The start is going to be crucial, says Gayle

 To call Chris Gayle Royal Challengers Bangalore's best player in the IPL last year would be like calling Che Guevara a man with a wispy beard. Arriving five games in as replacement for Dirk Nannes, Gayle carried a hitherto flagging outfit to the brink of the title in sensational fashion, his contribution incapable of being overstated enough.

The imposing Jamaican spoke to the press at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Friday after an hour in the nets.

Excerpts:

Retention by RCB: I was looking forward to coming back here. There's no doubt about it. The hospitality here is always good. I think I'm most welcome here. I'm looking forward to IPL-V and hopefully I can have a better tournament than the last one.

Pressure of expectations: The expectation is very high based on what happened last year. But last year is history and we don't know what the future holds. I'm not a person to actually predict and say yes, I'm going to better 600 odd runs. We'll just have to wait and see.

Losing two finals (IPL-IV and Champions League) with RCB: It was disappointing. But the good thing is we should gain some experience from reaching those two finals. If we do reach that stage again, we know what to expect and we can cross the hurdle.

It was a wonderful tournament based on the situation we came from to actually reaching the final. Hopefully we'll get there again and I'm sure we know how to win it this time.

Assessment of rival teams: It's not that one team is the favourite to actually win it. All the teams are well balanced and are up for it. We'll try and do our part, get the basic things right — the batting and the bowling. Once we get those things right, we can definitely be in the final again. The start is going to be crucial. Hopefully we can get off to a good start and try and get to that final four and take it from there.

Rapprochement with WICB: We've had some meetings and some good discussions. We both signed agreements. The ‘side letter' is actually not a dramatic thing. I just asked a few questions about the situation and that's about it.

We'll see what happens and get back on track but first I have to deal with the IPL. I'm available for the entire duration of IPL-V.

Being away from international cricket: I've been out of international cricket for such a long time. It's disappointing. We just have to try and rectify it. I've still got more international cricket left in me.

Groin injury: There's still a bit of a niggle. I'm doing some work on it. Hopefully by the next couple of days leading up to the first game, I'll be ready.

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Dhoni and boys will take the legacy forward: Rahul Dravid

MUMBAI: Retired cricketer Rahul Dravid on Tuesday said he will miss being part of the Indian dressing room but exuded confidence that skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his boys will take the legacy forward.

Dravid, who retired from International cricket earlier this month, said watching India win the World Cup last year was a "special moment" for him and hoped that Dhoni and his boys will make Indian cricket a strong force in future.

"Mahi, you have to be proud of what you have done with this Indian team ... it was a special moment for me to see the group of boys holding the World Cup last year after 2007 (when India were knocked out in the first round)," Dravid said at a felicitation programme.

"It was a memorable moment. It was inspiring, as a 10-year-old, to see Kapil Dev lift the World Cup, and to do it again in 2011, was special. I know you have inspired a lot of 10-year-olds. There are challenges ahead but you have the right temperament to take the legacy of Indian team forward.

"Some of my colleagues have spoken very eloquently and I thank them, it means a lot for me. I want to believe that we have left a strong legacy for Mahi to take forward and I have no doubt that they wll take it to greater heights.

"I may not be playing, but I will be watching with great interest, you are a very talented group, I hope Indian cricket will be a strong force both on the field and off it in future," he added.

Dravid said having spent so much time with the team, he will now miss being part of the Indian dressing room.

"I will miss being part of the dressing room, the banter, the camaraderie but not so much the rap music," Dravid said in a lighter vein.

"It has been a fascinating journey to see where Indian cricket reached since my debut in 1996," he added.

The cricketing fraternity tonight came together to raise a toast for Dravid and bestowed the batting stalwart with accolades such as "huge pillar" of Indian cricket, "greatest number 3 bat" and one of the "best cricketers and ambassadors".

Speaking at the star-studded felicitation function here, Dravid said he had made a pact with himself that he would not cry in any of the functions, and it was "tested to the limit" in the last two-three weeks.

"This last three weeks since my retirement have given me the chance to sit and look back and take all what has been a dream for me. Cricket has given me life time of experiences. I have seen unbelievable victories and crushing defeats and it humbled me," he said.

"When I look back I feel lucky, there are so many people who made the dream possible. For me to stand here in front of so many people I admire, is an honour.

"I thank my first coach KK Tarapor, the coaches I had in Karnataka and all the international coaches, each of them have added to my game and helped me to be a better cricketer."

The 39-year-old former skipper thanked the seniors players and colleagues, making special mention of Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman and Anil Kumble.

"I look at some of the senior players, I feel lucky to interact with them when as a young boy I only dreamt of just taking there autographs. I was conscious of the legacy that they left behind, something which I have tried to take forward."

"I thank Anil, he said he will keep me busier after the IPL, I don't know what he is upto. I thank Sourav. We had a great partnership. The relation between a captain and vice-captain is like husband and wife and we came out in flying colours.

"Thanks to Laxman, without you Kolkata (2001 Test) would not have been possible. It was a privilege to watch one of the greatest innings by an Indian from the other end. Thanks for your company at the second slip where many topics were discussed," he said.

Dravid said he was blessed to play for India for 16 years.

"I was like any other kid with the love of the game a dream to play for India. I am blessed that I could live the dream for 16 years. Obviously with IPL next month, I have to hit the gym and keep myself fit but after two months probably I will be unemployed," he said.

"Playing for India gave me the chance to travel the world and play in grounds which I had only heard in radio commentary," he said.

Dravid thanked his parents and family and also thanked the ground staffs, the organisers and all the members who were involved in cricket for making his 16-year-old journey possible.

"I would like to thank everybody who have played for India, cricketers who might not be considered great on the basis of statistics, but for me all of them are hero. They came back time and again and did it for India," he said.

