscii:f73e05a7bf]

[ajithfederer]

http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/3FF03F14FDA3AD78652574FF0022F983?OpenDocument

Laxman overshadowed in-form Tendulkar in Sydney Test: Symonds

Natasha Chaku
Melbourne, Nov 11 (PTI) It's not always that players admire their opponents on field but Australian all rounder Andrew Symonds has disclosed how he was unusually enamoured by the rare sight of VVS Laxman overshadowing an in-form Sachin Tendulkar during the Sydney Test.

Apart from the many unpleasant stories related to the spiteful Sydney match, Symonds also had a pleasant observation about Indians which he narrated in his newly published autobiography 'Roy on the rise - A year of living dangerously'.

"So much for the diamond days, but even the stony days had a bit to recommend them during the Sydney Test," he said.

"It's rare to see Sachin Tendulkar in from yet being overshadowed by another batsman, but VVS in my book did exactly that during his first innings knock of 109," Symonds said.

He was, however, quick to add that the two batsmen were at par but it was just a matter of one's perspective.

"In saying that, it was like holding a Rolex watch and a Patek Phillipe watch and saying which one looks best? Depending upon your taste, you'll opt for one while acknowledging the other is pretty sharp as well," he said.

Symonds said he felt privileged to watch Laxman, who has been a nemesis for Australian bowlers, and Tendulkar, when duo's shots were just "flowing". PTI

[Sourav]

[tscii:b5d6009b00]Sachin does it again!
Sachin has set another record - has scored most centuries in both the versions of cricket. The celebrated Sir Richard Hadlee says Sachin stands apart from most in the business. Technically, he is better than every player and is extraordinary..

THE 35-YEAR-old Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has surpassed all the cricketers in the world, past and present, by scoring most centuries in Test cricket. With his 40th Test century in the fourth and final Test against Australia at Nagpur, Sachin eclipsed all records concerning Test centuries. He completed 12,000 runs in Test cricket at the Mohali test against Australia. Tendulkar has scored the most centuries in the ODI version too. He is the leading run-getter in both the forms of the game.

While breaking Sunil Gavaskar’s record for most Test centuries in India, the master blaster scored his 17th Test hundred in India and the 40th overall in the fourth and final Test against Australia at Nagpur. Tendulkar is the second batsman to record 10 Test hundreds against Australia. England’s Jack Hobbs made 12. Sachin also crossed Allan Border’ tally of 90 fifty-plus (27 centuries and 63 fifties). He now has 91 fifty-plus innings (40 centuries + 51 fifties).

Sir Richard Hadlee, while praising Tendulkar, said that the Indian maestro stood apart from most in the business and added that his statistics were a reflection of his stature as a player.
Other Articles by Navneet

’’The greatness of a player depends on how he adapts to situations, conditions and wickets. In modern-day cricket, Sachin’s statistics speak volumes about him,’’ Hadlee said. ’’Technically, he is better than every player and yes, you need to be an extraordinary to be a Sachin,’’ he added.

’’With the kind of record that Sir Don Bradman has, he was arguably the best batsman in the game. But Sachin definitely is a magnificent player who has served not only India but world cricket as well,’’ Hadlee said. The 57-year-old Hadlee recalled that the first time he saw Tendulkar, he was very impressed with the young boy who had just arrived in international cricket. He said Tendulkar scored 70-80 runs against New Zealand in that innings and that was enough to indicate what kind of player he would become in future. ’’I myself have played against him and he was a young boy of 17 years. He got 80 odd runs and I was sure that he would become a great player one day,’’ he recalled.

http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=147942[/tscii:b5d6009b00]

[ajithfederer]

http://www.orkut.com/Main#CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=34362644&tid=5267520678390805157

GOD'S AMAZING RECORD WHEN PUNTER IS TEST CAPTAIN
Have yoy noticed friends that sachin tendulkar has amazing record vs ricky ponting's team in test cricket


in 9 test matches ponting has captained vs sachin

* sachin has a 50 or 100 in in every game barring the one at bengalure this year where he made 49 in second innings

* in 9 of those tessts sachin has 946 runs at average of almost 64 with 3 100's and 5 50's with 2 very important second innings 40's in delhi,bengaluru in this year

no-wonder ponting rates sachin so highly and also will continue to do so

also other thing is that in both last 2 series vs india ..ricky came as trhe reputation as the best batsman of the world ..................sachin has outscored him by a huge distance in both series

[Sanguine Sridhar]

Sachin Tendulkar - 40th Test Ton - 10th Ton Against Australia - Nagpur - Nov 2008.

[html:22093bd30e]
http://i38.tinypic.com/28wjjav.jpg
[/html:22093bd30e]

[ajithfederer]

Maams, :clap: But please put the caption as

Sachin Tendilkar - 40th Test Ton - 10th Ton Against Australia - Nagpur - Nov 2008.

P.S: hereafter we would upload a pic per 50 or zenjuree :mrgreen:

[ajithfederer]

http://www.ameinfo.com/175560.html

The Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) in the UAE is proud to announce that Sachin Tendulkar has become a RBS Global Ambassador. This marks RBS's first major sponsorship in the Middle East which is identified as a key market for Sachin's representation.

The record breaking batsman joins an elite team of RBS ambassadors that includes golfing great Jack Nicklaus, Formula One champion Sir Jackie Stewart, as well as some of today's brightest stars such as golfers Luke Donald and Paula Creamer.

Their association with RBS raises awareness of the bank's commitment to sport around the world. As an RBS ambassador Sachin will help raise awareness of the RBS brand across the Middle East region through a series of corporate advertising campaigns.

Sachin has been rewriting the record books since making his Test debut for India at the tender age of 16. The 35 year old batsman and national hero is recognised and admired by cricket fans and sports enthusiasts throughout the world. He hit the first of his 40 Test centuries against England in 1990 and in October 2008 surpassed Brian Lara's 11,953 runs to become the highest runs scorer in Test Cricket History.

Colin Macdonald, Country Executive, United Arab Emirates said:

'Here in the UAE, we are extremely excited that Sachin Tendulkar has agreed to become a Global RBS ambassador. There is much interest in the sport and in Sachin Tendulkar, making this sponsorship highly relevant to Middle East audiences. As one of the world's true sporting legends Sachin is the perfect ambassador because he represents everything we admire in sport and business - focus, determination and achievement.'



Sachin Tendulkar said: 'It is indeed a great honour to join a select and prestigious group of sporting stars like Sir Jackie Stewart, Jack Nicklaus and the other sports personalities who are RBS ambassadors. Cricket is my absolute passion and I am looking forward to an exciting home season of cricket against England.'

RBS also announced that it will extend its support for the game in India through a series of associate sponsorships for the seven upcoming England One Day Internationals. The culmination of RBS's support for international cricket in India in 2008 will be the two Test series matches against England with the winners picking up the inaugural RBS Quaich.

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:2576967c85]http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/70ac58ec-b1da-11dd-b97a-0000779fd18c.html

Lunch with the FT: Sachin Tendulkar

By Joe Leahy

Published: November 14 2008 17:34 | Last updated: November 14 2008 17:34

When I arrive at the Pride Hotel in Nagpur, in the dead centre of India, I wonder whether I’ve come to the right place. This slightly rundown but friendly establishment, opposite the airport, seems an odd place to be meeting one of cricket’s all-time great batsmen, Sachin Tendulkar, a former captain of his country and, since he overtook the West Indies’ Brian Lara last month, the man with the most runs in Test history – 12,273 and counting.

In India, where cricket is worshipped by people of every caste, colour and creed, Tendulkar is the symbol of something more than a game. Nine years ago in Mysore, southern India, one female fan was reportedly so distressed at the news that Tendulkar had a back injury and would not be able to play any more that she set herself on fire. “The way crowds respond to him, when he bats, when he scores, when he gets out – it’s close to deification,” says Indian historian and cricket writer Ramachandra Guha.

In fact, it is impossible for the 5ft 6in “Little Master” (aka “The Genius” and “Master Blaster”) to dine unmolested in public in India. Which is why, when he finishes training for India’s Test match against Australia in Nagpur the following day, I am ushered by two agents into the privacy of his hotel room.

Tendulkar greets me at the door looking tanned and fresh, wearing training shorts and a blue and white T-shirt with the name of the Indian team’s sponsor, Sahara, emblazoned on the chest. I step over the exercise ball and dumbbells on the floor and sit on a couch while he orders room service for us.

He asks for one portion of butter chicken and, as a vegetarian option, one dish of creamy corn and spinach, or “palak with some plain roti or naan bread and a portion of rice. Concerned that, as a foreigner, I might not share his taste for hot food, he reassures me that the chicken is “not that spicy”. “I ate this last night,” he explains.

Tendulkar’s familiar, slightly high-pitched voice is a constant presence on Indian television, endorsing everything from Royal Bank of Scotland to Aviva insurance. Some advertising industry insiders estimate he makes about $1.5m for each contract each year.

Yet despite this ubiquity and his status as a living deity, relatively little is known about this quiet 35-year-old from Mumbai, who, except when it involves standing on a cricket field, shuns the limelight. And, as he politely bats away my opening, rather gentle conversational deliveries, I can see why.

The supreme modern batsman

There are more flamboyant batsmen. Batsmen with marginally higher batting averages, writes Ludovic HunterTilney. Batsmen who are more destructive or harder to dislodge. Yet Sachin Tendulkar stands alone as the supreme modern batsman.

Tendulkar is widely considered the heir to Don Bradman, the best ever batsman. The flame was handed down by Bradman himself who, observing the Indian in 1996, was struck by an uncanny similarity of styles. “His compactness, technique, stroke production, it all seemed to gel,” Bradman said.

Another Australian legend, the leg-spinner Shane Warne, confirmed Tendulkar’s coronation when he judged the “Little Master” to be the best batsman he had bowled against. The next best, Brian Lara, came a distant second in Warne’s view.

Tendulkar has less flair than Lara, whom he last month overhauled as the leading run scorer in Test history, but a stronger all-round game. Short and squat, he has extraordinary balance and is nimble on his feet – Warne joked that he suffered nightmares of Tendulkar skipping down the pitch towards him to clatter the ball back over the bowler’s head.

The Indian has scored runs against all forms of bowling on all types of pitches. He can bat aggressively or defensively as the situation demands; his range of strokeplay is unequalled.

He has scored more Test centuries (40) and more one-day international centuries (42) than anyone else.

He plays shots with surgical precision, not so much demolishing a bowling attack as dismantling it with deft flicks and powerful strikes. The calculated violence that gained him the nickname “Master Blaster” has faded as age and injuries take their toll.

Tendulkar is highly methodical – in 2003 he entered a Test match against Australia after a run of innings in which he had repeatedly been dismissed playing an off-side shot. He resolved to eradicate the shot from his repertoire and proceeded to score 241 not out, mostly on the legside, against one of the best bowling attacks ever assembled.

The sole criticism levelled against him as a cricketer is his supposed failure to play match-winning innings. Former Indian cricketer Kapil Dev complained last year: “Sachin has big records to his name but until he wins matches for India .... people will raise fingers at him.”

It is a contentious viewpoint, bitterly contested by Tendulkar’s hundreds of millions of fans. It also overlooks the extent to which he has transformed the identity of cricket in India, bringing professionalism and focus to a game still bearing the fusty stamp of amateurism. He channels a nation’s resurgent ambitions into a remorseless appetite for runs.

I congratulate him on India’s recent performances against world champions Australia (particularly a 320-run victory in the second test in Mohali) and he simply replies that “it’s been quite good”. He is unassuming in person and earnest, always keeping eye contact. “How you end is what matters, so we’d like to end on a high note,” he adds, referring to the fourth and final Test the following day (which India went on to win).

He becomes more animated when asked how it felt to become Test cricket’s greatest run scorer. The moment arrived after tea on a mid-October day during the first innings in Mohali, when he glided a ball off his bat to take three runs, then looked to the heavens and pumped his fists.

“It was a bit emotional,” he says, leaning forward, alluding to the fact that his father Ramesh Tendulkar, who died in 1999, was not there to see it. “I’m sure he would have been a proud man and the initial years of international cricket that I spent with my father were very important years for me. His support, his guidance, nothing to do with cricket but just in general the support and the direction that I got from him was extremely important.”

The late great Australian cricketer Don Bradman said that the modern player he most saw himself in was Tendulkar, like Bradman a methodical batsman. But cricket may be even more dominant in Tendulkar’s life than it was for Bradman, whom he met in 1998 on the occasion of “the Don’s” 90th birthday at his house in Adelaide. Outside, the world is absorbed in the news that Barack Obama has won the US presidential election but Tendulkar says he has been too busy preparing for tomorrow’s match and has not heard about it yet. Such focus goes with the territory for top-class sportsmen but with Tendulkar the immersion is possibly deeper.

He was born in Mumbai (then Bombay) on April 24 1973, the youngest of four children. His father, a novelist, aware that his son had prodigious talent as a cricketer, put him in a Mumbai high school known for its emphasis on cricket. It was also around this time that the boy met his coach and mentor Ramakant Achrekar, who believed that “match practice” – training by playing full games – was the best way to forge a young cricketer. He had the young Tendulkar play more than 200 matches a year. He would finish school then go to the Shivaji Park ground in central Mumbai in time to play the second innings of a match. After that he would move on to the nets to practise batting until he was ready to drop.

Sometimes, the coach would load the area with more than 30 fielders and then give Tendulkar one rupee if he could survive the session without being caught out. Once that was over, he had to run around Shivaji Park – about five times the size of the Melbourne Cricket Ground – in full gear with bat and pads. “I was always up for batting but I didn’t enjoy running in particular,” Tendulkar recalls.

The training paid off. He made his first appearance for India against Pakistan in Karachi in November 1989, aged 16, and the following summer struck his first Test century against England. He quickly became a hero round the world but particularly at home. According to Ramachandra Guha, Tendulkar’s extreme popularity was in part due to the fact that India was undergoing an internal crisis in the 1990s, with communal strife at home between Muslims and Hindus and enduring economic difficulties. “Tendulkar became a sort of one-man band aid for the Indian psyche,” Guha says. It was around this time that there was an explosion in the number of infant “Sachins” born in the country.

In today’s more confident India, Guha believes the player is more like an elder statesman. Though Tendulkar is typically rather more low-key when asked about his national status or celebrity. “If you do well people tend to put their hands together and appreciate what you’re doing whether that’s right or wrong or whatever,” he says, “so eventually you’ve got to judge for yourself what is right or wrong, then you [need to] have a solid team and in my case, my family’s played that role.”

The doorbell rings and lunch arrives on a wheeled table. One of the agents urges us to eat it straight away rather than letting it get cold. I load up my plate with the butter chicken and some naan, while Tendulkar scoops some rice, butter chicken and palak on to his plate. Despite training this morning, he doesn’t take a big helping. He talks more about the lessons he learnt from his father. These were not really about cricket but about the importance of being a decent person.

“People will obviously remember you as a cricketer but the ones who’ve actually interacted with you and spent some time with you, they will remember more about you as a person,” he says. “This is one thing that will be permanently with you – cricket at some stage is going to have to end.”

It is a rule he has tried to live by, keeping his personal life private and emerging with a clean name from troubles such as a match-fixing scandal that swept world cricket in the late 1990s (when he was Indian captain) and sullied the reputation of many other Indian players.

How has he managed to avoid more intense scrutiny? Partly by staying away from the parties and Bollywood lifestyle that attracts many younger Indian cricketers. “Wherever it’s noisy I don’t go there, it’s not my lifestyle,” he says, adding that he prefers to spend time with his wife Anjali and children Sara, 11 and Arjun, nine, who he says has already “picked up a bat and loves his cricket”. “I’m not a party person,” he adds rather needlessly.

It is a message he tries to pass on to junior members of the India team. In this celebrity-mad country, where people build shrines to their favourite actors, the pressure of fame is capable of quickly extinguishing a budding cricketing talent.

“It’s also up to an individual not to get carried away and not to forget why the rest of the things are happening,” he says, referring to the fame and glory. “They’re happening because of cricket. Once you start giving more importance to the other things, gradually cricket starts taking a back seat. That’s where the careers get stagnated.”

. . .

I suggest celebrity endorsements could also be distracting for players but unsurprisingly, given that he has eight contracts to endorse products, he disagrees, saying that these each only take a couple of days or even just a few hours of his time each year. “As long as it’s not affecting your game, I don’t see anything wrong in it,” he says, looking vaguely annoyed for the only time during lunch.

He also dismisses my suggestion that an innovation such as The Indian Premier League, a competition based on the shortened 20-over form of the game, which has attracted foreign stars, around $2bn in television rights, and provided a lucrative pay day for players – could erode cricketers’ enthusiasm for playing for their countries. He prefers to emphasise the opportunities the IPL has given young Indian players to play with greats such as Shane Warne, the Australian spin bowler who captained the Rajasthani Royals to victory in the inaugural IPL this year. Tendulkar himself leads the Mumbai Indians, the team of his home city.

We talk about returning to the table for second helpings but get distracted by the subject of his retirement. Or non-retirement. Tendulkar has had some trouble with injury this year. Does he think of retiring? “No I haven’t to be honest. I don’t need to think about that right now and if I start feeling like that I’d immediately know it’s time to move away from the game.”

Instead, he is ready to take part in another series, this time two Tests against England in December. Though the news that he will be rested from at least some of the seven preceding one-day internationals, which started on Friday, is a reminder that, at 35, it is wise for him to choose his battles a bit more selectively.

As we wrap up, I try to draw him one more time on issues outside sport. As the favourite son of the state of Maharashtra, what does he think of a growing political movement among rightwing Hindu activists there against immigrants from other parts of India settling in the state capital Mumbai?

He seems to start to answer the question before thinking better of it and retreating quickly back to familiar ground. “There are different people who’re actually based in Mumbai ... to be honest I’ve not followed politics much. It’s never been my interest. I’m more of a ... I follow different sports. I follow Formula One, tennis. I’ve always been a big fan of John McEnroe, after that Sampras and then Federer, Federer would probably top the list.”

Aware this is as far as he is ever likely to go, I have one final question. What, in his opinion, defines a great batsman?

Back on less tricky territory, he is a little more expansive. “I feel sometimes that calling someone great ... that terminology is used very loosely. According to me, when you call someone great, that guy should have spent more than 10 years at an international level,” he says.

“It’s natural to get excited,” he continues, “but I think there are two sides to a coin: on one side, somebody just showing promise and, on the other side, also delivering – and when they match, they can go hand in hand for a number of years. That’s when the player is remembered for years to come.”

Maams Nandri for the caption :clap: [/tscii:2576967c85]

[Sourav]

[tscii:26e0703e47]Wouldn’t like to start thinking of 2011 in 2008: Tendulkar
- A TELEGRAPH EXCLUSIVE
- Legend on completing 19 years as an India cricketer today
LOKENDRA PRATAP SAHI
Sachin Tendulkar

Calcutta: Saturday will see Sachin Tendulkar complete 19 years as an India cricketer. In the lead-up, he spoke to The Telegraph for around half-an-hour.

The following are excerpts

Q Have there been stages in your awesome career (12,273 runs in Tests, 40x100; 16,361 runs in ODIs, 42x100)?

A Just two, I’d say... The first would be from my debut till the maiden tour of Australia, in 1991-92, and the second from there onwards... I was 18 then, but that tour made a man out of me... It was a defining moment in my career.

You’ve been in the India dressing room for two generations... From the time of the Dilip Vengsarkars to the Gautam Gambhirs... The Kid of 1989 has been the senior-most pro for some years now... What’s your own take on this?

I fool around, try to crack jokes... My seniority and experience is all on the field... I like the dressing room atmosphere to be light, for that’s the way it should be. I try and contribute towards that... Sure, I was the baby of the team 19 years ago, but I don’t think I’ve changed much in the dressing room... I mean, I won’t sit in a corner and be quiet because I’m the senior-most around. That’s not me.

Do the newcomers get intimidated by your presence?

(Laughs) It’s for them to answer, but I try and make them comfortable... We’re, after all, part of one team.

Anil Kumble and Sourav Ganguly are through with international cricket... Today, what does the future hold for Team India?

It’s difficult to predict... What I can tell you is that it will be difficult to fill the space left behind by Anil and Sourav... One played for over 18 years, the other for over 12... It’s a long time to be playing for your country... Talented players are there, but what has been left vacant can’t be filled in 12 or 18 months...

Like millions, Mahendra Singh Dhoni grew up idolising you. How is he as captain?

Dhoni has a mature head on his shoulders... He’s balanced... His peripheral awareness is very good... I remember having been impressed by him from very early on when, in between deliveries, I’d chat with him from the slips cordon... Dhoni wasn’t even the vice-captain then.

Much like you, Dhoni remains calm. You’ve been asked this before, but one can’t help asking once more — how do you handle such enormous pressure?

Look, the heat is on everyone... Pressure is always there... Some show they’re under pressure, others don’t... Focusing on the job at hand is probably the best way of not getting overwhelmed.

Have you gifted yourself anything after breaking Brian Lara’s record (in Mohali, last month)?

(Laughs) You’ve asked an interesting question... Nothing as yet... I’d, of course, gifted myself a BMW M5 after scoring the (record-authoring) 35th Test hundred, three years ago... Thought I deserved it!

What now?

I do get tempted by cars... Haven’t made up my mind, though...

Did Sara and Arjun present you something?

They congratulated me... They were quite shy, really, and gave what I’d describe a good gift... (After a pause) My mother blessed me, as usual... I was welcomed home with an aarti... We’re a traditional family and don’t like making a show of celebrations. You won’t find us going overboard.

What’s the future you’re looking at? Everybody wants you around till the 2011 World Cup... Come to think of it, 2009 is already at our doorstep...

I know that... I also know well-wishers have put 2011 as a target for me... However, what I’d like to do is remain fit and enjoy the game... That’s my goal, rather than being available for a particular series or a tournament... I’d rather look at the immediate future and be ready... As is my practice, I wouldn’t like to look too far ahead... You know I look at the next engagement, not an X number of years down the line...

Fine, but if you’re fit and enjoying your cricket, then it wouldn’t be unrealistic to say you could actually be available for the next World Cup...

I’d try to be fit... Work as hard as possible... Having said that, I wouldn’t like to start thinking of 2011 in 2008... But, yes, I’ll continue doing the things I’ve done for the last 19 years... I know fans would be happy (to see him in the 2011 showpiece)...

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081115/jsp/sports/story_10114151.jsp[/tscii:26e0703e47]

[viraajan]

Congratulations Legend :bow:

Wish you all the best :thumbsup:

[ajithfederer]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/funny_old_game/1194879.stm

Friday, 2 March, 2001, 08:54 GMT
Clash of the Titans

Following the death of Sir Donald Bradman, BBC Sport Online's Thrasy Petropoulos considers how the great man would have fared if he had played in the same era as the best batsman in the modern game, Sachin Tendulkar.

"Jessie! Jessie! Come here," Don Bradman once called to his wife while watching television.

"Look! There! The batsman on the television. Don't you think he reminds you of me?"

The batsman was Sachin Tendulkar, diminutive, confident and complete in footwork, with an air of invincibility about him.

So, if Bradman saw in Tendulkar the nearest thing to his clone, we can ask ourselves a fascinating question.

How would India's little maestro have fared in the 1930s? Or, more pertinently, what would today's bowlers have made of the Don?

For those who think it sacrilege to compare a batsman who averaged 99.94 in Test cricket with one currently averaging 57, the answer lies not in statistics but in the batsman's style and his influence on the game.

Consider the words of Australian Test star Justin Langer in his diary on this very site.

Describing Tendulkar during the first Test in Bombay, Langer wrote: "His straight driving off both front and back foot was incredible.

Sachin Tendulkar
"How a man, who cannot be much more than five feet six inches, can dominate an attack like he does is beyond belief."

Bradman was five feet seven inches tall and seems to have dominated every attack that had the misfortune to bowl at him.

The only way to truly to assess Bradman v Tendulkar is to compare the many facets that made up their game.

Ability

In so far as it is possible to quantify ability, it would be tempting to give both batsmen a perfect 10.

But if Bradman was perfect he would not have been bowled for a duck in his final innings and would have ended on the magical average of 100.

And ability is not just about runs scored. Everything about the way Tendulkar goes about his batting, particularly his leg-side play, seems to tally with the Don's method.

Strokeplay

It is almost impossible for a modern-day fan to imagine the speed at which Bradman scored his runs. In January 1930, it took him only 415 minutes to make 452 not out, at the time the highest individual score in first-class cricket.

For that innings alone, Bradman must come out ahead on strokeplay.

But there are two factors which must not be forgotten.

Sir Donald Bradman
First and foremost, it was commonplace in the thirties and forties to maintain attacking fields throughout the innings (there is one famous picture of the Don with 300 on his name but with three slips and a gully still standing in position).

And secondly, over-rates were far better then than they are today.

Temperament

It would not be possible to score as Bradman did without a character of steel. But even though he has not scored as heavily as the Don, Tendulkar comes out on a par because of the maturity he showed in making a success of Test cricket at the age of 16.

Hunger/consistency

On almost any other comparison, Tendulkar would come out on top by having racked up 24 Test hundreds before his 28th birthday.

But consider this: of those scores only one has been over 200.

Bradman made ten Test double hundreds and two triple hundreds. In all he hit six triple and no less than 37 double hundreds in first-class cricket.

Sachin Tendulkar
Tendulkar is unique among modern cricketers for never having gone through a bad patch with the bat in more than a decade of Test cricket.

But Bradman was simply phenomenal.

On his first tour of England in 1930 he had Test scores of (and think about this for a second) 131, 254, 334 and 232.

Tendulkar is excellent (6,416 runs in 79 matches). Bradman was more than that (6,996 in 52)

Conduct

It is here that Tendulkar has the advantage.

The memories of Bradman are of after the war when, in his farewell appearances for Australia, he revealed himself to be a diplomat, an eloquent speaker and an ambassador for both his country and the game.

Sir Donald Bradman
But it should not be overlooked that Bradman was not always popular with his team-mates who disliked his puritanical lifestyle and his near deification in Australia.

He was not one to court friendship.

Tendulkar is similar in many ways - unfailingly courteous and modest, clean-living and comfortable with his own company. But he has retained his popularity with both team-mates and opponents.

Adulation

This is perhaps the most relevant comparison.

The most important fact about both batsmen is not about the runs they have scored or the averages they have attained: it is about the impact they have had on people.

In Australia, particularly during the Great Depression of the 1930s, Bradman became a symbol of hope for the many unemployed, and a source of entertainment for the rest.

In all the great cities, scoreboards were erected in the streets where thousands would gather just to watch the runs by his name tick over.

If the same were to be done in Mumbai, Calcutta, Delhi, or any other Indian city for that matter, the reaction from the Indian public would be the same for Tendulkar.

Totals:
Bradman 58/60
Tendulkar 56/60

[Sourav]

Wat happen to poll.... :confused2:

[Vivasaayi]

today is the day a legend entered the cricket field for the first time as a little boy before 19 years who later made all others look little in the cricket field.

NOV 15 will go down as one of the most important days in the cricket history with the birth of the genius on the cricket field.

:notworthy:

[viraajan]

Watched a old India-England match on NEO.

Eng batted 1st and set 218 target.

India reached 218 in 29.4 overs :boo:

Idhula, sachin-oda game pakkumbodhu :cry2: (Aanandha kanner)... What a game...

Sachin Sehwag partnership was really good.

Sachin was not out till the end. 87 n.o :o

From 213, sachin hit a winning shot Six :bow:

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:acb7dd9a99]A bit of IPL News

http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/india/content/current/story/378352.html

IPL

Pollock not to return to Mumbai Indians

Cricinfo staff

November 15, 2008

McGrath also in doubt?

* Glenn McGrath, whose wife Jane died recently because of cancer, also might not return to complete his three-year contract with the Delhi Daredevils. TA Sekhar, the Delhi Daredevils' cricket director, said that McGrath was not in Australia and they were trying to speak with him to ascertain if the rumours about his unavailability were true.

Bottom Curve

Mumbai Indians officials are hoping to persuade Shaun Pollock, the former South African allrounder, to extend his contract with the IPL franchise. Pollock, whose contract with Mumbai Indians was only for one year, said that he didn't want to play cricket anymore.

"I have reached a stage where I think I have played enough cricket," Pollock told Cricinfo. "My contract with the Mumbai Indians was for one year and I was very happy with the way things went. I enjoyed every bit of the IPL experience but I want to stop playing now. But I will come back in some capacity."

