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Virat Kohli doubtful starter for 2nd ODI

Written By Unknown on Senin, 31 Desember 2012 | 21.24

CHENNAI: Indian batsman Virat Kohli was on Sunday rendered a doubtful starter for the second ODI against Pakistan to be held in Kolkata on Thursday after he suffered a foot injury in the first match.

Kohli suffered the injury while bowling the 41st over of Pakistan's run chase. His backfoot slipped in the delivery stride and he landed on his knees. He limped off the field and Suresh Raina finished off the last ball of the over.

The BCCI said Kohli's condition will be monitored and a decision on his availability for the second ODI will be taken over the next couple of days.

"Virat Kohli, who sustained a foot injury while bowling in the first AIRTEL ODI against Pakistan at Chennai earlier today, underwent an MRI scan after the game," BCCI Secretary Sanjay Jagdale said in a release.

"All his major ligaments are fine. There is minimal injury fluid in his knee. He will recover after treatment. His condition will be monitored, and a decision on whether he will play the second AIRTEL ODI at Kolkata on 3 January 2013, will be taken over the next couple of days," the release said.


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Team India falls after MS Dhoni fight

CHENNAI: Left-arm pacer Junaid Khan scythed through India's top-order with a four-wicket burst to set up Pakistan's six-wicket victory in the first one-day international at the Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday.

Scorecard | Match in Pics

The 23-year-old Junaid left the home side struggling at 29 for 5 with a destructive opening spell after the tourists opted to bowl first, before MS Dhoni struck a remarkable 113 not out from 125 balls to help India recover to a respectable 227 for 6 in the day match.

Left-handed opener Nasir Jamshed struck his second ODI century (101 not out) and the experienced Younus Khan hit 58 as Pakistan achieved the target with 11 deliveries remaining to go 1-0 up in the three-match series. The second ODI will be played in Kolkata on January 3.

Junaid exploited the helpful conditions following overnight showers to make a mockery of India's top-order as he dismissed Virender Sehwag (4), Virat Kohli (0), Yuvraj Singh (2) and Rohit Sharma (4) in quick succession in a display of quality seam bowling.

Struggling Gautam Gambhir was bowled by tall pacer Mohammad Irfan as India's brittle batting lost their way before man-of-the-match Dhoni hit his eighth ODI hundred and shared in two vital partnerships to put the innings back on track in the first international game implementing a series of rule changes in ODIs.

Dropped on 16 by Misbah-ul-Haq off off-spinner Md Hafeez with the team score on 84/5, Dhoni, who braved bouts of cramps, put on 73 in 142 deliveries for the sixth wicket with Suresh Raina (43) to stabilise the innings.

Raina fell to Hafeez in the second ball of the batting Powerplay, taken in the 34th over, but Dhoni and Ravichandran Ashwin (31 not out) shared in a 125-run stand for the next wicket with the skipper leading the way with a display of controlled aggression.

Dhoni hit his first boundary in the 79th delivery that he faced but stepped up the tempo as he struck six more boundaries and three sixes. He hit Irfan for two fours and a six off successive deliveries to reach his 100 as he also crossed the 7000-run mark in ODIs.

Seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar became the first Indian to take a wicket with his first delivery on ODI debut when he clean bowled Hafeez. Later, he had Azhar Ali caught at square-leg to reduce the tourists to 21/2.

Although his early breakthroughs raised Indian hopes, the host attack lacked depth to put the pressure on Pakistan as Jamshed and Younus shared in a 112-run stand for the third wicket.

Ashok Dinda dismissed Younus but Pakistan were in complete control of the game as Jamshed put on 39 with Misbah for the fourth wicket and sealed the match in the company of Shoaib Malik (34 not out).

Virat Kohli injured his knee after slipping during bowling. He underwent an MRI scan and is doubtful for the Kolkata game.


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McGrath in ICC Cricket Hall of Fame

DUBAI: Australian pace legend Glenn McGrath will be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame during the third Test between Australia and Sri Lanka starting January 4 in Sydney.

McGrath will join Enid Bakewell and Brian Lara to become third inductee of 2012-13, the ICC said in a statement.

"McGrath becomes the 68th male member of the Hall of Fame and joins fellow 2012-13 inductees West Indian Brian Lara and England's Enid Bakewell in being recognized by the ICC and the living members of the Hall of Fame."

While Lara and Bakewell were inducted in September at the ICC Awards, McGrath will be inducted at his home ground of the SCG. A fourth and final inductee of 2012-13 will be announced next summer.

McGrath represented Australia in 124 Test matches between 1993 and 2007 and claimed 563 Test wickets at an average of 21.64. He took more Test wickets than any other seam bowler currently in the game or retired.

He also represented Australia in 250 ODIs, claiming 381 wickets at an average of 22.02, and was part of the Australian side that won three successive World Cups -- 1999, 2003 and 2007. He still holds the record for most wickets in World Cup competitions, with 71 scalps and his figures of 7-15 against Namibia are the best in the competition's history.

"I am honoured that the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame voting academy, which includes all the current living Hall of Famers, have nominated and voted me to be inducted into the Hall of Fame," McGrath said of the induction.

"I am very much looking forward to celebrating the occasion on 4 January with not only my friends and family, but all those at the SCG which is of course is like a second home to me," he added.


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Mumbai almost in quarters of Ranji

NAVI MUMBAI: Mumbai are all but sure to make the quarterfinals of the Ranji Trophy as they took a huge 203-run lead against Gujarat and then reduced the visitors to 159 for five in their second innings on the third day of their Group A match on Monday.

Mumbai can even force an outright win if they take the remaining five Gujarat wickets early and then overhaul the target quickly.

Gujarat are still trailing by 44 runs with Manprit Juneja (39) at the crease.

Gujarat skipper Parthiv Patel and Manprit steadied the ship after the visitors lost three early wickets. They added 78 runs for the fourth wicket at the D Y Patil Stadium.

Centurion in the first innings' Patel scored a run-a-ball 47, packed with four fours and a six, before being caught in the first slip by his counterpart Wasim Jaffer.

Gujarat soon lost Rujul Bhatt (8), who came into bat for Patel in the last over, with Juneja still batting at 39.

Pacer Javed Khan, who shared the new ball with Dhawal Kulkarni, and Ankeet Chavan scalped two wickets each while Suryakumar Yadav picked up a wicket.

Earlier in the day, Mumbai added 124 runs to their overnight score of 323 and were bundled out at lunch for 447.

Suryakumar Yadav (42) and Abhishek Nayar shared a 45-run partnership before Yadav was trapped leg before by Kushang Patel.

Nayar, unconquered at 72, batted well in the company of Zaheer Khan and struck nine fours. The duo shared a 48-run stand for the last wicket.

Mumbai suffered a set back when skipper Zaheer Khan got hit on his leg by bowler Ishwar Choudhury and took treatment to resume his batting. He got out at 11, hitting two fours but was not on field when Gujarat came out to bat for the second time around. Khan had picked up two wickets in he first innings.

Rush Kalaria and Kushang Patel grabbed three wickets each to help their side go through the Mumbai batting order.

Brief Score:

Gujarat: 244 and 159/5 (Parthiv Patel 47, Manpreet Juneja 39 batting; Javed Khan 2/22, Ankeet Chavan 2/59)

Mumbai 1st Innings 447 all out (Wasim Jaffer 171, Hiken Shah 82; Rush Kalaria 3/80, Kushang Patel 3/79)


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Jamshed leads Pak to 6 wickets victory

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 30 Desember 2012 | 21.24

CHENNAI: Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's heroic unbeaten century under pressure went in vain as archrivals Pakistan held their nerve to clinch the first one-day international with a comfortable six-wicket victory in a low-scoring contest on Sunday.

Scorecard | Match in Pics

India posted 227 for six after recovering from a precarious 29 for five one stage but that turned out to be insufficient for the Pakistanis who rode on Nasir Jamshed's unbeaten century to overhaul the target with 11 balls to spare and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Dhoni played a captain's knock with an unbeaten 113, his 8th ODI century, to script a brilliant Indian recovery after left-arm pacer Junaid Khan (4/43) exploited the overcast conditions to rip through the top-order and leave the hosts gasping for breath within the first 10 overs.

The Indian captain found an able ally in Suresh Raina (43) first and then Ravichandran Ashwin (31 not out) to take the score beyond the 200-run mark which looked doubtful at one stage following the top-order collapse.

Dhoni and Ashwin put on a record seventh wicket partnership of 121 runs but the Indian captain's superlative knock off 125 balls lost much of its value as the Pakistani batsmen went about the task of chasing down the target without taking too many risks.

Younis Khan (58) and Shoaib Malik (34 not out) were the other notable performers for Pakistan.

The Pakistani innings started on a disastrous note as ODI debutant Bhuvneshwar Kumar produced a beauty to get rid of Mohammed Hafeez with the very first delivery of the Pakistan innings.

The ball came back sharply after pitching as Hafeez didn't offer a stroke only to find his off-stump knocked back.

The youngster got rid of Azhar Ali a few overs later to reduce the visitors to 21 for two. But the experienced Younis Khan and Nasir steadied the Pakistan innings with a solid 112-run third wicket partnership.

Both Jamshed and Younis benefitted due to some horrendous decisions given by the Indian umpire S Ravi. Jamshed was lucky to get a reprieve on 24 when an inside edge was caught by Virender Sehwag in first slip off Ashwin but Ravi turned down the appeal.

Ravi also negated a plumb leg before decision against Younis when the right-hander missed a delivery from Ashwin in his bid to play the sweep shot.

Younis returned to the pavilion when Ashwin latched on to a low catch off Ashok Dinda, a decision which was referred to the TV umpire by on-field umpire Billy Bowden. But by that time, the visitors were already in a good position and just needed to bat sensibly to reach the target.

Jamshed, who grew in confidence as the innings wore on, was dropped by Yuvraj Singh when on 68 off Dinda much to the disappointment of a sizeable holiday crowd at the Chepauk.

Just when Pakistan seemed to be cruising along comfortably, Ishant Sharma enlivened the proceedings to some extent by getting rid of captain Misbah-ul-Haq (16) with a slower ball which knocked down the off stump.

It was Malik, who hit the winning runs with a pull towards deep mid-wicket boundary off the first ball of the penultimate over.

Earlier, put into bat, India plunged into trouble straightaway with Gautam Gambhir (8), Virender Sehwag (4), Virat Kohli (0), Yuvraj Singh (2) and Rohit Sharma (4) returning to the pavilion in quick succession as Junaid got the ball to swing under overcast conditions.

