Cricketers, politicians, stars wish Sachin on 37th birthday

MUMBAI: The controversies surrounding the Indian Premier League (IPL) took a backseat as ciricketers, Bollywood stars and politicians wished batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar a happy 37th birthday on Saturday and and hoped for his speedy recovery for Sunday's final between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings.MUMBAI: The controversies surrounding the Indian Premier League (IPL) took a backseat as ciricketers, Bollywood stars and politicians wished batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar a happy 37th birthday on Saturday and and hoped for his speedy recovery for Sunday's final between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings.

Tendulkar is doubtful for the IPL final as he has stitches on his hand and is struggling to recover in time for the match.

Leading the state in greeting Sachin, Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranaraynn said, "the entire nation and cricket lovers across the world are proud" to see him setting new records in all formats of cricket.

"As a great admirer of your style and sense of commitment to the nation, I join the millions of your fans in wishing you a very special birthday," the governor said in a message.

"While congratulating you, I hope you will continue to set newer records in the years to come," Sankaranarayanan said.

Tendulkar's Mumbai Indians team mate Harbhajan Singh, greeting the maestro said he is "not 37 years old, but 37 years young, as he continues to play with the zeal of an enthusiastic youngster even today."

Harbhajan said he always felt very close to Tendulkar and looked up to him for advice in his good and bad times.

"In fact I think I have reached this stage in life only because of his support," he added gallantly.

In a special front-page article on the occasion, Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna paid a tribute to the master-blaster and wished him many more records for the future.

Rajasthan Royals captain and Australian spin legend Shane Warne also wished Tendulkar via Twitter.

"Happy birthday to the little master and my friend Sachin!! Hope he is not injured for the final... Good luck to both teams," Warne said on his Twitter account.

Yuvraj Singh tweeted: "Happy birthday Master Blaster. Lots of love n best of wishes for the final."

Bollywood was also not behind as veteran actor Anupam Kher said Tendulkar is a "reason to be proud of being an Indian".

"Happy birthday Sachin. You are one of THE reasons to be proud of being an Indian. Tks 4 helping us Rise above the pettiness of our surroundings," Kher said.

Bollywood superstar and owner of Kolkata Knight Riders owner Shah Rukh Khan wished Tendulkar a happy birthday and hoped that he recover for the final.

"Happy Birthday Sachin. Hope ur fingers heal soon," Khan said.

No takers for Sachin statue? Happy Birthday to u

As the Indian Premier League (IPL) season closes, all eyes are on the game. Some, because of the final match, and many, because of the growing storm within.As the Indian Premier League (IPL) season closes, all eyes are on the game. Some, because of the final match, and many, because of the growing storm within.

And far from this brouhaha over cricket, two artistes - though Sachin Tendulkar fans to boot - are unhappy about the way they allege they have been treated by Ogilvy & Mather (O&M) - the agency promoting the Mumbai Indians team. They claim the agency has not paid them fully for an assignment.

Nitin Gorde, 31, and Kedar Ghate, 30, both JJ school of Art alumni, shot to fame after making life-like fibreglass statues of Aamir Khan which were used for the promotion of his action flick Ghajini.

O&M approached them in January 2010 to make six fibreglass statues of Tendulkar, for the promotional activities of Mumbai Indians.
Accordingly they met Tendulkar at Ambassador Hotel in Churchgate. “He was very down to earth. He gave us as much time as we wanted without any airs,” said Nitin. The duo, who are sculptors and make such statues for a living, decided to drop all other work and concentrate on this alone.

...they (O&M) have neither bothered to collect the statue or paid us our money - Kedar Ghate, one of the sculptors

“We were given a purchase order for six statues,” said Kedar. Mumbai Mirror is in possession of the copy of the purchase order which promises the duo Rs 4,95,000 for the assignment.

Once the first statue was made, O&M creative head Santosh Patil came to see it and liked their work. “We were given a cheque for Rs 2,20,000 as advance payment from the agency at the end of February,” recalled Nitin.

Work on the first statue was completed and work on the other five had begun when their troubles started. The first inkling of this came when the agency sent the Mumbai Indians costume and accessories for the statue only after repeated reminders, 20 days after the IPL matches had begun.
“We felt something was amiss, but thought we should not protest too much since this will spoil our impression,” said Nitin whose father is battling a life-threatening disease.

Once the statue was fitted with the costume and accessories, the artistes were back to pleading with the agency to collect it. “We wanted them to release our money and give us a nod to begin work on the other statues,” said Kedar, adding, “But they have neither bothered to collect the statue or have paid us our money.”

“We are in a mess, since we have refused other work and we can’t provide for our families,” said Kedar.

When contacted, Prasanna Shrivastav, Account Director of Ogilvy & Mather said, “We are definitely going to pay them the remaining money. The only problem is that the team is touring across the nation hence we are not getting time to clear this.”

Sachin Tendulkar is truly inspirational, says Aamir Khan

Mumbai: Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar turns another year older on April 24. On this occasion, one of his best friends, actor Aamir Khan, wishes just one thing for him — that he scores a 100 international centuries in cricket becoming the first ever cricketer in the history of the game to do so. Currently, Sachin has scored 93 international centuries — 47 in Tests and 46 in One Day International’s (ODI).Aamir says, “I am waiting for the day when Sachin will score his 100th century. I know he can. In fact, I have been telling this to him for a long time now that he is heading towards his 100th century. I am hopeful that the landmark is not far away from him.”

Aamir had also wished his fellow Bandra boy when he scored the first double century in a One Day International match against South Africa a few months ago. The actor also reminds us that Sachin is inching towards another landmark —a century of half centuries in One Day International cricket. Even here Sachin is just seven half-centuries short having scored 93 50s.