His franchise, however, had not given up hope of Pollock returning. "We are in talks with him. We understand his position but we are positive we will be able to convince him to reconsider, "a Mumbai Indians' spokesperson said.

During the first season of the IPL, Pollock had told Tendulkar that he might not return next year but the seniors, including Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya, convinced him to continue playing at the time.

Pollock was the captain of the franchise during the first half of the tournament after Tendulkar was injured and Harbhajan Singh was banned. He scored 147 runs in eight innings at a strike-rate of 132.43 and took 11 wickets in 13 matches at an economy-rate of 6.54.

© Cricinfo[/tscii:acb7dd9a99]

[ajithfederer]

duplicate post

[ajithfederer]

This one ?? (http://usa.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/2001-02/ENG_IN_IND/SCORECARDS/ENG_IND_ODI4_28JAN2002.html)

That particular series was a 6 match affair and England tied the series 3-3 and Flintoff took his shirt off and ran through the ground. Later in the same year we won the series at Lords and you know who whizzled the shirt :lol:

Watched a old India-England match on NEO.

Eng batted 1st and set 218 target.

India reached 218 in 29.4 overs :boo:

Idhula, sachin-oda game pakkumbodhu :cry2: (Aanandha kanner)... What a game...

Sachin Sehwag partnership was really good.

Sachin was not out till the end. 87 n.o :o

From 213, sachin hit a winning shot Six :bow:

[littlemaster1982]

Adheydhaan :D

[littlemaster1982]

This one ?? (http://usa.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/2001-02/ENG_IN_IND/SCORECARDS/ENG_IND_ODI4_28JAN2002.html)

That particular series was a 6 match affair and England tied the series 3-3 and Flintoff took his shirt off and ran through the ground. Later in the same year we won the series at Lords and you know who whizzled the shirt :lol:


We lost all those three matches in a close manner :sigh2:

[ajithfederer]

Have we decided on what poll?? :lol:

Wat happen to poll.... :confused2:

[ajithfederer]

Idhu nalla pollaa irukku, IMHO.

9) hook shot. I have very vague memories of Sir playing that shot. Off late he hasnt been playing that shot. :cry:
10) Square cut



Best one day innings? Favourite shot?
Lets list! Shots:
1. The Pull (first 10-12 years)
2. The straight (On) Drive
3. Flick
4. Cover drive
5. Late cut
6. Paddle sweep
7. Six over the slips' head :? (Upper cut? :?)

8.square cut

[littlemaster1982]

9) hook shot. I have very vague memories of Sir playing that shot. Off late he hasnt been playing that shot. :cry:


I had a wall poster (given with Boost) featuring Thalaivar playing this shot. Picture perfect :notworthy:

He was advised by doctors not to play this shot I guess :|

[Sourav]

Idhu nalla pollaa irukku, IMHO.

9) hook shot. I have very vague memories of Sir playing that shot. Off late he hasnt been playing that shot. :cry:
10) Square cut



Best one day innings? Favourite shot?
Lets list! Shots:
1. The Pull (first 10-12 years)
2. The straight (On) Drive
3. Flick
4. Cover drive
5. Late cut
6. Paddle sweep
7. Six over the slips' head :? (Upper cut? :?)

8.square cut
square cut is already in the list sir... :roll:

[viraajan]

This one ?? (http://usa.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/2001-02/ENG_IN_IND/SCORECARDS/ENG_IND_ODI4_28JAN2002.html)

That particular series was a 6 match affair and England tied the series 3-3 and Flintoff took his shirt off and ran through the ground. Later in the same year we won the series at Lords and you know who whizzled the shirt :lol:

Watched a old India-England match on NEO.

Eng batted 1st and set 218 target.

India reached 218 in 29.4 overs :boo:

Idhula, sachin-oda game pakkumbodhu :cry2: (Aanandha kanner)... What a game...

Sachin Sehwag partnership was really good.

Sachin was not out till the end. 87 n.o :o

From 213, sachin hit a winning shot Six :bow:

:exactly:
Oh. India lost the series ah :(

Yeah I remember :lol:

Thats an unforgettable match :yes:

[ajithfederer]

http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/player/35320.html?class=2;filter=advanced;orderby=start;r esult=1;template=results;type=batting;view=match

122 Runs short of 10000 ODI Winning runs.

Tendulkar Averages 57.43 in Those wins.

30 Hundreds and 53 Fifties have contributed to these wins.

Strike Rate - 89.79

:clap:

[viraajan]

Fantastic information feddy :thumbsup:

Appuram yen, ppl keep saying that sachin adicha india thothudum :hammer: Nuttttssss........ :evil:

16k la 10k winning runs :bow:

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:3dcc8245d0]http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/378427.html

The g word

How does one define greatness in an innings?

Suresh Menon

November 16, 2008

Great batsmen do not play great innings all the time, while even the most ordinary batsman is capable of one great innings that becomes a part of the folklore of the game. Sport has debased the word "great" through overuse; it is convenient, crisp, and to the great delight of headline writers, has only five letters. As a bonus, it rhymes with other sporting staples such as "fate", "late", "rate", "wait" and so on.

What makes a great innings? Lots of runs, obviously, made against top bowlers bowling on a track helpful to them, with the team in desperate trouble and while overcoming a physical handicap. You could throw into the mix such qualities as perfection of shot selection and execution, the impression the batsman gives of playing "on another planet" from the rest of his team-mates, the manner in which the batsman seems to transcend the technique of the game as well as the laws of physics. Needless to say, the more the entries in the criteria column, the fewer the candidates for the "great" innings.

In the next series, an 18-year-old boy made 114 at Perth (http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63567.html). Many still consider that the best of Sachin Tendulkar's 37 Test centuries; not great, but just a shade under, for it involved yet another criterion * the age of the batsman. Tendulkar became the youngest player to make a Test century in Australia. The match was lost; many others that saw great innings were drawn. [/tscii:3dcc8245d0]

[ajithfederer]

PR or SS Add this poll whenever possible.



Poll on Favourite shots!!

1. The Pull (first 10-12 years)
2. The straight (On) Drive
3. Flick
4. Cover drive
5. Late cut
6. Paddle sweep
7. Six over the slips' head :? (Upper cut? :?)
8.square cut
9) Hook shot.

[Vivasaayi]

On drive

Hook shot(early years)

Square cut

Leg glance

paddle sweep

all are his trade mark shots :)

[ajithfederer]

Vicky can we add leg glance as the 10th option. Could you please do that? :D

[Vivasaayi]

Vicky can we add leg glance as the 10th option. Could you please do that? :D

Leg glance - I have never seen him miss it if he was bowled on pads - rightly placed on leg side to score runs - 100% shot.The way he rotates his wrist to place it fine deserves a :clap: .atleast a thousand runs from that shot definitely.
:D

[ajithfederer]

10) Leg Glance.

There was an other inovative shot played by our master against Saqlain Mushtaq(mostly) during the 136 against Pak in Chennai. It was a very innovative shot where he kind of slap sweeps the ball to the extreme close leg slip region. Anybody remember the shot? :huh:

PR or SS Add this poll whenever possible.



Poll on Favourite shots!!

1. The Pull (first 10-12 years)
2. The straight (On) Drive
3. Flick
4. Cover drive
5. Late cut
6. Paddle sweep
7. Six over the slips' head :? (Upper cut? :?)
8.square cut
9) Hook shot.

[Vivasaayi]

af,

leg glance towards leg slip? :clap:

[ajithfederer]

Adhe, adhe :)

af,

leg glance involes galncing it to anywhere on and around the square region on leg side :)

sachin is capable of doing it very fine even at the leg slip region :clap:


af,

leg glance towards leg slip? :clap:

[Vivasaayi]

stand up cover drive was another trademark shot.

its a leg glance or a stand up cover drive usually that gets him off the mark :)

[ajithfederer]

A Story a Day - All about Sachin

No.4

I dont know how many of u guys know that Sachin was actually spotted by Dilip Venksarkar first!
It was 1989...venksarkar captain..indian team practising in mumbai. Venksarkar calls a small boy in nets and asks Kapil and Prabhakar to go all out to him.
First Ball Kapil from a slow run up delivers ....(may be underestimated the small boy) ...Sachin plays a lofted shot..Kapil is insulted.....Now next ball kapil comes with a little more runup..sachin plays a lofted shot once again...Kapil is not happy!
he comes with his full run-up and bowls...sachin hits a supereb straight drive....
Same treatment was for prabhakar and chetan sharma......Venksarkar standing in one corner smiling !!!! He knew that this was future indian cricket!!

As was reported by Debashish Dutta...a well known sports journalist from kolkata!

http://www.orkut.com/Main#CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=23803&tid=2503578458812898059&na=3&nst=31&nid=23803-2503578458812898059-2503971083262438136

[Sourav]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India_Buzz/Body_of_evidence/articleshow/3723139.cms

[Sourav]

The supreme modern batsman

By Ludovic Hunter-Tilney

Published: November 15 2008 02:00 | Last updated: November 15 2008 02:00

There are more flamboyant batsmen. Batsmen with marginally higher batting averages. Batsmen who are more destructive or harder to dislodge. Yet Sachin Tendulkar stands alone as the supreme modern batsman.

Tendulkar is widely considered the heir to Don Bradman, the best ever batsman. The flame was handed down by Bradman himself who, observing the Indian in 1996, was struck by an uncanny similarity of styles. "His compactness, technique, stroke production, it all seemed to gel," Bradman said.

Another Australian legend, the leg-spinner Shane Warne, confirmed Tendulkar's coronation when he judged the "Little Master" to be the best batsman he had bowled against. The next best, Brian Lara, came a distant second in Warne's view.

Tendulkar has less flair than Lara, whom he last month overhauled as the leading run scorer in Test history, but a stronger all-round game. Short and squat, he has extraordinary balance and is nimble on his feet - Warne joked that he suffered nightmares of Tendulkar skipping down the pitch towards him to clatter the ball back over the bowler's head.

The Indian has scored runs against all forms of bowling on all types of pitches. He can bat aggressively or defensively as the situation demands; his range of strokeplay is unequalled.

He has scored more Test centuries (40) and more one-day international centuries (42) than anyone else.

He plays shots with surgical precision, not so much demolishing a bowling attack as dismantling it with deft flicks and powerful strikes. The calculated violence that gained him the nickname "Master Blaster" has faded as age and injuries take their toll.

Tendulkar is highly methodical - in 2003 he entered a Test match against Australia after a run of innings in which he had repeatedly been dismissed playing an off-side shot. He resolved to eradicate the shot from his repertoire and proceeded to score 241 not out, mostly on the legside, against one of the best bowling attacks ever assembled.

The sole criticism levelled against him as a cricketer is his supposed failure to play match-winning innings. Former Indian cricketer Kapil Dev complained last year: "Sachin has big records to his name but until he wins matches for India . . . people will raise fingers at him."

It is a contentious viewpoint, bitterly contested by Tendulkar's hundreds of millions of fans. It also overlooks the extent to which he has transformed the identity of cricket in India, bringing professionalism and focus to a game still bearing the fusty stamp of amateurism. He channels a nation's resurgent ambitions into a remorseless appetite for runs.

Ludovic Hunter-Tilney

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/651a531e-b2b4-11dd-bbc9-0000779fd18c.html

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:f8a2c0e960]http://cricketnext.in.com/news/sachin-set-to-return-rohit-raina-on-edge/35694-13.html

Sachin set to return; Rohit, Raina on edge

V Veera Kumar | Cricketnext.com

Posted on Nov 18, 2008 at 12:24 | Updated Nov 18, 2008 at 13:27

Bangalore: With batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar all set to come back for the remaining four One-Dayers against England, the Indian selectors are likely to face a ‘problem of plenty’ especially with border-line players Yousuf Pathan and Suresh Raina doing quite well in the first two matches so far.

Former Indian stumper and chief selector Kiran More said the problem of plenty was bound to arise to accommodate a player of Sachin's caliber and it will be a tricky situation for chief selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth and company when they sit down at Kanpur on November 20 to pick the side for the remaining four matches in the seven-match One-Day series.

"A player of Sachin's caliber has to be accommodated, what come may. But I feel sorry for players like Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina or even Yousuf Pathan because one of them has to make way for the highest scorer in One-Day cricket (Tendulkar) to come in to the playing eleven. It will be a tricky situation for the selectors indeed," More told Cricketnext.com on Tuesday.

"Though this situation (problem of plenty) is a welcome sign for the team, the borderline players are the ones to be hit hard under the circumstances.

"Yousuf’s blistering unbeaten half century at Indore has only made matters worse for the selectors as the only way now to accommodate Sachin is by dropping Rohit Sharma, who has been a live wire on the field but has not done much with the bat so far while Raina played an important knock at Rajkot," More added.

"if Ishant, who is said to be nursing an injury, is also fit for the last four ties than things get really complicated even though Rudra Prathap Singh will be the first choice discard and Munaf Patel’s place will always be shaky in a One-Day match as the Indians tend to prefer just two seamers hoping that the spinners, including the part-timers, do the job for the team," More pointed out.

Another former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Chandrakant Pandit agreed with More even though he felt that the Indians can take the risk of dropping a bowler at this stage of the series.

"Personally I feel Zaheer (Khan) and Ishant Sharma (if fit) should be our pace aces as the spinners will have a bigger role to play in this series at least. With Viru (Virender Sehwag) and Yuvi (Yuvraj Singh) picking up bag full of wickets, the selectors may consider playing just three specialist bowlers (Zaheer, Ishant and Harbhajan Singh)," Pandit said.

"Sachin is one player who can walk into any team in the world and it is unfortunate that one of the talented youngsters like Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina or Yousuf Pathan will have to be sacrificed if the team think-tank decides to play four bowlers.

"Anyway it is a welcome sign for the skipper and the team management as they will have quality players waiting in the wings. It is always better to have more than nothing at all," he added.

"This situation will also make the opposition wary and keep them guessing most of the time as they will be well aware that the replacement (for a senior player) will be as good and that they just cannot afford to relax one bit.

"However, the selectors’ job gets that much more complicated as they will be the ones to face the public wrath if something goes wrong or the preferred player fails miserably," Pandit observed.[/tscii:f8a2c0e960]

[ajithfederer]

Mods, Put up this Poll please!


Poll on Favourite shots!!

1. The Pull (first 10-12 years)
2. The straight (On) Drive
3. Flick
4. Cover drive
5. Late cut
6. Paddle sweep
7. Six over the slips' head :? (Upper cut? :?)
8.square cut
9) Hook shot.
10) Leg Glance.

[Nerd]

Thread author RK can also do that...

[ajithfederer]

Nerd,

But the fotos won't be enabled. That is precisely why I ask the Mods to do the formalities. :)

[Ramakrishna]

Shall i add the poll?

[ajithfederer]

Yes rk :)

[ajithfederer]

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/indveng/content/story/378877.html

England in India 2008-09

Tendulkar likely to return to ODI squad

Nagraj Gollapudi

November 19, 2008


Sachin Tendulkar last played an ODI during India's victorious CB Series campaign in March this year © AFP


Sachin Tendulkar is likely to return to the one-day side when the squad is picked for the last four matches of the England series in Kanpur on Thursday, a selector indicated. Tendulkar had requested the selectors to leave him out of the first three ODIs after a strenuous Test series against Australia.

One of the selectors, speaking to Cricinfo, hinted at Tendulkar's return and felt it was imminent. "The very reason that he had only asked to sit out for only the first three games in enough indication," the selector said.

Tendulkar last played an ODI during India's victorious campaign in the CB Series in March this year. Subsequently a groin injury (http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/india/content/story/352857.html) that he picked up in Australia, kept him out of the Kitply Cup and Asia Cup and later an elbow injury (http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/india/content/story/364643.html) forced him out of the series in Sri Lanka.

If Tendulkar returns, M Vijay, whose impressive Test debut against Australia in Nagpur earlier this month got him called up for the first three ODIs against England, could be left out. With Ishant Sharma declared match-fit the selectors are unlikely to make any other change to the winning unit.

India squad (likely): Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt & wk), Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Ishant Sharma, Pragyan Ojha, RP Singh, Virat Kohli.

Nagraj Gollapudi is an assistant editor at Cricinfo

© Cricinfo[/tscii:75215900e6][/tscii]

[ajithfederer]

Thanks mods!! 8-).

[Sourav]

:lol:
Nethu rk vanthu kettutu poyittaru....
Mods.... :P

[ajithfederer]

http://blogs.cricinfo.com/itfigures/archives/2008/09/tendulkar_and_richards_swap_pl.php#more

September 1, 2008

Posted by Ananth Narayanan at 2:22 PM in Trivia - batting

Tendulkar and Richards swap places as best ODI batsmen

Sachin Tendulkar pips Viv Richards to the top of the list © AFP
I started this. So I have to finish it...

It is amusing. A few days back whole lot of people were lambasting me for not having Tendulkar on top. Now another set of people are screaming that Tendulkar is on top. Hey guys, this is only an analysis. I am one insignificant analyst who works with a computer and a Cricket database. The greats remain greats, whatever I (or for that matter you all) say.

Just one more thing. Unlike what some have suggested, I have not gone out of the way to put Tendulkar on top. He is one of the greatest but NOT my favourite batsman.

As done before I have incorporated a summary response to readers' comments at the end.

In my previous article I had taken two important ODI batting measures and attempted to analyse batsmen skills using those. It elicited the usual comments on the additional parameters for consideration. Hence instead of doing a straightforward follow-up to that analysis, I have gone the whole hog and after considering all relevant parameters, come out with what I feel should be a very fair ODI batsmen ranking based on what they have achieved over their careers.

The following 8 facors are considered.

1. Total runs scored (TRS)
2. Batting Average (AVGE)
3. Runs per Innings (RPI)
4. Strike Rate (STRT)
5. Quality of bowlers faced (BOWQTY)
6. % of Team runs (TRPER)
7. Wins achieved
- Absolute number of wins (WINS)
- Win % of matches played (WINSPER)
8. MOM awards received/frequency (MOM).

A brief description of each factor and the weights given to each parameter is outlined below. The total points add up to a nice round sum of 100.

1. Total runs scored (20 points)

This is a recognition of the longevity of the player. There is no doubt that the runs scored has to be given decent weightage. At the same time care has been taken to see that the olden era players such as Richards, Greenidge et al do not suffer unduly. My belief is that it is very unlikely for any batsman, including Tendulkar, to exceed 20000 runs. Hence the limit seems correct. The formula used is

* TRS = Total runs scored / 1000.

2. Batting Average (15 points)

This is a straightforward calculation. We need not worry about not-outs since there is a separate factor for that. Since the batting average is unlikely ever to exceed 60.0, we are within the maximum level. The formula used is

* AVGE = Batting average / 4.0.

Note: David Barry is doing some simulation work with a view to establish a correlation between Average and Strike Rates. It is too early to incorporate these first level findings. Hence at this stage I have taken the simple, easily understandable method of separating the Average and Strike Rate measures with individual weightages. Similarly Jeff Grimshaw's ideas about treating balls played as a resource and giving credit for the same is quite good. However I do not want too many overlapping parameters. Already I have Average and RPI.

3. Runs per Innings (5 points)

This is to mitigate the factor of a high number of not-outs, especially for middle-order batsmen. Again a straightforward calculation. Since the Batting average is unlikely ever to exceed 50.0, we are within the maximum level. The formula used is

* RPI = Runs per innings / 10.0.

Note: I briefly toyed with Abhihjeet Dongre's excellent suggestion of excluding from the total number of innings the innings in which the batsman has finished not out at a score below his batting average. This redresses the balance towards middle order batsmen slightly. However I have finally rejected this tweak since I feel that they have already got the full benefit of not outs while calculating the Batting Average. The purpose of separation of these two factors will be lost if I do not use the full complement of innings played.

4. Strike Rate (25 points)

I consider this factor as the most important measure and that is reflected in the weightage. However much we talk about the importance of scoring runs, it is essential that these are scored at a reasonable pace. It does not mean that every century should be a run-a-ball one. However, it is true that many a match has been lost because the batsmen have not moved up the scoring rate at the right time.

However a major tweak has been done. The actual strike rates have been adjusted up or down based on the decade scoring rates pro-rata. In other words, if Viv Richards played between 1975 and 1991, his actual scoring rate has been adjusted pro-rata for the three decades, viz., 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. In general this will mean that the older players will get a slight benefit since the scoring rates were lower, as indicated in the table below.

AllMats 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s

Matches played 2759 82 516 933 1228
Batsmen innings 47947 1418 8838 16266 21425
Runs scored 1142018 30292 202884 386508 522334
Balls bowled 1473233 46208 277516 505727 643782
Runs per ball 0.775 0.656 0.731 0.764 0.811
% of all-matches avge 100.0% 84.6% 94.3% 98.6% 104.7%

The actual and adjusted strike rates for a few top players is given below. All these adjustments seem very reasonable. The only clear cases are for batsmen such as Pietersen and Dhoni who have played all their matches in the current decade and hence have the same adjustment of -4.4%. The others are pro-rata. For instance, Tendulkar's and Lara's strike rates have been adjusted much less since they have played during 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. Zaheer Abbas gains the maximum since his career spanned 1975-1985, the low-scoring years.

Batsman Prev SR Adj SR % chg

Richards I.V.A 90.2 98.4 +9.1%
Haynes D.L 63.1 66.9 +6.0%
Jones D.M 72.6 75.4 +3.9%
Greenidge C.G 64.9 70.8 +9.1%
Zaheer Abbas 80.0 89.7 +12.1%

Tendulkar S.R 85.5 84.6 -1.1%
Jayasuriya S.T 91.0 90.1 -1.1%
Gilchrist A.C 96.9 94.4 -2.7%
Lara B.C 79.5 78.6 -1.3%
Sehwag V 99.1 95.3 -3.8%
Shahid Afridi 111.2 108.2 -2.7%
Klusener L 89.9 88.2 -1.9%
Dhoni M.S 91.3 87.2 -4.4%
Pietersen K.P 87.5 83.6 -4.4%

Since the only Strike Rate to exceed 1.00 is that of Shahid Afridi, I have accepted the fact that only he will exceed the maximum level. The formula used is

* STRT = (Adjusted) Strike Rate x 25.0.

5. Quality of bowling faced (15 points)

This is a double weighted adjustment. The objective is to make sure that the runs acored against stronger teams such as Australia are given much higher weighting than the runs scored against weaker countries such as Zimbabwe. Care also has to be taken that the weaker Australian teams such as those during the mid-1980s are treated accordingly. The complex process is explained below.

First a bowling quality index is found for each innings. This is done by the following formula (somewhat similar to the one used by David Barry). I had thought of this earlier, but dismissed it as too complex. Now I think it is necessary.

Sum of (Balls bowled by each bowler x Bowler's bowling avge)
Innings BQI = -----------------------------------------------------
Sum of (Balls bowled by each bowler)

In one of my earlier articles on Team Strength analysis I used a simple average of the top 5 Bowling averages. That was when I was trying to find the strength of team as it walked on to the field. However here I am trying to find how valuable the batsman's innings was. Hence the actual deployment of the bowling resources is necessary. Wasim Akram will make the Pakistani team that much strong, on paper, however, if he did not bowl a single ball, to that extent the bowling lacks sting.

Now comes the second weighting. For this the actual scores of batsman and the Innings BQI are used. The formula is explained below.

Sum of (Batsman innings score x Innings BQI)
Batsman career BQI = --------------------------------------------
Sum of (Batsman innings score)

There is some convergence of values as batsmen score many runs. Note the BOWQTY value for the top 5 batsmen. Hence special care has to be taken to assign points. Amongst batsmen who have scored greater than 2000 runs, Craig McMillan is the best with a BQI of 34.48 and Habibul Bashar the worst with a BQI of 43.47. If we lower the limit to 1000 runs, Nicky Boje is the best with a BQI of 31.3 and Glenn Turner the worst with a BQI of 47.63. No batsman has a career BQI below 30.00 and no batsman has a career BQI above 50.0. The Batsman career BQI is used to derive the index value based on the following formula.

* BOWQTY = 50.0 - Batsman career BQI.

6. % of Team runs (5 points).

The value of a batsman to the team is also determined by the share of the batting load he takes. In other words the % of team runs he scores. This is a secondary parameters and has a weighting only of 5 points. With a criteria of 2500 runs and above, the highest share of team runs scored is by Zaheer Abbas with 21.6%, followed by Greenidge with 19.2%, then by Richards with 19.2% and finally by Tendulkar with 18.1%. The formula used is

* TSPER = % of Team share * 20.0.

Upto this point, the full weight will be given only if the batsman has scored above 2000 runs. Else the points secured will be proportionately downsized.

7. Wins achieved (5 points)

Winning is something special, if not everything (as the Americans profess). No one wants to lose. Hence we should give value to this important aspect of the game without going overboard. This is done in two parts. The first is to derive an index value solely based on the number of wins achieved. This will benefit players who have played more games and have been part of successful teams. The highest number of wins achieved is 220 by Jayasuriya, followed by Ponting with 216, Inzamam with 214, Gilchrist with 214 and Tendulkar with 206. The formula used is

* WINS = No of wins /50.0.

8. Win % achieved (5 points)

What about Richards who achieved 132 wins in 187 matches (a 70.6 win %), which is much higher than that of Tendulkar, 206 wins in 417 matches (49.4%) or Steve Waugh, 196 in 325 (60.3%). His win % suffers only in comparison to the current Australian team, some of whom having over 75%.

This factor addresses this problem. Credit is given to the % of wins achieved, subject to minimum number of matches being reached. The formula used is

* WINSPER = % of wins x 5.0.

9. MOM awards received (5 points).

The last parameter is on the MOM awards achieved. This is the only subjective measure, as pointed to by Shankar Krishnan of Riyadh. However since this is the only individual evaluation measure available I have to consider it. Whatever be the idiosyncracies of the adjudicators there is no doubt that the MOM awards are a pointer to the contribution to the wins achieved by the team.

I have tried to remove the subjective factor, to a certain extent, by considering the frequency of awards also in addition to the absolute number of awards. This is also fair to the older players. Consider this. Richards has got 31 awards in 187 matches. He lags far behind Jayasuriya who has got 45 awards in 415 matches. However when we consider the frequency, Richards has a frequency of one in 6 matches, while Jayasuriya, one in 9.2 matches. Incidentally Tendulkar leads the absolute number of awards with 55. The frequency ranges from 6.0 to 20.0 (limiting value). The formula used is

* MOM = (MOM Awards/30.0) + (3.0 * (20.0 - MOM Frequency)/15.0).

For the last two points, the full weight will be given only if the batsman has played above 50 matches. Else the points secured will be proportionately downsized.

Now the table of top 30 ODI batsmen of all time. The table is current upto match 2759, the facile English win over the hapless South Africans, giving them a 4-0 lead.

The top ODI batsmen of all time - as on 28 August 2008.