The Pakistani pacers took advantage of the moisture on the track and troubled the top-order batsmen with the new ball. Once the ball got a little older, Dhoni and Raina applied themselves and started rebuilding the Indian innings.

The two teams will now travel to Kolkata for the second ODI to be held on January 3 while the third and final match will be staged at the Ferozeshah stadium in New Delhi on January 6.

Pacer Junaid had justified his captain Misbah-ul-Haq's decision to bowl first in damp conditions with struggling opener Sehwag becoming Junaid's first victim.

The Delhi batsman, considered a game-changer for his ability to take the attack to the opposition, swung it Pakistan's way after slogging for 11 balls to get four runs.

Sehwag was castled by a Junaid delivery that came in a shade after pitching.

The big four of the Indian batting order were all bowled, three of them by Junaid, who seemed unplayable getting the ball to move appreciably both in the air and off the pitch.

The proverbial promising batsman of the side, Rohit added another one to his growing list of failures, becoming Junaid's fourth victim after scratching around for 14 deliveries for his four runs.

Rohit's last six ODI innings now read a disappointing 4, 4, 4, 0, 0 and 5. In fact, the top five managed to pull off just two fours for the team.

At 29/5 in a little less than 10 overs, India were staring firmly down the barrel before Raina and Dhoni came together to repair the innings slowly and steadily.

The duo cautiously added 73 runs for the sixth wicket and defied Pakistani bowlers for a good 23 overs.

Dhoni got a life on 16 when in the 26th over rival skipper Misbah-ul Haq dropped him at midwicket of Mohammed Hafeez's bowling and the Indian, who smashed seven fours and three sixes, made it count.

Dhoni was suffering from dehydration and also battled cramps towards the end of India innings.

Meanwhile, Raina's patient innings came to an end when he lost his leg stump to Hafeez. But Dhoni was unfazed and, in fact, accelerated from that point, reaching his fifty with a whip over midwicket boundary off Umar Gul.

For a man not exactly known for solid technique, Dhoni was the lone Indian batsman to smash spin ace Saeed Ajmal for a six. A new ball had to be sought to replace the one which went out of the ground.

He also brought up his hundred in style, hoicking Irfan over cover in the 49th over, which produced 21 runs with Dhoni doing most of the scoring. For Pakistan, Junaid was the most successful bowler, grabbing 4/43 in his nine overs.

This was the first match played under the new ICC rules. Under these rules, one new ball was used at each end, bowlers were allowed two bouncers an over, there was no batting Power Play, the bowling Power Play was completed before the 40th over, and at no stage in the innings more than four fielders were allowed outside the 30-yard circle.


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Jaffer puts Mumbai's one foot in quarters

MUMBAI: Opener Wasim Jaffer (171) scored a big hundred as Mumbai enhanced their chances of qualifying for the knockout stage of the Ranji Trophy by taking a 79-run lead against Gujarat in their Group A match, on Sunday.

Replying to Gujarat's 244, Mumbai ended the day two at a solid 323 for five with Suryakumar Yadav (23) and Aditya Nayar (6) at the crease.

Jaffer, who was six overnight, batted superbly almost all day as Gujarat managed just three wickets on Sunday.

Jaffer's 171 came off 271 balls with the help of 21 fours and a six.

Jaffer lost partner Aditya Tare (20) early but found good support from Hiken Shah (82) as the two added 213 runs for the third wicket.

The partnership was broken by Samit Gohel when he castled Shah, who faced 186 balls and hit 10 boundaries in his 82-run knock.

Left-arm paceman Rush Kalaria denied Jaffer a double century as he had the Mumbai opener caught by Gohel in the fag end of the day.

Kalaria also sent packing Nikhil Patil, who could not even open his account.

Brief Scores:

Gujarat 1st innings: 244 all out
Mumbai 1st innings: 232 for seven in 99 overs. (Wasim Jaffer 171, Hiken Shah 82; Rush Kalaria 2-48).


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Dhoni played well for his ton: Misbah

CHENNAI: His gritty century could not help India win but skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's ton under challenging conditions was acknowledged and appreciated by his counterpart Misbah-ul-Haq, on Sunday.

Scorecard | Match in Pics

Dhoni scored a fighting 113 when India were staring down the barrel at 29 for five after being put into bat in bowling friendly conditions.

Dhoni was also adjudged Man-of-the-match for his knock. "It was more difficult to play in the first half. There was lot of moisture but very well played by Dhoni. He single-handedly took the game away from us but in the end (Nasir) Jamshed played brilliantly for us," Misbah said at the post match presentation ceremony.

"Nasir played an extremely good knock and showed the way by finishing the game," he added.

Misbah said his fast bowlers -- Junaid Khan and Mohammad Irfan -- did a fantastic job of the side after winning a crucial toss.

"It was a good toss to win. It was an excellent spell by Junaid. He has done it before in a Test match in Sri Lanka. There was something for the bowlers but of you don't bowl in the right areas when the ball is seaming, you don't get result. Good to see that the bowlers pitched in the right areas in helping conditions," he said.

Dhoni said it was always difficult to comeback in the match after losing half-the-team at a score 29 and he chose not to play big shots while batting with Suresh Raina.

"I am satisfied with my batting. There was something for the fast bowlers, but they also pitched it in the right areas. Once we lost five wickets, it was difficult to come back.

"We delayed the slog to get to a respectable score. 227 was a good score from where we had started but overall, it was not enough in the end. The wicket got better later and our part-timers struggled," Dhoni said.

Pakistan skipper said it was difficult for the fast bowlers despite helpful conditions due to high level of humidity.

"It was hit and muggy. Humidity was a factor as both teams found it hard. Credit must be given to both teams' fast bowlers for bowling in such conditions," he said.


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Umpire howlers contribute to India's loss

CHENNAI: A couple of horrendous decisions by Indian umpire S Ravi contributed to India's six-wicket defeat to arch-rivals Pakistan in the first ODI on Sunday.

New Zealand's Billy Bowden and S Ravi were the two on-field umpires for the series-opener and some of the decisions by the Indian went against the home team which also lost a crucial toss under overcast conditions at the MA Chidambaram stadium.

The Indians were done in by some poor umpiring by Ravi in the first ball of the 18th over off-spinner R Ashwin.

Centurion Nasir Jamshed, who was batting on 24 then, misjudged a flighted ball from Ashwin which took the inside edge off his pads and Virender Sehwag took a smart catch at first slip. The Indians initially appealed for a leg before and then for a catch but Ravi turned down the appeal.

Luck again favoured the visitors in the 28th over when a loud shout for leg before against Younus Khan was turned down by Ravi with Ashwin being the bowler again. Younus, who was on 46 then, missed his sweep shot and got hit in front of middle and off but the verdict went against the Indians.

Both Jamshed (101 not out) and Younus (58) were largely responsible for rebuilding the Pakistani innings as they were struggling at 21 for two at one stage and the umpiring errors proved costly for the Indians. The duo put on a 112-run partnership for the third wicket which put the visitors on course again.

The quality of Indian umpiring has not been quite upto the mark in recent times which is reflected by the fact that no Indian umpire is in the list of ICC's Elite panel.

Former Indian captain S Venkatraghavan was the last Indian umpire on the panel but since his retirement no other umpire has made it to the list.

India have four umpires in the ICC Emirates International Panel. They are Sudhir Asnani, S Ravi, Vineet Kulkarni, C Shamshuddin.


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Rain may spoil India-Pakistan first ODI

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 29 Desember 2012 | 21.24

CHENNAI: Honours shared in the T20 series, arch foes India and Pakistan are now set for what is likely to be an exhilarating three-match ODI series showdown but weather gods could prove to be the dampener in the opening clash on Sunday.

If the Twenty20 matches were any indication, the ODI series is bound to leave the fans asking for more but the only concern is the rain that has lashed the city and is not expected to relent even on Sunday.

It has been raining in the city since Saturday night and the met office has predicted light to heavy showers for Sunday, which raises the possibility of the day match being called off without even a ball being bowled.

But if the weather gods do smile, the two teams could set the temperatures soaring given that their key players seem to be in good form.

For India, the biggest positive to emerge from the two Twenty20 games gone by was Yuvraj Singh's fantastic form.

The left-hander was nothing short of inspiring with the bat smashing a 36-ball 72, which included seven sixes, in the second T20 and is set to be back in the ODI fold after the Player of the Tournament-winning show in the 2011 World Cup.

But the top-order would be a concern given that both the openers -- Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir -- have not been in the best of touch in the recent past. Both of them struggled immensely in the demoralising Test series defeat to England.

Virat Kohli, at number three, has also not been in form to an extent and these three would have to get their act together for India to be dominant in the batting department.

In the middle-order, it could be a toss up between Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma while Yuvraj and Suresh Raina are expected to make the rest of the batting line-up.

On the bowling front, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who made a dream T20 debut by grabbing 3/9, could be handed an ODI cap as well for his impressive show in the shortest format.

After a decent outing in the T20s, Ishant Sharma would be leading the pace attack with Ashok Dinda and Bhuvneshwar as his likely partners.

The spin department would be spearheaded by local star R Ashwin in all likelihood, even though he has been far from impressive of late.

For Pakistan, it would be a change of leaders as Misbah-ul-Haq would be captaining the ODI side.

The temperamental side, which is exceptional one day and ordinary the other, also has solid performers in the line-up and should prove quite a handful for the hosts.

The openers -- Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed -- have settled down nicely into their roles. Hafeez, in fact, has been calmness personified in a mercurial team, as was evident from his Man of the Series-winning performance in the T20s against the arch-rivals.

Old warhorse Younis Khan would lend the much-required stability, while the Akmal brother --Umar and Kamran -- will provide the spark in a strong middle-order.

Pakistan have the clear edge over India as far as bowling is concerned with Umar Gul being the most potent pacer. Saeed Ajmal's spin has always troubled the Indians even though the hosts did take him to task in the second T20.

With not much separating the two teams, it promises to be an exhilarating contest but the result could well be decided by the weather gods given the continuing rain in the city.

Teams (from):

India: MS Dhoni (Capt.), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Ashok Dinda, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shami Ahmed, Amit Mishra.

Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq (Capt.), Nasir Jamshed, Mohammad Hafeez, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Haris Sohail, Kamran Akmal, Saeed Ajmal, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Umar Gul, Imran Farhat, Umar Akmal, Anwar Ali, Zulfiqar Babar.


