Sir Sachin Tendulkar - The Greatest Cricketer Ever

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[tscii:5fb26959fd]Sachin is God, Mumbai is my city: Malinga
24 Apr 2009, 0050 hrs IST, K Shriniwas Rao, TNN

CAPE TOWN: Mahela Jayawardene once said that the toughest time he ever had with Lasith Malinga was while convincing the fast bowler why tattoos
wouldn’t suit him.

That was in 2005, when Malinga was just a year old in international cricket. The bowler with a sling-arm action, known for his athleticism, was the new face. Over the last two years, he’s copped criticism for being erratic, has had questions asked about his action and a mystery knee treatment. Yet, he remains one of the fastest.

Excerpts from an interview...

Finally, you’re getting to be a part of the IPL.

I was looking forward to the tournament last year. Who wouldn’t? There were such great teams in place and to play in a side with Sachin Tendulkar, Shaun Pollock and Sanath Jayasuriya would’ve been great. Unfortunately, I missed the opportunity because of my injury. But this year I want to make the most of what I’ve got.

The injury and treatment got a lot of attention. I don’t know how the injury happened. I got up one morning, during the One-day series in Australia and experienced some pain in my knee. There was a slight swelling and I first thought it might just be inflammation.

But that wasn’t the case. What I thought was just a slight inflammation kept me out of cricket for some 10 months. The (Sri Lankan) board provided the best treatment, but the pain was still there. I couldn’t do anything during that time, even brisk walking or things like climbing stairs was a problem. Then, the President of Sri Lanka took personal interest. He introduced me to a doctor who could finally help me.

What is it that the President’s doctor did?

It’s still a mystery. An injury that was there for 10 months disappeared in five days. The doctor, Eliyantha White, treated me with some herbs and I’m told that he works with supernatural elements. I don’t know what he did or how but neither the pain or swelling was there anymore. I will thank him and the President all my life.

Are you making a point now not to strain yourself?

Nothing like that. I do the same things I always used to do, try to bowl as fast as I used to. It was a bad dream, that injury, and I don’t think too much about it now. T20 is a good way to keep yourself in rhythm. You have only four overs, it keeps you fresh while getting to bowl to the best batsmen.

Tell us about your bowling. How comfortable are you with your sling-arm action and does speed mean everything to you?

There was a time when I used to bowl 155 kmph on a regular basis. I can still do that and I want to bowl fast, but on most occasions I now try to keep myself between 140 to 150 kmph, changing as per the need. I definitely look for a lot more line and length now. I’m very lucky to be comfortable with the kind of action I have and I do understand early on, it makes the batsman a little uncomfortable.

Who are the batsmen you reckon to be the most dangerous in the world?

Sachin and Sanath of course. Gayle and Sehwag in particular can be really tough to bowl to if they get going.

No more tattoos and long, wild hair?

I don’t stop myself from doing what I like. But it is not necessary that I am all about what you see me as in person. Over the years, the game has taught me a few things.

Tell us about your relation with Sachin Tendulkar and the city of Mumbai

Mumbai is my favourite Indian city and Tendulkar is god. He’s the one player I’ve admired most.

http://ipl.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Sachin-is-God-Mumbai-is-my-city-Malinga/articleshow/4441963.cms[/tscii:5fb26959fd]

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Sachin turns 36 | Party pics | Wish him

Cricketnext.com

Posted on Apr 24, 2009 at 10:16 | Updated Apr 24, 2009 at 17:09

New Delhi/CAPE TOWN: Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar turns 36 on Friday still harbouring one dream; to win the World Cup for India.

For a man who has achieved so much and set the standards in the modern era of the game, it is an anamoly that he still does not have a world cup title medal around his neck. And the Little Master is determined to change that when the event comes visiting to the Indian subcontinent in 2011.

At a recent function in Mumbai he laughed away the question saying "You only dream when you are asleep." But then quickly added, "I want to win the World Cup for India."

http://cricketnext.in.com/news/sachin-turns-36-dreams-of-world-cup-win/40236-13.html

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[tscii:0a30acc105]http://www.cricbuzz.com/component/latest_cricket_news/Story/13318/sachin-turns-36-has-one-dream-left/

Sachin turns 36 - has one dream left
Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:18 GMT
Sachin Tendulkar has conquered all but one peak - the World Cup

Enlarge Image
© AFP

Sachin Tendulkar turns 36 today. The master batsman has scaled every summit in the game - except for one. He has not yet been part of a World Cup winning team. But come 2011, the master blaster is all set to change that, when the World Cup is held on the subcontinent.

When asked at a recent function what his dreams were, he laughed off the question saying, "You only dream when you are asleep." But then he added, "I want to win the World Cup for India."

The captain of the Mumbai Indians got a surprise from his team when he found that they had organized a surprise birthday party at the team hotel.

Speaking to reporters, the always humble Sachin said, "It is the good wishes and blessings that count a lot. My family is joining me tomorrow, so am really looking forward to it."

The little master also said that he was still enjoying every moment of playing the game. "I would like to achieve the enjoyment factor. It is important to enjoy the game and only then will you come out with your best and that's what I want to do," he added. [/tscii:0a30acc105]

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http://cricket.rediff.com/report/2009/apr/24/sachin-tendulkar-turns-36.htm

Sachin Tendulkar turns 36

April 24, 2009 12:41 IST


Sachin Tendulkar
Photograph: Reuters

India's shining jewel, master batsman Sachin Tendulkar [Images], turned 36 today (Friday, April 24).

The Little Master, who is leading the Mumbai Indians [Images] in the Indian Premier League [Images], celebrated his birthday with his IPL team mates in South Africa [Images].

Since making his Test debut against Pakistan in 1989, Tendulkar has played 159 Tests scoring 12,773 runs at an impressive average of 54.58 runs per over.

His first Test century, which saved the match for India at Old Trafford in England [Images], came when he was 17. He had 16 Test hundreds before he turned 25.

In ODIs, Sachin has so far scored as many as 43 centuries and 91 half-centuries, scoring 16,684 runs in the 425 matches that he has played.

Sachin currently holds the record for most hundreds in both Tests and ODIs.

Join us in wishing the batting maestro good luck on his birthday.

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At 36, Tendulkar feels like 16



Durban, Apr 24 (PTI) Arguably cricket's biggest icon, Sachin Tendulkar turned 36 today and said he still feels like a boy of 16.
The right-hander, bracketed in the same league with the legendary Don Bradman, is currently leading the Mumbai Indians in the ongoing Indian Premier League in South Africa.

"I feel like 16. I think it's the good wishes and blessings that count," he said.

"It's not about breaking records. It's about winning matches. It's a terrific feeling to win and that's what matters," Tendulkar said after cutting the birthday cake in company of his Mumbai Indians teammates.

Worshipped in India and equally revered across the world, Tendulkar made his debut at 16 against Pakistan before growing into a batsman who has given nightmares to bowlers across the cricketing globe.

Tendulkar said his career stats, which show more than 12,000 Test and over 16,000 ODI runs don't matter much in comparison to being part of a winning team.

"Stats are merely a reflection of an individual's contribution to the team. Ultimately it's a team sport and though individual performances matter, it's more about winning matches," he said.

Tendulkar will be joined by his wife and kids in the birthday celebrations here. PTI

http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/ECB9197E8640D859652575A20027591F?OpenDocument

[ArulprakasH]

Good updates AF :clap:

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Mumbai: As Sachin Tendulkar turns 36 today, Mary Serrao, one of his most devoted fans, turns 86. Hemal Ashar meets the great-gran, whose only wish now is to meet her 'God' before it's too late

At noon today, Tendulkar's restaurant at Colaba will play host to the release of a book titled If Cricket is
daadi cool: Mary Serrao knows of every incident in Sachin's life. PIC/PRADEEP DHIVAR

Religion, Sachin is God. The title echoes the sentiments of one of Sachin's craziest fans, Margarita Serrao from Orlem (Malad), who shares her birthday with Sachin. Margarita, or Mary as she is called, turns 86 today the same day the Little Master turns 36.

The feisty great-grandmother says, "I am so thrilled to share my birthday with Sachin. I will be celebrating with cake and biryani and I hope Sachin is celebrating in South Africa too." Sachin is away playing in the IPL for the
Mumbai Indians.

Mary Serrao's Sachin-worship began several years ago, when she would watch cricket matches along with her son, who was housebound as he was epileptic. Recalls her daughter Cecilia, "Slowly, my mother became Sachin's fan, obsessive about his batting, learning about his records, his centuries and even some controversies like the ball-tampering one."

Sachin was at the centre of a ball-tampering row in the Port Elizabeth Test (South Africa) in 2001. Says Mary indignantly, "Sachin had not tampered with the ball. He can do no wrong. He is God."

Mary has pictures of her deity, whom she also considers her grandson, plastered on her room walls. "Most of these photographs are gifts from people who know I adore Sachin," she explains. "Undoubtedly I may get some more on my birthday."

Now, Mary's only desire is to meet Sachin in person. She says, "I had even gone to the Tendulkar's [the restaurant] seven years ago to meet him, but somehow missed him as he had already left. I know my time will come, and I will meet him."

Cecilia says, "If Sachin gets out while playing, my mother switches off the television. Her grandchildren taunt her while Sachin is batting, 'Now he will get out, now he will get out,' she runs after them to smack them." Mary has four grandchildren and one great grandchild. "Sachin is like my grandchild," she says.

Though Mary's memory fades sporadically, she is as sharp as a pin when it comes to Sachin. We asked her three Sachin questions and she was correct each time. "I hold the rosary and pray when he bats," finishes Mary, who epitomises a nation that worships many Gods but believes that in cricket there is only one Sachin Tendulkar.

Quiz questions to Mary Serrao
Q: How many centuries has Sachin scored?
A: Total: 85. 42 in Tests and 43 in one-dayers.

Q: What was Sachin's score in his first ever Test innings?
A: 15 runs against Pakistan

Q: When did Sachin score his most recent Test century?
A: In Hamilton (New Zealand)

All the answers were correct

http://www.mid-day.com/news/2009/apr/240409-Mumbai-News-Sachin-Tendulkar-crazy-fan-Mary-Serrao-brithday-36-yrs-old.htm

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:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:

I am sure this is one of the best birthday presents sachin would have ever got. And one among the greatest piece of news for his fans too.

[ajithfederer]

One person Bravo has been getting to know well is Sachin Tendulkar. "We have had long chats. He has passed me tips on improving my batting and on to continue to believe in myself." What's the biggest thing he's picked up so far? "He told me that whenever I feel I am under pressure in match situations; learn to remember that I have more time than I think I have. I feel really lucky that I have shared dressing rooms with the two of the greatest players, Lara and Tendulkar."

And who has been more inspirational? "Lara of course," comes Bravo's reply with a laugh. "He is from the same village as me and I grew up watching him."

Bravo reckons his Mumbai team can go all the way. "We have a very balanced team, a good coaching staff and a good leader. We just have to execute our plans; we have a very good chance to win this."

If they do, he will surely enjoy the ride back home even more than the last time. That was the highlight from off the field action for him - his IPL moment. "I flew back in one of [team owner Anil] Ambani's private jets. That was cool!"

http://content.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/401289.html

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If cricket is a religion, Sachin is God

Harish Kotian in Mumbai | April 24, 2009



Every year on his birthday we keep wondering how long Sachin Tendulkar [Images] will continue playing for India. The master batsman turned 36 on Friday, and going by his recent performances in New Zealand [Images] and the ongoing Indian Premier League [Images], it seems he is still good for a some more years.

Former India captain Nari Contractor on Friday paid tribute to the Little Master and expressed hope of him guiding the country to the title in the 2011 World Cup.

"After we were knocked out of the 2007 World Cup I was on a news channel discussion panel that was debating whether it was time for seniors like Rahul Dravid [Images], Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly [Images] and others to go. Even then I had said the only person who probably might make it to the 2011 World Cup is Sachin Tendulkar, and I still maintain it," Contractor said at Tendulkar's restaurant in Mumbai [Images], at a function to launch the book, If Cricket is a religion, Sachin is God.

"If he manages to maintain his fitness and there are no injury problems then he should definitely make it to the World Cup. But should something happen to him and he is forced to miss the event it will be a big blow for Indian cricket," Contractor added.

Contractor played 31 Tests for India, from 1955-62, before his glowing career was cut short by West Indies [Images] fast bowler Charlie Griffith. The left-hander was struck on the skull by a bouncer from the bowler in a tour game against Barbados in 1962 following which he lay in hospital in a critical condition for a few days and needed several emergency operations to rescue him.

"I am just praying that he keeps fit till the World Cup, with no injuries, because at his age injuries will take time to recover. That is the only danger he faces... and I don't think any bowler is a danger for him," the former left-hand batsman said.

The 75-year-old said though Sir Don Bradman ranks as the best ever batsman the sport has seen, Tendulkar is not far behind.

"The one record that Sachin has achieved and which Don Bradman has not is that Sachin is the youngest to get 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000, 7000, 8000, 9000 and 10,000 runs in Test cricket. This is where he beats Don," he said.

Contractor though regrets that Tendulkar was not given enough support as captain.

"When Tendulkar gave up the captaincy of the Indian team it was a sad day for Indian cricket, because I believe he would have been a great captain. Any person with his dedication, commitment, application and experience would have done well as the captain. But, maybe, Tendulkar got frustrated as captain, which, in other ways, may have also been good, because, maybe, he would not achieved so much as a batsman if he was the captain."

But the most touching story of the day came from the book's co-author, Vijay Santhanam, who said Tendulkar played a big part in his recovery from a brain stroke.

"I suffered from a brain stroke nearly three years ago and it is thanks to my family, the hospital staff, my friends and my employers that I am on the road to recovery. In my hospital room I had this statue of Lord Ganesha [Images] and an autographed picture of Sachin Tendulkar, on which it was written: 'Get well soon. Our best wishes are with you.' That really inspired me a lot in my recovery process," said Santhanam, a bit inaudible because of facial paralysis from the stroke..

The book traces the remarkable story of Tendulkar, from his rise (1982-92) to zenith (1993-2003), and the fall (2005 to World Cup 2007) to resurrection (post 2007), and explains the reasons for his deification.


Image: Vijay Santhanam and Shyam Balasubramaniam's book If Cricket Is a Religion, Sachin Is God, which was released at Tendulkar's restaurant in Mumbai on Friday.

http://cricket.rediff.com/report/2009/apr/24/if-cricket-is-a-religion-sachin-is-god-book-release.htm

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[tscii:d0b707460a]Deccan Chargers v Mumbai Indians, IPL, Durban

Tendulkar casts a giant shadow

Karna S

April 25, 2009
Sachin Tendulkar made a breezy 36, Deccan Chargers v Mumbai Indians, IPL, 12th Match, Durban, April 25, 2009
Big Brother: Sachin Tendulkar again carried Mumbai Indians' batting almost effortlessly © AFP

In the 90s, 'Sachin out, India out' used to be the Indian fan's cry of agony. Later it turned into nostalgia among fans of that decade. The new millennium lessened the burden on Sachin Tendulkar but for those missing that bitter-sweet feeling of shutting off the television after his exit, this edition of the IPL is bringing the memories back.

In the first game, Tendulkar dropped anchor after the fall of Sanath Jayasuriya and guided the team towards a competitive total. Had he got out early, Mumbai Indians would have stuttered to a poor score and lost the game. Today, he expertly guided the chase, almost coaching young JP Duminy - he was pointing out the field changes and constantly having a chat - and Mumbai looked solid at the half-way mark. The seven-and-half minute strategic break ensued and Tendulkar - not for the first time - admitted it killed his momentum. He lasted five balls before holing out to Gibbs at extra cover.

The equation at that point was hardly threatening: 85 were needed in 60 balls with nine wickets in hand but Mumbai folded up after Tendulkar's fall. Duminy too holed out, Shikhar Dhawan combusted, Abhishek Nayar didn't click and it was too much even for the enterprising Harbhajan Singh.

Mumbai's plan was simple. It had already been announced by their think-tank. Tendulkar would drop anchor if Sanath Jayasuriya fell early and vice versa. It worked for them brilliantly when Tendulkar returned from injury mid-way into the tournament last year. And it's bound to be their strategy through this tournament.

"Dropping anchor doesn't mean not playing shots," said Tendulkar at the end of the game. What he didn't say but meant translates, by his definition, to risk-free batting. It's not that his shots are risk-free in the conventional sense of the term - he paddle-swept a seamer, created room to go inside-out and charged a medium-pacer today - but they rarely look cheeky or desperate. It's the coming-out of an extremely calculating mind. You could predict what he was going to do but somehow, you didn't think he could be stopped.

Tendulkar's has become such a scientific art these days that it accommodates these plans so easily leaving the rest of us wondering just how tough an art it must be to master. After 20 years opponents shouldn't be surprised by anything he does. Yet, he seems to do what he wants to do in the middle.

Tendulkar allowed Duminy to take a few risks against Fidel Edwards and RP Singh while he bided his time. He was waiting for Adam Gilchrist to deploy Harmeet Singh. As expected, Tendulkar used his reputation and imposed himself on the youngster. Nineteen came in that over as Tendulkar charged, cut and scooped inside-out to for boundaries.

When Dwayne Smith came on for his slow medium-pacers, you felt Tendulkar would resist going after him. He rarely goes hammer and tongs at the irregular bowlers and this just wasn't the situation given that the required run rate was pretty manageable. One expected Tendulkar to play the paddle sweeps and the inside-out drives into the gaps. He has made pre-determination into an art form.

Even his dismissal was in character. Herschelle Gibbs was at cover and had the ball gone over his head it would have reached the boundary. Tendulkar was trying to fit the ball into the pre-determined result. He gave himself some room and tried to play the shot the ball before his dismissal but a clever Pragyan Ojha fired in a yorker and Tendulkar had to just dig it out. He went again next ball, connected well, but couldn't clear Gibbs.

"I don't regret that shot," said Tendulkar. "I certainly connected well but didn't get the elevation. If I had, people would be applauding."

As it happened today, he didn't and Mumbai collapsed. With Jayasuriya around, Gilchrist conceded, it wasn't the case of getting Tendulkar out and winning the game but it was obviously a huge wicket. Asked whether Tendulkar's presence can make other players, barring Jayasuriya, subconsciously depend on him so much that it can dwarf their own game a bit, Gilchrist was unsure.

"Maybe, perhaps. Everyone is bound to look a lot up to guys like Sachin. Guys like Duminy and their other [middle-order] batsmen, are a really talented lot and you would see them playing freely soon. Mumbai were my favourites ahead of this tournament and they seem to be a very balanced team."

Mumbai would hope their middle-order starts firing soon and start handling pressure better. If that happens, the team should reach the final four without much fuss. But for that to happen, they need to quickly get out of the shadow of Tendulkar and Jayasuriya.

Karna S is a freelance cricket writer

© Cricinfo

http://content.cricinfo.com/ipl2009/content/story/401466.html[/tscii:d0b707460a]

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[tscii:836053e3e2]Book on Tendulkar

Mumbai: Vijay Santhanam and Shyam Balasubramanian’s “If cricket is a religion, Sachin is God” released on Sachin Tendulkar’s 36th birthday, is a 200 page paper-back that’s unique in many ways.

Both Santhanam and Balasubramanian are IIM graduates from Ahmedabad.

“Most cricket reports convey facts such as where and when Tendulkar’s feats happened, but we have attempted to include the ‘why’ aspect of it.

“It goes beyond cricket. This book explains how cricket fans, writers and pundits have only seen Tendulkar, got a superficial understanding, but not fully grasped the magnitude of his accomplishments as it was happening and the significance of his role in Indian cricket,” say the fans-turned authors. — Special Correspondent

http://www.hindu.com/2009/04/25/stories/2009042552662000.htm[/tscii:836053e3e2]

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[tscii:3f2c515791]Srinath lavishes praise on Tendulkar

Principal Correspondent

Bangalore: The Sachin Tendulkar aura rippled across a packed hall as Javagal Srinath lavished praise on his former team-mate at a book reading function here on Saturday. The book titled If Cricket is a Religion, Sachin is God, authored by Vijay Santhanam and Shyam Balasubramanian, was earlier launched in Mumbai and as the writers moved to Bangalore for their promotional rounds, Srinath joined them and gave his insights on Tendulkar.

“Sachin is mentally very strong, his motivation levels are always high and despite the odd slump he comes back strongly. He is the greatest batsman I have seen and he should keep playing for another five years. He not only bats well but can bowl leg-spin, off-spin, can bowl an out-swinger or bring it in. The only thing I haven’t seen him do is keep wickets and because he is so good at the game it sometimes becomes difficult for lesser mortals like us to cope with his expectations. The first time he was captain he was very aggressive and wanted us to perform at his level but in his later stints he was much more mature and understood our potential,” Srinath said and rated Tendulkar’s hundred at Perth in 1992 as the best innings he has seen.
Grounded

Srinath said that Tendulkar’s middle-class background helps him stay grounded and added that as team-mates he and Tendulkar have had their share of healthy arguments due to their common desire for the team’s victory.

“I have had the best of him while playing against him in matches and in practice. I know a few chinks. The only way to get Sachin out is to tire him mentally because his technique is so good,” Srinath said.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/04/26/stories/2009042654551800.htm[/tscii:3f2c515791]

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[tscii:a6f3517b59]http://www.cricket360.com/1976-sachin-forever-sweet-sixteen.html

Sachin Forever Sweet Sixteen
Pitched By Cricket360 Observer
Saturday, 25 April 2009

We have all seen images of the little champion being smeared with birthday cake by his cricket colleagues in the cricket news, for yesterday Sachin Tendulkar turned 36 and this marks his 20th year in international cricket. If you missed those you can see Cricket360’s exclusive video of Sachin’s birthday celebrations. For many of us who remember Sachin making his debut as a young lad of 16, he will always be sixteen in terms of his prowess as a player, enthusiasm for the game and humility both as a player and as an individual.

Everyone was out in force to celebrate the 36th birthday of Sachin Tendulkar including our Cricket360 team so that we are able to bring you exclusive pictures of the surprise birthday party celebrations which you can view in this accompanying video that was shot by our very own Sharad Chikara. You can see international cricket’s topmost batsman being held fast by Zaheer Khan while his face is systematically smeared with birthday cake by spin master Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh.

On the occasion that marks 20 years of Sachin Tendulkar in the game of international cricket, many past masters present tried to gauge which was his best century till date. Sunil Gavaskar, Krishnamachari Srikkanth, Yuvi and Bhajji all had their take on this point. While the junior lot thought his unbeaten knock at Chepauk against England was his best, the seniors remembered his 1992 century against the Australia in Perth as his best.

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Bhajji put it aptly when he said “Sachin may be the senior-most member of the side, but his energy level is like that of the junior-most. I just want him to be a part of our team for many more years to come.’’

On the occasion of Sachin’s birthday, a book, titled 'If Cricket Is a Religion, Sachin is God', authored by two IIM (Ahmedabad) graduates, Vijay Santhanam and Shyam Balasubramaniam, was released in Mumbai, at Tendulkar's restaurant in Mumbai. Present at the occasion were Billiards champion Geet Sethi and former Indian cricket captain Nari Contractor. "No need to ask, cricket is a religion in our country and Tendulkar is the epitome of it. There's a huge visibility to Sachin, but I look beyond visibility. I look at his character and hunger (for the game)", Sethi said.

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video
Contractor said that when India were knocked out of the 2007 world cup and people were calling for the retirement of Sachin among others, he was the one who predicted that Sachin would probably make it to the 2011 World cup, a prophecy that most in international cricket will hope comes true.

The book's co-author, Vijay Santhanam said Tendulkar played a big part in his recovery from a brain stroke. "I suffered from a brain stroke nearly three years ago and it is thanks to my family, the hospital staff, my friends and my employers that I am on the road to recovery. In my hospital room I had this statue of Lord Ganesha and an autographed picture of Sachin Tendulkar, on which it was written: 'Get well soon. Our best wishes are with you.' That really inspired me a lot in my recovery process," said Santhanam.[/tscii:a6f3517b59]

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:0cd8f0d08a]http://ipl.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4446243.cms

They still think I'm 16, says Sachin on B'day
25 Apr 2009, 0035 hrs IST, Dwaipayan Datta, TNN

DURBAN: While you were sleeping, Sachin Tendulkar turned 36. It was 3.30 am in India, when the clock struck midnight in far away Durban, and the
Little Master took another step forward. A short single, in cricketing terms, but the IPL cricket family gathered at the team hotel to wish the genius.

It may have been a hard day for everyone, but when it’s the beloved Sachin’s birthday, who can give a skip? Cricketers across generations and countries - from Sunil Gavaskar to Yuvraj Singh to Dwayne Bravo - everyone was there to greet the master.

But the prankster, easily, was none other than Harbhajan Singh. Right after Sachin cut his birthday cake, Yuvraj held Sachin from the back, and Bhajji smeared cake on the Master’s face.

"They still think I am 16, but I am about 20 years older now. Aur Bhajji, tere ko main chhodhunga nahin," Sachin told his Mumbai Indians teammate in mock anger. Not that the Sardar bothered. "Paaji, these are the magic fingers...aap log bhi dekho," Bhajji said, showing off the spinning fingers that smeared cake on his skipper’s face.

Kyle Mills, the New Zealand opening bowler, who was busy taking pictures of the event on his mobile, sounded so excited to be a part of the occasion.

Amidst all this, there was a discussion going on about which is Sachin’s best Test century, and it was a divided house. While the Bhajjis and Yuvis consider his unbeaten 100 at Chepauk against England to be his best, the senior lot had no doubt in their mind that it was the Perth century against Australia in 1992 that stood out.

"He was brilliant in that innings and the way he handled the pace battery of Australia was quite breathtaking. That innings really proved that he is right up there with the best in the business," Gavaskar said.

Tendulkar’s first skipper, K Srikkanth, meanwhile, went back in time, recollecting those memories of the genius, touring Pakistan under him way back in 1989.

"What strikes me even today is that Sachin possesses the same enthusiasm for the game and has the same humility that he had 20 years ago," the chairman of the national selection committee said, singing out loud "Happy Birthday Sachin".

While Sachin thanked the Mumbai Indians management and the team members for throwing the "surprise party and making it a memorable occasion" for him, Bhajji said, "Sachin may be the seniormost member of the side, but his energy level is like that of the juniormost. I just want him to be a part of our team for many more years to come."