No.Cty Batsman Total Runs Avge R/I S/R BwQty Wins Win% % TS MOMs

100.0 20.0 15.0 5.0 25.0 15.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0

1.Ind Tendulkar S.R 79.27 16.36 11.08 4.02 21.16 12.13 4.12 2.47 3.61 4.32
2.Win Richards I.V.A 73.14 6.72 11.75 4.02 24.60 12.20 2.64 3.53 3.85 3.83
3.Slk Jayasuriya S.T 72.24 12.80 8.18 3.13 22.52 12.01 4.44 2.64 2.89 3.63
4.Aus Ponting R.T 71.87 11.11 10.81 3.81 19.63 12.63 4.32 3.59 3.19 2.78
5.Aus Gilchrist A.C 71.12 9.62 8.97 3.45 23.59 12.12 4.04 3.52 2.93 2.88
6.Win Lara B.C 67.70 10.40 10.12 3.60 19.64 12.38 2.78 2.33 3.43 3.01
7.Saf Kallis J.H 67.70 9.61 11.17 3.64 17.33 12.98 3.50 3.15 3.26 3.05
8.Pak Inzamam-ul-Haq 66.72 11.74 9.88 3.35 18.31 11.81 4.28 2.83 3.04 1.48
9.Aus Bevan M.G 66.00 6.91 13.40 3.53 18.31 13.88 3.10 3.34 3.00 0.53
10.Ind Ganguly S.C 65.87 11.36 10.26 3.79 18.14 10.64 2.98 2.40 3.27 3.03
11.Pak Saeed Anwar 65.55 8.82 9.80 3.62 20.20 10.95 2.82 2.85 3.42 3.07
12.Aus Waugh M.E 65.50 8.50 9.84 3.60 19.39 12.29 3.04 3.11 3.22 2.52
13.Aus Symonds A 65.43 5.01 10.09 3.19 22.41 12.58 2.98 3.86 2.58 2.74
14.Slk de Silva P.A 65.02 9.28 8.73 3.14 20.61 12.52 2.56 2.08 3.06 3.05
15.Win Haynes D.L 64.62 8.65 10.34 3.65 16.74 12.16 3.18 3.34 3.63 2.93
16.Saf Gibbs H.H 63.66 7.59 9.12 3.39 20.24 11.95 2.88 3.12 3.03 2.36
17.Ind Dravid R 63.47 10.59 9.87 3.44 17.36 13.25 3.14 2.36 3.00 0.47
18.Pak Mohammad Yousuf 63.22 9.24 10.80 3.64 18.19 10.81 3.12 2.90 3.12 1.40
19.Saf Kirsten G 63.06 6.80 10.24 3.67 17.88 13.45 2.40 3.24 3.35 2.03
20.Saf Klusener L 62.90 3.58 10.28 2.61 22.05 13.92 2.18 3.19 2.27 2.83
21.Aus Jones D.M 62.82 6.07 11.15 3.77 18.86 11.99 1.96 2.99 3.55 2.48
22.Aus Hayden M.L 62.80 6.13 10.95 3.96 19.36 12.26 2.38 3.70 3.34 0.72
23.Pak Javed Miandad 62.74 7.38 10.43 3.39 17.98 13.04 2.38 2.55 3.40 2.18
24.Saf Rhodes J.N 62.73 5.93 8.78 2.70 20.11 15.00 3.10 3.16 2.46 1.47
25.Eng Pietersen K.P 62.46 2.82 11.96 3.87 20.90 14.46 0.68 2.10 3.44 2.24
26.Ind Sehwag V 62.31 5.81 8.11 3.12 23.82 12.41 1.90 2.49 2.70 1.95
27.Ind Dhoni M.S 62.26 3.79 11.85 3.54 21.80 12.73 1.30 2.71 2.90 1.63
28.Ind Azharuddin M 62.10 9.38 9.23 3.04 18.97 12.09 3.20 2.40 2.90 0.89
29.Aus Waugh S.R 61.95 7.57 8.23 2.63 19.26 13.75 3.92 3.02 2.38 1.21
30.Saf Cronje W.J 61.91 5.57 9.66 3.18 19.26 13.51 2.34 3.11 2.92 2.35

Tendulkar is on top, and deservedly so. He has not only scored lots of runs but scored these at a good pace, scored these against good bowlers and contributed more than his share to the Indian cause.

Richards is in second place, again deservedly so. He has scored only 6721 runs, but made up for the huge shortfall in index points with his outstanding average, strike rate, win % and MOM frequency. He may very well move a little bit down in the list in the years to come. But will not lose any of the aura.

Jayasuriya is next, having made up for his low Average and RPI with a mountain of runs scored at a scorching pace. The Lankan readers will be happy that the contributions of the entertainer non-pareil have been recognized. He has managed to retain the third position depsite a poor run of ODI matches against India.

Ponting and Gilchrist, two great Australian batsman, follow in the next two positions, through different combination of high points. Ponting with high average and good strike rate while Gilchrist with lower average and excellent strike rate. Both have great win related numbers.

Lara, Kallis Inzamam, Bevan and Ganguly complete the top 10. This elite placing of these quality batsmen cannot be debated. In fact Lara and Kallis exchanged places after the last match.

There is no doubt that players such as Pietersen (25th currently), Sehwag (26th), Dhoni (27th) and Hussey (39th) will move up the list as they score more runs. However this may be partly compensated by the possible decrease in their averages. Dhoni is surely on the way to becoming an excellent finisher in the Bevan/Hussey mode and as such is unlikely to drop his average. Pietersen's average could drop a little bit. Hussey's could drop significantly unless otherwise he does what Bevan did over a long career.

It should be noted that if we change the weightings, the batsmen will move up or down the list. For instance, Strike Rate could be reduced to 20 points. In that case, Jayasuriya and Ponting will exchange places. But these are minor movements only. It is my firm belief that the top 2, Tendulkar and Richards will remain where they are, whatever be the weightings.

Batsmen such as Kluesener, Dhoni and Pietersen, who have not even scored 4000 ODI runs have managed to reach the top 30 positions in the all-time best batsmen table. This indicates that the weightings for non-longevity measures have been given due importance.

Finally, one important point to be noted. No analyst starts with an idea to prove that one batsman is superior to another or push their favourite batsmen on top. Such shallow analyses will be found out in no time at all. The idea is to come out with a vehicle for healthy discussion and exchange of views. Hence please avoid rude and vicious comments. They have no chance of being read by any one. Pl make your point in a courteous and acceptable manner. The readers have their right to be heard but also their responsibilities to be constructive and courteous.

To view the complete list, click here

This list consists of batsmen who have scored a minimum of 1000 ODI runs. Please remember that many of the calculated points are downsized for batsmen in the 1000-2000 range. They are included only to show where some of the batsmen from the lesser countries stand.

Summary response to readers' comments (Possible tweaks)

1. Avoidance of double weighting for "Wins".

2. Possible cap on Runs scored weighting.

3. Adjust for the paucity of matches played during the early 10 years.

4. Giving weight to key tournament wins such as World Cup and Champion's Trophy.

5. The subjective nature of MOMs, already mentioned by me in the main post does not go well with readers.

6. Quite a few readers have, while accepting Tendulkar's position at no.1, have questioned the wide gap between Tendulkar and Richards. It worries some readers that this gap will keep on widening.
[/tscii:6e92fe9ba0]

[ajithfederer]

http://www.orkut.com/Main#CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=23803&tid=5269756930422878885&na=1&nst=1

Interesting Trivia

Ganguly's amazing relantionship with Tendulkar
there is one interesting relantion between god and dada


when sachin made his 10th test 100 dada was at other end ....177 in 96 at notthingram in england


when god made 20th test 100 ..dada was at other end ...126 not out at mohali

when god went past don bradman to get 30th test 100 dada was at other end ( 193 at headingly )



when god become the first batsman to get into 40 test 100 club ..dada was at other end ...( recent 109 at nagpur )


and when sachin broked sunny gavaskar's record of most test 100's ( 109 at delhi ) ..to get his 35 100 dada was at other end

when sachin went past brian lara's record of 11953 runs ..dada was at other end

and there are few this type of facts in odi's also


when sachin went past azhar to become highest run getter in odi's ..dada was at other end ( narobi mini world cup final 2000 ..sachin made 69 and started the match as 9364 aggregate runs and wenmt part azhar's 9378 during the knock of 69 )



and when sachin eqalled dasmen hayens's world record of 17 odi 100's dada was at other end

[Sourav]

http://epaper.dinamalar.com/DM/MADHURAI/2008/11/20/photographs/014/20_11_2008_014_009_001.jpg

[Ramakrishna]

Poll added

[Sourav]

Voted for flick.... :redjump: :cool2:

[wrap07]

Best OD innings:
Tough to soose one. One has to pick one from the following i guess...


Sharjah qualifier, 98
Sharjah final, 98
WC 2003 vs Pak
One match in Gwalior (he made 90-something) in our last series against Pakistan
CB series finals performance-um kanakkula eduthukkalaam but not the VERY BEST...

naduvula neraya miss panren.. pl add... (tough to beat the bolded ones though, IMO)[u]

This takes the cake for me. I can never forget this innings(may be the innings of his lifetime and the best i have seen). Brilliant :D :clap:

[Nerd]

MakkaLE, Vote pOttA mattum pOdhAdhu, explain the vote :P

[Sourav]

MakkaLE, Vote pOttA mattum pOdhAdhu, explain the vote :P :twisted: appo nan vote podalanu vachukkonga...
:P

[ajithfederer]

Pull shot - extreme dominating shot. WC96 initial qualifiers against Mcgrath. Andy caddick 2003 wcup.

Straight On drive - Shot of Class, supreme authority. 3 straight drives were offered inthe first cb final against lee, 2008. One bettering the other :notworthy:

Flick - Stroke of Late Genius, last minute(second) adjustment. But he has got out a couple of times playing across the line. Enaku pudikadha sila vishayangalil ondru indha playing across the line. Connect aana gethaa irukkum, illati :oops:

Cover Drive: No better sight to watch in cricket ala drives againt brett lee in 2003 wc initial qualifying stages and the drive against mcgrath in 2000/01 home series.

Late cut : Many instances. How did i forget to nominate back foot punch through the gully - point region :oops:

Rest will follow :P.

[ajithfederer]

http://blogs.cricinfo.com/inbox/archives/2008/11/it_was_love_at_first.php#more

Flying high with Sachin

Posted by Cricinfo - 1 week ago

From Pradeep Ramarathnam, India

Nobody likes early morning flights. Especially chronic nightbirds. Although I nagged myself to sleep at 12:30 am, my body, as usual, threw tantrums at 5:30 in the morning. After a lot of huffing and puffing, I woke at 6 am. I packed, and at 6:02 am, I made the wise decision of taking a raincheck on the bath and made do with coldwater and facewash. Time to run.

I dozed off peacefully in the car and when I reached terminal 1B, I was greviously late. And to top it all, Jet Airways cancelled the Nagpur flight! I was 'web-checked' in and didn't bother to check the airline on the boarding pass.They shunted me off to Jetlite. I was the among the last few to clear security check and rush inside the aircraft.

There was a general sense of doom in life for the past few days. Dada is going, Jumbo is gone and Dravid is struggling. These are the guys I grew up watching. (Technically, I was 15 when Dravid and Dada made their debuts, but still.) It was a stark reminder of the end of middle class cricket. Sitting around in a canteen,discussing the latest Sportstar, trading posters, going to National College, Basavangudi grounds and watching Kumble play for Bangalore Cricketers (Circa 1991), I even remember meeting Javagal Srinath, whose sister lives down the road. I was elated when I saw his shirt marquee - Peter England. How typically Jayanagar! Cutting edge Bourgeouis Elegance. So overwhelmingly inclusive it felt.

I have just noticed that my general tendency to meander has caught up with me again. Back to the flight.

I stuffed my arm with newspapers and got in. A quick "Good Morning" to the graceful, middle-aged stewardess was followed by a side step to the right to find my seat, and more importantly, stowage area.

Around this time is when time froze. Sitting right in front. Seat number 1F was Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. I shall not trivialise his greatness (Or make this piece tacky) by using loose adjectives of sobriquets here. He is Tendulkar. I'm sure you get it.

I really didn't want to stare. There were already a few pot-bellied trader type guys who were giggling like 12 year old girls. Sachin, now that I was already 25 seconds into my short peek at him, seemed a lot more, what's the word, pink than he looks on TV.

I was going to warm my behind in 1D! Same row, two seats away from the greatest, God-dest, cricketer ever! (Ok, I said no corny adjectives. I thought God-dest was a nice touch)

I said a quick prayer to ensure no loser makes a grab for the middle seat. I shoved my bags under the seat and looked askance to see if Sachin was checking me out. He wasn't. He was busy signing autographs, but I'm sure he did. You can tell these things.

The steward then put on his best accent and made the safety announcements. I was cursing myself. I really really wish I had taken a bath. Now I wasn't sure if the deo was working. What if Sachin wanted to change his seat? Imagine if he calls the stewardess and tells her, in his warm, endearing, boyish voice " This guy stinks. Give me window on the 30th row". I decided to avoid this scene by aborting my plan to hug him.

Five minutes into the flight, a middle aged guy wearing an ill-fitting Ed Hardy Tee and a wild pair of jeans came to our row and started blabbering in Marathi. I 'm not sure what he was saying, but he used a lot of names and had a wide grin throughout. He was uniformy fawning and utterly deferential.

Imagine the horror on my face, when instead of brushing him off by looking outside the window, (like we do to avoid shelling out change to beggars on trains) Sachin patiently replied in Marathi.

It was all so poetic. The syllables seemed carefully measured and worded. I could make out ("Barobar"- Right, Right) and "Ani"- And. Marathi is a beautiful language, Especially in Sachin's voice.

He signed probably 40 autographs at least in the hour long flight. He even blessed an infant. (I remember the name, I am going to track his progress. He's going to be huge.)

I kept thinking to myself," This guy is seriously polite. If he had no talent and wasn't a cricketer, he would have been a great hotel receptionist. Or a Front Desk executive for Air Deccan. No wonder McGrath could do nothing to him. How dare Gilchrist say all those things about him. Should I ask him something?"

I kept quiet and concentrated on the Economic Times Supplement in my hand throughout, except for the occasional stare with my tongue out. What could I tell him? I know so much about cricket. Why can't I come up with a good line to start the conversation? Maybe if I had a bath I would have been more confident. Then I would definitely have impressed Sachin. Maybe he would have called me his friend. Sigh.

'Accentboy' then announced landing. It was now or never. I swallowed hard. Time to go hell for leather, I thought.

"Excuse me, Sachin. Pradeep here, big fan." (D-uh!)

"Hi Pradeep" (Hand comes out.)

I don't shake well. Too soft sometimes, too hard sometimes. But this time, I just wanted to touch. Ideally, I should have hi-fived Sachin. I high-five well.

"Have you checked out the new stadium before?"

"No, that's why I am going early."

I felt quite kicked. It was a reasonably smart question I thought. Maybe it would have looked smarter if I was a girl. People always think girls don't know cricket.

The aircraft thudded and made a fierce landing at Nagpur airport. For a split second, I thought Maybe I could get to save Sachin's life.

Sachin seemed in a hurry to get out." Excuse me", he said, as he made his way to the aisle to pick up his bags. Why is he requesting me? I would grimace in joy if he stood on me and picked his bags.

I caught him one last time and took his autograph for my little nephew." Good luck Sachin for Nagpur", I said loudly as if I knew him. I tried to get a quick snap, but in my nervousness only caught his right shoulder on his way out.

I made a quick mental note to send a box of sweets to the travel desk for booking me in 1D. I also congratulate Naresh Goyal for discontinuing the Jet flight and pushing us into Jetlite. I salute all airlines with no business class.

I'm glad I did my MBA. I'm glad I joined my organisation. I'm glad they gave me MP state to handle. I'm glad there are no direct flights to Jabalpur and the only way is Nagpur. I'm glad I travelled today and not tomorrow.

I really doubt I'll ever sit side-by-side with my hero again. In case Sachin is reading - It was a pleasure traveling with you. Every single one of us on that flight was destined to have a great day on November 4, 2008. Nothing can go wrong today. And thanks, finally I have a story to pick up chicks with.

PS - I really wish I was less emotional about the whole thing, But it's Sachin Tendulkar. I'm sure you understand.

:lol: A bit girlish, i felt :oops:

[Sourav]

Flick - Stroke of Late Genius, last minute(second) adjustment. But he has got out a couple of times playing across the line. Enaku pudikadha sila vishayangalil ondru indha playing across the line. Connect aana gethaa irukkum, illati :oops:
:D I voted for this...mostly intha shot la than kanakka start pannuvaaru....unmailiyele sema geth-ana shottu.. :P :smokesmirk:

[littlemaster1982]

I voted for Straight Drive. The most beautiful thing on cricket field one could ever see :notworthy:

[selvakumar]

Bala,
As far as retirement is concerned, I want him to retire with the same form as he had during the 2003 World cup. To be honest, I can't agree with you that he should have retired in Aus. namakku heroism kaatura sachin thaan thevai.. (at least to me). 2003 WC maari oru marana kattu kaatittu thaan retire aaganum.. :)

[Sourav]

Bala,
As far as retirement is concerned, I want him to retire with the same form as he had during the 2003 World cup. To be honest, I can't agree with you that he should have retired in Aus. namakku heroism kaatura sachin thaan thevai.. (at least to me). 2003 WC maari oru marana kattu kaatittu thaan retire aaganum.. :)athukku than 2011 WC varuthe... :redjump:

[P_R]

Should be the on-drive, that slide back and slam it over mid-on shot. That his most brutal shot.

I voted for the paddle-sweep because Sachin is perhaps the pioneer. It takes awesome judgement to play that. He used to play it against the best of spinners - both legspinners bowling around the wicket and offspinners bowling over thw wicket. Two completely different lines and turns. And you will have to play it after the bounce - so you have to negotiate the turn.

He used to play it really fine in the initial days when he started playing this shot regularly (96 ish), used to get boundaries even with a fine leg in place !!

Then he started playing it with a wider arc - a mix between paddle sweep and a full blown sweep shot. Started playing it off medium pacers !!

Whenever I see anyone playing that shot I can't help thinking of Sachin. Really a contribution to the game.

[littlemaster1982]

I voted for the paddle-sweep because Sachin is perhaps the pioneer. It takes awesome judgement to play that. He used to play it against the best of spinners - both legspinners bowling around the wicket and offspinners bowling over thw wicket. Two completely different lines and turns. And you will have to play it after the bounce - so you have to negotiate the turn.

He used to play it really fine in the initial days when he started playing this shot regularly (96 ish), used to get boundaries even with a fine leg in place !!


3rd Test vs Aus in Chennai, 2001. 3 boundaries off Shane Warne's over after reaching 100 :notworthy:

[ajithfederer]

http://cricket.ndtv.com/cricket/ndtvcricket/cricketstory.aspx?id=SPOEN20080073543&site=ndtv

Can't afford a scratch on Sachin: Govt sources
NDTV Correspondent
Friday, November 21, 2008 5:41 PM (New Delhi)

Can't afford a scratch on Sachin: Govt sources


Amidst growing uncertainty over the Indian cricket team's impending tour of Pakistan, government sources reiterated on Friday that a security team would make an assessment in the next two weeks before reaching any final decision.

"The security team will make an assessment in the next two weeks whether the Indian team can go to Pakistan or not," Indian government sources told NDTV. "We can't afford a scratch on Sachin Tendulkar," an official was quoted as saying.

The statement follows today's developments in Pakistan as another blast took place at the funeral of a Shiite Muslim cleric in the northwest, claiming at least eight lives.

Earlier, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had sought security clearance from the government to go ahead with the tour.

"The tour will be finalised once we get the clearance from the government. Nothing can be confirmed before that," Board President Shashank Manohar had said.

India are scheduled to play three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match during the five-week tour from January 13 to February 19.

It will be the fifth bilateral series between the two countries since 2004, when cricket ties resumed after a 15-year gap due to political tensions between the warring neighbours.

The tour was put in doubt after the Indian government denied permission to the national junior hockey team to visit Pakistan earlier this month.

Australia cancelled a Test tour of Pakistan in March and the International Cricket Council put off the high-profile Champions Trophy there in September due to security concerns.

Recent media reports have suggested that the series could be held in India or at a neutral venue if the Indian government denies permission to play in Pakistan.

[Sourav]

[tscii:1dd0020a5e]SACH-IN, WHO’S OUT?
RAINA OR ROHIT, ON WHOM WILL THE AXE FALL?
Satish Viswanathan I TNN

Bangalore: Sachin Tendulkar may have already figured in 417 ODIs, yet a good 24 hours before the rest of his mates were slated to gather for a net session, he was out at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday afternoon, having an extended hit against a bowling machine set up exclusively for him. Not having to travel the length and breadth of the country like the others, Tendulkar, having opted to sit out the first three ODIs against England, had obviously got tired of resting.
It was a good eight months back, on March 4 to be precise, that Tendulkar played his last ODI. In an earlier era, when teams traveled across continents by ship, one tour lasted that long but today eight months is a long, long time in international cricket. The Indians have played a lot of ODI cricket since then, losing some but winning a lot more. It is a fact that Tendulkar was hardly missed by the Mahendra Dhoni-led side which annihilated Bangladesh, all but won the Asia Cup and defeated Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka, a feat not easily achieved by any team.
Why bring Tendulkar back then? Some would call it a blasphemous question if there ever was one and you can’t really argue with that. For Tendulkar is Tendulkar, a man who having made his international debut in 1989, knows more about time travel than anyone else and has this ability to not just fit in anywhere and anytime but also lift the others around him. Yes, the team may be on a roll and may not need any further lift. The batting order too may be all but set in stone, more so the leftright opening combination of Gautam Gambhir and Virendra Sehwag. Finally it doesn’t usually pay to tinker with a winning combination. Enough reasons in most cases to make no changes to the batting front.
Except in this case. For Tendulkar did not go out of the team due to poor performances and only sat out due to his body catching up with his age. After all, when the England thinktank sits down to discuss plans for the fourth ODI here on Sunday — meaning Plan A, B, C — for Tendulkar, they will perhaps want to review his last few matches. And when they do that they will find that in the last three ODIs that he played in, Tendulkar had scores of 63, 117 not out and 91, the latter two against Australia in the best-of-three finals that didn’t need the third final. It was the biggest stage possible, apart from a World Cup final and it was one of the team’s and Tendulkar’s final frontiers and it was captured in style thanks to the way he led with the bat.
In fact just ask any opposition whom they would rather bowl to and they would name anyone but Tendulkar. His sheer presence sends opposing teams into a tizzy, taking up a lot of time in the team meetings. For experience does not come easy.
One of either Suresh Raina or Rohit Sharma will have to make way for the master, with the latter more likely to hold onto this place. Also it will not a simple swap, for Tendulkar will have to open the innings as well, something that GR Viswanath, one of India’s batting greats, insisted on.
“I don’t care about the rest of the order, Sachin will have to open,” he told TOI. With Gambhir having done quite well at number three, it will probably be a Tendulkar-Sehwag combo at the top and you couldn’t call that any less destructive, could you?
Of course, the most interesting aspect here will be Tendulkar’s approach. In the recent past, he has played second fiddle to the Sehwags and Gambhirs, choosing to anchor the innings. But as we said earlier, eight months is a long time and this is no longer a team that Tendulkar needs to carry alone.
With that weight off his shoulders, the pressure may just be transferred to his heavy blade, all of which may mean more darkness for an England side that has already been up in arms against poor light.

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH%2F2008%2F11%2F22&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T&PageLabel=18&EntityId=Ar01800&AppName=1[/tscii:1dd0020a5e]

[ajithfederer]

http://cricketnext.in.com/news/tendulkar-to-open-with-sehwag-says-dhoni/35845-13.html

Tendulkar to open with Sehwag, says Dhoni

V Veera Kumar | Cricketnext.com

Posted on Nov 22, 2008 at 18:20

Bangalore: Despite the Delhi pair of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir forming a formidable opening pair in both Tests and One-Dayers, Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni prefers to open the batting with Sachin Tendulkar and Sehwag for the fourth match against England at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.

"Though, we will be announcing the playing eleven only tomorrow, I can say that Sachin in all probability will open the batting with Viru (Sehwag) and Gautam (Gambhir) will come at number three. We have to make way for a batsman of Sachin's class but who will sit out here is yet to be decided," Dhoni said in the pre-match press conference on Saturday.

"It is always a pleasure to have Sachin back in the side as there is so much the youngsters can learn from him. He would always be a source of inspiration for the team and I am sure the youngsters will gain immensely by playing with him as long as he plays for the country. In fact Sachin knows about his body the best and I am sure he will continue to play as long as he feels fit," Dhoni added.

"As of now Sachin is playing. We have got to see which player is coming and make way. The upcoming players can learn from him a lot and get maximum benefit out of him," he pointed out.

When asked whether Sachin had any problem bowling in One-Day matches as he used to before a string of injuries to his elbow and back reduced his role as a bowler, Dhoni replied in the negative.

"Sachin can bowl and there is no problem whatsoever. He is quite open to that and I would not hesitate to use him as he has won us matches in the past," he added.

Speaking about the fourth One-Dayer, Dhoni said, the unexpected rain in the afternoon had them worried about the preparations for Sunday's match as they had to start from the scratch and make sure that the series is won right here.

"We have got to start allover again despite leading the series 3-0 as it is a new game and we would like to wrap it up here. I am not too concerned about the margin of victory as long as we win the series. Whether we win 7-0, 4-3 or 5-2 is not important. But if we win tomorrow, I would like to rest some of my players who have been playing continuously for some time," he observed.

"To be a successful team, we have to plan and then execute it on the field. As a team, things have fallen well in place but we need to continue in the same vein. I think the bulk of work has been done by spinners, especially Harbhajan Singh and the part timers Yuvraj, Sehwag and Yusuf (Pathan) but the seamers too have contributed to our success and hope they will continue to do so," he added.

When asked whether he was planning to rest one of the bowling spearhead Zaheer Khan during the series, Dhoni said, he was seriously thinking about it and would do so only after winning the series.

"Yes, I have thought about it (resting Zaheer) as the seamers should get proper rest to regain their rhythm. However, we will think about it only after winning the series. As of now I am satisfied with the way things are going for the team," the wicketkeeper-batsman said.

Speaking about the wicket and was he prepared for another Duckworth-Lewis Method result, Dhoni said, the wicket was bit damp after the unseasonal rain but had not thought about the Duckworth-Lewis Method as yet.

"The wicket looks very damp right now and we can come to know the true nature of it only tomorrow as far as the Duckworth-Lewis Method is concerned I have not even thought about it. I think if the match is curtailed due to more rains tomorrow, batting is a better option. However, it is hard to plan for such things right now," he said.

[Sourav]

RETURN OF THE CHAMP :redjump:
http://www.hindu.com/2008/11/23/stories/2008112356151500.htm

[Sourav]

Sachin gets down to business

Bangalore, November 21 Reading the name Sachin Tendulkar on an Indian team-sheet is never a happy proposition for any opposition captain, especially if your team is 3-0 down and desperate for a win in order to keep the series alive. Even England off-spinner Graeme Swann had admitted to have been relieved when Tendulkar had opted out of the first three games.

The English squad was not scheduled to arrive from Kanpur until late on Friday night, but there were already ominous signs awaiting them ahead of what could easily turn out to be the last consequential match of the series.

Tendulkar, who returns to the fold after his sabbatical, arrived at the Chinnaswamy stadium in the afternoon, and looked in menacing touch as he hit the ball to every part of the ground. He might have done so within the confines of the net on a practice wicket, and against a bowling machine. But as he pulled, drove, cut and flicked like only he can, middling the ball almost every single time, it was clear that he was getting into his groove to face the likes of Flintoff, Anderson and Broad on Sunday.

Long net

He batted for almost an hour, and also hoisted one ball into the stands in what could be a prelude for a possible battering that the English bowlers may have to contend with in the fourth match of the series.

Tendulkar will, in all likelihood, replace fellow Mumbai batsman Rohit Sharma, who is yet to come up with a meaningful contribution in the series. With Sehwag and Gambhir in fantastic form and having formed one of the most formidable opening partnerships in the world presently, it will be interesting to see where the team management decides to play Tendulkar. It is unlikely that the opening combination will be disturbed, and he might end up batting somewhere in the middle-order.

The weather and light may have been a little unkind to the visitors at Kanpur, but the ride for them just seems to get tougher.

http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Sachin-gets-down-to-business/389046/

[ajithfederer]

http://cricket.ndtv.com/cricket/ndtvcricket/cricketstory.aspx?id=SPOEN20080073738&site=ndtv

Chat with Tendulkar humbles Gilchirst
Press Trust of India
Sunday, November 23, 2008 1:31 PM (Melbourne)

Adam Gilchrist might have no qualms in suggesting that Sachin Tendulkar was "bad sport" but the retired Australian said he had a humbling feeling while speaking to the Indian batting maestro to clear the air after the furore raised by his book 'True Colours'.

The retired stumper had accused Tendulkar of changing his statement during the 'Monkey-gate' appeal hearing involving Andrew Symonds and Harbhajan Singh but later called up the Indian maestro to tell him he was quoted out of context.

"When I was talking to him. A little voice in the back of my head was saying, 'Can you believe you're really on the phone to Sachin Tendulkar?' I mean this is one of the best cricketers of all time, someone I admire so much, and here I was talking to him on the phone," Gilchrist said.

Gilchrist said he called up Tendulkar because of his nature of maintaining friendly rapport with those he had played with or against.

"I didn't have to call him. It's just that when I started playing cricket that was part of my approach. I wanted to get to know the people I played with and against. When I finished playing I wanted to be on friendly terms with them.

"Not so we were all on each other's email lists or anything like that, just so we got along. We've all got a common interest, we should be on good terms. Some people don't care about that, but I do.

"I wanted Sachin to know I'd been taken out of context. I wanted to explain," he told 'Sunday Courier'.