"I want to thank my parents and brother for providing me constant support and laying the foundation for me to play my cricket. They have made many sacrifices to allow me live my dream. My father is a lover of the game and I have lived my father's dream and a son you can't ask for anything more," he said.

"I thank my wife, for giving me so much strength, my kids whose smiles made those defeats easier to deal with," he said.

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Ex-cricketer Chris Cairns wins £90,000 libel damages

The former New Zealand cricket captain Chris Cairns has been awarded £90,000 in damages after allegations on Twitter that he was involved in match-fixing.

Mr Cairns, 41, sued Lalit Modi, the former chairman of the IPL, the Twenty20 franchise in India.

Mr Modi has so far refused to apologise for the allegation he made in a tweet.
Mr Cairns's lawyer said the comments had tainted the career of his client, who played for Nottinghamshire and retired in 2005.

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Tendulkar does not rule out playing in 2015 World Cup

 Sachin Tendulkar, who will turn 39 next month, is in no hurry to retire and the prolific Indian batsman has refused to rule himself out of the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
"Whatever lies ahead is in God's hands. I can only try. I just want to enjoy the game and I don't want to set targets," Tendulkar told reporters on Sunday at a function to celebrate his 100th international century.
Since his 1989 debut against Pakistan, Tendulkar has amassed nearly 34,000 international runs and claimed his 100th century against Bangladesh this month to cement his place as statistically the greatest batsman.
His contemporaries Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid have already quit international cricket but Tendulkar said he was not sure he had played his last World Cup.
"I was asked a similar question in 2007 and I could not say then whether I would play in the 2011 World Cup," Tendulkar said after cracking a smile.
"Possibly, I am in the same situation now. I don't know the answer. I just want people to continue with their good wishes and prayers for me. It means a lot to me."
PERSONAL DECISION
The master batsman took a swipe at critics who said he should have retired from the one-day format of the game sooner.
"Nobody decided the timing of the start of my career. I will decide when I need to retire," he said.
"My dream was to play for my country and play to the best of my ability. I feel I should continue while I am passionate about the game.
"The day I realise that my passion is going down or my commitment is going down, I should start thinking about my retirement.
"I feel those who say: 'You should retire at the top', are selfish because when you are at the top, you should keep serving the country instead of retiring."
India won the World Cup at home last April after a gap of 28 years and will defend their title when the next edition is held in New Zealand and Australia in early 2015.
Tendulkar, who has scored more than 15,000 runs in tests and a further 18,000 in ODIs, said the greatest compliment he had received in his career was when Don Bradman included him in his all-time test XI.
"My dream was to be regarded as one of the top players of all time," he said. "I think I have got myself into that league.
"I don't play for records and I don't know if my record will be broken and when. I only hope it is an Indian batsman who does it."

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Pakistanis celebrate Asia Cup win, but miss chance of revenge against India

 ISLAMABAD - Still disappointed at missing a final against archrival India, Pakistan fans had nothing but praise for Bangladesh's performance in a thrilling Asia Cup cricket final.
While most still wished the victory came against India, they were filled with admiration for the Bangladesh team that came agonizingly close to winning the title.
Fast bowler Aizaz Cheema conceded six runs in a tense last over as Bangladesh fell just three runs short of its 237-run target, finishing at 234-8.
India defeated Pakistan by six wickets in a high-scoring league match, but Bangladesh qualified for the final after beating both India and Sri Lanka.
"I was praying for an India-Pakistan rematch, but Bangladesh played like a real contender for the title," said Juzer Mustafa, a university student. "I missed India a lot in the final because it would have given us a chance to beat the current world champions."
Despite India's absence from the final, people in Pakistan — especially youngsters — had made special arrangements to watch the final on big screens.
The fans were tense when Bangladesh made a late charge through Mashrafe Mortaza and Mamudullah as the target was reduced to nine runs in the last over.
The moment Cheema bowled the last delivery, the silence broke into jubilation with fans waving national flags while riding their motorbikes and cars on the main streets of the cities.
"Until the last over we were thinking Bangladesh can win the match, but thanks God Pakistan won," said Sonia Abbasi, a student who came to watch the match with her friends on a giant screen in a food street in Karachi.
The Bangladesh players couldn't hide their emotions after losing a tense final as captain Mushfiqur Rahim and former skipper Shakibul Hasan were seen to burst into tears on the field during the trophy presentation.
Pakistan last won the Asia Cup in Bangladesh 12 years ago — the same year when Bangladesh was awarded test status.
Bangladesh was never rated close to the other three Asian teams — India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka — before this year's tournament. But Bangladesh proved that it won't be just making up the numbers in the tournament after fighting back from an opening 21-run loss to Pakistan.
"Bangladesh deserved to win yesterday because they played really well — not only in the final but also against India and Sri Lanka in the league matches," said Naseer Ahmad, computer operator.
"I would have enjoyed more had we defeated India in the final."
Opening batsman Tamim Iqbal posted four successive half centuries in the tournament to prove his own cricket board wrong when he was first omitted from the squad before being reincluded when the country's chief selector resigned in protest.
Middle order batsman Nasir Hossain, allrounder Hasan and Rahim formed the nucleus of the batting in two successful run chases against India and Sri Lanka which booked their berth in the final.
Pakistan's strong bowling attack was shredded by India's Virat Kohli when he made 183 as India chased down 330-run target in their league match.
But India's hopes of a final against Pakistan were shut down by Bangladesh when the hosts crafted a clinical five-wicket win against Sri Lanka in a rain-reduced final league match.
Bangladesh had ticked all the boxes in the final until that last over of Shahadat Hossain, when Pakistan accumulated 19 runs that lifted its total to 236-8.
"Bangladesh is like a younger brother to us, they played well throughout the tournament and I would not have mind had Pakistan lost the final yesterday," said Saifullah Khan, who works as a driver.
"I don't like Pakistan losing to India, and after they defeated us in the league match, I had hoped we would take revenge from them in the final."