The cricket world hopes for the same as well. [/tscii:0cd8f0d08a]

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:1104410d1c]Fans celebrate birthday of Sachin Tendulkar
Category » Bhopal Posted On Friday, April 24, 2009

Bhopal Today Team
Bhopal, Apr 24:
The great Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar celebrated his 36th birthday on Friday. The sports lovers of state capital also celebrated his birthday with great enthusiasm and fervor. In Bhopal his fans were looking very happy and congratulated him. All his fans want that this great cricketer should play for long time and make more and more runs from his bat. He should entertain with his fours and sixes to his fans around the world. His fans have great expectations from this great cricketer in future. In his long international cricket career, he is having several world records in his name. Every international cricketer in the world has dream to break his records, but they all are very far from his records. Sachin Tendulkar in his childhood got important tips from his coach Ramakant Achrekar and later this great player, never forget his coach in his life and gave his respect to him. His fans want that Sachin Tendulkar should be the part of Indian Cricket team in coming Cricket World Cup. His fans will never except that Indian team will be announced without King of cricket. We can see children today practicing cricket like Sachin. During childhood Sachin use to practice whole day for one cricket shot. Today many children want to become like Sachin in life and want to do something for country.
They said
Raghvendra Singh said that Sachin Tendulkar has earned fame for India on international platform. It is difficult to find player like him. Rarely these players take birth on earth. I am very happy on his birthday. In such a short span of time he earned fame for the country. We all congratulate on his birthday.
Rajesh Gurjar said this player will be remembered for centuries on several occasions we feel proud of his performance and today country is celebrating his 36th birthday. Now we want to win world cup with the contribution of Sachin Tendulkar. My well wishes are with Sachin.
Pappan Bajaj informed that Sachin Tendulkar use to practice cricket in Shivaji Park of Mumbai under the scorching heat of the Sun. At very young age Sachin showed his caliber. There is no second player like Sachin Tendulkar in the world. I pray to God for his long and happy life.
Sumit Garg said that we all play cricket and we work had but it is not possible to match with Sachin. His game is very polished. He can turn any ball to boundary. Sachin should play many more years for the country. I congratulate him on his birthday.

http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=5682[/tscii:1104410d1c]

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:29fd983693]Friday, 24 April 2009
An ode to Sachin on his 36th birthday
By Vineet Sharma

Thirty-six summers back, this day, a cricketing legend came to life. Born in Mumbai, the young boy developed a fascination towards wielding the willow. The childhood days of playing cricket for fun dried up soon, and were replaced with a more overwhelming hunger to do well at the top level of the game. So, at an age when the normal school-kid would be thinking about scoring high marks in all his subjects, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar was busy scoring big runs in the domestic circuit.

Sachin made his First-class debut in the 1988/89 season, and immediately the pundits of the game sat up and took notice. In the same season, he made his Test debut against the Pakistanis on their home soil. His first overseas tour was a baptism by fire, and Sachin came out with flying colors. The highlight of the tour was an exhibition match where Sachin went after the legendary Pakistani spinner Abdul Qadir and scored 28 runs off his one over. The master had announced his arrival.

After, this came the away tours to England and Australia. Young Sachin notched up his first international Test century with a splendid knock of 119n.o. against the Englishmen. In Australia he thrived on the bouncier tracks and picked up two hundreds, which were worth their weight in gold. Till this time now, Sachin Tendulkar had become the latest prodigy to watch out for world cricket.

In the 90’s Sachin became the back-bone of the Indian team. The opposition knew that if they could nail the master early, the whole Indian team would crumble down to defeat. If Sachin got out early the fans left the stadium and the other team members had their shoulders drooping. On his part, the little wonder-kid accepted the responsibility of being the star player quite gleefully. The run machine kept on adding to the list of centuries in both forms of the game.

With his amazing ability to play all-around the wicket and score runs at a fast pace Sachin soon became the new cricketing God for a nation obsessed with the game. He scored runs in all corners of the cricketing world. He had a way to tackle all the bowlers. Whether it was the Shane Warne or Shoaib Akhtar, Sachin found a way to smack them to all parts of the park. No wonder the master has more than 12000 runs in the Test arena along with around 16000 runs in the One-Day format of the game. With a combined total of 85 hundreds in both forms of the game, Sachin Tendulkar has etched his name alongside the great cricketers to have graced the playing field.

The master has turned 36, but his game is yet to be affected by the gremlins of age. On the contrary, given his recent form it looks as if he’s got fresh wind in his sail. On India’s last tour to New Zealand Sachin strung yet another series of good performances. Not only in the Test matches or in the one-dayers, Sachin has also kept pace with the latest form of the game, the T20 version. He is the mainstay of the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League.

From a child prodigy to an institution of the game itself, Sachin has walked straight into the hearts of his fans and his team members alike. He is the senior member now, a person to whom everybody looks up to for all sorts of advice. Be it a technical flaw in the batting style of a way to deal with all the pressure on the cricketing field, Sachin Tendulkar is the man-to-go for all the members of the team. On the field or off it, Sachin soothes the nerves of his team members, by constantly joking and squeezing in humour in the tense dressing room atmosphere. The master is enjoying the success of the Indian team , something which he missed doing during the 90’s, when he was the only chief ingredient in the Indian batting line up.

For the fans, he is the cricketer for whom kids have bunked school, the office-goers have feigned illness. After a hard day’s work he is the one guy who has lit up the faces of the common man, with his breath-taking performances. Everyone relishes Sachin Tendulkar. His game, his smile, his humility has charmed one and all. His style of play is what every kid on the streets of India wants to impersonate. Everyone wants a slice of the little genius. At the age of 36, Sachin is still playing with the same passion, the same hunger that he had when he first held the bat to thrash a turning or a swinging ball to the boundary. All we can say is may the good work continue for a long time in the future. Happy Birthday Sachin!

Source: India Syndicate

http://sports.in.msn.com/cricket/stories/article.aspx?cp-documentid=2929201[/tscii:29fd983693]

[ajithfederer]

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1250697

Sachin Tendulkar gets the maximum calls on Idea number
PTISunday, April 26, 2009 16:23 IST

Mumbai: After crunching record number of international runs and centuries on the cricket field, champion bastman Sachin Tendulkar continued to be a trend-setter off the field too.

Tendulkar, who is leading Mumbai Indians in the IPL in South Africa, has received the maximum calls and SMSes on an Idea number in a promotional venture for one of the main sponsors of the team, a spokesperson for the Aditya Birla group cellular company said.

The star batsman, who celebrated his 36th birthday on Friday, received almost 50 per cent of the calls and 1.75 lakh SMSes since the opening of the line four days ago.

Idea had advertised the mobile numbers of Tendulkar and his other Mumbai Indian teammates Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh and Sanath Jayasuriya to enable their fans make calls and send SMSes to them.

As a follow-up, Idea intends to forward the call details and SMSes to the four players who, in turn, would return a few calls, the spokesperson said.

[crajkumar_be]

In the 90s, 'Sachin out, India out' used to be the Indian fan's cry of agony. Later it turned into nostalgia among fans of that decade. The new millennium lessened the burden on Sachin Tendulkar but for those missing that bitter-sweet feeling of shutting off the television after his exit, this edition of the IPL is bringing the memories back.

:)

[ajithfederer]

Chinna pasangala, Yaar kittae :smokesmirk:

[Vivasaayi]

In the 90s, 'Sachin out, India out' used to be the Indian fan's cry of agony. Later it turned into nostalgia among fans of that decade. The new millennium lessened the burden on Sachin Tendulkar but for those missing that bitter-sweet feeling of shutting off the television after his exit, this edition of the IPL is bringing the memories back.

:)

:)

the author has reflected the sentiments of millions of people

[ajithfederer]

Sun rises in the east.
WW2 started in 1939.
Bradman average 99.94 range la idhuvum oru FACT.




In the 90s, 'Sachin out, India out' used to be the Indian fan's cry of agony. Later it turned into nostalgia among fans of that decade. The new millennium lessened the burden on Sachin Tendulkar but for those missing that bitter-sweet feeling of shutting off the television after his exit, this edition of the IPL is bringing the memories back.

:)

:)

the author has reflected the sentiments of millions of people

[ajithfederer]

Assault at St. George's Park
[html:d84cfd6aa4]<img src =http://i39.tinypic.com/2cpc31l.jpg>[/html:d84cfd6aa4]

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:937ff7fca0]Sachin Tendulkar Launches Cricdude.com
Sachin launched the website, Ramesh Chandra Talluri welcomed the gathering at a glittering function at Hotel Southern Sun in Cape Town, South Africa. V. Chamundeswara Nath, ACA Secretary, Test cricketers VVS Lakshman, Adam Gilchrist along with other cricketers attended the function. Games have begun. It's time to step up to the wicket and take on the competition. Cricdude's fantasy cricket is here. Drive to the fences… Drive the game

(PRWEB) April 27, 2009 -- The world of cricket is all set to welcome its new star - Cricdude.com - a complete and comprehensive web 2.0 active cricket social media and entertainment portal. Set up with the aim of covering every cricket ball bowled and batted anywhere on planet earth, it endeavours to connect cricket fans across the world into one big happy community.


Sachin Launching Cricdude.com
You see, all existing cricket portals, with due respects to everyone, are passive in content and are a mere mirror image of each other. On the other hand, Cricdude.com has been conceived and created as a dynamically active cricket website that would be fast, friendly and fun and that would change the fans' cricket watching experience. The site strives to be the official community of cricket fans across the world and aims to connect each other.

Here, savour the line-up Cricdude has in store. Remember, it's just the beginning with an equally exciting bench-strength waiting to be unleashed: Cricket news, LIVE cricket scores, Scores and statistics, Expert analysis and blogs, Fantasy cricket, Cricket news and video aggregators, Official fan clubs and lots more!

Investing in best-in-class equipment, back-end processes and a world class set up Cricdude.com hopes to enhance the excitement value to cricket fans. With special emphasis on the fun quotient, yet moored in the technicalities of the game, Cricdude.com will deliver a scintillating sports experience to everyone who enters the precincts of the portal. The portal itself will be benchmarked with the best and reflect all elements that are as world-class as a world class brand would be. "We wanted to create a site that did not just present the scorecard and match analysis but also replicate the excitement of the game itself through its myriad features.

Enough said, we urge you to log onto Cricdude.com, and enjoy the game as you never did before. Excitement guaranteed. Entertainment assured! "Games have begun. It's time to step up to the wicket and take on the competition. Cricdude's fantasy cricket is here. Drive to the fences… Drive the game" says Ramesh Chandra Talluri, CEO & CoFounder.

The icing on the cake is the fact that the whole business venture and brand-building has the complete blessing of none other than the Indian Bradman, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar! Sachin launched the website, Ramesh Chandra Talluri welcomed the gathering at a glittering function at Hotel Southern Sun in Cape Town, South Africa. V. Chamundeswara Nath, ACA Secretary, Test cricketers VVS Lakshman, Adam Gilchrist along with other cricketers attended the function.

Cricdude wishes Sachin Tendulkar a Happy Birthday and very many happy returns of the day.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/04/prweb2360364.htm[/tscii:937ff7fca0]

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:0a1cebe586]Sachin Tendulkar Recommends Gautam Gambhir for Arjuna Award

http://www.mypopkorn.com/news/sachin-tendulkar-recommends-gautam-gambhir-for-arjuna-award.html

Sachin Tendulkar Recommends Gautam Gambhir for Arjuna Award

Apr 28, 2009: India's master batsman Sachin Tendulkar wrote a letter to the Sports Minister M S Gill recommending dashing batsman Gautam Gambhir's name for Arjuna Award.

As per a rule implemented this year by the sports ministry, only a player, who has won the Rajiv Gandhi ‘Khel Ratna', can recommend a name for the Arjuna Award.

BCCI had requested Sachin, a winner of Khel Ratna', to write a letter suggesting the Delhi batsman's name from South Africa, where he is playing in the Indian Premier League.

Sachin acceded to BCCI's request and wrote a letter to the sports ministry.

:clap:[/tscii:0a1cebe586]

[ajithfederer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t91TPaz9ec

Sachin's creation - :notworthy:

[littlemaster1982]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t91TPaz9ec

Sachin's creation - :notworthy:

:notworthy: :notworthy:

The video uploader's name :lol: :oops:

[ajithfederer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ms6bJSzqhIU&feature=channel_page

The Little master and Sanath Jayasurya played a sublime innings that flamed the Kolkatta Knight Riders.

[littlemaster1982]

They just cannot stop talking about Sachin (http://cs.iplt20.com/They-just-cannot-stop-talking-about-Sachin.shtml)

It is not very often that Kevin Pietersen will find mention in the same breath as the Indian master batsman Sachin Tendulkar. Over the last year, Pietersen has been in the news for a number of reasons, including for the switch-hit shot that he employed against New Zealand last year. It required the custodians of the game, MCC to step forward and legalise the shot.

Now, almost a year on, there is another shot that is being spoken about in the same breath and it has been less than 24 hours since that shot was first played. It was the cute scoop played by Sachin Tendulkar as he tried to maximize the scoring opportunities in the slog overs. Tendulkar employed the shot against part-time off-spin Chris Gayle and wowed everyone with his innovation.

Ask Gayle about the shot and he smiles at the mention of the shot. "He is one of the top players ever. It was a treat to watch him play the shot," confesses Gayle. It was a tough shot but Sachin has tried to innovate similar things in the past as well. I don't want to compare it with the switch-hit, because both were different shots." Within the Mumbai Indians team too, Tendulkar's God-like status has reached a new level after the knock against Kolkata Knight Riders and especially the shot.

The players are discussing the shot and everyone has a different explanation of how the shot was played. "The bat went like this and ball went over," Bangladesh skipper and Mumbai Indians' reserve player Mohammed Ashraful said as he demonstrated it to a small group. Ashraful was with wicket-keeper Pinal Shah and few of the reserve players. Ashraful considers Tendulkar his idol, so watching him play a shot like that left him awestruck. "I have never seen something like this before. It was simply unbelievable," says Ashraful.

Sri Lanka's Dilhara Fernando, also a Mumbai Indians reserve, remembers Tendulkar practising the shot a couple of days before the game against the Knight Riders. "I saw him practicing that shot and remembered it when I saw the game," said Fernando.

Mumbai Indians mentor Shaun Pollock smiles when asked about the shot. "Let me put it this way, I wasn't surprised that he played that shot. I have seen him trying to perfect it at the nets. I have seen a few shots like those but of different varieties," said Pollock.

Mumbai Indians reserve 'keeper Luke Ronchi takes a bat in his hand and tries to see how he can replicate the shot. "It is indeed a tough shot to play. Switch-hit is all about changing the stance and the grip but for this, you need to get the angle right," says Ronchi.

Of the others, Royal Challengers Bangalore coach Ray Jennings cannot stop praising Tendulkar's innovation. "That's why he is the master. He has done this for 20 years and he knows how to raise the bar," said Jennings. Let the last word on the shot rest with the master himself. He smiles at the very mention of the shot and puts it as simply as he can. "It was sort of... I scooped the ball because I anticipated the ball to be right up there and to just get under the ball and use the pace of the bouncer. It worked," he said. That's the bottom line - the shot worked. And is now being spoken about, with the same reverence like most other things Tendulkar does.

[littlemaster1982]

Sachin's innings has to be the best seen in T20 (http://cs.iplt20.com/Sachin-s-innings-has-to-be-the-best-seen-in-T20.shtml)

It was Freedom Day for South Africa and, sure enough, Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya joined the people of South Africa in celebrating it with them. It was Freedom Day for Mumbai Indians' opening pair as they displayed no hint of caution against Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday, well aware that it was a crucial game for their team.

The match really was all about the partnership between Jayasuriya and Sachin. The team was 110-plus without losing a wicket in 10 overs. That must be one of the best starts in the Twenty20 format so far. Even though it was a fantastic partnership, Sachin's innings deserves to be mentioned first.

It reminded me of his early years in one-day cricket, when he started opening the innings for India. It truly resembled that total youthfulness he possessed during those days. He threw caution to the wind and expressed himself the way he wanted to. There was complete freedom to play the cricket that we know Sachin can play.

I am happy with this format because I have rarely seen Sachin bat in ODIs or Tests. I always watch his innings on tape - after his innings is complete. Glad I can watch him live now.

His body language was positive and his mind was free. Every ball was picked immediately and dealt with promptly. Sachin delivered against every challenge that was thrown at him.

His was one of the best innings I have seen in this format of the game. There may have been other aggressive innings played and more runs scored in fewer balls, but this was a classic display of batting served in the T20 format. The hundred from AB de Villiers also deserves a special mention.

If you looked at his body balance, his footwork, the selection of shots, the positioning to play the shots, his wrist work, the swing of his arms, middling the ball; it was all perfect. Everything fell in place. It was all spontaneous and it was all correct. There was aggression but no signs of desperation.

Take, for example, the fifth over of the match. Until then, Ishant Sharma kept it full, not banging one in to Sachin. But when Ishant did pitch one short, Sachin's foot came right across the off-stump and he was positioned beautifully to send the ball into the stands. There was beauty, aggression and correctness in the shot. One must remember here that Ishant is in great form and Sachin is in the later stages of his career. It was a great response. This knock reminds me of the 82 he scored off 49 balls when he first opened for India in ODIs. That Kiwi attack had Danny Morrison, Gavin Larsen and Chris Pringle in their bowling line-up. It was the first time he opened the innings and I got a similar feeling that I got when I saw him bat against Knight Riders on Monday. I got the similar flavour, too.

A special mention needs to be made of the shot that Sachin played off Chris Gayle. It was an absolute magical shot. It took everyone by surprise. Douglas Marillier played a peculiar shot against India some years ago and Andy Flower had the copyright on the reverse sweep. Pietersen followed it up with the switch hit. But I can say one thing confidently, this shot cannot be replicated.

The shot was played from under the ball. His bat went almost under the ball. It was a full toss and could have been played anywhere but Sachin used his imagination brilliantly. Also the beauty of the shot was that instead of playing uppishly, it was played along the ground. That makes it more special.

One good thing was that Jayasuirya played only six balls by the end of the fifth over. Sachin had played 24. It turned out to be a different experience for Sanath. His innings effectively started from the sixth over and went on till the 15th. It was really important that he spent time in the middle. And this augurs very well for the team. Even if Jayasuriya does not fire from the first ball, even if he starts after the field spreads out, he will get runs.

Harbhajan Singh's promotion was also an excellent move. He scored 18 of the 20 runs scored with Jayasuriya at the crease. Bhajji's batting has really come through well. He should not take his batting too seriously, but continue to enjoy it and play in the same mould. He just stands and delivers. Never slogs. The swing of his arms is very fluent. I have a lot of time for his batting.

Mumbai Indians should, however, be conscious of their collapse. Only 76 runs came in the next 10 overs after a start of 11 runs per over. JP Duminy played well and understood his role of playing till the end. He deserves compliments for that. Mumbai Indians should have got 200 plus. I must admit that Mumbai Indians were lucky to have won the toss and batted in very good conditions. But they had to put a good total on the board, what with the opening combine of Brendon McCullum-Chris Gayle for KKR seeming threatening at all times.

Sachin must have been aware of the threat from them to chase down any total. After all, this is probably the only pair in the world which has a hundred each in the T20 format of the game. However both the openers failed and KKR never managed to get close to the total.

Ajit Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar's elder brother, Ajit is one of the triggers behind the little big champion and the author of The Making of a Cricketer. He is an astute student of the game and does not usually comment when Sachin Tendulkar is in action. He has made an exception during DLF IPL.

[ajithfederer]

Thanks for uploading the pic , pr.

To other hubbers: The pic is in prev page.

Thanks LM, for the articles.

Assault at St. George's Park

<img src =http://i39.tinypic.com/2cpc31l.jpg>

[ajithfederer]

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=HomePage&id=98a3792a-13e2-47ab-b22f-2fa6e628d960&Headline=Sachin+Tendulkar+my+favourite+batsman%3a+ Shane+Warne

Sachin Tendulkar my favourite batsman: Warne

Johannesburg, April 30, 2009

Rajasthan Royals captain Shane Warne has named master-blaster Sachin Tendulkar as his all-time favourite batsman.

Speaking at a function hosted here by sponsors Tata Communications Services, Warne, joined by South African captain Graeme Smith and other members of the team, took to the podium to field questions from the floor and share their experiences so far in the Indian Premier League (IPL) series being played out across South Africa until May 25.

"Over all the years there have been a lot of wonderful batsmen, so it is pretty hard to pick between Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar," Warne said in reply to a question about his favourite batsman.

"But I think given the way Sachin handles everything and the expectations that he carries every single time that he walks out to bat, and the way he handles bad decisions and the way he just carries himself; I would have to say Sachin Tendulkar was the best batsman that I have played with in my 20 years of playing international cricket.

"My biggest bunny, I suppose, would have to be (South African) Darryl Cullinan," he added.

A "bunny" is one who cannot bat and who often gets out to one bowler, in this case Warne.

"I was once asked who I would like to bowl to for a living. I said I would be a very rich man if I was to bowl to (Cullinan)."

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:8b97d96bd9]http://content.cricinfo.com/ipl2009/content/story/402258.html
Indian Premier League 2009

Twenty20 isn't a young man's game - Tendulkar

Cricinfo staff

April 30, 2009



Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya are proving that thirty-somethings can excel at Twenty20 as well © Associated Press




After nearly two weeks of the IPL in which veterans like Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist have been at their best, Sachin Tendulkar has insisted that age has little relation to a player's performance in Twenty20.

"I don't know who says that it's a young man's game. Clearly, he doesn't know much about cricket," Tendulkar told the IPL's official website. "It's a cricketers' game so it really doesn't matter whether you are young or old. It is a cricketer's match."

Tendulkar, 36, has himself been in fine form, making 164 runs in four games with two half-centuries, but failed during Mumbai Indians' three-run loss to Kings XI Punjab on Wednesday. Mumbai fell short though they were chasing a modest 120, but Tendulkar said it was not a case of complacency.

"We lost three early wickets and that put a lot of pressure on us. It wasn't a flat deck to bat on, there was something happening," he said. "I thought our bowlers did extremely well to restrict them to 120. We knew that it was going to be close. We needed couple of decent partnerships in between which would have taken us to our target. But that didn't happen."

He also said it was more difficult to bat under lights. "The conditions get tougher in the evening, later the ball does a bit. Also the nature of the wicket is such that the ball was not coming onto the bat. And if the ball starts doing that then it's always going to be tough to put it away."

Tendulkar said Mumbai was in control till around the 16th over of the chase but were unable to get the required big hits towards the end. The defeat leaves Mumbai in fourth place, with five points from five matches.

© Cricinfo[/tscii:8b97d96bd9]

[ajithfederer]

Afridi's record knock made with Sachin's bat
By M. Satya Narayan, Senior Reporter
Published: April 29, 2009, 23:08


Abu Dhabi: While it is common knowledge that Pakistan's Shahid Afridi holds the record for a 37-ball one-day century, not many know that it came off the blade of Sachin Tendulkar's bat.

Speaking exclusively to Gulf News yesterday, Afridi said that his 37-ball hundred against Sri Lanka in Nairobi, in his very first one-day innings, came off the bat of the modern day's greatest batsman.

"I had just got into the Pakistan team and during nets in Nairobi 'Wicky Bhai' [Waqar Younis] gave me a bat and said, play with this and see. It is Sachin's bat," said the charismatic Pakistan all-rounder, here playing the Chapal Cup series against Australia.

"I tried it out it; it felt good and played with it in my first ever one-dayer. I scored that innings of 100 in 37 balls with the same bat," said Afridi, who was 16 years and 217 days when he entered the record books on October 4, 1996. Afridi, who is one of the most popular players among the Pakistani stars, had belted 11 sixes and six fours in that 37-ball innings which is still the world record for being the fastest ODI century.

Afridi went on to explain how Sachin's bat had landed with Younis.

"It was a great honour for me to play with Sachin's bat for he was a great player. Sachin had given the bat to 'Wicky Bhai' and had asked him to get a similar bat made in Sialkot for him [Sachin]," Afridi said.

"Of course I have also got out on zero with that bat. Now it is with me and sometime back people told me to auction it but I still have kept it with me," said Afridi.

"It will always be one of my treasured possessions as I used it in my very first one-day match playing for my country and also for hitting a world record," said Afridi, feared by bowlers all over the world for his big hitting.

http://www.gulfnews.com/sport/Cricket/10308921.html

[ajithfederer]

http://www.orkut.com/Main#Album.aspx?uid=11013656095450779692&aid=1240523212

Some rare pics of our sachin. LM, please save it to your golden repository :notworthy:.

[littlemaster1982]

Done :thumbsup:

[ajithfederer]

Thanks lm :D.

[ajithfederer]

http://www.kingofcricket.com/Default.aspx

[ajithfederer]

Hope this is not true (http://www.gulfnews.com/sport/Cricket/10309623.html)

Tendulkar set to be named in World Twenty20 team

Gulf News Report
Published: May 01, 2009, 22:13

Durban: Indian cricket fans are bracing themselves for the news that Sachin Tendulkar might be selected for the World Twenty 20 Championships starting next month in England.

It is believed that Indian chief selector Krish Srikkanth has been working on Tendulkar to declare himself available for the tournament.

The ace batsman, captain of the Mumbai Indians, has been in supreme form scoring 200 runs in five games in the ongoing Indian Premier League in South Africa.


Do you think Tendulkar should play in the Twenty/Twenty World Cup? Is he as good in this version of the game as he is in the other versions?

:banghead:

[Vivasaayi]

:clap:

adra dra adra...

cup namakuthangren

[viraajan]

:redjump: :bluejump:

I hope this new is true :boo:

[Sanguine Sridhar]

No No No he should not play 20/20 WC! :x

2 match aadulana once again all half baked media stupids would question his capability!

[Vivasaayi]

No No No he should not play 20/20 WC! :x

2 match aadulana once again all half baked media stupids would question his capability!

sridhar,

this time they cant blame him..because indha thadava ivunuga kenji koothadithan aada vaikirainga..

[Kalyasi]

Summa Purali ya irukum nu nenaikaren..... Sachin will not accept the offer...

[Sanguine Sridhar]

No No No he should not play 20/20 WC! :x

2 match aadulana once again all half baked media stupids would question his capability!

sridhar,

this time they cant blame him..because indha thadava ivunuga kenji koothadithan aada vaikirainga..

Prechanaye 'ivununga' illa. Mike irrundha enna venaalum pesalam-ngura critics.

[Thirumaran]

No No No he should not play 20/20 WC! :x

2 match aadulana once again all half baked media stupids would question his capability!

sridhar,

this time they cant blame him..because indha thadava ivunuga kenji koothadithan aada vaikirainga..

Prechanaye 'ivununga' illa. Mike irrundha enna venaalum pesalam-ngura critics.

athu sari.. ippellaam mike illamlayae enna vaenumnaalum paesuraanga :twisted:

[Plum]

Hope this is not true (http://www.gulfnews.com/sport/Cricket/10309623.html)

Gulf News Report
Published: May 01, 2009, 22:13

Durban: Indian cricket fans are bracing themselves for the news that Sachin Tendulkar might be selected for the World Twenty 20 Championships starting next month in England.
Ada paavigala, ivanungalukku manasatchiye illaiya? Bracing for tendulkar's presence in the team.? Ennamo aakash chopraai select pannina maadhiri pesaraanga.bloody indians :-)
(On current form, sachin pona dhaan, edhavadhu vaaippu irukku indiakku - illaina aappu dhaan - adhuvum englandla. Kattan hitting won't work there unless the pitches are castrated for the world cup on purpose)

[ajithfederer]

It's not true (http://content.cricinfo.com/wt202009/content/current/story/402818.html) :notworthy:

Hope this is not true (http://www.gulfnews.com/sport/Cricket/10309623.html)

[ajithfederer]

Another Great collection here lm with some really rare photos (http://www.orkut.com/Main#Album.aspx?uid=16879200046743634425&aid=1).



Some rare pics of our sachin. LM, please save it to your golden repository :notworthy:.

[littlemaster1982]

:ty: :ty: again AF :D

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:755e5558ce]Raising the bar

US.Rakesh Thapliyal, Hindustan Times
East London, May 03, 2009
First Published: 01:09 IST(3/5/2009)
Last Updated: 01:12 IST(3/5/2009)

If the IPL still needs an endorsement, it’s come. Sachin Tendulkar’s only exposure to cricket’s shortest format has got the Little Master all excited about the tournament. And it’s got nothing to do with the razzmatazz surrounding the competition.