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Cricket won't be the same without Sachin

Just as the absence of heat makes us feel cold, the absence of controversies in his resume make Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar the coolest of all Indian icons. Ever wondered what goes into the making of a man who has become a legend in his lifetime? There is a lot more to Sachin than just being a run-machine.

His greatness as a batsman lies not in having made more runs than anyone else, but the process he adopted. Sachin's success underlines the fact that talent alone is not enough. It is what you do with it that matters in the final analysis. Not for a second has Sachin let his focus slip. He has always preferred the hard grind to shortcuts. In spite of his cult status and the trimmings (fame, power, wealth) that go with it, Sachin has never let anything interfere with his game.

We may not think twice about criticizing him for just about everything - his batting technique, hairstyle, sartorial sense, nomination to Rajya Sabha and his decision to play on - but no matter what you say, or how much the critics crib, you can never provoke a reaction from the Little Master, who believes in keeping his own counsel.

CHASING HIS DREAMS

They say, a closed mouth gathers no foot. Never has an Indian celebrity spoken so little and yet inspired so much awe as Sachin. Lack of sound bites has not dimmed the media's enthusiasm to relentlessly pursue the man who has always let his bat do the talking.

Not one word out of place, not one step out of turn in his 23-year career in the course of which Sachin has scaled peaks of success that lesser mortals can only dream of.

Yet, he continues to be humble and honest - values that his parents had instilled in him at an early age. If at 39, his brand value remains intact, it is because he continues to inspire millions to dream.

Sachin, of course, started dreaming about playing for the country quite early. When he was picked in the Indian squad for the Pakistan tour in 1989, Sachin was 16, not even old enough to sign the contract papers sent by BCCI. He continues to live his dream even today.

It has been a fascinating journey that has taken him across continents, exposed him to hostile conditions and challenged him to rise to the occasion at every turn. Critics who label him as 'selfish' often lose sight of the fact that Sachin spent his entire teenage life and youth in the service of the nation whose stock in international cricket was not very high.

Sachin's Taurian stubbornness was on view in his very first Test match in Karachi when he stood up to Pakistan's hostile three-pronged pace attack, comprising Imran, Wasim and Waqar, but it was not until Silakot that Sachin earned his stripes.

On a green, fast and bouncy pitch, Sachin was hit on the bridge of his nose by a snorter from Waqar. He, however, refused to go off the field and took fresh guard after staunching the flow of blood with a handkerchief. His steely resolve and ample talent found full expression in the same over when he twice drove Waqar to the cover boundary even as placards saying, "Go home and drink milk" went up in the stands. Seniors in the squad like Kapil, Vengsarkar, Shastri and Srikkanth were all very protective of the teenager on his maiden tour, but that was the day when Sachin came of age and the nation fell in love with him.

PRISONER OF FAME

Today he is the elder statesman in the side, but such is his stature that youngsters half his age hero-worship him. He has had to constantly work on his game to remain one step ahead of bowlers are always on the lookout for the most prized scalp in international cricket.

It will be unfair to dismiss Sachin as an intensely private person who shuns public life. True, like most celebrities, Sachin too is a prisoner of his own fame, but those who have shared time and space with the "master" describe him as a "regular" guy who relaxes by listening to music, prefers seafood, loves to drive fast cars and enjoys the company of his family most. He is used to being mobbed. Just about everyone, his fans and opponents included, wants a piece of the man who had "reminded " the peerless Donald Bradman "of himself".

He has the temperament of a hermit. He is not known to refuse an autograph-seeker or pose for a photograph. Even when he has got a poor umpiring decision, he's never thrown a tantrum. The only occasions when we have seen him a touch agitated is when someone moved across the sight screen. When it is between him and the bowler, he brooks no interference. It was mainly due to his discomfiture at the crease that the ICC has been obliged to raise the height of sight screens at all international venues.

His teammates have marvelled at his genius while batting with him. Rahul Dravid admitted to getting a "weird" feeling when he found spectators starting to clap after being dismissed cheaply. Later he realised that it was in anticipation of the Little Master's arrival at the crease!

This trend continues even today as Sachin prepares to walk into the sunset. Earlier this year, fans at Sydney, where Sachin has a great record, and the Adelaide Oval, Bradman's backyard, admitted to having a lump in their throats as they gave him a standing ovation one final time.

Sachin would be not human if it had not affected him. To his credit, he betrayed no emotion and acknowledged the cheers by gently raising his bat that betrayed him for the first time Down Under.

He sought comfort in his family. A doting father to his two children Sara and Arjun and a loving husband to Anjali, whom he first met - and later courted - at the Mumbai airport while waiting for his luggage to arrive, Sachin is the quintessential family man we all aspire to be.

His father had the biggest influence on him and it was his mother Rajani who sent him back to England, saying his country needed him more for India's World Cup campaign in 1999, when Sachin had air-dashed to Mumbai to attend his father's last rites.

He is excited to see Arjun among Mumbai U-14 probables. Bowling to Arjun in the nets is a ritual that Sachin really enjoys, but he wants to put no pressure on him, realising that the young boy has his hands full living up to a surname that the world of cricket doffs its hat to.

SACHIN THE SLEEPWALKER

Among the other things that Sachin enjoys is go-karting. He simply loves to drive fast. He permits himself a quiet chuckle when he sees the frightened expression on his co-passengers ' faces. He is also a very talented table tennis player and is always up for a game or two with his teammates.

Like most cricketers, Sachin too is superstitious. He is particularly finicky about his bat. His teammates recall that a young Sachin was so worried about his bat not arriving in time that he was found sleepwalking at the team hotel in Faisalabad in 1989. Known to use the heaviest bat (1.51 kg) in the business, Sachin refused to use lighter ones even after he suffered a tennis elbow. During the Eden Test earlier this month, he had his 'lucky' bat as well as an old arm guard 'fixed' before the match and ended up scoring 76, which turned out to be his highest score in the series.

Much before Sachin struck up a friendship with tennis ace Roger Federer, he was a John McEnroe fan. He was just eight years old when he watched McEnroe end Bjorn Borg's five-year reign at the Big W in 1981 on television and then proceeded to copy his idol's look by reining in his mass of curly hair with a hairband and donning wrist bands!

Like all Taurians, Sachin is a loyal friend. He has a very close circle of friends and it is only when he is in their company that the real, fun loving Sachin emerges. His friends say that if he sets his mind on something, you can rest assured that he will achieve it.

They point to the Sydney Test in 2004 when Sachin made an epic 241 without playing a single stroke between thirdman and cover because he had been getting out caught in that region too frequently.

These are feats of a man who, many say, is destiny's child. To say he has enriched the game with his exceptional talent is like thanking the sun for sunshine. Cricket will not be the same when he walks into the sunset.


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Mike Hussey to retire from Test cricket

SYDNEY: Australian veteran Michael Hussey announced on Saturday he will retire from Test cricket after next week's third and final match against Sri Lanka in Sydney.

The evergreen Hussey, who continues to flourish at 37, just months younger than Ricky Ponting who called it quits earlier this month, said he wanted to spend more time with his four young children, who are all aged under eight.

"The Sydney Test against Sri Lanka will be my last Test match for Australia and I'm going to retire from international cricket at the end of the Australian summer," he told the Nine Network.

"I was quite excited to tell them (children) that I'm not going to go away and play for Australia any more."

Hussey has scored 19 hundreds in 78 Tests and averages 51.52.

The senior left-hander has had a successful calendar year with four centuries and has been in great scoring form this summer season against South Africa and Sri Lanka.

His retirement will leave a huge hole in Australia's lower batting order ahead of next year's back-to-back Ashes series against England.

Hussey said any Test match is a stressful experience, but next week's third Sydney Test could be different.

"I feel like I can come into this last Test match with no pressure whatsoever," he said.

"I can just really go out there and enjoy it."

Australia have already clinched the three-match series against Sri Lanka with huge wins in Hobart and Melbourne.

Hussey, who made his Test debut at the late age of 30 in 2005, has become Australia's 12th-leading run scorer with 6183 runs at 51.52.

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said Hussey would be a huge loss on and off the field for Australia.

"Michael Hussey has been a vital contributor to many Australian team wins over his very successful Test cricket career," Sutherland said.

"Affectionately known as "Mr Cricket", he has always been thoroughly committed to meticulous preparation and the highest levels of physical fitness, which have in turn delivered consistent performances in all forms of the game.

"An incredibly reliable player and leader within the Australian cricket team, Michael will retire from Test cricket with a record that puts him amongst the very best Australian batsmen of all time."


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Kohli achieves career-best T20I rankings

DUBAI: India's star batsman Virat Kohli has jumped five places to a career-best fifth position in the latest ICC Twenty20 international player rankings table, released on Saturday.

The latest rankings were released at the end of India's T20I series against England and Pakistan, as well as South Africa's three-match series against New Zealand.

While India levelled the two-match series against both England and Pakistan, South Africa won the three-match series against New Zealand by a margin of 2-1.

Kohli scored a total of 95 runs against England and Pakistan in the four matches, thereby achieving his career-best ratings of 731.

Yuvraj Singh has also moved up, jumping six places to 13th, following his 124 runs against England and Pakistan. He also climbed up a place in the bowlers' rankings list to 35th.

The combined batting and bowling efforts has helped Yuvraj, who was also named Player of the Series against England, achieve career-best 337 ratings points in the all-rounders' table, where he is placed third.

The other Indian batsmen, who have made upward movement, include Mahendra Singh Dhoni in 25th (up by three) spot and Ajinkya Rahane in 74th (up by five) place.

Meanwhile, the batting table continues to be headed by Shane Watson, followed by Brendon McCullum in second place and Chris Gayle in third.

Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez who scored 116 runs against India in the two matches at a strike rate of 165.71, has moved up a place to 19th with a best-ever ratings of 594.

Second-placed Hafeez also achieved his career-best ratings of 377 as an all-rounder in the series against India.

The bowlers' table, which is headed by Saeed Ajmal of Pakistan, saw India's Ravichandran Ashwin moving up two places to be at 16th with career-best ratings of 618 that he achieved against Pakistan at Ahmedabad in the second match.

India began the series against England and Pakistan at third place with 120 ratings points and had the opportunity to become the number one ranked team on the ICC T20I Championship table if they won all their four games.

But India's 1-1 series results against both England and Pakistan, meant that they retained the third place but for the loss of one ratings point to end at 119.

Meanwhile, England (fourth), South Africa (fifth) and Pakistan (sixth) retained its pre-series rankings on the table without any loss of ratings points.

New Zealand, on the other hand, gained one ratings point but continued to be eighth with 98 ratings points.


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Pak off to a good start in chase of 193

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 28 Desember 2012 | 21.24

NEW DELHI: Indian spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuvraj Singh removed Nasir Jamshed and Ahmed Shehzad respectively to rock Pakistan chase in second Twenty20 international at Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad.

Scorecard

Jamshed and Shehzad started off well, adding 74-run stand for the first wicket to lay the foundation for Pakistan.

Earlier, Yuvraj's career-best T20 knock could not have come at a more opportune time as it lifted India to a defendable total after being pegged back by three quick strikes.

Ever since Yuvraj arrived on the wicket, Pakistani bowlers bled runs as the left-hander plundered seven huge sixes and four boundaries in his 36-ball blitzkrieg to entertain a jam-packed house.

With skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (33) he added 97-runs for the fourth wicket as India put on board its highest total against Pakistan in T20s.

Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal bore the brunt of Yuvraj's fury as the Indian creamed four sixes off him with three coming in a row in the 19th over, which yielded India 22 runs.

Yuvraj was out in the last over off paceman Umar Gul, who was the most succesful bowler for Pakistan with four wickets at the expense of just 37 runs.

Earlier, India openers provided a fiery start, adding 44 runs inside five overs, but neither Gautam Gambhir (21) nor Ajinkya Rahane (28) could build on that.

The two openers were in good touch, driving and cutting elegantly. Rahane found boundries on the off-side despite facing a packed off-side field and also flicked confidently.

Gambhir was in much better form than Bangalore and his drives off Sohail Tanvir was a treat to watch but Gul removed both of them in space of two overs.

Gambhir departed after hitting Gul for three consecutive boundaries as he was foxed by a slower one. Gul returned and effected Rahane's dismissal with a catch in his follow through when the diminutive batsman miscued a pull shot.

Young fast bowler Mohammad Irfan was again impressive as he welcomed Yuvraj with a toe-crushing yorker.

The two quick wickets pegged India back, free-flowing runs stopped and pressure was on Yuvraj and Virat Kohli to wriggle the side out of the tight situation.

Kohli (27) too departed after getting his eye in when a confusion between him and Yuvraj resulted in his run out.

Dhoni arrived and meant business straight away, dispatching one from Shahid Afridi with a lofted drive to the fence. Yuvraj too started the fireworks, hitting a massive six off Afridi over mid-wicket to bring up India's 100 as India reeled off 17 runs in the 13th over.

Ajmal too got the same treatment by Yuvraj as one of his deliveries vanished in the crowd. Dhoni and Yuvraj continued in the same vein till the end and ensured the India have enough runs on the board to defend.


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Yuvraj leads Indian charge against Pak

NEW DELHI: Yuvraj Singh and skipper MS Dhoni started hammering Pakistan bowlers to lead Indian innings in the second Twenty20 international at Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad.

Scorecard

Virat Kohli and Yuvraj led Indian recovery, adding 35-run partnership for the third wicket before the former got run-out.

Pakistani pacer Umar Gul rocked India by dismissing Gautam Gambhir and Ajinkya Rahane in quick succession after openers gave India a blistering start.

Indian got off to a rollicking start with 44-run opening wicket stand by Gambhir and Rahane. Gambhir hammered three boundaries on the trot before being caught plumb in front of the wicket.

Earlier, Pakistan skipper Mohammad Hafeez won the toss and decided to bowl against India.

India have made one change, bringing in Ravichandran Ashwin in place of Ravindra Jadeja while Pakistan have retained the same playing eleven.

After being drubbed in the series opener in Bangalore, the hosts desperately need to win the second game to level the series and the pressure will be on Dhoni and his men to deliver the goods when it matters the most.

Pakistan, on the other hand, lived up to their reputation of a strong bowling unit with three specialist pacers - Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir and debutant Mohammad Irfan - wrecking havoc on a pace-friendly Chinnaswamy track.

Teams:

India: MS Dhoni (Capt.), Gautam Gambhir, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ashoke Dinda, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ishant Sharma.

Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez (Capt.), Nasir Jamshed, Kamran Akmal, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Irfan, Sohail Tanveer, Umar Gul, and Ahmed Shehzad.


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Yuvraj powers India to 192/5 against Pak

NEW DELHI: Indian spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuvraj Singh removed Nasir Jamshed and Ahmed Shehzad respectively to rock Pakistan chase in second Twenty20 international at Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad.

Scorecard

Jamshed and Shehzad started off well, adding 74-run stand for the first wicket to lay the foundation for Pakistan.

Earlier, Yuvraj's career-best T20 knock could not have come at a more opportune time as it lifted India to a defendable total after being pegged back by three quick strikes.

Ever since Yuvraj arrived on the wicket, Pakistani bowlers bled runs as the left-hander plundered seven huge sixes and four boundaries in his 36-ball blitzkrieg to entertain a jam-packed house.

With skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (33) he added 97-runs for the fourth wicket as India put on board its highest total against Pakistan in T20s.

Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal bore the brunt of Yuvraj's fury as the Indian creamed four sixes off him with three coming in a row in the 19th over, which yielded India 22 runs.

Yuvraj was out in the last over off paceman Umar Gul, who was the most succesful bowler for Pakistan with four wickets at the expense of just 37 runs.

Earlier, India openers provided a fiery start, adding 44 runs inside five overs, but neither Gautam Gambhir (21) nor Ajinkya Rahane (28) could build on that.

The two openers were in good touch, driving and cutting elegantly. Rahane found boundries on the off-side despite facing a packed off-side field and also flicked confidently.

Gambhir was in much better form than Bangalore and his drives off Sohail Tanvir was a treat to watch but Gul removed both of them in space of two overs.

Gambhir departed after hitting Gul for three consecutive boundaries as he was foxed by a slower one. Gul returned and effected Rahane's dismissal with a catch in his follow through when the diminutive batsman miscued a pull shot.

Young fast bowler Mohammad Irfan was again impressive as he welcomed Yuvraj with a toe-crushing yorker.

The two quick wickets pegged India back, free-flowing runs stopped and pressure was on Yuvraj and Virat Kohli to wriggle the side out of the tight situation.

Kohli (27) too departed after getting his eye in when a confusion between him and Yuvraj resulted in his run out.

Dhoni arrived and meant business straight away, dispatching one from Shahid Afridi with a lofted drive to the fence. Yuvraj too started the fireworks, hitting a massive six off Afridi over mid-wicket to bring up India's 100 as India reeled off 17 runs in the 13th over.

Ajmal too got the same treatment by Yuvraj as one of his deliveries vanished in the crowd. Dhoni and Yuvraj continued in the same vein till the end and ensured the India have enough runs on the board to defend.


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Indian spinners give Pak double blow

NEW DELHI: Indian spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuvraj Singh removed Nasir Jamshed and Ahmed Shehzad respectively to rock Pakistan chase in second Twenty20 international at Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad.

Scorecard

Jamshed and Shehzad started off well, adding 74-run stand for the first wicket to lay the foundation for Pakistan.

Earlier, Yuvraj's career-best T20 knock could not have come at a more opportune time as it lifted India to a defendable total after being pegged back by three quick strikes.

Ever since Yuvraj arrived on the wicket, Pakistani bowlers bled runs as the left-hander plundered seven huge sixes and four boundaries in his 36-ball blitzkrieg to entertain a jam-packed house.

With skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (33) he added 97-runs for the fourth wicket as India put on board its highest total against Pakistan in T20s.

Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal bore the brunt of Yuvraj's fury as the Indian creamed four sixes off him with three coming in a row in the 19th over, which yielded India 22 runs.

Yuvraj was out in the last over off paceman Umar Gul, who was the most succesful bowler for Pakistan with four wickets at the expense of just 37 runs.

Earlier, India openers provided a fiery start, adding 44 runs inside five overs, but neither Gautam Gambhir (21) nor Ajinkya Rahane (28) could build on that.

The two openers were in good touch, driving and cutting elegantly. Rahane found boundries on the off-side despite facing a packed off-side field and also flicked confidently.

Gambhir was in much better form than Bangalore and his drives off Sohail Tanvir was a treat to watch but Gul removed both of them in space of two overs.

Gambhir departed after hitting Gul for three consecutive boundaries as he was foxed by a slower one. Gul returned and effected Rahane's dismissal with a catch in his follow through when the diminutive batsman miscued a pull shot.

Young fast bowler Mohammad Irfan was again impressive as he welcomed Yuvraj with a toe-crushing yorker.

The two quick wickets pegged India back, free-flowing runs stopped and pressure was on Yuvraj and Virat Kohli to wriggle the side out of the tight situation.

Kohli (27) too departed after getting his eye in when a confusion between him and Yuvraj resulted in his run out.

Dhoni arrived and meant business straight away, dispatching one from Shahid Afridi with a lofted drive to the fence. Yuvraj too started the fireworks, hitting a massive six off Afridi over mid-wicket to bring up India's 100 as India reeled off 17 runs in the 13th over.

Ajmal too got the same treatment by Yuvraj as one of his deliveries vanished in the crowd. Dhoni and Yuvraj continued in the same vein till the end and ensured the India have enough runs on the board to defend.


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'Hope to play alongside Sachin in Tests'

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 27 Desember 2012 | 21.24

AHMEDABAD: Young Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who made an impressive Twenty20 international debut against Pakistan in Bangalore, hopes to play alongside Sachin Tendulkar in Tests.

Bhuvneshwar, 22, said he was shocked to hear about Tendulkar's retirement from ODIs.

"Yes, that's a big disappointment. When I saw his retirement news on the TV, I thought that I've lost the chance to play alongside him. But then I thought that I still have a chance to play with him in Tests. I hope that happens," Bhuvneshwar said.

Bhuvneshwar said swing bowling is his main strength like his mentor and statemate Praveen Kumar.

"Praveen Kumar and I are from the same city. I have been watching him since a long time and I think we're very similar bowlers. I look up to him as my mentor. Like him, my main weapon is swing bowling and I rely a lot on it especially in helpful conditions like this," Bhuvneshwar was quoted as saying the official website of the board.

Bhuvneshwar, who picked up three for nine against Pakistan, said he was nervous before the match but once the match started the nerves cooled down.

"I was told beforehand that I had a good chance. After seeing the wicket, the team management decided that I will play. I was happy but nervous too. They were normal debut nerves and nothing to do with the fact that it was against Pakistan. Once I entered the field, I was pretty normal."

Bhuvneshwar said it would have been a dream debut for him had India won the match.

"It would have been a dream debut if we had won. It was a good debut - scoring six crucial runs at the death, picking up three wickets for nine runs and taking a catch. It would have been perfect had we won in the end," he said.

The all-rounder said he was hopeful of selection after series of impressive performances in the domestic circuit.

"I was hopeful. I scored a first-class century and did well in Ranji Trophy and Duleep Trophy. I was hoping to get in as an all-rounder," he said.

Bhuvneshwar said Indian Premier League (IPL) stint with Royal Challengers Bangalore helped him learn the tricks of Twenty20.

"You can say that the time spent with RCB did help me in terms of knowing what kind of Twenty20 wicket this is. Overall, the IPL experience was useful because of what I learnt from the international players about bowling in T20s," he said.

Bhuvneshwar also thanked Mahendra Singh Dhoni for boosting his confidence.

"I have always watched him on TV and thought what a good captain he is. Before this game he told me that although I am playing for India and it's a big thing, at the end of the day it's just another match. You have played a lot of cricket matches and this is one of them. He supported me right through my spell as well," he said.


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India aim to level series against Pakistan

AHMEDABAD: India will have to quickly plug their batting shortcomings and pick the right team composition when they go into the second and last Twenty20 International against archrivals Pakistan on Friday, hoping to level the two match series 1-1.

India suffered a five-wicket drubbing in the series opener in Bangalore after a middle-order collapse, which saw the hosts struggle to 130 for nine after being 90 for two at one stage.

The hosts desperately need to win the second game to level the series and the pressure will be on captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men to deliver the goods when it matters the most.

Apart from Gautam Gambhir (43) and Ajinkya Rahane (42), all the other batsmen failed to apply themselves when confronted against a strong bowling attack spearheaded by the experienced Umar Gul.

In fact, all-rounder Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina were the only ones other than the openers to have reached the double figures.

India would need the likes of Virat Kohli, Dhoni, Yuvraj and Rohit Sharma to regroup and fire in unison against the traditional rivals who are also equally determined to clinch the T20 series.

The bowling also remains a persistent headache for the Indians. Except for Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who finished with impressive figures of three for nine in his debut game, none of the other bowlers could trouble the Pakistani batsmen.

Ashok Dinda, Ishant Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja all struggled to get wickets or even check the flow of runs.

The decision to leave out Ravichandran Ashwin in the last match was seen as a move that worked in Pakistan's favour and Dhoni might be tempted to play him in the must-win tie.

The Indians had opted to go in with three specialist seamers in the last match and it will be interesting to see whether they go in with the same strategy or include a spinner.

Dhoni's decision to go in with Jadeja ahead of Ashwin also drew criticism.

"Ashwin was not there in this team. So our plan was that if we play out the new ball, then their spinners are not world-class; I know Yuvraj is in great form, but when you don't have a world-class spinner then we can dominate," Pakistan skipper Mohammad Hafeez had said.

Besides, innumerable chances given to Sharma has also been the talking point and the Indian think-tank may have a lot of work to do before they settle for the playing XI for the match.

It will be interesting to see if a chance is given to Ambati Rayudu, considering his past performances in this format of the game.

Pakistan, on the other hand, lived up to their reputation of a strong bowling unit with three specialist pacers -- Gul, Sohail Tanvir and debutant Mohammad Irfan -- wrecking havoc on a pace-friendly Chinnaswamy track.

They would look to carry on the momentum on Friday also though the Sardar Patel track may not give them much assistance.

The visitors' batting, however, has been a cause of concern for them with openers Nasir Jamshed and Ahmed Shehzad struggling to provide a platform during their run chase at Bangalore.

Even the reliable Umar Akmal, Kamran Akmal and Shahid Afridi failed to get big scores.

Hafeez and Shoaib Malik were the saving grace and Pakistan would hope that they continue with their exploits along with the others striking form.

Captain Dhoni had blamed the failure of the middle-order batsmen to capitalise on the good start as the reason for his team's defeat in the first match.

"The batsmen got out trying to play big shots. We could have easily scored 200 if we had applied ourselves," Dhoni had said.

It remains to be seen whether the batsmen put up a better display now and not go for reckless shots in a bid to accelerate the pace of scoring.

Dhoni himself will be under intense pressure with his captaincy coming under the scanner in the aftermath of the recent Test debacle against England.

He has always been regarded as a better captain in the shorter formats of the game, but the recent defeats in T20 matches has certainly dented his reputation.

The defeats have come at home, where the team is playing in familiar conditions, and Dhoni has a tough task in lifting the morale of the team.

Teams (from):

India: MS Dhoni (Capt.), Gautam Gambhir, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Ambati Rayudu, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Piyush Chawla, Ashoke Dinda, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma and Parvinder Awana.

Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez (Capt.), Nasir Jamshed, Kamran Akmal, Umar Akmal, Umar Amin, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Irfan, Junaid Khan, Sohail Tanveer, Umar Gul, Asad Ali, Zulfiqar Baber, Ahmad Shahzad.


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'Bhuvi can become genuine all-rounder'

NEW DELHI: It is still early days but the coach who taught Bhuvneshwar Kumar the basics of cricket, says the talented India seamer could soon prove to be a cricketer of an ilk, who epitomises the value of a true all-rounder.

"His domestic records says it all. He is a genuine all-rounder and used to open the inning for our academy team. Now he has world class coaches with him and Venkatesh Prasad is the coach of UP team, so they can transform him into a good all-rounder," Rastogi said.

Bhuvneshwar had a dream debut in the first Twenty20 match against Pakistan as he claimed three wickets for just nine runs. That he gave away so less in his four-over spell made it even more special.

India, though, lost the match by five wickets, prompting the distraught 22-year-old to seek solace in Rastogi's comforting words.

"He was very disappointed that India could not win that match. I told him to concentrate on the second match and I am sure he will do even better tomorrow," the Meerut-based coach said on the eve of the second T20 against the arch-rivals.

When asked about Bhuvneshwar's inspiration, Rastogi said that he has learnt a lot from Praveen Kumar, who is also from Meerut, and former India skipper Saurav Ganguly while playing in the IPL for Pune Warriors.

"Praveen is also from Meerut and plays on the same ground. Bhuvi learnt a lot from him. Ganguly taught him how to handle pressure," said Rastogi.

Asked about his pupil's strength, Rastogi said that he swings the ball naturally and that too both ways.

"When he came to us with his elder sister Rekha, he was only 13. We saw his bowling and realised that he is special. His inswing was natural and he can swing the bowl both ways.

"His dedication and determination are his assets. He worked very hard to reach so far. He took five wickets in his under-15 debut. His best quality is that he does not get affected with the reputation of opponent and we have witnessed that in the first T20."


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'Ishant and Kamran sort out differences'

KARACHI: Indian pacer Ishant Sharma and Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal, who were fined after a verbal duel in the first T20 international at Bangalore, have buried the hatchet and are now the best of friends, according to a leading Pakistani newspaper.

'The Express' newspaper reported on Thursday that after the match, Sharma had gone to the Pakistan dressing room and sorted things out with Kamran.

"Sharma went to the Pakistan dressing room after the match and addressing Kamran asked him 'Paji Tauno Ki Hogaya See' (Brother what happened to you)," the report said.

It said that Sharma had than clarified to Kamran that he had not used any abusive language against him during the standoff in Bangalore.

"After that some senior players came in and sorted things out for both players who have now buried the incident," the report said.

The report also said that afterwards when the teams travelled on a chartered flight from Bangalore to Ahmedabad, Kamran and Sharma were seen laughing and in good spirits.

Outside the field, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli and some of the other Indian players get along well with some of the Pakistani players and some players also had dinner together, the report said.

Ishant and Kamran got into the argument when the latter was declared not out after he was caught off a no ball by the former, and was beaten on the next ball.

Soon both the players exchanged a few angry words and wagged fingers at each other. Finally, the ground umpires and Indian players intervened and separated both of them.

Pakistan manager, Naved Akram Cheema said that despite the incident, the relation between the two teams is good and cordial.

"All the intensity is on the field as obviously they also want to win as do we. But otherwise relations are fine between the two sides and we have been very well looked after so far in India," Cheema told Geo Super channel.

He also said that the security for the Pakistani players had been very good and they had been very well received and shown hospitality in Bangalore.

"The players are thoroughly enjoying their tour of India and the win in the first match has further lifted their spirits," he said.


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MSD blames loss on middle-order failure

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 26 Desember 2012 | 21.24

BANGALORE: Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni feels the failure of middle-order batsmen to capitalise on the good start provided by openers led to the five-wicket loss against Pakistan in the first Twenty20 encounter on Tuesday.

Dhoni said India loss of wickets at regular intervals, after being in a strong position at 75 without loss in 10 overs, hurt the team badly.

"The batsmen got out trying to play big shots. We could have easily scored 200 if we had applied ourselves," Dhoni complained.

On the umpire not giving a decision in India's favour when Ishant Sharma had got Shoaib Malik (57 not out) caught off a ball which climbed a tad above shoulder level, Dhoni said, "It was a fair decision but I am not sure if you are allowed to refer it (to the third umpire) or not."

Asked about R Ashwin's omission from the playing eleven, Dhoni said, "Since we had three seamers we wanted to give Jadeja a go. At the same time we had other resources as well."

Pakistan skipper Mohammad Hafeez said the team played according to a plan and targeted India's part-time spinners -- Yuvraj Singh and Ravindra Jadeja -- who are not world-class bowlers.

"I know they are in good form, but they are not world-class spinners. And hence we planned to dominate them after seeing off pacers early on," Hafeez said.

Hafeez said after Pakistan lost three early wickets and were struggling at 12 for three in three overs, he and Shoaib Malik decided to play off Bhuvneshwar Kumar and other Indian pacers.

"Malik showed great character and we built a partnership," he said.

Hafeez had words of praise for debutant Bhuvneshwar, who had figures of three for nine in four overs.

"He bowled very well. He was swinging the ball nicely," he said.

Hafeez said his players showed a lot of character on the field, especially bowlers who restricted India beyond his expectations.

"Mohammad Irfan was our surprise package. I think he started off like one. Along with him, Sohail Tanvir also bowled well in right areas. Umar Gul also came off good in middle overs," he said.


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Aussies on top against Sri Lanka at MCG

MELBOURNE: Australia skittled out Sri Lanka for 156 and trailed by just six runs after an eventful opening day saw 13 wickets fall in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Wednesday.

Scorecard

Before a Boxing Day crowd of 67,138 at the sun-bathed MCG, the home side were in command after winning the opening Test in Hobart by 137 runs.

Kumar Sangakkara joined the 10,000 runs club and Mitchell Johnson claimed his 200th Test wicket before the Australian batsmen made Sri Lanka pay for their paltry first innings total made off just 43.4 overs, with David Warner clobbering 62 off 46 balls.

Despite a late flurry of wickets Australia finished the day well on top. At the close they were 150 for three with Michael Clarke, who passed a fitness test on a strained hamstring, not out 20 and vice-captain Shane Watson on 13.

The Sri Lankans were rueing dropped catches off both batsmen late in the day.

Their only bright spot was Sangakkara's 58, which was ended by a stunning running catch by wicketkeeper Matthew Wade to give Johnson his 200th wicket in his 49th Test.

Sangakkara was the equal-fastest to the 10,000 milestone, reaching it in his 195th Test innings as did Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara.

Johnson, recalled after being left out in Hobart, claimed four for 63 off 14 overs to finish off the sorry Sri Lankans.

The Australians made a lively start with Warner and Ed Cowan putting on 95 off 106 balls, Warner blazing his fourth Test half-century off 34 balls before falling to a trap laid by medium-pacer Angelo Mathews.

Mathews tempted him with a short ball and the opener duly obliged by finding Dhammika Prasad at deep mid-wicket.

Phil Hughes was run out for 10 in a dreadful mix-up with Cowan in the 23rd over, well beaten home by Tillakaratne Dilshan's throw to the striker's end.

Cowan was out for 36 in the following over, flashing at Prasad. Mahela Jayawardene took a hot catch in the slips.

The Sri Lankan batsmen self-destructed with poor shot-making, although the Australian pace attack maintained a good line and length.

Debutant Jackson Bird captured his first Test wicket with his 10th delivery when he moved the ball away from left-hander Dimuth Karunaratne who was taken by Wade for five.

Hobart centurion Dilshan fell three overs later when Johnson got one through his defences which cannoned into the off-stump for 11.

The tourists' woes deepened when Mahela Jayawardene was out three balls after first-hour drinks for three, continuing a dismal scoring series for the skipper.

Peter Siddle moved one off the pitch and enticed an edge off Jayawardene's bat to give Wade his second catch and leave the Sri Lankans 37 for three in the 13th over.

Thilan Samaraweera was out to a rash shot to the third ball after lunch, top-edging Bird to Warner at short mid-wicket for 10.

Wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene, whose further participation in the match is in doubt with a hairline fractured thumb, went to a Johnson lifter for 24, caught in the slips by Hughes.

Johnson struck again next ball with a brutish riser that struck Prasad's gloves for Wade's third catch of the innings.

Rangana Herath survived Johnson's hat-trick ball before Sangakkara became Johnson's fourth victim of the innings.


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South Africa elect to bat against Kiwis

PORT ELIZABETH: South Africa won the toss and chose to bat first in the series-deciding Twenty20 international against New Zealand at St. George's Park on Wednesday.

Scorecard

The home team made one change after New Zealand's eight-wicket win in East London on Sunday to level the series, calling in Justin Ontong in place of out-of-form opening batsman Richard Levi.

That means captain Faf du Plessis could move up the order to open alongside Henry Davids, with Ontong slotting into the middle order.

New Zealand kept faith with the same team after Martin Guptill's brilliant century set up a final-ball win last weekend.

Another New Zealand victory will ensure newly appointed Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum starts his tenure with a series win in South Africa.


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Sachin to skip clash against Gujarat

MUMBAI: Sachin Tendulkar, who recently retired from one-day cricket, will not play in Mumbai's last Ranji Trophy league game against Gujarat but has made himself available for the knock-out stage if the team reaches the quarterfinals.

Mumbai Cricket Association joint secretary Nitin Dalal said that Tendulkar will not be able to play in the match which begins on Saturday at Dr DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai as he is now holidaying in Northern India with his family.

"I asked him (Tendulkar) if he was available but he said since he is on a break, he won't be able to play (the Gujarat game). But he has made himself available for the knockouts," Dalal said.

Mumbai are placed third in the Group A points table, tied on 20 points with Madhya Pradesh. They will ideally be looking for a win against Gujarat or will have to at least secure a first-innings lead in order to be among the top three teams that will progress to the last eight from the group.

Punjab are at the top of the group with 32 points, but five teams are in contention for the remaining two slots.


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1st T20I: India off to a steady start

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 25 Desember 2012 | 21.24

NEW DELHI: Openers Ajinkya Rahane and Gautam Gambhir took India past 50-mark in seven overs as after they were invited to bat by Pakistan in the first T20 match of the bilateral series at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Tuesday.

Scorecard

"It is a new fresh journey and we are looking forward to do well. Conditions are not very different from Pakistan," said Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez.

"Dew factor, we would have looked to field as well. This is known as one of the good grounds to chase. This is a very loud ground, I don't think any voice goes outside the ground. I just wait for the fielder to look at me," said Indian captain MS Dhoni.

Right-arm fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar will make his debut for India in place of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who has been dropped. Parwinder Awana and leg-spinner Piyush have also been left out of the squad for the match.

Asad Ali, Junaid Khan, Umar Amin and Zulfiqar Babar are the four Pakistani players who will sit out of the match.

India: Gautam Gambhir, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni(c), Ravindra Jadeja, B Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Ashok Dinda

Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez (c), Ahmed Shehzad, Nasir Jamshed, Kamran Akmal, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Irfan


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1st T20I: India off to a steady start

NEW DELHI: Shahid Afridi gave Pakistan first breakthrough by dismissing danger man Ajinkya Rahane after a solid first wicket partnership of 78 in the 1st T20 match.

Scorecard

Afridi got Rahane (42) caught at extra cover by Umar Akmal in the 11th over.

Earlier, after an uneasy beginning, openers Rahane and Gautam Gambhir took India past 50-mark in seven overs after they were invited to bat at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

"It is a new fresh journey and we are looking forward to do well. Conditions are not very different from Pakistan," said Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez.

"Dew factor, we would have looked to field as well. This is known as one of the good grounds to chase. This is a very loud ground, I don't think any voice goes outside the ground. I just wait for the fielder to look at me," said Indian captain MS Dhoni.

Right-arm fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar will make his debut for India in place of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who has been dropped. Parwinder Awana and leg-spinner Piyush have also been left out of the squad for the match.

Asad Ali, Junaid Khan, Umar Amin and Zulfiqar Babar are the four Pakistani players who will sit out of the match.

India: Gautam Gambhir, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni(c), Ravindra Jadeja, B Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Ashok Dinda

Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez (c), Ahmed Shehzad, Nasir Jamshed, Kamran Akmal, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Irfan


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'Indo-Pak rivalry is bigger than Ashes'

NEW DELHI: A dodgy knee has kept Irfan Pathan out of action and the all-rounder is really disappointed that he won't be a part of the India-Pakistan limited overs series that started in Bangalore on Tuesday.

"It's a big series and I am looking forward towards India doing well. It's unfortunate that I am not part of the Indian squad due to knee injury. The rivalry between India and Pakistan is bigger than Ashes. I hope and pray that India win this series," Irfan said during a promotional event of UNICEF's tie-up with Delhi Daredevils.

Asked about whether it will be a battle between India's batsmen and Pakistan's bowlers, the left-arm seamer agreed.

"I agree with this point. I believe that all the matches would be like that. It would be an interesting contest," he added.

Pathan has not played since sustaining a knee injury after the first Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka in early November.

Pathan said he would put his money on all-rounder Yuvraj Singh to be the "impact player" of the series and exuded confidence about India emerging triumphant.

"We are playing a lot of matches these days, so we are in an advantageous position. Pakistan have not played that many matches, so we have that advantage. Another positive aspect is that we are playing at home. I pray for the Indian team's victory. It's always an entertaining battle," Pathan stated.

Talking about his return to the international cricket, Pathan said, "Hopefully, I will be back in three-four weeks time. I am hoping to get fully fit within a month's time. I will go back to the NCA, prove my fitness and return to the international fold."

Pathan also paid rich tributes to Sachin Tendulkar, who drew the curtains on his long and illustrious ODI career.

"Sachin is a great player. A legend. We should celebrate his achievements on the field rather than thinking negatively on this aspect. We will definitely miss him and his absence will be felt in the dressing room.

"Paaji, as I and many others fondly call him (Tendulkar), has been a legend of the game. We are lucky that such a legend played for India and guided the generation of upcoming cricketers," he said.


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Gambhir, Rahane get Ind off to a flyer

NEW DELHI: After an uneasy beginning, openers Ajinkya Rahane and Gautam Gambhir took India past 50-mark in seven overs as after they were invited to bat by Pakistan in the first T20 match of the bilateral series at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Tuesday.

Scorecard

"It is a new fresh journey and we are looking forward to do well. Conditions are not very different from Pakistan," said Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez.

"Dew factor, we would have looked to field as well. This is known as one of the good grounds to chase. This is a very loud ground, I don't think any voice goes outside the ground. I just wait for the fielder to look at me," said Indian captain MS Dhoni.

Right-arm fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar will make his debut for India in place of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who has been dropped. Parwinder Awana and leg-spinner Piyush have also been left out of the squad for the match.

Asad Ali, Junaid Khan, Umar Amin and Zulfiqar Babar are the four Pakistani players who will sit out of the match.

India: Gautam Gambhir, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni(c), Ravindra Jadeja, B Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Ashok Dinda

Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez (c), Ahmed Shehzad, Nasir Jamshed, Kamran Akmal, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Irfan


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1st T20I: India off to a steady start

NEW DELHI: Openers Ajinkya Rahane and Gautam Gambhir took India past 50-mark in seven overs as after they were invited to bat by Pakistan in the first T20 match of the bilateral series at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Tuesday.

Scorecard

"It is a new fresh journey and we are looking forward to do well. Conditions are not very different from Pakistan," said Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez.

"Dew factor, we would have looked to field as well. This is known as one of the good grounds to chase. This is a very loud ground, I don't think any voice goes outside the ground. I just wait for the fielder to look at me," said Indian captain MS Dhoni.

Right-arm fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar will make his debut for India in place of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who has been dropped. Parwinder Awana and leg-spinner Piyush have also been left out of the squad for the match.

Asad Ali, Junaid Khan, Umar Amin and Zulfiqar Babar are the four Pakistani players who will sit out of the match.

India: Gautam Gambhir, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni(c), Ravindra Jadeja, B Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Ashok Dinda

Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez (c), Ahmed Shehzad, Nasir Jamshed, Kamran Akmal, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Irfan


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1st T20I: India off to a steady start

NEW DELHI: Shahid Afridi gave Pakistan first breakthrough by dismissing danger man Ajinkya Rahane after a solid first wicket partnership of 78 in the 1st T20 match.

Scorecard

Afridi got Rahane (42) caught at extra cover by Umar Akmal in the 11th over.

Earlier, after an uneasy beginning, openers Rahane and Gautam Gambhir took India past 50-mark in seven overs after they were invited to bat at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

"It is a new fresh journey and we are looking forward to do well. Conditions are not very different from Pakistan," said Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez.

"Dew factor, we would have looked to field as well. This is known as one of the good grounds to chase. This is a very loud ground, I don't think any voice goes outside the ground. I just wait for the fielder to look at me," said Indian captain MS Dhoni.

Right-arm fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar will make his debut for India in place of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who has been dropped. Parwinder Awana and leg-spinner Piyush have also been left out of the squad for the match.

Asad Ali, Junaid Khan, Umar Amin and Zulfiqar Babar are the four Pakistani players who will sit out of the match.

India: Gautam Gambhir, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni(c), Ravindra Jadeja, B Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Ashok Dinda

Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez (c), Ahmed Shehzad, Nasir Jamshed, Kamran Akmal, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Irfan


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'Indo-Pak rivalry is bigger than Ashes'

NEW DELHI: A dodgy knee has kept Irfan Pathan out of action and the all-rounder is really disappointed that he won't be a part of the India-Pakistan limited overs series that started in Bangalore on Tuesday.

"It's a big series and I am looking forward towards India doing well. It's unfortunate that I am not part of the Indian squad due to knee injury. The rivalry between India and Pakistan is bigger than Ashes. I hope and pray that India win this series," Irfan said during a promotional event of UNICEF's tie-up with Delhi Daredevils.

Asked about whether it will be a battle between India's batsmen and Pakistan's bowlers, the left-arm seamer agreed.

"I agree with this point. I believe that all the matches would be like that. It would be an interesting contest," he added.

Pathan has not played since sustaining a knee injury after the first Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka in early November.

Pathan said he would put his money on all-rounder Yuvraj Singh to be the "impact player" of the series and exuded confidence about India emerging triumphant.

"We are playing a lot of matches these days, so we are in an advantageous position. Pakistan have not played that many matches, so we have that advantage. Another positive aspect is that we are playing at home. I pray for the Indian team's victory. It's always an entertaining battle," Pathan stated.

Talking about his return to the international cricket, Pathan said, "Hopefully, I will be back in three-four weeks time. I am hoping to get fully fit within a month's time. I will go back to the NCA, prove my fitness and return to the international fold."

Pathan also paid rich tributes to Sachin Tendulkar, who drew the curtains on his long and illustrious ODI career.

"Sachin is a great player. A legend. We should celebrate his achievements on the field rather than thinking negatively on this aspect. We will definitely miss him and his absence will be felt in the dressing room.

"Paaji, as I and many others fondly call him (Tendulkar), has been a legend of the game. We are lucky that such a legend played for India and guided the generation of upcoming cricketers," he said.


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Gambhir, Rahane get Ind off to a flyer

NEW DELHI: After an uneasy beginning, openers Ajinkya Rahane and Gautam Gambhir took India past 50-mark in seven overs as after they were invited to bat by Pakistan in the first T20 match of the bilateral series at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Tuesday.

Scorecard

"It is a new fresh journey and we are looking forward to do well. Conditions are not very different from Pakistan," said Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez.

"Dew factor, we would have looked to field as well. This is known as one of the good grounds to chase. This is a very loud ground, I don't think any voice goes outside the ground. I just wait for the fielder to look at me," said Indian captain MS Dhoni.

Right-arm fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar will make his debut for India in place of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who has been dropped. Parwinder Awana and leg-spinner Piyush have also been left out of the squad for the match.

Asad Ali, Junaid Khan, Umar Amin and Zulfiqar Babar are the four Pakistani players who will sit out of the match.

India: Gautam Gambhir, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni(c), Ravindra Jadeja, B Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Ashok Dinda

Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez (c), Ahmed Shehzad, Nasir Jamshed, Kamran Akmal, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Irfan


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'Sachin's retirement is relief for selectors'

Written By Unknown on Senin, 24 Desember 2012 | 21.24

BANGALORE: Former India off-spinner Erapalli Prasanna on Monday said Sachin Tendulkar's retirement from ODIs was a realistic decision which brought relief to the national selectors.

"Sachin's retirement from ODIs is a realistic decision as it has relieved the selectors from facing embarrassment of picking or dropping him from one-day games. If he was dropped, many would have questioned the selectors and included many would have questioned his capabilities," he told reporters here.

Sachin would have been a liability if he had failed and obviously he is a super cricketer, an icon but a human being whose reflexes are not the same as it was twenty years before, Prasanna said.

Prasanna said Sachin retired from ODIs possibly to focus on Test matches because he has not done well in the recent past and is determined to perform before he quits the longer version of the game.

"He knows people forget one-day and T20 matches. A player is recognised as good with reference to five-day game," he said.

Prasanna said the fact that Sachin could manage to maintain himself at such a high level for a very long time speaks volumes of the God's gift to him.

"We may talk about Don Bradman, XYZ and what not, but they did not play as much cricket as this boy has played," he said.

Former India wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani said Sachin should have retired from the ODI after India lifted the World Cup, but certainly not amidst severe criticism.

"The timing of Sachin's retirement was inappropriate. He should have retired following India's world Cup triumph. If he would have retired then, everybody would have lauded especially when he was at his peak," he said.


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Will retirement diminish Sachin's value?

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar's retirement from one-day cricket will set the stage for a new phase in the life cycle of one of India's most iconic celebrity brands. As his form has dipped in the past few months, many big brands and consumer goods companies have dropped Sachin or significantly reduced the number of his television advertisement spots from their media plans.

Sachin's ODI record | Profile: Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar | In Pics: Sachin's one-day journey

Coca-Cola, for instance, does not use the legendary cricketer - who in his prime humbled bowlers of the calibre of Wasim Akram, Glen McGrath, Shane Warne and Brett Lee - as its youth icon, but only as a happiness ambassador. Other big brands such as ITCBSE, Adidas and Aviva also took his ads off air, even as Canon and Jyothi Labs did not renew their contracts, clearly echoing the views of cricket commentators who have said it was perhaps time for Sachin to hang up his gloves.

This paper has argued - and Sachin has rubbished - that many of his advertising and brand endorsement deals are tied to his form, and for the number of years he stays at the crease. Tendulkar, who made his debut for India in 1989, has been the country's highest-paid sportsman for the past two decades. At present, Tendulkar is the face for about 17 brands and earns between Rs 5 crore and Rs 8 crore per brand annually. Many of his endorsement contracts are set to expire between now and 2014.

Marketing experts and celebrity agents say Tendulkar's retirement from the shorter form of the game is likely to dilute his image as a youth icon and discourage companies to employ him as their brand ambassador. But he might continue to be an attractive proposition for more mature categories such as banking and financial services.

When contacted, World Sport Group - the company that manages Sachin - refused comment. "Sachin will need to reposition himself in the brands space. He can't be the cool youth icon which may be the requirement for a lot of brands he's involved with. Going forward, more mature categories such as banking or insurance would want to be associated with him," said Shailendra Singh, joint MD of talent management and marketing firm Percept.

Banking major RBS confirmed to ET that its brand deal with Sachin at the moment is unlikely to undergo any change. According to Future Brands CEO Santosh Desai, the nature of Tendulkar's appeal will change. "As Sachin moves from being a hero now to more like a mentor once he retires, he will certainly attract more corporate brands rather than trendy and hip ones. He will stand for perseverance and experience," said Desai.

To a certain extent, that process has already begun with companies such as Coca-Cola. "Sachin is involved in campaigns that spread happiness or bring about social change, and continues to feature in promotions and activities around the campaign," said a spokesperson for the soft drinks company.

Camera maker Canon, which had inked an endorsement deal with Tendulkar in 2007, has decided not to renew the contract when it ends this month, citing a "change of strategy and youth focus". Consumer goods maker Jyothy Laboratories, too, did not renew its contract with Tendulkar a couple of months ago. A spokesperson for insurance firm Aviva said while its contract is not up for renewal, it will evaluate the contract details "closer to renewal". While Tendulkar will continue to play Test cricket, if his poor run continues, it is possible that he may hang up his boots altogether after the series against Australia next year.

For a cricketing genius who has hogged headlines for over two decades and at times has been considered a legend on a par with Don Bradman, walking off the field will not mean the end of the brand endorsement road. Ironically, some companies feel his brand value may get a boost after retirement. "Sachin's brand value might actually go up as people start missing him on field. But it all depends on what he does outside his cricketing career in terms of business or supporting social causes," said an ITCBSE Foods official. Tendulkar signed up with ITC Foods in 2006 and the contract will expire next year.

Several leading Indian cricketers who have retired in the past few years have seen their endorsements shrink dramatically as companies switched to younger and more promising players such as Virat Kohli. But experts say Tendulkar could be an exception. "Unlike many of his predecessors, who weren't signed by brands for ads after retirement, Sachin is in a different league and brands would still want to be associated with him. Besides, his endorsements have been chosen very well. Many are mature, global brands which would like to continue with him," said Sangeet Shirodkar, director, Off-Spin Sports and Entertainment.

A similar point was made by cricket legend Kapil Dev, who compared him with Amitabh Bachchan. "People don't relate Sachin to any particular brand. He is brand India for consumers and will earn dividend or pension throughout his life for being that. Like Amitabh, his brand value will not diminish. The only person who can kill his brand is Sachin himself," said the man who led India to its first World Cup win.

And for now, many of Tendulkar's sponsors are standing behind him. "Our relationship with Tendulkar continues... he continues to engage with the bank at various events in London, Gurgaon and Mumbai," said Kavita Sonawala, country head of marketing, RBS India.


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I learnt a lot from Sachin, says Dhoni

BANGALORE: It's not only the nuances of the game but also the quality to treat success and failure equally which the young India cricketers learnt from Sachin Tendulkar, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said on Monday.

Tendulkar quit One-day cricket but will continue to play Test matches.

"As youngsters we got to see how Sachin prepared himself for each and every game and at the same time he showed us how to be humble in life and digest success and defeat, which is one of the most difficult things to do. All the way he guided each one of us," Dhoni told reporters

Dhoni said it is disappointing that people won't see the 50th century in the coloured clothing and 100 half-centuries as Tendulkar finished with 49 tons 96 fifties.

"That's something we'll definitely miss. But I think he has been an inspiration, encouraging thousands and millions of people to take up the sport and made us learn a lot of things about cricket," he said.

Dhoni he learnt a lot about the game when he batted with him in the ODI format.

"He told us which bowlers we can target and what should be the target in next four to five overs and things like that. This helped me learn a lot from him. Sachin's contribution is immense and definitely India will miss him," Dhoni said.

Replying to a question, Dhoni said Tendulkar is irreplaceable because of his unmatched batting skills and immense experience.


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'Ajmal will be the X-factor against India'

NEW DELHI: Former captain and noted commentator Ramiz Raja feels off-spinner Saeed Ajmal's presence is the "X-factor" that Pakistan will have against India in the upcoming five-match limited overs series (T20 and ODI), which starts in Bangalore on Tuesday.

"India have the advantage of coming into the series having played against England while Pakistan will be a bit ring-rusty but Saeed Ajmal is the X-factor that they have and India doesn't," Raja said in an interview.

"Ajmal has been Pakistan's 'Go-To' man for some time now. He is someone who knows how to pick up wickets and also has a lot of variation in his bowling," Raja further explained.

Talk of Ajmal and comparisons with India's Ravichandran Ashwin are bound to crop up, but Raja felt that the burly Tamil Nadu boy needed to work on his variations.

"I saw him trying too many things during the Test matches against England. He was trying to come round the wicket. Surprisingly, when he played the T20's, I didn't find him coming round the wicket.

"Although he (Ashwin) was being repeatedly hit over the mid-wicket region, he didn't try anything different. His bowling was very disappointing during England T20 Internationals as he got only one wicket," the veteran of 57 Tests and 198 ODIs explained.

Raja felt that Ashwin needed to concentrate more on bowling rather than batting.

"Ashwin shouldn't forget his primary role in the team. He is an off-spinner who needs to pick wickets."

On similar lines, he said that it's time that Shahid Afridi realized he is a "batting all-rounder not a bowling all-rounder".

"When Afridi is not batting well, it affects the balance of the side. He needs to rise as a batsman. His bowling has improved a lot in the recent years as his batting has dipped. But he needs to believe that he is a batting all-rounder and not other way round. But he is still a great asset to have both cricketing as well as marketing wise," Raja said.

The former skipper welcomed the PCB's decision to have Inzamam-ul-Haq as batting consultant of the national side.

"This is a welcome move by the PCB. Inzamam has vast experience and bring that calmness which is so required at the top level. He made batting look very easy and uncomplicated when he played. I wish that his style of coaching is as uncomplicated as his batting was," Raja concluded.


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Pietersen rested for England's NZ tour

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 23 Desember 2012 | 21.24

LONDON: Kevin Pietersen has been rested for England's one-day and Twenty20 squads announced on Sunday for February's tour of New Zealand.

James Anderson, Jonathan Trott and Graeme Swann have returned to the 14-man one-day squad while Stuart Broad is back from a heel injury to captain the 14-man T20 squad.

National selector Geoff Miller said: "There are a number of players who we have decided not to select for parts of the competitive programme this winter as we look to manage their workloads effectively while ensuring we remain competitive across all formats.

"We feel this is the best way of keeping players as physically and mentally fresh as possible during a demanding 2013 and beyond.

"Kevin Pietersen will miss the limited overs tour of New Zealand with Graeme Swann missing the T20 leg of the tour.

"This approach also provides an opportunity for talented young players to gain more international experience which will be important for their development and the development of England sides in the future."

England's three-match ODI series begins on February 17 in Hamilton.

The England and Wales Cricket Board also announced a 15-man England Lions squad for the limited overs tour of Australia in February which will be captained by Joe Root.

Miller added: "The tour of Australia will provide a tough test for this Lions squad and it will present an opportunity for the players to show us that they are capable of representing England at ODI level in the future.

"Australia is the venue for the 2015 ICC World Cup, along with New Zealand, so we hope this will help us identify potential players that could go on to be a part of the 2015 World Cup squad."

England T20 squad

Stuart Broad (capt), Jonny Bairstow, Tim Bresnan, Danny Briggs, Jos Buttler, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Michael Lumb, Stuart Meaker, Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, James Tredwell, Luke Wright

England ODI squad

Alastair Cook (capt), James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Ian Bell, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Steven Finn, Craig Kieswetter, Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell, Jonathan Trott

England Lions squad

Joe Root (capt), Gary Ballance, Scott Borthwick, Danny Briggs, Varun Chopra, Matthew Coles, Ben Foakes, Alex Hales, James Harris, Simon Kerrigan, Toby Roland-Jones, Ben Stokes, James Taylor, Reece Topley, Chris Wright


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'Time stands frozen in front of Sachin'

MUMBAI: Leading news magazine Time eulogized Sachin Tendulkar as one in front of whom time appeared to have stood frozen. The champion batsman announced his retirement from one-day internationals (ODIs) on Sunday.

Profile: Sachin Tendulkar

In its tribute to the Indian batting great, the news magazine said: "It seems while Time was having his toll on every individual on the face of this planet, he excused one man. Time stands frozen in front of Sachin Tendulkar. We have had champions, we have had legends, but we have never had another Sachin Tendulkar and we never will."

"When Sachin Tendulkar travelled to Pakistan to face one of the finest bowling attacks ever assembled in cricket, Michael Schumacher was yet to race an F1 car, Lance Armstrong had never been to the Tour de France, Diego Maradona was still the captain of a world champion Argentina team, (and) Pete Sampras had never won a Grand Slam," Time was quoted as saying on its website.

"When Tendulkar embarked on a glorious career taming Imran and company, Roger Federer was a name unheard of; Lionel Messi was in his nappies, Usain Bolt was an unknown kid in the Jamaican backwaters. The Berlin Wall was still intact, USSR was one big, big country, Dr Manmohan Singh was yet to 'open' the Nehruvian economy."

Tendulkar who has scored 18,426 runs in 463 ODI matches would continue to play the Test format. He scored 49 centuries and 96 fifties in the shorter format -- and was the first batsman to score a double-century in an ODI.

Tendulkar made his debut as a 16-year-old in a Test match in Karachi Nov 15, 1989 while he played his first ODI against Pakistan in Gujranwala Dec 18, 1989.

The master blaster figured on the cover of Time magazine in May this year for the editions in the Indian subcontinent, Singapore and Australia and New Zealand after he completed a century of tons in international cricket.


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'Words not enough to sing SRT's praise'

BANGALORE: The Pakistani players on Sunday fell short of words while describing Sachin Tendulkar's impact on world cricket and said the Indian batting legend will be missed sorely in One-day cricket following his retirement.

Profile: Sachin Tendulkar

Tendulkar called it a day on his 23-year-old one-day career on the eve of the series against arch-rivals Pakistan.

Pakistan fast bowler Sohail Tanvir said he enjoyed bowling against Tendulkar because the margin of error was so slim that he could dispatch even good deliveries to the fence.

"In every cricketer's life there comes a day when he decides to hang up his shoes. Words are not enough to describe his achievements for India. He deserves highest of respects in world cricket," he said.

Tanvir wished luck to Sachin and hoped he would smash many more centuries for India in Test matches.

Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez said the players of his country feel sad that Tendulkar will not bee seen on field in ODIs.

"To be honest we (Pakistanis) will miss him and feel really sad that he will not play anymore international ODIs for India. I admire the man for his sheer domineering character. He rattled all kinds of bowlers around the world," Hafeez said.

"Sachin is a great entertainer of cricket and wish him good luck for the future," he added.

Another Pakistan quick bowler Umar Gul said the presence of Tendulkar in the India team has immensely contributed in nurturing young cricketers such as Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina.

"I am suer Virat and Raina have learnt a lot from the maestro," he said.

The young batting sensation Umar Amin said he would have loved to play against Tendulkar in the upcoming series.

"I played against India in 2010 Asia Cup, but unfortunately he wasn't there. I would like to say only one thing that if cricket is the religion then Sachin is God," Amin said.


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'Criticism may have influenced decision'

NEW DELHI: Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar says consistent criticism might have played a part in influencing Sachin Tendulkar's decision to quit one-day cricket and it would have been fantastic had he gone after completing 50 ODI centuries.

Profile: Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar | In Pics: Sachin's one-day journey

Tendulkar had been struggling for runs for quite some time, leading to debates how long he should continue playing and on Sunday he announced that he will no longer play ODIs.

"I think he really cares for Indian cricket. May be whatever he saw, read and heard might have prompted him to make a call. But I feel, he knows his body well," Gavaskar said.

"He is finishing on 49 ODI hundreds. I would have loved to see him get 50 centuries. That would have been fantastic," Gavaskar said.

On being asked that quitting ODI format would at least give Tendulkar a chance to play 200 Tests, Gavaskar said it should not be looked that way.

"We are looking too far ahead. If he plays the next four Tests, that will take him to 198 and the next two tests will be later in the next year. It's almost a year down the road."

Gavaskar also said that since Tendulkar had already cut down on his appearance in ODIs, people are used to his absence but still losing him is a big loss.

"I think the public, the team, the captain and the selectors are used to not seeing Tendulkar around in ODIs but the fact that he is not there is a big loss," Gavaskar said.

Asked if it was Tendulkar, the batsman or Tendulkar the fielder who has taken the retirement call, Gavaskar said, "It's Tendulkar the cricketer."

"Officially he may have announced it today but mentally, he might have done in March after the Asia Cup."

For Gavaskar, the hurricane knock that Tendulkar played against Australia in Sharjah was his best.

"It has to be the Sharjah one when India had to qualify for the final and not only India need to win the match but score certain runs in certain overs. That was when the real pressure was," Gavaskar said.

Tendulkar had made 143 off 131 balls with nine fours and five sixes in April 1998.

Gavaskar also felt that it would be World Cup win that Tendulkar would cherish the most in his life.

"It's always going to be the World Cup win. There may be many personal achievements but it's entirely different feeling.

For me also the 1983 World Cup win is the greatest moment of my career. I did not contribute much and it felt on top of the world and Tendulkar did contribute. It has to be right up there," he said.


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