[ajithfederer]

http://www.orkut.com/Main#CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=23803&tid=5271677021298153171

an interesting observation from a spectator.. got from cricinfo
(it's true also..!)

"If you total the number of runs by all players currently playing for England, they are less than what Tendulkar has.."

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:1944497e09]http://www.dpb.in/magazines/cricket-today/en/article.phtml?38,272,4.html

"Sachin's talent was as clear as sunrays"- Ravi
I spoke to Ravi Shastri in Chittagong after Sachin scored his 34th century. Ravi has been watching Sachin for more that 18 years. He was Sachin’s captain for the Mumbai team. Shastri has played an important role in realizing Sachin’s commercial worth. He was more than instrumental in Sachin signing a deal with Mark Mascarenhas’s company WorldTel.

Early days:

I read his name many times in Mumbai’s local newspapers. I am talking about the 1886-87 days. Two cricketers were wreaking havoc in school cricket. Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli were more than popular names in Mumbai cricket. I remember the match against Gujarat where Sachin was included in the Mumbai Ranji squad. Those days, getting into the Mumbai Ranji team was as difficult as getting into the Test team. Sachin scored a century on first-class debut. I realized that cricketing talent in Sachin Tendulkar was as clear as sunrays.

Talented Sachin:

I think Sachin is born with cricketing sense. Not only in the batting department, but in bowling as well. When I was captain of the Mumbai team, I used to give minimum ten overs to Sachin. His observations were spot-on. He could easily detect fault in the batsman’s technique. He was a hyperactive cricket kid. His presence on the cricket field was action-packed.

Sachin as a brand:

Yes, I have some involvement in realizing Sachin’s worth as a true cricketing brand. I introduced him to Mark Mascarenhas in Chennai. Mark was a great cricket fan. Mark’s company WorldTel signed Sachin. I don’t think Sachin is an overpaid cricketer. His performance and his image speak volumes of his total commitment for the game of cricket. I think because of the Sachin-Mark combination, all other cricketers were also benefited. Cricket players started getting more endorsements and more money after this tie-up.

The credit goes to....

Sachin’s elder brother Ajit has played a major role in grooming Sachin’s talent. Sachin is blessed with a very cultured family. Success has not gone to his head and his feet are firmly on the ground. This is because of his family values and his upbringing.

Mark Mascarenhas:

I was thinking about what Mark would have done had he been present in Bangladesh when Sachin equaled Sunil Gavaskar’s record for most number of Test centuries. Mark would have chartered a flight and I am sure I would have heard his voice even far away from the Bangabandhu Stadium. He would have been excited like a child. Mark would certainly have thrown a lavish party to celebrate the occasion.
I am 100 percent sure that Sachin is going to break all batting records. It as more than a joy to watch Sachin’s progress from close quarters.
[/tscii:1944497e09]

[Sourav]

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH%2F2008%2F11%2F24&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T&PageLabel=18&EntityId=Ar01800&AppName=1

http://epaper.dinamalar.com/DM/MADHURAI/2008/11/24/Article//015/24_11_2008_015_010.jpg

Warne "Balti".... :lol:
inimae enga sachin-ku bowl panna porom-nu nenaichttar pola.. :lol:
ipl irukku...

[ajithfederer]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bangalore/Fan_builds_ideal_stadium_for_Sachin/articleshow/3748734.cms

Fan builds 'ideal' stadium for Sachin
23 Nov 2008, 2352 hrs IST, TNN


Bangalore : While cricket fans were upset with the rain on Sunday, T Suresh, a mechanic-driver from Austin Town, was trying to find out
the Mumbai address of his idol, Sachin Tendulkar.

"I want to send him a model stadium I built for him,'' he says. The `Little Genius Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar Stadium' is a miniature built out of 4,000-5,000 grass sticks on a canvas measuring just 32 inches x 18 inches. It has not just the pitch and gallery, but also floodlights, rooms for commentators and VVIPs, practice nets and even a small restaurant.

While there's no space for parking, that's the case everywhere, he says, on a lighter note.

An ardent Sachin fan, Suresh hit upon the idea in January 2002. He completed it after much brainwork in 2004. But meeting the Little Master and showing him the model took more time. "This was probably the worst period of my life. People around me thought that I was out of my senses, trying to meet Sachin,'' he told TOI. But it finally happened during the India-Australia test match in Bangalore in October.

"That was the ultimate moment. His reaction remains fresh in my memory,'' he says, thrilled that the master blaster -- who saw all the rooms and facilites in this model stadium -- was impressed by it. Now, he wants to send it to his hero.

Further, he fears that packing this fragile material into a box might damage his years of efforts in making the stadium. "But, I will send it to Sachin'' he says with a broad smile, not giving up hopes yet.

[ajithfederer]

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=fBEQHMAzwas


Sachin Tendulkar-Bachna Ae Haseeno- ATISH-THE GOD.avi

[ajithfederer]

http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/F1500614C1BA89BE6525750B0028C9EB?OpenDocument
Tendulkar at his best is better than Lara: Ponting

Natasha Chaku
Melbourne, Nov 24 (PTI) Australia captain Ricky Ponting may not have much love for Team India but he was liberal in his praise of individuals like Sachin Tendulkar whom he placed ahead of West Indian batting great Brian Lara.

"I have always maintained that he (Tendulkar) at his best was fractionally ahead of Brian Lara at his best, and they are the best two batsmen I have played against," Ponting wrote in his 'captain's Diary 2008'.

"As I write this, he has scored 14 international hundreds against Australia during his career (seven in Tests, seven in ODIs), and I have been on the field for many of them, so I have plenty of opportunities to guage just how magnificent and complete a batsman he is," he said in a specially highlighted reference to the Mumbai maestro.

The Aussie captain said he tried to set up schemes and strategies to trap Tendulkar but the Indian almost always broke the code.

"We have tried a wide variety of schemes and strategies, but he's usually had the answer to all of them...

"For me, right at the start of my Test career, it was a great experience just to see such a champion player going about his business in his conditions," he said in reference to a contest in Mumbai.

Ponting also singled out the just retired Indian captain Anil Kumble and promising pacer Ishant Sharma for special appreciation and said batsmen could not relax against the two. PTI

[ajithfederer]

I voted for Pull shot - The most demoralizing attack against any fast bowler 8-)

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:7990e7c0eb]http://www.businessday.co.za/weekender/article.aspx?ID=BD4A890024

Gary Kirsten on working with Sachin
This is from an article written by Daryll Cullinan

His apparently measured approach is no different from his batting style and philosophy. A thorough student of the game, he speaks of the great thrill of working with batting master Sachin Tendulkar. Kirsten was first introduced to the team when India were last in Australia.

Tendulkar immediately made him feel at home by asking him to join him for a one-on-one throw-down session in the nets.

It was not too long ago that he would have been playing against the master and now he was being asked to offer his advice on certain technical issues Tendulkar was having with his game.

Perhaps Tendulkar was using the opportunity to assess his future coach’s technical and cricketing nous. He obviously impressed Tendulkar for they have formed a close working relationship and mutual respect.

Kirsten speaks of Tendulkar’s ability to stay one step ahead of the opposition. On that particular tour he felt the Australians would look to nick him off outside off-stump. He looked to get more back across in his pre-shot routine, making sure he was covering off-stump and knew where it was — which is essential for playing on bouncy wickets.

Most of the time international batsmen facing Australian quicks on Australian wickets would be consumed with practising under high intensity and high speeds.

The master was different, just making sure his movements were exact and rhythmical. It is also an insight into the Indian way.

In my time I have observed their players spending hours having gentle throw-downs in the nets and against the boundary boards on the field. Their way and methods are not always highly intense and structured but allowance is made for the chance just to play and experiment even in the simplest of fashions.

In the following Test match Tendulkar felt the Australians would come a lot straighter at him, especially at the start of his innings. He worked on his balance and playing more from middle and leg, making sure he could play straighter down the ground.

He knew he would have to be on top of his game as the Aussies would throw Brett Lee at him the moment he walked to the crease. After all, the master is ageing and pace would test him early on.

Kirsten tells of watching the whole thing unfold.

Sure enough, it was Lee first up to Tendulkar and it was a quick middle and leg delivery looking to “spear” him.

Tendulkar replied with a straight drive, his trademark on-drive, down the ground for four.


It was a rare insight to a legend’s way. It was fascinating to know of his technical changes depending on conditions and the opposition. Often this is not that noticeable to the naked eye or even the astute observer, but for a batsman it can mean massive changes requiring time and plenty of practice to get used to.

However, Tendulkar is different, for his ability to be flexible in such an important part of his game must be a key ingredient in his continued brilliance and dominance through the years.

We have truly been privileged to watch him play.[/tscii:7990e7c0eb]

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:a5f4bf4964]http://srikrishnans.blogspot.com/2006/04/happy-birthday-sachin.html

Monday, April 24, 2006
Happy Birthday Sachin

My tribute to the man who has served as a role model to millions of Indians and one who has personified humility and modesty... Growing up as a poster boy in the eyes of the public into a superstar and the boy who inspired all the mothers and sisters to talk about cricket, the man who made cricket family entertainment-- My wishes to him for a truely "Happy Birthday" and thanx a lot for the fond memories... Cant imagine how growing up must have been without him.. Cant imagine how it must have been without cricket...........

Sachin stands rock solid in a world of vicissitudes
Rajdeep Sardesai
December 12, 2005

Where were you when Sachin Tendulkar made his test debut? I was at The Times of India in Mumbai, at a time when Girilal Jain had just retired as editor and when the marketing department had still not taken over the running of a newspaper. VP Singh had just become India's prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi was alive, the Babri Masjid was still in place, we relied on an MTNL lineman to provide us a decent phone connection, Infosys was still a start-up, Osama was a US ally, Shahrukh Khan was a struggling actor, Doordarshan was still the sole source of small screen entertainment and the concept of even one 24-hour news channel was an outrageous flight of fancy.

Sixteen years, 35 hundreds and 30 news channels later, the world has changed dramatically. What has remained remarkably constant is the presence of Sachin Tendulkar at the crease, blue helmet in place, the slight shuffle in the crease as the bowler approaches, the eyes unflinching in gaze, head firm, and the short backlift only a mask for the power that lies behind each stroke. Through all the upheavals of the last decade and a half - and the scale of change has been truly tectonic - Tendulkar has stood rock solid, a reassuring sign in an era where there are no guarantees what tomorrow will bring.

All that has changed is the boy with fluffy cheeks and curly locks who we watched excitedly on the maidans of Mumbai has become the man of India, his skills paraded in every major world stadium. Forget the fact that he hadn't had a proper shave when he hit Qadir for four sixes in an over in his first series, and that today he is a multi-crore match-winner…

For many of us, Sachin will always be the boy wonder, a rare symbol of national pride and excellence, someone whose achievements have become our badge of identity whenever we've felt down and out.

I still recall being caught in the middle of a terrible power cut in Delhi a few years ago, the summer heat virtually exhausting both body and soul. While we despaired over the state of infrastructure in the national capital, Tendulkar was in Sharjah playing an innings that would light up the night in a manner that no power supplier could. Instead of feeling depressed by the "we pay our taxes, but get no benefit" refrain, we rejoiced in the knowledge that Sachin had taken India to a famous victory.

Then, there was that momentous day against Pakistan in the World Cup two years ago. Billed as the "greatest contest on earth", this was Sachin versus Shoaib, the classic confrontation between an aggressive batsman and a tearaway fast bowler. The battle lasted just an over. With one slashed six over point - a shot which cricket historian Ramchandra Guha suggested had ended a decade of Indian inferiority against Pakistan - and a string of boundaries, Sachin established himself as the dominant force in the match.
It almost seemed as if all the national anger of an attack on Parliament, the war in Kargil, the death of innocents in Kashmir had been avenged with one single innings in this cricketing war without weapons.

Sometimes, one wonders whether we have placed too much hope and expectation on the shoulders of a single individual. Its almost as if we demand a century from Sachin every time he walks to the crease. What is even more astonishing is that Sachin has fulfilled all those expectations to score as many as 73 international centuries.
In England, they celebrate a Graeme Hick when he scores a hundred first class hundreds. Here, you have a cricketer who is poised to score a hundred international centuries, and there are still critics who wonder whether he has the motivation to stay on top of his game. It's a bit like seeing a Kohinoor in front of our eyes, and still wondering whether we should make a trip to the Tower of London. Pause for a moment to also think of Vinod Kambli, Sachin's school soul mate and batting partner. Kambli once spoke of how "Sachin had taken an elevator, while he had climbed the stairs to the top." But after one great series against England, Kambli found that it was even more difficult staying at the top than just getting there. Which is why Sachin is sui generis. In cricketing terms, only Sunil Gavaskar, the man whose record Tendulkar now owns, and Kapil Dev can be compared to him. The holy trinity of Indian cricket, you couldn't get three more different players: Gavaskar the architect, Kapil Dev the innovator and Tendulkar the artist. Obvious talent apart, what binds them together is their sheer determination and commitment, a glue which has laid the foundation of modern Indian cricket.

In a sense, Sachin is our link to an India that existed before page three invaded our homes, before instant celebrities were manufactured by the media even if their achievements are shorter than the length of their skirts.

This is not just some one film hit star, who dances his way to the box office. Sachin's achievements are based on solid performance, on rigour, on durability and, above all, genuine skill, qualities that have made him a national icon.

This is a moment to be not just proud of, but grateful for. Thank you for the memories Sachin, and making it a little easier to live and grow up in modern India.[/tscii:a5f4bf4964]

[Sourav]

Aarambichittangeppa.... :banghead:

http://epaper.dinamalar.com/DM/MADHURAI/2008/11/25/Article//014/25_11_2008_014_003.jpg

[ajithfederer]

Sourav

Please don't post such lame things in future. These things are of no use.

Aarambichittangeppa.... :banghead:

http://epaper.dinamalar.com/DM/MADHURAI/2008/11/25/Article//014/25_11_2008_014_003.jpg

[ajithfederer]

97 Wickets in 207 Winning Indian matches for Sachin Tendulkar (http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/player/35320.html?class=2;filter=advanced;result=1;templa te=results;type=bowling;view=match)

[Sourav]

Sourav

Please don't post such lame things in future. These things are of no use.

Aarambichittangeppa.... :banghead:

http://epaper.dinamalar.com/DM/MADHURAI/2008/11/25/Article//014/25_11_2008_014_003.jpg :|
k.... :)

[ajithfederer]

Kovichukadheenga.

Players like srinath, sadagoppan rames, sujeeth somasunder aalalukku oru opinion sollikite dhan irupaanuga. adhayellam perusa eduthukka koodathu.
Adhai inge post seyyaradhu avanugalukku thevai illadha pablicitee. :P.


Sourav

Please don't post such lame things in future. These things are of no use.

Aarambichittangeppa.... :banghead:

http://epaper.dinamalar.com/DM/MADHURAI/2008/11/25/Article//014/25_11_2008_014_003.jpg :|
k.... :)

[Sourav]

Kovichukadheenga.

Players like srinath, sadagoppan rames, sujeeth somasunder aalalukku oru opinion sollikite dhan irupaanuga. adhayellam perusa eduthukka koodathu. Adhai inge post seyyaradhu avanugalukku thevai illadha pablicitee. :P.


Sourav

Please don't post such lame things in future. These things are of no use.

Aarambichittangeppa.... :banghead:

http://epaper.dinamalar.com/DM/MADHURAI/2008/11/25/Article//014/25_11_2008_014_003.jpg :|
k.... :)
hey illa.... i was :x after read this news in paper...
As Nerd said b4...oru match adikkalennathum they started to bash again....i thought u guys wil give some 'comment' on this...thats y posted it... :)

[ajithfederer]

Oh appidi vaareengala ...okok :lol:


Kovichukadheenga.

Players like srinath, sadagoppan rames, sujeeth somasunder aalalukku oru opinion sollikite dhan irupaanuga. adhayellam perusa eduthukka koodathu. Adhai inge post seyyaradhu avanugalukku thevai illadha pablicitee. :P.


Sourav

Please don't post such lame things in future. These things are of no use.

Aarambichittangeppa.... :banghead:

http://epaper.dinamalar.com/DM/MADHURAI/2008/11/25/Article//014/25_11_2008_014_003.jpg :|
k.... :)
hey illa.... i was :x after read this news in paper...
As Nerd said b4...oru match adikkalennathum they started to bash again....i thought u guys wil give some 'comment' on this...thats y posted it... :)

[ajithfederer]

1998 Independence Cup India vs Pakistan Sachin 95 vs Pak (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrpC84gH6mo)

[ajithfederer]

1998 Independence Cup India vs Pakistan 3rd Final Sachin 41 (26) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwMx4eHZxY4)

[selvakumar]

annaatha aaduraarah innaikki ?

[Sourav]

annaatha aaduraarah innaikki ?
:yes:...
viru than doubt.... :?

[selvakumar]

annaatha aaduraarah innaikki ?
:yes:...
viru than doubt.... :?

:ty: :D

[ajithfederer]

http://cricketnext.in.com/news/dhoni-tendulkar-unwilling-to-tour-pakistan/35979-13.html

New Delhi: Top Indian players including captain MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar have said that they are unwilling to tour Paksitan.

CNN-IBN has learnt that India's senior players are unwilling to go in January for their scheduled three-Test and five-ODI series.

According to sources Dhoni, Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh have all expressed their unwillingness to go to Pakistan.

The players believe that in spite of assurances from the PCB, the security threat in touring Pakistan is simply too great at the moment.

PCB chief Ejaz Butt is scheduled to tour India early next month to try and convince the BCCI but that plea is now likely to fall on deaf ears.

CNN-IBN did report earlier that the Ministry of External Affairs is also unlikely to clear the tour.

Pakistan's foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi is in Delhi with the message that Pakistan wants more cricketing and diplomatic ties with India.

Virtually snubbing Pakistan's interior secretaryy, Qureshi said Pakistan wanted more people to people contacts with India and welcomed Dhoni's boys and other Indians to Pakistan.

Interior secretary Kamal Shah had said on Tuesday that diplomatic ties with India could be affected if New Delhi cancelled the January cricket tour.

The PCB has assured full security for the team, but the Ministry of External Affairs is uncomfortable with the high security risk. A final decision is expected in two weeks.

[ajithfederer]

Sachin Tendulkar century vs South Africa, 1996/97 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvJy8V0vpLc)

[ajithfederer]

http://www.orkut.com/Main#CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=23803&tid=5273655154409376056&na=1&nst=1

MASTER BLASTER'S STATS No 1:
The Maestro's stats ll b updated after each game in this thread!

Tests-154
Runs-12,273
Batting average-54.30
100s-40
50s-51
Top score-248
Wickets-42
Bowling average-53.02
Best bowling-3/10
Catches-100

Upto the end of Australian series 2008.

ODIs-419
Runs scored-16,422
Batting average-44.26
100s-42
50s-90
Top score-186*
Wickets-154
Bowling average-44.12
5 wickets in an innings-2
Best bowling-5/32
Catches-126

Upto the end of England series 2008

Twenty 20s-12
Runs scored-386
50s-3
Top score-69
Batting average-35.09
Wickets-2
Best bowling-1/12
Bowling average-32.50
Catches-8


ODIs
Ducks-20 times
1-20 times
2-16 "
3-10 "
4-12 "
5-8 "
6-8 "
7-7 "
8-9 "
9-4 "
10-5 "
therefore, 1-10 : 99 "

11-10 "
12-5 "
13-3 "
14-5 "
15-6 "
16-4 "
17-6 "
18-6 "
19-4 "
20-2 "
therefore, 11-20 : 51 "

21-8 "
22-3 "
23-3 "
24-2 "
25-4 "
26-2 "
27-4 "
28-6 "
29-3 "
30-6 "
therefore, 21-30 : 41 "

31-4 "
32-5 "
33-1 "
34-3 "
35-5 "
36-7 "
37-4 "
38-3 "
39-6 "
40-4 "
therefore, 31-40 : 42 "

41-4 "
42-1 "
43-1 "
44-4 "
45-5 "
46-0 "
47-3 "
48-3 "
49-2 "
50-2 "
therefore, 41-50 : 25 "

51-1 "
52-3 "
53-4 "
54-4 "
55-2 "
56-0 "
57-4 "
58-0 "
59-0 "
60-1 "
therefore, 51-60 : 19 "

61-1 "
62-5 "
63-4 "
64-1 "
65-6 "
66-1 "
67-3 "
68-2 "
69-2 "
70-2 "
therefore, 61-70 : 27 "

71-1 "
72-1 "
73-1 "
74-1 "
75-0 "
76-0 "
77-2 "
78-1 "
79-1 "
80-1 "
therefore, 71-80 : 9 "

81-3 "
82-4 "
83-1 "
84-1 "
85-1 "
86-1 "
87-1 "
88-2 "
89-2"
90-1 "
therefore, 81-90 : 17 "

91-2 "
92-0 "
93-5 "
94-1 "
95-2 "
96-0 "
97-2 "
98-1 "
99-3 "
therefore, 91-99 : 16 "


100-6 "
101-2 "
102-1 "
104-1 "
105-2 "
110-2 "
112-1 "
113-1 "
114-1 "
115-1 "
117-2 "
118-2 "
120-1 "
122-2 "
123-1 "
124-1 "
127-2 "
128-1 "
134-1 "
137-1 "
139-1 "
140-1 "
141-3 "
143-1 "
146-2 "
152-1 "
186-1 "

therefore, 100s-42

P.S: All the Stat posts that follow are taken from the same link here.
Courtesy: Sachin Orkut Community.

[ajithfederer]

Stats No:2
The Maestro has 87 100+ runs partnership in ODIs
with
Manjrekar- 102 (1)
Azhar- 127,175,129,109,121,112,120,121 (8)
Kambli- 164,117 (2)
Jadeja- 105,100,108,176,163,108,120*,132,143 (9)
Prabhakar- 144,161 (2)
Sidhu- 231 (1)
Ganguly-126,116,169,159,175,115,252,197*,127,153,141,102,1 57,133,193,101,258, 244,103,154,100,134,113,116,150,140 (26)
Laxman- 104,199,190,110 (4)
Dravid- 180,140,237*,331,180,114,169,105,106,118,158 (11)
Robin Singh- 100 (1)
Badani- 135* (1)
Sehwag- 107,134,153,103,182,103,130,106,105,107,136 (11)
Kaif- 102 (1)
Dhoni- 129,126 (2)
Irfan Pathan- 164,125 (2)
Yuvi- 105,122 (2)
Gambhir- 173,102 (2)
Rohit- 123 (1)

:clap: :clap:

[ajithfederer]

Stats no:3
SRT/Tests/2008 (http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/player/35320.html?class=2;filter=advanced;orderby=start;s panmin1=01+jan+2008;spanval1=span;template=results ;type=batting;view=match)

Matches: 11
Inns:21
NO:2
Ave:47.73
H.S:154 N.O
100's:3
50's:3

[ajithfederer]

Stats No:4
http://www.orkut.com/Main#CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=23803&tid=5273655154409376056&na=2&nst=10

SRT/ODI's/2008 (http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/player/35320.html?class=2;filter=advanced;orderby=start;s panmin1=01+jan+2008;spanval1=span;template=results ;type=batting;view=match)

Sachin's ODI stats 4 the year 2008
Matches : 12
Total Runs : 460
Top score : 117*
100s/50s : 1/3
Batting average : 37.42
Strike rate : 81.73
Boundaries (4s/6s) : 46/0
Catches : 6

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:a8db4b0e25]http://www.orkut.com/Main#CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=34362644&tid=2561052173610118597&na=1&nst=1

Excerpts from the book 'Sachin TendulkarMasterful'

Excerpts from one of the best books written on master “Sachin Tendulkar Masterful”. The authors of the book are Peter Murray and Ashish Shukla and the book was published in the year 2001-2002.

Shukla and Murray think that "Tendulkar fills a vacuum in a nation bereft of role models" and that he is a "unifying symbol" across the diversity of India. He will never be as rich as US basketball star Michael Jordan, and yet he escapes the censure which that legend faces about being too greedy and lacking social responsibility. In his quiet, unobtrusive way, Tendulkar assists programs to help Mumbai slum children. On field, hardly anyone has detected contretemps by him.
How many individuals have the honor of having biographies written about them when they are 29? How many sport stars can singularly lift a nation's mood? How many cricketers can dream of earning the ultimate eulogy, as from former South African cricket hero Barry Richards, "that for sheer entertainment, Sachin will keep cricket alive"?
If the classic cricket writer, Neville Cardus, were alive, I wonder if he might have fumbled for apposite language to describe Tendulkar. We are fortunate to be living in his age and watching him live, for cricket will never be the same after he hangs up his bat.

In the words of his Mumbai and India colleague, Ravi Shastri, "He is someone sent from up there to play cricket and go back." The day he goes back, cricket will be poorer.


THE EARLY YEARS
Under Achrekar, Tendulkar’s life was now charted to a new course. His new coach’s method were simple and time tested and demanded enormous discipline. Achrekar believed in putting his wards into math situations and sometimes the young Tendulkar would play in as many as 13 matches in a day. In the huge Sivaji Park, where dozens of matches are held every Sunday, Tendulkar would get dismissed in one match and then promptly take a fresh guard in another close by game.
He was pushed harder and harder by coach Achrekar in his new pursuit, practicing each day between 7 and 9 am and 3.30 and 6.30 pm. In between he would play matches . If Tendulkar fell for a low score in one match, his coach would take him to another game so he could bat again.
Recalls Achrekar: “In the process, Tendulkar sometimes found he played for about 13 diffrent teams. One day when he was 14, he scored a century in the Giles Shield and then a double century in the Harris Shield”.
Tendulkar remembers to this day “ It was a big thing to get that coin for myself. I lost a coupel of times but I have 13 coins with me. I didn’t spent that money.”
“At the age of 12 and 13 I was practicing 12 hours a day. Seven till nine in the morning, then playing the game from 9.30 to 4.30 and then practicing again from 5.30 to 7.00 pm. Once I played 54 matches in a row! My friends had music and films and I had cricket.
What brought Tendulkar to national consciousness was his unbeaten 664-run stand with Vinod Kambli for Sardharshan School in the inter-school tournament in 1988.
Tendulkar was only 15 when he played his first class cricket, for Mumbai, then Bombay. In keeping true to the fairytale, he registered a century - a feat he was to repeat in his first appearance in the Deodhar and Duleep Trophy.


FIRST TEST KARACHI NOVEMBER 15-20, 1989
Also making his debut alongside was Salil Ankola and Waqar Younis for Pakistan. Tendulkar’s turn to bat came on the second day of the first Test. He was only 16 years and 205 days at that time.
“ I was too young to be frightened by anything” recalls Tendulkar.
Wasim Akram was almost unplayable in his first spell and had the Indian openers out in no time at all.
So, Tendulkar walked out with board presenting a sorry sight at 4/41.The youngster was in daze and did’nt know what was happening around him. He was peppered by short pitched deliveries by the ramping Pakistani bowlers and realized instantly how quality cricket differed from the school cricket and even a few domestic class cricket. After scratching 15 runs . not in great style by long definition, Tendulkar was cleaned up by Waqar as his third victim.
India ended with 262 in next morning and Pakistan replied in there second innings with a total of 305/5 declared. Now with a target of 453 in front of them, wining was out of question for India. India was able to save the match by a determined innings from a very fine gritty unbeaten innings of 113 by Manjrekar.

The famous characteristics of Tendulkar were evident this early in his career. Private and intense and extremely determined to succeed at highest level. He was up and on his with a half century under his belt in the next Test. It was also the Test when he was subjected from a verbal assault by Akram. According to an apocryphal tale, Tendulkar is said to have walked up the fiery left-arm paceman and asked him why he had to sledge so hard when his bowling itself was in class of its own.
“After that half century, I knew I could survive at this level of cricket” Says Tendulkar. Survive, he did.