In an exclusive interview, Tendulkar pointed out how the IPL will benefit Indian cricket, why bowlers have done well and the Mumbai Indians’ show.

Excerpts:

The experts have been proved wrong. They said the pitches in South Africa would be flat and favour the batsmen but what we’ve seen is that the bowlers have done well. How do you explain this?

This tournament is being hosted after the season ended in South Africa. The pitches have hosted a number of domestic and international matches leading to wear and tear and that’s why it’s not easy to bat on. But I’ll say that the pitches are different and the batsmen have to work hard.

How will Indian cricket benefit from IPL?

It will be of immense help. The biggest boost is that domestic cricketers are getting an opportunity to play with international stars. They will learn much that will improve their skills and game. The standard of Indian cricket will definitely improve.

Your evaluation of the Mumbai Indians’ show so far?

We are playing good cricket. On Friday, we won after a good contest. We lost close encounters to the Deccan Chargers and Kings XI Punjab but we are back to our winning ways and that’s good.

Certain officials of BCCI’s affiliates have complained that players are not giving of their best in the Ranji Trophy and other domestic competition because they don’t want to be injured and miss the IPL...

Though I can only talk about my Mumbai team, I don’t think that’s the case. I have seen our players give it their best shot in the Ranji Trophy and I think players from other teams must also be doing likewise.

High-voltage matches create a lot of pressure. You think it is less as you’re playing away from home?

Wherever you play at this level, there is pressure. So, we can’t say that since the IPL is being played in another country there is no pressure.

Are you missing the home crowd?

Whenever we play abroad, we miss the home crowd. Having said that, I have observed that cricket lovers here are enjoying the matches, praising us, and supporting us. But nothing can match the feeling of playing in India. We are missing it.

What is your take on the amnesty given by the BCCI to ICL players?

(After thinking for a while) I would not like to comment on it.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/highpl/storypage.aspx?id=65d892f8-ef13-45d7-8b6d-83d037de60c1&category=Chunk-HT-UI-IPLSectionPage-TopStories[/tscii:755e5558ce]

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:af16369365]Laadu Labakudass Pukes (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/167937-the-curious-case-of-sachin-tendulkar)

All the Indian fans will probably want to tear me apart for even asking this question. After all, cricket is a religion there, and Sachin Tendulkar is the all-powerful Almighty.

But I was always that kid in class who used to ask annoying questions of the teacher, which sadly, often went unanswered. That being said, I am not a cricket expert, and I am not here with mighty ambitions of bamboozling anyone. I love the sport of cricket, and I simply have a question regarding the legend.

Yesterday, the 15-member Indian squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup was announced. The name of Sachin Tendulkar wasn't featured, because the legend himself said no.

The reason: T20 format warrants young blood, and they deserve all the opportunities they can get. It's time for the experienced names to gracefully allow younger players to take over. Tendulkar, however, does play for an IPL team—the Mumbai Indians.

I thought IPL was the platform for emerging young players, and the World Cup was the battleground where teams put up their best and most experienced players.

So, why didn't Tendulkar refuse to play in the IPL for the same reasons as the World Cup?

Couldn't a younger player benefit from the opportunity of playing in the IPL more than in the World Cup? There are more confirmed matches in the IPL, arguably better competition, and definitely more money in the IPL. How many absolute rookies have gotten a chance in the World Cup anyways?

Does it all come down to money, even for the greatest batsman in the world?

Or is it another diabolical chapter scripted by the BCCI, wherein, they pressure the greatest players they have to exit out of the international scene, and yet ask them to play in the IPL to please the crowds? Is the legend under BCCI pressure?

All things said and done, Sachin Tendulkar is the greatest cricketer of our time, and after Sir Donald Bradman, I would say the greatest of all time. And, he has the right to choose which tournaments he plays in. Maybe I am out of my mind, but I was just...curious.
[/tscii:af16369365]

[ajithfederer]

Fotos Part - 3 (http://www.orkut.com/Main#Album.aspx?uid=16879200046743634425&aid=1241482998)

This get's better and better.

Power bat, Pak tour 04, Sharjah 98 Man of the series car driving, An early 20's Tendulkar and Ganguly and many more images.

Thambi Pratish Vaazgha.

:ty: :ty: again AF :D

[littlemaster1982]

Saved all the pics 8-)

[Plum]

"I thought IPL was the platform for emerging young players, and the World Cup was the battleground where teams put up their best and most experienced players.
"
In the IPL, SRT is the great cricketer whose presence will help the junior players learn. If the IPL were full of emerging young players, it will serve no purpose. In the words of the paatti kamal in Dasavatharam, "enna oLarran ivan" :-)

[crajkumar_be]

Feddy
:ty: for the photos :thumbsup:

Superb capture this
http://www.orkut.co.in/Main#AlbumZoom.aspx?uid=16879200046743634425&pid=1241507835331&aid=1$pid=1241507835331
:notworthy:

[ajithfederer]

வரும் பாராளுமன்றத்தை ஜெய்பீ சிமெண்ட் மூலம் கட்டினால் ஸ்ட்ரோங் ஆக இருக்கும் (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbdtHVT8quo)

[crajkumar_be]

வரும் பாராளுமன்றத்தை ஜெய்பீ சிமெண்ட் மூலம் கட்டினால் ஸ்ட்ரோங் ஆக இருக்கும் (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbdtHVT8quo)
:lol: :thumbsup:

[ajithfederer]

There is an e-mail with me which has another band of sachin photos. Interested hubbers drop in a pm with their email ids.

[ajithfederer]

Guys,

Remember the comments in the e-mail will be in Marathi, Sutthama onnum puriyadhu. But the fotos are indeed rare. :P.

[ajithfederer]

Tendulkar getting better with age: Waugh
May 08, 2009 21:02 IST

Instead of waning with age, Sachin Tendulkar [Images] is getting better with every passing day, former Australia [Images] captain Steve Waugh said in Kolkata on Friday.

"He is improving day by day and in his prime form," Waugh said and added in a lighter vein "Looking at the way [Sachin] Tendulkar is playing, it seems he can play till 50 years."

The Australian great had earlier compared Tendulkar with Sir Don Bradman.

Asked whether he is interested in coaching, the 43-year-old said, "Not thinking about coaching now... Maybe in future, I will think about coaching."

Talking to reporters at a cricket clinic at Beleghata in north Kolkata, he praised India's South African coach Gary Kirsten's way of work while describing the jobs of a captain and a coach.

"The captain is always the boss on the field, as he has to be on the spot. The coach on the other hand plays a supporter's role quietly. Look at Kirsten. He goes on about his job very quietly which is exactly the coach's role."

Waugh termed Indians as favourites to defend the title in the second edition of the ICC [Images] World Twenty20 [Images] to be held in England [Images] in June.

"Indians have a very good side.... The youngsters are really impressing and the IPL has done good for them.

"But Australians also have a strong chance for the title," he said.

With the England led by a rather inexperienced Andrew Strauss [Images], Waugh said the Baggy Greens also have a good chance to retain the Ashes.

"Aussies have an advantage over England. I think Strauss' elevation will only help us," he said, ending his three-day whirlwind tour of the city.

On the last day of the trip that began with visiting to Udayan, a rehabilitation home for children from leprosy colonies near Barrackpore and then getting his hands and feet dirty by taking part in a drive to clean up city canals, Waugh on Friday gave tips to children in the cricket clinic.

http://cricket.rediff.com/report/2009/may/08/tendulkar-getting-better-with-age-waugh.htm

[ajithfederer]

Pakistan Vs India - Sharjah 1996

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNacj_mctTU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ5F9Ikmcbw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i00SBPZ-lsY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxHdwQrrk4Q&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9dEKauxO04&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTIEKoNYxds&feature=related

Incidentally this is India's first 300+ score. Tendulkar's 8th ODI Century

P.S: This is the match where Sidhu takes the bat and follows Aamir sohail to bash. This tour is right after 96 world cup.

p.s2: This is the famous match where Azhar scores 24 runs in the last over. We all know that it is heavily rumoured that sachin consoled azhar who was running through a lean patch to just go there and blast.

[Vivasaayi]

Tendulkar serves notice

Peshawar, 16 December 1989

The crowd was huge, and some of them even had tickets. Many took advantage of the general spirit of friendliness and sat anywhere they could. It is easy to see why the forefathers of the security men at Peshawar could not control the Khyber Pass. Amid the confusion, a legend was born there 20 years ago.

He was 16, had almost curly hair, curiosity in his eyes, and steel in his wrists. His treatment of Abdul Qadir is part of folklore now. Sachin Tendulkar played only because it was not an official one-day match, and Kapil Dev was nursing a stiff neck. At that stage there was no plan to play Tendulkar in the one-day tournament at all. But after that he couldn't be denied.

Eighteen deliveries changed everything. In that time he made 53 (unbeaten), hitting Mushtaq Ahmed for two huge sixes, and then Abdul Qadir for 27 runs in a single over, with three sixes in a row. There was no wild slogging. When Qadir dropped one short as Tendulkar stepped out, the batsman had the arrogance to go through with his shot anyway. The bat made a lovely arc, and for all we know the ball is still travelling - no one could find it.

At the other end was the captain, Kris Srikkanth, no slouch himself. Later that evening he said, referring to the one-day series, "The little bugger must play now." The little bugger has been playing ever since.

http://content.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/399162.html

[ajithfederer]

Profound lines :notworthy:. Thanks vicky :D.

"The little bugger must play now." The little bugger has been playing ever since.

http://content.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/399162.html

[ajithfederer]

http://blogs.cricinfo.com/itfigures/archives/2009/05/the_great_test_batsmen_a_look.php#more

May 7, 2009

Posted by Ananth Narayanan at 6:31 AM in Batting

The great Test batsmen - a look across 132 years




Brian Lara is next only to Sir Don in the all-time list of Test batsmen © AFP
This is one of the most awaited analyses and has been in the pipeline for long. Many readers have asked for this analysis and finally I have been able to complete the same. I have given below a summary of how I have gone about this complex analysis process. This is based on my own observations and comments raised by a number of readers over the past few months.

1. There has to be equal weight given to Match performances and Career achievements. The match analysis should deal with the specific match-related measurable situations only.

2. The batsman's longevity related measure such as career runs scored has to be recognised, but at a lower weighting level, no more than 15-20% of the total.

3. There has to be a clear recognition of the quality of bowling faced by the batsman in every match. A hundred against Australia has to be valued at a much higher level than a hundred against Bangladesh or New Zealand in 1933.

4. The batting average should be considered the most significant of the career-related measures. However this has to be adjusted based on the par batting average(s) of the period(s) spanned by the batsman's career. A pre-WW1 batsman's average has to be adjusted upwards for the low batting averages prevalent during these period while a current batsman's average has to be adjusted downwards in view of the high batting averages prevalent. If a batsman's career spans multiple periods, there has to be proportionate adjustment.

5. The batsman's career strike rate has become an important measure. This should be recognized, if available. For those batsmen whose strike rate information is not available, this parameter will not be included. If the strike rate is available for part of the batsman's career, it will be considered for that part only. This is explained in detail later. There is a case for the innings strike rate to be incorporated in the Match Performance calculations. However this revised methodology necessarily requires the strike rate to be a career-based calculation rather than match innings based.

6. Non-measurable cricketing factors such as bouncers, helmets, uncovered pitches et al cannot be incorporated. Nice for healthy discussions, but not beyond.

A lengthy introduction, however the weighty topic required this. Now let us look at the details.

First a minimum criteria is to be established. I have decided to keep the minimum runs required at 2000 runs so that great batsmen such as George Headley, Greame Pollock, Ponsford, Macartney, Hazare, O'Neill, McCabe et al would come in for consideration. If I had raised the bar to 3000 runs, all these wonderful players would have missed out. It is also true that in a different era and political situation they would have played more Tests.

Now for the Ratings methodology.

The Match Performances would carry a weight of 50 points, based on the methodology explained below. Career Achievements will carry a weight of 50 points, based on methodology explained later.

Match Performances:

The following factors are considered.

Base for calculation will be Runs scored. Other factors are explained below. Each of these is a multiplicative parameter, ranging either side of 1.00. For certain parameters such as result, home/away, runs added with late order et al, there would not be a below 1.00 value.

1. Pitch type.
2. Quality of bowling - weighted by actual balls bowled by each bowler.
3. Position at batsman entry (5 for 1, 100 for 2, 24 for 3, 325 for 4 et al).
4. Runs added with late order batsmen (no. 8 onwards).
5. Innings type (1/2/3/4, Score faced, Target et al).
6. Match result, taking into consideration relative team strengths.
7. Match location (Home/Away).
8. Match importance (Series status).

The points for each innings are computed, summed and divided by the number of matches played to arrive at the Match Performance Ratings value. The highest Match Performance Ratings value is 40.03 achieved by Bradman. George Headley is the next best in this category with 28.48 points followed by Lara with 27.31 points. Thus the limit of 50 we set has worked out well.

[tscii:d96d951d95][/tscii:d96d951d95]

[ajithfederer]

Greatest Test Batsman Cont'd

Career achievements:

The points allocation, totalling to 50 points, is explained below.

1. Batting average: 20 points (for an adjusted average of 100.00).

Adjusted by the years spanned by the batsman career and the average Batting Average during the period. The adjustment is done proportionately. Most of the adjustment has been downward, between 1% and 6% (for the 2000s batsmen). The highest adjustment has been 20%, for batsmen such as Hill, Trumper whose entire career has been before Pre-WW1.

The highest adjusted average is that of Bradman, whose average of 99.96 has been adjusted down to 96.75. He gets 19.35 points and is followed by Hobbs (61.68) with 12.34 points and Weekes (61.06) with 12.21 points.

2. Runs scored: 15 points (for scoring 15,000 Test runs).

Away runs are given a slightly higher weight as explained. Scoring 1050 home runs gets one point for the batsman while 950 away runs will be enough to get one point. The differential of 10% seems very reasonable. This is the only longevity-based measure and carries a weight of only 15%.

This is a straight-forward calculation. Tendulkar is the highest and gets 12.85 points followed by Lara with 11.93 and Border with 11.16 points.

3. Scoring rate: 10 points (for a scoring rate of 100).

The full 10 points (and a total of 100 points) will be the base for batsmen like Sehwag, Hayden et al, whose career strike rate is available in complete. For batsmen such as Bradman, Hobbs et al, there will be no points taken, consequently the total points for consideration of the Ratings points % will be 90. For batsmen such as Lara, Tendulkar et al, proportionate points, out of 10, will be considered, consequently the total points for consideration of the Ratings points % will be between 90 and 100. This delicate tweak was suggested by Shyam (Ananthanarayan).

Among those whose complete data is available, Gilchrist leads in this measure with 8.20 points followed by Sehwag with 7.87 points and Pieterson with 6.32 points.

4. % of Team runs scored: 5 points (for scoring 25% of team runs).

Bradman is the leader in this measure, having scored 24.98% of the team runs. He gets 4.99 points, followed by Headley with 4.32 points and Lara with 3.79 points.

[ajithfederer]

Cont'd:

Now for the Top-20 table.

The best Test batsmen of all time

No.Cty Batsman Mat Total Rating Match BatAvg Runs BatSR %-TS Max
Pts Pts Perf Pts Pts Pts Pts Pts

1.Aus Bradman D.G 52 (71.27) 79.19 40.02 19.35 6.91 .... 4.99 90.00
2.Win Lara B.C 131 (58.44) 59.40 27.31 10.43 11.93 4.98 3.79 98.38
3.Ind Tendulkar S.R 159 (53.68) 54.59 22.43 10.69 12.85 4.60 3.11 98.33
4.Aus Ponting R.T 131 (54.46) 54.46 23.95 10.85 10.88 5.91 2.87 100.00
5.Eng Hobbs J.B 61 (48.53) 53.93 27.07 12.34 5.49 .... 3.64 90.00
6.Win Sobers G.St.A 93 (48.14) 53.49 25.48 11.48 8.03 .... 3.16 90.00
7.Eng Hutton L 79 (47.78) 53.09 25.85 11.35 6.93 .... 3.66 90.00
8.Ind Gavaskar S.M 125 (47.40) 52.51 23.81 10.02 10.12 0.11 3.35 90.28
9.Win Headley G.A 22 (46.98) 52.20 28.48 12.00 2.18 .... 4.32 90.00
10.Ind Dravid R 134 (51.80) 51.80 23.58 10.11 10.92 4.17 3.02 100.00

11.Aus Hayden M.L 103 (51.71) 51.71 24.47 9.85 8.54 6.01 2.84 100.00
12.Win EdeC Weekes 48 (45.83) 50.92 25.65 12.21 4.44 .... 3.53 90.00
13.Saf Kallis J.H 131 (50.73) 50.73 22.51 10.56 10.23 4.42 3.01 100.00
14.Eng Barrington K.F 82 (45.63) 50.70 23.72 11.71 6.81 .... 3.39 90.00
15.Aus Border A.R 156 (46.62) 50.40 21.50 10.07 11.16 1.01 2.89 92.50
16.Pak Mohammad Yousuf 79 (50.37) 50.37 24.50 10.60 6.81 5.26 3.20 100.00
17.Slk Sangakkara K.C 80 (50.09) 50.09 24.23 10.33 6.73 5.59 3.21 100.00
18.Aus Chappell G.S 87 (45.27) 50.04 24.31 10.54 7.01 0.24 3.17 90.48
19.Ind Sehwag V 69 (49.69) 49.69 23.59 9.40 5.77 7.87 3.06 100.00
20.Win Richards I.V.A 121 (44.67) 49.39 22.81 9.90 8.65 0.31 2.99 90.45

Any doubts as to the position of Bradman at the top should disappear after this analysis. Bradman is the best in three measures (Match Performance, Batting Average and % of Team Score). He is ahead of the next best batsman by a whopping 25%. A series average of 57 by Bradman was considered to be a failure. It is necessary to agree, once and for all, that Bradman is and was the best Test batsman who ever played. Note the qualification, "Test", however. Who can forget the 334, 304, 270, 173* that Bradman scored.

Lara's second position again should not surprise any one. Playing for a weak team, mostly with inconsistent support, he essayed some of the best Test innings ever. 153*, 213, 277, 375/400 should figure in anybody's list of Top-20 innings. He also scored at a fair pace. Finally has there ever been a better batsman's Test series than the one, away, against Sri Lanka when he scored 688 runs, all in a losing cause. Lara is way behind Bradman but is very comfortably ahead of the next batsman.

[ajithfederer]

Cont'd:

The third and fourth positions should be looked together. Tendulkar and Ponting are separated only in the second decimal, that too because of Ponting's below-average series aginst South Africa. Two wonderful batsmen, capable of saving or winning Tests, fully deserving of their high place in this table. If Tendulkar is a more all-round batsman with an outstanding technique and no weakness, Ponting is the more attacking batsman but with a known weakness against top class spinners.

Hobbs is in fifth position, deservedly so, no doubt aided by the upwards revision of his batting average. He played on a number of bowler-friendly pitches and it is difficult to think of a better opener other than the one who appears slightly below him.

The top-10 is completed by Sobers, Hutton, Gavaskar, Headley and Dravid. Every one of these batsmen deserves his position. Headley is in the Top-10 despite playing only 22 Tests and scoring 2190 runs. This is a vindication of the Ratings methodology in that a batsman who has scored only a fifth of the runs the others have scored can still come into the Top-10.

Richards' position at no.20 might be questioned by some. The problem is that Richards, with his carefree attitude alternated great performances with very average performances in his Test career. This is clearly shown in the Match performances points, quite low at 22.81. Also his adjusted average is below 50. Finally a simple indicator is the fact that he has taken 121 Tests to score 8540 runs (71 runs per Test) as compared to Lara, 131 Tests and 11953 runs (91 runs per Test) or Hayden, 103 Tests and 8625 runs (84 runs per Test). It is also true that he never faced the most fearsome bowling attack at that time.

Similarly Hammond's 22nd position (Pieterson is at no.21) must also be looked at with surprise. This is explained by the fact that a fair proportion of his runs were scored against very weak New Zealand attacks and average South African and West Indian attacks.

To view the complete bowling quality list, please click here (http://content.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/403281.html)

If an analysis is made combining both Tests and ODIs, which I would do later, it is almost certain that Tendulkar would be no.1, although I expect that Richards, Lara and Ponting would run him close. We obviously have to exclude great batsmen such as Bradman, Hobbs, Sobers et al from this exercise.

Based on the requests from readers an illustration of the Match Performance Ratings calculation will be posted at the earliest.

Match Performance Ratings - Illustrative example

This innings is one of the top-3 innings ever played (might even be the best ever).

Laxman V.V.S
Ind vs Aus, Kolkatta, 2001
Runs scored: 281

Base points: 70.25
- Runs multiplied by 0.25. Really does not matter, can be
anything. 0.25 has been selected since there is no need to
do any scaling up/down later.

Multiplicative indices


Bowling quality: 1.109 (Range: 0.75 to 1.25)
- Weighted bowling average determined by summing product
of bowler's average and balls bowled in the match by
each bowler and dividing by team balls.
- Strong Australian attack. Well above average.

Pitch type: 0.899 (Range: 0.80 to 1.20)
- The pitch characteristics for the concerned year.
- Very good batting pitch.

Entry: 1.075 (Range: 1.00 to 1.15)
- Complex formula based on the innings position at batsman entry.
1/2 innings dealt different to 3/4 innings.
Openers dealt with in a special manner.
- 3rd innings, 222 in arrears at 52 for 1.

Match situation: 1.30 (Range: 1.00 to 1.30)
- Various conditions such as which innings, arrears faced,
target in front of team used. Notional target in case of 3rd
innings and Actual target in case of 4th innings.
- Follow on 274 behind - Still in arrears.

Runs with Late order: 1.00 (Range: 1.00 to 1.30)
- Runs added with batsmen 7-11.
- No runs with late order. No change.

Win bonus: 1.09 (Range: 1.05 to 1.10)
- Result after considering the relative team strengths.
- Win against very strong team - 21% better.

Home/Away: 1.00 (1.00 to 1.05)
- Away bonus only if win is against good teams,
not weak teams (e-g), Ban/Zim/Nzl(1920s) et al.
- Home. No change.

Series status: 1.04 (Range: 0.98 to 1.06)
- Complex analysis based on series status. Maximum for
deciding tests and minimum for dead rubbers.
- 3 test series, trailing 0-1.

Match Performance Rating points: 110.88 (70.25 x 1.5784).

For each batsman, the MPR points are added and divided by the number of innings played to arrive the Match performance Ratings Index.

If anyone thought that I sit and do these individually (and so can modify figures as I wanted), think again. There have been 67438 innings played until now. I have complex computer algorithms for each of these parameters and these are automatically worked out with no manual intervention.

Just to give the readers an indication of the validity of method let me compare two innings by Lara (same batsman chosen to avoid 20 comments). The 400* gets a MPR value of 65.20 points while the 213 carries a MPR value of 73.83 points.

If you are interested in perusing the "C" program code for just one index, just mail me. I will send you the code. It is not made available to all in view of the highly technical nature of the same.

[Nerd]

Pakistan Vs India - Sharjah 1996

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNacj_mctTU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ5F9Ikmcbw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i00SBPZ-lsY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxHdwQrrk4Q&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9dEKauxO04&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTIEKoNYxds&feature=related

Incidentally this is India's first 300+ score. Tendulkar's 8th ODI Century

P.S: This is the match where Sidhu takes the bat and follows Aamir sohail to bash. This tour is right after 96 world cup.

p.s2: This is the famous match where Azhar scores 24 runs in the last over. We all know that it is heavily rumoured that sachin consoled azhar who was running through a lean patch to just go there and blast.
The pull shots off Aaqib :bow: Man how I miss those these days. Sachin and Lara are the best exponents of the pull shot in the history of cricket. And there is no competition for the straight drive :)

[ajithfederer]

http://www.bharatstudent.com/ctv/watchvideo.php?vid=iggimifjhbk

38th Test fifty.

[littlemaster1982]

Pakistan Vs India - Sharjah 1996

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNacj_mctTU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ5F9Ikmcbw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i00SBPZ-lsY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxHdwQrrk4Q&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9dEKauxO04&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTIEKoNYxds&feature=related

Incidentally this is India's first 300+ score. Tendulkar's 8th ODI Century

P.S: This is the match where Sidhu takes the bat and follows Aamir sohail to bash. This tour is right after 96 world cup.

p.s2: This is the famous match where Azhar scores 24 runs in the last over. We all know that it is heavily rumoured that sachin consoled azhar who was running through a lean patch to just go there and blast.

I travelled some 30 kms to watch this match. Sachin didn't disappoint me. After a slow start, he suddenly changed gears. The two straight drives and a six in 11th over was :notworthy: :notworthy:

Unforgettable match 8-)

[ajithfederer]

legend and his story 1&2
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-347518861098638964&ei=0JjhSf_CL5TU2wK53OGnCA&q=sachin&client=firefox-a
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8283831749000543536&hl=en

[ajithfederer]

this is the interview that sachin gave in england after his shoulder surgery
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1255282286948664775&ei=lL3hSZHeE4Hg2gLXz7SiCw&q=Sachin+Tendulkar+&client=firefox-a

[Nerd]

LM, neenga sharjah poneengaLA? :o

[ajithfederer]

:rotfl: Avar india kulla dhan solraaru.

LM, neenga sharjah poneengaLA? :o

[P_R]

LM, neenga sharjah poneengaLA? :o

naanum mudhalla appidi dhaan nenachEn

Andha 30km dhaan puriyalai....oru vELai gajA moolamA kaLLaththONi-la pOyiruppArO

[ajithfederer]

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3if3m_sachin-tendulkars-vintage-innings-o_sport

Sachin Tendulkar's Vintage Innings of 97 Against Pak

[Nerd]

:rotfl: Avar india kulla dhan solraaru.

LM, neenga sharjah poneengaLA? :o
ada theriyumappA, summA kalaasinEn!

kaLLathOni, Gaja-kA dost may be :lol2:

[ajithfederer]

:rotfl:


LM, neenga sharjah poneengaLA? :o

naanum mudhalla appidi dhaan nenachEn

Andha 30km dhaan puriyalai....oru vELai gajA moolamA kaLLaththONi-la pOyiruppArO

[ajithfederer]

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x90k6h_sachin-super-bowling_sport

[ajithfederer]

http://www.desivideonetwork.com/view/9f2n5h6b6/sachin-tendulkar-interview-4th-test-australia-vs-india-day-1/

2007/08 Test series - Down Under

[ajithfederer]

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/sachin-tendulkar-63-11th-odi-sri-lanka-vs-india/2001046719

CB Series

[ajithfederer]

http://www.truveo.com/Sachin-Tendulkar-Classic-100-Against-England/id/1272190672

10th test hundred.

[littlemaster1982]

LM, neenga sharjah poneengaLA? :o

:twisted:

We didn't have cable TV at that time and I went to my cousin's home at the nearest town.