Aamir feels Sachin has reached such a cult status that his success and failures have started to affect the ‘collective self-esteem’ of the general public. He says, “Sachin is the self-esteem of the collective consciousness of society. You, I or the rickshawdriver who is listening to cricket commentary — we all feel a sense of achievement whenever Sachin does well; he has such an effect on us. He forms our collective self esteem.”

What binds both Sachin and Aamir is the passion for their respective professions. Aamir ends saying, “He is truly inspirational. The passion and the love with which he does what he does best is something that is inspirational.

Sachin is at peace with his batting, says Ravi Shastri - Former India captain on the maestro’s 3 best ODI innings

19 Apr 2010

Calcutta: Few outside Sachin Tendulkar’s family know him better than Ravi Shastri, a former India captain and cricket manager. In town for the IPL matches, he spoke to The Telegraph, listing Sachin’s top three ODI innings — limited overs’ action-time, after all.Calcutta: Few outside Sachin Tendulkar’s family know him better than Ravi Shastri, a former India captain and cricket manager. In town for the IPL matches, he spoke to The Telegraph, listing Sachin’s top three ODI innings — limited overs’ action-time, after all.

The following are excerpts

Q You’ve known Sachin for over 20 years... You’ve played with him, too... He has featured in just one T20 for India, but hundreds of ODIs... Which have been his best 50-over innings?

A The unbeaten 200 (vs South Africa, in Gwalior)... That would be at the top... It was a masterclass, such a clinical execution of plans... Indeed, it was like a surgery. The way he pierced the field, found the gaps... It was brilliant... Then, I’d pick his 134 in the 1998 Sharjah final (against Australia)... After that, I’d go for his 98 in the 2003 World Cup (vs Pakistan, in Centurion).

Some words on Sachin’s innings in Sharjah and in Centurion...

Again, both had class written all over... In Sharjah, there was a little more audacity and daring as compared to the 200 this February. He’d then toyed with the attack in brutal manner... Sachin was younger and stronger then, you know... That 98 was in a pressure match... The quality of stroke-play and the overall quality of batsmanship was in an entirely different league.

How is it all so different for Sachin?

(Laughs) Twenty years in the game and the guy is still greedy! That being so, it’s not a good omen for bowlers around the world... I see Sachin being there for another three years, at least... His appetite has not diminished and I just feel he’s been batting better in the last two-three years... That’s remarkable... He seems to be at peace with himself, is very relaxed... A lot, of course, has to do with the team he’s playing in... Today, he doesn’t have to feel that he’s the only one who has to score... There are other players who get into the act and complement each other... Bottom line, then, is that he’s at peace with his batting and that’s being reflected in his performances.

The dressing room atmosphere created by Team India coach Gary Kirsten appears to have helped in a big way...

Exactly, everyone’s at peace... Sachin wouldn’t be in this state of mind if the surroundings weren’t good... Clearly, there’s nothing which is irritating him... He’s comfortable focusing on his game and looking at the team’s interests.

Should Sachin now actually target Brian Lara’s Test record (400 not out), the only major one not against his name
?

Look, he shouldn’t be bothered about any record and just play his game... He should do so for another three years or so and, if he’s not injured, he’ll continue to give us plenty of enjoyment... In the immediate future, I see him getting past 100 international hundreds... See that happening rather quickly.

[Sachin has reached 93 — 47 in Tests, 46 in ODIs.]

Finally, what can youngsters learn from Sachin?

They should study his entire career... Watch his tapes... Watch the making of history... There’s no end to what youngsters can learn from Sachin.

Meet Sachin’s special guest

19 Apr 2010

A youth from Bihar has been Tendulkar’s fan for eight years, following him to all the matches. And guess who gives him the free passes?There are fans, and then there is Sudhir Kumar Gautam who actually gets free passes for all his matches from Sachin Tendulkar himself.

Sudhir Kumar Gautam with Sachin

The 30-year-old fan from Bihar, who has been following Sachin to nearly all his matches for the past eight years, travelled to Bangalore (without a ticket!) for Saturday’s Mumbai Indians versus Royal Challengers at Chinnaswamy Stadium.

He’ll be easy to spot: A thin, wiry man with a haircut that’s shaped like the map of India in tricolour, waving the national flag vigorously.

CRAZY RIDE

Most of the time, Gautam follows Sachin on a cycle. He told Bangalore Mirror, “On November 1, 2003, India took on Australia in Wankhede stadium in Mumbai. I cycled to Mumbai from Muzaffarpur in Bihar and even met him at his house before the match. He treated me very nicely.”

Twice, the Sachin fanatic actually ran into the grounds. “On November 6, 2003, India was playing New Zealand in Cuttack and I jumped onto the field to meet my Sachin. Then again, on November 15, the same year, Sachin hit a century against New Zealand. I ran and fell at Sachin’s feet. That’s when the security came running to take me away but Sachin told them not to hit me,” he reminisced.

That did it. Since then, Gautam has been getting passes for almost all Tendulkar matches from the Master Blaster himself.

SAYING NO TO SACHIN

However, the constant travel with no source of income is beginning to take its toll. “I have been following Mumbai Indians since IPL started. I couldn’t do so in 2009 when the venue shifted to South Africa. This year, I’ve exhausted my money and though I want to watch the match between Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians in Kolkata, I don’t think I have enough time or money to follow the team,” said Gautam.

Though Sachin offered him money, he did not take it. He has no particular reason for refusing except for the fact that he has great respect for the star. “Sachin has been very kind to me. When I went to his house, I even rode with him in his BMW,” he said.