FAMILY LIFE
In India’s entertainment world nothing is better than cricket or films. It is only natural that stars of these two spheres seek acceptance and respect in each other’s area of influence but Tendulkar has shown no such frailty in his temperament. He would rather spend time with the people he has grown up with or his immediate family.
The third son of four siblings, three brothers and a sister, Tendulkar was born on 24th April, 1974. His father was a Marathi poet and a writer who earned his living as a professor. His mother worked for the Life Insurance Corporation. It is a measure of importance they attached to values, as stressed by a whole lot of ordinary middle class Indian parents, that even after their youngest son had become rich and famous, his parents quietly kept up the schedule they had followed with such discipline and dignity for decades.
When his parents worked, Sachin was looked by his nanny(grandmother) Laxmibai. She looked after him for 11 years. “he was a wonderful child, very mischievous and extremely restless. He would take a box and play the dhol (drum) and sing loudly like a joker” recounts Laxmibai.
“Even as a toddler, Sachin was attracted to a cricket. When he was two and a half years old, he used to insist that I throw ball at him. It was a plastic ball and he batted with a dhoka (washing stick)”says Laxmibai. “We used to go to the terrace and play. I was the first bowler he faced in his life. His first cricket bat was gifted to him on a birthday”.
One person who never watches Sachin play, not even on television, is his brother Ajit. It is quiet ironic the man whose whole sole mission was to see younger brother succeed in the cricket world, can’t bring himself to actually watch him in action.

Word is still not out in public as to how the affair between Anjali and Sachin blossomed and culminated in their marriage. Daughter of an industrialist father and British mother, Anjali has an easiness about her which compliments Tendulkar perfectly.


Anjali has been a source of strength in Tendulkar’s life. She has been a support and not hindrance in Tendulkar’s pursuit for still greater heights in his career. Unlike the kids of rich and famous, Sara and Arjun are allowed to mingle freely with the neighbors children and even those of helpers.
The media has fallen over each other to secure an interview of people who form his family. They haven’t succeeded so far. There has been no interview of his father when he a alive, or his mother or for that matter his brother or sister. Requests to interview his wife are always met with a definite NO.
Faith is centre to Sahin’s psyche. A firm believer in God. He says he visits the temple at night when it is not crowded and peaceful. Ganapati and Sai Baba are two of his favorite deities and he believes his talent and success is all because of God’s grace.


TEST CAREER
His best knocks have spanned the entire length of his career. He did’nt need time to grow into the harsh environs of international cricket. Somehow, he always looked prepared to take on the world’s best in unfamiliar conditions. Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis in his first series, Richard Hadlee in the next, Merv Hughes, Craig McDermott, Paul Reiffel and Allan Donald in his subsequent tours could’nt dislodge a young boy of 15 from his journey to be a cricketing icon.
Tendulkar was only 18 when he first toured down under.
During the first four encounter Australia gained advantage with 3-0 lead. In the fifth test at Perth. Australia scored 346 in their first innings. India were in trouble soon at 130/5.
Tendulkar, meanwhile at the other end was building a little master piece for himself.
Raju(night watchman) was gone without adding any on the next morning score now 135/6, Hughes with this chest free of any restrain from shirt buttons, many pounds of flesh seemingly hanging out of his awesome fame, a growling visage heightened by a walrus-like moustache, pounded away his full repertoire at the baby-faced youngster.
Tendulkar, unlike on the other day was in the mood to dominate. He cut the Victorian fast bowler for a four and continued to play his shots till he reached his half century. Hi senior Kapil Dev stays long enough to stretch the score to 7 for 159 though his contribution was only 4 runs. Prabhakar was out without socring India now were 8 for 159.
Tendulkar is now left with only wicket keeper Kiran More and Javagal Srinath to do what he can for the Team. He started playing some short as he was falling short of partners.
At drinks break, India are 188 for 8.


The second hour of the day was Tendulkar’s in every macro second of the term. He brought a rousing climax to an innings which would be hailed as one of the greatest ever seen down under. Men many years his senior would’nt dream of a counter attack this belligerent and breathtaking against an awesome attack on a designer pitch. Runs were now almost scored by Tendulkar. When Reiffel bowled no ball to bring up the 200 of the innings, it was a long time since a run had come without Tendulkar’s bat coming into the picture. A four and three in this over took Tendulkar into the90’s. The Aussies were now intent to deny Tendulkar the strike, the bowling reshuffles are done almost every over to break the rhythm - when skill fails, the mind games come into play - this seems to be policy.
In the over followed by Mc Dermott there a dashing 4 from Tendulkar. An outstanding innings of three and a quarter hours, with 14 fours from 135 balls, is almost divine in its scope and breath. In all 98 runs are added in the opening session and Tendulkar’s contribution is 81 to More’s 11. India are 8 for 233 at the Lunch break.
Tendulkar soon completed his Ton. India lost that game, but cricket in general had found reasons to remember the match. It was Tendulkar’s game out and out. In days to come, the little lad would be hailed as the next Bradman - by the none other than the Don himself


The winds of change were blowing stronger than ever. India humiliated by Sri Lanka in the 1996 world cup semi-finals at Eden garden, was in a mood of retribution. Someone needed to be held accountable for India’s embarrassment. Azhar paid the price after India lost 1-0 to England in the series. The Sidhu episode did’nt do him any credit, nor his own form.
Tendulkar, meanwhile, was looking more lustrous than ever. Ever. He had an outstanding world cup and his century in the first test at Edgbaston more r less unofficially anointed him as India’s future skipper.
This hundred was remarkable innings in its own right. It was Tendulkar’s ninth century at the tender age of 23 and no-one doubted he was the most out standing right-hander in the game at that moment. The Telegraph of London was lyrical “For anyone to score so freely on a dry and crcking surface was prize winning feat; for one to do so while wickets tumbled all around was the mark of a champion”.
India scored 214 in there first innings with Tendulkar also scoring 20 odd runs. England replied with 313 runs.
Next innings saw a brilliant knock from Tendulkar. Tendulkar came to the crease with score board reading 17/2. England bowling attack was decent with the likes of Dominic Cork, Chris Lewis, Allan Mullally and Ronnie Irani.
Tendulkar’s first boundary was a steer on the third man boundary. He seemed set to bide his time and score off the bad balls. The state of the wicket dictated a cautious approach what with the ball swinging and dipping in helpful conditions and the Indian innings in complete disarray. Tendulkar went to the other extreme - watchful defence was interspersed with cracking stroke play. Irani’s arrival on the bowling crease was a moment of rare opportunity and Tendulkar on-drove smashed past the covers and then pulled a fur to end a productive over. In Irani’s next over, Tendulkar repeated the dose with the cover boundary and a pulled four.


Tendulkar’s pace did’nt slacken even after debutant Sunil Joshi became the fifth batsman to be out for 68 and he was soon past his half century. Tendulkar was beginning to get under their skin because of control, power and supreme authority he was displaying in the middle.
The visible sign of it all appeared when Lewis made a ball climb past the outside edge of Tendulkar’s bat and everyone blasted a high decibel appeal at the umpire. Tendulkar on 76 at this stage, suggested the ball had gone pat his upper arm. It seemed to bring out in the open all frustration of England captain Mike Atherton. He finger-wagged at the batsman, suggesting Tendulkar had no business to give his opinion to the umpire. It got ugly to the point where umpire David Shepherd had to step in and ask England captain to watch his step - and his mouth. Indeed, Atherton was lucky to get away with just a reprimand from match refree Cammie Smith at the Tea interval.
Tendulkar duly reached his hundred after tea, he scored 122 in only177 balls and included a high percentage of boundary hits - 19 fours and a six in all. The rest of the team contribution was only 97 runs, including 14 extras.


This innings at Edgbaston was to bring far reaching changes in Tendulkar’s career. He was appointed captain - at 24 - as soon as India finished the tour of Blighty with a 1-0 Test scoreline against it.
He took a team to Toronto for a five match India-Pak series - a sham tourney at best of times and defeated Mark Taylor’s men in one off Test at Ferozshah Kotla in New Delhi to suggest captaincy was his for keeps. He also defeated Hanie Cronje’s men 2-1 in a three Test series, a series which caused much bitterness and heart burn among the Proteas who were not prepared to accept a loss in the Test arena.
Things started to go wrong for Tendulkar from this stage onwards. India was on a tour to two daunting tours of South Africa and West Indies in the first half of 1997 and the years schedule also included a visit to Sri Lanka freshly crowned world champions and on their sub-continent’s cricketing super power neighbors- Pak.
South Africa won the first Test of the series convincingly. The revenge of the defeat they had against India was already on its way. The second test was scheduled at Newlands in Capetown. SA again piled up 529 with centuries from Gary Kristen, Macmillan and Klusener. India were slumped to 58 for 5.
Tendulkar was joined by Azhar on the crease. The second session of he day though saw a partnership of rare magnificence unfold in front of a packed audience. It was Saturday and all the fans at converged at Newlands in the hope of a quick demolition of their heroes. The message was clear when Azhar picked up 3 fours in Kluseners initial offerings and followed next with 2 more in bowler’s next over.


Tendulkar’s duel with Allan Donald at the other end was a classic confrontation. Donald steamed into bowl with his customary hostility, using his vast experience and the supposed upper hand of the first Test to test the mettle of the young champion. Tendulkar was presenting the full face of the blade mostly, which grew broader and broader as minutes ticked by. A punched drive past mid off Donald, followed by one executed in the extra cover region was too good to be true. The South African had no inkling the carpet would be pulled from under their feet so quickly. They stood rooted to their as fours flowed in all directions.
When Azhar was dismissed for 115 in 110 balls with 19 fours and a six at 280 for six, the two had added 222 runs for the sixth wicket in just 40 overs. It was a signal for Tendulkar to grow more hectic in its stroke play. He became the last man to be dismissed for 169 from a six and a half hours of batting, inclusive of 26 fours. India was all out for 359 and SA replied with 256/6 declared. India were all out on the merely 144 runs on the final day for a comfortable win in no way detracted from the big story of the match and it was Tendulkar’s masterly innings and his stand with Azhar. It would remain one of the most memorable moments of Test cricket ever played in the history of the game.
A particular distressing period for master was the Barbados Test of 1997 against the WI. India failed to make 120 runs to win the Test. It marked a real low in the young master’s life. One would never forget the next morning after the match with downcast Indians at the airport trying to catch a plane to Antigua where the next test was scheduled. Nobody dared to come close to him, not coach nor the senior members of the side.


India had ended the third day with 100/1. Next day Sidhu got out after scoring 64 runs scorecard 115/2. Dravid was settling into his groove nicely when Tendulkar took guard for the second time in the match. The belligerence from Tendulkar was astonishing as he struck 155 runs from just 191balls, including four sixes and 14 fours and provided a supersonic momentum to the innings, India declared at 418 for four and set Australia a target f 348 runs.
This was Tendulkar’s 3d test century in 7 appearances against Australia. The power he imparted to his strokes was breathtaking and his placement was impeccable. He reserved his special attention for Warne, repeatedly coming down the track and hitting him aginast the spin in the vacant onside field and on afew occasions even managed straight sixes over the bowlers head. He reached his half century from just 64 balls and hundred off another 63, a span in which he hit 3 sixes.


Chennai was again the venue of Tendulkar’s next epic instance. It was against the arch rivals Pakistan. Pakistan batted first and scored 238/10 India in reply scored 254/10. In there next innings Pakistan scored 286/10 leaving India a target of 271 runs. India lost both its openers with only 6 on the board. India 40/2 at the end of days play with Rahul and Sachin both at the crease. Rahul soon out in the next morning. Saqlain, at the other end was keeping Tendulkar quiet and caused him to mistime his strokes. Saqlain soon claimed the wickets of Azhar and Ganguly. Progress in the morning session was slow as India pushed and prodded only 46 runs.
Indeed, by the time the Tea brake was taken India had advanced there score by only 107 runs in 4 hours. India though were not to lose a single wicket in afternoon session as Tendukar and Nayan Mongia dug there heels in.
As Tendulkar’s innings went into overdrive in the final session, it was also a signal of extreme distress for him. Everytime he went forward, pain shot through his back to his lower half and he was jolted everytime he made a forward motion. Sensing his physical discomfort, the Pakistani bowlers were intent on drawing him forward, Looking at Tendulkar, one could see he was in no position to carry on batting but somehow he pulled along, even twice driving Akram down for four.
With India now closing in on the Pakistan’s target, the two batsman were seen consulting more often in the middle. The stand grew and was now worth 136 runs when Mongia, went to hit Akram and was caught at mid-on. Tendulkar was visibly very tired and suffered from spasms in the back. He seemed to finish the game in hurry and smashed Saqlain straight into the sightscreen for four and then pulled him for another boundary at square leg.


But, then trying to loft the next ball over the bowlers head, he holed out to Akram at deep mid off. India still needed 17 runs to win were finally bowled out and were short of 12 runs. Tendulkar had batted heroically for 405 minutes and hit 18 fours from 378 balls for his valiant 136 runs.
A Tendulkar’s lay on the physio’s bench, match refree Cammie Smith announced at the presentation ceremony that it was he, and not Afridi and Saqlain (87/10), who was the Man of the Match. Tendulkar was in no position to collect the award but he would have bargained it with anything else to win the match for his country. He says now “In my heart and heart I know, Pakistan had given it up”, he pauses to think, then repeats “They had given it up”. Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram was magnanimous in defeat. “I have long said that Tendulkar is the best batsman in the world and today we saw one of the finest innings I have have ever seen played.”
It was a long, long time before he overcame the trauma of that reverse in Chennai. Even now, a mention of that match makes his visage a grim one.


ONEDAY CAREER
The reason that Tendulkar is considered the most complete batsman ever is his awe-inspiring record in both Test and one day international cricket. (Old Records)With 32 centuries, more than 11,000 runs (average of 44) and 105 wickets in the shorter version of the game, Tendulkar has left his nearest competitors light years behind.

Tendulkar became an opener of choice rather than one groomed for the role by his seniors. He pleaded to be given a chance to open the innings in a one day game at Auckland against New Zealand. Navjot Sidhu, the regular opener, luckily pulled out due to a neck strain .As it turned out, the game was virtually over in the first 15 overs. He smashed 82 off 49 balls with 15 fours and 3 sixes, most of them in front of the wickets. His power and style was captivating on the day. This was his 70th knock of his day career and it was only a matter of time before his maiden century would arrive, assured as he was of opening innings from now on.
His next innings in Sharjah against UAE took him past 2,000 one day internationals runs and he followed it up with 73 against arch rivals Pakistan. People who watched this innings would remember it long for the duel it showcased between Tendulkar and Akram. Tendulkar first crashed Akram through covers and then swung him over square leg for a six. Akram’s response was to bowl a short quick delivery which, even on a slow Sharjah surface, climbed up steeply to leaving a dent on Tendulkar’s helmet.
He scored his maiden ODI century against Australia at the Premadasa Stadium in Sri Lanks in tht 1994-1995 Singer Cup. He scored 110 runs from 130 balls.
Fittingly, some of Tendulkars best knock came during the year 1998 when he amashed 1894 runs from 33 innnings at 65.31 with as many as 9 hundreds. Four of them against Australia: three of them, each a masterpiece in its own right.


At the Kochi one-dayer, he "bowled leg spin at the right-handers and off spin to the left-handers" and ended with figures of five wickets for 32 runs in 10 overs. India’s 300 plus target had suddenly begun to appear too small. The 200 of the Australian innings was up in the 32nd over. Michael Bevan and Steve Waugh were proving a great influence in the middle ver and had put on 70 runs in just 11 overs. Tendulkar wa already in the middle of his spell when he tasted his first success. It came in the form of Waughs wicket who pushed back a chance for the bowlers to accept when on 26. Darren Lehmann, shortly fell leg before to Tendulkar. Tendulkar, then had the prized wicket of Bevan, stumped by Mongia for 65. Bevan was beaten both in air and off the pitch to set up a leg-ide stumping by Mongia. India suddenly sensed a turnaround to their fortunes. Tendulkar was to account for Tom Moddy and Damien Martyn as well and Australia crashed to 268 all out.
The two sides then left for Sharjah to play a triangular series which also featured New Zealand. India had an inconsistent run till the it came to the final league game of the tournament. Australia were already through to the finls and Indias fate rested on mathematical equation. When the Australian made 284, India seemed as good as out of the tournament


To start with, Tendulkar did’nt start hammering the bowlers from the first ball. But the first aggressive shot was devastating enough Tendulkar coming down the track to Kasprowicz and seeing the bowler drop the ball short, swinging his bat in an arc with such robust power that the ball lay many a tier deep at the midwicket boundary. It was a savage stroke followed by another six off the same bowler in the same direction. Tendulkar had signaled his intention to take on the Australians.
A dust storm in the middle of the innings almost disrupted the Indian plans. All of a sudden, the skyline in Sharjah was filled with sandy dust and game needed to be stopped.
Tendulkar walked off from the field but did’nt enter the dressing room. He kept sitting outside, with his helmet on, and waiting for the sky toclear. Millions, in India and worldwide were glued to their television sets, unable to break themselves free even when the decent hour for sleep was long gone past. The weather did clear and Tendulkar was allowed to accomplish his unfinished job.
Sunil Gavaskar at the commentators box had sensed something sensational. He kept saying Tendulkar would not rest at just Indias qualification and indeed would try to win the game. Tendulkar did seem to go for the juglar. Instead of getting tired in the heat, his forearm seemed to impart more swing and power to his shots. Steve Waugh was the one to be mauled during this onslaught: the Australian captain conceding 65 runs in his nine overs.
Tendulkar departed only after he had taken India to safe shores. His 143 from 131 balls till then being his highet one day cricket contained 9 fours and 5 sixes. When he departed India had already qualified for the finals. Who knows if Tendulkar was around, India might have pulled off an improbable win.


But Tendulkar was very much around when India were asked to repeat the act against Australia. In the finals, two days lter. It was a special day for another reason: Tendulkar, on, this day of 24th April was celebrating his 25th Bday.
Australia batted first and scored 272 for six. In reply, India lost Ganguly cheaply. Nayan Mongia was sent as a pinch hitter. Sensing the game would swiftly drift away from his team, Tendulkar indulged in some hectic hitting with Mongia. Mongia raised 28 for himself in 41 balls but Tendulkar hit through the line and found the gaps at will. So impressive was the recovery that the second wicket fell at 128 in the 25th over. India still needed close to 150 in remaining 25 overs.
Tndulkar had worked out the batting details to such a nicety that he eased off the gas pedal. He understood there was no need to go for big hitting, instead he shifted his focus on staying the wicket. Tendulkar was finally out leg before to Kasprowicz for 134 from 131 balls with 12 fours and 3 sixes. His last three innings against Austrlia has yielded 80,143 and 134.
Tendulkar was Man of the series, was gifted the keys of a new car, an award for hitting the most sixes(9) as well as a prize for scoring the fastest 50 off 44 balls.
If the Australians were to believe that the Tendulkar nightmare was now over, it surfaced again, albeit in a different country, it was at the mini world cup in Dhaka, , he scored his 3 consecutive century against Aussies, getting 141 in 127 balls with13 fours and 3 sixes and then capturing four wickets as a bowler.


Despite Tendulkar’s growing stature, the little master was still to strike an innings of mammoth proportion in one-day cricket. Tendulkar's epic unbeaten 186 in 151 balls with 19 fours and 4 sixes against New Zealand at Hyderabad in 1999 was described by the press as "batting mayhem", another stroke-studded knock that is his career best. Tendulkar and Dravid added 331 runs for the second wicket to push India to 376/2.
Tendulkar, as his score would convey, was unstoppable. There were orthodox drives and pulls interspersed with clever and hard running between the wickets.


THE RICHEST CRICKETER IN THE WORLD
Chances are, if you are at home or driving on the road in India, the smiling face of Tendulkar would accost you somehow. At home, you turn on the television or in office if you are catching up on the scores on the Internet, a Tendulkar site would blip up and down to wean away your attention. It’s like one of the sleazy dotcoms on the net, you open one and it won’t allow you to go away all that easily. You close one and another would pop up and so on and so forth before you are finally broken away from the spell.
An interesting sight greeted one at Centurion Park in November 2001 when India were engaged in a five-day "unofficial" Test against South Africa. The sightscreen at the far end had a digital advertisement on the entire length and breadth of it. It featured Italian automaker Palio’s new budgeted small car at the bottom of the hoarding, with more than two-third of it being adorned by Tendulkar’s face, giving a restrained even dignified smile. At the end of every over, with the striking batsman’s back at the ubiquitous sightscreen, the Palio advertisement like a venetian blind would slowly open in front of a few thousand spectators at Centurion Park — and in front of millions of television viewers in India and across the world.
Palio is only one of the latest to ride on the Tendulkar bandwagon of good image and high profile. He is the best known face in India, better than some of the superstars of Bollywood, India’s Mumbai based film industry which produces more movies than even Hollywood, and a recent market survey suggested he enjoys more popularity than even the Prime Minister of India. Everything seems to be going for him: immensely successful and yet so young; a career unblemished by not even a hint of scandal (at a time when the match-fixing scandal was at its height Tendulkar was one of the rare few to avoid the scrutiny); an extremely dependable family man and a celebrity who espouses moral values rather than be a walking billboard for vulgar money.



Money is important to him but not to the extent he compromises on his image or his privacy. Still, he happens to be the richest cricketer in the world.
If Tendulkar is cricket’s most marketable commodity, the late Mark Mascarenhas was the one who created that profile.
Mascarenhas, who liked being in the company of cricketers, then played a gamble which created a bigger stir and had his profile zooming further up on the horizon. WorldTel signed on the little genius Tendulkar for one and half million dollars annually for five years making him the most expensive cricketer ever. "It was a big risk," said WorldTel chief Mark Mascarenhas. "Somebody told me that he was available and that he wanted someone to represent him. I consulted people like Ravi Shastri and decided on signing the genius."
Till then Tendulkar, even though a major star and a captain-incumbent in 1995, was not such a hot property in the stakes of the advertising industry. His contract with Action Shoes, was worth a mere Rs 2 lakhs apparently. Even though cricket was popular, its visual appeal was greatly impaired by the poor quality of telecast from Doordarshan, and sponsors were few and far between. What also helped in cricket’s image transformation was the fact that India was undergoing a major change in its political climate and for the first time in its history, had gone for open markets. It allowed foreign television networks and multi-national companies to make a pitch in India and cricket was a natural extension for this local and foreign business opportunity. Mascarenhas thus hedged his bets on Tendulkar and he didn’t have any regrets. He acquired the right to market Tendulkar in 1996 for the guaranteed payment of $ 7.5 million (Rs 31.5 crore) over five years. In just under three years, WorldTel had raised $ 10 million (Rs 42 crore) in Tendulkar’s name. Mascarenhas had after all backed a real star.


Tendulkar’s rise coincided with the subcontinent’s emergence as the commercial hub of world cricket. In 1992, the India rights for the World Cup were bought for the Rs 25 lakh; for the 1996 World Cup it cost Rs 42 crore. Cricket became the national opiate. It meant that if Adidas pays Leander Paes Rs 12 lakh plus hefty bonuses, for Tendulkar it does not bulk at a crore and more per year in a six-year deal worth a couple of million dollars. Says G. Kannan, general manager, marketing, "At first glance it is a huge figure. But on analysis, if you look at his value, it appears reasonable." This is not a man to waste time bargaining over. During the 1996 World Cup, MRF representatives walked into Mascarenhas’ room and said they wanted the rights to Tendulkar’s bat. A deal was done in seconds.
When the time for Tendulkar’s renewal of contract came up in 2000, there were many who were willing to throw their hats in the ring and see if Tendulkar would catch the bait. They assumed Tendulkar would distance himself from Mascarenhas, as he had done to Ajay Jadeja, one of his real pals before the match-fixing disclosures dragged the latter in its pit. Tendulkar, against the sentiments of many, walked ahead and signed another deal with Mascarenhas.
The money promised by Mascarenhas to Tendulkar was huge even outrageous. He assured Tendulkar of a sum of Rs 100 crore over the next five years, a figure which matched what the accounts of the Indian cricket board showed as profit for its massive operations.
Tendulkar has already signed on with Britannia, HomeTrade, Boost, MRF, Adidas, Visa, Pepsi and more recently Fiat Palio. Each of these contracts is said to average about Rs 1.5 crore a year.


Tendulkar brings his own clinical efficiency for his sponsors off the field. He is known to refuse a cola in public and insists on Pepsi which he endorses. This story would help drive the point home: Recently he was travelling on a private airline and was offered a cola by an airhostess. He politely turned it down and asked for Pepsi. A fellow passenger, impressed by the icon’s brand loyalty, conveyed this to Vibha Paul Rishi, executive vice-president (marketing) of Pepsi, who interacts with Tendulkar on the company’s behalf. Rishi dashed off a letter thanking Tendulkar. The little genius’ response was typical: "You can always expect that from me." "That’s typical Sachin," said Vibha". It’s pretty hard initially to get him to sign up for you. But once he does, he is totally committed to the product."
Tendulkar has cultivated his image sensibly. Unafraid of interviews, careful not to court controversy, he is, says sports entrepreneur Lokesh Sharma, "a winner with the boy-next-door face". He will never earn what basketball icon Michael Jordan does, yet he escapes the censure Jordan faces. As the American writer Frank Deford put it, "This Jordan is a conglomerate, they say, too greedy, lacking social responsibility."
Tendulkar is a mini-conglomerate. More comfortably, social consciousness is not a required part of his agenda.
Quietly, one hears, he does his part, like assisting a programme that helps Mumbai slum children. But Indians, interested only in what he does at the wicket, do not quibble over how much he earns. Why should they? When last could one man alone lift a nation’s mood?[/tscii:a8db4b0e25]

[ajithfederer]

Stats No:5

This is the master's test records against the current world no.1 team & 4 times world cup winners!

IN INDIA:

Matches- 13
Runs- 1226
Highest Score- 177
Batting avg- 53.33
100s- 4
Wkts- 4
Best bowling(innings)- 3/31
Catches- 6

IN AUSTRALIA:

Matches- 16
Runs- 1522
Highest Score- 241*
Batting avg- 58.53
100s- 6
Wkts- 7
Best bowling(innings)- 2/10
Catches- 13

[ajithfederer]

Stats No:6
Sachin's Test record against aussies year wise!

1991:

Matches- 2
Runs- 78
Highest Score- 40
Batting avg- 19.50
100s- 0
Wkts- 0
Best bowling(innings)- nil
Catches- 2

1992:

Matches- 3
Runs- 290
Highest Score- 148*
Batting avg- 72.50
100s- 2
Wkts- 3
Best bowling(innings)- 2/10
Catches- 3

1996:

Matches- 1
Runs- 10
Highest Score- 10
Batting avg- 5.00
100s- 0
Wkts- 0
Best bowling(innings)- nil
Catches- 0

1998:

Matches- 3
Runs- 446
Highest Score- 177
Batting avg- 111.50
100s- 2
Wkts- 1
Best bowling(innings)- 1/41
Catches- 2

1999:

Matches- 2
Runs- 229
Highest Score- 116
Batting avg- 57.25
100s- 1
Wkts- 0
Best bowling(innings)- nil
Catches- 0

2000:

Matches- 1
Runs- 49
Highest Score- 45
Batting avg- 24.50
100s- 0
Wkts- 1
Best bowling(innings)- 1/34
Catches- 0

2001:

Matches- 3
Runs- 304
Highest Score- 126
Batting avg- 50.66
100s- 1
Wkts- 3
Best bowling(innings)- 3/31
Catches- 1

2003:

Matches- 3
Runs- 82
Highest Score- 44
Batting avg- 16.40
100s- 0
Wkts- 3
Best bowling(innings)- 2/36
Catches- 2

2004:

Matches- 3
Runs- 371
Highest Score- 241*
Batting avg- 92.75
100s- 1
Wkts- 0
Best bowling(innings)- nil
Catches- 2

2007:

Matches- 1
Runs- 77
Highest Score- 62
Batting avg- 38.50
100s- 0
Wkts- 0
Best bowling(innings)- nil
Catches- 2

2008:

Matches- 7
Runs- 812
Highest Score- 154*
Batting avg- 67.66
100s- 3
Wkts- 0
Best bowling(innings)- nil
Catches- 5

[ajithfederer]

Stats No:7
1st class stats of sachin

Matches: 254
Innings: 400
Runs: 21,036
Top score: 248*
Batting avg: 58.59
100s/50s: 66/97
Wkts: 67
Best bowling(innings): 3/10
Bowling avg: 61.43
Economy: 3.41
Catches: 167

[ajithfederer]

Stats No:7
Sachin's Performances in World cups:
Benson & Hedges World Cup (1991/92)

Matches: 8
Not outs: 1
Runs: 283
Top score: 84
Batting avg: 47.16
Strike rate: 84.73
100s: 0
50s: 3
Ducks: 0
Boundaries (4s/6s) : 24/1

Wills World Cup (1995/96)

Matches: 7
Not outs: 1
Runs: 523
Top score: 137
Batting avg: 87.16
Strike rate: 85.87
100s: 2
50s: 3
Ducks: 0
Boundaries (4s/6s) : 57/7

ICC World Cup (1999)

Matches: 7
Not outs: 1
Runs: 253
Top score: 140*
Batting avg: 42.16
Strike rate: 90.03
100s: 1
50s: 0
Ducks: 1
Boundaries (4s/6s) : 30/3

ICC World Cup (2003)

Matches: 11
Not outs: 0
Runs: 673
Top score: 152
Batting avg: 61.18
Strike rate: 89.25
100s: 1
50s: 6
Ducks: 0
Boundaries (4s/6s) : 75/4

ICC World Cup (2007)

Matches: 3
Not outs: 1
Runs: 64
Top score: 57*
Batting avg: 32.00
Strike rate: 110.34
100s: 0
50s: 1
Ducks: 1
Boundaries (4s/6s) : 3/4

[ajithfederer]

Stats No:8
sachin ranks 2nd in highest no.of runs scored in a series in ODIs.
it s 2003 ICC world cup!
the top 10 r as follows,
read it as player,no.of matches,total no.of runs,name of the series!