[ajithfederer]

http://cricket.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Sachin-VVS-gain-one-place-Gambhir-top-ranked-Indian/articleshow/4506350.cms

DUBAI: Indian batting stars Sachin Tendulkar
and VVS Laxman rose a rung each to be placed at 13th and 15th positions respectively in the latest
ICC Test batsman rankings

[P_R]

remba late pick-up dA neeyi (http://getahead.rediff.com/slide-show/2009/may/06/slide-show-3-age-gaps-dont-matter-to-these-celeb-couples.htm)

:rotfl2: @ rediff

[ajithfederer]

I got it :victory: :victory:

Adam Bacher's blinder catch to get rid of sachin in Classic 169 against South Africa at Blomfontein 1996.

Watch the catch and the subsequent sachin's expression of shock and disbelief from 0:46 here below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijgc-sos_uI&feature=rec-r2

[littlemaster1982]

:ty: AF

Small correction. It was in Cape Town.

[Vivasaayi]

I got it :victory: :victory:

Adam Bacher's blinder catch to get rid of sachin in Classic 169 against South Africa at Blomfontein 1996.

Watch the catch and the subsequent sachin's expression of shock and disbelief from 0:46 here below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijgc-sos_uI&feature=rec-r2

cape town match - This match made me a sachin fan :)

sachin and azhar put a single day partnership of about 300 runs i guess...

[crajkumar_be]

One of the best ever sessions of test cricket (i've watched)

Azhar Klusner over la thodarndhu midwicket region la 4-a adippaaru parunga... reminiscent of a similar feat in Eden Gardens shortly before that

[hamid]

One of the best ever sessions of test cricket (i've watched)

Azhar Klusner over la thodarndhu midwicket region la 4-a adippaaru parunga... reminiscent of a similar feat in Eden Gardens shortly before that

I think he hit 5 fours in that over.. commentator was screaming.. never seen test cricket like this. etc etc..

it was always a great sight to see both Azhar and Tendulkar batting together.. old memories :D

[Ramakrishna]

That was a time when Indian cricket team = Sachin Tendulkar

[ajithfederer]

Our Orkut community growth rate:

In recent months, sachin orkut community growth rate has been tremendous. Infact it was the leading community among Indians surpassing AR Rahman community in the last year. But ARR's community skyrocketed in members growth and scored 500,000 (Now 509k and counting) members, thanks mainly due to GG's and Oscars. If i am not wrong the difference between the communities was as large as 80k but now the gap is reducing. Sachin community is 4k short of the magic figure 450k members as of now and that milestone will be reached in the next 2 weeks max.

http://www.orkut.com/Main#CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=23803&tid=5335482587298469992

:clap:

[m_23_bayarea]

This is AMAZING!!! 8-)

http://forums.bizhat.com/sports-forum/25385-something-about-sir-sachin-tendulkar.html

[ajithfederer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaFWQJmLP04

3 consecutive 4's against Rajasthan Royals

[ajithfederer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLZj5_J8IuU

Inside out over the cover drive for 4 against warne.

[ajithfederer]

Sachin century uploader conhuman (http://www.youtube.com/user/conhuman) is back with a bang with another rare video.

sachin tendulkar vs zimbabwe 146 part 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-MRKuIrmG4&feature=channel_page)

sachin tendulkar vs zimbabwe 146 part 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwpDDHG0rrQ&feature=channel)

sachin tendulkar vs zimbabwe 146 part 3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvTOlHz6oIE&feature=channel)

:victory:

[ajithfederer]

LM, Where art thou?. Whenever you come here ==> Golden repository please !! :).

[ajithfederer]

The above match scorecard played at Jodhpur 8TH dec 2000. We lost that match thanks to our bewulars.
http://content.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/match/64682.html

This 50 turned out to be his 50th fifty but it later turned out to be his 27th century. 50 scored in 37 balls. His ODI career at the time of this match's fifty reads as

Matches :261
Runs:9714
Fifties:50
Hundreds:26
S/R : 86.2

Its important to note that he still maintains that Strike Rate. Now it is 85.66.

[littlemaster1982]

LM, Where art thou?. Whenever you come here ==> Golden repository please !! :).

I'm always here :P Will download these vids today once I go home. Thanks a lot for bringing this AF :D

Indha match-ai paarthu nondhu ponadhu innum ennala marakka mudiyala :twisted:

[ajithfederer]

:rotfl: :rotfl:

Zaheer Khan hits four sixes off the last 4 balls in the last over by Olonga.

[littlemaster1982]

And the commentary was by Tony Greig. Imagine how it would have been. Zaaaheeer Khaaan :lol:

[ajithfederer]

:rotfl:

And the commentary was by Tony Greig. Imagine how it would have been. Zaaaheeer Khaaan :lol:

[ajithfederer]

Not sure whether this was posted before here either in part 1 or in this thread.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NEOucEzjU8&feature=PlayList&p=9509DD02988D74ED&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=5

Sachin's 10th Test century 122 against England in 1996 Test series.

[ajithfederer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBkJ85ccK1o&feature=channel_page

Sachin 93 vs SA in 2007(??).

[Plum]

http://content.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/406006.html
:-)


"I asked Jonathan Hungin, one of Cricinfo's technical wizards, for the answer, and he told me that the 10 names most frequently entered in the player-search box over the last few years have been: "1. Sachin Tendulkar. 2. Tendulkar. 3. Sachin. 4. Any of the first three spelt incorrectly. 5. Dhoni. 6. Ponting. 7. Dravid. 8. Ganguly. 9. Afridi. 10. Imran Khan." So there you have it: Tendulkar the clear winner!
"

[ajithfederer]

:clap: :)

http://content.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/406006.html
:-)


"I asked Jonathan Hungin, one of Cricinfo's technical wizards, for the answer, and he told me that the 10 names most frequently entered in the player-search box over the last few years have been: "1. Sachin Tendulkar. 2. Tendulkar. 3. Sachin. 4. Any of the first three spelt incorrectly. 5. Dhoni. 6. Ponting. 7. Dravid. 8. Ganguly. 9. Afridi. 10. Imran Khan." So there you have it: Tendulkar the clear winner!
"

[ajithfederer]

Sachin Tendulkar annihilates Aamir Sohail

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDPq4_NlgJ0

This video is a subset of the innings against world xi.

[ajithfederer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVg31nwb5tY

Sachin Tendulkar hits a Pakistani spinner for a humongous six at Sharjah

[ajithfederer]

http://www.mid-day.com/news/2009/may/280509-Mary-Serrao-Sachin-Tendulkar-Fan-Mumbai-news-special-meeting-birthday-celebrations.htm


Sachin tells 86-year-old fan... 'I wish you score a century'
By: Hemal Ashar and Pradeep Dhivar Date: 2009-05-28 Place:Mumbai


Sharing your birthday with Sachin is one thing and cutting a cake with him another. Mary Serrao, an avid fan of the Little Master, was in seventh heaven when MiD DAY introduced them yesterday

Mary Serrao (86) only shared her birthday with cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar. But all that changed yesterday when the 86-year-old avid fan of the Master Blaster met him. She shared with him what her daughter defines as "the greatest moment of her life".

Mary could not thank MiD DAY enough, for fulfilling her wish of meeting Sachin. On April 24, the day Sachin turned 36, MiD DAY carried a front-page article 'Sach a crazy fan' about Mary, who knows all his records at the tip of her tongue.

Yesterday, Mary met her 'God' at Bandra's Mehboob Studio where he was shooting for a commercial. And she was bowled over.

Endless night

Excited about the prospect of meeting Sachin, Mary could not sleep on Tuesday night and kept her family up as well. Said her daughter Cecilia Miranda, "She woke up at 3.30 am and again at 5.30 am and kept telling us: C'mon, c'mon, we have to meet Sachin."

At a loss of words

The defining moment was a little past noon when Sachin walked into the room where Mary, dressed in a blue saree, was waiting for him. As he stepped in the room, he made the awestruck Mary comfortable with a warm hug. He sat next to her, but Mary was speechless. Her daughter who accompanied her to the studio pulled her leg as Sachin laughed. "Now, why are you so quiet? You always said you wanted to ask Sachin so many questions. Why don't you ask him?" she said.

Make a wish: Mary and Sachin, who share birthdays, cut a cake at Bandra's Mehboob Studio yesterday. Keeping up with the birthday ritual, the grandma fed a piece of cake to the cricketer
Two good: Mary chats up Sachin about cricket and tells him how she follows every game he plays


Talk time

After a few minutes of silence, Mary asked Sachin about his children. "They are fine, I have a daughter Sara who is 11 and a son, Arjun, who is 9. My son likes to play cricket," answered Sachin. When Mary told Sachin that she hoped he scored another 15 centuries, he remarked, "I wish you score a century as well."(Live till you are 100). Mary told the batting maestro that she prayed hard whenever he was on the pitch. "I cry each time you lose your wicket," she said.

"So do I," the cricketer replied in jest.

When Mary asked Sachin about his mother, he said, "My mother is like you, she's always praying when I'm on the field."

We made it: The 86-year-old grandma shows Sachin the article featuring her that appeared on the front page of MiD DAY, on April 24, Sachin's 36th birthday
IT's all in the family: Mary's family didn't miss the chance to meet the Master Blaster. They accompanied her to the studio


Cake, curry & more

It was a day when all Mary's wishes were fulfilled. She cut a cake along with Sachin to celebrate their birthday and it hardly mattered that it was more than a month late. Mary's rendezvous with Sachin couldn't have had a better ending. "I must come to your home to have fish curry," said Sachin, when Mary's daughter told the Little Master that she cooked delicious fish curry.

Mary just couldn't stop smiling.

Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi1A_Odzg9Q&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Emid%2Dday%2Ecom%2Fnews%2F2 009%2Fmay%2F280509%2DMary%2DSerrao%2DSachin%2DTend ulkar%2DFan%2DMumbai%2Dnews%2Dspecial%2Dmeeting%2D birthday%2Dcelebrations&feature=player_embedded

:clap: :clap: :clap:

[crajkumar_be]

:D

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:d030ae0762]http://content.cricinfo.com/wt202009/content/story/406333.html

ICC World Twenty20

Tendulkar tips seamers to shine

Cricinfo staff

May 28, 2009



RP Singh justified his inclusion in the Indian squad for the World Twenty20 with a successful IPL © Associated Press




Sachin Tendulkar has said he is confident about India defending its World Twenty20 title and expects the pace attack to come good in English conditions. "It is on par with the best," he told Daily News and Analysis. "Zaheer [Khan], Ishant [Sharma] and RP Singh form a lethal combination, particularly in English conditions. Our seam attack has a lot of variety and would come handy in such conditions. On our day, we can demolish any batting side."

Tendulkar, who will not take part in the World Twenty20, had stressed the need for the Indian players to get adequate rest ahead of the competition after an intense IPL. He had singled out India's opening combination, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, which had struggled in the IPL, to fight fatigue in the lead-up to the tournament in England.

When asked about Sehwag's poor run, Tendulkar said: "Every player has ups and downs in his career and Viru [Sehwag] is no exception. But an on-song Viru is a delight to watch. If he gets one cover drive right, he'll mesmerise everybody and will again be back to his best. The bowlers will be at his mercy then. He is a superb striker of the ball ... on his day, he can do anything."

Tendulkar tipped India as the favourites for competition, for he felt that rather than just some individuals making the difference, the team is the best balanced outfit around. "We come as a package," he said. "I am certain this package is the best in business at the moment. This package has everything which is necessary to make us world champions once again.

"India is the most balanced side in the world and there is no doubt we can defend the title. We have very good cricketers in our side and we have proved that this combination is the deadliest."

© Cricinfo[/tscii:d030ae0762]

[ajithfederer]

Sachin Tendulkar backs India to retain World Twenty20 crownThu May 28, 2009 1:25pm IST

CHENNAI (Reuters) - Batting great Sachin Tendulkar believes India will retain the Twenty20 World Cup next month, saying skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team were the world's best in the most explosive form of the game.

"India is the most balanced side in the world and there is no doubt we can defend the title," Tendulkar told the DNA newspaper on Thursday.

"We have very good cricketers in our side and we have proved that this combination is the deadliest," added the record-breaking batsman, who does not play in Twenty20 internationals.

Dhoni led a young Indian team to a surprise success in South Africa two years ago to ensure the game's shortest format gained instant popularity in cricket's commercial hub.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Dhoni heads a young, vibrant bunch to the second edition in England starting on June 5. India are in Group A with Bangladesh and Ireland.

"The best part is that our team can take any amount of pressure and still perform," Tendulkar added.

"Team India actually thrives on pressure. So I would like to put my money on India."

India will be carrying a five-man pace attack to exploit the seaming conditions in England, although the wily Zaheer Khan is an injury doubt.

"It is on par with the best," Tendulkar said of an attack spearheaded by the pacy Ishant Sharma.

"Zaheer, Ishant, Rudra Pratap Singh form a lethal combination, particularly in English conditions.

"Our seam attack has a lot of variety and that would come handy in such conditions. On our day, we can demolish any batting side.

"We come as a package... (and) I am certain this package is the best in business at the moment. This package has everything which is necessary to make us world champions once again."

http://in.reuters.com/article/topNews/idINIndia-39935720090528?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0

[ajithfederer]

Batting maestro Tendulkar lauds shutterbugs

Mumbai, May 28 (PTI) Having been chased endlessly by them all his life, batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar acknowledged the importance of shutterbugs in a cricketer's life in his own modest way.
"As a cricketer I can tell you, I have seen photographers sit under the sun on a cricket field for an entire day, waiting for that one magical moment," said the champion batsman who felicitated the winners of the photo contest based on the theme "Streets of Mumbai" here last night.

"It is thanks to you that we cricketers get a chance to relive all those golden moments in our lives once again," Tendulkar said.

To the sheer delight of the queuing photographers, who had till then scrambled to snap him with their lenses, the cricket legend also fulfilled their desire of being clicked with him.

Lauding them, the master said, "the theme of 'Streets of Mumbai' is a novel concept. The photo-journalists have made a real effort in capturing the spirit of Mumbai." PTI

http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/BC132485E7125053652575C40039D75C?OpenDocument

[ajithfederer]

Thalaivar's hair-style :shock: :cool2:

http://www.mid-day.com/news/2009/may/280509-Mary-Serrao-Sachin-Tendulkar-Fan-Mumbai-news-special-meeting-birthday-celebrations.htm

[ajithfederer]

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar community crosses 450,000 members on May 29th 2009 (http://www.orkut.com/Main#CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=23803&tid=5335482587298469992&na=2&nst=90)

:clap: :clap: :clap:

More milestones awaited :D

[ajithfederer]

Sachin Tendulkar

'I've loved every minute of it'

The losses still hurt, the hunger for runs is still there; most importantly, he still enjoys the game to the fullest. And that's how he wants to be remembered

Dileep Premachandran

May 31, 2009

Text size: A | A
"I love being out there. I have a lot of fun" © AFP



Related Links
Player/Officials: Sachin Tendulkar
Series/Tournaments: Indian Premier League
Teams: India | Mumbai Indians

It's been more than 48 hours since the Mumbai Indians lost to Shane Warne's Rajasthan Royals in Durban. Standing on the metal steps that lead up to the press-conference area at St George's Park in Port Elizabeth, Sachin Tendulkar is looking somewhere far away. His team have been all but eliminated from semi-final contention after a loss to the Chennai Super Kings, but it's the one that got away at Kingsmead that continues to haunt Tendulkar. "There's no way you should lose a game when you need just six to win with nine balls to go," he says, voice shot through with disbelief.

"We lost to the Kings XI by two runs as well. I can understand a team being bowled out for 85 when chasing 120, but to bat through the overs and not get the runs... that's inexcusable."

Like most of the greats, Tendulkar hates losing. And as the security guard watches nervously, he talks to me with an earnestness that is almost vehement. There's a perception that many players are on the IPL gravy train for the big-fat pay cheque; players who "shouldn't be here", as Ray Jennings put it in his wonderfully candid way. Tendulkar is not one of them. Some players prefer to walk out to Kylie Minogue's music. In his present mood, you sense that Tendulkar would opt for REM's "Everybody Hurts".

For Tendulkar, like for Glenn McGrath, who spent the entire second season of the IPL on the bench, winning is pretty much everything. This is, after all, the man who once admitted that he found it tough to let his son win when they played with a little bat and ball.

A week after our meeting in windy Port Elizabeth, I see him again. The mood isn't any better. Mumbai have been thrashed by Delhi Daredevils. A campaign that started promisingly with victory in the opening game at Newlands against the fancied Chennai lies in tatters. Five wins and eight defeats, seventh on the table.

At the press conference he bites down on some words, tries hard not to point fingers. But his disappointment is an open wound. Here for the money? You must be joking. As he prepares to leave the stadium and the 40-minute drive from Centurion to the team hotel in Sandton, we arrange to talk. Over the phone. I still have another game to watch, and Manish Pandey, a 19-year-old with a baby face, pounds out a heady century.

I slip unnoticed into the press-conference room and dial the number. It makes sense to ask Tendulkar about the IPL experience. After all, most of the South African contingent has grilled him about the way their nation has embraced the tournament. And when we first chatted, a fortnight into the competition, he had mentioned just how much of a strain the interminable travel was. "It's been very good but it was tough as well, especially to lose so many close games," he says after a small pause. "We should have won them, but we just didn't finish the job.



"That was a decision I took two years ago, not to play Twenty20 cricket for India. I felt my body was struggling and I wasn't able to give 100%. I didn't want to be a burden on the team. If you have one loose link, it's unfair on the other guys"




"Also, playing away from home has been different. People back home, not just in Mumbai but right across India, had been looking forward to this IPL season. That it didn't happen at home must have been hard on them. It's always different when you can't watch it live. The home games are very big back home. The atmosphere is something else. And you get pretty much everyone backing the home team. But I sort of knew that people would turn up and appreciate good cricket in South Africa. The crowds have been fantastic."

Given how well some of the senior players have done in the IPL, it's hardly surprising that there has been innuendo about how useful their experience would be in English conditions. But Tendulkar himself has no regrets about missing out on the World Twenty20. Sure, he'll be at some of the games, but he'll also be at Wimbledon, enjoying some time away from the spotlight that has been his lot for two decades now.

"That was a decision I took two years ago, not to play Twenty20 cricket for India," he says. "I felt my body was struggling and I wasn't able to give 100%. I didn't want to be a burden on the team. If you have one loose link, it's unfair on the other guys.

"The team did well, more than well, in South Africa [2007]. It's a settled side now. I felt I should not disturb the combination. One-day cricket and Test cricket are different, because I've been part of the team for so long. But if I was to force myself into the Twenty20 team, it would mean a reshuffle that I don't want."

Even after such a gruelling IPL season - each of India's 15-man squad played a part - he remains confident that MS Dhoni's team can retain the trophy they won in improbable circumstances in the Highveld two years ago. "I think we've definitely got a tournament-winning squad," he says. "It looks fantastic, in all respects. The batting, bowling and fielding are equally strong, and the morale is very high."

Along with the seniors' debate, there have been young players catching the eye. Before Pandey's brilliant innings, there was Sudeep Tyagi with his seam bowling, and Pragyan Ojha with his left-arm spin. But when you ask Tendulkar about the young players that he has watched in the tournament, and their long-term potential, he shies away from judgments. "I don't think this is the right format to judge a player," he says. "One-day cricket or Tests reveal far more about a player's ability. With Twenty20 you can sometimes have days when everything you try just comes off."


Celebrating his 36th birthday with his surrogate family © AFP




His own career has revived spectacularly after the struggles with injury. There were two Test centuries in Australia, and though he failed in Sri Lanka, centuries in Chennai and Hamilton played a huge part in series victories over England and New Zealand. There were also two magnificent innings in the CB Series finals against Australia in March 2008, when he rewound the clock to Desert Storm times and single-handedly tilted games India's way.

A few more straight-drives and paddle sweeps and he'll have 30,000 runs in international cricket. Barring Don Bradman's, which acquire a near-mythical status as the years pass, Tendulkar owns practically every batting record in the game. What makes the man tick, what makes him get out of bed every morning and choose the less-than-easy option?

"I enjoy playing cricket," he says with a laugh. "It's the simplest answer and the one people seem to find hardest to believe. I love being out there. I have a lot of fun. There are always various challenges to occupy you, and also the pride that comes with playing for India. That's still a huge thing, because it's all I ever wanted as a child. I don't think my feelings are any less strong now."

Ever since he was a teenager scoring hundreds for fun in Mumbai, it's his sense of calm that has set him apart. Few events have shaken that composure down the years, and none quite like the terror attacks in Mumbai last November. The siege at the Taj Mahal Hotel took place just around the corner from his restaurant, with its cricket-themed walls and personally chosen menu.

"That was a tragic experience," he says after a long pause. "I don't think anyone expected that something of that nature could happen. It was just terrible. I dedicated the victory against England [Chennai] to the victims and their families, because I felt it was the least we could do. Winning a cricket match was not going to make people forget what had happened to them, but if they smiled even for a second, we had been able to do something. It was only about diverting minds, however briefly. It was a huge loss for everyone, and not something that can ever be measured in terms of wins and losses."

In that context, was that century the one he cherishes most? "Definitely," he says. "The mood of the entire nation was so low. And on that last day, we finished so strongly. It was my most important hundred."



"Right now, things have been going well. I want to focus on the next engagement. Winning the World Cup is the ambition of every cricketer. I'm not alone in that. But it would be special




In his wonderful biography of Sunil Gavaskar, the late Dom Moraes titled one chapter "The Halcyon Years". These are such days for Tendulkar, for whom the finish line is in sight. But even as he approaches it, he's enjoying every moment of being part of a side that appears equipped to take on all-comers, home and away. Having spent much of his career as part of a team that struggled, especially away from home, what does it now feel like to be senior statesman and a member of a side that's challenging for top honours in every form of the game?

"It's terrific," he says, the mood lifting. "I find it a real pleasure to be part of this team. We've got the quality to compete with the best, and it's exciting when you do so well." The emphasis is on enjoying the moment, rather than worrying about which boxes still remain to be ticked. "I don't look to set targets, honestly," he says. "I play as hard as possible, and when things happen it's a great feeling. I don't disclose targets. But for example, it's nice when you go to Australia and do well there."

For most people connected with Indian cricket, though, the World Cup remains a Holy Grail. Tendulkar, who grew up watching the Kapil Dev generation, has mixed memories of both 1996 and 2003, when mountains of runs off his own bat weren't enough to cover for inadequacies elsewhere. And he insists that he won't put pressure on himself by over-egging the World-Cup pudding. "I don't want to look that far ahead," he says. "Right now, things have been going well. I want to focus on the next engagement. Winning the World Cup is the ambition of every cricketer. I'm not alone in that. But it would be special."

His children, Sara and Arjun, are now old enough to nurture ambitions of their own, and the time spent away from them is accepted with something approaching resignation. "I guess you have no choice," he says of the touring life. "When the children grow up, they'll know why their father was away for so long. And hopefully, they'll be proud of me and what I did."


"The mood of the entire nation was so low. And on that last day [in Chennai], we finished so strongly. It was my most important hundred" © AFP




For 20 years now the team has been his surrogate family, and there have been those that have left a deeper impression than others. "There have been many that I've shared the Indian dressing room with, but I'd make special mention of Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri," he says when asked about those who helped shape him. "My coach, Ramakant Achrekar, my brother Ajit, and my father were the others that have given me the most."

On the field, not much has changed. Abdul Qadir once mentioned milk, before he was smashed for sixes in Peshawar, and there was the uncomfortable task of testifying in the Harbhajan Singh "racism inquiry" not so long ago. Banter has been part of the game ever since the good Doctor Grace told a bowler that the crowds had come to watch him bat, and not to see him bowl. Tendulkar wouldn't have it any other way. "I'd like to think that I've been friendly with everyone," he says. "Whatever happens is only on the field and you don't need to get too personal. I don't expect friendship out there. They are competing as hard as you are, and looking to win against you. As long as you bear no grudges, I have no problems."

Jack Fingleton immortalised Victor Trumper with Never Another Like Victor. The Archie Jackson story lives on through the words of David Frith. In Tendulkar's case words aren't even necessary. There are so many thousands of hours of archival footage, and even those born years after Waqar Younis bloodied his nose on debut have watched his finest hours on youtube and commemorative DVDs. But what if it was possible for him to choose how he's remembered after leaving the game? He thinks for a while. "As somebody who enjoyed the game as much as he could," he says. "I've played fair and hard and loved every minute of it. That would be the best way to be remembered. And also as a team man. While you're achieving team goals, your own milestones will pass by."

http://content.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/406796.html[tscii:eac6c08446][/tscii:eac6c08446]

[ajithfederer]

India, who still have a doubt over the fitness of fast bowler Zaheer Khan's shoulder injury, come into this event without batting great Sachin Tendulkar.

'The Little Master' has opted out of international Twenty20s and Dhoni said: "He's among the greatest, it's tough, you always want a player like Sachin in your side.

"But he wasn't at the last T20, the guys are getting used to it. But he has a big impact in the dressing room, the amount of ideas he has is amazing."

"It's not only about strategies but how you implement and how the individual you are planning against reacts. If it was all about strategy Sachin would have been sorted out by now and he's been playing for 20 years."

http://cricket.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Dhoni-relishing-World-Twenty20-after-IPL-/articleshow/4600858.cms

[ajithfederer]

T20 must not outgrow Tests: Sachin
Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:37 GMT

Twenty20 cricket's rising popularity notwithstanding, Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar feels the format should never be allowed to grow at the expense of Test cricket, which "requires more skills".

"I don't think that one should make that compromise (of Twenty20 spreading at the cost of Test cricket)," Tendulkar told the latest issue of 'GQ' magazine.

"Test cricket definitely requires more skills. In a Twenty20 match, if somebody has batted well for 45 minutes, he has done brilliantly. But that doesn't happen in Test cricket, where you have to bat well for a couple of sessions (about four hours)," he added.

Tendulkar feels bowlers don't concede an inch in Test cricket but would be more than happy to give away singles in Twenty20 as they know only big hits can work to a team's advantage in the shortest format.

"In Twenty20 cricket, a bowler is happy giving you singles. In Test cricket, they are trying to get you out all the time," explained the man who has played just one Twenty20 match for the national team.

The veteran right-hander said the current Indian team is a fabulous one and a unit that everyone would want to captain.

"I don't think there is anybody on the Indian team who wouldn't want to captain such a fantastic side. Not because they want to grab it or whatever, but because ... It is a fabulous team," he said.

http://www.cricbuzz.com/component/latest_cricket_news/Story/14828/T20-must-not-outgrow-Tests-Sachin/

[ajithfederer]

http://www.cricbuzz.com/component/latest_cricket_news/Story/14923/tendulkar-to-double-educational-charity-/

Tendulkar to double educational charity
Wed, 03 Jun 2009 14:11 GMT


Having taken inspiration from his late father on social responsibilities, Sachin Tendulkar today said he will sponsor the education of 200 children, who are part of a Non-Governmental Organization.

The batting maestro, who is already looking after welfare of 200 children from the same NGO Apnalaya, said he always looked up to his father in trying to understand his social responsibilities.

"There is no better source of inspiration for me than my father. Growing up as a child, I saw my father, a professor, pay for the education of our 'paperwala', who could not afford it. This is in a family where every penny mattered," the master batsman said at a press conference here.

"Whoever turned up at our house, be it the watchman or the postman, would not be allowed to leave without having a cup of tea, which my father served," he said, adding "These incidents taught me all about caring for others. I have learnt from my father and I'm proud of it".

"I'm trying to double my givings and contributing in whatever way I can. I will pay for the education of 200 children as a part of the 'Joy of Giving Week' campaign," he said in support of the programme conceptualized by another NGO, GiveIndia, to promote charity.

[ajithfederer]

http://cricket.ndtv.com/cricket/ndtvcricket/storypage/ndtv/id/spoen20090095771/story02062009_184900.html

It would have been easy to get carried away: Tendulkar

Press Trust of India18:49 IST, Tuesday, June 02, 2009 (New Delhi)

Sachin Tendulkar, who tasted success at an early age, admitted he too had moments when he could have "got carried away" and said it was hard work and resolve that helped him reach the pinnacle of success.

The 36-year-old batting maestro, who began his cricketing career at a tender age of 16, has so far played 159 Tests and 425 one-day internationals, without being dropped from the national squad even once in the last two decades.

"Given the things that have happened in my life it would have been easy to get carried away," Tendulkar was quoted as saying by men's fashion magazine GQ which has the batting maestro on its cover in the latest issue.

"There were times when I felt that, yeah, I should bunk practice and spend time with my friends and go out for a movie. But my coach would turn up and make me sit on his bike and take me all the way to practice," he recollected.

Tendulkar, who holds umpteen number of cricketing records besides being the world's highest run-getter in Tests and one-dayers, said success did not come automatically to him. "I have made an effort. It doesn't happen automatically," he said.

Tendulkar said he hardly pays heed to any kind of criticism hurled at him and instead concentrates on his performance.

"People will have opinions but that doesn't mean they are correct. They are only opinions and I have bigger things to deal with. Guys that have all the time in the world to discuss these things, discuss them. I don't," he said.

[ajithfederer]

Eden truly special for me: Sachin
2 Jun 2009, 2057 hrs IST, PTI

KOLKATA: Recollecting his exploits at the theatre of some of his memorable innings, Sachin Tendulkar on Tuesday said every one of his outings at
the Eden Gardens had been special for him.

"I always have very fond memories of Eden Gardens right from the day I first played here (in 1991)," said Tendulkar

Tendulkar was controversially run out in a Test against Pakistan at the Eden in 1999 that led to play being held up for about three hours due to crowd trouble, and he said he would always cherish the vibrant atmosphere inside the stadium whenever India played there.

"I've seen many good moments of my life and have spent my maximum time there. I would love to capture the moment of going out to bat with a packed stadium and the roaring applause.

"I wish if I could capture the photo with the lively sound around. It would be a great moment to capture," said the 36-year-old who had played nine Tests and 12 ODIs at the Eden.

He said crowd support at the Eden was a major contributing factor for the Indian team's success at this venue.

"The support that we have received here over the years has been truly special. The crowd has always been right behind us. they had a major contribution in Indian team being successful."

http://cricket.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Eden-truly-special-for-me-Sachin/articleshow/4609801.cms

[Plum]

"Guys that have all the time in the world to discuss these things, discuss them. I don't"

AF, yaarai solraaru theriyudha? nammalai thaan :-)

[crajkumar_be]

:lol:

[littlemaster1982]

[tscii:41de25d0eb]Tendulkar Opus, a tribute to the cricketing legend (http://ibnlive.in.com/videos/94714/tendulkar-opus-a-tribute-to-the-cricketing-legend.html)

A London-based company will shortly release a book revealing Sachin Tendulkar's thoughts on his achievements on the cricket field.

The book called the Tendulkar Opus will the largest and most luxurious tribute ever published on the legend.

The book will have details of his playing career and will also tell us what Sachin thinks of his teammates.

A section will also be devoted to his on-field rivals, both past and present and also his personal life.

Tendulkar Opus will weigh 35kgs with 800 pages. But not everyone can get it as it will be a limited collectors’ edition and each copy will be personally signed by the man himself. Sachin is the first individual sportsman to feature in an Opus collection.

"It is a different kind of book. I have Mohammad Ali (book on Mohammad Ali) on at home and when I saw the book I was completely floored by the amount of effort they had put in the book. It is special. I am looking forward to my book which will be out before 2011 World Cup," Tendulkar said about the book.

He also wished well for the Indian team playing in the World Twenty20 and hoped they would retain the title.

They have been playing well and all I can wish well for them. I am not exactly part of the team at this stage. So as an Indian I can say go and get the cup," he said. [/tscii:41de25d0eb]

[ajithfederer]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/8097272.stm

In-depth interview - Sachin Tendulkar

[ajithfederer]

Hi and welcome to my official Opus website which will go live on 18 June. This will be the place to get updates on the making of the Opus, insider photos and videos, interactive features, a special section for kids, competitions to win signed memorabilia and loads more.

Register now to receive an email when the site goes live and to be automatically entered into my prize draw. I'll be giving away a signed item every day until the launch date, so the sooner you register the more chances you will have to win! There's also a special signed prize for the person who provides the most referrals before launch date, so remember to email invitations to your friends and family.

http://tendulkaropus.com/

[ajithfederer]

:clap:.
Sir concurs with me. He says that Ashes 2005 is the best ever test series he has ever watched.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/8097272.stm

In-depth interview - Sachin Tendulkar

[P_R]

Sir concurs with me. :lol:

[ajithfederer]

http://cricket.yahoo.com/cricket/videos/fvideo/130609_Sachin_Jaguar/category-Features

Sachin drives a Jaguar in England!
Watch batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar driving a Jaguar with his son Arjun in England.

[ajithfederer]

I can't survive without Test cricket: Tendulkar
15 Jun 2009, 2249 hrs IST, PTI

LONDON: Likening Twenty20 cricket with "dessert" which is delicious but could not satiate one's hunger, Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar said
that Tests were the "main course" of meal and he cannot survive without it.

"Twenty20 is like desserts? It tastes good but you can't fill up your stomach with it? You have to have a main course and that's Test cricket? I couldn't survive without main course," Tendulkar was quoted as saying by 'The Times'.

The 36-year-old Tendulkar said the longer version of cricket will always be the number one format of the game for any player.

"From a cricketer's point of view Test cricket will always be Number 1. In Test cricket, the bowler is always trying to get you out and you have to be on top of your game for five days. You have to be at your best to sustain it," he said.

Showering all affinity on Tests, Tendulkar, who has amassed a record 12,773 runs at an average of 54.58 in the longer format, however, still dreams of winning an ODI World Cup, which has eluded him in last five editions.

"I watched the final at my friend's place. My friends who were much older were celebrating, jumping around? I joined in but I was clueless about what was happening," Tendulkar said.

"That is when I started taking cricket seriously? Until then it was fun messing about with a tennis ball? I saw from those celebrations that cricket can change the mood of the entire nation. That is why it is my dream," he said.

Incidentally, Tendulkar's nine-year-old son Arjun is more excited by the slam-bang cricket.

"My son already loved cricket but Twenty20 has taken it further. It's not really the music or clothing, it's the number of sixes? He just wants to go out and smash it? That's what excites him," admitted Tendulkar, who captains Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League.

Tendulkar said he would like to use T20 cricket's mass appeal to globalise the game.

"I would like to take it to new nations, perhaps America. It won't happen tomorrow but let's try. For so many years we've had audiences who didn't bother to watch the result never mind watch the game.

"Now this has captured the imagination all across the world, even in non-cricket-playing nations, this format has regenerated interest," he said.

Tendulkar also said he wanted the Test format to benefit from worldwide growth of the game and that the next generations take to it with renewed interest.

"Someone said that first sensation of cricket, walking inside the stadium, will stay with you forever. It was definitely that way with me. I remember walking in the Wankhede Stadium when I was 10, the West Indies playing in Mumbai.

"It was fabulous. I couldn't imagine how the ground would be, so packed with people, full of noise. I couldn't imagine how fast the ball was flying. (Sunil) Gavaskar and Vivian Richards, my heroes there, too. It was a special sight. On TV you can't get that feeling," he said.

"Mostly children will see Twenty20 on television so it is a real challenge educating them, allowing them to understand the different forms.

"All the Test grounds, may be they should clear three, or four hundred seats for schoolchildren so that they can come and watch. They are the ones who will fill the stands in the future so give them a taste of Test cricket and it will be in their minds for ever," he added.

Referring to West Indies captain Chris Gayle's remark that he "wouldn't be so sad if Test cricket died out", Tendulkar just said Gayle "can have his opinion, he's a nice guy".

http://cricket.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/I-cant-survive-without-Test-cricket-Tendulkar/articleshow/4659746.cms

[Sanguine Sridhar]

I can't survive without Test cricket: Tendulkar
15 Jun 2009, 2249 hrs IST, PTI

"Mostly children will see Twenty20 on television so it is a real challenge educating them, allowing them to understand the different forms.

"All the Test grounds, may be they should clear three, or four hundred seats for schoolchildren so that they can come and watch. They are the ones who will fill the stands in the future so give them a taste of Test cricket and it will be in their minds for ever," he added.


:thumbsup: but izzit possible? :roll:

[Nerd]

Wow feddy soon to be a 10000 poster. Only the second after SP? :clap:

[ajithfederer]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videoshow/4662223.cms

Batting sensation Sachin Tendulkar has decided not to tour the West Indies for India's One-Day International series later this month.
The batting maestro is hesitant to tour as he has not trained with the team for quite a while. ( Watch )
Tendulkar played his last ODI in Christchurch, New Zealand where he scored a match-winning 163 before retiring hurt.
The West Indies series begins with the first ODI on June 26 at Jamaica which hosts the second game too. While third and fourth matches will be played at St Lucia.
Meanwhile, India's pace spearhead Zaheer Khan has been ruled out of the upcoming West Indies tour due to injury.
The pacer's injury was carried to the T20 World Cup from the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Nerd, Arasiyalla idhellam :).

[Sanguine Sridhar]

Wow feddy soon to be a 10000 poster. Only the second after SP? :clap:

No NOV cross pannitaar. He is no 1, Feddy-ku 2nd place! :lol2:

SP vera id kettu vaangitaanga, adhukullara 957 post-um pannitaanga. She is incomparable :oops:

[ajithfederer]

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sports/html/20090618T000000-0500_153688_OBS_TENDULKAR_OUT_OF_CARIBBEAN_ONE_DAY _SERIES.asp

Tendulkar out of Caribbean one-day series

CMC

Thursday, June 18, 2009

CHENNAI, India (CMC) - India's selectors named a 16-man squad yesterday without batting ace Sachin Tendulkar for their One-Day International (ODI) series against West Indies later this month.


Tendulkar... opted out of tour to rest injured finger

Tendulkar has opted out of the tour to rest an injured finger and key pacer Zaheer Khan, Virender Sehwag and Suresh Raina will also be missing.

India and West Indies will meet in four ODIs - in Jamaica on June 26 and 28 and in St Lucia on July 3 and 5.

The 36-year-old Tendulkar is on the mend from a finger injury he picked up during the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Khan, recovering from a shoulder injury, was also given more time to rest.

Sehwag and Raina are hurt and were not considered for selection. Sehwag is recovering from a shoulder injury and Raina has a hairline fracture on the thumb.

Left-arm pacer Ashish Nehra is back - after a four-year absence - to resume his international career of 17 Tests and 72 ODIs and the squad also includes the uncapped Abhishek Nayar and inexperienced Murali Vijay.

All-rounder Nayar is an attacking left-handed batsman and right-arm medium pacer, who was outstanding for Mumbai Indians in the recent IPL tournament.

Vijay, who played a single Test match in 2008 against Australia, appeared for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2009.

INDIA SQUAD - Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, Pragyan Ojha, Yusuf Pathan, Murali Vijay, Subramaniam Badrinath, Rudra Pratap Singh, Praveen Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Abhishek Nayar, Ashish Nehra, Ravindra Jadeja, Dinesh Karthik.

[Vivasaayi]

sachin playing the test series or not?

[ajithfederer]

There is no test series vicky.

[ajithfederer]

Sachin Tendulkar: Humble master

The Brian Viner Interview: He's the highest run-scorer in international cricket – and the batsman who has scored more centuries against Australia than any other. In this rare interview, he speaks about the terror attacks in Mumbai, his 20-year career and England's chances in the Ashes


Friday, 26 June 2009

Awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian honour and played in his 417th ODI match against Australia giving him the record for the most ODI matches played by any player in 2008

It is hard to assess a fellow's character in an interview lasting 40 minutes, which is the amount of time I have been allotted with Sachin Tendulkar – and properly privileged I feel to get it, too. But I am afforded a useful insight before the interview even starts. We are in the Opus store near Covent Garden, where Tendulkar has been the subject of an interminable photo shoot as part of the launch of his latest website. On the pavement outside there is an ever-burgeoning group of Indians pressing their noses to the glass, astounded to find that their country's supreme sporting mega-star is inside. As soon as the shoot is over, Tendulkar is ushered over to meet me. But with a shy smile he apologises and instead steps out of the shop door to meet the people who would lie in the middle of a motorway for him. Only once he has chatted to them all does he return to my waiting tape-recorder. He is famously diddy, only 5ft 5in tall. But a giant of a man, nonetheless.


Also, he happens to have scored more Test centuries against Australia than anyone, so with the Ashes series imminent it seems relevant to ask him the secret of mastering the Aussie attack, but first things first. He is 36 now, and has been playing first-class cricket for more than 20 years. Is he beginning to contemplate life after cricket?

"To be honest I haven't thought about that at all," he says. "I'm still enjoying it, my body is holding up nicely, and I have no plans to stop playing. When I do, I will do something connected with cricket. That's what I'm good at." Good at! It is like saying that Helen of Troy was a bit of a looker. Tendulkar has scored more Test runs than anyone in the history of the game, 12,773 of them at an average of 54.58. He also has a record number of one-day international runs, 16,684 at 44.37. Nobody has scored more Test centuries (42). He has even claimed almost 200 Test and one-day wickets. Moreover, when Sir Donald Bradman was persuaded in 1998 to pick his all-time XI, the Little Master from Mumbai was the only modern inclusion. But what will he do with all that talent when the curtain finally falls on one of the epic cricket careers? Will he coach? "I don't know," he says flatly. "This is not the right time to think about it."

Perhaps, I venture provocatively, coaching won't come naturally. He wouldn't be the first sporting colossus to struggle to refine in others what to himself has always come instinctively. How easy, for example, does he find it to instruct his young son in the batting arts?

He smiles. "He is only nine and he just wants to smash the ball. I encourage him to do that, because above all he should love the sport. If he loves it, the rest will follow. I have not forced him into it. We hardly discussed cricket for the first four or five years of his life, but it seems to be in his heart. It is hard to judge how good he will be. Cricket is not just about physical ability, it is also about mental ability, adapting to different conditions and situations. It is hard to judge the mentality of a boy of nine."

Indeed, yet Tendulkar was only five years older, a 14-year-old schoolboy, when Dilip Vengsarkar, then the Indian captain, judged him ready to play first-class cricket. Of his subsequent 208 centuries in all forms of the game, can he single out one that has given him more satisfaction than any other?

"I think the one against England in Chennai last year," he says, without hesitation. "After what happened in Mumbai [the terrorist attacks], the mood of the entire nation was low. Something was needed to put smiles on people's faces. I am by no means suggesting that the people who lost near and dear ones could forget their terrible loss, but if we as a team were able to make them smile for just a couple of seconds, that was an achievement. And thanks to the England cricket team who came back very graciously and played against us. You know, cricket in India brings the entire nation together, from the poorest child to a billionaire. We are in a position to make everyone happy, which is very special for me and the whole cricketing fraternity."

The excited throng of people still outside the shop rather proves his point, and this is Covent Garden, not Mumbai. What must it be like to be Sachin Tendulkar in India? I ask the only man who knows. "It is difficult to move out and about, to do normal things, like going for a walk in the park. I sometimes take my car (of his extensive collection, his current favourite is a Lamborghini) out at five o'clock in the morning, and drive 25 miles. It is nice to be alone. But I also enjoy the attention. There are pros and cons, it's a package deal. My life has been fantastic and I have always had huge support from my family. My father was not a huge follower of cricket, but he was 100 per cent behind me every step of the way."

The late Professor Ramesh Tendulkar, a novelist and poet, must nevertheless have been rather mystified by his boy's prodigious cricketing talent, which flowered extraordinarily early. "You asked about important innings," Tendulkar continues, "and I would say that there were a couple in my schooldays that changed my life. In the semi-final of an Under-17s tournament I scored 326 not out, which is when everyone in Mumbai took notice of me. I then scored 346 not out in the final, with Dilip Vengsarkar and Sunil Gavaskar watching. I was only 14 at the time, but Vengsarkar wanted me to join the Mumbai first-class team, which contained nine Test players. He had to be sure I was ready. So he invited me to play in the India nets. The Indian team had a camp in Mumbai, and he made Kapil Dev and all these guys bowl at me in the nets. After that session he gave a green signal to the selectors. He said 'I think he's ready, you can pick him'. And in my first season I scored the highest number of runs for the team. There are three trophies in India, and in all three I scored a century on my debut, so my performances were very good, but also the timing was perfect."

Two decades on, there are those who insist that Tendulkar is diminished as a batsman compared with his glorious youth. I cite one of them, the former Australian captain Ian Chappell. "If he says that then he's not watched enough cricket," says Tendulkar, evenly. "There is no player who does not change over 20 years, and that depends on your changing role in the team. When I was 17 there were others to take the kind of responsibility I'm taking now, and at 25 I was playing differently again. One has to be wise and mature enough to understand this changing role. I am quite happy with where I am now, and I think my performances in the last couple of years have proven the so-called experts wrong. I think my reflexes are the same as ever. But I am a feel player. If I feel good I do not practise much. Before the 2003 World Cup (when he was player of the tournament) I had only one net session. But before the last New Zealand tour I hit thousands and thousands of balls in the nets, to give me confidence."

That confidence has rarely flagged against Australia down the years, despite or more likely because of the Aussie status, for most of his career, as the pre-eminent cricketing power. On India's 1991-92 tour of Australia he marred Shane Warne's Test debut with an unbeaten 148 in Sydney, and hammered another century in Perth, causing the vulgar but undoubtedly prescient comment from Merv Hughes to Allan Border that "this little prick's going to end up with more runs than you, AB."

It delights him, he says, to have been such a thorn in Aussie sides. "There are times when I have been very attacking against them, times when I have been defensive." And the $64,000 question: who does he fancy for the Ashes? His smile gives nothing away. After all, he's a multi-millionaire, he doesn't need $64,000. "It's a tough call. I'm really looking forward to it. Pietersen is obviously a very important player for England but I think Flintoff is just as important. As a bowler he's a very handy customer."

A handy customer who has given him much trouble? He purses his lips. "There have been many such bowlers, so many guys from Imran Khan, Richard Hadlee, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Allan Donald, Walsh and Ambrose, Malcolm Marshall, Shane Warne, Muralitharan ... but the ones who got me most were not the strike bowlers but the irregular bowlers. Hansie Cronje got me out more than Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock."

So much for the bowlers. Who have been the batsmen who most inspired the master of the art? "Viv Richards and Sunil Gavaskar were my heroes growing up. I liked Gavaskar for the way he applied himself, and Richards for his aggression. He was just super, and his body balance was special. I always wanted to be a mixture of both of those guys. And I also think that Brian Lara is a class apart."

Not, though, a class apart from himself, indeed even Lara once opined that he was only mortal, whereas Tendulkar was a genius. Sir Donald Bradman didn't quite go that far, but he did say, and Lady Bradman reportedly agreed, that the little man from Mumbai reminded him more than anyone of himself. To have made the Don's all-time XI must have been a notable thrill?

"Oh, it was. And me and Shane Warne got to meet him on his 90th birthday, just the two of us. We sat with him for 45 minutes or so, and he said he thought the standard of cricket, the field settings and planning, are much better today. We asked him what he would have averaged today, and he said 70. Naturally I asked why 70, why not 99? And he said '70 is not bad for a 90-year-old man'. Tendulkar chuckles. "So he had great humour."

And is it coincidence that both he and Bradman, perhaps the two greatest batsmen in history, shared a diminutive stature? "I don't know. Perhaps. The centre of gravity is lower and that increases the balance. Batting is about balance."

In more ways than one it is hard to imagine a more balanced man than Sachin Tendulkar

Numbers game: Sachin's statistics

1973

Born on 24 April in Bombay. His father was a novelist and named him after his favourite musical director Sachin Dev Burman.

664

In a schoolboy match in 1988 he shared this unbroken partnership with team-mate Vinod Kambli who also later played for India. This remained a world-record partnership in any form of cricket until 2006, when it was broken by two Under-13 batsmen, also in India.

5ft 5in

Tendulkar's height, hence his nickname, 'the Little Master'.

16

Tendulkar's age when he made his Test debut, against Pakistan in 1989. He made 15 runs in the first innings, did not bat in the second, and the match was drawn.

54.58

His Test average after 159 matches.

12,773

Aggregate Test runs scored – the world's best, ahead of Brian Lara (11,953), Allan Border (11,174) and Ricky Ponting (10,960).

42

Test centuries, the world's best – ahead of Ponting (37), Sunil Gavaskar and Brian Lara (both 34). Plus 53 half-centuries. His highest score is 248 not out against Bangladesh in 2004.

16,684

One-day International runs scored, including 43 centuries – again, both are world bests.

3 for 10

Best Test bowling figures (against South Africa in 2000), but his average is 51.63.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket/sachin-tendulkar-humble-master-1719775.html[tscii:978193b7ec][/tscii:978193b7ec]

[littlemaster1982]

Great one :clap: :clap: Thanks AF :D

[crajkumar_be]

:clap:

Chappel, padicheengala?!

[ajithfederer]

Sachin Tendulkar 241* Part 1 - brought to you by SACHINISM (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXwVi2Uc970&feature=related)

Sachin Tendulkar 241* Part 2 - brought to you by SACHINISM (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvV1uhadg3g&feature=related)

Sachin Tendulkar 241* Part 3 - brought to you by SACHINISM (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmp_RgEf6cU&feature=related)

[ajithfederer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvJy8V0vpLc

Watched Thalaivar's classic capetown innings of 1996/97. Talk about playing an perfect innings until being clutched out of thin air by Adam Bacher and sir does exactly the same. Sir plays cricket in the manner it should be played. Classic Front foot on drives(Sir should get a cricketing patent for this), blistering cuts and some superb pull shots. When he scored a 100 the innings contained 16 fours. The only man which gave him some able company was Azharuddin. Donald, Pollock, McMillan, Klusener, Paul Adams and even Hansie wasn't spared eventhough McMillan got the last laugh. This is my fav test knock of sachin.

:clap:

[Sanguine Sridhar]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvJy8V0vpLc

Watched Thalaivar's classic capetown innings of 1996/97. Talk about playing an perfect innings until being clutched out of thin air by Adam Bacher and sir does exactly the same. Sir plays cricket in the manner it should be played. Classic Front foot on drives(Sir should get a cricketing patent for this), blistering cuts and some superb pull shots. When he scored a 100 the innings contained 16 fours. The only man which gave him some able company was Azharuddin. Donald, Pollock, McMillan, Klusener, Paul Adams and even Hansie wasn't spared eventhough McMillan got the last laugh. This is my fav test knock of sachin.

:clap:


Thanks for the video maams. :clap:

[Vivasaayi]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvJy8V0vpLc

Watched Thalaivar's classic capetown innings of 1996/97. Talk about playing an perfect innings until being clutched out of thin air by Adam Bacher and sir does exactly the same. Sir plays cricket in the manner it should be played. Classic Front foot on drives(Sir should get a cricketing patent for this), blistering cuts and some superb pull shots. When he scored a 100 the innings contained 16 fours. The only man which gave him some able company was Azharuddin. Donald, Pollock, McMillan, Klusener, Paul Adams and even Hansie wasn't spared eventhough McMillan got the last laugh. This is my fav test knock of sachin.

:clap:

:clap:

ethana on drives ... :notworthy:

[sankara1970]

Ippadi great -greater-greatest nu solli solliye
udamba punnakiteenga

[Sanguine Sridhar]

Ippadi great -greater-greatest nu solli solliye
udamba punnakiteenga

Mr.Kaipulla naanga engga thalaivara great greater greatest-nu sonna ungalukku eppadi punnaagudhu? :roll:

Btw punnu aaranum-na burnol podunga! :twisted:

[Vivasaayi]

Ippadi great -greater-greatest nu solli solliye
udamba punnakiteenga

idha sivaji fans solla koodadhu...

[Nerd]

Ada, idhu Nakeeran'bA :lol2:

Feddy, thanks for the Capetown innings. One of his top 5 certainly.

[crajkumar_be]

-Director's Cut-

[ajithfederer]

Director's cut 2 :lol2:

Ippadi great -greater-greatest nu solli solliye
udamba punnakiteenga

[ajithfederer]

And Mods here should warn some trolls before warning us fans here. We are not ready to show another cheek when we are slapped. We will show the trolls what they deserve.

[Dinesh84]

We are not ready to show another cheek when we are slapped. We will show the trolls what they deserve.

:exactly:

[Sanguine Sridhar]

And Mods here should warn some imbecile a!@#oles before warning us fans here. We are not ready to show another cheek when we are slapped. We will show the trolls what they deserve.

shabba! :D

[ajithfederer]

Sachin rates Chennai ton against England most important
2009-06-26 16:40:00
Last Updated: 2009-06-26 18:08:51


London: Sachin Tendulkar has revealed that the century he hit against England just after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks gave him more satisfaction than all his other tons in all varieties of the game, since it brought back smiles on the faces of terror-hit Indians.

Tendulkar was a 14-year-old schoolboy, when Dilip Vengsarkar, the then Indian captain, judged him ready to play first-class cricket and he has since gone on to hit 85 centuries in international cricket.

There was, however, little hesitation when he was asked to choose his most important ton.


"I think the one against England in Chennai last year," he said.

"After what happened in Mumbai (the terrorist attacks), the mood of the entire nation was low. Something was needed to put smiles on people's faces. I am by no means suggesting that the people who lost near and dear ones could forget their terrible loss, but if we as a team were able to make them smile for just a couple of seconds, that was an achievement," The Independent quoted Tendulkar, as saying.

"And thanks to the England cricket team who came back very graciously and played against us. You know, cricket in India brings the entire nation together, from the poorest child to a billionaire. We are in a position to make everyone happy, which is very special for me and the whole cricketing fraternity," he said.

He said the other knocks that he considered important were played during his school days.

"I would say that there were a couple in my schooldays that changed my life. In the semi-final of an Under-17s tournament, I scored 326 not out, which is when everyone in Mumbai took notice of me. I then scored 346 not out in the final, with Dilip Vengsarkar and Sunil Gavaskar watching."

"I was only 14 at the time, but Vengsarkar wanted me to join the Mumbai first-class team, which contained nine Test players. He had to be sure I was ready. So he invited me to play in the India nets. The Indian team had a camp in Mumbai, and he made Kapil Dev and all these guys bowl at me in the nets. After that session he gave a green signal to the selectors," he told The Independent in an interview.



The master blaster said that in his first domestic season, he scored the highest number of runs for the team.