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My critics haven’t taught me cricket, says Tendulkar

 My critics haven’t taught me my cricket,” Sachin Tendulkar has said in a rebuttal to those who were calling for him to retire.
The day he feels “a little less passion” when walking out to bat for India, “I will give up the game”, the master batsman said, adding, “critics didn’t need to tell me to do so.”
Tendulkar said he had played cricket because he loved to do it and there was nothing better than playing for India.

Tendulkar said he had played cricket because he loved to. PTI

“I still get goosebumps as I stand with my teammates when the national anthem is on. I still feel the same passion when I pick up my bat and go out,” he said in an interview carried in the latest issue of ‘Open’ magazine.
“They (critics) can question but none of them have answers to their own questions. None of them has been in my predicament and it is impossible for them to understand what I have been thinking and feeling,” said Tendulkar, who scored the historic 100th international ton in the Asia Cup match against Bangladesh last week.
When asked whether the final hurdle of scoring the hundredth century was the most difficult, the veteran batsman said: “There is no doubt it was. The 100th hundred was the most difficult to get. I really don’t know why but it was.”
“May be because it turned into a national obsession. May be because I wasn’t able to escape talk of the 100th hundred and it was affecting me at a subconscious level. May be God was trying me harder,” he said.
Asked whether the thought of retiring from ODI cricket had crossed his mind after India won the World Cup last year, Tendulkar said such a thought had never occurred to him.
“A number of my friends have also asked me why I didn’t retire from ODI cricket after winning the world cup, they may well be right. It would indeed have been a grand exit, emotions were running high and the timing could not have been better but to be honest such a thought never occurred to me,” he said.
“The World Cup was about India and I had no right to make it an event of my own. My retirement was a non-issue, really.
Had I announced soon after winning the trophy, the focus would have shifted from the Cup triumph to my retirement,” Tendulkar said.
“Frankly, retirement isn’t of any significance when pitched against a World Cup victory. It was never about Sachin Tendulkar, it was about India and India only. It was not the time to turn selfish,” he explained.
“All I can say is I am enjoying my cricket, and as long as I do, I will play the game. There is no need for me to hide my retirement from the media. Of course I will tell them, they have been with me for the past 24 years of my life. I am enjoying my cricket as much as I have always done and retirement isn’t something I am thinking about,” he said.
On whether he doubted that he will reach the milestone, Tendulkar said, “I was batting near my best, if not my best in Melbourne. I was playing and moving the best I have done in years … I was batting well for my 80 and should have just gone on to get the hundred and save the match for India.”
“There was a very strong wind from the other end and I was just waiting for the wind to die down before I stepped out to (Michael) Clarke but as I said, it wasn’t to be. I am telling you all these because I never had a period of self doubt while batting in recent times. But I was just not able to convert the starts into a century,” he said.
Tendulkar said he had always wanted to strive for excellence and his long career has taught him that however good you are, you still have to grind it out in times of difficulty.
“I have always wanted to be good and always wanted to strive for excellence, but to be labeled ‘the Greatest’ is the doing of people like you (media). I feel humbled and embarrassed at the same time,” he said.

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Nita Ambani owned IPL team Mumbai Indians signs brand deal with Walt Disney

Disney characters are famous for executing all manner of unbelievable stunts, but so far they have never been seen around a cricket pitch. That will change soon.

Mumbai Indians, the IPL team owned by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, has signed a brand alliance with Walt Disney India, marking the first occasion that Mickey Mouse, one of the world's most recognisable brands, will be associated with cricket.

The runners-up in last year's IPL will be looking to exploit the connect which the world's most famous mouse - created in 1928 - has with children under 14 by putting its image on merchandise ranging from school bags to cricket bats.

"Last year there was a lot of cynicism as well as criticism around MI, including the name, and then we won the Champions League Twenty20. Today, we count over 2.8 million Facebook fans on our website, the largest amongst the franchisees. This brand alliance with a global, iconic family brand like Disney says it all with the trust and faith they have imposed in MI," said Nita Ambani, Mukesh's wife, who runs the company that owns the cricket team.

Mukesh bought MI for $111.9 million in 2008, making it the most expensive franchise. Breaking even is still far away. "We are trying even this year, but as I said, I have always believed we need to be a sustainable brand in ourselves, not funded by RIL," said Nita Ambani.

Big Deal for Disney India Head

Nita Ambani met with this reporter at her office on the 12th floor of Maker Chambers, the Nariman Point building that has for decades been the headquarters of Reliance Industries, India's largest private sector company by revenues and market capitalisation. For Ronnie Screwvala, managing director, Walt Disney India, the alliance is the first big transaction since he switched roles from being the entrepreneur-CEO of media and entertainment company UTV to heading the Indian unit of Disney.

"Disney has always been brand conscious and the business of licensing is only possible if you have a brand that can be a viable commercial venture which MI is because of Nita's vision of making it a 360-degree brand that explores multiple avenues on and off the field. Given Disney's licensing background, we can actually take this joint brand to another level. Right now the market size in licensing in the 4-14 age bracket is Rs 1,400 crore but with a huge potential for growth," Screwvala said.

The reason Disney, which owns sports channel ESPN, had not got into cricket, India's favourite sport so far, is there was no "brand play" till now, explains Screwvala. A team such as MI, which has icons like Sachin Tendulkar, is much more than a local team so the brand characters of Disney are also a good fit, said the Disney India head.

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Don't put pressure on Kohli: Sachin Tendulkar

Virat Kohli is being hailed as one of cricket's finest upcoming batsmen and senior India player Sachin Tendulkar agrees but he does not want the youngster to be put under too much pressure just at the beginning of what seems to be a promising career.

