Tendulkar takes India to thumping win

Sachin Tendulkar played a match-winning knock in the third ODI at Cuttack on 21 Dec 2009.

There were predictions of runs aplenty, but the wicket at the Barabati Stadium followed its more traditional role of offering turn.

The Indian spinners exploited the conditions perfectly to trigger a collapse and restrict Sri Lanka to 239 in the third ODI at the Barabati Stadium here on Monday.

Sachin Tendulkar’s classy unbeaten 96 then helped India ease past the target in 42.4 overs.

Tendulkar began by dispatching Chanaka Welegedera with a superb cover drive. Virender Sehwag waited a brief while before belting the ball around to give India a sizzling start.

The Indians looked like overhauling the target in a blink before Sehwag’s dismissal — caught at backward point — slowed things slightly.

Stunning drives


Tendulkar produced more stunning drives apart from the streaky upper-cut and paddle scoop that also went for boundaries. He put on 72 with Gautam Gambhir, and after the latter’s dismissal, batted patiently with Yuvraj Singh.

The Indians finished the job with a flurry of boundaries from Tendulkar and Karthik.

Earlier, despite Tillakaratne Dilshan’s fearsome batting and Upul Tharanga’s steady half-century, India fought back splendidly.

Quality spin bowling stifled Sri Lanka in the middle overs. Ravindra Jadeja’s left-arm spin saw him finish with career-best figures of four for 32.

Terrific start


Sri Lanka had a rousing start after skipper Kumar Sangakkara chose to bat. The fielders watched motionless as Dilshan cracked the innings open with a full-blooded drive off Zaheer Khan. Ishant Sharma was immediately initiated into life’s cruelties when Dilshan used a good deal of his wrists to direct the ball straight down for a boundary.

The battering of Ishant reached its peak when Dilshan drove, pulled and then scooped, all in a frenzied pursuit of boundaries. Tharanga’s six over long-off went quietly unnoticed in the same over. Sri Lanka’s fifty came in just the fourth over.

Zaheer went for 26 in his first two overs, which quickly saw Ashish Nehra replacing him. The reward showed up just when it looked like it wasn’t going to be — after Dinesh Karthik missed a simple run out chance.

Dilshan made 41, a mere 40 of them coming from boundaries! But the adventure ended in a rather awkward top-edge off a delivery too short from Nehra. Karthik was fortunate redemption came very quickly. The wicketkeeper was under the ball and took the catch comfortably.The two left-handers — Tharanga and Sangakkara — maintained a more plausible run-rate thereafter with the odd cut and the harmless straight drive, but Sri Lanka still reached its hundred in the 12th over.

Both batsmen became quiet once Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh came on. Sehwag tossed it up, threw in a few flat ones and made it difficult for the batsmen to generate pace.

Offering turn


There was a doubt whether the turn on offer was an illusion created by Karthik’s baseball grill while keeping to the spinners. But, it turned out that the wicket did offer some turn. Harbhajan worked himself into a very good rhythm and got the ball to drift and turn.

Sangakkara looked promising during his 46, which included a six off Sehwag. However, the Indian skipper had his man soon. Sangakkara went for a similar shot but was beaten in the air. The Sri Lankan skipper had charged so much down the wicket that even a fumble by Karthik could not save him, the latter having enough time to make amends and knock the bails off. Before his departure, Sangakkara had added 100 with Tharanga off 97 balls.

After losing his captain, Tharanga went about quietly collecting singles and twos and looked set for a hundred. Jadeja brought about his fall with a well-flighted delivery that forced the opener into driving against the turn. However, the ball turned a great deal and went on to disturb the stumps.

Chamara Kapugedera departed to another turning delivery from Jadeja, who also got some drift.

India’s bowling momentum was such that even Ishant, who could’ve been scarred by his early figures of 46 in three overs, returned to bowl with a new-found confidence.

He got a full one to straighten and castle Thilina Kandamby. Off the next ball, Suraj Randiv edged behind.

India made two changes with Yuvraj and Ishant replacing Virat Kohli and Praveen Kumar. For Lanka, Nuwan Kulasekara replaced the injured Angelo Mathews and Lasith Malinga came in for Suranga Lakmal.


SCOREBOARD

 Sri Lanka: U. Tharanga b Jadeja 73 (81b, 6x4, 1x6), T. Dilshan c Karthik b Nehra 41 (18b, 10x4), K. Sangakkara st. Karthik b Sehwag 46 (41b, 3x4, 1x6), M. Jayawardene c Raina b Harbhajan 2 (12b), T. Kandamby b Ishant 22 (29b, 3x4), C. Kapugedera b Jadeja 15 (28b), N. Kulasekara lbw b Jadeja 10 (14b, 1x4), S. Randiv c Karthik b Ishant 0 (1b), L. Malinga b Nehra 13 (24b, 1x4, 1x6), A. Mendis b Jadeja 6 (14b), C. Welegedara (not out) 2 (4b); Extras (b-1, lb-2, w-6): 9; Total (in 44.2 overs): 239.

Fall of wickets: 1-65 (Dilshan), 2-165 (Sangakkara), 3-169 (Tharanga), 4-173 (Jayawardene), 5-204 (Kapugedera), 6-210 (Kandamby), 7-210 (Randiv), 8-218 (Kulasekara), 9-236 (Mendis).

India bowling: Zaheer 7-0-49-0, Ishant 7-0-63-2, Nehra 6.2-0-32-2, Harbhajan 9-0-29-1, Sehwag 4-0-26-1, Jadeja 10-0-32-4, Yuvraj 1-0-5-0.

Powerplays: One (Overs 1-10): 86/1; Bowling (11-15): 36/0; Batting (44-45.2): 3/1.

India: V. Sehwag c Dilshan b Welegedara 44 (28b, 9x4), S. Tendulkar (not out) 96 (104b, 13x4), G. Gambhir c & b Randiv 32 (52b, 3x4), Yuvraj c Sangakkara b Welegedara 23 (40b, 3x4), D. Karthik (not out) 36 (32b, 5x4, 1x6); Extras (lb-5, w-6): 11, Total (for three wkts. in 42.4 overs) 242.

Fall of wickets: 1-55 (Sehwag), 2-127 (Gambhir), 3-169 (Yuvraj).

Sri Lanka bowling: Welegedara 8-1-35-2, Kulasekara 8-0-47-0, Malinga 9.4-1-55-0, Mendis 9-0-67-0, Randiv 8-1-33-1.

Powerplays : One (Overs 1-10): 66/1; Bowling (Overs 11-15): 35/0.

Tendulkar hails best ever India: Teamwork key to India's success says legendary batsman

Sachin Tendulkar insists he is playing in the best India side ever after their rise to the top of the world rankings.

The legendary batsman's claim comes after Sunday's victory over Sri Lanka which saw India clinch the three-Test series and dislodge South Africa at the summit of the International Cricket Council's rankings.

The Mumbai result sees Tendulkar's side leap two places into top spot and the 36-year-old believes the current crop of players are the best India has produced of his 20 years in international cricket.

"It's been a long wait and I'm extremely delighted," Tendulkar said on ending the year as the ICC's world number one team. "I would not hesitate to say that this is the best team I have ever played with.

"If you look at the batting line-up, right from the number one batsman to the number seven batsman which is Mahendra Singh Dhoni spot, it's a solid line-up."


Teamwork

Bowling coach Prasad and fielding coach Robin Singh were relieved of their duties in October this year which left the team without their services for the Test series against Sri Lanka.

But Tendulkar was keen to praise the duo, along with the other backroom staff for their role on India's success.

He added: "I think the process of getting to the number one spot really started when Gary Kirsten and Paddy Upton took over along with Venkatesh Prasad and Robin Singh.

"The aim of the whole team then was to get to be the top in the world.

"All credit to Kirsten, he handled the team brilliantly and credit also to the other players who have been a part of this team over the last 18-20 months.

"They have all worked very hard and have been very focused."



Retirement?

Virender Sehwag, who set up India's victory with a blistering knock of 293, was named man of the match and man of the series and he, too, paid tribute to India's all-round team effort.

"This is a very good team and it's a team effort which has got us to the top," he said.

"I'm very lucky to be a part of this team and I hope we stay at the number one spot for a long time to come."

Meanwhile, Tendulkar insists he is not thinking about retiring from the game with the all-time leading run scorer maintaining his appetite for the sport has yet to diminish.

He added: "I've enjoyed playing the game and although a lot of people have been asking me about retirement, I haven't thought about it at all.

"I will continue to play as long as I enjoy the game."

Sachin completes 30,000 runs in International Cricket

Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar has reached another milestone in his career by completing a phenomenal 30,000 runs in international cricket during the ongoing Ahmedabad Test against Sri Lanka on Friday.

Tendulkar, who completed 20 glorious years in cricket on Sunday (November 15), needed 35 runs to reach the landmark at the start of India's second innings in the Ahmedabad Test against Sri Lanka.

Next in line for the feat is is Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who had recently crossed 24,000 runs.

Tendulkar has 17,178 runs in ODI cricket, 10 runs in the only T20 International he's played, and 12,812 Test runs at the time the landmark was reached.

He holds the record for most ODI and Test runs and centuries.

Sachin Tendulkar 20 Glorious Years in International Cricket

February 23-25, 1988
A monster in the making
Sachin Tendulkar, 14, and Vinod Kambli, 16 compile a 664-run unbroken partnership for Shardashram Vidyamandir against St Xavier's at Azad Maidan in Bombay. Kambli makes 349 not out, Tendulkar 326 not out. It is the highest partnership recorded in any form of cricket, until November 2006 when two schoolboys from Hyderabad - Manoj Kumar and Mohammad Shaibaz - overtake the record with an unbeaten 721-run partnership.

December 11, 1988
Truly first-class debut
At 15, scores an unbeaten century against Gujarat at the Wankhede Stadium to become the youngest Indian to make a hundred on first-class debut. Was picked after Bombay captain Dilip Vengsarkar watched him negotiate Kapil Dev in the nets.

December 14, 1989
Bloody-minded to start with
On the last day of the last Test of his first Test series, in Sialkot, he gets hit on the nose by Waqar Younis - also in his first series. Falls down, gets up, and wipes away the blood. Medical assistance is declined. Is eventually out for 57.

August 14, 1990
How young is too young?
At 17 years and 112 days, becomes the second-youngest centurion in Test history. His 119 not out against England at Old Trafford is a majestic rearguard that enables India to hang on for a draw. It still remains among his most valuable Test innings.

February 2-3, 1992
Crazy diamond
Sculpts a counter-attacking gem of 114, from 135 for 6, then 159 for 8, at the WACA, the bounciest cricket pitch in the world.

April, 1992
Yorkshire opens up
Becomes the first overseas signing for Yorkshire.

November 27-28, 1992
A thousand reasons to cheer
At 19 years and 217 days, becomes the youngest player to make 1000 Test runs, during his 111 out of India's 227 in Johannesburg.

February 11-12, 1993
Mad in Madras
Scores his first Test century at home. Hits 24 fours and a six in his 165 against England, as India win by an innings and 22 runs.

November 24, 1993
Golden arm unveiled
With South Africa needing six runs to win off the last over of their Hero Cup semi-final against India, he bowls a sensational over, giving them just three, and India victory.

March 27, 1994
Going in first
Opens in an ODI for the first time - against New Zealand. Goes on to make 82, off 49 balls.

October, 1995
Commercial worth
Signs a five-year contract worth Rs 31.5 crore with WorldTel, which makes him the richest cricketer in the world.

February-March, 1996
His World Cup
With 523 runs at 87.16, is the highest scorer in the World Cup, held in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Scores two centuries and three half-centuries.

August 8, 1996
Captaincy, part I
Is named captain of the Indian team, at age 23.

January 2, 1998
End of captaincy, part I
Is sacked from the captaincy after a 15-month tenure during which India won three out of 17 Tests.

February-March, 1998
His finest series
Gets his maiden first-class double-hundred and two hundreds and a fifty in three Tests against Australia. India win the home-series 2-1.

April 22-24, 1998
Desert Storm
Scores two blazing, back-to-back hundreds against Australia in Sharjah to help India reach the final and win it.

January 30-31, 1999
His greatest innings... almost
Makes 136 chasing 271 against Pakistan in Chennai with an injured back. Gets out with 17 runs to get; India fall short by 12.

July 28, 1999
Captaincy, part II
Is reappointed captain - without his consent - after India, under Mohammad Azharuddin, fail to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup in England.

March 20, 2001
A thorn in Aussie flesh
Scores a century in a famous decider of a famous series, against Australia. India win 2-1, denying Australia the "final frontier".

March 31, 2001
The road less travelled
Becomes the first player to score 10,000 runs in one-day cricket in the course of his 139 against Australia in Indore.



November 19, 2001
Ball-tampering?
Is cautioned and fined by match referee Mike Denness for trying to "change the condition of the ball" during the Port Elizabeth Test. The resulting outcry in India and the impasse between the Indian board and the ICC leads the latter to review the jurisdiction of match referees.

December 21, 2001
Caught out of his crease
Is tied down by the leg-theory tactics of Ashley Giles in Bangalore, and is stumped for the first time in his Test career. It also highlights the start of his discomfort against left-arm spinners.

August 22-23, 2002
Move over, Sir Don
Overtakes Don Bradman's tally of 29 Test centuries, and misses a double-century by seven runs at Headingley, but India win by an innings and 46 runs.

September 5, 2002
Fastest hundred
Becomes the youngest man ever to play 100 Tests, scores 54 in a drawn Test at The Oval. Apart from three Tests due to injury, he has not missed any since his debut, and has played 84 on the trot.

February-March, 2003
His World Cup, part II
Scores 673 runs at 61.18 in the World Cup, taking India to within a win of the world crown. His 98 against Pakistan in an exceptionally anticipated match is one of the best knocks by an Indian in a World Cup. Australia are champions, but he is named Man of the Series.

August, 2003
Privilege, what privilege?
Draws flak for a duty waiver on the Ferrari 360 Modena gifted to him by the Fiat group on his passing Bradman's mark of 29 Test centuries. Finally offers to pay the $245,000 duty, which is covered by Fiat.

January2-4, 2004
Economy over style
Scores a century without a cover-drive, goes on to get an unbeaten 241 in Sydney, and rates it the best among his centuries. Australia manage to hold on for a draw, and the series ends 1-1.

March 28-29, 2004
Robbed of a double?
Scores an unbeaten 194 in Multan. Later says he was surprised India declared with him so close to the double-century.

August, 2004
Cost of playing catches up
Tennis elbow surfaces, during the Videocon Cup in Holland. Misses the Champions Trophy in England, and then the first two home Tests against Australia.

March 16, 2005
Ten thousand, twice over
Becomes the fifth man to score 10,000 Test runs in course of his 52 against Pakistan in Kolkata. India win the match by 192 runs.

May, 2005
Tennis elbow refuses to go away
Undergoes surgery for the tennis elbow, misses a triangular in Sri Lanka, a tour to Zimbabwe, and the Super Series in Australia.



October 25, 2005
Back, and how Makes a roaring return to international cricket, with 93 off 96 balls against Sri Lanka in Nagpur, in India's 350 for 6.

December 10, 2005
Sunny days In scoring 109 against Sri Lanka in Delhi, he becomes the leading centurion in Test cricket, overtaking Sunil Gavaskar's 34 hundreds.

March 19, 2006
Home crowd turns hostile
Struggles for 1 run in 33 minutes against England in Mumbai, and after he is dismissed, he is booed off the ground by his home crowd.

March, 2006
Tryst with the knife
Goes to England for surgery to his right shoulder. Misses the one-dayers against England and the tour to the West Indies.

September 14, 2006
Back and how, part II
Makes a stunning comeback, with 141 off 148 balls against West Indies in a DLF Cup ODI in Kuala Lumpur. India lose the match under the D/L rule.

May, 2007
Unwanted rest
Is "rested" for the first time in his career, for the three-ODI series in Bangladesh. Scores two centuries in the two following Tests.

August, 2007
A win outside subcontinent
With 228 runs at 38.00, he makes a significant contribution to his first Test-series win outside the subcontinent, as India beat England 1-0 to win the Pataudi Trophy.

January 4, 2008
Sachin Cricket Ground
At an SCG full of worshippers, scores a sublime unbeaten 154, his first century in more than two years and 19 Tests, against opposition other than Bangladesh.

March 2, 2008
Sachin Cricket Ground, Part II
Scores his first ODI century in Australia, in the first CB Series final. The innings is the foundation India build their first tri-series in Australia on.

October 17, 2008
Scaling the summit
At 2.31pm on a hot Mohali Friday, Tendulkar steers debutant Peter Siddle towards the third-man boundary for three runs to break Brian Lara's record for most Test runs.

November 5, 2009
Solo again
Crosses 17,000 ODI runs during his 175 off 141 balls in a run-chase of 351 against Australia in Hyderabad. It is a chanceless innings that ends 19 runs short of the target, but India choke after his wicket and lose.

Tendulkar felicitated by Modi for 20 years in international cricket

Gujarat Chief Minister and state Cricket Association President Narendra Modi before the start of the first Test between India and Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad on Monday felicitated Sachin Tendulkar for completing 20 years in international cricket.

The master batsman, who started his international career 1989, was presented with a gold-plated memento of Somnath temple on behalf of the state government, a silver plate on behalf of the Gujarat Cricket Association and a shawl.

The 36-year-old Tendulkar had also celebrated the occasion by having a dinner with his teammates at the team hotel last night.

A cake was also cut on the occasion and a special invitee to the function was the visiting Sri Lankan team's ace spinner and longest-serving member Muthiah Muralitharan, according to informed sources.

Tendulkar has scored 12,773 runs in 159 Tests and 17,178 runs in 436 ODIs, the highest by any cricketer in the world.

He has also notched up a world record 42 hundreds in Tests and 45 in ODIs.

Sachin opens a new era at Motera

On Monday (16 Nov 2009), all roads will lead to Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium at Motera in Ahmedabad where the first match of the India-Sri Lanka Test series will begin. Monday, however, will be memorable for another reason. Sachin Tendulkar begins his 21st year in international cricket with the match in Motera stadium on Monday.

Tendulkar will be felicitated on this historic occasion by chief minister Narendra Modi, not only on behalf of the state government but also in his capacity as president of the Gujarat Cricket Association.

"It is an honour for Amdavadis that Sachin is starting his 21st year in international cricket in their city," said a GCA official. "The chief minister himself will honour the sports icon."
The Motera stadium, meanwhile, has been converted into a security fortress. There is heavy security around the stadium and around the hotel as well where the cricketers are staying. "It is the heaviest security possible," said Amit Shah, state home minister, who is also the GCA vice-president.

As for the Test match that begins on Monday, India have won both the matches that they have played against the Emerald Islanders at Motera stadium earlier.

Amdavadis would like to forget the last Test match that India played at the stadium. In that match, India had confronted South Africa, in which the visitors won with a whole day to spare.

"This time, however, it looks very different, that's for sure," said India captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, after inspecting the pitch. "That's what we are predicting and hoping for. It's not really like the same wicket."

For Amdavadis, the five-day affair is the beginning of a cricket carnival in the city. A couple of matches of the Indian Premier League and an ODI against South Africa are to be played here in the first quarter of 2010.

Sachin's focus made him more successful: Imran Khan

In 1989, there was a void in India's public imagination after the departure of Sunil Gavaskar two years before that. It was only fitting that
another youngster from his own city Mumbai, should fill that void.

My first memories of the debut-making Sachin Tendulkar are of him taking a blow early in his innings, and saw glimpses of his talent in the Tests but more in a charity game where he took on Abdul Qadir in a benefit game.

Today, at a time when Twenty20 creates stars in a matter of three hours, it is very difficult to gauge a cricketer's true merit. I have always said that Test cricket is the best test of a cricketer's mettle, and Sachin has been a very major figure in the last two decades of Test cricket.

There are many who rue the fact that Sachin stopped playing his uninhibited strokeful knocks about a decade ago. I personally felt that the later, more mature Sachin had more to offer. It is also notable that he became a little more watchful and less impetuous because he saw there were younger players like Virender Sehwag to don the mantle of aggressor.

Today, Sachin seems to be completely in charge of his game and can switch gears almost at will. He can be explosive at times, and he can construct an innings if he has the time. It is this intelligence and thought that has helped Sachin stay focused on his batting.

It is not a case of talent alone, because mere ability no matter how prodigious does not sustain itself long if temperament and hunger is lacking. I have seen far too many talented cricketers not achieve what they could because they lacked the temperament.

If there is one area in which Sachin is ahead of his contemporaries, it is focus. Inzamam-ul Haq was possibly even more gifted, but Sachin was more successful due to his commitment and focus.

I would imagine that he will be around for the World Cup in 2011, and the Indians would hope that they see one last flourish from him.

Milestone Man Tendulkar Completes 20 Years in International Cricket

Sachin Tendulkar on Nov 14 completed 20 years in international cricket and became the first Indian and only the 16th in the history of the game to have a career spanning more than two decades.

Tendulkar, who made his debut as a 16-year-old against Pakistan way back on Nov 15, 1989, reached the milestone of 20 years and one day in international cricket when he came out to play against Sri Lanka in the first Test of the three-match series in Ahmedabad on Nov 16.

In his Test career spanning 19 years 143 days till date, Tendulkar has represented India in a record 159 Tests.

He also played a record 436 50-over matches in his 19 years and 325 days one-day career, thus becoming only the second player after Pakistan’s Javed Miandad to have the longest ODI career.

The Indian batting maestro is also the only active cricketer to feature in the longest Tests career list and at 36 years of age he is still going strong.

In his two decades long career, Tendulkar had written many records which catapulted him to the honour of being the milestone man.

Even though he holds the record of being the highest run-getter and century maker in both the Tests and ODIs, he is everlasting hunger for runs knows no boundary.

A perfectionist by nature, Tendulkar has till date amassed a staggering 12,773 runs from 159 Tests at a robust average of 54.58 with a mind-boggling 42 centuries and 53 half centuries.

His record in ODIs are too unmatchable. The Mumbaikar recently achieved another milestone when he became the only batsman in the history of the game to break into 17,000 run mark.

With a mammoth 17,173 runs from 436 ODIs, Tendulkar is in the threshold of another feat as he is just nine centuries short of touching the magical figure of 100 tons.

Tendulkar is also just 54 runs short of becoming the only batsman in the world to score a whopping 30,000 run in international cricket—combining both Tests and ODIs.

Tendulkar’s special talent was evident right from his school days after he notched up an unbeaten 664-run stand with buddy Vinod Kambli in the Lord Harris Shield Inter-School Game in 1988.

Tendulkar greatest batsman of my generation: Ganguly

Paying tribute to Sachin Tendulkar on his reaching the milestone of 20 years in international cricket, former India captain Sourav Ganguly today described the Mumbai maestro as the greatest batsman of his generation.

"Probably Sachin is the best batsman I have seen. He just amazes me. He just keeps going on and on. We hope he carries on some more years," Ganguly, who was Tendulkar's one-time opening ODI partner, said.

"It's not just about talent but it's how you use talent that makes you special. There have been a lot of players who had talents but they have not continued for a long time and that's what makes Sachin special. He uses his talent to the most," said Ganguly.

Congratulating Tendulkar, who will complete 20 years of international cricket tomorrow, Ganguly said, "First I want to congratulate him on completing 20 years in international cricket which is phenomenal. Starting at the age of 16 and going on to play for 20 years with this intensity is unbelievable."

Having featured in more than 400 matches with Tendulkar, Ganguly said he had scores of memories with the Mumbai batsman since they met in Indore during a U-15 national camp.

"I have got a lot of memories. I met him for the first time in 1987-88. I had heard a lot about him. From the day one, I knew he was special," Ganguly said.

My husband, Sachin

Wife Anjali Tendulkar is Sachin’s lifeline; he depends on her for almost everything. Here, for the first time ever, Anjali opens up about the
pulls, pressures and delights of living with a legend...

TOI: How easy or difficult is it to be Mrs Sachin Tendulkar? How do you cope with the pressures?


For me, it's very easy because I've known Sachin for 19 years now. I understand him so well. So whether I am his girlfriend or his wife, it’s the same thing, just an extension of that bond. I don’t find it very difficult and I’m used to it. Maybe, it’s also because I’ve not known any other person in my life except Sachin. Of course, there are many challenges and difficulties to being his wife but the whole family, including my children, has learnt to deal with it.

Any regrets at all on the home front?

The only regret, even though we’ve learnt to cope with it, is that he’s not at home most of the time. I think even Sachin has realised this, now that the kids are growing up fast. Sara is 12 and Arjun is 10. We sometimes wonder where all the years have gone. Since he used to be away most of the time when they were growing up, now he tries to come home as much as possible. If a match gets over early, he’ll come home, stay overnight and then leave again in the morning. Though he’s trying his best to spend more time with the family, sometimes he’s not at home for birthdays, special occasions or even for the kids’ annual day at school. It matters a lot to the kids.

Is it true you can’t bear to watch Sachin live, and only see the recordings?

I don’t know where this came from. The fact is I watch every game, that too right from the start. Yes, I never go to the stadium but I watch it on TV. Actually, I have one particular spot in the house from where I can watch TV and also keep an eye on my Ganpati (Ganesha). I don’t eat. I don’t answer phones. I don’t drink. I don’t even move. I don’t reply to any sms until he’s out.

What is it about his batting that you admire the most?

I’m not a cricket connoisseur . I can’t talk about particular shots. What I like about him is that no matter how tense he is, or how much pressure there is on him, when he goes out to bat you don't see any of it. I've often asked him how it's possible not to get distracted while playing in front of thousands of screaming people. I do have friends whose husbands are also in highly stressful jobs, but they are not being scrutinised by the whole world every minute. So the way Sachin deals with the burden of expectations and doesn’t seem to get affected is what I admire the most.

Do you enjoy watching him bat? Is there any knock of his that you rate as the best, or is etched in your memory?


My problem is, unlike Sachin, who remembers each of his innings , each ball and how he got out, I don’t . Because when I am watching him bat, I’m so stressed and so focused that I just want him to do well, I cannot enjoy or remember much. For example, his 175 at Hyderabad has come in for huge praise, but I cannot say I enjoyed it. I was stressed out. But yes, I do remember that his Sharjah centuries were special. Then again, it is faint memory. I had had my first baby then and my attention was divided.

Do you lose sleep when he does well and the team does not, or vice-versa ?

It’s much worse when he does well and the team doesn’t . I know how much it affects him because, for him, the country always comes first. To me it doesn’t matter whether he scores one run or 10 runs or even a 100. I’ll still be happy because I know he’s really trying hard. But I know how much it affects him when he does well and the team loses, like it happened in Hyderabad. It’s very upsetting . It was a terrible feeling for me when I got up the next morning. In fact, it was devastating. Had he not done so well and had the team still won, it would’ve made us all feel much, much better.

Does Sachin ever talk about the game with you? Or does he just shut himself out of all things cricket when he is with his family?


I think what he liked about me was that I knew nothing about cricket when I first met him. But then, me being me, I read everything about the game. I came to know all the fielding positions but he doesn’t like me discussing cricket at home. But at times when he is low or upset, I do talk to him about cricket. Again, it’s not the game but things related to it that we discuss.

Have you ever grown tired of waiting for Sachin to return from a tour?

It's always been like that. These days, whenever he goes on a long tour, we usually try and plan a short holiday with the kids. Maybe during the school vacation or something. There's no other option for us.

Don’t you regret the fact that Sachin's fame prevents him from being a normal father?

It’s been like this from the beginning, so you accept it. It’s part of life even for our children. They know their father cannot do certain things. So we take the trouble once every year and go somewhere where he can be a normal father. Like in London, he takes Arjun to the park to play. Even there people recognise him, but they don't mob him and give him his space.

Please go back in time to when you met Sachin for the first time...


(Laughs) We've not really told many people this. I first met him at the Mumbai airport when he returned from his first tour of England in 1990, after scoring his maiden Test ton. In fact, when I first saw him at the airport, I didn't even know who he was. It was purely by accident! I was there to pick up my mother and Sachin was arriving with the Indian team. That’s where we saw each other for the first time... we had a courtship of five years and got married in 1995. We had got engaged a year before that in 1994 and that was in New Zealand.

Do you believe in destiny?

Yes, it is destiny and I believe in that.

Sachin has been known to go out in disguise sometimes. Did he ever use a disguise to meet you?

Yes he did, just once. We had gone to see the movie Roja. I was studying medicine then and a couple of my friends planned it. Sachin did try telling me that that it would be difficult, but I insisted that he come along. To make sure nobody recognised him, we even got him a beard. He wore specs as well and we went in late. We watched the first half of the film, but during the interval Sachin dropped his specs and people immediately recognised him! It was a bit of a disaster and we were forced to leave halfway.

You could have been a very successful doctor...

I loved medicine and a lot of people often ask me if I'm wasting my education. I don’t think so. Though I loved every moment of my studying days and my days at the government hospital, it then came to a stage when I realised that I could not be married to Sachin and also have a full-time career. It wasn't possible because he depends on me for almost everything. It was my decision. I thought I should be at home with him and make everything perfect for him.

In his childhood, brother Ajit did everything for Sachin, sacrificing his own interests. I thought I should do the same. Besides, mine would not have been a 9 to 5 job. I’m a paediatrician, so if there’s a patient calling me or someone admitted at odd hours, I have to make myself available . With Sachin not around and me with two kids at home, it wouldn't have been possible. I took a decision and I have never , ever regretted it.

How good is your Hindi?

(Smiles). Not as good as my English. But my Marathi is better as I converse with my mother-in-law in that language . Actually, my mother is English so we spoke the language at home, but I studied Hindi without tuitions till the tenth standard. At St. Xavier's in the XIth and XIIth class, I studied Russian. My children speak Hindi much better than both of us.


Have you ever dreamt of your son Arjun playing alongside Sachin?


Actually, I have thought about it but, realistically speaking, I don't think it's possible. If it ever happens it will be fantastic.

Are you aware there are emails being circulated with pictures of your new, under-construction shell house in Bandra? There are pictures of the interiors too...

Yes. They're all fake!

When will the house be ready for you to move in?

It will take one more year.

Can you tell us a bit about the new house? Will it look like a huge mansion or just a normal bungalow?

It will be a normal house. If you look at Mumbai and its space constraints , we are lucky to be having a nice home which will have everything Sachin wants. If he wants to go and play cricket with Arjun there is a garden, not a big one but there is one. There is a parking area for our cars down in the basement, room for Sachin's mother and the kids.

Sachin is very clear and sure about what he wants. A lot of things in the house are what he's always wanted. But we are in it together. Also, I'm the more scientific type, the more practical one. I'm only bothered about where the switches are going to be placed, where the TV connections are going to be, what the kitchen and bathroom layout is going to be. He's into the fancy and decorative side.

No swimming pool?

There is one lap pool on the terrace and a shallow one just for Sachin's fitness. A gymnasium will also be there.

Have you ever driven the Ferrari?

When Sachin got his Ferrari home I asked him to show me how to change its gears because they are near the steering and move with the fingers. To my surprise, he said, ‘You don't need to drive my Ferrari.' In fact, I needed to know because at times we need to move it when he's not around. It actually happened once and we couldn't move it. I've been longing to drive his Ferrari.

Any idea which is Sachin's favourite Lata Mangeshkar or Kishore Kumar number?

There are so many, I can't name one. He always likes listening to them. Initially, I had no knowledge about Hindi movies and songs, it's only after marriage that I began watching movies and now I really enjoy Hindi songs.

Do you have a big circle of friends and do you socialise much?

No, we have a close set of friends. They are either Sachin's longtime friends or my friends from the medical field. We don't get much time to socialise but we do go out for family dinners whenever possible.

What comes first in Sachin's life? Cricket, wife or family?

I think it was cricket first but now things have changed, which I feel is a natural progression. So now, it is both cricket and family.

Have you and Sachin ever thought about what life is going to be like after cricket, or how long he intends to play?

People often tell us that we ought to start thinking about what he's going to do after cricket. But I feel that when you are playing, you need to focus 100%. You cannot even think of what you'll do after cricket. So I always tell Sachin not to think about it. I tell him, ‘It doesn't matter, surely you'll find something to do, you have lots of interests.'

Also, maybe we can just take some time off and travel the world and then look ahead. I always insist that he should not worry about the future. At the same time, he will be at a total loss because his whole life has been cricket.

Sachin Tendulkar: A star is born

Amid whizzing deliveries on a green Karachi wicket, the seeds of greatness were sown. Often an unforgiving cricketing frontier, Pakistan

witnessed the debut of Sachin Tendulkar, him of the curly hair, rosy cheek, steely glint in the eye and the hunger to demolish. Soon, the seasoned pros were nodding their heads, acknowledging that this was a legend in the making

When I first bowled to Sachin Tendulkar, I almost felt sorry for this small-built 16-year-old , who looked 14. It was an India-Pakistan encounter and we were playing hard, yet it almost seemed unfair when we saw young Sachin and I for one was tempted to go easy on him.

The wickets were tailormade for us, and they remained green for two full days. Batting against quality pace bowling was really hard in that series. But it’s hard to say how I would have bowled to him at my peak, because when he made his debut against us 20 years ago, I was at the end of my career. However, both Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis - who too made his debut in the same Test as Sachin - were bowling at a fiery pace.

My memories of that 1989 series are that we virtually played four-day Tests because of the light, which is why a very strong Pakistan side had to be content with a draw against a relatively weaker, inexperienced Indian side.

As far as Sachin was concerned, there was one shot he played right through that series that has stayed in my mind. It was off the backfoot between point and cover. The pitches were green, the ball was moving and it struck me that it was remarkable how he was timing this drive and getting it right so often.

More evidence that he was special came during a practice game in Peshawar. Abdul Qadir was at the peak of his bowling then. Sachin hit him for one six, after which I teased Qadir that a schoolboy was launching into him. The wily leg-spinner gave me a wink to suggest it was a trap. Sachin went on to hit another one over the boundary and I gave Qadir the look. After the fourth six, the smile was gone from Qadir’s face, and later that evening he told me that this boy was an extraordinary talent.

However, it was only over the years that I began to realise that Sachin was a special talent. This has nothing to do with the fact that his entry into international cricket was relatively quiet. It’s because I need to be convinced of a player’s temperament and technique before I rate him. I have seen many talented cricketers not achieve what they could because they lacked the other key ingredients that transforms talent into success.

Fortunately for India, Sachin’s passion was what set him apart from the rest. When one is passionate about one’s game, hard work becomes fun, and those long hours at the nets seem interesting and challenging rather than routine and monotonous. This passion helped Sachin tighten his technique and gave him the temperament to manage his innings well. Sachin’s concentration, his discipline and his unquestioned ability, all make him one of the best players of his generation. He does have that gift of timing when he plays the quicker bowlers, but he is also exceptional against spin, proof of which lies in his famous battles with Shane Warne.

Over the years, Sachin has remained remarkably consistent and has more records than anybody I can remember. His talent and versatility are unquestioned, which is why the only question that rankles is why he did not win enough games for his team. Very often, he has taken his team to the brink of a famous win before getting out.

I have two explanations for this. The first one is that Sachin often took the whole burden of team responsibility and expectation squarely on his shoulders. This often reflected itself as worry on his face, and his body language betrayed a sense of anxiety. A good bowler is a predator and once he senses this pressure in the batsman, he goes in for the kill. Perhaps if Sachin had developed the tunnel vision, which made him focus on one ball at a time, he might have been able to convert more games into wins for his side.

The other major problem was that for the better part of his career, India did not have a bowling attack that could take 20 wickets, especially outside India. If he had match-winning bowlers to back up his own excellence, many of his knocks would have become match-winning ones.

Sachin has had the misfortune of seeing some of his best efforts come in a losing cause, the 175 against Australia last week being the most recent example. Perhaps that is the one aspect of his career that he might look back at with some regret. Maybe he would feel that for a player of his ability and stature, he should have been able to pull off a few more victories in his long, illustrious career.

If there is one area in which Sachin is ahead of his contemporaries, it is focus. Inzamam-ul Haq was possibly even more gifted, but Sachin was more successful due to his commitment and focus. Inzamam had an exceptional ability to play off both feet and on both sides of the wicket - something Ricky Ponting also does so well.

However, despite the long and distinguished career that he had, I still feel Inzamam could have done even more. Besides, Sachin never backed away from responsibilities, while Inzamam was always reluctant to bat up the order in One-day internationals.

Sachin did fill in a space that had been vacated by Gavaskar’s retirement. It’s hard to compare the two because both were the products of their respective generations, and their circumstances were different. Gavaskar came in at a time when cricketers from the subcontinent were not rated very highly.

Gavaskar changed all that thanks to his unwavering temperament, an area where I would rate him higher not only than Sachin but also many of his own great contemporaries. He had an incredible ability to soak pressure, and the only other player who comes close to him in this regard is Ian Chappell. Therefore, while Sachin is certainly the more versatile, free-flowing and talented batsman, I would still choose Gavaskar as the man I would want in a crisis situation.

Not only does Sachin have the role of being a key batsman of his side today, he is also a mentor for the younger members of the team. All this means that he needs to use his limited time in international cricket effectively. I would imagine that he will be around for the World Cup in 2011, and the Indians would hope that they see one last flourish from him. It is hard to say how long Sachin will play, but he is too proud a cricketer to hang around if he is not meeting the high standards he has set himself over these last two decades.

Tendulkar loves fried Bombil fish

Celebrating Sachin Tendulkar’s 20 glorious years is such a joy for me. It reminds me of my own early days too. Now that I look back, I am reminded of the time when we were both kids. While Sachin was a star even then, having scored a century on his Ranji Trophy debut, I had taken a few wickets myself. But he played for Mumbai while I played for Maharashtra.

Having heard so much about him, I was eager to meet Sachin, and finally came across him during a match in Aurangabad . He was so gentle, yet such a solid player when it came to batting. Nothing seemed to trouble him. Soon, we would be travelling together, on a trip to the West Indies with the U-22 team.

The real connect, however, was made when we attended a training camp and spent close to a month together. We shared a common passion for good food. Off the field, we used to get together and with a few others and talk about nothing but food! Sachin loves to have the fried bombil fish.

The one incident that made me understand his level of commitment and focus came 20 years ago, during Sachin’s debut tour to Pakistan in 1989. At Sialkot, Sachin was caught sleepwalking at the team hotel. He had been very anxious about some new bats which he had ordered, which were to be delivered the next day.

A little after midnight, he sleepwalked, eyes closed, into Maninder Singh’s room to ask, ‘‘ Mere bats aaye kya? Maine mangaye the (Have my bats come? I had asked for them).’’ The young genius was put back to sleep and the next morning we all laughed off the incident . Today, this story is part of cricket folklore. Something that tells us about what it takes to be a genius!

Sachin in a class of his own

One of my great dreams is to possess a picture of four cricketers together, the four legends of Bombay. The first is Polly Umrigar, tall, gangling, hitting a century with quiet competence, retiring with equal quietness. He was paid Rs 25 for a day’s cricket. The second is Dilip Sardesai. Equally competent, equally understated, Sardesai epitomized the middleclass competence of the India of the sixties. He was outstanding, but there are no monuments to him; he would have been surprised if there were.

These men just did their job. They produced heroism without heroics. When you watched them play, you realized the odds they had mastered. They were Indians of another time for whom honesty, national pride, teamwork were the building blocks of everyday imagination. These were virtues one could not live without. There was an as-is-where-is quality to their life and cricket, which made them seem deceptively prosaic, disguising their achievements by making them appear almost dutiful.

They were outstanding individuals and personalities, but there was nothing individualistic about them. They challenged no paradigms, led no trade unions. Their only answer to racism was good manners. They were content to live within and with themselves.

The third figure is different. He is larger than life. To competence, he adds defiance. A legend in his lifetime, Sunil Gavaskar demands more for he created more. Gavaskar created a collective mindset. He demanded a different form of respect. He looked the white man in the eye, could stand alongside a Viv Richards or a Garfield Sobers with assurance. He oozed professionalism, and an impersonal competence that demanded more in recognition. There was a toughness about Gavaskar (and Bedi) which was pathbreaking.

They used their competence in sport to demand a wider dignity. They were great players who demanded more from sport, and demanded more for sport. There was nothing understated about either. Their competence broke through colonial obsequiousness. Indians began getting used to victory. There was a touch of Bombay about each of them, and an urbanity, a middle class that captured the Bombay of each period. Gavaskar represented a middle class-ness ready to take on the world. He exemplified an attitude that defied the nonsense of authority. There was something industrial about him.

He rewrote record books to show India had arrived, that the team was no longer invertebrate, that the tenor had changed. The language was no longer of survival; it now spoke a dialect of victory. Gavaskar was exemplar and paradigm of a new Indian cricket where we were no longer also-rans . You don’t write Calypso songs for the defeated.
In a predictable way, Umrigar, Sardesai, Gavaskar created the cultural humus for a Sachin. They were a prelude to his genius, the the ancestors of his competence bred on middleclass values, the ritual protocols of urban life which sought dominance through professionalism. I began with this long-winded sociology of cricket personae, because I want to see cricket as a metaphor and look at Sachin Tendulkar in a wider sense. Genius for all its individualism reeks of sociology. Cricket is one game that belongs to the oral imagination and commentary for cricket is as important as hermeneutics for the Bible. Retelling is reliving, and both religion and cricket have that in common.

School and street are an integral part of the urban imagination. They are models of life and frameworks of mobility. Here, exam and game create two parallel worlds. The legend of Sachin begins in the playing fields of Shivaji Park. There is a Drona of the cricket field, Ramakant Achrekar. There are no Ekalavyas on the scene. But there is a Kambli.
Vinod Kambli is important not just for his talent but for his zest for life. Kambli is talent that refuses to discipline itself. He is the exuberance of the street that refuses to yield to the school. Kambli is desire without discipline. He is the exuberance of the here and now that the middle class envies and despises. Kambli is the shortlived Sachin; the cameo of exuberance unlimited. Sachin and Kambli are a middle class fable that needs more attention. Kambli treats cricket as a site for desire, for the shortlived joy of politics, of cinema, of TV.
He is the middle class boy who lacks a centre. Intensely appealing, he is the other, the friend who humanizes Sachin, creates other rhythms which would otherwise render Sachin as a metronome. Kambli and Sachin are foils from school. Kambli is the other who burns out, because he burns too fast. He is the Sivakasi cracker to Sachin’s blowtorch. He is the partnership that went wrong between exuberant talent and focused genius. Kambli is the child who forgot to drink Boost, who did not have Aviva insurance, who forgot school creates a timetable for life, who happily jumped on an escalator of life without realizing that it was speeding down.

Kambli is the noise of part-success facing the silence of success; he is the friend who remains though he got left behind. But he is still Kambli, the only hyphen in the Sachin legend. The fable of Shivaji Park would be incomplete without Kambli; the shade of regret in a saga of success. The middle-class history of Shivaji Park is less ruthless. It has a place for him too.

As the legend grows, the fables diversify. Sachin appears relentless. He looks perennial at thirty, which is old age in cricket. While others move to graceful retirement, turn from heroes to storytellers, our legend grows. Ganguly, Dravid and Laxman are virtually gone. At 36, Sachin is naturally the grandfather of the team. He commands respect and the young ones sense he might still be playing when they are gone. What makes Sachin a legend is the way he has mastered time.

A cricketing career occurs in escalated time. It represents speed. It is demanding. Wounds recur and the body screams. A middle-class , middle age stodginess is tempting. Even the perennial Sachin realizes he is no longer young. His brilliance lies in the way he reconstructs himself.

The middle class suffers from the mid-life crisis of nostalgia. Sachin is a twice born genius who reconstructs his game, reinvents himself for a new era. The Dhonis and the Harbhajans know his body is a match for theirs. The discipline is almost spiritual. It cannot be reduced to diet, or exercise, or to any technique. It is a mindset which refuses nostalgia, the hypochondria of the middle class.

It is not a hunger for runs; it is a hunger for perfection. Sachin challenges the mental arthritis in every middle-class Indian, the urge to settle down and be slow. A mindset where success turns into the fatty tissue of contentment. Sachin is Indian cricket’s only perpetual mobile. He is the body fantastic.

Sachin might be a millionaire many times over, but he represents middle-class values. In fact, the advertisements provide the cultural frame for him in the public domain. The advertisements almost seem to provide a prosthetic of speech for him. Boost, Pepsi and Aviva emphasize energy, mobility, prudence, skill, a social framework for middle-class success. It is an ode to children growing right, whose dreams come true.

He is a childhood dream incarnate. Sachin, the name sounds right for desi values, desi competence, for success in a global world. Boost plus Shivaji Park propels you into a world beyond what IIT and IIM can prepare you for - the leap of fame. To blue-chip security, which the middle class dream and advertisers can only offer as scenarios. There is a seriousness to cricket. Even laughter is embroidered only as a second thought. It substitutes for music, medicine or science as a profession. It is less erratic than Bollywood, more secure than crime.

Advertisements create the substitute sociology of family life, professional knowledge and financial prudence that accompanies this genius, banalizing him through middle-class ambitions. A genius is caught like a fly in a third-rate sociology. But it is only such banality scented with consumerist romance that allows us to reclaim
him. This is the sadness of genius and the irony of sociology.

Sachin holds the One-day record for the most number of scores (17) in the 90s. He is the only player to be dismissed on 99 thrice - once each against South Africa, England and Pakistan. Grant Flower, Nathan Astle and Aravinda de Silva share the second spot with nine 90-plus scores each.

Sachin's mind is still strong

On a couple of balmy nights in Sharjah in 1998, Sachin Tendulkar carved out successive scintillating centuries against Australia to convince those of the men in gold who weren't believers that he was the best batsman in the world.

More than a decade later Tendulkar has converted a whole new set of Australian non-believers with a mercurial ODI century in Hyderabad. Well, that's actually not quite true. Ricky Ponting was in attendance in Sharjah, and for him Tendulkar just reconfirmed his great skill and tenacity.

As the opposing captain, Ponting was constantly plotting Tendulkar's downfall in Hyderabad, and it came in the nick of time to seal an Australian victory that for a time looked like it would be snatched away by one man. As the third, along with West Indies' champion Brian Lara, in what was a three-way battle for the batting crown, Ponting would've appreciated, if not welcomed, Tendulkar's mastery.

One of the more amazing things about Lara was his remarkable feat in recapturing the world record 10 years after he first established the high-water mark. Longevity isn't the hallmark of greatness but it's a requirement.

Not that Tendulkar needed another century to convince anyone of his prowess, but a masterful knock like the Hyderabad one was a timely reminder that he still has a few great innings left. That's the main difference between the Tendulkar of today and a decade ago.

In Sharjah he belted the Australian bowlers all over the park to get his team into the final, and then followed it up two days later with an equally dynamic showing to win the big prize. Now the hard part will be reprising his starring role in Guwahati when his body is still recovering from Hyderabad.

Tendulkar did prove one thing in Hyderabad: the mind is still willing. He displayed the same fighting spirit that was evident in Sharjah, the same desire to trump the opposition, and amazingly, his strike rate was better than in both of those 1998 gems. "I can't concentrate like I used to," I recall Greg Chappell saying near the end of his illustrious career. "I can still apply myself occasionally, but other days it's just a battle." And he was a strong-minded batsman.

Tendulkar is a strong-minded person but that isn't what defines his batting. His is more a mercurial attitude that allows him to sense the moment when to let loose his full array of shots and leave the bowlers clutching at straws. Straws that in his pomp were whisked away by a whirlwind of shots.

In recent times Tendulkar's batting has gained a mortal quality. He often has to battle and graft for runs, like a 40-average batsman. The fact that even in that mode he still churns out centuries, like a press printing 10-rupee notes, is a testament to his greatness. However, occasionally all the magic returns and on that day he can light up a cricket ground, the way he did in Hyderabad. The cover drive flows, the flick off the pads races to the boundary and the short-of-a-length delivery is punched off the back foot, while fieldsmen are left grasping at fresh air.

In batting maturity Tendulkar resorts to more deft deflections and little glides to third man but they are as much about resting tiring muscles at the non-striker's end as any concession to the bowlers' ability. He's also moved with the times and is now more likely to upper-cut a short-pitched delivery rather than employ the hook shot. He even indulges in the premeditated shovel shot over the short fine-leg fielder's head. It was one of those that ended his epic innings in Hyderabad, just short of him achieving deity and a thrilling Indian victory.

There will be nit-pickers who say, "There he goes again. Tendulkar succeeds but India fails to claim victory. That's the difference between him and Lara." The difference appears to be that Lara had a ruthless streak when it came to winning the match, while for Tendulkar one more risk is never too many.

To me the only disappointment is that 11 years after Sharjah, the Indian batting is still so heavily dependent on Tendulkar. After all his magical displays you'd think some of the next-generation batsmen would be clamouring to imitate Tendulkar's starring roles rather than being content to play the bit part in the shadow of the little master.

Tendulkar: World's envy, India's pride

The cricket fraternity lavished praise on India's batting icon Sachin Tendulkar for becoming the first player in the game's history to cross the 17,000-run mark.

Tendulkar, who was chasing the milestone from the onset of the series against Australia, achieved the feat when he, requiring seven runs coming into Thursday's match, played an on-drive to fetch three off pacer Ben Hilfenhaus during the fifth one-dayer in Hyderabad.

"It's really a remarkable achievement. He is one of the best cricketers of the world cricket. I have had some good memories with him, having partnering him for years in one-day cricket," said former India skipper Sourav Ganguly.

The southpaw also wished the little master for the 2011 World Cup, to be co-hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

"I wish he scores another 2000 runs by 2011 World Cup. Sachin knows best how to accumulate runs. Once he gets going he becomes unstoppable," Ganguly said.

Meanwhile, Mumbai batsman Wasim Jaffer hoped that Tendulkar would also achieve 20,000-run mark.


"He has achieved several records. I hope that he reached 20,000-run mark. Whatever he has achieved, it is nearly impossible to achieve for anyone else. I just wish that he keeps on going and gets more and more runs for India," Jaffer said.

It was one of my best knocks: Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar rated his 175 against Australia on Thursday as one of the best knocks of his career.

Tendulkar scored 175 off 141 balls, enroute to his record 17,168 runs, but couldn't prevent India from losing the fifth ODI to Australia by three runs.

"I thought we started off really well then lost wickets. Suresh (Raina) and I had a good partnership but in the end, it was disappointing. The pressure to keep scoring runs was there and we took it very close. But I feel it was one of my best knocks," said Tendulkar, who was adjudged as the Man of the Match.

The master blaster praised Raina for playing a strokefilled run-a-ball that got India close while chasing 351 to win.

On his personal milestone of crossing 17,000 runs, Tendulkar said: "I care about playing for India, it's a passion and I have been absolutely honoured to play for India so long."

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said that the match was lost due to mental calculation.

"They got off to a good start and we never got into a position to contain them. It was up to us to chase it. We got a good start and we came in the end due to Tendulkar and Raina. We lost it in our mental calculation, not because of our talent. It was one of the good ODI tracks we have seen in India, you have to be smart. Hopefully we will be up for the next two games," he said.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting also applauded Tendulkar for playing one of the best knocks in his 20-year-old career.

"It was one of the amazing games and certainly one of the best innings ever from Sachin. Sachin didn't play many bad shots today! It's really unbelievable how we have played, considering all the injuries," he said.

Tendulkar feels that Compaq Cup century was his best

Sachin Tendulkar has said that the century he hit against Sri Lanka in the finals of the Compaq Cup tri-series was one of the best ever in his career in the fifty overs format. Tendulkar scored 138 in 133 balls to propel the Indians to a resounding win against Sri Lanka. It helped India to get to 319/5 in the fifty overs, and the hosts were restricted to 46 runs short of the target.

Given the conditions in Colombo, and on the field, it was very evident where Sachin Tendulkar was coming from. There was very high humidity and heat around, and the perspiration and cramps seemed to have got better of the maestro, but he did well to rally around and bat till almost the very end to lead the Indians to the aforementioned total.

He said, "This is one of my best innings. I will rate this up considering the conditions and the ground, the humidity."

Tendulkar won another man of the match award in the process, his 59th of the career. It also help him win a man of the series award - something that was expected if India would go on to win the tournament.

Tendulkar also took a dig at those experts who believe that age should be the sole criteria to judge a person's presence in the side. Tendulkar is 36, and is in the 20th year of his career, after having begun playing cricket in November, 1989 against Pakistan. He said, "I think, more than age what really matters is how much you are able to give to the game". Sanath Jayasuriya is the other 40-year old in the game, who smashed a 98 in the previous league match against India and scored 36 in the finals and gave the Lankans a good start before getting out.

An excited Mahendra Singh Dhoni also said that despite the victory, the Indians will have to learn from the mistakes they made in the tournament. The fielding was clearly below-par and there were catches and run-out chances missed. Virat Kohli missed a sitter from Jayasuriya earlier on, and then Yusuf Pathan dropped a Kandamby catch at the most crucial of times to let the Lankans loose. Dhoni himself was a culprit once, having missed a simple run-out chance of Kandamby. India's next tournament is the Champions Trophy, where they will face Australia, Pakistan and a second string West Indian side in their group.

Sachin Tendulkar my favourite batsman: Warne

Rajasthan Royals captain Shane Warne has named master-blaster Sachin Tendulkar as his all-time favourite batsman. Speaking at a function, Warne, joined by South African captain Graeme Smith and other members of the team, took to the podium to field questions from the floor and share their experiences so far in the Indian Premier League (IPL) series being played out across South Africa until May 25.

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

"But I think given the way Sachin handles everything and the expectations that he carries every single time that he walks out to bat, and the way he handles bad decisions and the way he just carries himself; I would have to say Sachin Tendulkar was the best batsman that I have played with in my 20 years of playing international cricket. My biggest bunny, I suppose, would have to be (South African) Darryl Cullinan," he added.

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

I am not playing cricket to prove anything: Sachin

Sachin Tendulkar on Sunday said he is not playing cricket to prove anything to anybody but because of the sheer love of the game and he is still enjoying the game.

"I have not started playing cricket to prove anything to anybody and I don't think even Rahul (Dravid) or any other does that. We started playing because of the love of the game and while doing that at times we perform and at times we don't," Tendulkar said.

"People say you should do this and that but the important thing is the enjoyment and your contribution to the team. It need not be about big runs or wickets, even making a small contribution to the team it matters. It's all about contribution and satisfaction," he added.

Tendulkar, who holds the record of scoring most runs in both Tests (12,773) and ODIs (16,684), said for him it's not about statistic but enjoyment and satisfaction.

There's a long way to go: Sachin Tendulkar

They might have made a resounding start to their IPL campaign with a convincing win over last year's runners-up Chennai Super Kings, but Mumbai Indians skipper Sachin Tendulkar is not ready to take things for granted and wants to build on the good start.

Tendulkar, who scored an unbeaten 59 to script his team's victory in the opening match of the second edition of the Twenty20 extravaganza, said, "The start is good but it is still a long way to go. I won't take anything for granted."

Tendulkar, who was adjudged Man of the Match, said the initial overs were difficult for batting and lavished praise on Sanath Jayasuriya and Abhishek Nayar for adjusting well.

"When I lost the toss, I realised there was a dampness in the wicket. The first 6-7 overs were difficult and later on Abhishek Nayar came and played a terrific innings and my job basically was to just be there and play till the end and guys on the other end played their strokes," he said.

On being asked what could be a decent total on the South African wickets, Tendulkar said anything around 150 would make a good fight.

"Looking at about 145-150 would be a decent total. Don't look at 180 plus but if you can get into 150-160 then it could be a good total," he said.

Tendulkar's Tussauds waxwork unveiled

Sachin Tendulkar on Monday came face to face with himself, as a new waxwork figure of the Indian cricket legend was unveiled in his home city of Mumbai after demand from the public. The figure has been made to go on show at London's Madame Tussauds museum and is the first of an Indian sportsman at the world famous waxwork attraction.
It shows Tendulkar, 35, in a familiar pose -- in full whites of the India team, batting pads, arm guard and gloves, holding his bat and helmet aloft in celebration. "This was the way I celebrated when I passed the record," he told a news conference, referring to the moment last October when he broke Brian Lara's record for the most runs in Test cricket. "I saw the picture and it was a special moment, a very dear one to me."

Tendulkar, nicknamed the "Little Master" or "Master Blaster," described being immortalised in wax as a "great honour." "It's fantastic, fabulous," he added. Liz Edwards, from Madame Tussauds, said it was the first time one of its wax figures had been launched outside London and had been designed to coincide with the start of the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament this weekend.

Tendulkar captains the Mumbai Indians in the competition, which has been moved to South Africa because of a clash with India's general election. "Guests vote for wax figures to come in. Sachin's name was constantly coming up and we were delighted to work with him," said Edwards.

Hadlee compliment a pleasant surprise: Sachin

Rated the greatest batsman ever by legendary all-rounder Richard Hadlee, star Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar said the accolade was a pleasant surprise for him, coming from a player of such unquestionable credentials. Hadlee recently rated Tendulkar even higher than Don Bradman, considering the Indian's staggering success in both the long and short formats of the game.

Tendulkar said it was a rare honour, especially coming from Hadlee, one of the greatest all-rounders to have played the game ever. "Nobody has ever said like that before. I am happy and satisfied," an elated Tendulkar said. "This comes as a pleasant surprise and it comes from a personality whose credentials cannot be questioned. I am happy that I played with him on my first tour to New Zealand in 1989," the Indian told a website. Hadlee had earlier pointed to Tendulkar's mind-boggling achievements while rating him the greatest batsman ever.
"Sir Donald Bradman has been regarded as the greatest player ever. He played just Test cricket. He hasn't played any other forms of the game. Clearly that is understandable. "But to see Sachin and other players actually adjust to different forms of the game and different conditions all around the world, even though the average is fractionally more than half of the Don's is in itself incredible. You got to respect it," Hadlee had said.

Tendulkar recalled his first encounter with the star Kiwi player and said, "I also cherish that memory. I still remember one moment after the Napier Test. He was giving an interview in a television in which I found he made his debut in 1973. I was born in the same year, which means when he made his debut in Tests, I was just born. Yet I got the opportunity to play against him." Even the ongoing tour, in which India won the ODI series and is on the verge of clinching the Test rubber as well, has been memorable for him, said Tendulkar. "This is really a memorable tour for me. We won the series and got an excellent accolade from Sir Richard Hadlee," he added. Tendulkar had no doubt that the squad under Mahendra Singh Dhoni is a "special" side which was winning regularly abroad. "No doubt, it's a special team.
The most important factor of the team is that we are winning matches regularly in foreign countries", he said. "Previously we won only at home. Now we have started winning in Australia, West Indies, England, South Africa, Pakistan, almost in every country", Tendulkar said. "We did not win a Test series in New Zealand in the last 41 years and the whole team had one ambition before coming here. We are happy that we are going back as winners," he said. Asked if this would be his most memorable win, Tendulkar said, "Not really. But I am enjoying every moment of it. One gets special pleasure for anything he would get for the first time.

I would be able to say proudly for the next generation that I was also a part of a team which won a Test in New Zealand."

Tendulkar is the best: Hadlee

Sir Richard Hadlee — one of the greatest fast-bowlers the game has seen, also an all-rounder of considerable repute — was inducted in the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame here on Friday afternoon. His hair might have greyed, his waist thickened, and he might have needed a pair of bifocals to read his acceptance speech, but the memories of the great deeds he achieved — 431 Test wickets at just over 22; 3124 runs at over 27 — remain.

He spoke to the media on his best moments, on why he considers Sachin Tendulkar the greatest batsman to have played the game, and on Ishant Sharma’s potential. (Excerpts): On the honour: I have been very fortunate during my playing career and to be recognised is very, very special. To be one of the first 55 inductees, it doesn’t get much better than that. On how he’d like to be remembered: I’d like to be remembered as somebody who played hard in a very successful era for New Zealand cricket.

On his most memorable performance: As sports people, we all strive for perfection and the closest I could get was against the Australians in 1985-86 at the Gabba. We’ve never won in Australia before and to go ahead and win that Test by an innings and to make a personal contribution of nine wickets in the first innings and six in the second and score a few runs (54) was special. Everything came together at the right time. On the best batsman he has seen: I played against Sachin on his tour here in 1990 when he got that 80 or 90-odd at the McLean Park in Napier. You could see then as a youngster he was a player of immense ability and talent. When you score as many runs as he has in Test and one-day cricket and score as many centuries and half-centuries as he has done, it makes him arguably the greatest player ever in the history of the game. Statistics speak volumes of his contribution to Indian and world cricket. He is a phenomenal player.

On Tendulkar vs. Bradman: Well Sir Donald Bradman has been regarded as the greatest batsman ever. He played just Test cricket. He hasn’t played any other forms of the game. Clearly that is understandable. But to see Sachin and other players actually adjust to different forms of the game in different conditions all around the world, even though the average is fractionally more than half of the Don’s is in itself incredible. You got to respect it. On the best all-rounder in world cricket: Jacques Kallis is the best all-rounder for what he has done for South Africa. His statistics put him greater than any other all-rounder with 10,000 Test runs and over 250 wickets.

On the touring Indian team: I think they have some fantastic players wonderfully led by M.S. Dhoni. Ishant will be a top-line performer in the future if he isn’t already. Harbhajan (Singh) is quality spinner and the batting line-up, the top six, is something to be proud of. India is right up there, one of the three best teams in world cricket. On Ishant: He burst on the scene in Australia and hurried the batsmen up. Physically he is tall, imposing. He runs in hard, fast, has a good, high action and skills with the ball. But he’s only 20. What can he be like in the next five years? He can be something very, very special.