Mods, Put up this Poll please!
Quote:
Originally Posted by ajithfederer
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Mods, Put up this Poll please!
Quote:
Originally Posted by ajithfederer
Thread author RK can also do that...
Nerd,
But the fotos won't be enabled. That is precisely why I ask the Mods to do the formalities. :)
Shall i add the poll?
Yes rk :)
http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/indv...ry/378877.html
England in India 2008-09
Tendulkar likely to return to ODI squad
Nagraj Gollapudi
November 19, 2008
Sachin Tendulkar last played an ODI during India's victorious CB Series campaign in March this year © AFP
Sachin Tendulkar is likely to return to the one-day side when the squad is picked for the last four matches of the England series in Kanpur on Thursday, a selector indicated. Tendulkar had requested the selectors to leave him out of the first three ODIs after a strenuous Test series against Australia.
One of the selectors, speaking to Cricinfo, hinted at Tendulkar's return and felt it was imminent. "The very reason that he had only asked to sit out for only the first three games in enough indication," the selector said.
Tendulkar last played an ODI during India's victorious campaign in the CB Series in March this year. Subsequently a groin injury that he picked up in Australia, kept him out of the Kitply Cup and Asia Cup and later an elbow injury forced him out of the series in Sri Lanka.
If Tendulkar returns, M Vijay, whose impressive Test debut against Australia in Nagpur earlier this month got him called up for the first three ODIs against England, could be left out. With Ishant Sharma declared match-fit the selectors are unlikely to make any other change to the winning unit.
India squad (likely): Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt & wk), Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Ishant Sharma, Pragyan Ojha, RP Singh, Virat Kohli.
Nagraj Gollapudi is an assistant editor at Cricinfo
© Cricinfo[/tscii][/tscii]
Thanks mods!! 8-).
:lol:
Nethu rk vanthu kettutu poyittaru....
Mods.... :P
http://blogs.cricinfo.com/itfigures/...ap_pl.php#more
September 1, 2008
Posted by Ananth Narayanan at 2:22 PM in Trivia - batting
Tendulkar and Richards swap places as best ODI batsmen
Sachin Tendulkar pips Viv Richards to the top of the list © AFP
I started this. So I have to finish it...
It is amusing. A few days back whole lot of people were lambasting me for not having Tendulkar on top. Now another set of people are screaming that Tendulkar is on top. Hey guys, this is only an analysis. I am one insignificant analyst who works with a computer and a Cricket database. The greats remain greats, whatever I (or for that matter you all) say.
Just one more thing. Unlike what some have suggested, I have not gone out of the way to put Tendulkar on top. He is one of the greatest but NOT my favourite batsman.
As done before I have incorporated a summary response to readers' comments at the end.
In my previous article I had taken two important ODI batting measures and attempted to analyse batsmen skills using those. It elicited the usual comments on the additional parameters for consideration. Hence instead of doing a straightforward follow-up to that analysis, I have gone the whole hog and after considering all relevant parameters, come out with what I feel should be a very fair ODI batsmen ranking based on what they have achieved over their careers.
The following 8 facors are considered.
1. Total runs scored (TRS)
2. Batting Average (AVGE)
3. Runs per Innings (RPI)
4. Strike Rate (STRT)
5. Quality of bowlers faced (BOWQTY)
6. % of Team runs (TRPER)
7. Wins achieved
- Absolute number of wins (WINS)
- Win % of matches played (WINSPER)
8. MOM awards received/frequency (MOM).
A brief description of each factor and the weights given to each parameter is outlined below. The total points add up to a nice round sum of 100.
1. Total runs scored (20 points)
This is a recognition of the longevity of the player. There is no doubt that the runs scored has to be given decent weightage. At the same time care has been taken to see that the olden era players such as Richards, Greenidge et al do not suffer unduly. My belief is that it is very unlikely for any batsman, including Tendulkar, to exceed 20000 runs. Hence the limit seems correct. The formula used is
* TRS = Total runs scored / 1000.
2. Batting Average (15 points)
This is a straightforward calculation. We need not worry about not-outs since there is a separate factor for that. Since the batting average is unlikely ever to exceed 60.0, we are within the maximum level. The formula used is
* AVGE = Batting average / 4.0.
Note: David Barry is doing some simulation work with a view to establish a correlation between Average and Strike Rates. It is too early to incorporate these first level findings. Hence at this stage I have taken the simple, easily understandable method of separating the Average and Strike Rate measures with individual weightages. Similarly Jeff Grimshaw's ideas about treating balls played as a resource and giving credit for the same is quite good. However I do not want too many overlapping parameters. Already I have Average and RPI.
3. Runs per Innings (5 points)
This is to mitigate the factor of a high number of not-outs, especially for middle-order batsmen. Again a straightforward calculation. Since the Batting average is unlikely ever to exceed 50.0, we are within the maximum level. The formula used is
* RPI = Runs per innings / 10.0.
Note: I briefly toyed with Abhihjeet Dongre's excellent suggestion of excluding from the total number of innings the innings in which the batsman has finished not out at a score below his batting average. This redresses the balance towards middle order batsmen slightly. However I have finally rejected this tweak since I feel that they have already got the full benefit of not outs while calculating the Batting Average. The purpose of separation of these two factors will be lost if I do not use the full complement of innings played.
4. Strike Rate (25 points)
I consider this factor as the most important measure and that is reflected in the weightage. However much we talk about the importance of scoring runs, it is essential that these are scored at a reasonable pace. It does not mean that every century should be a run-a-ball one. However, it is true that many a match has been lost because the batsmen have not moved up the scoring rate at the right time.
However a major tweak has been done. The actual strike rates have been adjusted up or down based on the decade scoring rates pro-rata. In other words, if Viv Richards played between 1975 and 1991, his actual scoring rate has been adjusted pro-rata for the three decades, viz., 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. In general this will mean that the older players will get a slight benefit since the scoring rates were lower, as indicated in the table below.
AllMats 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s
Matches played 2759 82 516 933 1228
Batsmen innings 47947 1418 8838 16266 21425
Runs scored 1142018 30292 202884 386508 522334
Balls bowled 1473233 46208 277516 505727 643782
Runs per ball 0.775 0.656 0.731 0.764 0.811
% of all-matches avge 100.0% 84.6% 94.3% 98.6% 104.7%
The actual and adjusted strike rates for a few top players is given below. All these adjustments seem very reasonable. The only clear cases are for batsmen such as Pietersen and Dhoni who have played all their matches in the current decade and hence have the same adjustment of -4.4%. The others are pro-rata. For instance, Tendulkar's and Lara's strike rates have been adjusted much less since they have played during 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. Zaheer Abbas gains the maximum since his career spanned 1975-1985, the low-scoring years.
Batsman Prev SR Adj SR % chg
Richards I.V.A 90.2 98.4 +9.1%
Haynes D.L 63.1 66.9 +6.0%
Jones D.M 72.6 75.4 +3.9%
Greenidge C.G 64.9 70.8 +9.1%
Zaheer Abbas 80.0 89.7 +12.1%
Tendulkar S.R 85.5 84.6 -1.1%
Jayasuriya S.T 91.0 90.1 -1.1%
Gilchrist A.C 96.9 94.4 -2.7%
Lara B.C 79.5 78.6 -1.3%
Sehwag V 99.1 95.3 -3.8%
Shahid Afridi 111.2 108.2 -2.7%
Klusener L 89.9 88.2 -1.9%
Dhoni M.S 91.3 87.2 -4.4%
Pietersen K.P 87.5 83.6 -4.4%
Since the only Strike Rate to exceed 1.00 is that of Shahid Afridi, I have accepted the fact that only he will exceed the maximum level. The formula used is
* STRT = (Adjusted) Strike Rate x 25.0.
5. Quality of bowling faced (15 points)
This is a double weighted adjustment. The objective is to make sure that the runs acored against stronger teams such as Australia are given much higher weighting than the runs scored against weaker countries such as Zimbabwe. Care also has to be taken that the weaker Australian teams such as those during the mid-1980s are treated accordingly. The complex process is explained below.
First a bowling quality index is found for each innings. This is done by the following formula (somewhat similar to the one used by David Barry). I had thought of this earlier, but dismissed it as too complex. Now I think it is necessary.
Sum of (Balls bowled by each bowler x Bowler's bowling avge)
Innings BQI = -----------------------------------------------------
Sum of (Balls bowled by each bowler)
In one of my earlier articles on Team Strength analysis I used a simple average of the top 5 Bowling averages. That was when I was trying to find the strength of team as it walked on to the field. However here I am trying to find how valuable the batsman's innings was. Hence the actual deployment of the bowling resources is necessary. Wasim Akram will make the Pakistani team that much strong, on paper, however, if he did not bowl a single ball, to that extent the bowling lacks sting.
Now comes the second weighting. For this the actual scores of batsman and the Innings BQI are used. The formula is explained below.
Sum of (Batsman innings score x Innings BQI)
Batsman career BQI = --------------------------------------------
Sum of (Batsman innings score)
There is some convergence of values as batsmen score many runs. Note the BOWQTY value for the top 5 batsmen. Hence special care has to be taken to assign points. Amongst batsmen who have scored greater than 2000 runs, Craig McMillan is the best with a BQI of 34.48 and Habibul Bashar the worst with a BQI of 43.47. If we lower the limit to 1000 runs, Nicky Boje is the best with a BQI of 31.3 and Glenn Turner the worst with a BQI of 47.63. No batsman has a career BQI below 30.00 and no batsman has a career BQI above 50.0. The Batsman career BQI is used to derive the index value based on the following formula.
* BOWQTY = 50.0 - Batsman career BQI.
6. % of Team runs (5 points).
The value of a batsman to the team is also determined by the share of the batting load he takes. In other words the % of team runs he scores. This is a secondary parameters and has a weighting only of 5 points. With a criteria of 2500 runs and above, the highest share of team runs scored is by Zaheer Abbas with 21.6%, followed by Greenidge with 19.2%, then by Richards with 19.2% and finally by Tendulkar with 18.1%. The formula used is
* TSPER = % of Team share * 20.0.
Upto this point, the full weight will be given only if the batsman has scored above 2000 runs. Else the points secured will be proportionately downsized.
7. Wins achieved (5 points)
Winning is something special, if not everything (as the Americans profess). No one wants to lose. Hence we should give value to this important aspect of the game without going overboard. This is done in two parts. The first is to derive an index value solely based on the number of wins achieved. This will benefit players who have played more games and have been part of successful teams. The highest number of wins achieved is 220 by Jayasuriya, followed by Ponting with 216, Inzamam with 214, Gilchrist with 214 and Tendulkar with 206. The formula used is
* WINS = No of wins /50.0.
8. Win % achieved (5 points)
What about Richards who achieved 132 wins in 187 matches (a 70.6 win %), which is much higher than that of Tendulkar, 206 wins in 417 matches (49.4%) or Steve Waugh, 196 in 325 (60.3%). His win % suffers only in comparison to the current Australian team, some of whom having over 75%.
This factor addresses this problem. Credit is given to the % of wins achieved, subject to minimum number of matches being reached. The formula used is
* WINSPER = % of wins x 5.0.
9. MOM awards received (5 points).
The last parameter is on the MOM awards achieved. This is the only subjective measure, as pointed to by Shankar Krishnan of Riyadh. However since this is the only individual evaluation measure available I have to consider it. Whatever be the idiosyncracies of the adjudicators there is no doubt that the MOM awards are a pointer to the contribution to the wins achieved by the team.
I have tried to remove the subjective factor, to a certain extent, by considering the frequency of awards also in addition to the absolute number of awards. This is also fair to the older players. Consider this. Richards has got 31 awards in 187 matches. He lags far behind Jayasuriya who has got 45 awards in 415 matches. However when we consider the frequency, Richards has a frequency of one in 6 matches, while Jayasuriya, one in 9.2 matches. Incidentally Tendulkar leads the absolute number of awards with 55. The frequency ranges from 6.0 to 20.0 (limiting value). The formula used is
* MOM = (MOM Awards/30.0) + (3.0 * (20.0 - MOM Frequency)/15.0).
For the last two points, the full weight will be given only if the batsman has played above 50 matches. Else the points secured will be proportionately downsized.
Now the table of top 30 ODI batsmen of all time. The table is current upto match 2759, the facile English win over the hapless South Africans, giving them a 4-0 lead.
The top ODI batsmen of all time - as on 28 August 2008.
No.Cty Batsman Total Runs Avge R/I S/R BwQty Wins Win% % TS MOMs
100.0 20.0 15.0 5.0 25.0 15.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0
1.Ind Tendulkar S.R 79.27 16.36 11.08 4.02 21.16 12.13 4.12 2.47 3.61 4.32
2.Win Richards I.V.A 73.14 6.72 11.75 4.02 24.60 12.20 2.64 3.53 3.85 3.83
3.Slk Jayasuriya S.T 72.24 12.80 8.18 3.13 22.52 12.01 4.44 2.64 2.89 3.63
4.Aus Ponting R.T 71.87 11.11 10.81 3.81 19.63 12.63 4.32 3.59 3.19 2.78
5.Aus Gilchrist A.C 71.12 9.62 8.97 3.45 23.59 12.12 4.04 3.52 2.93 2.88
6.Win Lara B.C 67.70 10.40 10.12 3.60 19.64 12.38 2.78 2.33 3.43 3.01
7.Saf Kallis J.H 67.70 9.61 11.17 3.64 17.33 12.98 3.50 3.15 3.26 3.05
8.Pak Inzamam-ul-Haq 66.72 11.74 9.88 3.35 18.31 11.81 4.28 2.83 3.04 1.48
9.Aus Bevan M.G 66.00 6.91 13.40 3.53 18.31 13.88 3.10 3.34 3.00 0.53
10.Ind Ganguly S.C 65.87 11.36 10.26 3.79 18.14 10.64 2.98 2.40 3.27 3.03
11.Pak Saeed Anwar 65.55 8.82 9.80 3.62 20.20 10.95 2.82 2.85 3.42 3.07
12.Aus Waugh M.E 65.50 8.50 9.84 3.60 19.39 12.29 3.04 3.11 3.22 2.52
13.Aus Symonds A 65.43 5.01 10.09 3.19 22.41 12.58 2.98 3.86 2.58 2.74
14.Slk de Silva P.A 65.02 9.28 8.73 3.14 20.61 12.52 2.56 2.08 3.06 3.05
15.Win Haynes D.L 64.62 8.65 10.34 3.65 16.74 12.16 3.18 3.34 3.63 2.93
16.Saf Gibbs H.H 63.66 7.59 9.12 3.39 20.24 11.95 2.88 3.12 3.03 2.36
17.Ind Dravid R 63.47 10.59 9.87 3.44 17.36 13.25 3.14 2.36 3.00 0.47
18.Pak Mohammad Yousuf 63.22 9.24 10.80 3.64 18.19 10.81 3.12 2.90 3.12 1.40
19.Saf Kirsten G 63.06 6.80 10.24 3.67 17.88 13.45 2.40 3.24 3.35 2.03
20.Saf Klusener L 62.90 3.58 10.28 2.61 22.05 13.92 2.18 3.19 2.27 2.83
21.Aus Jones D.M 62.82 6.07 11.15 3.77 18.86 11.99 1.96 2.99 3.55 2.48
22.Aus Hayden M.L 62.80 6.13 10.95 3.96 19.36 12.26 2.38 3.70 3.34 0.72
23.Pak Javed Miandad 62.74 7.38 10.43 3.39 17.98 13.04 2.38 2.55 3.40 2.18
24.Saf Rhodes J.N 62.73 5.93 8.78 2.70 20.11 15.00 3.10 3.16 2.46 1.47
25.Eng Pietersen K.P 62.46 2.82 11.96 3.87 20.90 14.46 0.68 2.10 3.44 2.24
26.Ind Sehwag V 62.31 5.81 8.11 3.12 23.82 12.41 1.90 2.49 2.70 1.95
27.Ind Dhoni M.S 62.26 3.79 11.85 3.54 21.80 12.73 1.30 2.71 2.90 1.63
28.Ind Azharuddin M 62.10 9.38 9.23 3.04 18.97 12.09 3.20 2.40 2.90 0.89
29.Aus Waugh S.R 61.95 7.57 8.23 2.63 19.26 13.75 3.92 3.02 2.38 1.21
30.Saf Cronje W.J 61.91 5.57 9.66 3.18 19.26 13.51 2.34 3.11 2.92 2.35
Tendulkar is on top, and deservedly so. He has not only scored lots of runs but scored these at a good pace, scored these against good bowlers and contributed more than his share to the Indian cause.
Richards is in second place, again deservedly so. He has scored only 6721 runs, but made up for the huge shortfall in index points with his outstanding average, strike rate, win % and MOM frequency. He may very well move a little bit down in the list in the years to come. But will not lose any of the aura.
Jayasuriya is next, having made up for his low Average and RPI with a mountain of runs scored at a scorching pace. The Lankan readers will be happy that the contributions of the entertainer non-pareil have been recognized. He has managed to retain the third position depsite a poor run of ODI matches against India.
Ponting and Gilchrist, two great Australian batsman, follow in the next two positions, through different combination of high points. Ponting with high average and good strike rate while Gilchrist with lower average and excellent strike rate. Both have great win related numbers.
Lara, Kallis Inzamam, Bevan and Ganguly complete the top 10. This elite placing of these quality batsmen cannot be debated. In fact Lara and Kallis exchanged places after the last match.
There is no doubt that players such as Pietersen (25th currently), Sehwag (26th), Dhoni (27th) and Hussey (39th) will move up the list as they score more runs. However this may be partly compensated by the possible decrease in their averages. Dhoni is surely on the way to becoming an excellent finisher in the Bevan/Hussey mode and as such is unlikely to drop his average. Pietersen's average could drop a little bit. Hussey's could drop significantly unless otherwise he does what Bevan did over a long career.
It should be noted that if we change the weightings, the batsmen will move up or down the list. For instance, Strike Rate could be reduced to 20 points. In that case, Jayasuriya and Ponting will exchange places. But these are minor movements only. It is my firm belief that the top 2, Tendulkar and Richards will remain where they are, whatever be the weightings.
Batsmen such as Kluesener, Dhoni and Pietersen, who have not even scored 4000 ODI runs have managed to reach the top 30 positions in the all-time best batsmen table. This indicates that the weightings for non-longevity measures have been given due importance.
Finally, one important point to be noted. No analyst starts with an idea to prove that one batsman is superior to another or push their favourite batsmen on top. Such shallow analyses will be found out in no time at all. The idea is to come out with a vehicle for healthy discussion and exchange of views. Hence please avoid rude and vicious comments. They have no chance of being read by any one. Pl make your point in a courteous and acceptable manner. The readers have their right to be heard but also their responsibilities to be constructive and courteous.
To view the complete list, click here
This list consists of batsmen who have scored a minimum of 1000 ODI runs. Please remember that many of the calculated points are downsized for batsmen in the 1000-2000 range. They are included only to show where some of the batsmen from the lesser countries stand.
Summary response to readers' comments (Possible tweaks)
1. Avoidance of double weighting for "Wins".
2. Possible cap on Runs scored weighting.
3. Adjust for the paucity of matches played during the early 10 years.
4. Giving weight to key tournament wins such as World Cup and Champion's Trophy.
5. The subjective nature of MOMs, already mentioned by me in the main post does not go well with readers.
6. Quite a few readers have, while accepting Tendulkar's position at no.1, have questioned the wide gap between Tendulkar and Richards. It worries some readers that this gap will keep on widening.
[/tscii]
http://www.orkut.com/Main#CommMsgs.a...885&na=1&nst=1
Interesting Trivia
Ganguly's amazing relantionship with Tendulkar
there is one interesting relantion between god and dada
when sachin made his 10th test 100 dada was at other end ....177 in 96 at notthingram in england
when god made 20th test 100 ..dada was at other end ...126 not out at mohali
when god went past don bradman to get 30th test 100 dada was at other end ( 193 at headingly )
when god become the first batsman to get into 40 test 100 club ..dada was at other end ...( recent 109 at nagpur )
and when sachin broked sunny gavaskar's record of most test 100's ( 109 at delhi ) ..to get his 35 100 dada was at other end
when sachin went past brian lara's record of 11953 runs ..dada was at other end
and there are few this type of facts in odi's also
when sachin went past azhar to become highest run getter in odi's ..dada was at other end ( narobi mini world cup final 2000 ..sachin made 69 and started the match as 9364 aggregate runs and wenmt part azhar's 9378 during the knock of 69 )
and when sachin eqalled dasmen hayens's world record of 17 odi 100's dada was at other end
Poll added
Voted for flick.... :redjump: :cool2:
[u]Quote:
Originally Posted by crajkumar_be
This takes the cake for me. I can never forget this innings(may be the innings of his lifetime and the best i have seen). Brilliant :D :clap:
MakkaLE, Vote pOttA mattum pOdhAdhu, explain the vote :P
:twisted: appo nan vote podalanu vachukkonga...Quote:
Originally Posted by Nerd
:P
Pull shot - extreme dominating shot. WC96 initial qualifiers against Mcgrath. Andy caddick 2003 wcup.
Straight On drive - Shot of Class, supreme authority. 3 straight drives were offered inthe first cb final against lee, 2008. One bettering the other :notworthy:
Flick - Stroke of Late Genius, last minute(second) adjustment. But he has got out a couple of times playing across the line. Enaku pudikadha sila vishayangalil ondru indha playing across the line. Connect aana gethaa irukkum, illati :oops:
Cover Drive: No better sight to watch in cricket ala drives againt brett lee in 2003 wc initial qualifying stages and the drive against mcgrath in 2000/01 home series.
Late cut : Many instances. How did i forget to nominate back foot punch through the gully - point region :oops:
Rest will follow :P.
http://blogs.cricinfo.com/inbox/arch...first.php#more
Flying high with Sachin
Posted by Cricinfo - 1 week ago
From Pradeep Ramarathnam, India
Nobody likes early morning flights. Especially chronic nightbirds. Although I nagged myself to sleep at 12:30 am, my body, as usual, threw tantrums at 5:30 in the morning. After a lot of huffing and puffing, I woke at 6 am. I packed, and at 6:02 am, I made the wise decision of taking a raincheck on the bath and made do with coldwater and facewash. Time to run.
I dozed off peacefully in the car and when I reached terminal 1B, I was greviously late. And to top it all, Jet Airways cancelled the Nagpur flight! I was 'web-checked' in and didn't bother to check the airline on the boarding pass.They shunted me off to Jetlite. I was the among the last few to clear security check and rush inside the aircraft.
There was a general sense of doom in life for the past few days. Dada is going, Jumbo is gone and Dravid is struggling. These are the guys I grew up watching. (Technically, I was 15 when Dravid and Dada made their debuts, but still.) It was a stark reminder of the end of middle class cricket. Sitting around in a canteen,discussing the latest Sportstar, trading posters, going to National College, Basavangudi grounds and watching Kumble play for Bangalore Cricketers (Circa 1991), I even remember meeting Javagal Srinath, whose sister lives down the road. I was elated when I saw his shirt marquee - Peter England. How typically Jayanagar! Cutting edge Bourgeouis Elegance. So overwhelmingly inclusive it felt.
I have just noticed that my general tendency to meander has caught up with me again. Back to the flight.
I stuffed my arm with newspapers and got in. A quick "Good Morning" to the graceful, middle-aged stewardess was followed by a side step to the right to find my seat, and more importantly, stowage area.
Around this time is when time froze. Sitting right in front. Seat number 1F was Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. I shall not trivialise his greatness (Or make this piece tacky) by using loose adjectives of sobriquets here. He is Tendulkar. I'm sure you get it.
I really didn't want to stare. There were already a few pot-bellied trader type guys who were giggling like 12 year old girls. Sachin, now that I was already 25 seconds into my short peek at him, seemed a lot more, what's the word, pink than he looks on TV.
I was going to warm my behind in 1D! Same row, two seats away from the greatest, God-dest, cricketer ever! (Ok, I said no corny adjectives. I thought God-dest was a nice touch)
I said a quick prayer to ensure no loser makes a grab for the middle seat. I shoved my bags under the seat and looked askance to see if Sachin was checking me out. He wasn't. He was busy signing autographs, but I'm sure he did. You can tell these things.
The steward then put on his best accent and made the safety announcements. I was cursing myself. I really really wish I had taken a bath. Now I wasn't sure if the deo was working. What if Sachin wanted to change his seat? Imagine if he calls the stewardess and tells her, in his warm, endearing, boyish voice " This guy stinks. Give me window on the 30th row". I decided to avoid this scene by aborting my plan to hug him.
Five minutes into the flight, a middle aged guy wearing an ill-fitting Ed Hardy Tee and a wild pair of jeans came to our row and started blabbering in Marathi. I 'm not sure what he was saying, but he used a lot of names and had a wide grin throughout. He was uniformy fawning and utterly deferential.
Imagine the horror on my face, when instead of brushing him off by looking outside the window, (like we do to avoid shelling out change to beggars on trains) Sachin patiently replied in Marathi.
It was all so poetic. The syllables seemed carefully measured and worded. I could make out ("Barobar"- Right, Right) and "Ani"- And. Marathi is a beautiful language, Especially in Sachin's voice.
He signed probably 40 autographs at least in the hour long flight. He even blessed an infant. (I remember the name, I am going to track his progress. He's going to be huge.)
I kept thinking to myself," This guy is seriously polite. If he had no talent and wasn't a cricketer, he would have been a great hotel receptionist. Or a Front Desk executive for Air Deccan. No wonder McGrath could do nothing to him. How dare Gilchrist say all those things about him. Should I ask him something?"
I kept quiet and concentrated on the Economic Times Supplement in my hand throughout, except for the occasional stare with my tongue out. What could I tell him? I know so much about cricket. Why can't I come up with a good line to start the conversation? Maybe if I had a bath I would have been more confident. Then I would definitely have impressed Sachin. Maybe he would have called me his friend. Sigh.
'Accentboy' then announced landing. It was now or never. I swallowed hard. Time to go hell for leather, I thought.
"Excuse me, Sachin. Pradeep here, big fan." (D-uh!)
"Hi Pradeep" (Hand comes out.)
I don't shake well. Too soft sometimes, too hard sometimes. But this time, I just wanted to touch. Ideally, I should have hi-fived Sachin. I high-five well.
"Have you checked out the new stadium before?"
"No, that's why I am going early."
I felt quite kicked. It was a reasonably smart question I thought. Maybe it would have looked smarter if I was a girl. People always think girls don't know cricket.
The aircraft thudded and made a fierce landing at Nagpur airport. For a split second, I thought Maybe I could get to save Sachin's life.
Sachin seemed in a hurry to get out." Excuse me", he said, as he made his way to the aisle to pick up his bags. Why is he requesting me? I would grimace in joy if he stood on me and picked his bags.
I caught him one last time and took his autograph for my little nephew." Good luck Sachin for Nagpur", I said loudly as if I knew him. I tried to get a quick snap, but in my nervousness only caught his right shoulder on his way out.
I made a quick mental note to send a box of sweets to the travel desk for booking me in 1D. I also congratulate Naresh Goyal for discontinuing the Jet flight and pushing us into Jetlite. I salute all airlines with no business class.
I'm glad I did my MBA. I'm glad I joined my organisation. I'm glad they gave me MP state to handle. I'm glad there are no direct flights to Jabalpur and the only way is Nagpur. I'm glad I travelled today and not tomorrow.
I really doubt I'll ever sit side-by-side with my hero again. In case Sachin is reading - It was a pleasure traveling with you. Every single one of us on that flight was destined to have a great day on November 4, 2008. Nothing can go wrong today. And thanks, finally I have a story to pick up chicks with.
PS - I really wish I was less emotional about the whole thing, But it's Sachin Tendulkar. I'm sure you understand.
:lol: A bit girlish, i felt :oops:
:D I voted for this...mostly intha shot la than kanakka start pannuvaaru....unmailiyele sema geth-ana shottu.. :P :smokesmirk:Quote:
Originally Posted by ajithfederer
I voted for Straight Drive. The most beautiful thing on cricket field one could ever see :notworthy:
Bala,
As far as retirement is concerned, I want him to retire with the same form as he had during the 2003 World cup. To be honest, I can't agree with you that he should have retired in Aus. namakku heroism kaatura sachin thaan thevai.. (at least to me). 2003 WC maari oru marana kattu kaatittu thaan retire aaganum.. :)
athukku than 2011 WC varuthe... :redjump:Quote:
Originally Posted by selvakumar
Should be the on-drive, that slide back and slam it over mid-on shot. That his most brutal shot.
I voted for the paddle-sweep because Sachin is perhaps the pioneer. It takes awesome judgement to play that. He used to play it against the best of spinners - both legspinners bowling around the wicket and offspinners bowling over thw wicket. Two completely different lines and turns. And you will have to play it after the bounce - so you have to negotiate the turn.
He used to play it really fine in the initial days when he started playing this shot regularly (96 ish), used to get boundaries even with a fine leg in place !!
Then he started playing it with a wider arc - a mix between paddle sweep and a full blown sweep shot. Started playing it off medium pacers !!
Whenever I see anyone playing that shot I can't help thinking of Sachin. Really a contribution to the game.
3rd Test vs Aus in Chennai, 2001. 3 boundaries off Shane Warne's over after reaching 100 :notworthy:Quote:
Originally Posted by Prabhu Ram
http://cricket.ndtv.com/cricket/ndtv...3543&site=ndtv
Can't afford a scratch on Sachin: Govt sources
NDTV Correspondent
Friday, November 21, 2008 5:41 PM (New Delhi)
Can't afford a scratch on Sachin: Govt sources
Amidst growing uncertainty over the Indian cricket team's impending tour of Pakistan, government sources reiterated on Friday that a security team would make an assessment in the next two weeks before reaching any final decision.
"The security team will make an assessment in the next two weeks whether the Indian team can go to Pakistan or not," Indian government sources told NDTV. "We can't afford a scratch on Sachin Tendulkar," an official was quoted as saying.
The statement follows today's developments in Pakistan as another blast took place at the funeral of a Shiite Muslim cleric in the northwest, claiming at least eight lives.
Earlier, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had sought security clearance from the government to go ahead with the tour.
"The tour will be finalised once we get the clearance from the government. Nothing can be confirmed before that," Board President Shashank Manohar had said.
India are scheduled to play three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match during the five-week tour from January 13 to February 19.
It will be the fifth bilateral series between the two countries since 2004, when cricket ties resumed after a 15-year gap due to political tensions between the warring neighbours.
The tour was put in doubt after the Indian government denied permission to the national junior hockey team to visit Pakistan earlier this month.
Australia cancelled a Test tour of Pakistan in March and the International Cricket Council put off the high-profile Champions Trophy there in September due to security concerns.
Recent media reports have suggested that the series could be held in India or at a neutral venue if the Indian government denies permission to play in Pakistan.
SACH-IN, WHO’S OUT?
RAINA OR ROHIT, ON WHOM WILL THE AXE FALL?
Satish Viswanathan I TNN
Bangalore: Sachin Tendulkar may have already figured in 417 ODIs, yet a good 24 hours before the rest of his mates were slated to gather for a net session, he was out at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday afternoon, having an extended hit against a bowling machine set up exclusively for him. Not having to travel the length and breadth of the country like the others, Tendulkar, having opted to sit out the first three ODIs against England, had obviously got tired of resting.
It was a good eight months back, on March 4 to be precise, that Tendulkar played his last ODI. In an earlier era, when teams traveled across continents by ship, one tour lasted that long but today eight months is a long, long time in international cricket. The Indians have played a lot of ODI cricket since then, losing some but winning a lot more. It is a fact that Tendulkar was hardly missed by the Mahendra Dhoni-led side which annihilated Bangladesh, all but won the Asia Cup and defeated Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka, a feat not easily achieved by any team.
Why bring Tendulkar back then? Some would call it a blasphemous question if there ever was one and you can’t really argue with that. For Tendulkar is Tendulkar, a man who having made his international debut in 1989, knows more about time travel than anyone else and has this ability to not just fit in anywhere and anytime but also lift the others around him. Yes, the team may be on a roll and may not need any further lift. The batting order too may be all but set in stone, more so the leftright opening combination of Gautam Gambhir and Virendra Sehwag. Finally it doesn’t usually pay to tinker with a winning combination. Enough reasons in most cases to make no changes to the batting front.
Except in this case. For Tendulkar did not go out of the team due to poor performances and only sat out due to his body catching up with his age. After all, when the England thinktank sits down to discuss plans for the fourth ODI here on Sunday — meaning Plan A, B, C — for Tendulkar, they will perhaps want to review his last few matches. And when they do that they will find that in the last three ODIs that he played in, Tendulkar had scores of 63, 117 not out and 91, the latter two against Australia in the best-of-three finals that didn’t need the third final. It was the biggest stage possible, apart from a World Cup final and it was one of the team’s and Tendulkar’s final frontiers and it was captured in style thanks to the way he led with the bat.
In fact just ask any opposition whom they would rather bowl to and they would name anyone but Tendulkar. His sheer presence sends opposing teams into a tizzy, taking up a lot of time in the team meetings. For experience does not come easy.
One of either Suresh Raina or Rohit Sharma will have to make way for the master, with the latter more likely to hold onto this place. Also it will not a simple swap, for Tendulkar will have to open the innings as well, something that GR Viswanath, one of India’s batting greats, insisted on.
“I don’t care about the rest of the order, Sachin will have to open,” he told TOI. With Gambhir having done quite well at number three, it will probably be a Tendulkar-Sehwag combo at the top and you couldn’t call that any less destructive, could you?
Of course, the most interesting aspect here will be Tendulkar’s approach. In the recent past, he has played second fiddle to the Sehwags and Gambhirs, choosing to anchor the innings. But as we said earlier, eight months is a long time and this is no longer a team that Tendulkar needs to carry alone.
With that weight off his shoulders, the pressure may just be transferred to his heavy blade, all of which may mean more darkness for an England side that has already been up in arms against poor light.
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Defau...1800&AppName=1
http://cricketnext.in.com/news/tendu.../35845-13.html
Tendulkar to open with Sehwag, says Dhoni
V Veera Kumar | Cricketnext.com
Posted on Nov 22, 2008 at 18:20
Bangalore: Despite the Delhi pair of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir forming a formidable opening pair in both Tests and One-Dayers, Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni prefers to open the batting with Sachin Tendulkar and Sehwag for the fourth match against England at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.
"Though, we will be announcing the playing eleven only tomorrow, I can say that Sachin in all probability will open the batting with Viru (Sehwag) and Gautam (Gambhir) will come at number three. We have to make way for a batsman of Sachin's class but who will sit out here is yet to be decided," Dhoni said in the pre-match press conference on Saturday.
"It is always a pleasure to have Sachin back in the side as there is so much the youngsters can learn from him. He would always be a source of inspiration for the team and I am sure the youngsters will gain immensely by playing with him as long as he plays for the country. In fact Sachin knows about his body the best and I am sure he will continue to play as long as he feels fit," Dhoni added.
"As of now Sachin is playing. We have got to see which player is coming and make way. The upcoming players can learn from him a lot and get maximum benefit out of him," he pointed out.
When asked whether Sachin had any problem bowling in One-Day matches as he used to before a string of injuries to his elbow and back reduced his role as a bowler, Dhoni replied in the negative.
"Sachin can bowl and there is no problem whatsoever. He is quite open to that and I would not hesitate to use him as he has won us matches in the past," he added.
Speaking about the fourth One-Dayer, Dhoni said, the unexpected rain in the afternoon had them worried about the preparations for Sunday's match as they had to start from the scratch and make sure that the series is won right here.
"We have got to start allover again despite leading the series 3-0 as it is a new game and we would like to wrap it up here. I am not too concerned about the margin of victory as long as we win the series. Whether we win 7-0, 4-3 or 5-2 is not important. But if we win tomorrow, I would like to rest some of my players who have been playing continuously for some time," he observed.
"To be a successful team, we have to plan and then execute it on the field. As a team, things have fallen well in place but we need to continue in the same vein. I think the bulk of work has been done by spinners, especially Harbhajan Singh and the part timers Yuvraj, Sehwag and Yusuf (Pathan) but the seamers too have contributed to our success and hope they will continue to do so," he added.
When asked whether he was planning to rest one of the bowling spearhead Zaheer Khan during the series, Dhoni said, he was seriously thinking about it and would do so only after winning the series.
"Yes, I have thought about it (resting Zaheer) as the seamers should get proper rest to regain their rhythm. However, we will think about it only after winning the series. As of now I am satisfied with the way things are going for the team," the wicketkeeper-batsman said.
Speaking about the wicket and was he prepared for another Duckworth-Lewis Method result, Dhoni said, the wicket was bit damp after the unseasonal rain but had not thought about the Duckworth-Lewis Method as yet.
"The wicket looks very damp right now and we can come to know the true nature of it only tomorrow as far as the Duckworth-Lewis Method is concerned I have not even thought about it. I think if the match is curtailed due to more rains tomorrow, batting is a better option. However, it is hard to plan for such things right now," he said.
RETURN OF THE CHAMP :redjump:
http://www.hindu.com/2008/11/23/stor...2356151500.htm
Sachin gets down to business
Bangalore, November 21 Reading the name Sachin Tendulkar on an Indian team-sheet is never a happy proposition for any opposition captain, especially if your team is 3-0 down and desperate for a win in order to keep the series alive. Even England off-spinner Graeme Swann had admitted to have been relieved when Tendulkar had opted out of the first three games.
The English squad was not scheduled to arrive from Kanpur until late on Friday night, but there were already ominous signs awaiting them ahead of what could easily turn out to be the last consequential match of the series.
Tendulkar, who returns to the fold after his sabbatical, arrived at the Chinnaswamy stadium in the afternoon, and looked in menacing touch as he hit the ball to every part of the ground. He might have done so within the confines of the net on a practice wicket, and against a bowling machine. But as he pulled, drove, cut and flicked like only he can, middling the ball almost every single time, it was clear that he was getting into his groove to face the likes of Flintoff, Anderson and Broad on Sunday.
Long net
He batted for almost an hour, and also hoisted one ball into the stands in what could be a prelude for a possible battering that the English bowlers may have to contend with in the fourth match of the series.
Tendulkar will, in all likelihood, replace fellow Mumbai batsman Rohit Sharma, who is yet to come up with a meaningful contribution in the series. With Sehwag and Gambhir in fantastic form and having formed one of the most formidable opening partnerships in the world presently, it will be interesting to see where the team management decides to play Tendulkar. It is unlikely that the opening combination will be disturbed, and he might end up batting somewhere in the middle-order.
The weather and light may have been a little unkind to the visitors at Kanpur, but the ride for them just seems to get tougher.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-n...siness/389046/
http://cricket.ndtv.com/cricket/ndtv...3738&site=ndtv
Chat with Tendulkar humbles Gilchirst
Press Trust of India
Sunday, November 23, 2008 1:31 PM (Melbourne)
Adam Gilchrist might have no qualms in suggesting that Sachin Tendulkar was "bad sport" but the retired Australian said he had a humbling feeling while speaking to the Indian batting maestro to clear the air after the furore raised by his book 'True Colours'.
The retired stumper had accused Tendulkar of changing his statement during the 'Monkey-gate' appeal hearing involving Andrew Symonds and Harbhajan Singh but later called up the Indian maestro to tell him he was quoted out of context.
"When I was talking to him. A little voice in the back of my head was saying, 'Can you believe you're really on the phone to Sachin Tendulkar?' I mean this is one of the best cricketers of all time, someone I admire so much, and here I was talking to him on the phone," Gilchrist said.
Gilchrist said he called up Tendulkar because of his nature of maintaining friendly rapport with those he had played with or against.
"I didn't have to call him. It's just that when I started playing cricket that was part of my approach. I wanted to get to know the people I played with and against. When I finished playing I wanted to be on friendly terms with them.
"Not so we were all on each other's email lists or anything like that, just so we got along. We've all got a common interest, we should be on good terms. Some people don't care about that, but I do.
"I wanted Sachin to know I'd been taken out of context. I wanted to explain," he told 'Sunday Courier'.
http://www.orkut.com/Main#CommMsgs.a...77021298153171
an interesting observation from a spectator.. got from cricinfo
(it's true also..!)
"If you total the number of runs by all players currently playing for England, they are less than what Tendulkar has.."
http://www.dpb.in/magazines/cricket-...?38,272,4.html
"Sachin's talent was as clear as sunrays"- Ravi
I spoke to Ravi Shastri in Chittagong after Sachin scored his 34th century. Ravi has been watching Sachin for more that 18 years. He was Sachin’s captain for the Mumbai team. Shastri has played an important role in realizing Sachin’s commercial worth. He was more than instrumental in Sachin signing a deal with Mark Mascarenhas’s company WorldTel.
Early days:
I read his name many times in Mumbai’s local newspapers. I am talking about the 1886-87 days. Two cricketers were wreaking havoc in school cricket. Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli were more than popular names in Mumbai cricket. I remember the match against Gujarat where Sachin was included in the Mumbai Ranji squad. Those days, getting into the Mumbai Ranji team was as difficult as getting into the Test team. Sachin scored a century on first-class debut. I realized that cricketing talent in Sachin Tendulkar was as clear as sunrays.
Talented Sachin:
I think Sachin is born with cricketing sense. Not only in the batting department, but in bowling as well. When I was captain of the Mumbai team, I used to give minimum ten overs to Sachin. His observations were spot-on. He could easily detect fault in the batsman’s technique. He was a hyperactive cricket kid. His presence on the cricket field was action-packed.
Sachin as a brand:
Yes, I have some involvement in realizing Sachin’s worth as a true cricketing brand. I introduced him to Mark Mascarenhas in Chennai. Mark was a great cricket fan. Mark’s company WorldTel signed Sachin. I don’t think Sachin is an overpaid cricketer. His performance and his image speak volumes of his total commitment for the game of cricket. I think because of the Sachin-Mark combination, all other cricketers were also benefited. Cricket players started getting more endorsements and more money after this tie-up.
The credit goes to....
Sachin’s elder brother Ajit has played a major role in grooming Sachin’s talent. Sachin is blessed with a very cultured family. Success has not gone to his head and his feet are firmly on the ground. This is because of his family values and his upbringing.
Mark Mascarenhas:
I was thinking about what Mark would have done had he been present in Bangladesh when Sachin equaled Sunil Gavaskar’s record for most number of Test centuries. Mark would have chartered a flight and I am sure I would have heard his voice even far away from the Bangabandhu Stadium. He would have been excited like a child. Mark would certainly have thrown a lavish party to celebrate the occasion.
I am 100 percent sure that Sachin is going to break all batting records. It as more than a joy to watch Sachin’s progress from close quarters.
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Defau...1800&AppName=1
http://epaper.dinamalar.com/DM/MADHU...08_015_010.jpg
Warne "Balti".... :lol:
inimae enga sachin-ku bowl panna porom-nu nenaichttar pola.. :lol:
ipl irukku...
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/B...ow/3748734.cms
Fan builds 'ideal' stadium for Sachin
23 Nov 2008, 2352 hrs IST, TNN
Bangalore : While cricket fans were upset with the rain on Sunday, T Suresh, a mechanic-driver from Austin Town, was trying to find out
the Mumbai address of his idol, Sachin Tendulkar.
"I want to send him a model stadium I built for him,'' he says. The `Little Genius Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar Stadium' is a miniature built out of 4,000-5,000 grass sticks on a canvas measuring just 32 inches x 18 inches. It has not just the pitch and gallery, but also floodlights, rooms for commentators and VVIPs, practice nets and even a small restaurant.
While there's no space for parking, that's the case everywhere, he says, on a lighter note.
An ardent Sachin fan, Suresh hit upon the idea in January 2002. He completed it after much brainwork in 2004. But meeting the Little Master and showing him the model took more time. "This was probably the worst period of my life. People around me thought that I was out of my senses, trying to meet Sachin,'' he told TOI. But it finally happened during the India-Australia test match in Bangalore in October.
"That was the ultimate moment. His reaction remains fresh in my memory,'' he says, thrilled that the master blaster -- who saw all the rooms and facilites in this model stadium -- was impressed by it. Now, he wants to send it to his hero.
Further, he fears that packing this fragile material into a box might damage his years of efforts in making the stadium. "But, I will send it to Sachin'' he says with a broad smile, not giving up hopes yet.
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=fBEQHMAzwas
Sachin Tendulkar-Bachna Ae Haseeno- ATISH-THE GOD.avi
http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite...B?OpenDocument
Tendulkar at his best is better than Lara: Ponting
Natasha Chaku
Melbourne, Nov 24 (PTI) Australia captain Ricky Ponting may not have much love for Team India but he was liberal in his praise of individuals like Sachin Tendulkar whom he placed ahead of West Indian batting great Brian Lara.
"I have always maintained that he (Tendulkar) at his best was fractionally ahead of Brian Lara at his best, and they are the best two batsmen I have played against," Ponting wrote in his 'captain's Diary 2008'.
"As I write this, he has scored 14 international hundreds against Australia during his career (seven in Tests, seven in ODIs), and I have been on the field for many of them, so I have plenty of opportunities to guage just how magnificent and complete a batsman he is," he said in a specially highlighted reference to the Mumbai maestro.
The Aussie captain said he tried to set up schemes and strategies to trap Tendulkar but the Indian almost always broke the code.
"We have tried a wide variety of schemes and strategies, but he's usually had the answer to all of them...
"For me, right at the start of my Test career, it was a great experience just to see such a champion player going about his business in his conditions," he said in reference to a contest in Mumbai.
Ponting also singled out the just retired Indian captain Anil Kumble and promising pacer Ishant Sharma for special appreciation and said batsmen could not relax against the two. PTI
I voted for Pull shot - The most demoralizing attack against any fast bowler 8-)
http://www.businessday.co.za/weekend...?ID=BD4A890024
Gary Kirsten on working with Sachin
This is from an article written by Daryll Cullinan
His apparently measured approach is no different from his batting style and philosophy. A thorough student of the game, he speaks of the great thrill of working with batting master Sachin Tendulkar. Kirsten was first introduced to the team when India were last in Australia.
Tendulkar immediately made him feel at home by asking him to join him for a one-on-one throw-down session in the nets.
It was not too long ago that he would have been playing against the master and now he was being asked to offer his advice on certain technical issues Tendulkar was having with his game.
Perhaps Tendulkar was using the opportunity to assess his future coach’s technical and cricketing nous. He obviously impressed Tendulkar for they have formed a close working relationship and mutual respect.
Kirsten speaks of Tendulkar’s ability to stay one step ahead of the opposition. On that particular tour he felt the Australians would look to nick him off outside off-stump. He looked to get more back across in his pre-shot routine, making sure he was covering off-stump and knew where it was — which is essential for playing on bouncy wickets.
Most of the time international batsmen facing Australian quicks on Australian wickets would be consumed with practising under high intensity and high speeds.
The master was different, just making sure his movements were exact and rhythmical. It is also an insight into the Indian way.
In my time I have observed their players spending hours having gentle throw-downs in the nets and against the boundary boards on the field. Their way and methods are not always highly intense and structured but allowance is made for the chance just to play and experiment even in the simplest of fashions.
In the following Test match Tendulkar felt the Australians would come a lot straighter at him, especially at the start of his innings. He worked on his balance and playing more from middle and leg, making sure he could play straighter down the ground.
He knew he would have to be on top of his game as the Aussies would throw Brett Lee at him the moment he walked to the crease. After all, the master is ageing and pace would test him early on.
Kirsten tells of watching the whole thing unfold.
Sure enough, it was Lee first up to Tendulkar and it was a quick middle and leg delivery looking to “spear” him.
Tendulkar replied with a straight drive, his trademark on-drive, down the ground for four.
It was a rare insight to a legend’s way. It was fascinating to know of his technical changes depending on conditions and the opposition. Often this is not that noticeable to the naked eye or even the astute observer, but for a batsman it can mean massive changes requiring time and plenty of practice to get used to.
However, Tendulkar is different, for his ability to be flexible in such an important part of his game must be a key ingredient in his continued brilliance and dominance through the years.
We have truly been privileged to watch him play.
http://srikrishnans.blogspot.com/200...ay-sachin.html
Monday, April 24, 2006
Happy Birthday Sachin
My tribute to the man who has served as a role model to millions of Indians and one who has personified humility and modesty... Growing up as a poster boy in the eyes of the public into a superstar and the boy who inspired all the mothers and sisters to talk about cricket, the man who made cricket family entertainment-- My wishes to him for a truely "Happy Birthday" and thanx a lot for the fond memories... Cant imagine how growing up must have been without him.. Cant imagine how it must have been without cricket...........
Sachin stands rock solid in a world of vicissitudes
Rajdeep Sardesai
December 12, 2005
Where were you when Sachin Tendulkar made his test debut? I was at The Times of India in Mumbai, at a time when Girilal Jain had just retired as editor and when the marketing department had still not taken over the running of a newspaper. VP Singh had just become India's prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi was alive, the Babri Masjid was still in place, we relied on an MTNL lineman to provide us a decent phone connection, Infosys was still a start-up, Osama was a US ally, Shahrukh Khan was a struggling actor, Doordarshan was still the sole source of small screen entertainment and the concept of even one 24-hour news channel was an outrageous flight of fancy.
Sixteen years, 35 hundreds and 30 news channels later, the world has changed dramatically. What has remained remarkably constant is the presence of Sachin Tendulkar at the crease, blue helmet in place, the slight shuffle in the crease as the bowler approaches, the eyes unflinching in gaze, head firm, and the short backlift only a mask for the power that lies behind each stroke. Through all the upheavals of the last decade and a half - and the scale of change has been truly tectonic - Tendulkar has stood rock solid, a reassuring sign in an era where there are no guarantees what tomorrow will bring.
All that has changed is the boy with fluffy cheeks and curly locks who we watched excitedly on the maidans of Mumbai has become the man of India, his skills paraded in every major world stadium. Forget the fact that he hadn't had a proper shave when he hit Qadir for four sixes in an over in his first series, and that today he is a multi-crore match-winner…
For many of us, Sachin will always be the boy wonder, a rare symbol of national pride and excellence, someone whose achievements have become our badge of identity whenever we've felt down and out.
I still recall being caught in the middle of a terrible power cut in Delhi a few years ago, the summer heat virtually exhausting both body and soul. While we despaired over the state of infrastructure in the national capital, Tendulkar was in Sharjah playing an innings that would light up the night in a manner that no power supplier could. Instead of feeling depressed by the "we pay our taxes, but get no benefit" refrain, we rejoiced in the knowledge that Sachin had taken India to a famous victory.
Then, there was that momentous day against Pakistan in the World Cup two years ago. Billed as the "greatest contest on earth", this was Sachin versus Shoaib, the classic confrontation between an aggressive batsman and a tearaway fast bowler. The battle lasted just an over. With one slashed six over point - a shot which cricket historian Ramchandra Guha suggested had ended a decade of Indian inferiority against Pakistan - and a string of boundaries, Sachin established himself as the dominant force in the match.
It almost seemed as if all the national anger of an attack on Parliament, the war in Kargil, the death of innocents in Kashmir had been avenged with one single innings in this cricketing war without weapons.
Sometimes, one wonders whether we have placed too much hope and expectation on the shoulders of a single individual. Its almost as if we demand a century from Sachin every time he walks to the crease. What is even more astonishing is that Sachin has fulfilled all those expectations to score as many as 73 international centuries.
In England, they celebrate a Graeme Hick when he scores a hundred first class hundreds. Here, you have a cricketer who is poised to score a hundred international centuries, and there are still critics who wonder whether he has the motivation to stay on top of his game. It's a bit like seeing a Kohinoor in front of our eyes, and still wondering whether we should make a trip to the Tower of London. Pause for a moment to also think of Vinod Kambli, Sachin's school soul mate and batting partner. Kambli once spoke of how "Sachin had taken an elevator, while he had climbed the stairs to the top." But after one great series against England, Kambli found that it was even more difficult staying at the top than just getting there. Which is why Sachin is sui generis. In cricketing terms, only Sunil Gavaskar, the man whose record Tendulkar now owns, and Kapil Dev can be compared to him. The holy trinity of Indian cricket, you couldn't get three more different players: Gavaskar the architect, Kapil Dev the innovator and Tendulkar the artist. Obvious talent apart, what binds them together is their sheer determination and commitment, a glue which has laid the foundation of modern Indian cricket.
In a sense, Sachin is our link to an India that existed before page three invaded our homes, before instant celebrities were manufactured by the media even if their achievements are shorter than the length of their skirts.
This is not just some one film hit star, who dances his way to the box office. Sachin's achievements are based on solid performance, on rigour, on durability and, above all, genuine skill, qualities that have made him a national icon.
This is a moment to be not just proud of, but grateful for. Thank you for the memories Sachin, and making it a little easier to live and grow up in modern India.
Aarambichittangeppa.... :banghead:
http://epaper.dinamalar.com/DM/MADHU...08_014_003.jpg