1)Greg Chappell - 14 - 686 - Benson & Hedges World Series Cup(1980/81)
2)Sachin Tendulkar - 11 - 673 - ICC World Cup(2003)
3)Mathew Hayden - 11 - 659 - ICC World Cup(2007)
4)Vivian Richards - 13 - 651 - Benson & Hedges World Series Cup(1984/85)
5)Allan Border - 13 - 590 - Benson & Hedges World Series Cup(1984/85)
6)David Gower - 10 - 563 - Benson & Hedges World Series Cup(1982/83)
7)Mahela Jayawardene - 11 - 548 - ICC World Cup(2007)
8)Mark Waugh - 9 - 542 - Carlton Series(2000/01)
9)Ricky Ponting - 11 - 539 - ICC World Cup(2007)
10)Vivian Richards - 14 - 536 - Benson & Hedges World Series Cup(1981/82)

[ajithfederer]

Stats No:9
Most no.of runs in a calendar year!

1)Sachin Tendulkar (1998) - 1894 - 34 matches
2)Sourav Ganguly (1999) - 1767 - 41 "
3)Rahul Dravid (1999) - 1761 - 43 "
4)Sachin Tendulkar (1996) - 1611 - 32 "
5)Mathew Hayden (2007) - 1601 - 32 "
6)Saeed Anwar (1996) - 1595 - 36 "
7)Sourav Ganguly (2000) - 1579 - 32 "
8)Mark Waugh (1999) - 1468 - 36 "
9)Gary Kirsten (2000) - 1467 - 36 "
10)Gary Kirsten (1996) - 1442 - 29 "

[ajithfederer]

Stats No:10
fastest 2 reach 1000 runs in an ODI

1)Vivian Richards (21 innings)
2)Kevin Pietersen (21 ")
3)Gordon Greenidge (23 ")
4)Glenn Turner (24 ")
5)Yasir Hameed (25 ")
6)Andrew Jones (25 ")
7)Navjot Sidhu (25 ")
8)Michael Artherton (25 ")
9)Greg Chappell (26 ")
10)Zaheer Abbas (26 ")


fastest 2 reach 2000 runs in ODIs

1)Zaheer Abbas (45 innings)
2)Kevin Pietersen (45 ")
3)Vivain Richards (48 ")
4)Gordon Greenidge (49 ")
5)Gary Kirsten (50 ")
6)David Boon (52 ")
7)Andrew Jones (52 ")
8)Navjot Sidhu (52 ")
9)Sourav Ganguly (52 ")
10)Marcus Trescothick (52 ")
10:02 (22 minutes ago)


fastest 2 reach 3000 runs in ODIs

1)Vivain Richards (69 ")
2)Gordon Greenidge (72 ")
3)Gary Kirsten (72 ")
4)Graham Gooch (76 ")
5)Kevin Pietersen (78 ")
6)Navjot Sidhu (79 ")
7)Brian Lara (79 ")
8)Boeta Dippenaar (79 ")
9)Michael Bevan (80 ")
10)Chris Gayle (80 ")


fastest 2 reach 4000 runs in ODIs
1)Vivain Richards (88 innings)
2)Gordon Greenidge (96 ")
3)Brian Lara (100 ")
4)Dean Jones (49 ")
5)Sourav Ganguly (102 ")
6)David Boon (105 ")
7)Geoff Marsh (106 ")
8)Graeme Smith (107 ")
9)Graham Gooch (108 ")
10)Navjot Sidhu (109 ")
10:09 (15 minutes ago)

fastest 2 reach 5000 runs in ODIs

1)Vivain Richards (114 innings)
2)Brian Lara (118 ")
3)Gordon Greenidge (121 ")
4)Sourav Ganguly (126 ")
5)Dean Jones (128 ")
6)Graeme Smith (131 ")
7)Mathew Hayden (133 ")
8)Michael Bevan (135 ")
9)Gary Kirsten (137 ")
10)Jacques Kallis (137 ")

fastest 2 reach 6000 runs in ODIs

1)Vivain Richards (141 innings)
2)Sourav Ganguly (147 ")
3)Mathew Hayden (154 ")
4)Brian Lara (155 ")
5)Dean Jones (157 ")
6)Gary Kirsten (160 ")
7)Desmond Haynes(162 ")
8)Saeed Anwar (162 ")
9)Ricky Ponting (166 ")
10)Mark Waugh (167 ")

fastest 2 reach 7000 runs in ODIs

1)Sourav Ganguly (174 innings)
2)Brian Lara (183 ")
3)Desmond Haynes (187 ")
4)Jacques Kallis (188 ")
5)Sachin Tendulkar (189 ")
6)Ricky Ponting (192 ")
7)Saeed Anwar(194 ")
8)Mark Waugh (198 ")
9)Mohammad Yousuf (199 ")
10)Javed Miandad (204 ")


fastest 2 reach 8000 runs in ODIs

1)Sourav Ganguly (200 innings)
2)Sachin Tendulkar (210 ")
3)Brian Lara (211 ")
4)Saeed Anwar (218 ")
5)Desmond Haynes (219 ")
6)Ricky Ponting (220 ")
7)Mark Waugh(223 ")
8)Jacques Kallis (223 ")
9)Mohammad Yousuf (227 ")
10)Rahul Dravid (228 ")


fastest 2 reach 9000 runs in ODIs
1)Sourav Ganguly (228 innings)
2)Sachin Tendulkar (235 ")
3)Brian Lara (239 ")
4)Ricky Ponting (242 ")
5)Jacques Kallis (242 ")
6)Mohammad Yousuf (245 ")
7)Rahul Dravid(259 ")
8)Adam Gilchrist (261 ")
9)Inzamam ul Haq (273 ")
10)Aravinda de Silva (288 ")

fastest 2 reach 10000 runs in ODIs

1)Sachin Tendulkar (259 innings)
2)Sourav Ganguly (263 ")
3)Ricky Ponting (266 ")
4)Brian Lara (278 ")
5)Rahul Dravid(287 ")
6)Inzamam ul Haq (299 ")
7)Sanath Jayasuriya (328 ")

fastest 2 reach 11000 runs in ODIs

1)Sachin Tendulkar (276 innings)
2)Ricky Ponting (286 ")
3)Sourav Ganguly (288 ")
4)Inzamam ul Haq (324 ")
5)Sanath Jayasuriya (354 ")

[viraajan]

Stats No:9
Most no.of runs in a calendar year!

1)Sachin Tendulkar (1998) - 1894 - 34 matches
2)Sourav Ganguly (1999) - 1767 - 41 "
3)Rahul Dravid (1999) - 1761 - 43 "
4)Sachin Tendulkar (1996) - 1611 - 32 "
5)Mathew Hayden (2007) - 1601 - 32 "
6)Saeed Anwar (1996) - 1595 - 36 "
7)Sourav Ganguly (2000) - 1579 - 32 "
8)Mark Waugh (1999) - 1468 - 36 "
9)Gary Kirsten (2000) - 1467 - 36 "
10)Gary Kirsten (1996) - 1442 - 29 "

Feddy,

Last year four of our players (Sourav, Sachin, and two others) corssed 1000 runs.

I guess sachin had scored somewhere around 1400+.... Check this out :) Correct me if i'm wrong :)

[ajithfederer]

Vineeth

This is the top Ten list of players who scored the most Number of runs in ODI's in a single calendar year. Guess this should be complete. Anyways I haven't cross verified any of the information here as I am just transferring the info.


Stats No:9
Most no.of runs in a calendar year!

1)Sachin Tendulkar (1998) - 1894 - 34 matches
2)Sourav Ganguly (1999) - 1767 - 41 "
3)Rahul Dravid (1999) - 1761 - 43 "
4)Sachin Tendulkar (1996) - 1611 - 32 "
5)Mathew Hayden (2007) - 1601 - 32 "
6)Saeed Anwar (1996) - 1595 - 36 "
7)Sourav Ganguly (2000) - 1579 - 32 "
8)Mark Waugh (1999) - 1468 - 36 "
9)Gary Kirsten (2000) - 1467 - 36 "
10)Gary Kirsten (1996) - 1442 - 29 "

Feddy,

Last year four of our players (Sourav, Sachin, and two others) corssed 1000 runs.

I guess sachin had scored somewhere around 1400+.... Check this out :) Correct me if i'm wrong :)

[ajithfederer]

http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/content/records/282854.html

Vineeth, You are right. Tendulkar occupies the 11th position in this elite list for calendar year 2007 with 1425 runs after Matt hayden (1601 runs).

:clap:

[ajithfederer]

Must needed General Knowledge stat no 11:
From 12000 to 16000 ODI Runs it s all the master's way!

http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/content/records/83548.html

[ajithfederer]

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/007200812011662.htm

Sachin gives tips to Mumbai players

Mumbai (PTI): The Mumbai Ranji Trophy team members, gearing up for a crucial Elite Division Group A tie against Hyderabad commencing on Tuesday at the Bandra-Kurla complex ground of the Mumbai Cricket Association, had an unexpected visitor in Sachin Tendulkar at their practice session on Monday.

The champion batsman had come to the ground for his training stint at the state-of-the-art gymnasium in the complex and took the opportunity to interact with the Mumbai players.

"I did not expect him to be here. Obviously, his presence is an inspiration to our players. He will have something to say to us later on (after the session)," said team captain Wasim Jaffer.

Jaffer said in case the two-Test series against England is called off due to the prevailing circumstances, he would try and request both Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan to play Mumbai's last home fixture scheduled at the same venue.

"If the Test series is not taking place I would speak to both Sachin and Zaheer to play the game against Punjab (later this month). In fact, it will be good for Indian cricket if all the players are available to play in Ranji Trophy. It will make it more interesting," he said.

[ajithfederer]

http://cricket.ndtv.com/cricket/ndtvcricket/cricketstory.aspx?id=SPOEN20080074657&site=ndtv

Aussie sachin fan warne on Sir:

"Comparisons with Sachin Tendulkar are unfair... Take him (Tendulkar) for what he is. Take Sehwag for what he is as well," he said and added "Their opening partnership in one-day cricket was usually worth the admission fee alone."

A self pro-claimed Tendulkar fan, Warne has now documented his feelings for the Indian, saying "Cricket has been fortunate to have a wonderful player and a first-rate ambassador, and to me he plays the game in right spirit...".

Warne also did not feel that being Tendulkar, it was imperative for the batting maestro to score in every innings.

"He doesn't score runs every innings, of course, but he hasn't suffered long troughs of poor form at any time in his career... the papers would praise him but also blame him sometimes if his innings did not win matches, as though he was responsible for the rest of the side -- what a joke that is. :rotfl:

The spin wizard also felt that Tendulkar should not be pestered to leave the game earlier than he wanted to, owing to factors like form and age.

"All good things come to an end, and we should make sure we really appreciate Tendulkar whilst he is around and playing well. We will all miss him when he is not around anymore!"

Please check out the article for more details on Virender shewag.

[ajithfederer]

http://cricketnext.in.com/news/i-couldnt-sleep-when-terror-struck-mumbai-tendulkar/36158-13.html

Mumbai: He may have made many bowlers lose their sleep by his explosive batting but Sachin Tendulkar could not close his eyes on the night the terror struck Mumbai.

"Right after the match, we got to know of the attack and since then I have been disturbed. I have been tracking the horrific images of mayhem on television. It saddened me to see my countrymen being targeted. I couldn't sleep all this time.

I am numb, the images keep playing in my head," Tendulkar told Star News.

"This was just not an attack on Mumbai; it is an attack on India," he added.

Tendulkar saluted the security persons who risked their lives to save the people of Mumbai.

"I thank the brave soldiers, the NSG commandos, marine commandos, Mumbai police, fire brigade personnel, the staff of the affected hotel and the innumerable officers and jawans who stood in the line of fire. I salute you," he said.

[Sourav]

[tscii:8847905490]WORDS OF WISDOM SACHIN’S DAY OUT AT MUMBAI NETS
‘Pleasant surprise’ for Mumbai
Tendulkar Shares Knowledge With Ranji Players
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH%2F2008%2F12%2F02&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T&PageLabel=16&EntityId=Ar01602&AppName=1[/tscii:8847905490]

http://epaper.dinamalar.com/DM/MADHURAI/2008/12/02/Article//014/02_12_2008_014_003.jpg

[ajithfederer]

Stat No:12

These are the master's top 20 scores in a test innings
read it as runs & opposition which s given in brackets.

1) 248* (Bangladesh)
2) 241* (Australia)
3) 217 (New Zealand)
4) 201* (Zimbabwe)
5) 194* (Pakistan)
6) 193 (England)
7) 179 (West Indies)
8) 177 (England)
9) 177 (Australia)
10) 176 (Zimbabwe)
11) 176 (West Indies)
12) 169 (South Africa)
13) 165 (England)
14) 155* (Australia)
15) 155 (South Africa)
16) 154* (Australia)
17) 153 (Australia)
18) 148* (Australia)
19) 148 (Srilanka)
20) 143 (Srilanka)

[ajithfederer]

Stat No:13

Now comes the top 20 scores in ODIs of Sachin!

1) 186* (New Zealand)
2) 152 (Namibia)
3) 146 (Zimbabwe)
4) 146 (Kenya)
5) 143 (Australia)
6) 141* (West Indies)
7) 141 (Australia)
8) 141 (Pakistan)
9) 140* (Kenya)
10) 139 (Australia)
11) 137 (Srilanka)
12) 134 (Australia)
13) 128 (Srilanka)
14) 127* (Kenya)
15) 127* (Zimbabwe)
16) 124* (Zimbabwe)
17) 123 (Pakistan)
18) 122* (West Indies)
19) 122 (South Africa)
20) 120 (Srilanka)

[ajithfederer]

Stat No:14
Sachin's ODI Stats against Different ODI Teams:

Sachin's ODI stats vs Australia

Matches : 60
Not outs : 1
Runs : 2730
Top Score : 143
Batting avg : 46.27
Strike rate : 84.78
100s : 8
50s : 14
Ducks : 2

Sachin's ODI stats vs South Africa

Matches : 52
Not outs : 0
Runs : 1655
Top Score : 122
Batting avg : 31.82
Strike rate : 71.52
100s : 3
50s : 8
Ducks : 1


Sachin's ODI stats vs Srilanka

Matches : 69
Not outs : 8
Runs : 2566
Top Score : 137
Batting avg : 45.01
Strike rate : 86.89
100s : 7
50s : 15
Ducks : 3


Sachin's ODI stats vs Pakistan

Matches : 66
Not outs : 4
Runs : 2381
Top Score : 141
Batting avg : 39.68
Strike rate : 87.85
100s : 5
50s : 14
Ducks : 5


Sachin's ODI stats vs New Zealand

Matches : 38
Not outs : 2
Runs : 1460
Top Score : 186*
Batting avg : 41.71
Strike rate : 93.89
100s : 4
50s : 7
Ducks : 4

Sachin's ODI stats vs England

Matches : 36
Not outs : 4
Runs : 1335
Top Score : 105*
Batting avg : 41.71
Strike rate : 88.06
100s : 1
50s : 10
Ducks : 0

Sachin's ODI stats vs West Indies

Matches : 38
Not outs : 9
Runs : 1571
Top Score : 141*
Batting avg : 54.17
Strike rate : 78.08
100s : 4
50s : 11
Ducks : 5

Sachin's ODI stats vs Zimbabwe

Matches : 34
Not outs : 5
Runs : 1377
Top Score : 146
Batting avg : 49.17
Strike rate : 91.55
100s : 5
50s : 5
Ducks : 0


Sachin's ODI stats vs Kenya

Matches : 10
Not outs : 3
Runs : 647
Top Score : 146
Batting avg : 107.83
Strike rate : 97.00
100s : 4
50s : 1
Ducks : 0

Sachin's ODI stats vs Bangladesh

Matches : 10
Not outs : 1
Runs : 354
Top Score : 82*
Batting avg : 44.25
Strike rate : 86.97
100s : 0
50s : 2
Ducks : 0

[viraajan]

http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/content/records/282854.html

Vineeth, You are right. Tendulkar occupies the 11th position in this elite list for calendar year 2007 with 1425 runs after Matt hayden (1601 runs).

:clap:

:redjump:

I was correct :thumbsup: :boo:

[viraajan]

Stat No:13

Now comes the top 20 scores in ODIs of Sachin!

1) 186* (New Zealand)

iirc,

Sachin was on crease from 1st ball till 300th ball :bow:

Adhuvum, full form...
Last few overs, only boundaries....
Had he got another 3 balls, he would have surpassed Anwar's record....

I'm still unhappy that Sachin is not the holder of this record :oops: :( :cry2:

[ajithfederer]

Jadeja, the punk who wasted those precious final over deliveries.

http://content-www.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/match/64631.html


Stat No:13

Now comes the top 20 scores in ODIs of Sachin!

1) 186* (New Zealand)

iirc,

Sachin was on crease from 1st ball till 300th ball :bow:

Adhuvum, full form...
Last few overs, only boundaries....
Had he got another 3 balls, he would have surpassed Anwar's record....

I'm still unhappy that Sachin is not the holder of this record :oops: :( :cry2:

[ajithfederer]

Stats No:15

Sachin's test stats vs Australia

Matches : 29
Innings : 55
Not outs : 6
Runs : 2748
Top Score : 241*
Batting avg : 56.08
100s : 10
50s : 11
Ducks : 4

Sachin's test stats vs South Africa

Matches : 20
Innings : 36
Not outs : 2
Runs : 1202
Top Score : 169
Batting avg : 35.35
100s : 3
50s : 5
Ducks : 3

Sachin's test stats vs Srilanka

Matches : 19
Innings : 27
Not outs : 2
Runs : 1408
Top Score : 148
Batting avg : 56.32
100s : 7
50s : 3
Ducks : 0

Sachin's test stats vs Pakistan

Matches : 18
Innings : 27
Not outs : 2
Runs : 1057
Top Score : 194*
Batting avg : 42.28
100s : 2
50s : 7
Ducks : 2

Sachin's test stats vs England

Matches : 22
Innings : 35
Not outs : 3
Runs : 1994
Top Score : 193
Batting avg : 62.31
100s : 6
50s : 10
Ducks : 0

Sachin's test stats vs New Zealand

Matches : 16
Innings : 27
Not outs : 5
Runs : 1062
Top Score : 217
Batting avg : 48.27
100s : 3
50s : 5
Ducks : 1

Sachin's test stats vs West Indies

Matches : 16
Innings : 25
Not outs : 2
Runs : 1328
Top Score : 179
Batting avg : 57.73
100s : 3
50s : 7
Ducks : 3

Sachin's test stats vs Zimbabwe

Matches : 9
Innings : 14
Not outs : 2
Runs : 918
Top Score : 201*
Batting avg : 76.50
100s : 3
50s : 3
Ducks : 1

Sachin's test stats vs Bangladesh

Matches : 5
Innings : 6
Not outs : 2
Runs : 556
Top Score : 248*
Batting avg : 139.00
100s : 3
50s : 0
Ducks : 0

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:37c2dcbbb6]http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/women/content/story/380541.html


Indian cricket

Raj seeks help from Tendulkar and Dhoni

Cricinfo staff

December 3, 2008


Mithali Raj: "Advice of all the senior players of the men's cricket team would be helpful for us because they belong to a different league altogether" © Getty Images


India women's batsman Mithali Raj is keen on getting tips from Sachin Tendulkar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and believes the suggestions may prove valuable as the team gears up for the Women's World Cup in Australia next year.

"The level at which they play, their opinion would be significant for us," Raj told PTI-Bhasha. "If I get a chance I would love to take some tips from Sachin about my batting".

"I want to take some tips from Dhoni on leading the side in big tournaments. Advice of all the senior players of the men's cricket team would be helpful for us because they belong to a different league altogether."

With no international matches scheduled ahead of the World Cup in March, the Indian women's team will rely on domestic games and training camps in the next three months to get them match-fit for the tournament. India will play Pakistan in the opening match on March 7.

India lost 0-5 away to Australia in October and November, a result which followed a 0-4 mauling in a five-match contest in England in August-September. Raj was the highest run-scorer for India in both the series and finished top of the overall run charts in England. But she lost the captaincy to Jhulan Goswami for the Australia series following the disappointment in England.

Raj underlined the positives of the one-day series in Australia and believed the tour had given India a chance to get familiar with conditions. "Some of the World Cup matches will be played at one of those venues, so that will help," she said.

She said the onus would be on the top order to put pressure on the opponents, something she had pointed out after the tour of England. "The batting order has to fire if we have to perform well. The openers would have to give a good start so that the middle order do not get under pressure. It would be too much to ask the lower order to bail out the team from crisis situation."

She also said the bowling remained a key area of concern, which hardly looked penetrative in the two previous series. "As far as bowling is concerned, Goswami needs a good strike partner at the other end," she said. "We failed in getting early wickets and that was the reason behind our recent defeat. We will be doing something about it keeping the World Cup in mind."

Raj, who also has a double-hundred to her credit in Test cricket, rued the lack of opportunity to play the longer version. "We play too many ODIs, sometimes we even forget when we last played a Test," she said. "This is because perhaps there are no spectators for women's cricket".

© Cricinfo[/tscii:37c2dcbbb6]

[viraajan]

Jadeja, the punk who wasted those precious final over deliveries.

http://content-www.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/match/64631.html


Stat No:13

Now comes the top 20 scores in ODIs of Sachin!

1) 186* (New Zealand)

iirc,

Sachin was on crease from 1st ball till 300th ball :bow:

Adhuvum, full form...
Last few overs, only boundaries....
Had he got another 3 balls, he would have surpassed Anwar's record....

I'm still unhappy that Sachin is not the holder of this record :oops: :( :cry2:

:exactly:

A player was wasting the balls on the other end... Jadeja thana adhu :hammer:

Costly miss... :cry2:

[Sourav]

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH%2F2008%2F12%2F04&ViewMode=GIF&GZ=T&PageLabel=16&EntityId=Pc01611&AppName=1

[ajithfederer]

Best batsman of modern era? Sachin tendulkar, Ricky ponting, Brian Lara (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=490978601065903138&ei=ZEI3SazCCJOwqwLdt5SuCQ&q=sachin+tendulkar&hl=en)

[littlemaster1982]

We all know the demigod status of Sachin in India, but I never thought I would see a banner (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/3079634559_48c219eb56_o.jpg) for him in my hometown. I don't have any words to describe how I felt then.


P.S: Sorry for the poor picture quality.

[ajithfederer]

sooperrappu :clap: :clap:

We all know the demigod status of Sachin in India, but I never thought I would see a banner (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/3079634559_48c219eb56_o.jpg) for him in my hometown. I don't have any words to describe how I felt then.


P.S: Sorry for the poor picture quality.

[Nerd]

We all know the demigod status of Sachin in India, but I never thought I would see a banner (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/3079634559_48c219eb56_o.jpg) for him in my hometown. I don't have any words to describe how I felt then.


P.S: Sorry for the poor picture quality.
What were you doing all these years???? innEram oru 100 ft cut-out aavadhu... :twisted:

[Nerd]

Pull shot and straight drive are my most favorite shots of sachin but since they both have got enough votes, I opted for upper cut. Its been played by many players (sehwag etc.) but I feel only sachin has perfected that. Its not a wild swing 8-)

[Sourav]

We all know the demigod status of Sachin in India, but I never thought I would see a banner (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/3079634559_48c219eb56_o.jpg) for him in my hometown. I don't have any words to describe how I felt then.
P.S: Sorry for the poor picture quality.
Pattukottai banner-ku rombha famousana oouru...i know.. :wink:

[littlemaster1982]

We all know the demigod status of Sachin in India, but I never thought I would see a banner (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/3079634559_48c219eb56_o.jpg) for him in my hometown. I don't have any words to describe how I felt then.
P.S: Sorry for the poor picture quality.
Pattukottai banner-ku rombha famousana oouru...i know.. :wink:

Appadi ellam onnum illaiye :roll:

Nerd :oops:

[ajithfederer]

Adhaane. Naansenss :twisted:


We all know the demigod status of Sachin in India, but I never thought I would see a banner (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/3079634559_48c219eb56_o.jpg) for him in my hometown. I don't have any words to describe how I felt then.


P.S: Sorry for the poor picture quality.
What were you doing all these years???? innEram oru 100 ft cut-out aavadhu... :twisted:

[crajkumar_be]

We all know the demigod status of Sachin in India, but I never thought I would see a banner (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/3079634559_48c219eb56_o.jpg) for him in my hometown. I don't have any words to describe how I felt then.


P.S: Sorry for the poor picture quality.
:notworthy:

P.S: Excellent choice of still and dimensions for the banner

[ajithfederer]

Stats No:16

Boundaries scored by sachin against all the opponents in ODIs.....
read it as opponent, 4s/6s.
Against
1)Australia : 289/31
2)South Africa : 183/9
3)Srilanka : 241/27
4)Pakistan : 277/28
5)New Zealand : 175/17
6)England : 163/12
7)West Indies : 152/8
8)Zimbabwe : 152/20
9)Kenya : 73/5
10)Bangladesh : 51/4
11)Ireland : 1/0
12)Bermuda : 2/4
13)UAE : 9/1
14)Netherlands : 7/0
15)Namibia : 18/0

[ajithfederer]

Stats No 17:
The Master's stats in Australia
ODIs:

Matches - 40
Runs - 3
Not outs - 1348
Top score - 117*
Batting avg - 31.44
Strike rate - 74.55
100s - 1
50s - 10
Ducks - 1
Boundaries(4s/6s) - 123/1
Overs - 91.5
Runs given - 433
Maidens - 1
Wkts - 5
Best bowling - 1/5
Bowling avg - 86.60
Economy - 4.71


In Australia,
Tests:

Matches - 16
Innings - 30
Runs - 1522
Not outs- 4
Top score - 241*
Batting avg - 58.53
100s - 6
50s - 5
Ducks - 3
Overs - 83
Runs given - 311
Maidens - 10
Wkts - 7
Best bowling(innings) - 2/10
Best bowling(match) - 2/39
Bowling avg - 44.42
Economy - 3.74

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:9d82736c93]With love, from Tendulkar to Maradona

Kolkata: Sachin Tendulkar may not have been able to come down to Kolkata to catch up with the legendary Diego Maradona, but the master blaster did send a token of remembrance across to Maradona. Tendulkar — an avid Maradona fan himself — sent over a self-autographed soccer ball to the organisers, which was handed over to the Argentine during his weekend Kolkata trip.

Tendulkar is learnt to have personally handed over the football to CPI(M) parliamentarian Shamik Lahiri, who played a key role in organising Maradona’s trip. Lahiri, in turn, handed over the football to Maradona, and gave him a lowdown of how big Tendulkar is in Indian sports.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/With-love--from-Tendulkar-to-Maradona/395849[/tscii:9d82736c93]

[ajithfederer]

Stats No:18

ODI stats in South Africa

Matches : 36
Runs : 1414
Not outs : 0
Top score : 152
Batting avg : 40.40
Strike rate : 80.29
100s : 4
50s : 6
Ducks : 1
Overs : 95
Maidens : 4
Runs given : 443
Wkts : 7
Best bowling : 2/27
Bowling avg : 63.28
Economy : 4.66


Test stats in South Africa

Matches : 12
Innings : 22
Runs : 835
Not outs : 1
Top score : 169
Batting avg : 39.76
100s : 3
50s : 3
Ducks : 2
Overs : 39.5
Maidens : 8
Runs given : 124
Wkts : 3
Best bowling(innings) : 1/9
Best bowling(match) : 1/9
Bowling avg : 41.33
Economy : 3.11

[ajithfederer]

Nettai Thambi Ishanth on Sir (http://cricket.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Thank_god_I_dont_have_to_bowl_Tendulkar/articleshow/3812803.cms)

NEW DELHI: India paceman Ishant Sharma might have acquired the reputation of bumping off top batsmen like Ricky Ponting but he thanks his stars

Ishant Sharma appeals for Sachin Tendulkar's wicket at a cricket camp training session.
for not having Sachin Tendulkar as an opponent.