"There are three trophies in India, and in all three I scored a century on my debut, so my performances were very good, but also the timing was perfect," he said.

http://sify.com/sports/fullstory.php?a=jg0qEvciehd&title=Tendulkar__rates_ton_against_England_at_Chen nai_following__26/11_attacks_his_'most_important_knock'

[ajithfederer]

A fan's creative ode to highest run maker - Part 1

HERE IS some good news for all sachin Tendulkar’s fan, who are always eager to know some or the other thing about Sachin. Well now you have reason to put that big smile on your face. And whatever you will come to know that will make you swing.
Available in the market is a book of over hundred poems, Sachin Tumhe Salaam (Sachin, a salute to you) dedicated to the master-blaster’s life, having a, b, c to x, y, z of his life till date. But, alas! No takers and no hype. Because the author here is neither a big literary figure nor a celebrity but a struggling person with a humble background, who lives underneath an asbestos-roof and shares his bathroom with others in a rented accommodation in a down-trodden colony of north-east Delhi. Though a homeopath by profession, Dr. Madan Mohan Sharma’s life is not less than a daily-wager, who completes the basic needs of his family with a sort of creative-bent of mind by writing scripts, dialogues, songs, shaayari, and ghazals for regional Haryanvi and Bhojpuri films, as well.

All, without ever meeting the champion, the 34-year old Sharma’s tryst with Sachin goes back to the late eighties and early nineties, when like every cricket-buff he did first watch Tendulkar playing his debut international venture against Pakistan, on his neighbour’s black and white television at his native village, Peelakpur Gumani in the Muradabad district of Uttar Pradesh. Although Sachin was not a big thing during those days, Sharma’s infatuation with the little master in-waiting gradually continues since then. Steadily, the player in Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar grew, groomed; shone, toned; struck, rocked and finally went on to become one of the greatest players across the globe in a span of nearly 18 years.

Similarly, Sharma’s surreal affection with the icon did not succumbed with the ups and downs of time, instead bloomed and blossomed within him and finally erupted like a volcano in the form of his creatively crafted ton, Sachin, which he authored in merely 27 days three years back.

That was late in the afternoon of December 14, 2005, when the homeopath on the ticket of another person had gone to see a part of the ongoing Test match between India and Sri Lanka at Feroze Shah Kotla stadium. The major highlight of the particular day was Sachin Tendulkar, who was all set to break the record of another legend Sunil Gavaskar’s highest number of centuries in the Test cricket. As per expectation, when the master-blaster flicked Lankan pacer Chaminda Vaas for a single to become Test cricket’s most prolific centurion, Sharma decided in the fading light of the Kotla to script his own ton. Soon after, within a month, on January 10, 2006, he was ready with his own creative ode to Sachin that has 101 poems dedicated to the master-blaster whose 35th ton broke the original little-master’s record of 34.

Starting with his icon’s Vandana, the book terminates with a proper Aarti on him like that of any deity. It has an amalgamation of almost all the incidents, acknowledgements and controversies on the highest ton-maker, which a cricket-buff or a Sachin’s fan wanted to know or vouch for. From Sachin’s maiden tour of Pakistan (1989-90) through his success and injuries to the records he now holds, Dr. Sharma’s hundred poems are full of details that mark the passion of an ardent Indian cricket fan.

Whether it’s his on-field sobriety like accepting an out and a defeat amicably or the off-field fidelity towards his family and kids or the social responsibilities that he carries on his shoulders like participating for the humanitarian causes, the book is a perfect blend of the master-blaster’s life.

“Googly ho ya swing, cutter; Bahut tej hai aapki nazar; Marte chauka gap dekh kar (whether the ball is a googly, swinging or a cutter, you follow the ball sharply and strike it away for a boundary through the gap)”, says one of the poems. Similarly, Sharma has complete words of praises for the all-rounder in another poem. It says, “Batting mein toh dhamaal karte hain; Lekin bowling bhi kamaal karte hain; Jab kisi ko wicket nahin milta; Tab in sahib ka jaadu chalta (already a hurricane in batting, he is also a genius in bowling. When no one gets the breakthrough then he works as a wonder).

Whereas, in another poem, Sharma refers to Sir Donald Bradman’s comment that Sachin had a batting style similar to his won. “1998 mein Sachin ko ghar bulaya; 90 ke ho chuke Bradman ne unhe gale lagaya (In 1998, he called Sachin home and the 90-year old Bradman hugged him),” the homeopath writes.

http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=15774021[tscii:6bff24dbf8][/tscii:6bff24dbf8]

[ajithfederer]

A fan's creative ode to highest run maker Part 2

RESIDING IN a flimsy rented house at Wazirabad in north-east Delhi, Sharma has only praiseworthy words for his idol. Despite being a father of two kids, he is influenced by Sachin’s charisma in such a way that the master-blaster seems to be in his blood, whom he idolises as a god and worships him daily. Moreover, he also asks his wife and kids to follow the same. Says the homeopath, “I have a proper pious shelf for Sachin’s photographs and albums in my room, where the idols of God and Goddess are also placed.

No fan is ordinary but Sharma is definitely extraordinary who believes in Sachin like anything. Everyday, after bath, I don’t forget to show him ‘Aggarbatti’. Though he is a year younger than his hero and their birthdays are separated by a day, Dr Sharma celebrates Sachin’s birthday on April 24 as his own by distributing sweets to his neighbours and friends. Even while traveling and commuting, the homeopath keeps himself engaged in creative-thoughts to pen down for his hero rather than getting involved in non-sense talks. “Whatever I’ve dedicated to Sachin is not a child’s play. I had to go through a proper research over him by taking help from different reference books, magazines, newspapers and Internet,” he adds.

Referring to the Sachin, Sharma says, “It’s my ode to the great player. What he has given to the country is incomparable and unparallel. Apart from being honest, reticent and balanced, the biggest quality in him is that he does not go ballistic with words unlike many others, instead speak and blast with his bat. When he is in form, no bowlers stay before him. For instance, see the case of Shane Warne, Mc Grath and Shoaib Akhtar that how they bowed down before him. Whenever he plays, my eyes are only on him.”

Besides, what touches him most in Sachin is his simplicity. “He is a complete family man, which a wife can dream of. When you see him with his wife Anjali or daughter Sara, you can easily see the love in his eyes,” He extends, elaborating Sachin Honhaar Pati and Beti Sara (daughter Sara).

Although a whole poem titled ‘Ferrari’ talks of the hullabaloo that swamped Tendulkar when he reportedly sought import duty exemption for a Ferrari car, Sharma diplomatically maintains his idol is without blemish. He asks, “How many cricketers can play for India for a stretch of 18 years without any blot against their name?” Moreover, he also advises every cricket-buff to not take these controversies seriously, as it is a part and parcel of all public figure’s life. Instead, we should have a full faith on this kind of player.

So, how much time did he take in writing all these and what were their processes? Pat comes the reply, “Though there was no time limitation to pen down a poem as it varied from one hour to 24 hours, I finished the entire 101 poems in merely 27 days. Due to clinical job during day-time, I stayed up nights burning mid-night oil in order to complete my rare feat. Moreover, my wife is quite supportive. She encouraged me throughout.”

Now, what makes his tale interesting is that despite being associated with creative writing since his school days, the next big challenge for him was to find a publisher, for which he wandered like an insane from one publication-house to the other. Shares the ardent fan, “It was not less than a nightmare for me to reach a like-minded publisher even though I had been into writing ghazals, shayaris, bhajans, short stories and vernacular film scripts on part-time professional basis for local media houses like Chanda Cassette, Sonotek, Raj Video, etc. Even now, I am associated with a number of Haryanvi and Bhojpuri private albums, some of which are yet to be release.”

However, he finally discovered after a long struggle and the book was published late last year by the Delhi based ‘Bal Sahitya Prakashan’, run by another enthusiastic Tendulkar fan, Narayan Dutt Mishra, who also owns the 50-year old ‘Maulik Sahitya Prakashan’.

“Initially, I was not sure whether this book would succeed. But Sharma’s great enthusiasm convinced me. Besides, I too believe such a book on Sachin Tendulkar was needed,” says 70-year old Mishra.

Two years after he had finished writing the poems, Sharma was again back at the same Kotla stadium in March last year to welcome the victorious Team India back from Australia, eager to meet his hero but failed. He along with the publisher even approached the ex-cricketer Chetan Chauhan to facilitate their meeting. But due to looming terror threat over the Indian players that time, when Sri Lanka last came here, Chauhan’s all possible effort went in vain and he had to call it off for a while.

Now, Sharma has just one aspiration-cum-dream and that undoubtedly is to meet his hero and present him a copy of Sachin Tumhe Salaam, for which he is still optimistic. Last but not the least, he prays for Sachin to play the next World Cup. “By then, I’ll be ready with a new set of creative write-up, which may be humorous, on him,” Sharma signs off.

http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=15774022[tscii:3c8741f1eb][/tscii:3c8741f1eb]

[ajithfederer]

Sachin in campaign against drug abuse

Mumbai : Narcotics Control Bureau will use the images of Sachin Tendulkar in their campaign against Drug abuse. The campaign is a part of International Day against Drug Abuse, which is being observed on Friday.

Buzz up!
“Sachin has allowed his photo to be used to send a message to the youth against drugs,” Zonal Director Yashodhan Wanage of the Narcotics Control Bureau said.


The posters featuring Tendulkar will be placed at railway stations in the city and on 30 buses to spread the message against narcotics, he said.

The NCB has also tied up with an outdoor advertising company to show anti-narcotics messages on display screens put up at popular coffee bars and eateries.
Tendulkar salutes Tendulkar

“We will also be setting up a stall at Dadar railway station which will provide information regarding drug related issues and distribute pamphlets,” Wanage said.

SMS messages will also be sent to people and a rally by school students in Dharavi which will be addressed by local police and NCB officials.

The drug enforcement agency has also tied up with an NGO to open a rehabiliatation clinic in the Dharavi area for 15 days as part of the campaign.

India's Tour of West Indies-Fixture

It was important to stem demand for narcotics to ensure that the supply of drugs into society could also be curbed, Wanage said.

http://thatscricket.oneindia.in/news/2009/06/26/sachin-in-campaign-against-drug-abuse.html [tscii:b9988b245e][/tscii:b9988b245e]

[ajithfederer]

Sachin tells Aussies to target Pietersen, Flintoff
By Andrew Fifield – Jun 11, 2009

LONDON (AFP) — Sachin Tendulkar has told Australia to target Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff if they want to retain the Ashes in England this year.

The Indian batting great believes England will struggle to cope with Ricky Ponting's side if Pietersen and Flintoff fail to fire, despite the tourists' wobbly form in the build-up to the five-Test series.

Australia, who whitewashed England 5-0 'Down Under' in 2006/07, were bundled out of the World Twenty20 tournament after falling to successive defeats by the West Indies and Sri Lanka.

They now face two weeks without competitive cricket ahead of the first Test at Cardiff starting on July 8.

England have problems of their own, not least the fitness of Pietersen, who is carrying a troublesome Achilles injury, and Flintoff, who has only just recovered from a knee operation.

Tendulkar insists the series will be too close to call, but he has pinpointed the form of England's dynamic duo as central to the outcome.

"England rely heavily on a couple of players, Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff," he told reporters in London on Thursday at an event to publicise the launch of the official Tendulkar Opus website on June 18.

"The others have to step up as well but they are the key ones.

"Australia have aggressive players and a well balanced bowling attack but it will be a great series to watch.

"I cannot say who will win, it's a tough question. The last (Ashes) series in England (in 2005 which England won 2-1) was one of the best I have ever witnessed - it was a treat for every cricket follower. I see no difference this time and it will be very exciting."

Tendulkar, not taking part in the ongoing World Twenty20 in England having opted out of international cricket in this format, warned the South Africa born Pietersen not to attempt to win the Ashes on his own, despite his status as England's batting talisman.

"He can't be thinking of carrying the hopes of a nation when he's walking out to bat," he added. "All the England batsmen have to go out there and express themselves and be fearless in their approach.

"That's what I did when I started in Test cricket. I was thinking about feeling at home - I had to follow the bowler as best as I could and react so I just focused on that and didn't think of anything else."

The 36-year-old Tendulkar has rewritten the record books with his prodigious feats of batting.

In 2008 he passed Brian Lara as the leading Test run-scorer and the first to 12,000 runs. He also currently holds the record for most hundreds in both Tests and one-day internationals.

However, he insisted: "I have always thought about my own expectations and not worried about the other stuff."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jMnY_mCpBoUyONCjhMBY84YySENQ[tscii:ae3246e027][/tscii:ae3246e027]

[Nerd]

-Director's Cut-
:rotfl:

[ajithfederer]

Today is the day when sachin scored 15000 runs
When Sachin Tendulkar played an Andre Nel delivery towards mid-off and scampered down the pitch, history was made. With the recent glut of one-day internationals, several men will cross 10,000 runs. Few though will even get a sniff of Tendulkar's remarkable tally. Though he missed out on a 42nd hundred against South Africa at Stormont in Belfast, that nudge past the bowler took him past 15,000 runs. A giant leap for a small man, and one unlikely to be replicated anytime soon.

http://www.orkut.com/Main#CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=23803&tid=5352365919331763578&start=1

:clap:

[ajithfederer]

Sachin's words changed life: Tiwary

Sun, Jun 28 05:30 AM

A brief interaction with Sachin Tendulkar changed Manoj Tiwary's attitude towards life just when the Bengal and Delhi Daredevils batsman was pondering over his future, having been ruled out of the Indian Premier League's season two owing to a finger injury.

"I will treasure those 20 minutes," says Tiwary of the discussion he had with Tendulkar South Africa. "I was disappointed after the injury. I was among the 30 probables for the World Twenty20 and a good tournament would've helped me a lot. However, Sachin made me understand that it was not the end of the world. He told me that I had age on my side and there's every chance that I would make a comeback.

"He also said after these injuries, I would come back stronger. It helped me change my perspective towards life," says Tiwary, whose career has been punctuated by injuries.

In 2007, on the eve of his ODI debut against Bangladesh, he had hurt his shoulder and had to return home. Maybe, it's the Tendulkar effect but he doesn't rue the missed opportunities anymore. "The lay off allowed me to read a couple of books on Oscar Pistorius and Lance Armstrong. They were really motivating," says the right-hander.

Having recovered from the finger injury, Tiwary has set his sights on the opportunities ahead. "Up next is the Emerging Players tournament in Australia and the Champions League. Delhi Daredevils have qualified for the league and a good performance there will once again bring me back in contention. The next World T20 is less than a year away. I hope the rub of the green starts going my favour."

http://in.news.yahoo.com/48/20090628/934/tsp-sachin-s-words-changed-life-tiwary.html

[ajithfederer]

GIVE ME MORE!!!!!
Probably there is nothing left which Sachin hs not acheived in his entire life...but yeh dil mange more...i,e we the fans will never be satisfied nd wld always want more with whtever mster has given to us so far.....following are a few things which i still expect frm Master...

1) atleast fifty 100s in both odi and test

2)ipl trophy as mumbai indian captain...

3) atleast 75 man of the match in odi and 25 in tests...

4) atleast 20,000 in odi nd 15,000 in tests

5) atleast 5 more hundred in fourth inning of a test match in a winning cause

6) atleast one tripple hundred in tests...

7) a double century in odi( and i feel u can do it)

8)century in both the innings of a test match

9) lofted sixes straight over the head of a spinner and a seamer( d memories of 98 to be refreshed)

AND LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST

10) A WORLD CUP TROPHY IN UR HAND AND U BEING MAN OF THE FINAL AND D MAN OF D TOURNAMENT!!!!



P.S I THINK NONE OF THE EXPECTATION MENTIONED ABOVE IS EXAGGERATED AND ARE VERY MUCH IN DOMAIN OF GOD.......


PLZ GOD GIVE ME MORE!!!

http://www.orkut.com/Main#CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=23803&tid=5352720232419083488&start=1

A guy in orkut wrote as such.

[ajithfederer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTUqBqU4f_E&feature=related

his is a short compilation of some of the shots involved during Sachin Tendulkars massacre against the kiwis. Not every shot... But you get the drift of how the innings went, and get to see some of the amazing strokeplay. He scored 163 runs off 133 balls before retiring hurt in the 45th over after a full toss no=ball from Jesse Ryder hit him in the ribs... If only he played the full 50... 200 perhaps?

[Kalyasi]

Pietersen 'the world's best'

KEVIN Pietersen is the best batsman in the world. Just ask him. "You are not God, you are a cricketer, and I'm a better one," he said to India's Yuvraj Singh during a Test in Mohali last year.

It turns out many of Pietersen's Ashes opponents agree with him. In a survey of Australian cricketers this year, players contracted to Cricket Australia were asked to name the best batsman in the world outside Australia, and Pietersen (with 50% of the vote) was by far the most popular choice.

Not Sachin Tendulkar, the little master who has made more Test runs than anyone else and flayed Australian attacks for 18 years but did not attract a vote from Cricket Australia-contracted players (state players still hold him in high regard). Not Graeme Smith (7 %), who at the time of the survey had just peeled off 1656 runs in a calendar year and led South Africa to inflict Australia's first defeat on home soil for 16 years, or his Proteas teammate Jacques Kallis (also 7%). The other 34 per cent went for Kumar Sangakkara, the classy Sri Lankan who had recently played as well as any touring batsman to fall just short of a double century against the Australians in Hobart.

It is little wonder Pietersen is regarded by the Australians as the Englishman to be feared most in this Ashes series. Batsmen want to be him, envying his audaciousness, and bowlers want to be a long way away from him. Pietersen has made 963 runs at 53.50 against Australia, but the 29-year-old's attitude that attracts just as much admiration as his record. The arrogrance apparent in his outstanding sledge to Yuvraj has made him a divisive and abrasive character in dressing rooms, condemning him to a short and turbulent reign as England captain, but it has also made him a champion.

"He's the sort of player that is always taking the game forward. I'm not sure of his strike rate in Test cricket (63.35) but generally when he makes runs he gets them at a pretty good speed," said Ricky Ponting, who would have stolen some votes from Pietersen if the survey had covered Australian players.

"He's always putting it back on the bowler, the way he moves his feet, the way he walks across the stumps and does things, it's continually challenging the bowler. That in itself says a lot about you. You need great confidence to be able to do that, because if you get out doing that, at the end of the day you can punish yourself.

"He's got a very good Test record, he averages over 50 and that's not an easy thing to do as a top order player," the Australian captain said, and he should know. "I think Pietersen is their classiest player. He's aggressive, he takes the game on, and those sort of players, when they start to get going, they can bring a few more of their teammates along with them. He hasn't been in his best form in the last half a dozen or 10 Test matches he's played but I still think he's the most dangerous."

Very baed players contracted by CA

[P_R]

Lots of Aussies were disappointed with Sachin's testimony in favour of Harbhajan in the Symonds-Harbhajan controversy.

I was kinda dissappointed too. I felt Sachin was led by a misplaced sense of solidarity to the team than the interests of the spirit of the game. Of course, we never know enough to have a strong opinion. We never know what happened on the field. ellAm oru impression dhaan.

varungaalathula suyasaridhai ezhudhuvaanga. students ellAm notes eduppAnga.

[Kalyasi]

Pietersen 'the world's best'

KEVIN Pietersen is the best batsman in the world. Just ask him. "You are not God, you are a cricketer, and I'm a better one," he said to India's Yuvraj Singh during a Test in Mohali last year.

It turns out many of Pietersen's Ashes opponents agree with him. In a survey of Australian cricketers this year, players contracted to Cricket Australia were asked to name the best batsman in the world outside Australia, and Pietersen (with 50% of the vote) was by far the most popular choice.

Not Sachin Tendulkar, the little master who has made more Test runs than anyone else and flayed Australian attacks for 18 years but did not attract a vote from Cricket Australia-contracted players (state players still hold him in high regard). Not Graeme Smith (7 %), who at the time of the survey had just peeled off 1656 runs in a calendar year and led South Africa to inflict Australia's first defeat on home soil for 16 years, or his Proteas teammate Jacques Kallis (also 7%). The other 34 per cent went for Kumar Sangakkara, the classy Sri Lankan who had recently played as well as any touring batsman to fall just short of a double century against the Australians in Hobart.

It is little wonder Pietersen is regarded by the Australians as the Englishman to be feared most in this Ashes series. Batsmen want to be him, envying his audaciousness, and bowlers want to be a long way away from him. Pietersen has made 963 runs at 53.50 against Australia, but the 29-year-old's attitude that attracts just as much admiration as his record. The arrogrance apparent in his outstanding sledge to Yuvraj has made him a divisive and abrasive character in dressing rooms, condemning him to a short and turbulent reign as England captain, but it has also made him a champion.

"He's the sort of player that is always taking the game forward. I'm not sure of his strike rate in Test cricket (63.35) but generally when he makes runs he gets them at a pretty good speed," said Ricky Ponting, who would have stolen some votes from Pietersen if the survey had covered Australian players.

"He's always putting it back on the bowler, the way he moves his feet, the way he walks across the stumps and does things, it's continually challenging the bowler. That in itself says a lot about you. You need great confidence to be able to do that, because if you get out doing that, at the end of the day you can punish yourself.

"He's got a very good Test record, he averages over 50 and that's not an easy thing to do as a top order player," the Australian captain said, and he should know. "I think Pietersen is their classiest player. He's aggressive, he takes the game on, and those sort of players, when they start to get going, they can bring a few more of their teammates along with them. He hasn't been in his best form in the last half a dozen or 10 Test matches he's played but I still think he's the most dangerous."

Very baed players contracted by CA

[Plum]

Lots of Aussies were disappointed with Sachin's testimony in favour of Harbhajan in the Symonds-Harbhajan controversy.

I was kinda dissappointed too. I felt Sachin was led by a misplaced sense of solidarity to the team than the interests of the spirit of the game. Of course, we never know enough to have a strong opinion. We never know what happened on the field. ellAm oru impression dhaan.

varungaalathula suyasaridhai ezhudhuvaanga. students ellAm notes eduppAnga.

yeah, I was even more disappointed because I aint no fan of big mouth Singh. I wanted his goose to be cooked - infact, I wouldnt have been unhappy if Sachin had *lied* to incriminate Harbhajan :lol:

Though a smug Ponting would have been a horrible sight, a smug Harbhajan is proving to be a even less palatable sight.

[ajithfederer]

Kalyasi

Idhellam oru news-nnu adha ingae vera post panreenga?? :)

[ajithfederer]

http://www.topnews.in/federer-wins-record-15th-grand-slam-title-2186166

Looks like sachin tendulkar had attended the match yesterday at the royal box.

[ajithfederer]

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Wimbledon-Centre-Court-Roger-Federer-Wimbledon/ss/events/sp/062309wimbledon/im:/090705/483/xwim10207051316/

Sachin Tendulkar, right and wife Anjali arrives at the Centre Court to watch Roger Federer of Switzerland against Andy Roddick of U.S. in their men's final match at Wimbledon, Sunday, July 5, 2009.

[ajithfederer]

Highlights from the launch of the Sachin Tendulkar Opus at the Opus Store on 11 June 2009.

The Tendulkar Opus will feature previously unpublished family pictures, rare memorabilia and action shots chosen by Sachin himself and complemented by his own reminiscences will ensure this Opus is the definitive work on the record-breaking batsman.

Sachin Tendulkar event in London - 1 - announces Opus (HD) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3dUsjMqeGw)

Sachin Tendulkar event in London - 2 - visits school (HD) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmA1wGrKGYo&feature=related)

On the day that the Tendulkar Opus was announced, Sachin Tendulkar took time out of his busy schedule to visit a local school to answer a few questions for an enthusiastic group of young cricket fans.

Opus cameras were there to capture the question and answer session.

Sachin Tendulkar event in London - 3 - press conference for Opus (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efMQv-w2YNo&feature=related)

At the press conference to announce the Sachin Tendulkar Opus, the little master himself answered questions from the worlds press. He then became the first sportsman ever to give a DNA sample in a live press conference. Using rare DNA technology, the sample will be used to create a stunning two-metre wide multicoloured artwork in the Opus that will quite literally show the make-up of a sporting genius.

Sachin Tendulkar event in London - 4 - photo shoot for Opus (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wogUBjOWdUU&feature=related)

[ajithfederer]

Late Bradman rates top 11 cricketers

Last Updated: Monday, August 13, 2001 | 8:02 PM ET
CBC Sports

Sir Donald Bradman, the greatest cricket batsman in history, rated India's Sachin Tendulkar as the only current international good enough to make his dream team, Bradman's biographer revealed Monday.

The launch of Bradman's biography and the contentious Bradman 11 was made almost six months after the former Australian cricket captain died at his Adelaide home at the age of 92.

Bradman included seven Australians in his 11 along with South African opener Barry Richards, West Indies all-rounder Sir Garfield Sobers, and English bowler Alec Bedser.

Another Englishman, Wally Hammond, was 12th man.

Bradman's biographer, Roland Perry, said the "The Don's" intention was to select an attacking combination, despite it containing only four specialist batsmen.

"If they can't make 500, who can?" was Bradman's argument, according to Perry.

Bradman selected himself as the No. 3 batsman behind openers Richards and Authur Morris, his teammate on Australia's "Invincibles" tour of England in 1948.

He picked Tendulkar at No. 4 :clap: and then Sobers as No. 5.

Australia's Don Tallon was selected as wicketkeeper.

Bradman opted for his contemporaries in the leg-spin department, preferring Bill O'Reilly and Clarrie Grimmett to Shane Warne, the current Australian spinner who is rated as the world's best.

Australians Ray Lindwall and Dennis Lillee were the pace spearheads of the five-pronged bowling attack.

The release of Bradman's team was delayed until after his death so that he would avoid being inundated with requests for explanations and interviews, Perry said.

Bradman scored 6,996 runs in 52 Tests spanning 20 years until 1948.

His average of 99.94 runs per Test innings was far superior to any other batsman.

South Africa's Graeme Pollock was next on the all-time averages standings with 60.97.

Sobers, described by Bradman as the greatest cricketer ever, had a batting average of 57.78.

Bradman's team: Barry Richards (South Africa), Arthur Morris (Australia), Don Bradman (Australia), Sachin Tendulkar (India), Garry Sobers (West Indies), Don Tallon (Australia), Ray Lindwall (Australia), Dennis Lillee (Australia), Alec Bedser (England), Bill O'Reilly (Australia), Clarrie Grimmett (Australia).

12th man Wally Hammond (England).

[Vivasaayi]

Sachin was not shown while lots of other celebrities were shown

[Sanguine Sridhar]

Tendulkar not fit for T20: Buchanan

http://cricket.rediff.com/report/2009/jul/09/tendulkar-not-fit-for-t20-buchanan.htm


"In the position he plays -- as an opener of No 3 -- the T20 game requires not only the finesse and skills he has, but also the power and domination, an ability to take the bowlers on while being creative.


"You have to be inventive and fearless. And I don't see those qualities as part of Sachin's make-up at this stage of his career. Sachin Tendulkar is still a great player but not in this arena of T20," Buchanan said in the book, published by Orient Paperbacks.

Naansense! He played really well for Mumbai Indians! :evil:

[Vivasaayi]

Tendulkar not fit for T20: Buchanan

http://cricket.rediff.com/report/2009/jul/09/tendulkar-not-fit-for-t20-buchanan.htm


"In the position he plays -- as an opener of No 3 -- the T20 game requires not only the finesse and skills he has, but also the power and domination, an ability to take the bowlers on while being creative.


"You have to be inventive and fearless. And I don't see those qualities as part of Sachin's make-up at this stage of his career. Sachin Tendulkar is still a great player but not in this arena of T20," Buchanan said in the book, published by Orient Paperbacks.

Naansense! He played really well for Mumbai Indians!

buchanans take on t20 cricket pathi naade ariyum :lol:

[ajithfederer]

Tendulkar's criticism spells death for neutral venues

DNA CorrespondentThursday, July 9, 2009 2:14 IST

Mumbai: The Board seems to have paid heed to Sachin Tendulkar's view. The Little Master had last year criticised BCCI's policy of having neutral venues for Ranji knock-out games.
"I'm not in favour of neutral venues. I feel either team should play at its home ground.


As for the wicket, it should be monitored, which would be the case if a team is playing on its home ground. It is fun to have crowd supporting you at your home ground and against you in away games. That adds to the intensity, people rooting for you, the atmosphere is just different," Tendulkar had said ahead of the Mumbai-Saurashtra semifinal in Chennai.


The technical committee of the Board reversed the decision on Wednesday. It said all the knock-out matches will be played on home and away basis. A top official of the Board confirmed that Tendulkar comments were taken with a lot of seriousness. The neutral venues system for the knock-out matches in Ranji Trophy was in place for the last two years.

"The Ranji knockout matches will be played on a home and away basis, as opposed to the 'neutral venue' system," the Board said. As an extension to the policy, the Board said the pitches for all the knock-out matches will be monitored by a special committee consisting of Sunil Gavaskar,Chetan Chauhan, Sourav Ganguly and K Srikkanth.

http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report_tendulkar-s-criticism-spells-death-for-neutral-venues_1272441

[ajithfederer]

Is he under drugs by any chance. How in the world he forgot the drubbing given by sachin to his KKR Team this IPL?.

Tendulkar not fit for T20: Buchanan

http://cricket.rediff.com/report/2009/jul/09/tendulkar-not-fit-for-t20-buchanan.htm


"In the position he plays -- as an opener of No 3 -- the T20 game requires not only the finesse and skills he has, but also the power and domination, an ability to take the bowlers on while being creative.


"You have to be inventive and fearless. And I don't see those qualities as part of Sachin's make-up at this stage of his career. Sachin Tendulkar is still a great player but not in this arena of T20," Buchanan said in the book, published by Orient Paperbacks.

Naansense! He played really well for Mumbai Indians! :evil:

[Plum]

I thought sachin will retire with the centuries and run aggregate records and then ponting will break it. But looks like ponting will have the record even before.

Bloody english nincompoops - swann podrache well bowled bhajji-nu oru sound vutta ricky velavelathu poyida mattan?

[Vivasaayi]

I thought sachin will retire with the centuries and run aggregate records and then ponting will break it. But looks like ponting will have the record even before.

Bloody english nincompoops - swann podrache well bowled bhajji-nu oru sound vutta ricky velavelathu poyida mattan?

how many matches sachin play in this year?..against which opposition? :?

[crajkumar_be]

Lots of Aussies were disappointed with Sachin's testimony in favour of Harbhajan in the Symonds-Harbhajan controversy.

I was kinda dissappointed too. I felt Sachin was led by a misplaced sense of solidarity to the team than the interests of the spirit of the game. Of course, we never know enough to have a strong opinion. We never know what happened on the field. ellAm oru impression dhaan.

varungaalathula suyasaridhai ezhudhuvaanga. students ellAm notes eduppAnga.

yeah, I was even more disappointed because I aint no fan of big mouth Singh. I wanted his goose to be cooked - infact, I wouldnt have been unhappy if Sachin had *lied* to incriminate Harbhajan :lol:

Though a smug Ponting would have been a horrible sight, a smug Harbhajan is proving to be a even less palatable sight.
:lol:
Strongly agree

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:7611004bad]November 4, 2006 Sachin TendulkarJuly 10, 2009

First Published: 00:29 IST(10/7/2009)

Last Updated: 17:09 IST(10/7/2009)

You’ve always been my hero: TendulkarCertain moments stay fresh in memory.

Like my first meeting with Sunil Gavaskar.

I was a ball boy at the Wankhede during the 1987 World Cup. My interest in cricket really took root after we won the 1983 World Cup, and for an aspiring youngster, to be at the ground during the next edition of the Cup and watch his heroes from close quarters was an unforgettable experience.

What made it even more special was when he called me to the Indian dressing room and introduced me to the team’s superstars. I had just entered my teens and couldn’t believe my eyes. These were the men I adored, and here I was, shaking hands with them. See pictures

What’s more, he spoke highly of me and my cricketing ability to his teammates. It was a big moment, a huge inspiration.

After all, how many cricketers get the opportunity to enter the Indian dressing room before making it to the national team?

I was then a school cricketer, but from the way he treated me, it felt like I had already played for India. I could feel his affection. Twenty-two years down the line, nothing has changed. I receive that same love and affection from him even today.

In many ways, 1987 was a watershed year. I remember batting particularly well, making more than 1500 runs, so it was disappointing not to get the best junior cricketer award from the Mumbai Cricket Association.

That’s when I got a letter from him. He wrote that I should not be disappointed because bigger awards were in store. At the end, he mentioned that if I looked at the list of players who had received the award, there would be one name missing that hadn’t done too badly in international cricket!

He was referring to himself. That letter is as valuable as any other award I have ever received. That was the beginning of a long and cherished association.

Just before my Ranji Trophy debut, he gave me a pair of his pads, which I was thrilled to use. It was light and not many of my age could afford them. Though I was young, I could see that there was a special place in his heart for me, something I am as proud of now as I was then. Over the years, we have spent countless hours in Mumbai and almost every cricket ground around the world, discussing cricket.

During our first few meetings, it was one-way traffic as I hardly spoke. For one, I was in awe of him, and then, I wanted to make the most of being privy to the wisdom of Sunil Gavaskar. When our coaches told us to follow a particular routine and we asked why, the reply was:”SMG did this”. He was the ultimate example, and to our coaches and to us, if he did something, then we had to do it as well.

Whichever way you look at it, he is an institution. When he retired, for our generation, 34 Test hundreds was the ultimate ambition.

I have been fortunate to have done a few special things myself. One of my abiding memories is my 34th Test century in Dhaka. For one, I had equalled him statistically, and he was present at the ground.

It was wonderful to be hugged by him after crossing the boundary rope during a break. Seeing him standing there to receive me signified the coming together of my childhood days, my adolescence and youth. After congratulating me, he said: “Please enjoy the rare moments of becoming a member of a rare, elite club.” But for me, it was a great feeling to climb the same peak as Sunil Gavaskar.

Later, he gave me 34 bottles of champagne and I have been fortunate to receive gifts from him time and again. When I got my 35th ton at the Kotla, he wasn’t in India. But just before dinner that night, he called from Nepal to congratulate me. I had really been waiting for that call. People say he does not miss a special occasion and I can vouch for that. I’m really fortunate that I have had the wisdom of a legend to fall back on. When I got the opportunity to write this piece on his 60th birthday, I told myself: “time flies”.

He still is and will continue to remain my hero, the same person I first met in 1987. The only change is that my respect for him has increased over the years. Many happy returns, and here’s wishing you a 35th hundred! (PMG)

Wish Gavaskar on his birthday... | Surfers' Response


See pictures

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print.aspx?Id=f78c7418-86ac-432c-93e6-e2c0ccfe42ef[/tscii:7611004bad]

[crajkumar_be]

:clap:
Often, I'm tempted to think Gavaskar's on-drive (especially the one off the back foot) is even better than Sachin's!

[Kalyasi]

Tendulkar not fit for T20: Buchanan

http://cricket.rediff.com/report/2009/jul/09/tendulkar-not-fit-for-t20-buchanan.htm


"In the position he plays -- as an opener of No 3 -- the T20 game requires not only the finesse and skills he has, but also the power and domination, an ability to take the bowlers on while being creative.


"You have to be inventive and fearless. And I don't see those qualities as part of Sachin's make-up at this stage of his career. Sachin Tendulkar is still a great player but not in this arena of T20," Buchanan said in the book, published by Orient Paperbacks.

Naansense! He played really well for Mumbai Indians!

buchanans take on t20 cricket pathi naade ariyum :lol:

Sariyana Moocha nan!!

[Wibha]

Another Website for Sachin

http://tendulkaropus.com/static.php?page=index2

[littlemaster1982]

:thumbsup:

[littlemaster1982]

Beyond legendary (http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/374341.html)

He has played for two decades, carrying the hopes of a nation, and done it with grace and class. Tendulkar has transcended every other cricket hero there is

Kumar Sangakkara

As an international cricketer of the current generation, the Tendulkar era, I will always have one striking memory of Sachin that will be forever etched in my mind: his thrilling entrance onto a cricket field. The anticipation of him emerging from the pavilion, and his walk from the boundary to the centre, is almost surreal. The sound of a passionate Indian crowd all chanting "Sachin, Sachin" as they wait in anticipation, followed by the enormous roar when he emerges onto the field, is electrifying.

That experience also tells you much about Sachin and his special place in the game's history. He is not just the finest and most complete batsman of the past two decades. In a country that is cricket-mad, where players are deified and worshipped, he stands out and stands alone. In a continent of cricketing legends of the calibre of Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, and in a tradition of cricket that has produced other great heroes, Sachin seems to have transcended all of them and achieved a revered, almost superhuman, stature.

I remember playing in a charity game in 2003 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Thousands of people turned out to watch the match and the familiar chant filled the ground as he walked out to take strike with Virender Sehwag. However, two overs later, Sachin's dismissal was followed by pin-drop silence. As he left the field, the only sound was the murmur of the dispersing crowd. For me, that kind of pressure every single day, and the lack of a truly private life, would, I believe, prove too much.

But Sachin, somehow, has taken it in his stride for an incredible 20 years almost. To my mind that ranks as a higher achievement than the long lists of statistical records he has claimed. Playing for India is no easy task. The pressure to perform in every single outing, to win every single match, is tremendous. Magnify that a thousand-fold and that is what Sachin has to deal with.

He may have millions of fans, but he has his share of critics as well. Many times over the years India has failed to convert an appearance in a final into a win, and when this happens the first barbs of criticisms are invariably aimed at one man. "Sachin," they say, "does not win India finals." The man who has been rewriting the record books has been judged by some to have failed India in some crucial games that everyone seems to remember and talk about.

This criticism is totally unfounded and unfair. Sachin is extremely strong mentally. You have to be, to last 20 years at the top. That he is still able to carve out match-winning performances now, despite all the injuries and the physical and mental overload that comes with being a top-flight international cricketer, is testament to his mental toughness. India have not lost so many finals because of Tendulkar; they have lost because of poor team performances.

Therein lies the danger of having individual brilliance in your cricket team. Many are the times I have sat in the dressing room, watching Sanath Jayasuriya single-handedly win matches. However, without realising it, we reached the stage, at one point, where our whole confidence hinged on the rise and fall of Sanath. His early dismissal would sow seeds of doubt, and his continued presence in the middle would fuel confidence. We have succeeded now in breaking free of that dependence. It is a similar battle that India have fought with Sachin.

I first watched Sachin on TV when I was 12 years old, and for me the most striking thing about his batting has been its beautiful simplicity. The picture-perfect stance; the straight, measured back-lift; the neat forward-defensive and the checked-drive have changed little over the years. Of course, he was blessed with enormous natural talent, but that talent has been fulfilled because of a rock-solid technical foundation.

His simple technique has helped him adapt to, and dominate, all formats of the game under all conditions. Use Cricinfo's Statsguru to assess his overall record and you can only marvel at the completeness of his career. He has scored runs in every cricketing country, on every type of pitch, against every bowling attack. Furthermore, his dominance extends from Test cricket to one-day cricket, and even to the newest format, the Twenty20 game.

Various teams have used different tactics against him over the years, probing his technique to find weaknesses. However, even if they did find any, he was always able to adapt and evolve his game to overcome the challenge. That is what great players do. To my mind, his only obvious weak spot has been against the ball that nips back in from outside off stump - a delivery that troubles several of India's batsmen, though for different reasons.

Since 2003, life does seem to have become tougher for Sachin, mainly because of injuries and the physical toll of the international treadmill. I sense that this - especially the injuries - has introduced a more cautious attitude to his batting. Which is why the appearance of Sachin today does not bring with it a cloud of doom for the fielding team, as it used to do. His increased conservatism has dulled his threat, although he remains very capable of compiling match-winning scores.

Despite his great achievements Sachin has managed to stay an unassuming, humble and very approachable human being. He is a family man whose life is steeped in good moral and religious values. His interaction with players, both in his own team and in the opposition, has given many a cricketer a humbling insight into the mind of this genius. He is always ready to accommodate his fellow cricketers in conversations that might range from cricket to his family, food, travel, and his two other passions: cars and watches.

This is all revealing because it helps explain where he gets his mental strength from. His simple private life, his clear values and strong ethics, and a very good support system in terms of his family and close friends, have given him the foundation and strength to be able to shoulder the hopes and expectations of millions. Underpinning him is a natural zest for life, a passion for cricket and also for humanity. To me, he is the embodiment of the gentleman cricketer. He does not need aggressive rhetoric or psychological battles to prove his worth. He has his bat and he lets it do the talking.

[ajithfederer]

Thanks wibha for posting the news. Do post here more. This is not just to wibha alone other fans/hubbers also should post here regularly be it either opinions or news.

:).

[Benny Lava]

Another Website for Sachin

http://tendulkaropus.com/static.php?page=index2

wibhs :clap:

[ajithfederer]

அசலூர் காரன் உனக்கு தெரியுது உள்ளூர்ல இருக்கிற லூசுகளுக்கு புரியலீயே.


Beyond legendary (http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/374341.html)


Kumar Sangakkara

This criticism is totally unfounded and unfair. Sachin is extremely strong mentally. You have to be, to last 20 years at the top. That he is still able to carve out match-winning performances now, despite all the injuries and the physical and mental overload that comes with being a top-flight international cricketer, is testament to his mental toughness. India have not lost so many finals because of Tendulkar; they have lost because of poor team performances.

Well said, Quite right of an example too. :clap:.


Therein lies the danger of having individual brilliance in your cricket team. Many are the times I have sat in the dressing room, watching Sanath Jayasuriya single-handedly win matches. However, without realising it, we reached the stage, at one point, where our whole confidence hinged on the rise and fall of Sanath. His early dismissal would sow seeds of doubt, and his continued presence in the middle would fuel confidence. We have succeeded now in breaking free of that dependence. It is a similar battle that India have fought with Sachin.


Well said. It's not that sachin doesn't have weaknesses but he has always played around it. He has curbed few shots and he has produced new ones too.


Various teams have used different tactics against him over the years, probing his technique to find weaknesses. However, even if they did find any, he was always able to adapt and evolve his game to overcome the challenge. That is what great players do. To my mind, his only obvious weak spot has been against the ball that nips back in from outside off stump - a delivery that troubles several of India's batsmen, though for different reasons.



Thanks for the article, LM. Idhu dhaan old article. :lol:.

[littlemaster1982]

Thanks for the article, LM. Idhu dhaan old article. :lol:.

:D I actually wondered how you missed this :)

[ajithfederer]

Did i miss that, I actually think I posted this one before. Let me search. It is here in the 6th page, LM.

http://forumhub.mayyam.com/hub/viewtopic.php?p=1577552#1577552

LM, can you help me on how to quote a particular post. ie: If i click on a link it should take me directly to that post rather than to that page.

[littlemaster1982]

Did i miss that, I actually think I posted this one before. Let me search. It is here in the 6th page, LM.

http://forumhub.mayyam.com/hub/viewtopic.php?t=12191&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=75.

:oops: I searched with the keyword "Beyond" but didn't find this post :oops2:


LM, One help can you help me on how to quote a particular post. ie: If i click on a link it should take me directly to that post rather than to that page.

You need to right click and copy shortcut the small icon (looks like a page) before "Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2008 11:46 am". It will give you the link for the particular post.

http://forumhub.mayyam.com/hub/viewtopic.php?p=1577552#1577552

[ajithfederer]

Oh thanks lm for the idea. Will follow suit hence. So just 3 pages more. Any ideas for title and polls??. This page should go the 100'th page and hence locked. We missed out on the last one, we shouldn't repeat the same here.

:D.

[littlemaster1982]

:yes: Thread title suggestions kekkalam. I would like to open the next thread for Thalaivar :)

[ajithfederer]

Done. No problem for me

"Sachin Tendulkar - Cricketing Life and Beyond" - 3, that would be my suggestion. I may come with some changes also. We should definitely quote the part number.

Poll and options - :think:.

P.S: Other bright ideas are also welcome.

[ajithfederer]

Sir has an ample opportunity to hit some ODI 100's and bring back the champions trophy with the team's effort and help. We need atleast one champions trophy. We had to share one with srilankans in the earlier 2000's.

Camaaan sachin :twisted:

[Sanguine Sridhar]

Sachin Tendulkar - The Living Legend! - epdi?

Poll question : Which is the most famous knock?

[Sanguine Sridhar]

Sir has an ample opportunity to hit some ODI 100's and bring back the champions trophy with the team's effort and help. We need atleast one champions trophy. We had to share one with srilankans in the earlier 2000's.

Camaaan sachin :twisted:

I guess before Chamipons trophy there is going to be a traingular series - SL/Ind/NZ.

[ajithfederer]

Yeah but champions trophy (Called mini worldcup right??) is more prestigious. We should get this. This one first and then the main one in 11.


Sir has an ample opportunity to hit some ODI 100's and bring back the champions trophy with the team's effort and help. We need atleast one champions trophy. We had to share one with srilankans in the earlier 2000's.

Camaaan sachin :twisted:

I guess before Chamipons trophy there is going to be a traingular series - SL/Ind/NZ.

[ajithfederer]

Good. We will wait for other opinions also.

Sachin Tendulkar - The Living Legend! - epdi?

Poll question : Which is the most famous knock?

[Nerd]

Living Legend OK. But most famous knock? :huh: Should be "most favorite" or "best". We should not mix ODIs and Tests, may be Tests in Part 3 and ODIs in #4 :) If everyone is OK with it I can post my nominations for the poll.

[ajithfederer]

Good idea Nerd. :D

[ajithfederer]

^^^^^^^

Bump. Guys/ Girls - Title and poll ideas welcome.

[Vivasaayi]

Most fav test match innings would be fine.

Best one day innings poll would be one sided...The sharjah twins would easily win.

If links to those innings' are provided,it would be even better.

[ajithfederer]

Aaha vicky Test innings youtube links ellam ippo remba kasstamaache. Anyway cricinfo links are here.

Sachin's Test /ODI Centuries List (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/35320.html?class=1;filter=advanced;orderby=start;r unsmin1=100;runsval1=runs;template=results;type=ba tting;view=match)


My fav Top Ten Test Innings

1) Capetown 169 against SA/96-97

2) 136 against pakistan 1998/99( Sathyama idhu dhaan poll-la jeikka pogudhu)

3) 114 against Australia at Perth 1992

4) 148 against Australia at Sydney 1992

5) 155* against Australia at Chennai 1998

6) 155 Against SA at blomfontein at 2001

7) 241* against Australia at Sydney 2003/04 Tour Down Under

8) 154 against Australia in infamous Sydney Test Match 2007/08

9) 103* against England in Madras 2008.

No tenth Nomination. In fact i like some of his test 50's more than his certain 100's.

[Vivasaayi]

One match against england (in england) was too good.The usual telecast in STar sprots network.

http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63715.html

:)

most of fav knowcks like capetown,chennai, knocks are listed by AF

[Kalyasi]

My Fav Top Ten Test Innings

1) 114 Vs Aus @ Perth 1992

2) 136 Vs Pak @ Chennai 1998/99

3) 148 Vs Aus @ Sydney 1992

4) 193 Vs Eng @ Leeds 2002

5) 155* Vs Aus @ Chennai 1998

6) 155 Vs SA @ Blomfontein 2001

7) 117 Vs WI @ Port of Spain 2002

8) 103* Vs Eng @ Chennai 2008

9) 126 Vs Aus @ Chennai 2001

10) 160 Vs NZ @ Hamilton 2009


Top Ten ODI Innings

1) 143 Vs Aus @ Sharjah 1998

2) 134 Vs Aus @ Sharjah 1998

3) 82 Vs NZ @Auckland 1994

4) 141 Vs Aus @ Dhaka 1998

5) 104 Vs Zim @ Benoni 1997

6) 41 Vs Pak @ Dhaka 1998

7) 67 Vs Pak @ Dhaka 1998

8) 139 Vs Aus @ Indore 2001 ( Reached 10000 Runs in ODI)

9) 117* Vs Aus @ Sydney 2008

10) 163* Vs NZ @ Christchurch 2009

[ajithfederer]

^^^^ Bumping again. Appuram engalai kekkama senjuputeengannu kuttham solla koodathu.

[ajithfederer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7Htf2R1m_I


Sir being stumped by Ian Healy of a Mark Waugh wide ball - 1996 world cup. The score reads 142/3 @ 29.3 overs and we had to chase 258.

[ajithfederer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqLUIAis3Sg

Sachin Tendulkar Scoop Shot IPL 2

[Nerd]

^^^^ Bumping again. Appuram engalai kekkama senjuputeengannu kuttham solla koodathu.
Will post mine in the evening. I am bissi man :oops:

[ajithfederer]

Ok ok Nerd. That was a strategy ploy to garner maximum attention and it has worked. :lol:.

We will wait until End of page 100 here and into 101. LM, is scheduled to open the next thread and he will wait for the max Nominations.

[crajkumar_be]

Using Kalyasi's post as a frame of reference. Thideernu Top 10 nu kayyum odala kaalum odala. nyabagamum thulyama illa


- 136 Vs Pak @ Chennai 1998/99

- 155* Vs Aus @ Chennai 1998

- 114 Vs Aus @ Perth 1992

- 148 Vs Aus @ Sydney 1992

- ~150 (score nyabagam illa) Vs SA @ Capetown 1996 - Adambakkam kooda sariya catch pudichu out aara match

- 52 vs Aus (1st innings) @ Mumbai, 2001

- 155 Vs SA @ Blomfontein 2001

- 103* Vs Eng @ Chennai 2008

- 100 (score accurate a nyabagam illa) as captain Vs Aus @ Melbourne 1999

- 160 Vs NZ @ Hamilton 2009


Top Ten ODI Innings

- 143 Vs Aus @ Sharjah 1998

- 134 Vs Aus @ Sharjah 1998

- 82 Vs NZ @Auckland 1994

- 97(?) vs Pak @ 2003 WC

- 104 Vs Zim @ Benoni 1997

- 41 Vs Pak @ Dhaka 1998

- ~ 96 vs Pakistan @ Gwalior (2007/2008)

- ~75 vs Aus @ Mumbai WC 1996

- 117* Vs Aus @ Sydney 2008

- [Someone has to help me here. He hit a brilliant knock against Aus @ Nairobi in a ICC Champions cup.. this and a knock against Zimbabwe in the 90s. Henry "Ilango" would have got him earlier. Adhukkaga pazhi vangarennu karam vechu manithaabimaname illama adippaaru. RBT solid company]

[ajithfederer]

Bala

Adhaan list mela andha link-la irukkae. Adhae link la ODI's irukku. Ok let me search.

[ajithfederer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koJi_6_7-EI

Sachin Tendulkar scores a blistering 124 against Zimbabwe in the 1998 Coca Cola Champions Trophy final in Sharjah.

[ajithfederer]

http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/66173.html

Aus/Ind - NAIROBI - ICC champions trophy 2000

Idhuvaa??

[crajkumar_be]

:ty: Feddy

I've seldom seen Sachin in that mood. (143 @ Sharjah is similar)

"Andha mirugatha idhukku munnaadi naan paathadhe illa" - Amjad Ali Khan

[crajkumar_be]

http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/66173.html

Aus/Ind - NAIROBI - ICC champions trophy 2000

Idhuvaa??
Idhu dhaan nu nenaikkaren, aana Singam 38 dhaan adichirukku pola irukku :oops:


Does anyone remember his hundred against/for World XI at Lords (spl exhibition match)?

[ajithfederer]

I remember and i posted the link here. Unfortunately it is not from youtube. LM, Can help us.

[ajithfederer]

http://www.movielanka.com/video/koffe-with-anu-season-2-kovai-sarala/

Part 4, Chinni Jayanth talks about Tendulkar.

From Last 2:10.

[Nerd]

Not in any particular order. Might have missed some :)

1. 241* at Sachin cricket ground (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/64062.html). Every shot of cricket was on display on that day. Sach has made three double hundreds, this has to be the best. Quite a watchful innings I might add, he was trying hard not to repeat the mistakes he made in the earlier test matches.

2. 155 at Sachin's home ground, Chennai (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63794.html). Much has been already said about this innings, which made Sachin cry uncontrollably. The whole country cried for that matter.

3. 114 at Perth (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63567.html). Toughest of conditions brings the best out of the Master. Richie Benaud could not help but marvel at the little genius. No other Indian batsmen could cross 50 in both the innings. Stunning I must say.

4. 113 at Wellington (http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63826.html). The Indian batting was pathetic (sans Azhar and Sachin) in the first innings and they conceded a lead of ~150 runs. In the second innings thalaivar batted brilliantly around Dravid and Ganguly to push India to a respectable total. He was aggressive and calculative at the same time. Hope this innings is youtubed.

5. 155 at Chennai (http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63794.html). India conceded a lead of 70 odd in the first innings and Sachin got out to warne. But Sach smashed warne all over the park in the 2nd innings and in fact this knock also helped India to take the lead in the series.

6. 160 at Hamilton (http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/366628.html). This man was 35 when he scored his latest? Really?! Each and every shot was vintage sachin. Was a pleasure to watch. 3rd day, first session, overcast conditions, ball swinging etc. Sachin was fantabulous.

7. 155 at Bloemfontein (http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63951.html). Sach was in a devastating mood in this match. And IIRC, sachin had at least 3-4 upper-cutted boundaries. SA got 4 wickets in the first session but Sach started counter attacking in that session itself. He was particularly impressive agains Ntini.

8. 169 at Capetown (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63737.html). India had already lost the first match at Durban (?). And they were tottering at 57/5. SA were hoping to get us all out for < 100, after having amassed 500+ and reducing them to 57/5. But the master had different plans. 26 freakin' fours. Full marks to Azhar as well and remember thalaivar was the captain of the team too.

9. 92 at Trent Bridge (http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63998.html). Again a brilliant second innings knock. India had a huge deficit of > 250 and were struggling at 11/2 when singam entered the crease. Dravid and Ganguly played well too and saved the match for us.

10. 103* at Chennai (http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/361050.html). Last but certainly not the least. Thalaivar playing a solid, cool, composed innings of 103 to see India home chasing a target of 300+.

[ajithfederer]

Thanks Nerd. LM, TV, Wibha and others lists expected asap.

[Vivasaayi]

http://www.movielanka.com/video/koffe-with-anu-season-2-kovai-sarala/

Part 4, Chinni Jayanth talks about Tendulkar.

From Last 2:10.

pullarikudhu!!!!!

[littlemaster1982]

http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/66173.html

Aus/Ind - NAIROBI - ICC champions trophy 2000

Idhuvaa??
Idhu dhaan nu nenaikkaren, aana Singam 38 dhaan adichirukku pola irukku :oops:

3 fours and 3 sixes in that 38 8-) I remember this match very well. Sachin was almost in "kill Olanga" mode in this match. He hit McGrath for a straight six and pulled another one to midwicket. His first six was a mishit though. Some people say he sledged McGrath after hitting the second six. From what I could remember, he was talking back angrily to him.

Soon he was caught at slips as his anger got the better of him :|


Does anyone remember his hundred against/for World XI at Lords (spl exhibition match)?

Check here (http://www.mayyam.com/hub/viewtopic.php?p=1725112#1725112)

[littlemaster1982]

Got the article (http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/92936.html).

Sachin Tendulkar and Glenn McGrath went head-to-head as Australia's ICC KnockOut quarter-final against India got off to an enthralling start at the Nairobi Gymkhana Club on Saturday.

After being sent in to bat, India had reached 131 for four at the halfway stage of their innings, a score built on Tendulkar's early aggression.

Tendulkar, the world's best batsman took on arguably the world's most proficient new ball bowler in a brief but fiery contest that set one of the tournament's plum games on its way.

Tendulkar threw his bat at almost everything that came his way from McGrath. He missed more than he hit, but when he connected the ball stayed struck. He top-edged McGrath over third man for six at the beginning of the paceman's second over and in his third over Tendulkar advanced down the wicket and smashed him straight into the sightscreen for another six.

The next delivery went past mid-off for four and in McGrath's fourth over he was pulled high over square leg for Tendulkar's third six. After almost every ball batsman and bowler exchanged glares and words, but on balance Tendulkar came out of the exchanges on top. When McGrath was rested after six overs, he had conceded 40 runs, most of them to Tendulkar.

Brett Lee, McGrath's new ball partner, made the breakthrough. He found the edge of Tendulkar's bat and Damien Martyn took an excellent leaping catch at first slip. Tendulkar's 38 came off 37 balls and all three sixes and two of his three fours had come off McGrath.

[Nerd]

Andha match scoreboard-la

BKV Prasad not out 6 2 1 0 1 600.00 :lol:

Youtube-la illai pOlayE, I remember the match very well though.

[ajithfederer]

Tendulkar most reliable batsman: Former Kiwi cricketers

Press Trust Of India
Christchurch, July 12, 2009
First Published: 18:29 IST(12/7/2009)
Last Updated: 18:31 IST(12/7/2009)

When it comes to batting for life, Sachin Tendulkar is the choice for most of the Kiwi cricketers, who rate the Indian batting maestro as the most accomplished player of his generation.

New Zealand’s ‘Herald on Sunday´ newspaper asked a few former cricketers who was the best batsman in the world and whom they would like to bat for their life?

Replying to the questions, former Kiwi Test players John Morrison and Dipak Patel picked the Indian batting ace and were all admiration for his exploits all around the world in different conditions and various match situations.

“I’d go with Tendulkar. He is still the most capable batsman in the world. He has the full array of shots too, though he might not play them as freely as he once did,” Morrison said.

“I like Tendulkar because there are guys out there brilliant on certain types of surfaces but he is adept at playing on anything. Slow, bouncy, turning, whatever -- he covers the field on all of them.

“I’d still back him ahead of everybody, even at the age of 36,” Morrison, who played 17 Tests between 1974 and 1982, said.

Dipak Patel echoed the same sentiment.

“I like Gautam Gambhir and Graeme Smith at the moment but in the end, if they were batting for my life, I couldn’t go past Tendulkar. He’s got the experience, the sheer weight of runs and best all-round game.[tscii:f82c4e5919][/tscii:f82c4e5919]

[littlemaster1982]

My top 10 test innings (in no particular order)

136 vs Pakistan in Chennai

155 vs Australia in Chennai

165 vs England in Chennai

103 vs England in Ahmedabad

193 vs England in Headingley

79 vs Australia in Kolkatta

160 vs Newzealand in Wellington

169 vs South Africa in Cape Town

116 vs Australia in Melbourne

154 vs Australia in India

[Wibha]

My favorite Test Innings


136 Vs Pakistan- First Cricket match I watched with Full Interest and attention :notworthy:
217 Vs New Zealand in Ahmedabad

194* vs Pakistan- Multan

165 Vs South Africa- Bloemfontein

241* Vs Aussies- Sydney

109 Vs Sri Lanka- Delhi

117 Vs West Indies- Port of Spain

116 Vs Aussies- Melbourne

193 Vs England- Leeds

Haven't seen Matches since 2005 :cry:

[ajithfederer]

some intresting statistics you may find intresting
Sachin Tendulkar--->THE GOD OF CRICKET

sachins century presented india a win on 31 occasions ie sachins 31 centuries were match winning

thats 72 % of his total centuries


in that 13 centuries were in neutral venues that is 30% of match winning centuries

most intresting and thrilling is this

out of 31 match winning centuries he scored 3816 runs at an amazing average of 200. with 12 not outs in it....

well this is for all the blokes who doubt sachins match winning ability....

ALL HAIL THE "KING OF CRICKET"---->THE GOD

http://www.orkut.com/Main#CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=23803&tid=5358060452997471892

[crajkumar_be]

LM :thumbsup: adhe dhaan!

[ajithfederer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A82awnMlKvM

Tendulkar's 65 against Australia - Aus tour of India - 2001.

[ajithfederer]

Wowww A great news after a long time. SRT orkut community now has a new owner. His name is Harish Kumar. He is from Gurgaon, India. Thank heavens for an active moderator which was needed for a long time in SRT Community.

[ajithfederer]

Did u mean sachin 136 against Pakistan. Your description doesn't fit this particular innings.


2. 155 at Sachin's home ground, Chennai (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63794.html). Much has been already said about this innings, which made Sachin cry uncontrollably. The whole country cried for that matter.

[ajithfederer]

Down Memory Lane - Shane Warne's nightmare

By Thaleel Bhai
November 29 2004

If Shane Warne ever starts speaking of the nightmares he's had in his life or career, expect the words "Sachin Tendulkar" to warrant a few mentions. After a series of hammerings from the Master Blaster in 1998, Warne famously admitted that Tendulkar coming down the track to him had given him nightmares - but it wasn't just him.

1998 was a golden period for the batting genius from Mumbai, who took on every single bowling attack he faced with a grin on his face, and with bat in hand, proceeded to send fielding sides on numerous leather hunts. In that one calendar year, Tendulkar only played five tests yet hammered three hundreds and a half century, averaging over 80 in those twelve golden months. In one dayers, he was even just as (if not more) destructive, smashing just under 2000 runs with 9 centuries and 7 fifties at an average of 65. Yet, numbers don't tell the whole story. The volume of runs he scored say nothing about the manner in which he dominated the bowlers with Tendulkar taking on the quickest or most accurate the world had to offer, pulling, cutting and driving with panache while using his feet to the spinners with lethal effects. Time after time in those twelve months, Tendulkar gave bowlers - many more than just Shane Warne - a number of nightmares as he piled on the runs.

Prologue:


In late February 1998, Mark Taylor led the Australian team onto Indian shores for a three test series to challenge for the Border-Gavaskar trophy. The trophy had been conceived in 1996 and was won by India in a one-off test at Delhi, and aside from that one-off test, Taylor's Australians had not played much test cricket in India recently, but were confident of their chances, coming in with a formidable lineup. In addition to Taylor, the batting consisted of the Waugh brothers, talented youngsters Ricky Ponting and Greg Blewett, and Taylor's aggressive opening partner, Michael Slater. The bowling though seemed to lack bite - both Glenn McGrath and Damien Fleming were unfit to tour, and Paul Reiffel and Michael Kasprowicz only had the possible backup of Adam Dale and Paul Wilson, neither of whom had ever played a test before. Stuart MacGill and off spinner Gavin Robertson were two members of the spin trio, but it was clear - the major figure in the bowling who would need to take wickets would be the much-hyped legspinner, Shane Warne. Much had been made of the clash between Warne and Tendulkar, and it began in stunning fashion.

Fresh from the airport, Australia prepared themselves for a three day warmup game against Ranji champions Mumbai. Sachin Tendulkar was not only available for selection in that warmup - but he would be captaining Mumbai, and the Master Blaster arranged a plan for Australia's strike weapon to be taken apart. After Australia won the toss and batted, Slater powered his way to a quickfire 98, and with Greg Blewett and Ricky Ponting chipping in, scoring 100 runs between them. A few useful lower order contributions got the Aussie total to 305/8 by stumps, at which point Mark Taylor sportingly declared.

On day two, Warne's nightmare began. Youngster Amit Pagnis was on strike when Warne came onto bowl, and refused to be intimidated by the leggie's reputation, using his feet and taking him on right away. Pagnis hit a quickfire 50 before Wilson dismissed him, at which point Tendulkar made his way to the crease. It was the beginning of one of the most ferocious knocks in first class cricket, as Tendulkar promptly caned the Aussies all over the Brabourne Stadium. Reiffel, Dale and Wilson got some stick - but the main recipients were Warne and Robertson. Both were repeatedly met almost halfway down the track, as Tendulkar either launched them over midwicket, through the covers, or right back over their heads. The end figures said it all - Warne, 16-1-111-0, Robertson, 15-0-96-1. By the time Tendulkar declared, the Australian psyche was shattered.

Mumbai had blasted their way to 410 in less than 80 overs, and Tendulkar had been the destroyer in chief, with 204 runs in just 268 minutes - the innings taking just 192 balls, with 25 fours and 2 sixes. Australia, shell shocked from the hammering, collapsed meekly to 135 all out, as Mumbai overran a low target to take a 10 wicket victory. Before the first match itself, Tendulkar had laid the gauntlet down with the calculated assault on Warne and Mumbai's clinical victory, and India awaited the first test at the Chidambaram at Chennai to see whether Tendulkar would make it 2-0 in his personal battle against Warne. Much had been made of the contest in the test series, and Tendulkar had continued his preparation for Warne by practicing in Chennai on deliberately roughed up pitches, with Laxman Sivaramakrishnan and Anil Kumble bowling around the wicket repeatedly at him.

[ajithfederer]

The game:

On a pitch taking plenty of turn, both sides had opted for spin-heavy attacks with Australia selecting Gavin Robertson to complement Shane Warne, while India had gone in with their usual spin-trio of Kumble, Chauhan and Raju, playing only six batsmen. Azharuddin won the toss, and had no hesitation in batting first, no doubt looking forward to the prospect of seeing his spinners trouble Australia on the final day. Nayan Mongia and Navjot Singh Sidhu opened the batting to start, and got India off to a fine start. After a sedate beginning, Sidhu opened up at the sight of the spinners - Gavin Robertson's first over in test cricket saw him hit for a straight six and a four to long on, as Sidhu began using his feet and lofting aggressively. Warne also got the same treatment with another huge six, and the openers brought up the 100 run partnership without much difficulty. After lunch, Michael Kasprowicz finally made the initial breakthrough as Mongia played a loose cut shot, edging straight to Healy.

Sidhu fell in the very next over to a superb piece of fielding. For some time, he had been using his feet to come down the track and either blocking Warne or lofting him - but when a forward defensive prod pushed the ball to Mark Waugh at silly point, Waugh quickly flicked the ball at the stumps before Sidhu could return to his crease. Tendulkar came out after two quick wickets with the score reading 126/2 and got off the mark with a glorious drive off Warne, whom he punched back down the ground for four. Perhaps having swayed a touch by the Tendulkar v. Warne hype from the media, or just having been deceived in flight, he walked back four balls later after unsuccessfully trying to dominate Warne - having come down the track, Tendulkar went for a big drive, only to edge it straight to Taylor at slip. Warne was overjoyed, having gotten his own back after the caning in Mumbai. Azharuddin and Ganguly failed to make any major contributions, falling for 26 and 3 successively, but Dravid and Kumble's stonewalling saw India end the day on 232/5, a poor score considering their fine start.

Buoyed by the success on the first day, Robertson and Warne ripped through the lower order as the remaining five wickets fell for just 10 runs. Both finished with 4 wicket hauls, and India were bowled out for a dismal 257. However, Harvinder Singh and Anil Kumble struck back immediately to have Australia at 57/3, and it was clear India wouldn't be conceding much. Australia's middle order struggled against the spin trio of Kumble, Raju and Chauhan, and nobody ever looked comfortable, as one batsman after the other got starts, and was then dismissed. Ponting was caught behind for 18, Blewett was trapped leg before for 9, and when Mark Waugh got a leading edge to Ganguly at silly point, falling for 66, Australia looked to be in some trouble at 137/6.

Ian Healy however saw his side through the day with some gritty batting with Paul Reiffel and Shane Warne that took the score to 193/7 at stumps - giving Australia hopes of coming close to the Indian total. The next morning, Warne fell quickly to Kumble - but Gavin Robertson showed some impressive all round qualities as he and Healy surpassed all expectations with a 96 run partnership. The two resolutely blocked out the bowling for over three hours, adding vital runs and frustrating the Indian spinners and seamers, until Healy fell to Raju, ten short of what would have been a well deserved hundred. Robertson though went on to reach his maiden half century, before finally edging Srinath behind to end the innings at 328, with Australia having taken a significant 71 run lead.

Mongia and Sidhu again looked to be getting India off to a good start, before an inspiring bowling change from Mark Taylor ended their partnership - Greg Blewett's innocuous medium pacers caught Mongia playing across the line, and trapped him leg before for 18. Mongia later was fined for dissent, as he claimed he had inside edged the ball onto his pads, and showed his bat to the umpire while leaving. Rahul Dravid came out and gave Sidhu ample support as the Sikh began to once again lay into the spinners, hitting Robertson and Warne straight and long. India ended the day at 100/1, 29 runs ahead and with the match in the balance.

[ajithfederer]

With just fifteen runs having been added the next morning, Sidhu gave Robertson his fifth wicket of the match, before the Little Master walked in. Having been beaten in the first innings by Warne, this time it was Tendulkar's chance to bring about a few more nightmares. Rahul Dravid at the other end was reduced to a mere spectator as Tendulkar proceeded to savage the bowling. A fourth-day pitch with two spinners getting the ball to turn and bounce awkwardly was made to look like a flat belter as the Little Master took the bowling by the scruff of the neck. By lunch he had overtaken Dravid and brought up his fifty, literally scorching the outfield with some searing drives, pulls and cuts, and even with the Wall's departure, Tendulkar kept going.

Dravid was unlucky to be dismissed in a freak manner, with the ball looping off the back of his bat for a simple catch, before Mohammad Azharuddin walked to the crease. Australia had been on the receiving end of a caning for a while, but their hopes of recovering were short-lived. Tendulkar showed no mercy for anything short, cutting or pulling with exquisite placement, and still treating Warne and Robertson like second-rate trundlers. Azharuddin settled at the crease and soon joined in, cashing in on the mental and physical fatigue of the spin trio of Robertson, Warne and Waugh as Tendulkar continued to hammer the leather to all parts of the ground. When Warne bowled over the wicket, Tendulkar used superb judgment in coming down the track or staying back in his crease, reading Warne's googly superbly - and when Warne switched to around the wicket, he was slog swept out of the rough and into the cow corner stands. Most memorable though, was one particular shot against Robertson, whose dream debut after the first three days had turned into a nightmare. Flighting the ball and pushing it through had both seen the boundary boards taking a hammering, but Tendulkar decided to spare the boards for once, and danced down the pitch before lofting Robertson straight over his head and deep into the stands as the fielders looked up in wonder.

By then, Australia were keeping as many fielders on the boundary as possible, and even when Sachin took singles, there was no respite. Azharuddin played some glorious wristy shots both sides of the wicket, while using his feet with all the poise and elegance of a ballet dancer, adding to the headaches for the spin twins. Pace didn't work either, as Tendulkar raced to his hundred - the second fifty coming in a mere 63 balls. Tendulkar raised his bat to a standing ovation from the crowd, but kept going - despite being overcome by cramps just after reaching his milestone. Tendulkar used the tea break to recover, and continued to add to the bowlers' agony. Azharuddin also stepped the pace up, but fell for a quickfire 64, and Saurav Ganguly joined Tendulkar. Ganguly blazed away to 30 runs at a fair clip, smashing four boundaries against a weary attack, and just after Tendulkar had reached his 150, Azharuddin made the declaration with India leading by 347. The Australian bowlers had again been caned all over the Chepauk, and the Baggy Greens were exhausted and dispirited after being on the receiving end of one of the greatest shows of batsmanship test cricket has ever seen.

In 14 overs before stumps, the Indian attack took full toll of the fatigued Australian lineup. Srinath made the initial breakthrough, beating Slater with some quality swing bowling and knocking his stumps back via an inside edge. Kumble followed with the wickets of Taylor and Blewett in consecutive overs, and Australia were reeling, going to stumps at 31/3. It wasn't long before Jumbo stuck again the next morning, this time claiming Mark Waugh off a bat-pad decision that drew some criticism. Paul Reiffel, Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh followed in quick succession, with umpire George Sharp raising the finger thrice to Venkatapathy Raju's appeals - and Australia were on the brink of defeat at 96/7.

Drawing comparisons to the band playing on as the Titanic went down, Ian Healy and Warne added a hint of respectability to the scoreline as both scored 30s, but defeat was inevitable. The mix of defense and counter-attack never really did worry the Indians, as it was a matter of time only - and once Warne fell, Robertson and Kasprowicz followed without a hint of resistance. From 153/7, Australia were bowled out for 168 runs, and after a see-sawing contest until the fourth day, India had come out clear winners by a margin of 179 runs. Both sides had been almost level with each other after three days, with some gritty batting and quality bowling from both sides until then. On the fourth day, Tendulkar's innings changed the face of the match, and took it away from Australia's reach. It had been a glorious innings, undoubtedly one of Tendulkar's best as Warne, Robertson, Reiffel and Kasprowicz were treated with utmost disdain, and with Tendulkar not even waiting for loose balls - but preferring to thrash even the good deliveries all over the Chidambaram. At the end of it all, one man and his bat had made the difference between two sides evenly matched - and there was only one possible Man of the Match.

[ajithfederer]

Epilogue:

Tendulkar v. Warne wasn't over yet. In the second test at Kolkata, the entire Indian top order joined in the fray in a stunning run glut. VVS Laxman and Navjot Sidhu hammered 90s to get India off to a rollicking start, Rahul Dravid followed with 86, Ganguly scored 65, Tendulkar an imperious 79 in just 86 balls - but captain Azharuddin stole the spotlight with a regal 163, as India piled on 633 runs, before winning the match by an innings and 219 runs - a crushing margin to give them the series win. Tendulkar's bat may not have been fully responsible, but India had the Border-Gavaskar trophy firmly in their grasp with the series won at 2-0.

Tendulkar wasn't satisfied though, and in the final test at Bangalore, decided to plunder the Aussie attack all over again. The Chinnaswamy Stadium at Bangalore became the scene for another massive hundred (177), yet, this time it wasn't a match winning innings. Michael Kasprowicz pulled a measure of dignity for his side out of the fire with a stirring spell of pace and reverse swing that won Australia the match, but even then, the series was India's - or perhaps more accurately, Tendulkar's. Two statistics stood out at the end as Azharuddin raised the trophy to celebrate yet another dominant performance on home soil.

Tendulkar in 3 test matches, had plundered 446 runs at an average of 111.50 and a strike rate of over 80. Warne, on the other hand, had 10 wickets in the series at an average of 54 and a strike rate of 100 - Tendulkar had clearly come out on top in the the battle between these two here. Australia had suffered enough at Tendulkar's bat, but the Little Master showed no mercy. Another hundred was to follow in the one day tri series in India, but the Little Master had saved the best for last. At Sharjah, in the Coca Cola Tournament between Australia, India and New Zealand, Tendulkar was to top his previous innings and cement himself as undoubtedly India's greatest batsman since Gavaskar. The golden run was to continue through the next twelve months, and almost no bowling attack was spared as Tendulkar began to rewrite almost every record in the book, going as far as to even raise the expectations his fans had of him.

http://www.cricketnetwork.co.uk/main/s119/st62164.htm

[littlemaster1982]

Great one AF :clap: :clap:

[Plum]

Tendulkar only played five tests yet hammered three hundreds and a half century, averaging over 80 in those twelve golden months

Hmm...when he was in peak form, he played only 5 tests. Blame BCCI. Andha varusham innum 10 test veLayaadi irundhaa, maybe another 6-7 centuries and another 1000 runs might have been in his kitty. Ricky Ponting has the unfair advantage of a professional board and a system which maximises his chances of scoring. If Ricky had been in India, 2001-la Bhajji kitta struggle aanappOve drop paNNi iruppanga. Apram, he would have been in and out of the team, and barely reached 9000 runs. Luckily, he was born in Australia

[ajithfederer]

Well said Plum. Ponting's average in India is a testimony to that fact. IMO, Border-Gavaskar trophy has witnessed great test cricket compared to Ashes(with the only exception being 2005 ashes ofcourse) since its inception in 1997-98 one-off Bangalore test. But sadly BCCI has other ideas.

1998 is the year for sachin and it has been heavily discussed before.

9 ODI Centuries - 7 fifties - 1894 runs at a strike rate of 102.15. He holds the record for the most number of sixes hit in a calendar year as well.

http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/35320.html?class=2;filter=advanced;orderby=start;s panmax1=31+dec+1998;spanmin1=01+jan+1998;spanval1= span;template=results;type=batting;view=match

[ajithfederer]

[tscii:d90f05148f]Why the Aussies fear Sachin - Interesting Stat
This will prove to all the sachin critics why Sachin is the best. I hope this shuts them up for good.

All throughout the last 2 decades or so, the australians have been hailed as world champions and have been credited with dominating the game as a team. Now just as the australian team was hailed as great team, in the other part of the world a little man named Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar was hailed as the best cricketer the game has ever seen following Sir Don Bradman. Words need to be created to describe this guy, who by far has revolutionized the game with his play. But still there are people who always criticise him for no reason.

I have always wondered why the Australian players always take a swipe at sachin whenever possible and try to degrade him at the first opportunity they get. Even people like John Buchanan who never cemented their place even in First Class Cricket(playing just 8 matches in his whole career with just 1 fifty) have started commenting about Sachin's ability, when great experts around the world think twice before they say anything about him just to make sure they dont say less about him.

Hence i went tweaking the Statsguru and found why the aussies fear and always hated sachin.

I pitted Rest of the World Vs Australia and looked at the batting record.

Here is what i found

In the combined Version(Test + ODI), Sachin Tops the batting list as the highest scoring batsman around the world against Australia.

In the 89 matches he has played against the Australians he has scored 5478 runs @ 50.72 with 18 100's & 25 50's.

He is the only player to have scored 5000+ runs against Australia and he also leads the list of maximum centuries by individual players against Australia.

If we split Test & ODI Stats separately we get this

Test - Sachin is in 6th place with 2748 runs @ 56.08 from 29 matches with 10 100's and 11 50's. Jack Hobbs leads this list with 3860 runs @ 54.36 from 41 matches with 13 100's and 16 50's. The only player to have played during sachin’s era who is on top(not for long ) is Brian Lara who is 4th with 2856 runs @ 51 from 31 matches with 9 100’s and 11 50’s.

ODI – Well, Sachin is considered the best ODI batsmen in the world and he tops almost every batting record in the record books when it comes to ODI, and this one is also not an exception. Sachin tops this list also with 2730 runs from 60 matches @ 46.27 with 8 100’s and 14 50’s. He also leads the maximum centuries list against Australia by an individual player.


CONCLUSION:

SACHIN HAS ALWAYS BEEN A THORN IN THE AUSTRALIAN FLESH AND THEY NEVER FIGURED HOW TO TACKLE HIM. HE NEVER SPEAKS BUT ANSWERS WITH HIS BAT. SINCE THE AUSTRALIANS ARE UNABLE TO REPLY WITH THE BALL THEY RESORT TO SUCH STUPID TATICS BY SHOOTING THE MOUTH OFF. POOR AUSSIES, SUCH A SORE LOSERS.

TO SACHIN'S CRITICS

I HAVE A SIMPLE QUESTION TO YOU. JUST ANSWER IT LOGICALLY.

IF AUSTRALIA IS THE BEST TEAM IN THE WORLD, THEN ANYBODY WHO PERFORMS EXCEPTIONALLY WELL AGAINST THEM HAS TO BE THE BEST OF THE BEST. THEN WHY THE HELL DO YOU ALWAYS RAISE A QUESTION MARK OVER SACHIN'S ABILITY? I HOPE THIS WILL SHUT YOU FOR ONCE AND ALL. SACHIN IS ALWAYS THE BEST.

RIP SORE LOSERS.

http://www.orkut.com/Main#CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=23803&tid=5358472885803694050[/tscii:d90f05148f]

[ajithfederer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr0rIFrvOV0

CANON AD SACHIN TENDULKAR

[Nerd]

Did u mean sachin 136 against Pakistan. Your description doesn't fit this particular innings.


2. 155 at Sachin's home ground, Chennai (http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63794.html). Much has been already said about this innings, which made Sachin cry uncontrollably. The whole country cried for that matter.

Yes. LM, nominason ellAm pAthuttu paisal pannittu pudhu thread pOdunga!

[littlemaster1982]

Daniel Radcliffe gets candid about life as Harry Potter, being a fan of Sachin Tendulkar and life ahead...

Who is your favourite Indian cricketer?

I am a huge fan of Sachin Tendulkar; he’s fantastic. He has always been my idol, and on my 18th birthday, I got his autograph. I showed it to Rupert (Grint) and Emma (Watson) and made them so jealous. That was the best birthday gift — a piece of paper immortalised by the words: SACHIN TENDULKAR.

From: Bangalore Times, Times of India dt: 16/07/09
_________________________

Harry Potter vaazhga 8-)

[littlemaster1982]

1. 155* Vs Australia at Chennai 5

2. 136 Vs Pakistan at Chennai 5

3. 169 Vs South Africa at Cape Town 4

4. 160 Vs New Zealand at Hamilton 4

5. 155 Vs South Africa at Bloemfontein 4

6. 114 Vs Australia at Perth 4

7. 103* Vs England at Chennai 4

8. 241* Vs Australia at Sydney 3

9. 193 Vs England at Leeds 3

10. 148* Vs Australia at Sydney 3

11.116 Vs Australia at Melbourne 3

12. 154* Vs Australia at Sydney 2

13. 117 Vs West Indies at Port of Spain 2

14. 217 Vs New Zealand at Ahmedabad 1

15. 194* Vs Pakistan at Multan 1

16. 165 Vs England at Chennai 1

17. 126 Vs Australia at Chennai 1

18. 113 Vs New Zealand at Wellington 1

19. 109 Vs Sri Lanka at Delhi 1

20. 103 Vs England at Ahmedabad 1

21. 92 Vs England at Nottingham 1

22. 79 Vs Australia at Kolkata 1

23. 76 Vs Australia at Mumbai 1

[NOV]

Guys, why dont you start a new thread? :roll:

[littlemaster1982]

1. 155* Vs Australia at Chennai

2. 136 Vs Pakistan at Chennai

3. 169 Vs South Africa at Cape Town

4. 160 Vs New Zealand at Hamilton

5. 155 Vs South Africa at Bloemfontein

6. 114 Vs Australia at Perth

7. 103* Vs England at Chennai

8. 241* Vs Australia at Sydney

9. 193 Vs England at Leeds

10. 148* Vs Australia at Sydney

These would be the poll options. Innum nomination thaakkal pannadhavanga yaaravadhu irukkangala :huh:

Sports section Mod enga indha pakkame kaanum :twisted:

[littlemaster1982]

NOV,

We are on the verge of starting a new one. 100 pages mudiyattume-nu wait pandrom :)