“Money or no money, I will reach Mumbai on April 24. After all, it’s Sachin’s birthday,” he said.

TO HELL WITH THE JOB

Gautam is so obsessed that he even quit his job for Sachin. “In 2006, India was to play Pakistan. I wanted to go and watch Sachin play. I was working with Sudha Diary in Muzaffarpur but they refused to foot my travel expenses and wouldn’t give me leave either. So I just left the job,” said the defiant fan who has a wikipedia site named after him.

He then decided to cross the border on his famed bicycle. “I started preparing for the journey in January since I knew it would take time to get my visa, passport and other things in place. On February 12, I crossed the border and stayed at Pakistan Chacha’s house. On February 13, when India played Pakistan, I saw Sachin playing.”

'Relieved that Sachin won't play T20 World Cup'

12 Apr 2010

Johannesburg, Apr 9 (PTI) South African opener Loots Bosman is relieved that Sachin Tendulkar won't be playing in the Twenty20 World Championships later this month but he feels even without the senior batsman India remains a very dangerous outfit.Johannesburg, Apr 9 (PTI) South African opener Loots Bosman is relieved that Sachin Tendulkar won't be playing in the Twenty20 World Championships later this month but he feels even without the senior batsman India remains a very dangerous outfit.

Bosman has been honing his skills with coach Corrie van Zyl while most of his teammates play in the Indian Premier League.

The Proteas will take on India in their first match of the World Championship in ST Lucia, the West Indies on May 2 and Bosman said he and his teammates were happy to know that Tendulkar would not be playing in the Caribbean.

"But India still has a lot of very dangerous players that one has to keep in account," he told Afrikaans daily 'The Beeld'.

Bosman said is ready to take on the spinners if India decides to open with them in the event.

Sachin's absence will be felt at T20 WC, feels Harbhajan

12 Apr 2010

Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh [ Images ] feels that Sachin Tendulkar's [ Images ] presence in the T20 squad would have made a difference to India's [ Images ] campaign at the upcoming T20 World Cup scheduled to start on April 30.Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh [ Images ] feels that Sachin Tendulkar's [ Images ] presence in the T20 squad would have made a difference to India's [ Images ] campaign at the upcoming T20 World Cup scheduled to start on April 30.

Tendulkar has given up international T20s and hence the Indian team selectors did not to include the master batsman in the World Cup squad.

"Had Sachin decided to play in the World Cup, it would have been good for the team. But since he has decided against it, we know he is not going to change his mind," Harbhajan said on Thursday.

Harbhajan also thinks highly of the shortest format of the game. "T20 cricket is having a positive effect on other versions. The game is becoming more fast now."

Harbhajan is also of the view that the ongoing IPL is good preparatory tool for the T20 World Cup.

"I think now we as Indian team believe that every target can be chased down if our batting clicks. IPL makes for good practice for the T20 World Cup. Other teams too will benefit because most of their players are playing in the IPL," he said.

Voting For Sachin Tendulkar In Time’s 100 Most Influential List

Time’s Magazine annual list of 100 Most Influential People in the world would be known to us in a few days time, and the voting has already begun. This year there are a few Indians in the race including Sachin Tendulkar, Shahrukh Khan and Preity Zinta. There is a lot of buzz this time around specially because the man who is known as “God” to his fans is also in prime contention.Time’s Magazine annual list of 100 Most Influential People in the world would be known to us in a few days time, and the voting has already begun. This year there are a few Indians in the race including Sachin Tendulkar, Shahrukh Khan and Preity Zinta. There is a lot of buzz this time around specially because the man who is known as “God” to his fans is also in prime contention.

Early voting results have placed Tendulkar at the 6th Spot, just ahead of SRK and below Adam Lambert. There is already a lot of voting campaigns going on around the internet for gathering more and more votes and support for Sachin Tendulkar, with fans posting on facebook, twitter, orkut and other social networking sites asking people to go and vote for him.

Tendulkar, 36, was among the 200 candidates choosen by the Time’s Magazine for voting on this year’s 100 Most Influential list. The biggest reason for Tendulkar to make it to the Top 200 was probably his record breaking 200 not out in ODI’s in Feb 2010.
The greatest batsman of his — or arguably any — generation, Tendulkar continues to smash records at an age most cricketers hang up their gloves. – Times Magazine stated.These are still early days in voting though, and Sachin would be receiving tough competition from Shahrukh Khan who is not far behind him. Lady Gaga, the American recording artist, is currently ranked no.1 by almost two times the votes to her nearest rival.

Sachin’s changing hues

04 Apr 2010

The whip through mid-wicket has been replaced with a glide past square-leg, the monstrous pulls with taps over the slip cordon. Sandeep Dwivedi on how Tendulkar, pushing 37, has adjusted his game to cope with injuriesThe whip through mid-wicket has been replaced with a glide past square-leg, the monstrous pulls with taps over the slip cordon. Sandeep Dwivedi on how Tendulkar, pushing 37, has adjusted his game to cope with injuries

About a fortnight after he became the first batsman in ODI history to score a double ton, Sachin Tendulkar walked on to the Brabourne stadium turf with a couple of tons of weight added to his usual load of expectations. The Mumbai Indians’ were about to play their opening match of IPL III, but in the stands, they still spoke about Tendulkar’s last ODI knock and how he had methodically taken the South African bowling attack — led by their express pacer Dale Steyn — apart.


With Rajasthan Royals’ 150kph man Shaun Tait marking his run-up, the fans in blue reached out to touch wood, hoping their day at the game coincided with their hero’s special knock. Tait’s first ball to Tendulkar darted at the stumps clocking 149.4 kph. But within a split second, it ricocheted off the bat, took a 90 degree turn, and raced to the square-leg fence. The next ball saw the same sequence of events: Tendulkar had eight runs from two scoring shots and MI flags were being waved all around the ground.
In terms of sheer physical effort put in, the batsman and bowler involved in this much-hyped showdown are miles apart. Tait’s routine of running in hard, bending his back before giving that final thrust with his strong shoulder ends in a grunt. In reply, Tendulkar responds with a small step back and a subtle roll of the wrists, ending in a boundary and heartbreak for Tait.


That cricket has been increasingly unfair to bowlers isn’t a secret, but of late Tendulkar is making this blatantly obvious. By using the pace that bowlers so excruciatingly generate to his advantage, the man who completed 20 years in cricket last year has evolved a fresh, energy-efficient approach to batting that suits his nearly 37-year-old body which has endured countless X-rays and MRI scans.


In one-dayers, in the space of a year, he has scored four marathon knocks (163, 138, 174 and 200) and at the halfway stage of the IPL, he wore the Orange Cap for being the highest run-getter — his first six coming after having faced 142 deliveries in MI’s fifth game. Making the liability of a fragile frame and growing years into an asset, he has not only extended his stay on the field without comprising on his strike rate, but also increased longevity in the shorter versions of the game.

Very early in his career, Tendulkar put his signature on the no-holds-barred pull, the lofted shot aimed at the sight screen, the whipped flick through mid-wicket off length balls, the booming cover drive, and that famous straight punch that almost grazes the stumps at the non-striker’s end.


Nowadays, he either uses old favourites judiciously or tweaks them slightly, concentrating more on placement and less on power — a case in point being his two boundaries off Tait. Unlike before, they weren’t whipped but guided. Similarly, on the off-side, he doesn’t quite launch into thumping drives, but lets the deliveries slide off the face of the bat. Short balls aimed at the throat are nonchalantly directed over the slips and while facing spinners, he rarely goes for the fierce sweep, opting instead for the more refined fine paddle.


“Sachin is the greatest thinker of the game. Now that he is getting older, he is pacing his innings very well, which was evident during his double hundred,” says former Indian captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi. “There is a slight improvisation in his shot-making, but more importantly, he conserves his energy by planning his innings meticulously.”


Yuvraj Singh, a self-confessed Tendulkar fan, has also noticed a few changes. “Injuries were a hurdle for him in the last few years but he has managed to overcome them. Paaji has transformed himself from being a big-hitter to a very intelligent batsman,” says the batsman who has shared dressing-room space with him for the last decade.

During his innings of 200 in Gwalior, Tendulkar hardly played a shot that could be categorised as a slog. Much like Tait two weeks later, Steyn was then at the receiving end of Tendulkar’s subtle touch. Steyn had been dispatched for seven fours by Tendulkar that evening, but the one shot that showcased his restrained aggression came after he had passed the three-figure mark. After missing a couple of balls outside off-stump, Tendulkar didn’t charge down the crease in desperation, but instead moved sideways to flick a yorker length ball to the square-leg fence.


In the same innings, he scored heavily on the point boundary too. He didn’t play the big drive or the slash but repeatedly guided deliveries on the off-stump from rookie pacer Wayne Parnell between point and third man.


India’s new bowling coach Eric Simmons talks about Tendulkar’s gameplan. “His batting that day was a fine example of using the pace of the bowlers. If I had been the South African coach that day, I would have told the bowlers to slow things down in order to make Tendulkar use his own power to send the ball to the fence. In a long innings, you need to conserve energy and that’s what he was doing. The South African bowlers just didn’t get it,” he says.

At the start of his dream 2009-10 season, Tendulkar played a knock that might have made him consider changing his approach. At Christchurch on March 9, 2009, he turned back the clock with an innings straight out of the 90s. He charged down the pitch to slog pacers over long-on, he launched into overpitched balls with fierce power, he pulled the short balls wildly and there was a distinct possibility that he would reach 200.


That’s when an abdomen muscle twitched and Tendulkar retired hurt unbeaten on 163 with five overs to go. As Tendulkar walked back to the pavilion in pain, the ‘200 dream’ seemed to be finished.

But within a span of eight months, he got close to that unconquered peak again. Playing against Australia in the fifth ODI of the series at Hyderabad, he was batting on 158 with 10 overs to go. But at the start of the 48th, by which time he had reached 175, Tendulkar realised there was a thin line that separated the subtle from the cheeky. While trying to paddle-scoop pacer Clint McKay to the vacant fine-leg area, Tendulkar top-edged to short square-leg.


This time, the heartbreak didn’t result in Tendulkar changing his approach, and three months later, he was raising his bat at Gwalior after reaching a target that he had narrowly missed a couple of times before.

Former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram, who bowled at him when he took guard in a Test match for the first time as a 16-year-old, says that with his experience, Tendulkar can manipulate the ball any way he wants. “Sachin picks the line and length of a delivery earlier than most others, which is his real strength. And he has a number of strokes for every delivery,” he says.


For now, Tendulkar seems to bank on his deft touch to score runs. For bowlers though, it must hurt as much as a wild slog — if not more.

This decade In numbers


* The numbers suggest that Sachin Tendulkar is batting better than he has at any point in this decade.

* Since January 2009, Tendulkar has scored his runs at an incredible average touching 62, and a strike rate of just under 100.

* If the period is changed to the last 12 months, from March 2009 to March 2010, his average shoots up to 72.37 and his strike rate to an incredible 100.78.


* In this 12-month period, he has scored four centuries. The only other year in which he scored four centuries was back in 2001.

(With inputs from Shamik Chakrabarty)

Introducing…
stress-less shots
The tap over the slips

Where he once would have gone for the hook or even the fierce slash over point – a shot now patented by Virender Sehwag – Tendulkar prefers to just guide the ball over the keeper and slips. Playing the delivery well after it has gone past him, Tendulkar has been connecting more often than not.

The glides square of the wicket


Length balls from fast bowlers are guided just behind point or square-leg, depending on the line they’ve been bowled down. This shot he plays when the ball is adjacent to his body, and uses the pace of the bowler.

The paddle sweep

One of the enduring images of Tendulkar’s battles against Shane Warne are his down-on-a-knee slog-sweeps, picking up the leg-spinner from the rough outside leg-stump to dispatch him over mid-wicket. Nowadays, he plays the paddle sweep much more than before and even his full-blooded sweeps are directed to square-leg or fine-leg.

The tweaked pull shot

Tendulkar used to play his pull off the front foot – remember Andy Caddick sent to the stands at the 2003 World Cup? — and had stopped playing it altogether as the strain on his lower back increased. Now, even when he does occasionally play the pull, he makes it a point to go back and across, reducing the swivel and helping the ball along rather than generating all the power.

Sachin great but Bradman greatest: Steve

02 Apr 2010

Rajiv: Why are you not in IPL? Were you not approached?

Steve: Well I think Lalit made it clear..or maybe they didn't want retired players. There are some,.. there is Adam Gilchrist, but yeah, never approached!

Rajiv: Your opinion about IPL?

Steve: It's a change for cricket. It's a lot of money for players. BCCI is making a lot of money. The game has changed in last 6 years. Younger players are making a lot of money. You can now make a living out of the game. It is exciting times, but we also have to keep the best interest of the game.

It's upto the players to keep up Test cricket as Test cricket is really important. Australian players held it as the ultimate. And it is up to senior players to tell the younger ones, in all countries. It's great to play Twenty20 but the real thing is Test.

Rajiv: About 6up, is it gambling? (6up is a mobile game promoted by Steve. It is surrounded with controversy of similarities to gambling over cricket as one has to guess the runs made in an over for every ball and place money for every ball)

Steve: It is surely not gambling. Also you can't fix all 6 balls in a over. There were a lot of questions on people's minds. There is an element of fun in this game.

If this game was associated with match fixing I wouldn't be associated with it.

Rajiv:
Do you continue to think Donald Bradman is the best batsman...even after considering Sachin's recent achievements?

Steve: To be realistic about it...Sachin is a great player of all times but Donald Bradman is the best batsman to walk on the planet.

Sachin will always be my favourite, says Sania

Some things don't change. And there are two constants in Sania Mirza's life too.

Post her marriage to Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik, she will continue playing for India. And Sachin will remain her favourite cricketer. (Read: Sania-Shoaib wedding on April 11)

"I think a husband is different to my favorite cricketer, Sachin is my favourite cricketer and will always be," India's tennis ace told NDTV's Barkha Dutt in an exclusive interview.

Her decision to marry a Pakistani cricketer has created quite a stir. Some even hope the coming together of two sporting icons of India and Pakistan will improve ties between two nations. Others wonder why Sania couldn't find an Indian match for her. (See: The Sania-Shoaib story in pics)

The 23-year-old says the two young sportsmen "didn't really think whether we are going to make a political change or anything". "I mean today I am as much an Indian as I was yesterday even before I took the decision to marry Shoaib and he is also as much Pakistani as he was yesterday...I am going to keep playing for India, India is my country and it will always remain so".

She also makes clear that when India and Pakistan play, "Of course I will, I will always support India no matter what especially if Sachin is playing, I will support Sachin."

She does add, "I am sure Shoaib will have a fight with me after this interview but still..."

Watch this and lots more in the interview below.

Bravo praises Tendulkar's leadership, local talent

02Apr 2010

West Indian all-rounder Dwayne Bravo today said Sachin Tendulkar's leadership and the contributions from domestic cricketers have played a major role in Mumbai Indians' good display in this year's Indian Premier League.Mumbai, Apr 1 (PTI) West Indian all-rounder Dwayne Bravo today said Sachin Tendulkar's leadership and the contributions from domestic cricketers have played a major role in Mumbai Indians' good display in this year's Indian Premier League.

"We have some good, young local players and they have contributed very well. They have played a big part in the team's success so far. Obviously our captain (Tendulkar) has been leading us from the front. He's been a top run-scorer.

And his ability to lead - I think that is great also," Bravo told PTI in an interview here today.

MI have made a great start with six wins from seven games.

Bravo said he has been impressed by the progress made by young Jharkhand batsman Saurabh Tiwary in one year's time.

"This is his second year, I first saw him in South Africa (in last year's IPL).

Sachin is an inspiration in all forms, says Sourav

02 Apr 2010

Calcutta: The favourite whipping boy of Indian cricket (no matter that he’ll soon be 38), Sourav Ganguly, did some whipping himself, on Thursday night.Calcutta: The favourite whipping boy of Indian cricket (no matter that he’ll soon be 38), Sourav Ganguly, did some whipping himself, on Thursday night.

As for the targets, they were both seen and unseen.

In the second category being those who made Dada into a ‘Dadubhai’, earlier in the day, and asked him to retire in the best interests of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

[Sourav, by the way, responded calmly — off the field, that is. “I still don’t know the details... Once in a while, this can happen.”]

The visible targets were the Deccan Chargers bowlers, particularly Pragyan Ojha, hit for three sixes in one over.

MoM Sourav appeared to make a point, even if he didn’t set out to, that the national selectors did nothing wrong by not picking the left-arm spinner for the upcoming World T20.

Knight No.1 scored 88 off 54 balls (9x4, 5x6) his second-highest in the IPL’s three-year history, and got out (146 for four, 17th over) while trying to push the scoring rate even more instead of eyeing a personal landmark.

It was an innings which made principal owner Shah Rukh Khan say “Dada’s looking good...” A change from his recent tweets.

Sourav’s masterly innings allowed his bowlers to go about their job without too much pressure and they responded superbly. Shane Bond was outstanding, as were Murali Kartik (wonder why Krishnamachari Srikkanth and Co. don’t find him worthy of a recall) and Angelo Mathews.

Asked if dear friend Sachin Tendulkar’s amazing run (314 runs at an average of 52-plus) in IPL III had been an inspiration, Sourav smiled and told The Telegraph: “It’s not about T20... Sachin’s an inspiration in all forms of the game...”

Unusually, Sourav thumped his chest more than once on reaching his second half-century of the season. However, speaking exclusively, he insisted he hadn’t been sending a message.

“No... There was nothing to it... I was happy... Thumping the chest is one way of conveying happiness,” Sourav pointed out.

Little happiness was, of course, shared between Sourav and Andrew Symonds, who is known to sledge hard.

Indeed, at the media conference, Sourav made it clear that Symonds hadn’t congratulated him after the match. For obvious reasons, he didn’t get into their on-field exchanges.

What matters is that the two points went into KKR’s “ledger,” as an Adam Gilchrist would put it.

Was never scared of Sachin: Warne

1 Apr 2010

New Delhi: Spin wizard Shane Warne said on Tuesday he was never afraid of bowling to Sachin Tendulkar.

The Aussie legend said his statement in the late Nineties that he had nightmares about bowling to the Indian batting maestro should not have been taken too seriously.

“Yes, I said so after a tournament in Sharjah, but it was more of a joke,” said the Rajasthan Royals captain. The Royals take on the Delhi DareDevils at the Kotla on Wednesday.

“I might have said, ‘I’m going to have a few nightmares tonight…’ Some journalists took it as a gospel,” Warne said. “Sachin is the best batsman of my time and I enjoyed bowling against him but I was never scared.

“If I was scared, I wouldn’t have taken so many wickets in my career. I had quite a few hair-raising experiences when he (Sachin) smashed me all over the park but I also got him out many times,” added Warne.

“I am never frightened of anyone. I am not arrogant, I am just confident of my abilities. I have enjoyed bowling against great players like Sachin and Brian Lara. I remember getting him (Sachin) out in the IPL semi-final in 2008. I think I can get him out this time again,” said Warne, who has more than 1000 international wickets under his belt.

Warne hinted he would love to continue playing for the Rajasthan Royals next season. “However, it all depends on whether my team wants me to continue playing for them. I have to go through the re-auction. It’s a complicated process. If some franchise pays me 3-4 times more money, may be I will go but ideally I would like to be loyal to the Royals,” Warne explained.

The legendary spinner felt the International Cricket Council (ICC) should work with the IPL to create a separate window for the tournament but dismissed any suggestion to extend the tournament beyond the six-week period.

“I feel it (IPL) should be played for six weeks only,” he said. “IPL has to make sure it doesn’t become too long. Both the ICC and IPL have to come together and find a window to make sure that best international cricketers are available during this tournament.

“To me the No. 1 priority is to play for the country, and that too, in Tests. I think it should be the same for young cricketers as well,” said Warne.

Batting for Sachin

1 Apr 2010

Saraswathi Vaidyanathan is 87, but reels off facts and figures about her favourite cricketer Sachin Tendulkar effortlesslySaraswathi Vaidyanathan is 87, but reels off facts and figures about her favourite cricketer Sachin Tendulkar effortlessly

As 87-year-old Saraswathi Vaidyanathan leans back on the couch, you almost expect her to pick up a pair of needles and start knitting. Instead she reaches for the television remote and surfs channels, only to stop at one telecasting cricket. There's a smile and a prayer on her lips — Sachin Tendulkar is at the crease. A Tendulkar fan and probably the seniormost member of the cricketer's fan club, she says, “I have been watching Sachin play from the time he started. He was 16 then. Twenty years later, he still does everything right.”

From Ranji Trophy to International cricket matches and IPL, Saraswathi watches them all. Though cricket is her passion, she also watches other sports for “time pass.” “I watch tennis but don't understand the game well. I like Roger Federer, Pete Sampras and John McEnroe,” she smiles. It was because of her late husband that she developed an interest in sport. Before television arrived, she was glued to the cricket commentary on radio.

Saraswathi may be frail now but her memory remains as fresh as ever. She effortlessly rattles off Tendulkar's records and match figures and like a fond grandmother refers to him as chota bachcha. As I quiz her about his achievement, she says, “As of now, he has 314 runs in the IPL. Mumbai Indians have played 7 matches and won 6. In ODIs he has notched up 17,594 runs and in Test matches he has scored 13,447 runs…” “Do you remember the '93 Hero Cup match against South Africa?” she asks and adds, “In the last over, they needed 6 runs to win. The situation seemed impossible. Lekin yeh bachcha took the ball from Azharuddin's hand and bowled, resulting in a run-out and conceding only 3 runs. We won,” she claps.

Sceptical of the statistics available on the Internet this octogenarian keeps track of her favourite cricketer's achievements in her own way. Tiny scraps of paper with all the scores painstakingly written in neat handwriting are tucked away along with other prized possessions that include a couple of books on the cricketing genius gifted by her grandson. She secretly pulls out a few bits and shows them to me ensuring I handle them with care. All of a sudden, she chuckles. Saraswathi's face is bright with enthusiasm as she narrates another incident. “After the1998 Sharjah Cup, Shane Warne said he used to get nightmares about Sachin. Sachin ko ‘Man of the Series' ke liye car mila.” Here, Saraswathi's son interrupts, saying, “She is very sure some day Tendulkar will meet her.

Once when she was asked if she wanted to meet her grandchildren in Australia, she said, “I don't want to meet anyone, I only want to meet Sachin Tendulkar.” Saraswathi now looks coy, blushes and says, “If I ever meet him, I'll tell him to keep playing with confidence and keep entertaining us.” And with that she goes back to telling me more anecdotes about the Little Genius and his numerous records.

‘It’s a dream to dismiss Sachin’

“Vinay Kumar, autograph please,” a few kids shouted while running towards the pacer from the far end of the M Chinnaswamy stadium. It was, perhaps, the most singular piece of evidence that the world around the Karnataka pacer has changed.Vinay’s inclusion in the Indian squad for the World Twenty20 to be held in the West Indies has pushed him to a never-trodden territory — tackling countless interview requests, constant focus of cameras and autograph hunters.

“Yeah, I can feel that. Now, there is a lot more focus on me than a few days back. There is constant calls to my cell phone, a lot of requests and a lot of people want to take photographs with me, and all this is new to me. But I am happy about all this,” Vinay said.

However, the newly-arrived stardom has not transformed the man himself. There was the unmistakable touch of disarming humbleness of a country boy when he said, “I am not even familiar speaking to media like this.”

“When my friends call me up I say, ‘I am fine and nothing has happened to me.’ I might get a chance to play in Windies or not, but I am confident that my day will come and I will be able to perform.

“I am mature enough to handle the situation,” he said.

Perhaps, it was that belief that is Vinay’s biggest weapon while bowling against seemingly superior batsmen like Sachin Tendulkar and Matthew Hayden. In fact, Vinay has dismissed Tendulkar twice in the Indian Premier League over two editions.

Sachin’s wicket

“It’s a dream for any bowler to take Sachin’s wicket. I always wanted to take Sachin’s wicket, and I fullfiled my dream in the second edition of the IPL in South Africa when I got to bowl with the new ball.

“This time I managed to clean bowl him during our match against the Mumbai Indians a few days ago and hopefully, I will be on the right side of the result next time as well. But there is not much margin for error against Tendulkar,” he added.

The Davangere boy has proved that he can hit the right areas more often than not during the just-concluded domestic season and in the on-going IPL III.

“You don’t need to adjust too much in T20, but you need a lot of variations. But yes, the IPL has been a good platform for me and bowling to big-hitting batsmen like Hayden, Gilchrist and Jayasuriya has made me mentally stronger.”

Everybody, not just cricketers, can learn from Sachin: Mahela. Sanath’s has been an unbelievable story’

29 Mat 2010

Chandigarh: With 9,120 runs in Tests and 8,702 in ODIs, Mahela Jayawardene is pretty qualified to talk about the two batsmen who’ve recently completed 20 years at the international level — Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya.Chandigarh: With 9,120 runs in Tests and 8,702 in ODIs, Mahela Jayawardene is pretty qualified to talk about the two batsmen who’ve recently completed 20 years at the international level — Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya.

He has, in fact, been in the same dressing room with one and competed against the other.

Over breakfast at the Mount View Hotel, on Saturday, Jayawardene (a former national captain) spoke to The Telegraph on the giants. Sanath has, of course, retired from Test cricket.

For the record, Jayawardene has himself been around, at the highest level, for 13 years. In the ongoing IPL, he’s turning out for the Kings XI Punjab, captained by his Sri Lanka successor Kumar Sangakkara.

The following are excerpts

Thoughts on Sachin (36) and Sanath (40): Their records do all the talking... I don’t have to speak about the quality of their achievements, the world knows everything... What stands out is that they’ve been around for 20 years... To sustain the intensity for such a long period is amazing... They’ve been disciplined, they’ve been committed and they’ve been passionate. They’ve shown all the qualities of a champion sportsman.

On Sachin: For the first 15 years or so of his career, Sachin had to carry the entire burden of India’s batting on his shoulders... It’s of late that India’s batting has got very strong and others have taken some of the burden off him... I’ve played in matches where people came to see Sachin only, that has been his standing... People have left the stadium when he got out... I recall times when the opposition would simply focus on getting Sachin’s wicket, for that would be half the battle won... Today, that has changed a bit and, as a result, he’s probably enjoying his cricket a lot more... Sachin’s consistency under pressure has been remarkable... Early on, as youngsters, we’d be overawed approaching him... That changed after a few years on the circuit... In more recent years, I’ve had opportunities to chat with Sachin, not just about cricket... I’ve enjoyed that and have come away with something to think about.

Sachin’s USP: The way he keeps things simple... The way he bats... In fact, the way he goes about everything... Everybody can learn from Sachin, not just cricketers... I’d say that there’s less pressure if you manage to keep things simple, like Sachin does...

[In 166 Tests, Sachin has scored 13,447 runs with 47 hundreds; in 442 ODIs, he has 17,598 runs with 46 hundreds.]

On Sanath: He’s one of those unbelievable stories... Sanath emerged from a region (Matara) which hadn’t produced a really big name, came to Colombo and went about proving a point... Nobody before him came from way down south with such ambitions... Sanath established himself at a time our cricket was turning a page, getting away from the traditional way of playing the game... After the 1996 World Cup, thanks to the way Sanath and (Romesh) Kaluwitharana went about the first 15 overs, teams had to change strategy... Sanath didn’t change his game, rather every opposition had to plot differently... He helped us build our identity and didn’t listen to those who wanted him to change his approach... He had the confidence to deliver on his terms.

Sanath’s USP: Fitness, confidence... We aren’t surprised that Sanath has decided to contest the upcoming Parliamentary elections... He has, after all, the aura... This is a new challenge for him and he’s bound to be supremely confident... Sanath believes he can do anything and, who knows, may one day become Sri Lanka’s President! It’s difficult to stop somebody with such self-belief and so much confidence. Sanath has achieved everything in cricket, now he has set himself a different goal...

[In 110 Tests, Sanath finished with 6,973 runs and 14 hundreds; in 444 ODIs, he has 13,428 runs with 28 hundreds.]

On there being much to learn from Sachin and Sanath

Yes... Commitment, discipline and confidence... Both have been tops in commitment, have been most disciplined and have always been supremely confident... They’ve believed in a certain way of doing things and have backed themselves... Those with big dreams need to emulate what I’ve listed. Clearly, you can’t have better role models.

Finally, if he had a son, whether he would make him bat like Sachin or Sanath

(Laughs) No... I’ll tell you why... I believe it’s important to have your own identity. Sure, if I had a son, I’d like him to look up to Sachin and Sanath, but I’d also most definitely like him to be himself... To carve his own identity... If you try copying others, there’s every chance you could lose your way... Draw inspiration, but be yourself... Build on your identity... That, for me, is the only way forward...

'Requested Sachin to play T20 WC'

In a startling revelation, Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh on Sunday (March 28) said that he wanted Sachin Tendulkar to play for India in the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies.

Harbhajan disclosed that a day before the team selection took place in Mumbai, he personally made a request to the Master Blaster to return to Twenty20 internationals and help the Men in Blue in the mega event.

However, the legend told Bhajji that he would stick to his decision of not playing Twenty20 internationals any more.

The Indian spinner also mentioned that he feels Sachin's presence would have made the Indian squad stronger in the Caribbean.

Bhajji said, "I feel that team would have become strong with Sachin's presence. Even a day before the selection I asked him to consider his decision, but he said that he has already decided that T20 is not his game and that he does not want to play anymore. I am sure that if a player of Sachin's caliber is present in the dressing room, it would have added to the confidence in the team."

Sachin had earlier said that he doesn't intend to return to the T20 side. He said, "I am not going to play in the T20 World Cup. I abide by my decision taken in 2007."

Tendulkar set for Bradman-like honour

29 Mar 2010

Mumbai: Sachin Tendulkar is set to become the first living cricketer to have a grand sports museum built in his honour -- a rare tribute which has only been given to the legendary Sir Donald Bradman.Mumbai: Sachin Tendulkar is set to become the first living cricketer to have a grand sports museum built in his honour -- a rare tribute which has only been given to the legendary Sir Donald Bradman.

The Maharashtra government on Friday proposed to build a sports museum here to showcase Tendulkar's cricket career, adding another feather in the iconic batsman's well-adorned cap.
The proposal was mooted in the budget 2010-11 by Finance Minister Sunil Tatkare.

"Tendulkar is an honour for the country and his contribution in the field of cricket is incomparable. To encourage fledgling players, the government intends to build a grand sports museum to showcase the master blaster's career," he said, adding necessary provisions will be made for the purpose.

If the proposal comes through, the 36-year-old batsman will become the first living cricketer to have such a museum.

Australian legend Bradman has a meseum in his honour at Bowral, near Adelaide, but it was built only after his death.

Tendulkar created history last month when he became the first cricketer in the world to score a double century in one-day internationals by cracking an unbeaten 200 against South Africa in Gwalior.

The Maharashtra government has asked the Centre that Tendulkar be honoured with the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in the country for his achievements in international cricket.

The champion batsman, a former Indian captain, has scored a phenomenal 13, 447 runs, including 47 centuries, in 166 Tests while he has aggregated 17,598 runs and slammed 46 centuries in 442 ODIs.

No Tendulkar in T20 WC good for others: Afridi

29 Mar 2010

Karachi: Pakistan's Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi has joined the list of advocates supporting Sachin Tendulkar's inclusion in India's Twenty20 World Cup squad, saying the champion batsman's absence from the next month's event is a blessing in disguise for other teams.

Tendulkar, who quit the format along with Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid in 2007, has been in red hot form in the IPL and it forced former as well as present cricketers, including Afridi to ask the right-hander to change his decision and play in the upcoming T20 World Cup in the West Indies.

"The way he has blossomed in the last few years, he is only getting better and better as a batsman. If he is not playing for India in the Twenty20 World Cup, it is certainly a big advantage for other teams," Afridi said.


"If Tendulkar had played in this World Cup, I am sure he would made big impact for India," he added.

Notwithstanding the hue and cry, Tendulkar has recently ruled out the possibility of returning to Twenty20 International cricket.

However, Afridi feels with age Tendulkar is getting better day by day and could be a destructive force in T20 matches.

"With every match he seems to be growing as a batsman and getting better. He is playing like a teenager. There is no sign of age affecting his game at all," the Pakistani all-rounder said.

"The biggest thing that he still enjoys playing the sport and he is hunger for runs has not died at all," he said.

"I think even in T20 cricket you need to bat properly and at times even playing out 20 overs is a big challenge for a team. You need to play orthodox cricket," Afridi noted.