"Sachin Tendulkar is one batsman who is not easy to bowl to. Be it in nets or in the middle, he always bats as if he is playing a match. I am thankful to god that I play in his team. His experience is equal to my age," Ishant said. :rotfl:

The gangling Delhi bowler said besides Tendulkar, Dravid, Ponting and Hayden were among his favourite batsman.

"Other than Sachin and Ponting, my favourite batsmen are Matthew Hayden and Rahul Dravid," he said.

Ishant said he was trying to bowl fast consistently but also focusing on maintaining the right line and length to trap the batsmen.

"I am trying to bowl at 100 mph but what is more important is which areas I hit. If you get that speed but the delivery is short- or over-pitched and ball goes across the boundary than there is no use of it.

"Instead, if I bowl at 140-145 kph and swing it, batsmen could be in trouble," he told a news channel.

"I know my limitations and try to be in my limits," he added.

The 20-year-old fast bowler also said he did not believe in experimenting in the match and relies on whatever he practised in nets.

"You should try in a match only what you have practised in the nets. You should not try new things straightaway while playing for the country.

"I was not a swing bowler but the one who would hit the deck and even today I try only that, but it is my good luck if ball gets movement," he said.

Ishant said he could not credit his success to one persons as Zaheer Khan, Venkatesh Prasad and coach Gary Kirsten all helped him on various occasions but singled out the South African for his mature approach.

"Kirsten is a very nice coach. He understands the strength of each and every member of the team," Ishant said.

"Recently in Delhi, I had dropped Michael Clark and also could not bat as the night-watchman but Kirsten said 'in last one year this is your first mistake. It was your bad day. Tomorrow will be a new day'.

"If your coach helps you to come out of the bad phase, he is a good coach," he added.

On England Tour, Ishant said, "I will try to repeat my performance against the Australia when I had picked wickets as required.

"We will use reverse swing weapon against England also. We'd used that against Aussies. You should know how to reverse swing if you are playing in the sub-continent," he said.

"In the sub-continent it is easy to bowl if you know reverse swing, you should know how to adapt to the conditions," he added.

[ajithfederer]

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/indveng/content/image/381415.html

Can PR upload this pic in this post with this caption

"Sachin Tendulkar pulls during practice, Chennai, December 9, 2008"

[ajithfederer]

http://www.gulfnews.com/sport/Cricket/10265845.html

Sport

Cricket

AP
Sachin Tendulkar, the highest rungetter in both Tests and one-dayers, feels that any hype over the series against England would be somewhat mistimed now.
Tendulkar in no mood for cricket

By Ashish Shukla, Cricket News
Published: December 08, 2008, 23:33

Chennai: Sachin Tendulkar never says "no" to cricket but this doesn't seem to hold true for the forthcoming Test series between India and England, starting here from December 11.

Tendulkar is a private man, difficult to get to open up to issues other than cricket and even then isn't prone to make his point forcefully. He's dismayed though at the recent turn of events and doesn't feel it's alright to play cricket at this juncture in the country.

Tendulkar is the history man of Test cricket, having amassed 12,273 runs with 40 centuries, both of which are more than any other batsman in the history of the game. Tendulkar has so far played 154 Tests in his career.

He has apparently conveyed his reservations to his team-mates, including skipper Mahinder Singh Dhoni, and feels cricket should take a backseat when bigger issues are crowding the consciousness of people of the country.

Unlike his Mumbai statemate Wasim Jaffer who feels "life should go on", Tendulkar feels cricket could be a distraction to people who grapple with the question of their security.

Laxman's absence

Indeed, Tendulkar is said to have been upset with the absence of his Indian team-mate VVS Laxman from the Hyderabad team which took on Mumbai in a Ranji Trophy fixture in Mumbai on December 2, 3, 4 and 5, just 72 hours after the terrorist attack in the city on November 26-29.

Tendulkar, being a Mumbaite, felt a pang of horror and assumed Laxman's absence was on account of terrible events in the city. He was soothed though to know that Laxman had been blessed with a baby daughter on November 28 and and had henceforth excused himself from the tie.

As India reels under the impact of terror, Tendulkar, and other senior members of the side including Dhoni, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan, aren't sure if this two-Test series against England is such a necessity.

The common feeling among these cricketers is that good performances by Team India could allow the anger building among the masses to diffuse - something which they don't want to happen.

Under the carpet

A triple hundred, for example, by Sehwag would unleash a cricket mania in the country, allowing those running the country to sweep the security issue under the carpet.

Already a front-page coverage of a visit by a football has-been, even though a glorious one such as Diego Maradona, so close on the heels of attacks, hasn't gone down well with everyone in the country.

There have been candlelight march-pasts across the length and breadth of country and the decibels of protests against the politicians have been stunning, the worst public outcry since the country became independent in 1947. Senior Indian cricketers also feel they wouldn't be able to bring the same amount of unfettered joy as it wouldn't go with their own mood at the moment. They also feel their focus at this point of time might not be that intense.

The feeling amongst these cricketers is surprising, to say the least. While Tendulkar is looking to touch new peaks every day of his glittering career, somebody like Yuvraj Singh has only one cricket ambition left in his bones-to make a permanent spot for himself in the Test team.

Somebody like Mahinder Singh Dhoni has reasons to add to this stunning run of success as captain of the team while Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan, are aspiring to be the leaders of the bowling pack after the retirement of Anil Kumble.

Interestingly, the reason for these cricketers' indifference isn't security. They feel it just isn't the right time for the game to return to cricketing fields of the country.

[Sourav]

http://www.dinamalar.com/sports/Photos/album/album01.jpg

[Sourav]

[tscii:e68e2d9826]இனிமையான 20 ஆண்டுகள்... :bow:

சச்சின் டெண்டுல்கருக்கு இன்று இனிமையான நாள். கிரிக்கெட் வாழ்க்கையில் தனது 20வது ஆண்டில் காலடி எடுத்து வைக்கிறார். பள்ளி பருவத்தில் சக வீரர் காம்ப்ளியுடன் சேர்ந்து சாதனை படைத்த இவர், சர்வதேச அரங்கில் தொடர்ந்து சாதனை மன்னனாக வலம் வருகிறார். "ரன் மெஷினாக' திகழும் இவர், தனது சூப்பர் ஆட்டத்தால் இந்திய ரசிகர்களின் இதயம் கவர்ந்த "ஹீரோவாக' மிக நீ...ண்ட காலமாக ஜொலிக்கிறார்.

மும்பையில் கடந்த 1973ல் பிறந்த சச்சின், இளம் வயதிலேயே கிரிக்கெட் மீது ஆர்வம் கொண்டவராக இருந்தார். இவரது அண்ணன் அஜித் கொடுத்த ஊக்கத்தில் தளராமல் பயிற்சியில் ஈடுபட்டார். ஷிரத்தாஸ்ரம் வித்யாமந்திர் பள்ளியில் படித்த போது தனது குரு ராம்காந்த் ஆச்ரேக்கரிடம் கிரிக்கெட் நுணுக்கங்களை கற்று தேர்ந்தார். 1988ல் நடந்த பள்ளிகளுக்கு இடையிலான போட்டியில் சக நண்பர் வினோத் காம்ப்ளியுடன் சேர்ந்து 664 ரன்கள் சேர்த்து சாதனை பயணத்தை துவக்கினார். இதில் சச்சின் மட்டும் 326 ரன்கள் எடுக்க, இந்திய அணியில் வாய்ப்பு தேடி வந்தது.

முதல் சோதனை

தனது 16வது வயதில் 1989, நவ.,15ல் கராச்சியில் நடந்த பாகிஸ்தானுக்கு எதிரான டெஸ்ட் போட்டியில் சச்சின் அறிமுகமானார். முதல் போட்டியே சோதனையானதாக அமைந்தது. வக்கார் யூனிஸ் வீசிய பந்து இவரது முகத்தை பதம் பார்க்க... ரத்தம் வழிந்தது. இன்னொரு பக்கம் வாசிம் அக்ரமும் போட்டுத் தாக்கினார். முதல் இன்னிங்சில் வக்கார் வீசிய "யார்க்கரில்' வெறும் 15 ரன்களுக்கு போல்டானார். இத்தொடர் முடிந்ததும், ""அக்ரம் அசுர வேகத்தில் பந்துவீசுகிறார். சில சமயங்களில் தொடர்ந்து நான்கு பவுன்சர்கள் வீசுகிறார். இதை சமாளிப்பது ரொம்ப கடினமாக இருக்கிறது. டெஸ்ட் போட்டியில் இனி விளையாடுவது பற்றி யோசித்து வருகிறேன், '' என்று சச்சின் பரிதாபமாக கூறியுள்ளார். இந்த சோதனையில் இருந்து மிக விரைவாக மீண்ட இவர் தனது 17வது வயதில் இங்கிலாந்துக்கு எதிராக முதல் சதம் கடந்தார். தொடர்ந்து "மாஸ்டர் பேட்ஸ்மேனாக' பிரகாசித்து, டெஸ்டில் அதிக சதம், அதிக ரன் எடுத்து சாதனை படைத்தார்.

அறிமுகத்தில் "டக்'

ஒருநாள் போட்டியிலும் சோதனை காத்திருந்தது. கடந்த 1989, டிச., 18ல் குஜ்ரன்வாலாவில் நடந்த பாகிஸ்தானுக்கு எதிரான போட்டியில் அறிமுகமானார். இம்முறையும் வக்கார் யூனிஸ் தான் வினையாக அமைந்தார். இவரது வேகத்தில் "டக்' அவுட்டானார். இதனால் மனம் தளராத இவர் "ஓபனிங் பேட்ஸ்மேனாக' விஸ்வரூபம் எடுத்தார். ஒருநாள் அரங்கில் யாருமே எட்ட முடியாத சாதனைகளை படைத்தார். அதிக சதம், அதிக ரன் எடுத்து "நம்பர்1' இடத்தை சொந்தமாக்கினார்.

சில சர்ச்சைகள்

கிரிக்கெட் மைதானத்தில் "ஜென்டில்மேன்' வீரராக சச்சின் விளங்கினார். களத்தில் யாருடனும் வீண் வார்த்தை போரில் ஈடுபட மாட்டார். அனைவரிடமும் சகஜமாக பழகுவது தான் இவரது சிறப்பம்சம். மிகச் சில சர்ச்சைகளில் மட்டுமே சச்சின் சிக்கியுள்ளார். கடந்த 2001ல் தென் ஆப்ரிக்கா சென்ற போது, பந்தை சேதப்படுத்தியது தொடர்பான பிரச்னையில் சிக்கினார். பின்னர் இதிலிருந்து விடுவிக்கப்பட்டார். 29வது சதம் அடித்து ஜாம்பவான் பிராட்மேன் சாதனையை சமன் செய்ததற்காக பெராரி கார் பரிசாக அளிக்கப்பட்டது. இதனை இந்தியா கொண்டு வர வரிவிலக்கு கோரியதாக பிரச்னை ஏற்பட்டது.

பின்னர் பெராரி நிறுவனமே இவருக்காக வரியை செலுத்தி, பிரச்னைக்கு முற்றுப்புள்ளி வைத்தது. சிறிது காலம் பார்ம் இல்லாமல் தவித்த போது கடும் விமர்சனத்துக்குள்ளானார். 2006ல் மும்பை வான்கடே மைதானத்தில் நடந்த இங்கிலாந்துக்கு எதிரான டெஸ்டில் 21 பந்துகளில் ஒரு ரன் எடுத்தார். உடனே அவரது சொந்த ஊர் ரசிகர்களே எதிர்ப்பு கோஷம் போட்டனர். இதற்கு பதிலடி கொடுக்கும் விதத்தில் விரைவாக இழந்த பார்மை மீட்டு அசத்தினார். 30 வயதை கடந்த போதும் தனது சாதனை பயணத்தை தொடர்ந்தார். இவரோடு ஒப்பிட்டு பேசப்படும் லாராவின் தனிப்பட்ட வாழ்க்கை மோசமாக இருந்துள்ளது. ஆனால் சச்சின், சொந்த வாழ்க்கையிலும் ஒழுக்கம் மிக்கவராக விளங்கினார். :bow:

புகழின் உச்சியில்

பெரும்பாலான போட்டிகளில் இவரை தான் இந்திய அணி பெரிதும் நம்பியிருந்தது. இதனால் ரசிகர்கள் மத்தியில் ஹீரோவாக ஜொலித்தார். "இந்தியாவில் கிரிக்கெட் மதம் என்றால்; சச்சின் தான் கடவுள்' என்று பேசப்படும் அளவுக்கு புகழின் உச்சியை தொட்டார். சிறுவர்களை பெரிதும் கவர்ந்ததால் இவரது பெயரில் "காமிக்ஸ்' புத்தகங்கள் கூட எழுதப்பட்டன. விளம் பரதாரர் களின் விருப்ப நாகயனாக இருந்ததால், உலகில் அதிகம் சம்பாதிக்கும் கிரிக்கெட் வீரராக மாறினார். கடந்த 19 ஆண்டுகளாக அசைக்க முடியாத வீரராக உள்ள சச்சின், கிரிக் கெட்டின் அனைத்து துறைகளிலும் ஆதிக்கம் செலுத்தி வருகிறார்.

டெஸ்ட், ஒரு நாள் போட்டிகள் சேர்த்து சுமார் 28 ஆயிரம் ரன்கள், 82 சதங்கள், 222 "கேட்ச்' மற்றும் 196 விக்கெட் வீழ்த்தியுள்ளார். இப்படி சாதனை வீரராக உலா வரும் சச்சின், இன்று தனது 20வது ஆண்டில் காலடி எடுத்து வைக்க உள்ளார். ஆஸ்திரேலியாவுக்கு எதிராக சிறப்பாக செயல்படுவதை இனிமையான அனுபவமாக கருதும் இவருக்கு ஒரே ஒரு மனவருத்தம் தான் உண்டு. அது உலக கோப்பை வெல்லாதது மட்டுமே. வரும் 2011ல் நடக்கும் உலக கோப்பை போட்டியில் இந்த குறையை தீர்ப்பார் என்று நம்புவோம்.

ஒரு நாள் "முதல்வன்"

ஒரு நாள் போட்டியில் அதிக ரன் எடுத்த வீரர் என்ற சாதனைக்கும் சச்சின் தான் சொந்தக்காரர். இதுவரை 417 ஒரு நாள் போட்டிகளில் பங்கேற்றுள்ள இவர் 42 சதம், 89 அரைசதம் உட்பட 16361 ரன்கள் எடுத்துள்ளார். இது இரண்டாவது இடத்திலிருக்கும் ஜெயசூர்யாவை (12,785) விட 3,576 ரன்கள் அதிகம்.

லாராவை முந்தினார்

டெஸ்ட் போட்டிகளில் அதிக ரன் எடுத்தவர் என்ற பெருமையை சச்சின் தன்வசம் வைத்துள்ளார். இவர் இதுவரை 154 டெஸ்டில் விளையாடி, 40 சதம் 51 அரைசதம் உட்பட 12,273 ரன்கள் எடுத்துள்ளார். அடுத்த இரண்டு இடங்களில் லாரா (11,953), பார்டர் (11,174) இருக்கின்றனர்.

சத நாயகன்

ஒரு நாள் போட்டியில் இதுவரை 42 சதம் பதிவு செய்துள்ள சச்சின், அதிக சதம் கடந்தவர்கள் வரிசையில் முதலிடத்தில் இருக்கிறார். இவர் இரண்டாவது இடத்தில் இருக்கும் ஜெயசூர்யாவை (27) விட 15 சதம் அதிகமாக எடுத்துள்ளார்.

* ஒரே ஆண்டில் அதிக சதம் கடந்த வீரரும் சச்சின் தான். இவர் 1999ல் 9 சதங்கள் பதிவு செய்துள்ளார்.
டெஸ்டில் அதிக சதம்

டெஸ்ட் போட்டியில் அதிக சதம் கடந்த வீரர் என்ற பெருமையையும் சச்சின் பெற்றுள்ளார். இவர் இதுவரை 40 சதம் பதிவு செய்துள்ளார்.

கேப்டனாக ஏமாற்றம்

உலகின் தலைசிறந்த பேட்ஸ்மேன்களில் ஒருவராக கருதப்பட்டாலும் சச்சினால் நல்ல கேப்டனாக ஜொலிக்க முடியவில்லை. இவர் இதுவரை 73 ஒரு நாள் போட்டியில் கேப்டனாக செயல்பட்டு 23 வெற்றி, 43 தோல்விகளை சந்தித்துள்ளது. ஒரு போட்டி "டை' ஆனது. 6 போட்டியில் முடிவு கிடைக்கவில்லை. டெஸ்டில் 25 போட்டிகளில் கேப்டனாக பங்கேற்று 4 வெற்றி, 9 தோல்விகளை சந்தித்துள்ளது. 12 போட்டி "டிரா'வில் முடிந்துள்ளது.
ஸ்ரீகாந்த் கேப்டன்இந்திய அணியில் சச்சின் 1989, நவ., 15ல் அறிமுகமானார். இன்று இதே நாளில் தனது 20வது ஆண்டில் காலடி எடுத்து வைக்கிறார். அப்போது பாகிஸ்தானுக்கு எதிராக கராச்சியில் நடந்த முதல் டெஸ்டில் இவருடன் விளையாடிய இந்திய வீரர்களில் ஒருவர் கூட தற்போதைய அணியில் இல்லை.

சச்சின் அறிமுகமான போட்டியில் இடம் பெற்ற வீரர்கள்:

ஸ்ரீகாந்த் (கேப்டன்), சித்து, சஞ்சய் மஞ்ச்ரேக்கர், அசார், பிரபாகர், சச்சின் டெண்டுல்கர், ரவி சாஸ்திரி, கபில்தேவ், கிரண் மோரே, அர்ஷத் அயூப், அங்கோலா.

பிராட்மேன் பாராட்டு

கிரிக்கெட் உலகம் சச்சின் ஆட்டத்தை பாராட்டி மகிழ்கிறது.

பிராட்மேன் (மறைந்த ஆஸி., ஜாம்பவான்): சச்சின் விளையாடுவதை "டிவி'யில் பல முறை பார்த்திருக்கிறேன். அவர் என்னை போல் விளையாடுகிறார் என்று எனது மனைவியிடம் சொல்லியிருக்கிறேன். தற்போது நான் விளையாடவில்லை என்றாலும், எனது ஆட்டத்தை சச்சினிடம் பார்க்கிறேன்.

கவாஸ்கர் (முன்னாள் இந்திய கேப்டன்): நளினமான பேட்டிங் மற்றும் ஆக்ரோஷ ஆட்டம் என இரண்டையும் ஒருங்கே பெற்ற வீரர் என்றால் அது சச்சின் தான். இவரை போன்ற ஒரு வீரரை கிரிக்கெட் வரலாற்றில் நினைத்து கூட பார்க்க முடியாது.
வார்ன் (முன்னாள் ஆஸி., வீரர்): சச்சின் என் கனவிலும் வந்து தொல்லை தருகிறார். அவர் எனது பந்தை இறங்கி வந்து சிக்சர் அடிப்பது போல் கனவு வருகிறது. பிராட்மேனுக்கு அடுத்து சிறந்த பேட்ஸ்மேன் அவர் தான்.

லாரா (முன்னாள் வெ.இண்டீஸ் கேப்டன்): சச்சின் ஒரு ஜீனியஸ்.அவரது ஆட்டத்துக்கு முன் நான் ஒரு சாதாரணமான வீரர்.

எதிர்காலம் எப்படி

ஓய்வுக்கு பிறகு சச்சின் சொந்தமாக பயிற்சி அகாடமி துவக்கி இளம் வீரர்களை உருவாக்கலாம். கிரிக்கெட் நிர்வாகியாக வாய்ப்பு உண்டு. ஐ.சி.சி., தலைவராகலாம். ராஜ்யசபா எம்.பி., யாக தேர்வு செய்யப்படலாம். இவருக்கு மும்பையில் இரண்டு, பெங்களூருவில் ஒரு ஓட்டல் உள்ளன. இதனை நிர்வகிக்கும் பணியில் முழுமையாக ஈடுபடலாம். விளம்பர மாடலாக தொடர்ந்து பிரகாசிக்கலாம்.



சச்சின் பல்வேறு கால கட்டங்கள் இந்தி இசையமைப்பாளர் சச்சின் தேவ் பர்மனின் நினைவாக சச்சின் டெண்டுல்கர் என பெயரிடப்பட்டது.

சிறு வயதில் வேகப்பந்து வீச்சாளராக ஆசைப்பட்டார். சென்னையில் உள்ள எம்.ஆர்.எப்., கிரிக்கெட் அகாடமியில் பயிற்சி எடுக்க சென்றார். போதிய உயரம் இல்லாததால் ஆஸ்திரேலிய பவுலர் டெனிஸ் லில்லி, இவரை பேட்டிங்கில் கவனம் செலுத்தும்படி ஆலோசனை வழங்கினார்.

சச்சினின் 14வது வயதில் கவாஸ்கர் தனது கால் "பேடுகளை' பரிசாக அளித்தார். இது கிரிக்கெட் அரங்கில் சாதிக்க இவருக்கு ஊக்க சக்தியாக அமைந்தது.

1995ல் தன்னை விட 6 வயது மூத்த குழந்தைகள் நல டாக்டரான அஞ்சலியை மணந்தார். இவர்களுக்கு சாரா (11 வயது) என்ற மகளும், அர்ஜுன் (9 வயது) என்ற மகனும் உள்ளனர்.

தனது 19வது வயதில்(1992), இங்கிலாந்தின் யார்க்ஷையர் கவுன்டி அணிக்காக பங்கேற்ற முதல் அன்னிய வீரர் என்ற பெருமை பெற்றார். இதுவரை 16 கவுன்டி போட்டிகளில் விளையாடி 1070 ரன்கள் எடுத்துள்ளார்.

பயிற்சியாளர் ராம்காந்த் ஆச்ரேகர், ஒரு யுக்தியை பயன்படுத்தினார். ஸ்டெம்பின் மீது ஒரு ரூபாய் நாணயத்தை வைத்து, சச்சினை அவுட்டாக்கும் பவுலர் களுக்கு அது பரிசு என்பார். பவுலர்கள் தோல்வியடைய, சச்சின் 13 நாணயங்கள் பரிசாக பெற்றார்.

தொடர்ந்து அதிக ஒரு நாள் போட்டிகளில் விளையாடியவர் என்ற சாதனைக்கும் சச்சின் தான் சொந்தக்காரர். இவர் 185 ஒரு நாள் போட்டியில் தொடர்ந்து பங்கேற்றுள்ளார். உலகில் உள்ள 90 மைதானங்களில் இவர் விளையாடியுள்ளார்.

ஒரு நாள் போட்டிகளில் அதிக ரன்கள் சேர்த்த ஜோடி என்ற பெருமையை சச்சின், கங்குலி ஜோடி பெற்றுள்ளது. இவர்கள் ஜோடியாக இதுவரை 176 இன்னிங்சில் களமிறங்கி 8227 ரன்கள் எடுத்துள்ளனர்.

ரிச்சர்ட்ஸ்(முன்னாள் வெ.இண்டீஸ் வீரர்): சச்சின் இந்த நுõற்றாண்டில் மட்டுமல்ல, எந்தக் காலத்தில் விளையாடியிருந்தாலும் அசத்தக் கூடியவர்.

ராஜிவ் கேல் ரத்னா (199798), அர்ஜுனா விருது (1994), பத்மஸ்ரீ (1999), விஸ்டன் சிறந்த வீரர் (1997), பத்ம விபூஷண் (2008) ஆகிய விருதுகளையும் பெற்றுள்ளார். இங்கிலாந்து பிரதமர் கோர்டன் பிரவுன் இவருக்கு "நைட்வுட்' விருது அளிக்க, பரிந்துரைந்துள்ளார்.


ஒரு நாள் போட்டியில் 90 ரன்களுக்கு மேல் எடுத்து, சதத்தை நழுவவிட்டவர்கள் வரிசையில் சச்சின் முதலிடத்தில் இருக்கிறார். இதுவரை அவர் 17 போட்டிகளில் 90 ரன்களுக்கு மேல் எடுத்து சதத்தை எட்டாமல் பெவிலியன் திரும்பியுள்ளார்.

இந்தியன் பிரிமியர் லீக் (ஐ.பி.எல்.,) "டுவென்டி20' தொடரில் "மும்பை இந்தியன்ஸ்' அணியின் கேப்டனாக சச்சின் நியமிக்கப்பட்டார்.

பிரட் லீ(ஆஸி., வீரர்): சச்சினுக்கு "ஆப்சைடில்' பந்தை துல்லியமாக வீசினாலும் நிம்மதியாக இருக்க முடியாது. அவரது பேட் அதிக எடை கொண்டது. ஆனால், அதை சிறு குச்சி போல பிடித்து விளையாடுகிறார்.

கடந்த 1999 உலக கோப்பை போட்டியின்போது சச்சினின் தந்தை ரமேஷ் டெண்டுல்கர் மரமணடைந்தார். தந்தையின் இறுதி சடங்கில் கலந்து கொண்ட பின், மீண்டும் இங்கிலாந்து திரும்பினார். கென்யாவுக்கு எதிரான போட்டியில் சதம் அடித்து அதனை தந்தைக்கு அர்ப்பணித்தார்.

டெனிஸ் லில்லி(முன்னாள் ஆஸி., வீரர்): நான் சச்சினுக்கு பந்துவீசியது இல்லை. வீசியிருந்தால் "ஹெல்மட்' அணிந்து தான் வீசியிருப்பேன். அவர் அந்தளவுக்கு அதிரடியாக பந்தை திருப்பி அனுப்புகிறார்.

2003 உலக கோப்பை தொடரில் 673 ரன்கள் எடுத்து ஆட்டநாயகன் விருதை தட்டிச் சென்றார்.

பேட்டிங், பீல்டிங் மற்றும் பவுலிங் என அனைத்திலும் வலதுகை பழக்கம் கொண்ட சச்சின் எழுதுவதும், ரசிகர் களுக்கு ஆட்டோகிராப் வழங்குவதும் இடதுகையில் தான். வலை பயிற்சியின் போது இடதுகையை பயன்படுத்தி "த்ரோ' செய்யும் வழக்கமும் இவருக்கு உண்டு.

டில்லியில் 2005ல் நடந்த இலங்கைக்கு எதிரான டெஸ்டில் தனது 35வது சதத்தை பதிவு செய்தார். இதன்மூலம் டெஸ்ட் போட்டியில் அதிக சதம் கடந்த வீரர் என்ற கவாஸ்கரின் (34) சாதனையை முறியடித்தார்.

ரஞ்சி கோப்பை, துலீப் டிராபி, இரானி கோப்பை தொடர்களில் அறிமுக போட்டியில் சதம் கடந்த வீரர் என்ற சாதனைக்கு சொந்தக்காரர்.

தலைசிறந்த பேட்ஸ்மேனாக விளங்கும் சச்சின், அடுத்தவர்களுக்கு உதவும் எண்ணமும் அதிகம் கொண்டவர். அப்னாலயா என்ற என்.ஜி.ஓ., மூலம் 200 ஏழை குழந்தைகளை ஆண்டுதோறும் "ஸ்பான்சர்' செய்து வருகிறார்.


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http://dinamalar.com/sports/sachin.asp

[ajithfederer]

Stats No:19
ODI stats in England

Matches : 26
Runs : 1051
Not outs : 2
Top score : 140*
Batting avg : 43.79
Strike rate : 88.39
100s : 3
50s : 4
Ducks : 1
Overs : 38
Maidens : 0
Runs given : 261
Wkts : 0
Economy : 6.86


Test stats in England

Matches : 13
Innings : 22
Runs : 1302
Not outs : 1
Top score : 193
Batting avg : 62.00
100s : 4
50s : 6
Ducks : 0
Overs : 57
Maidens : 1
Runs given : 214
Wkts : 1
Best bowling(innings) :1/26
Best bowling(match) : 1/104
Bowling avg : 214.00
Economy : 3.75

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:9bc8e1272c]http://www.orkut.com/Main#CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=23803&tid=5278110079150627055&na=4

Milestones by Sachin in the coming ENGLAND series
We all know that Sachin is the synonym for Records. Whatever he does on the field goes into records books.

