Sachin Tendulkar's new home

Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar and his family on Wednesday moved to their new house in Mumbai's Bandra area.

The star cricketer was spotted entering his five-storey mansion on Wednesday afternoon. Sources said that he was keen to shift to his new house during the Navratri festival.

Confirming the news Sachin said, "I have moved to new place. We are happy as a family to have moved to this place."

"Lemar apartment, where I used to stay was under sports quota. Many deserving sportsmen needed place to stay, so I decided to leave," he added.

The bungalow, built in Bandra West's Perry Cross Road area, was bought by Sachin for a whopping Rs 39 crore. While it might look like a triple-storey house from outside, the structure is actually spread across five floors as one-and-a-half floors are underground.

The new house

Sachin's mansion has been designed keeping the batting maestro's love for cars. The second basement of the house can hold 45-50 cars at a time.

The first basement comprises the kitchen, master surveillance room and servant quarters. These apart the house has three other floors where the master, who is just one short of his 100th international ton, will live along with his wife and kids.

The ground floor has a large drawing room with a separate dining space for the Tendulkars. Since Sachin is a devotee of Lord Ganesha, there is a temple on the ground floor. The floor also houses a special display area where Sachin's innumerable medals and trophies would be kept.

The first floor has been devoted to the kids, with separate rooms for his son Arjun and daughter Sara, while the top floor has been kept for Mr and Mrs Tendulkar.

The house has been made keeping the vastu elements in mind with special emphasis given to the kids' quarters.

The plushest part of the house, however, is a swimming pool located on the terrace.

Sachin Tendulkar wants change in ODI format

Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar has written a letter to International Cricket Council (ICC), suggesting future changes in the 50-50 format of the game.

In his letter ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat, Master Blaster has urged ICC to bring changes in the ODI format to keep the interest of the game intact.

Tendulkar wants that 50-over cricket should become a four innings game-- with 25 overs slots played alternately between the two sides.

Tendulkar feels that it will give equal opportunity to both the teams in case of due factor and rain. Sachin said that, in present format, Toss pays major role in deciding the result of the game. But in case of four innings game, it will give equal chance to both sides.

He further says, bowler should be allowed to bowl 12 overs each. He also wants fiddle with the Powerplays to give advantage to the fielding side.

With this letter, Tendulkar has stirred the ODI format row but it will be interesting to see whether ICC will accept his Idea or not.

Tendulkar is the maximum run getter in ODI games. He has the highest number of hundreds in ODI. He is the only cricketer in the world to score a double hundred in ODI. Tendulkar is the most capped player in ODIs.

No doubts that he has the tones of experience and his suggestion can be proved vital to add more spices in the game.

Straight drive is my favourite shot, says Tendulkar

Bowlers never like batsmen hitting them past their follow through and this is exactly what Indian veteran Sachin Tendulkar likes as his favourite stroke is the straight driven boundary.

"My favourite shot is the straight drive, opening up the face of the bat...no bowler likes to see the face of the bat," Tendulkar said in reply to a query by a cricket lover during a special programe on a news channel.

Answering questions ranging from why he failed to score in the recently-concluded England series to his shot selection, Tendulkar revealed how he avoids reading newspapers to cut out pressure.

"I can't do what millions of people have had to say as one should always focus on one's game as ultimately it is you who have to do it," he said replying to a query on how he handled pressure.

Tendulkar advised the kids avoid thinking about the past. "If you think of the past, you will tend to think of all negative things. If you think of the future you will worry whether you could score or not. What is important is to focus on the job at hand," said Tendulkar as he appealed to all to contribute in his " Support My School Campaign".

"We do 80 per cent positive things and only 20 per cent negative things in the past. Only negative things come to our mind, building up the pressure. Always think positive, sort out the mistakes (made in the past) and don't think of them anymore," Tendulkar said.

On why he could not score in the recently concluded India-England Test series, Tendulkar said the game should be seen in its totality.

"Sometimes a batsman gets out to a good ball or falls to a mistake," he said.

Sachin Tendulkar praise Rahul Dravid

Indian cricket greats, including star batsman Sachin Tendulkar, have richly praised Rahul Dravid as he prepares to play the final one-day game of his illustrious career.

"He has had a fabulous career as a one-day player and has contributed so much to Indian cricket," Tendulkar told a national daily on Friday. "I have no doubt that he is and will continue to be a role model for all of us."

Tendulkar said Dravid's natural game was not suited for the quick scoring of one-dayers, but had worked hard to improve and excelled in his "finishing role."

"He may not give you a quick start, but he will surely make his innings count in terms of time spent at the crease. You need such players in the team, and he was the best man for the job," he added.

"Rahul also had that ability to finish a game, and I remember he played the same role at No. 5, or for that matter at any other spot in the batting order. And that was one of the main reasons he sustained his role as an important member in the side."

Tendulkar also praised Dravid for adjusting according to the team's needs and helping the team gain depth in batting by agreeing to keep wickets.

"He is the perfect team man; when he was asked to keep wickets we all knew that he will do well because he was initially a wicketkeeper. It later helped him, and came as a big help to all of us in the Indian team during the 2003 World Cup."