"He is a very good player. He is a brilliant player. He has done well but all I can say is don't put pressure on him. Let him play," said Tendulkar.

Kohli proved his batting credentials with two dominant performances.
He led India's successful run chase in Australia, surpassing the target of 321 inside 37 overs with a blistering 86-ball 133 and again on Sunday, when India produced their highest-ever run chase to eclipse a daunting 330-run victory target against Pakistan with the middle-order batsman again at the forefront with a magnificent 183.
Tendulkar, who returned from Dhaka on Wednesday after India's exit from the Asia Cup, scored his much-awaited 100th ton during the tournament and said it was not easy for him to achieve the milestone despite scoring 99 centuries.
"The pressure is off. It was a difficult phase and all of us had to wait for it for a long time. But it has made everyone realise, including me, that even after scoring 99 hundreds, it is not easy to score another one," said Sachin.
On India's exit from the Asia Cup, Tendulkar said: "We go out to win every match and sometimes it's not possible to win every match and sometimes the opposition plays better cricket than you and that is what happened. I would not want to take the credit away from them (Bangladesh). I think they played well."

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Anushka Sharma denies dating Suresh Raina

The relationship between Bollywood stars and cricketer is a long standing alliance. Now the latest Bollywood and cricketer Jodi to make news for their link-ups is Anushka Sharma and Suresh Raina. Anushka and Suresh met few months back in London when Anushka was shooting in England and Suresh was on a cricketing tour.  Ever since they kept in touch with each other.

Though it’s too early to stamp their relationship, reports say that the duo met whenever time permits. Anushka Sharma has a few broken relationships in the past. She had an affair with Ranveer Singh then she broke up with him and dated Shahid Kapoor for few days. Suresh also cannot say that he is free from link ups as he too is earlier linked up with the daughter of a union minister.

With IPL round the corner, let's set out eyes on the TV channel to see whether Anushka turns up to cheer her good friend Suresh Raina.

With so much talking doing the rounds about the new affair, Anushka Sharma denies dating Suresh Raina.

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Ex-ICC chief says India is illegal betting hub

A former International Cricket Council chief on Tuesday accused India of fostering corruption in the sport, saying illegal betting in the country was the root cause of the problem.
Ehsan Mani, who headed the ICC between 2003 and 2006, estimated that Sunday's Asia Cup match between India and Pakistan in Dhaka attracted $500 million-worth of bets, but did not say how he had arrived at the figure.
"Unless the betting industry is brought under control in India, you can't stop match-fixing," he told the New Delhi-based Mail Today in an interview.
"There's no doubt that India, certainly Delhi and Mumbai, is the epicentre of cricket betting."
"I'm a strong advocate of legalising betting in India, and bringing it under control of regulatory authorities so that... the conduct of bookies can be monitored properly," he added.
"You'll find that the risk of corrupting players around the world will reduce significantly."
Mani urged the ICC, headed by federal Indian minister Sharad Pawar, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), to pressure the government to legalise betting.
"It's a matter of how you control it because there's no way, I believe, that it can be stamped out in India. So, if (it) can't be stamped out, how do they control it in a way that it can stop corrupting the game."
Mani, a Pakistani chartered accountant, said India should look at the legal gambling systems in Britain and Australia.
Legal betting firms inform the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) if they encounter suspicious betting patterns, Mani said.
Mani said lucrative Twenty20 tournaments such as the Indian Premier League and the Big Bash in Australia, had emboldened illegal bookies.
"Obviously, high profile matches like the IPL and Big Bash leave a lot of scope for players to be corrupted; whether they are being corrupted or not, I can't say," he said.
"I think IPL must have added hugely to the cricket betting industry in India."
BCCI spokesman Rajiv Shukla was not available to comment on Mani's remarks.
Cricket has been under a cloud since 2000 when three former captains -- the late Hansie Cronje of South Africa, Mohammad Azharuddin of India and Salim Malik of Pakistan -- were handed life bans for their alleged dealing with bookmakers.
Three Pakistani cricketers were last year jailed in Britain after being found guilty of spot-fixing. Indian bookmakers have often being accused of underhand dealings with players.

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We need more Kohlis for Indian cricket

 We need more Kohlis for Indian cricket
Apropos of ‘Paked off in style’ (March 19), the young batting sensation, Virat Kohli, stands tall among all his team-mates for his sheer consistency and match-winning scores. He posted a century against Sri Lanka to overhaul their score of 304 in the first match and now blasted 183 against Pakistan to see his team through their mammoth 329.
He is more in the mould of Rahul Dravid and makes batting look pretty easy and enjoyable. His batting average for the three matches played so far is well above 100. Team India surely needs players of his calibre and one hopes that Virat will continue to contribute to his team’s wins in the years to come.
—Dr V Subramanyan
II
Virat Kohli epitomsies the future of Indian cricket. His match-winning knock of 183 against the Pakistanis should serve as an example to all youngsters in the team.
His commitment and dedication to win was so evident that India seems to have been at ease throughout the match. Kohli steered India to victory without getting into any kind of turbulence. We, as cricket aficionados, would like to envision the future team India like this. We don’t need players who are self-centred and more bothered about the record books.
—K Chidanand Kumar

Complaint looked into
This has reference to ‘Inflated gas bill leaves elderly harassed’ (March 19). We would like to state that the points mentioned in the report are far from the facts. The Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) had immediately attended to the complaint of George Mathai in October 2011 and the issue was resolved.
Also, the said amount by ECS was not collected by MGL. His current complaint was received on 17 March, 2012 and our team is looking into it for rectification. The current complaint pertains to assessed bill which was sent due to non-availability of customer for meter-reading and will be looked into as per the billing procedures.
—Neera Asthana Phate, manager, corporate communications, MGL
A safe home
This has reference to Interiors can wait, make your home safe first’ (March 19). This report on giving home safety a priority rather than putting one’s money on interiors was noteworthy.
With the financial year coming to an end and before the onset of monsoon,a few tips would help keep homes in long-lasting condition. This is the time to adhere to making up homes subject to each room having external windows with proper grills. Double door is a must which acts as a security measure against unwanted persons from knocking on the doors.
—Deepak Chikramane
Reader’s diatribe
Hello, Abhay! Your letter in DNA (March 19) makes me laugh. It only shows your devotion to Sachin Tendulkar and nothing else; it doesn’t make any cricketing sense.
Yes, Sachin did reach a landmark, but it’s with a combination of Test matches and one-day internationals (both the formats are as different as cheese is from chalk). Had he done it only in Test matches or in one-dayers, it would have really been a commendable achievement.
Unfortunately, sycophants (former professional cricketers) prefer to go gaga instead of questioning the relevance of Sachin’s feat. I think it must be because they, like the spineless national selectors, dare not criticise him for obvious reasons.
It was quite obvious that at no stage of his innings against Bangladesh there were efforts on his part to speed up his scoring rate. See Virat Kohli’s knocks with the same yardstick; the way he kept the scoreboard ticking at a fast pace. That’s what one-day cricket is all about.
—RK Bowrie
II
I would like to respond to the letters in your daily on March 19 regarding Sumit Chakraberty’s analysis on Sachin’s 100th hundred in international cricket. Whenevery newspaper including DNA applauded Tendulkar on his feat, Chakraberty’s forthright analysis on Sunday last deserves praise.
His hint that the slow run-rateduring Sachin’s batting was a factor that cost India the match is supported by Sunil Gavaskar’s comment during the match. Gavaskar had said Tendulkar was being defensive and getting on to his back foot even before the ball was delivered.
Tendulkar’s post-match explanation that the pitch was slow was ripped apart by Chakraberty, comparing his batting performance to Suresh Raina’s. When Sachin’s first 50 came in 63 balls his second 50 came only in 75 balls. But Raina scored his 50 in 35 balls on the same pitch. Once the ‘milestone’ was in his pocket, Tendulkar scored another 14 runs off just 9 balls before getting out when India’s score was 259.
Dhoni and the others then scored another 30 runs in just 3.1 overs. I fail to understand why Abhay, Pranay Bhosale or MG should get so agitated on factual analysis. The statistics of the match speaks for itself.
They should understand that Chakraberty must have relied on these figures while making his inferences. Abhay would know that the Tiwaris and Pujaras have been warming up the bench for quite some time. An opportunity for them in future matches will be in India’s interest of grooming a young team for the next World Cup.

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Cricket lovers celebrate India's win over Pakistan

India's victory in the Asia Cup against the arch rival Pakistan brought thrill of joy in the city on Sunday night.

Soon after MS Dhoni hit the winning boundary, cricket lovers of the city came out on the streets shouting slogans in praise of Team India. The credit of the Indian victory goes to Virat Kohli whose 183 off 148 balls helped India achieve their highest chase in one-day cricket to overhaul Pakistan's formidable 330-run target with 13 balls to spare, said cricket lover Victor Dawson.

Decribing the victory as historic, cricket coach of Madan Mohan Malviya stadium Parvez Alam said: "It's a big achievment and the credit goes to combined team effort." Praising Kohli, cricket coach Devesh Misra said, "He is one of most talented players in the Indian squad."

Another cricketing buff, Dr Jagat Singh said: "It has brought alive the memories of India's victory in the World Cup semi final at Mohali last year.

He added that the hype created by the media has created a feeling of optimism among cricket lovers.

The cricket lovers also praised Sachin Tendulkar for his useful knock. "Sachin gave a good start that helped Team India to achieve the huge target and the way he batted showed that he is still the number No I batsman of the World and once again proved the critics wrong," said cricket lover Syed Imran. The Indian team has proved that the victory against Pakistan in the semi-finals of the World Cup at Mohali last year was not a fluke, he added.

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Greg Chappell hails Sachin Tendulkar as the Picasso of cricket

Former Australian captain Greg Chappell lavished praise on Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar after the Little Master achieved his much elusive milestone of hundred hundreds against Bangladesh on Friday.

Chappell wrote in a column for The Hindu, “If batting is an art then Sachin Tendulkar is the Picasso among batsmen. On that basis Bradman must have been Michelangelo. 

“Vasoo Paranjape said of Sachin: ‘God created him and sent him down to earth just to play cricket.’ If so, God must then have destroyed the mould.”

Chappell reminisced one of Tendulkar’s famous innings at the Sydney Cricket Ground. He wrote,” My first memory of watching Sachin bat live was at the SCG on the India tour of Australia in 1991-92. Sachin made 148 not out in Shane Warne's debut Test.

“Warne would have wondered if he was cut out for Test cricket. He only took one wicket, that of Ravi Shastri, in 45 overs of hard slog as Shastri made 206 and Tendulkar announced himself, in Australia at least, as a batsman of rare ability and class.

“Without wishing to denigrate Shastri's fine performance, he looked like a mere house painter alongside the sublime artist as Tendulkar displayed a dazzling array of shots and a wonderful imagination as he crafted an innings of great beauty. He has played many more since then.”

Chappell feels Tendulkar’s ability to carry the hopes and prayers of more than a billion people each time he bats sets him apart even from Sir Don Bradman.

The former India coach feels it is Indian batsman’s mental toughness separates him from the rest. “Sachin, like other great players, sees opportunity and success where others see difficulty and failure,” he wrote.

Chappell feels like Bradman, Tendulkar has played a vital role in defining his country. He wrote,” The fact that he loves batting has helped. It appears that Sachin has defined himself by what he has done with bat in hand. More importantly, he has helped define a nation.

“It is generally accepted that Bradman helped define the Australian nation during the period following the Great Depression and again after the Second World War.”

Chappell feels Tendulkar’s longevity makes him a special player. “Bradman's average makes him the leader of the pack. It is Tendulkar's longevity and consistency against all opposition and in most conditions that sets him apart from the rest,” Chappell concluded.

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Pakistan job Well Done...Set huge total against India

 Pakistani Openers has done great job and give opening stand of 224.pakistan set a huge total of 330 against India
India, coming after a shock-loss to Bangladesh, will have to play out of their skins against Pakistan in a high-pressure game during their Asia Cup 2012 at Dhaka on Sunday.

The last time these two teams met was at the World Cup semifinals at Mohali, where the hosts and eventual champions India outplayed the visitors. A lot of things have happened in the year after that, and the situation is very different from how it was back then.

Pakistan have become a much more consistent team, and India have been jolted by losses abroad.
 Pakistan, on the other hand, have already secured a berth in the final with victories over Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and will be under less pressure unlike the Indians.

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Less than 6 hours remaining for Asia Cup's marquee match between Pakistan and India

With less than 6 hours remaining for Asia Cup's marquee match between Pakistan and India, entrepreneurs are gearing up to cash in on the huge interest surrounding the match.

Most of the private clubs, gymkhanas, restaurant owners and public parks have announced they would be screening the match on the big screen to lure the customers.

"We are playing against India for the first time since the World Cup semi-final and obviously there is tremendous interest in it especially after Bangladesh upset India," the manager of a private club said.

"We have already got so many bookings that we have had to make arrangements for extra seats and sofas and a second big screen to show the match live," he added.

Manzoor Ali pointed out that members had confirmed plans to enjoy their day at the club watching the match, so special dishes for the occasion were also being prepared.

"It is going to be a big day tomorrow for us. All staffers have been told there will be no weekly holiday for them tomorrow," Ali said.

Sagheer Ahmed, a manager at a popular eating place, said they had also set up a giant screen and were prepared for the big rush.

"The environment gets very noisy and colourful during the match, but since tomorrow is Sunday I guess we will have a lot of families coming in for the match," he said.

Interestingly a number of designer outlets and boutiques, who had set Sunday as the launch date for their summer lawn collections at different venues in the city, have also postponed these events to some other day.

"Women generally don't follow cricket, but when it is about playing India then they are as excited and involved, as they can't resist the cricket fever prevailing in their homes," designer Naveen said.

The local authorities have also made arrangements for giant screens in public and amusement parks where people from the lower income group can go and enjoy a day out with their families and friends.

Rashid, a shopkeeper who usually makes huge profits selling locally manufactured copies of the Pakistani cricket shirts, cursed the strike call given by the MQM and traders in Karachi on Saturday.

"Nearly all markets and shops had to remain closed today we will open late evening, but we would have minted money selling these T-shirts," he said.

For many Pakistanis the Asia Cup encounter is a chance for their country to avenge the World Cup semi-final defeat in Mohali exactly a year ago.

"Let's just hope that this time Misbah-ul-Haq plays a faster innings. Twice he has cost us matches against India in the World Cups in 2007 and 2011," a local club player Mustafa said.

As expected most of the television channels have also prepared special programming for the match, with advertisers and sponsors keen to cash in on the hype.

"We always expect such response before an India-Pakistan match. Because cricket sells in Pakistan and it is also a unifying force for us," Bilal Akhter, a marketing manager at a leading newspaper group said.

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Cricket history for Sachin, but Bangladesh chase down India's 289

Embellished with Tendulkar's milestone knock of 114 runs, his 49th ODI century, India scored 289 for five but the hosts pulled off a stunning win with four balls to spare to send thousands of their fans into a frenzy at the Sher-e-Bangla national stadium. The heroes of Bangladeshi win were opener Tamim Iqbal (70) Jahurul Islam (53) and Shakib Al Hasan (49) as they batted with sheer grit to pull the rug from under India's feet.
Bangaldesh skipper Mushfikur Rahim hit a fiery 46 off 25 balls and Nasir Hossain supported him well with 54-run knock to record a shock win, their first against India since 2003 World Cup.
The hosts needed 37 off the last four overs but the match tilted in Bangaldesh's favour when Irfan Pathan leaked 17 runs in the 48th over. Skipper Rahim hit two consecutive sixes in that over and then treated Praveen Kumar with the same disdain to script a historic win.
For India, apart from Tendulkar's knock, Virat Kohli (66) and Suresh Raina (51) were the notable contributors for India.
India will now have to win their last league match against arch rivals Pakistan to entertain hopes of making it to the final.

It had been a long and agonising wait for Tendulkar to get to this century as pressure was piling on him to achieve the landmark ever since the disappointing England tour last year.

As the second innings of the match progressed, and it was clear that India was losing, cricket fans and critics began commenting on how everytime Sachin Tendulkar scores a century, India loses the match.
But these statistics, should prove otherwise: In ODI cricket, Sachin Tendulkar has scored 49 ODI centuries, India has lost just 13 of these matches. In Test,  Tendulkar has scored 51, the team has lost only 11 times.

Tendulkar, who turns 39 next month, achieved the feat when he recorded his 49th one-day century in the Asia Cup match against Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium in Dhaka. He has 51 Test hundreds.
The Mumbai batsman, who has compiled more Test and one-day runs than anyone in history, reached the record with a single, marking the moment with a modest glance to the sky while pointing to the Indian flag on his helmet.
Tendulkar is the most capped player in the history of the game with 188 Test and 462 one-day appearances since making his debut against Pakistan in Karachi in November, 1989.
Millions of fans in India and across the cricketing world endured an anxious year-long wait before Tendulkar finally reached the landmark in the four-nation tournament, the symbol of one-day supremacy in the continent.
After 33 innings and over a year, Tendulkar finally got to the elusive ton. It took him 138 deliveries, one of the most arduos one-day efforts by the 38-year-old right-hander, to get to the 100 that had become as much a talking point as the team's fortunes in the past 365 days.

The bowler against whom it came about was Shakib Al Hasan and the moment was the fourth delievry of the 43rd over of Indian innings.
Tendulkar clipped it down to square leg and jogged the single, gave a long hard stare to his bat after taking off his helmet before looking heavenward in his signature style. What was missing was emotion.
The diminutive batsman, the most successful batsman in internationla cricket right now, kept it subdued. He shook hands with Suresh Raina, his partner at the other end, and raised his bat to acknowledge the cheering fans with a straight face giving little insight into what was going on his mind amid the drama.
But the teammates in the dressing room were as expressive as they could be as they all got up from their seats to applaud the veteran as he added another feather to an already overcrowded cap.
However, reaching the milestone was no easy task for the player who often makes batting look effortless.
After getting what several former cricketers called a monkey off his back, Tendulkar was dismissed by Mashrafe Mortaza off the second last delivery of the 47th over. The 114-run knock was incidentally Tendulkar's maiden century against Bangladesh.
Upon his dismissal, the Bangladeshi players expectedly gave him a round of applause as he walked back to pavillion with fans cheering him on. His Indian teammates and coach Duncan Fletcher received him at the boundary lauding the iconic player.
But what would be remembered is the wait that Tendulkar endured to get to the milestone. It all began with the 99th ton that he got against South Africa in a World Cup match on March 12 last year.
For a man, who is considered nothing less than god of cricket in India, getting to 100th was considered nothing more than a stroll in the park.
He decided to skip the tour of West Indies that followed and the subsequent trip to England proved a disaster not just for him but for the entire team as it failed to notch a single win in any format of the game.
He got close to scoring the hundred a few times in the home Test series against the West Indies but missed out. The action shifted to Australia after that and though he seemed to be in good form, the Aussies kept their promise of not letting him the reach the milestone against them at least.
He was eventually selected for the ODI tri-series, his first one-day assignment after the World Cup, but once again the hundred eluded him.
Tendulkar then made himself available for the Asia Cup and as destiny would have it, the elusive ton came in the familiar sub-continental environs.

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Sachin Tendulkar scores cricket's first 100th century

Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, treated like God by his fans, ended the long and tiring wait for his 100th international century on Friday at Dhaka's Shere Bangla National Stadium. Sachin hits 100th ton Tendulkar, the leading run scorer in the history of both Test and one-day cricket, achieved the most-coveted ton by taking a single off Shakib Al Hasan against Bangladesh in Asia Cup. Tendulkar's century came off 138 balls and was studded with 10 fours and a six. "I can't think of anything at this stage, it has been a tough phase for me," Tendulkar told Neo Cricket channel after his innings. "I started off the season well but was luckless. It does not matter how many hundreds you score, you still have to grind it out." "When I got the 99th century, no one spoke about it. I guess it was the media which started it. Everywhere I went people were talking about my 100th hundred," he said. He was finally out for 114, caught behind off Mashrafe bin Mortaza, who then ran over to shake his hand. The master blaster's 99th century had come against South Africa on March 12, 2011, at Nagpur during the World Cup. Friday's century was Tendulkar's 49th in one-dayers; he has 51 Test centuries. Tendulkar, who was left stranded on 99 international hundreds for a year and four days, played Test series against England, the West Indies and Australia. He also featured in the recently concluded triseries in Australia but his bid to become the first batsman to score 100 international hundreds remained unfulfilled, although he came close on a few occasions. Tendulkar has set a benchmark unlikely to be surpassed in his lifetime, with his closest rival, Ricky Ponting, on 68 international centuries and approaching the twilight of his career at the age of 37. Since his international debut at 16 against archrival Pakistan in 1989, Tendulkar has been compared to not only top batsmen of his era like Brian Lara and Inzamam-ul-Haq, but also to Australian great Donald Bradman as the best batsman ever. Bradman, who retired in 1948 with an average of 99.94 runs, said Tendulkar reminded him of his own playing style. Tendulkar has defied age and injury at every stage of his career. Whenever injuries threatened to stall his career, he pushed his body to the limit, and sometimes even beyond. Even the most threatening of all his injuries - the painful tennis elbow (in 2004) - couldn't break him. He cried out in agony, waited with hope for almost a year, tackled it with determination and ultimately conquered it like only he can. In February 2010, Tendulkar became the first in world cricket to score a double hundred in one-day internationals, while in December 2010 he became the first to score 50 Test tons, both landmarks achieved against the best pace attack in world cricket - South Africa. Wisden, regarded as the bible of cricket, named Tendulkar as the leading cricketer in the world for the year 2010. In 2007, Wisden had identified Tendulkar as the player to have won such an award for 1998 - had it been instituted then. Tendulkar, who realised his long-cherished dream when India won the World Cup in April 2011, was also named in Wisden's 2009 Test XI, at his accustomed number four position. His passion for the game not only keeps him going, but also gives him the opportunity to reinvent himself. Each time he goes out on to the field he seems to be raising the bar for himself.

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Youngsters should not try to copy greats - Dhoni

The next generation of Indian players should not put themselves under pressure to copy illustrious compatriots like the retired Rahul Dravid or Sachin Tendulkar, according to captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

On Friday Dravid, 39, became the first of the celebrated modern-day batting line-up to quit, thus paving the way for 20-something players such as Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja to stake a claim for his number three spot.
"Every individual is different and anyone who comes in the side should not even think of replacing the kind of seniors that we have got," Dhoni told a news conference on the eve of the four-nation Asia Cup.
"The youngsters will (put themselves) under tremendous pressure if they start to think like that. They are legends of the game, enjoyed the sport and played with the right kind of spirit throughout.
"Anil (Kumble), Rahul, Sachin, (Vangipurappu) Laxman, Sourav (Ganguly), it's tough to replace them so there is no point thinking you have players who will replace them."
Dravid was easily India's best batsman during their disappointing tour of England last year - scoring three test centuries.
However, he suffered an unexpected slump in the recent series in Australia, averaging just 24.25 as India were walloped in all four tests.
Dravid, Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Laxman have scored a total of 45,717 test runs but failed to notch a single century between them despite playing all four tests in Australia.
While the stalwarts were given a free rein in Australia, in-form players such as Sharma could only watch from the sidelines as they waited patiently for a chance to get into the team.
When Virat Kohli, 23, became India's only test centurion during the three-month tour, it became apparent what the young players had to offer and Dhoni was keen to stress they should take their time to establish themselves.
SPECIAL CHARACTER
"Every individual is special, he brings special character into the side so definitely somebody will get an opportunity to become a hero for team India," said the captain.
"Maybe in 10 to 12 years' time you will have a cricketer who will be very successful. But to say whether they will replace Rahul or talent like that, it's difficult."
Besides Kohli, Sharma, Jadeja and Raina, batsmen such as Cheteshwar Pujara, Manoj Tiwary and Subramaniam Badrinath are also vying to secure places in India's test line-up.
While these players try to become the future of Indian cricket, Dhoni paid tribute to the man who ended his career as the second highest test run scorer of all-time.
"What we should be thankful for is Rahul played for 16 years, it's a long period," said Dhoni. "He was a great character to have in the dressing room.
"He was someone who loved challenges. He is someone who will definitely be missed. He is the ideal role model and a good ambassador for the sport."

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Wasim Akram hails Dravid's ability to perform under pressure

After Rahul Dravid called it a day from international cricket, Pakistan's fast bowling legend Wasim Akram on Saturday admired the Indian batting great's ability to perform under pressure with his flawless technique and confidence.

"He has been a great ambassador for the game and one of India's finest. Dravid is definitely a true great of the gentleman's game," Akram said.

"Sachin is undoubtedly a class act and is up there as one of the game's greats. But Dravid has always performed under pressure," Akram added.

Akram said the time was appropriate for Dravid to hang his boots.

"If he has decided on his time for retirement, I will stand by his call. It is the right time to bid adieu as he has achieved all that he wanted to," Akram said.

Akram said he was in awe of the 39-year-old who, since his Test debut at the Lord's in 1996 against England, has stood up on several occasions as India's saviour.

The 45-year-old former speedster said Dravid has held fort and saved India from the blushes on several occasions.

"He has always been flawless in his technique. His will and confidence is commendable. He has made himself count whenever India has needed his services," admitted Akram.

Speaking on which veteran - Sachin or Laxman - should be the next to hang up their boots, Akram said, "They know their bodies and physical abilities. They must be aware of their form and the stamina to continue. And they do see their highlights after every match. They will know when the time is right."

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Tributes pour in for India's batting great Rahul Dravid

Team-mates and rivals joined hands in paying glowing tributes to India's batting great Rahul Dravid, who quit international cricket on Friday after an illustrious 16-year career.

"There was and is only one Rahul Dravid," said record-breaking compatriot Sachin Tendulkar. "There can be no other. I will miss Rahul in the dressing room and out in the middle."

Dravid amassed 13,288 runs in 164 Tests, the world's second-highest scorer after Tendulkar, with the help of 36 centuries.

"Dravid is obviously one of India's greatest batsmen -- great in all conditions and one who scored runs everywhere," said John Wright, former New Zealand skipper who coached India from 2000 to 2005.

"From a personal perspective, Rahul is one of the best men I've ever worked with... he's not only a great cricketer, but a great man."

Dravid, who also scored 10,889 runs in 344 one-day internationals, was a reliable slip fielder with a world record 210 Test catches.

Former India skipper and Karnataka team-mate Anil Kumble described Dravid as "the perfect ambassador" for cricket and an "ideal team man".

"Let me take this opportunity to congratulate Rahul," Kumble, who sat alongside Dravid with Indian cricket chief Narayanaswamy Srinivasan as he announced his retirement at a press conference in Bangalore.

"I am really fortunate to have played alongside you. I've enjoyed every moment I've played with you. It's been an honour."

Former England captain Michael Vaughan and current batsman Kevin Pietersen
described Dravid as a "legend" on their Twitter accounts.

"Rahul Dravid retires.. The world's most respected cricketer over the last 20 (years)," wrote Vaughan.

Pietersen wrote: "Rahul Dravid-LEGEND!! Plain & simple.. congrats on an incredible career!! India will miss The Wall."

India boss Srinivasan called Dravid "one of the finest cricketers India has ever produced" and a "great role model".

"I would echo everyone's praise when we say 'Thank you Rahul. Thank you for what you have given to Indian cricket and we wish you very, very well," he said.

"He (Dravid) is actually irreplaceable. None of us want to see such players go away, we like to think they are permanent. Not only has he been a great player but also a great role model."

Australia all-rounder Shane Watson, who played with Dravid for the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL), described the Indian as "the nicest guy" in world cricket.

"He's probably the nicest guy -- no, he is the nicest guy -- that I've met in cricket. He's a phenomenal man," said Watson.

"He loves the game with so much passion, it's in his blood and in his heart. He is certainly going to be sorely missed by the Indian public and the cricket-loving public as well."

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