Few more feathers will be added to his cap as follows:

Tendulkar needs six runs to complete 2,000 Test runs against England. He will become the second Indian batsman to aggregate 2,000 runs against England after Sunil Gavaskar (2,483 in 38 Tests @ 38.20).

— Having already scored 2,748 runs against Australia, Tendulkar will also become only the second Indian and 11th batsman overall to aggregate 2,000 runs against TWO opponents. Others to do so are Allan Border, Geoff Boycott, Sunil Gavaskar, Graham Gooch, Wally Hammond, Desmond Haynes, Brian Lara, Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards and Steve Waugh. Gavaskar and Lloyd have performed this feat against THREE opponents!

— Tendulkar needs 93 runs to aggregate 1,000 runs in Test matches in the year 2008. This will be the fifth such instance for Tendulkar to reach four-digit mark in a calendar year. Tendulkar had scored exactly 1,000 in 1997, 1088 in 1999,1003 in 2001 and 1392 in 2002.

— Tendulkar will also equal the world record of aggregating 1,000 runs in a calendar year on MOST occasions. West Indian Brian Lara and Australian Matthew Hayden have performed this feat on five occasions. Sunil Gavaskar, Ricky Ponting and Jacques Kallis are the other batsmen to have done so on four occasions.

— Tendulkar needs two sixes to complete 50 sixes in Test matches.

— A win in either of the Chennai and Mohali Tests will make Sachin Tendulkar the first Indian to appear in 50 WON Tests. [/tscii:9bc8e1272c]

[ajithfederer]

Stats No:20

ODI stats in Srilanka

Matches : 38
Runs : 1302
Not outs : 5
Top score : 128
Batting avg : 43.40
Strike rate : 80.76
100s : 4
50s : 6
Ducks : 1
Overs : 121.4
Maidens : 1
Runs given : 619
Wkts : 20
Best bowling : 3/21
Bowling avg : 30.95
Economy : 5.08

Test stats in Srilanka

Matches : 9
Innings : 14
Runs : 765
Not outs : 2
Top score : 143
Batting avg : 63.75
100s : 4
50s : 2
Ducks : 0
Overs : 22
Maidens : 4
Runs given : 48
Wkts : 0
Economy : 2.18

[P_R]

[html:e269e1a147]<img src = "http://i37.tinypic.com/2rfu1yw.jpg">[/html:e269e1a147]

[ajithfederer]

Thanks PR :D.

[ajithfederer]

Stats No: 21

ODI stats in Pakistan

Matches : 13
Runs : 480
Not outs : 0
Top score : 141
Batting avg : 36.92
Strike rate : 88.72
100s : 2
50s : 1
Ducks : 3
Overs : 60
Maidens : 2
Runs given : 327
Wkts : 4
Best bowling : 1/27
Bowling avg : 81.75
Economy : 5.45


Test stats in Pakistan

Matches : 10
Innings : 13
Runs : 483
Not outs : 1
Top score : 194*
Batting avg : 40.25
100s : 1
50s : 2
Ducks : 0
Overs : 49
Maidens : 4
Runs given : 179
Wkts : 4
Best bowling(innings) :2/36
Best bowling(match) : 2/59
Bowling avg : 44.75
Economy : 3.65

[ajithfederer]

Stats No:22
ODI stats in New Zealand

Matches : 19
Runs : 577
Not outs : 0
Top score : 84
Batting avg : 30.36
Strike rate : 93.36
100s : 0
50s : 4
Ducks : 3
Overs : 62.3
Maidens : 0
Runs given : 301
Wkts : 7
Best bowling : 3/34
Bowling avg : 43.00
Economy : 4.81

The Maestro has not scored a ton in NZ (ODIs 1ly).

Test stats in New Zealand

Matches : 8
Innings : 13
Runs : 498
Not outs : 1
Top score : 113
Batting avg : 41.50
100s : 1
50s : 3
Ducks : 1
Overs : 19
Maidens : 2
Runs given : 68
Wkts : 4
Best bowling(innings) :2/7
Best bowling(match) : 2/15
Bowling avg : 17.00
Economy : 3.57

[Vivasaayi]

thalaivavaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[ajithfederer]

Stats No:23

The Little Master's favourite hunting grounds in ODIs
Priority based on avg....

1)County Ground,Bristol(ENG)
Matches : 3
Runs : 352
Top score : 140*
Batting avg : 176.00
100s : 2
India won all the 3 matches

2)Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium,Hyderabad(IND)
Matches : 4
Runs : 310
Top score : 186*
Batting avg : 155.00
100s : 2
Wkts : 1
Best bowling : 1/36
Catches : 2
India won 3 matches ( lost 1 to RSA )

3)City Oval,Pietermaritzburg(RSA)
Matches : 1
Runs : 152
Top score : 152
Batting avg : 152.00
100s : 1
India won the match

4)Barkatullah Khan Stadium,Jodhpur(IND)
Matches : 1
Runs : 146
Top score : 146
Batting avg : 146.00
100s : 1
Wkts : 1
Best bowling : 1/35
India lost the match (against ZIM)

5)Willowmoore Park,Benoni(RSA)
Matches : 1
Runs : 104
Top score : 104
Batting avg : 104.00
100s : 1
India won the match

6)Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium(PAK)
Matches : 2
Runs : 183
Top score : 141
Batting avg : 91.50
100s : 1
India won 1 & lost 1 (against PAK)

7)Queens Sports Club,Bulawayo(ZIM)
Matches : 5
Runs : 259
Top score : 127*
Batting avg : 86.33
100s : 1
Catches : 1
India won 4 matches & lost 1 (against ZIM)

8)Reliance Stadium,Vadodara(IND
Matches : 6
Runs : 428
Top score : 122
Batting avg : 85.60
100s : 3
Wkts : 1
Best bowling : 1/36
India won 5 matches & lost 1 (against AUS)

9)Nehru Stadium,Indore(IND)
Matches : 3
Runs : 163
Top score : 139
Batting avg : 81.50
100s : 1
Wkts : 1
Best bowling : 1/48
Catches : 1
India won 1 match & 1 match ended in a tie (against ZIM) while the other match was cancelled due to threatening pitch conditions (against SRI)

10)Harare Sports Club(ZIM)
Matches : 6
Runs : 314
Top score : 122*
Batting avg : 78.50
100s : 1
India won 4 matches & lost 2 (against ZIM & WI)

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:3ab28526ff]http://www.orkut.com/Main#CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=53690&tid=5279553536193840217

Sachin , India's longest serving soldier

- Tendulkar on Thursday became the longest serving player in Indian Test history, moving ahead of Lala Amarnath who played Test cricket for exactly 19 years. Tendulkar has now played Test cricket for 19 years and 26 days.

Player Career Span Matches Period
Sachin Tendulkar 19 years 26 days 155* Nov 1989 – Dec 2008
Lala Amarnath 19 years 24 Dec 1933- Dec 1952
S Venkataraghavan 18 years 214 days 57 Feb 1965- Sep 1983
A Kumble 18 years 85 days 132 Aug 1990- Nov 2008
Mushtaq Ali 18 years 36 days 11 Jan 1934- Feb 1952[/tscii:3ab28526ff]

[ajithfederer]

83'rd International Hundred :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:

Most importantly the team wins and a well built innings. Highly uncharacteristic though with just 9 fours. Nevertheless well played Sachin.

[ajithfederer]

Guess all of them were achieved 8-).

[tscii:0dfed3b36e]http://www.orkut.com/Main#CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=23803&tid=5278110079150627055&na=4

Milestones by Sachin in the coming ENGLAND series
We all know that Sachin is the synonym for Records. Whatever he does on the field goes into records books.

Few more feathers will be added to his cap as follows:

Tendulkar needs six runs to complete 2,000 Test runs against England. He will become the second Indian batsman to aggregate 2,000 runs against England after Sunil Gavaskar (2,483 in 38 Tests @ 38.20).

— Having already scored 2,748 runs against Australia, Tendulkar will also become only the second Indian and 11th batsman overall to aggregate 2,000 runs against TWO opponents. Others to do so are Allan Border, Geoff Boycott, Sunil Gavaskar, Graham Gooch, Wally Hammond, Desmond Haynes, Brian Lara, Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards and Steve Waugh. Gavaskar and Lloyd have performed this feat against THREE opponents!

— Tendulkar needs 93 runs to aggregate 1,000 runs in Test matches in the year 2008. This will be the fifth such instance for Tendulkar to reach four-digit mark in a calendar year. Tendulkar had scored exactly 1,000 in 1997, 1088 in 1999,1003 in 2001 and 1392 in 2002.

— Tendulkar will also equal the world record of aggregating 1,000 runs in a calendar year on MOST occasions. West Indian Brian Lara and Australian Matthew Hayden have performed this feat on five occasions. Sunil Gavaskar, Ricky Ponting and Jacques Kallis are the other batsmen to have done so on four occasions.

— A win in either of the Chennai and Mohali Tests will make Sachin Tendulkar the first Indian to appear in 50 WON Tests. [/tscii:0dfed3b36e]

[Thirumaran]

[tscii:2382e30981]http://www.orkut.com/Main#CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=23803&tid=5278110079150627055&na=4

Milestones by Sachin in the coming ENGLAND series
We all know that Sachin is the synonym for Records. Whatever he does on the field goes into records books.

Few more feathers will be added to his cap as follows:

Tendulkar needs six runs to complete 2,000 Test runs against England. He will become the second Indian batsman to aggregate 2,000 runs against England after Sunil Gavaskar (2,483 in 38 Tests @ 38.20).

— Having already scored 2,748 runs against Australia, Tendulkar will also become only the second Indian and 11th batsman overall to aggregate 2,000 runs against TWO opponents. Others to do so are Allan Border, Geoff Boycott, Sunil Gavaskar, Graham Gooch, Wally Hammond, Desmond Haynes, Brian Lara, Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards and Steve Waugh. Gavaskar and Lloyd have performed this feat against THREE opponents!

— Tendulkar needs 93 runs to aggregate 1,000 runs in Test matches in the year 2008. This will be the fifth such instance for Tendulkar to reach four-digit mark in a calendar year. Tendulkar had scored exactly 1,000 in 1997, 1088 in 1999,1003 in 2001 and 1392 in 2002.

— Tendulkar will also equal the world record of aggregating 1,000 runs in a calendar year on MOST occasions. West Indian Brian Lara and Australian Matthew Hayden have performed this feat on five occasions. Sunil Gavaskar, Ricky Ponting and Jacques Kallis are the other batsmen to have done so on four occasions.

— Tendulkar needs two sixes to complete 50 sixes in Test matches.
— A win in either of the Chennai and Mohali Tests will make Sachin Tendulkar the first Indian to appear in 50 WON Tests. [/tscii:2382e30981]

Except the bolded ones all were done :clap: Adutha match la athuvum vanthidum :P

BTW great work af :clap:

[Vivasaayi]

ini evanavadhu vaaya therakatum... :cool:

he manipulated the field and its really like sachin is setting the field with his batting :notworthy:

[viraajan]

83'rd International Hundred :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:

Most importantly the team wins and a well built innings. Highly uncharacteristic though with just 9 fours. Nevertheless well played Sachin.

:bow: :bow: :bow:

[Thirumaran]

83'rd International Hundred :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:

Most importantly the team wins and a well built innings. Highly uncharacteristic though with just 9 fours. Nevertheless well played Sachin.

:bow: :bow: :bow:

9 more to go in tests and 8 in ODI :P After that he can retire :wink:

[viraajan]

83'rd International Hundred :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:

Most importantly the team wins and a well built innings. Highly uncharacteristic though with just 9 fours. Nevertheless well played Sachin.

:bow: :bow: :bow:

9 more to go in tests and 8 in ODI :P After that he can retire :wink:

have three more years 8-) (for next world cup)
If he continues in this phase, i'm sure 50 100s in ODI will be done. 8-) Since no of test matches are comparatively lesser, 50 100s in test may not happen. :?

[Sourav]

83'rd International Hundred :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:

Most importantly the team wins and a well built innings. Highly uncharacteristic though with just 9 fours. Nevertheless well played Sachin.

:bow: :bow: :bow: :smokesmirk: :smokesmirk: :smokesmirk: :smokesmirk: :swinghead: :swinghead: :swinghead: :victory: :victory: :victory: :yes: :yes: :yes: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :bluejump: :bluejump: :bluejump: :redjump: :redjump: :redjump: :boo: :boo: :boo: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :D :D :D :P :P :P

[Thirumaran]

8-) Since no of test matches are comparatively lesser, 50 100s in test may not happen. :?

I would say, in tests that will happen soon :P He had already reduced playing much ODI's and i think he will continue to do so. :roll: Probably one more century in next test :wink:

[viraajan]

Words fail me to express my excitement. :oops: What a brilliant century? :redjump: Sachin's words "I play for India! More than Ever" are 200% true! :thumbsup: He is the legend. :bow: He is the example. :bow: He is the rolemodel for other players. :bow: He is the demigod :boo:

I love you Sachin... Now, more than ever :bow:

[Sourav]

Words fail me to express my excitement. :oops: What a brilliant century? :redjump: Sachin's words "I play for India! More than Ever" are 200% true! :thumbsup: He is the legend. :bow: He is the example. :bow: He is the rolemodel for other players. :bow: He is the demigod :boo:

I love you Sachin... More than ever :bow: :yes:
A century in pressure situation...match winning innings... He played til the last ball of the innings.... Its indeed a very spl century... :bow::bow::bow:

[Sourav]

[tscii:59ea2a671a]This is Sachin`s best innings: Sehwag


Zeecric Bureau

Chennai, Dec 15: After setting the tone for one of India’s most historic wins, the dashing Virender Sehwag complimented Sachin Tendulkar for his amazing knock and said, “This is Sachin`s best innings I have seen."

"I remember the Test loss against Pakistan here [in 1999] but today he finished the job. I always back myself to play only a few shots. If the ball is in my area I hit it. The ball was turning and bouncing but Sachin and Yuvraj batted brilliantly. I`ve played for eight years and the atmosphere in the dressing room now is brilliant. We believe we can do anything”, an upbeat and belligerent Virender Sehwag said in the post match presentation ceremony.

http://cricket.zeenews.com/fullstory.asp?nid=15732

:bow:[/tscii:59ea2a671a]

[crajkumar_be]

Blasphemy :evil:

[ajaybaskar]

Its a long time since sachin enjoyed like this.

http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/indveng/content/image/382296.html

[Sid_316]

Andavar Darisanam Today! :clap: :mrgreen:

[Vivasaayi]

the best of the lot

Those that aren't Indian struggle to fathom exactly what Tendulkar means to so many millions, and it's doubtful whether even those that live here really comprehend just how much a part of the national consciousness he has become. He is such a unifying force, a personality capable of stirring the emotions in every nook and corner of a vast land. And in these times of distress and anger, it was so very appropriate that it would be Tendulkar who put the smiles back on at least a few faces.

http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/382314.html

[Vivasaayi]

heres another wonderful comment from pieterson

"I think after day one if we said we had to defend 250 on the final day we would have taken that," Pietersen said.

"Sehwag obviously started the innings fantastically well last night and then the little master from Mumbai (Tendulkar) came in.

"As a skipper and a bowling unit you try and set a field to a magician like that, and it is pretty difficult."

[crajkumar_be]

And in these times of distress and anger, it was so very appropriate that it would be Tendulkar who put the smiles back on at least a few faces.


mathavaingala pathi theriyadhu aana personally for me, this is certainly true.. and many times at that :notworthy:

[Vivasaayi]

British press:

"England, who had sensed victory in this emotionally charged Test, ultimately bowed to Tendulkar's unyielding determination to sooth a nation's pain," wrote one commentator in the Guardian.

The Daily Mail's correspondent agreed, saying that through his "utterly brilliant, match-winning and history-making century", Tendulkar had achieved something that was "far, far bigger than cricket".

The Telegraph "In the end no one could deny the scriptwriter who had the favourite son of Mumbai hitting the winning runs in a record-breaking run chase and registering a hundred" .

:clap:

[ajaybaskar]

This is something I wanted to do: Sachin

Tuesday, 16 December , 2008, 00:50


Chennai: Sachin Tendulkar on Monday dedicated one of his finest centuries to the families of victims of last month's Mumbai attacks.

Tendulkar hit 103 not out in an unbroken fifth wicket of 163 runs with left-hander Yuvraj Singh (85 not out) to beat England by six wickets in a game which looked in serious jeopardy after the militant attacks.

"From my point of view I look at it as an attack on India, not on Mumbai. It is an attack on India and it should hurt every Indian, not only people from Mumbai," Tendulkar told a news conference.

"We are Indians and that is how I look at it. I would like to dedicate this hundred to all those people who have gone through such terrible times."

Set 387 for victory, Tendulkar, who holds the Test record for most runs and centuries, scored his 41st Test century to complete Test cricket's fourth-highest successful run chase.

"This is something that I wanted to do - score a hundred in the fourth innings and win a match for India," he said.

"I've scored a hundred in the second innings, but to actually win a match, play the winning shot, that was something I wanted to do. This makes it really, really special.

"It's something every batsman dreams of. I would rate this hundred as one of the best, for sure."

'THANK ENGLAND'

England left the tour last month but returned after tight security was promised for the two Tests which were moved to Chennai from Ahmedabad and to Mohali (December 19-23) from Mumbai.

"I'd like to thank England for coming back to play Test cricket. We've witnessed a wonderful Test match. People are again enjoying cricket the way it's meant to be," he said

"In no way am I trying to say that this will make everyone forget what happened in Mumbai," Tendulkar said, adding that a couple of parents from his daughter's school lost their lives in the attacks.

"What happened in Mumbai was extremely unfortunate and I don't think by India winning or me scoring hundreds people who have lost their dear ones and loved ones would feel better.

"It's a terrible loss for all of them and our hearts are with them. All I can say is that in whatever way we can contribute to make them feel better we'll make that effort."

England captain Kevin Pietersen said the loss was hard to take when his side had dominated thanks to two centuries from Andrew Strauss and another from Paul Collingwood.

"To control the Test match for 70 per cent of the time and then unfortunately to miss out is a pretty bitter pill to swallow," he said.

"At the same time positives can be found in the way they (his team) played Test match cricket over the past five days... We can sleep knowing 70 per cent of this Test was ours.

"Especially after what happened in Mumbai a couple of weeks ago. For both teams to come out and play Test match cricket and to put on a performance like that I think they can be really proud of themselves."

[Sourav]

[tscii:eefe4006ba]Sachin dedicates Test victory to Mumbai martyrs

After a statesman-like innings befitting his status in international cricket took India to a famous victory, Sachin Tendulkar talked the talk. The concentration and composure that he displayed on the field to ensure India did not veer away from course en route to chasing 387, was matched by his words at the end of the day.

“What happened in Mumbai was extremely unfortunate and I don’t think by India winning or me scoring hundreds, people who have lost their loved ones would feel better,” Tendulkar said.

“It’s a terrible loss for all of them and our hearts are with them. All I can say is that in whatever way we can contribute to make them feel better we’ll make that effort. I would like to dedicate this hundred to all those people who have gone through such terrible times,” he added.

Tendulkar, whose unbeaten 103 formed the backbone of the historic chase, may be from Mumbai, but he showed why he was the entire nation’s favourite cricketing son. “I look at it as an attack on India, not on Mumbai,” he said.

"It is an attack on India and it should hurt every Indian, not only people from Mumbai. We are Indians and that is how I look at it."

Although he did not personally know any of those who died in the Mumbai terror attacks two parents of his daughter Sara's classmates lost their lives in the incidents, giving him a tangible connection to what happened, but still, he had no doubts about playing this game. "I was confident that our security would make us feel secure. They've done a fantastic job and only because of that people have been able to witness such a match," said Tendulkar. "I'd like to thank England for coming back to play Test cricket. We've witnessed a wonderful Test match. People are again enjoying cricket the way it's meant to be.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=5d0d3d52-9f5e-4143-827e-bfdcc9e785ec&ParentID=9c2de39c-4d0b-483d-9777-7247bb7f8565&MatchID1=4764&TeamID1=4&TeamID2=26&MatchType1=2&SeriesID1=1204&PrimaryID=4764&Headline=Sachin+dedicates+Test+victory+to+Mumbai+m artyrs[/tscii:eefe4006ba]

[Sourav]

Thalaivar stills.... :cool2:

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH%2F2008%2F12%2F16&ViewMode=GIF&GZ=T&PageLabel=15&EntityId=Ar01500&AppName=1

[Sourav]

[tscii:409c3bd149]A Tendulkar is a joy forever
Harsha Bhogle


In years to come they will say great wine must age like Tendulkar. You know everything there is to be known and yet, there is a sense of excitement as you uncork another bottle. Can there be anything smoother than this latest vintage effort? Possessed of many flavours but blended beautifully? Tendulkar 2008 is not tired after nineteen years in the cellar. As younger, bubblier ones emerge around him he retains his eminence. A Tendulkar, his fans will say today, is forever.
He did not dominate, he did not take the attack apart,but he was there. And till he was there, England knew they could not break through. But he wasn’t meek, or kind, or
passive either. He used the paddle sweep rather than the cover drive, occasionally he would charge out and hit over mid-wicket and often, he would just place the ball into the gaps only he could see and trudge away for a single. He played like the master bridge player who knew everyone’s hand. This was an innings he yearned to play. Just to show that he could. Great writers of
prose are sometimes proud of project reports they write. His record in the fourth innings wasn’t awesome. Most people don’t have one but then they are not Tendulkar, they are not condemned to be judged by those standards. It would have rankled. And quietly, in the course one of the many highly intellectual cricketing dialogues he has with himself, he will say, “See I can.”
It would please him even more that this wasn’t the easiest track. It wasn’t as bad as it looked, the make-up was patchy, but when the ball landed in the rough it acquired a mind of its own. With lots of close-in fielders the odd ball could have taken a bit of glove or an inside edge. It was as cerebral an innings as any you will see; played like a scientist rather than like a warrior or a poet.
Only a fool or a genius would have backed India to get 387 on a last day pitch. The genius was standing at the end but even he knows he couldn’t have without the man who wanted to be like him. Sehwag set it up. He was the right choice for man of the match.

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH/2008/12/16&PageLabel=15&EntityId=Ar01502&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T[/tscii:409c3bd149]

[Sourav]

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH/2008/12/16&PageLabel=15&EntityId=Ar01501&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T

[Sourav]

[tscii:194dc572a1]Sachin, India's longest serving soldier :bow:

New Delhi: England were playing their 50th Test on Indian soil. They thus became the first visiting side to appear in 50 Tests in India. Australia and West Indies come second with 40 Tests apiece.

- Graeme Swann became the 641st player to appear in a Test match for England.

- Tendulkar on Thursday became the longest serving player in Indian Test history, moving ahead of Lala Amarnath who played Test cricket for exactly 19 years. Tendulkar has now played Test cricket for 19 years and 26 days.

Player Career Span Matches Period
Sachin Tendulkar 19 years 26 days 155* Nov 1989 – Dec 2008
Lala Amarnath 19 years 24 Dec 1933- Dec 1952
S Venkataraghavan 18 years 214 days 57 Feb 1965- Sep 1983
A Kumble 18 years 85 days 132 Aug 1990- Nov 2008
Mushtaq Ali 18 years 36 days 11 Jan 1934- Feb 1952

http://cricketnext.in.com/news/stats-sachin-indias-longest-serving-soldier/36510-18.html[/tscii:194dc572a1]

[Sourav]

என் வாழ்விலேயே சிறந்த சதம்: சச்சின் பெருமிதம்

சென்னை: ""எனது கிரிக்கெட் வரலாற்றிலேயே இந்த சதம் தான் சிறந்தது. இந்த சதத்தை மும்பை தாக்குதல் சம்பவத்தில் பாதிக்கப்பட்டவர்களுக்கு அர்ப்பணிக்கிறேன்,'' என சச்சின் தெரிவித்தார்.சென்னை டெஸ்ட் போட்டியில் சதமடித்து இந்திய வெற்றிக்கு காரணமாக இருந்த சச்சின், நிருபர்களுக்கு அளித்த பேட்டி:எனது கிரிக்கெட் வரலாற்றிலேயே இந்த சதம் தான் சிறந்தது. நான் சதம் அடித்ததும், இந்த டெஸ்ட் போட்டியில் அதிகபட்சமாக 387 ரன்களை நான்காவது இன்னிங்சில் சேஸ் செய்து இந்தியா வெற்றி பெற்றிருப்பதும் மிகுந்த மகிழ்ச்சியளிக்கிறது. இந்த வெற்றியை இனிவரும் போட்டிகளிலும் தொடர வேண்டும்.மும்பை தாக்குதல் சம்பவம் துரதிர்ஷ்டவசமானது. இந்தியா வெற்றி பெற்றதாலும், நான் சதமடித்ததாலும், மும்பை சம்பவத்தில் பாதிக்கப்பட்டவர்களுக்கு ஆறுதல் கிடைத்திருக்காது. மீண்டும் இந்தியா வந்து டெஸ்ட் போட்டியில் விளையாடிய இங்கிலாந்திற்கு நன்றி.


யுவராஜ் சிங் சிறப்பாக விளையாடினார்: என்னை பொறுத்தவரை மும்பை சம்பவம் இந்தியாவின் மீதான தாக்குதல். மும்பை சம்பவம் ஒவ்வொரு இந்தியனையும் பாதித்திருக்கிறது. இந்த சதத்தை மும்பை தாக்குதல் சம்பவத்தில் பாதிக்கப்பட்டவர்களுக்கு அர்ப்பணிக்கிறேன்.இந்த ஆடுகளத்தில் ஒரு நாளின் மூன்று பகுதிகளிலும் அவுட்டாகாமல் விளையாடுவது கடினம். தேவையான அளவு "ரிஸ்க்' எடுத்து விளையாடினால் இந்த ஆடுகளத்தில் ரன் குவிக்க முடியும். இங்கு நான்காவது இன்னிங்கில் அதிகபட்சமாக 387 ரன்களை குவித்து டெஸ்ட் போட்டியை வென்றிருப்பது மிகுந்த மிகழ்ச்சியளிக்கிறது.யுவராஜ் சிங் சிறப்பாக விளையாடி, அவர் நல்ல டெஸ்ட் பேட்ஸ்மேன் இல்லை என்ற வாதத்தை தவறாக்கியிருக்கிறார். இங்கிலாந்து வீரர்கள் சிறப்பாகவே பந்து வீசினர். ஆனால், நாங்கள் அவர்களை விட சிறப்பாக பேட் செய்தோம். இங்கிலாந்து அணியில் ஸ்டிராஸ், கோலிங்வுட், முதல் இன்னிங்சில் பிரையர் சிறப்பாக பேட் செய்தனர்.


சேவாக் எப்போதும் அதிரடியாக விளையாடி வருவதால் அவரது ஆட்டம் எங்களுக்கு பழகிப்போய்விட்டது. அவரைப் போல அதிரடியாக மிகச் சிலராலேயே விளையாட முடியும். எதிரணியின் புதிய சுழற்பந்து வீச்சாளர்கள் இந்தியாவிற்கு சவால் என நினைக்கவில்லை. டிராவிட் சிறந்த வீரர். அவர் மீண்டும் ரன்களை குவிப்பார்.இவ்வாறு சச்சின் கூறினார்.

http://www.dinamalar.com/fpnnews.asp?News_id=2526&cls=row4

[Sourav]

This century is the perfect birthday gift for our friend, sachin's HC fan stanley... :P

[littlemaster1982]

This century is the perfect birthday gift for our friend, sachin's HC fan stanley... :P

:yes: AF :thumbsup: Inimey varushatthukku rendu b'day kondaadunga :mrgreen:

[HonestRaj]

This century is the perfect birthday gift for our friend, sachin's HC fan stanley... :P

:yes: AF :thumbsup: Inimey varushatthukku rendu b'day kondaadunga :mrgreen:

adhula enna kanjathanam.. yezhu ettu kondadunga :mrgreen: