Mary Kom: A fistful of courage
It was a bronze that shone brighter than gold. MC Mary Kom's feat in the London Games was the outcome of years of hard work, dedication, determination and single-minded focus.
It's easy to feel contended after winning as many as five World Championship gold, besides several international medals and glory. But this was not the case for this mother of two from Manipur. She is, after all, the stuff legends are made of.
Standing on the podium in the London Games, a lot must be going through her mind, including the long eventful journey to the top of the world. The childhood where she had to train away from the prying eyes of her disapproving parents, the teenage years when she won her first World Championship title at the age of 19, or the time when she appeared uncertain because she was losing her winning streak at the national level. Then there was the traumatic time she went through when her son had to undergo surgery for a heart ailment.
The colour of the metal around her neck did not matter at the ExCeL Arena. All that mattered was that she had earned one of the best medals India had ever won at the Olympics. A medal earned with blood, sweat and lot of guts.
"She's an inspiration as an athlete as well as a person. It's amazing to see a person with so much talent, commitment and drive to succeed. She gives her everything every second, even during training," said Viren Rasquinha, COO of the Olympic Gold Quest, under which Mary Kom trains.
Yet, there was a time when people had started doubting her abilities. They felt that she was finished after troubled times at the national level. The girl who was once invincible had started to lose to lesser-known pugilists. She had started to show her frustration, venting her anger against the jury at times when points did not go in her favour.
The International Olympic Committee's ( IOC) decision to include women's boxing in London offered her a chance at redemption. But it was not easy. The big challenge for the small boxer was to gain weight and fight in the 51kg category, which was three kilograms more than the category she was fighting in then. But the bigger challenge was that the 'Olympic' tag made women's boxing an altogether different ball game.
The route to Olympic glory was tough, but she knew what to do. She had set her sights on winning an Olympic medal and she knew how to go about it. She trained even harder on her strengths to counter the bigger rivals she knew she was going to face in the coming days.
"I used to fight in the 46kg and 48kg before. For the last two years, I have been fighting in the 51kg. It was tough. Reducing weight is easier than putting on," she had said earlier this year.
She fought like a woman on a mission at the Games and could be stopped in her tracks only by Nicola Adams, the eventual champion. "I'm sorry I couldn't win gold or silver. I know my fans prayed and wished for me. I tried my hardest," she had said just after winning bronze. And if you think that she would bid goodbye to the ring after fulfilling the longtime dream of winning an Olympic medal, this is what she had to say: "Support me and pray for me. I will go for gold in the 2016 Rio Olympics."
It's easy to feel contended after winning as many as five World Championship gold, besides several international medals and glory. But this was not the case for this mother of two from Manipur. She is, after all, the stuff legends are made of.
Standing on the podium in the London Games, a lot must be going through her mind, including the long eventful journey to the top of the world. The childhood where she had to train away from the prying eyes of her disapproving parents, the teenage years when she won her first World Championship title at the age of 19, or the time when she appeared uncertain because she was losing her winning streak at the national level. Then there was the traumatic time she went through when her son had to undergo surgery for a heart ailment.
The colour of the metal around her neck did not matter at the ExCeL Arena. All that mattered was that she had earned one of the best medals India had ever won at the Olympics. A medal earned with blood, sweat and lot of guts.
"She's an inspiration as an athlete as well as a person. It's amazing to see a person with so much talent, commitment and drive to succeed. She gives her everything every second, even during training," said Viren Rasquinha, COO of the Olympic Gold Quest, under which Mary Kom trains.
Yet, there was a time when people had started doubting her abilities. They felt that she was finished after troubled times at the national level. The girl who was once invincible had started to lose to lesser-known pugilists. She had started to show her frustration, venting her anger against the jury at times when points did not go in her favour.
The International Olympic Committee's ( IOC) decision to include women's boxing in London offered her a chance at redemption. But it was not easy. The big challenge for the small boxer was to gain weight and fight in the 51kg category, which was three kilograms more than the category she was fighting in then. But the bigger challenge was that the 'Olympic' tag made women's boxing an altogether different ball game.
The route to Olympic glory was tough, but she knew what to do. She had set her sights on winning an Olympic medal and she knew how to go about it. She trained even harder on her strengths to counter the bigger rivals she knew she was going to face in the coming days.
"I used to fight in the 46kg and 48kg before. For the last two years, I have been fighting in the 51kg. It was tough. Reducing weight is easier than putting on," she had said earlier this year.
She fought like a woman on a mission at the Games and could be stopped in her tracks only by Nicola Adams, the eventual champion. "I'm sorry I couldn't win gold or silver. I know my fans prayed and wished for me. I tried my hardest," she had said just after winning bronze. And if you think that she would bid goodbye to the ring after fulfilling the longtime dream of winning an Olympic medal, this is what she had to say: "Support me and pray for me. I will go for gold in the 2016 Rio Olympics."
Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli in race for Test skipper
The debate over India's Test captaincy could be settled after the ongoing Pakistan tour of India, with Delhi stars Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli seen as likely replacements in case selectors decide to relieve Mahendra Singh Dhoni of his charge.
With the two T20 matches ending tied 1-1, a victory against Pakistan in the three-match one-day series may yet give Dhoni a breather. But the Indian cricket board (BCCI) slowly seems to be acknowledging that it might be time to split the captaincy and blood a new leader in Tests.
Voices calling for a change of guard have grown after India suffered a humiliating 1-2 defeat -- the first loss to England at home in 28 years. This followed disastrous tours of England and Australia -- both lost 0-4 -- which means India has lost 10 of the last 12 Tests played against quality opposition.
While Dhoni's place in the side is hardly in question, cricket bosses are looking at a future scenario in the context of a new look India squad. Of the two candidates, Gambhir has displayed leadership skills as a stand-in skipper in ODIs and also in the IPL, but Kohli has been in far superior form this year.
In the past, Gambhir has led India in six one-day internationals, winning all of them, and also captained Kolkata Knight Riders to victory in IPL-5. He is seen as an inspirational skipper who leads from the front, but his current patchy form may go against him.
Kohli initially struggled against England in the Tests but a superb century at Nagpur won him many plaudits, including from Sunil Gavaskar, who said making Kohli Test captain could energize the side. He was also in outstanding form in the ODIs and T20s throughout 2011. At 24, he may seem a tad young for the responsibility but BCCI sources point out that Dhoni himself wasn't much older when he was appointed captain of the T20 squad in 2007, four years after his international debut.
The trend of banking on youngsters is also seen to weigh in favour of Kohli. South Africa skipper Graeme Smith took charge at 21, barely a year or so after his debut for the Springboks in 2002. Likewise, England's Alastair Cook became Test captain six years after his debut while taking charge of the ODI team even earlier.
Sources, however, point out that India's troubles are unlikely to be settled by a change of captain alone. Dhoni can hardly be blamed for the lack of incisive quick bowlers, the failure of spinners--England's Monty Panesar comfortably outbowled India's tweakers--and the indifferent form of key batsmen like Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar and Gambhir.
On the other hand, a process of rebuilding is inevitable and Tendulkar's decision not to grace ODIs again points to the inexorable passage of time taking a toll even on legends. Tendulkar's final call on the Test format cannot be too far away and the BCCI is looking to prepare and even hasten change.
With the two T20 matches ending tied 1-1, a victory against Pakistan in the three-match one-day series may yet give Dhoni a breather. But the Indian cricket board (BCCI) slowly seems to be acknowledging that it might be time to split the captaincy and blood a new leader in Tests.
Voices calling for a change of guard have grown after India suffered a humiliating 1-2 defeat -- the first loss to England at home in 28 years. This followed disastrous tours of England and Australia -- both lost 0-4 -- which means India has lost 10 of the last 12 Tests played against quality opposition.
While Dhoni's place in the side is hardly in question, cricket bosses are looking at a future scenario in the context of a new look India squad. Of the two candidates, Gambhir has displayed leadership skills as a stand-in skipper in ODIs and also in the IPL, but Kohli has been in far superior form this year.
In the past, Gambhir has led India in six one-day internationals, winning all of them, and also captained Kolkata Knight Riders to victory in IPL-5. He is seen as an inspirational skipper who leads from the front, but his current patchy form may go against him.
Kohli initially struggled against England in the Tests but a superb century at Nagpur won him many plaudits, including from Sunil Gavaskar, who said making Kohli Test captain could energize the side. He was also in outstanding form in the ODIs and T20s throughout 2011. At 24, he may seem a tad young for the responsibility but BCCI sources point out that Dhoni himself wasn't much older when he was appointed captain of the T20 squad in 2007, four years after his international debut.
The trend of banking on youngsters is also seen to weigh in favour of Kohli. South Africa skipper Graeme Smith took charge at 21, barely a year or so after his debut for the Springboks in 2002. Likewise, England's Alastair Cook became Test captain six years after his debut while taking charge of the ODI team even earlier.
Sources, however, point out that India's troubles are unlikely to be settled by a change of captain alone. Dhoni can hardly be blamed for the lack of incisive quick bowlers, the failure of spinners--England's Monty Panesar comfortably outbowled India's tweakers--and the indifferent form of key batsmen like Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar and Gambhir.
On the other hand, a process of rebuilding is inevitable and Tendulkar's decision not to grace ODIs again points to the inexorable passage of time taking a toll even on legends. Tendulkar's final call on the Test format cannot be too far away and the BCCI is looking to prepare and even hasten change.
Former England captain and broadcaster Tony Greig dies
Former England captain and celebrated television commentator Tony Greig passed away after losing his battle with lung cancer on Saturday.
Greig was 66. He breathed his last at a Sydney hospital after being brought in a "critical condition".
He was diagnosed with lung cancer in October this year after undergoing treatment for what was initially thought to be bronchitis in May.
He underwent tests after the World Twenty20 Championships in Sri Lanka and it was revealed that there was a small lesion at the base of his right lung.
"On his return to Australia he had fluid removed from the right lung and testing revealed he had lung cancer," the 'Sydney Morning Herald' reported.
Greig's son Mark told a newspaper that his father's cancer had progressed to "stage four".
While commentating during the coverage of the first Australia-South Africa in November, Greig spoke about the disease.
"It's not good. The truth is I've got lung cancer. Now it's a case of what they can do," Greig had said.
Born in Queenstown, South Africa, Greig qualified to play for England due to his Scottish parentage. His father was a Scot.
In his 58-match Test career, Greig scored 3,599 runs and picked up 141 wickets. In 22 ODIs that he played, Greig scored 269 runs and managed 19 wickets.
Greig was a leading international all-rounder for England.
Considered a controversial figure, he helped Kerry Packer start the World Series Cricket by signing up many English as well as some West Indian and Pakistani cricketers.
The move ended up costing him England's captaincy. The best performance of Greig's captaincy career came in 1976-77, when England toured India for a five-Test series.
The team had not won there for 15 years but went on to score one of their most convincing triumphs when they clinched the first three Tests by huge margins.
Greig turned into a successful commentator following the end of his playing career in 1977 and was forthright with his views. He was one of the bitterest critics of BCCI's opposition to the Decision Review System.
Greig was 66. He breathed his last at a Sydney hospital after being brought in a "critical condition".
He was diagnosed with lung cancer in October this year after undergoing treatment for what was initially thought to be bronchitis in May.
He underwent tests after the World Twenty20 Championships in Sri Lanka and it was revealed that there was a small lesion at the base of his right lung.
"On his return to Australia he had fluid removed from the right lung and testing revealed he had lung cancer," the 'Sydney Morning Herald' reported.
Greig's son Mark told a newspaper that his father's cancer had progressed to "stage four".
While commentating during the coverage of the first Australia-South Africa in November, Greig spoke about the disease.
"It's not good. The truth is I've got lung cancer. Now it's a case of what they can do," Greig had said.
Born in Queenstown, South Africa, Greig qualified to play for England due to his Scottish parentage. His father was a Scot.
In his 58-match Test career, Greig scored 3,599 runs and picked up 141 wickets. In 22 ODIs that he played, Greig scored 269 runs and managed 19 wickets.
Greig was a leading international all-rounder for England.
Considered a controversial figure, he helped Kerry Packer start the World Series Cricket by signing up many English as well as some West Indian and Pakistani cricketers.
The move ended up costing him England's captaincy. The best performance of Greig's captaincy career came in 1976-77, when England toured India for a five-Test series.
The team had not won there for 15 years but went on to score one of their most convincing triumphs when they clinched the first three Tests by huge margins.
Greig turned into a successful commentator following the end of his playing career in 1977 and was forthright with his views. He was one of the bitterest critics of BCCI's opposition to the Decision Review System.
Pacers take parallel tracks to success
He is so soft-spoken that one can barely hear him when he talks. But give him a cricket ball and you can see him make it talk, loud and clear.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar grabbed the nation's attention when he picked three early wickets on his Team India T20 debut against Pakistan on Tuesday, to give his team a glimmer of hope while defending a meager total. India lost the match but the young Uttar Pradesh allrounder stayed in the minds of fans and critics for the manner in which he rattled the Pakistani batsmen with his accurate swing bowling.
The lanky 22-year-old paceman was earlier known for being the first bowler in domestic cricket to dismiss Sachin Tendulkar for a duck. That was Bhuvneshwar's 11th first-class match, the 2008-09 Ranji final against Mumbai. UP lost that match but the performance of Bhuvi, as he is fondly called, was one of the biggest gains for UP.
The Gurjar boy's family has roots in Luharli village in Bulandshahr. He was born on December 5, 1990 in Kanpur and learnt his first lessons in cricket at an early age at the Victoria Club in Meerut, run by former UP wicketkeeper Vipin Vats. The bowling skills were imparted by coach Sanjay Rastogi.
"I first saw him as a sprightly young boy trying to bowl fast in our nets. When I watched him closely, I realised he had the talent but needed to be taught the finer points on using the new ball. He honed his skills well and has followed in the footsteps of another Meerut pacer Praveen Kumar who also relishes swing bowling. The advantage with Bhuvi is that he is a better batsman that Praveen. If he keeps improving, he can be an all-rounder in the Manoj Prabhakar mould," Rastogi says about Bhuvi.
Bhuvneshwar's career graph has shown a gradual rise. Till last year he was also playing in the CK Nayudu under-22 tournament for UP, besides representing their Ranji team since 2007. He came into limelight when he picked up 35 wickets in his second season in 2008-09 and has since flourished in the company of Team India bowlers like RP Singh, Praveen and Sudeep Tyagi. To his credit, he has held his own.
With both RP and Praveen out due to injury this season, he has emerged as the spearhead of the UP bowling attack, and that has prompted him to give his best. With 27 wickets in six matches, he is among the top wicket-takers in domestic cricket.
Bhuvneshwar showed his batting prowess when he single-handedly bailed Central Zone out of a hopeless situation in a Duleep Trophy match against North Zone at the start of the season. Coming in at No. 8 with 233 still to get, Bhuvi added 127 runs with Rituraj Singh for the last wicket against an attack which boasted of Ishant Sharma, Parvinder Awana, Amit Mishra and Rahul Sharma. He got his maiden first class century (128) in the process and gained hugely in confidence.
His India 'A' coach Lalchand Rajput, who worked on his batting on the tours of West Indies and New Zealand, had praised his batting effort for Central Zone. Rajput had told TOI in Nagpur then: "It's great to see him play such a knock in such a tight situation.
"It's still early days but he has the potential to become a genuine allrounder. Bhuvi is a very good bowler. He is very hardworking and disciplined and I hope he keeps performing well both with bat and ball."
Bhuvneshwar Kumar grabbed the nation's attention when he picked three early wickets on his Team India T20 debut against Pakistan on Tuesday, to give his team a glimmer of hope while defending a meager total. India lost the match but the young Uttar Pradesh allrounder stayed in the minds of fans and critics for the manner in which he rattled the Pakistani batsmen with his accurate swing bowling.
The lanky 22-year-old paceman was earlier known for being the first bowler in domestic cricket to dismiss Sachin Tendulkar for a duck. That was Bhuvneshwar's 11th first-class match, the 2008-09 Ranji final against Mumbai. UP lost that match but the performance of Bhuvi, as he is fondly called, was one of the biggest gains for UP.
The Gurjar boy's family has roots in Luharli village in Bulandshahr. He was born on December 5, 1990 in Kanpur and learnt his first lessons in cricket at an early age at the Victoria Club in Meerut, run by former UP wicketkeeper Vipin Vats. The bowling skills were imparted by coach Sanjay Rastogi.
"I first saw him as a sprightly young boy trying to bowl fast in our nets. When I watched him closely, I realised he had the talent but needed to be taught the finer points on using the new ball. He honed his skills well and has followed in the footsteps of another Meerut pacer Praveen Kumar who also relishes swing bowling. The advantage with Bhuvi is that he is a better batsman that Praveen. If he keeps improving, he can be an all-rounder in the Manoj Prabhakar mould," Rastogi says about Bhuvi.
Bhuvneshwar's career graph has shown a gradual rise. Till last year he was also playing in the CK Nayudu under-22 tournament for UP, besides representing their Ranji team since 2007. He came into limelight when he picked up 35 wickets in his second season in 2008-09 and has since flourished in the company of Team India bowlers like RP Singh, Praveen and Sudeep Tyagi. To his credit, he has held his own.
With both RP and Praveen out due to injury this season, he has emerged as the spearhead of the UP bowling attack, and that has prompted him to give his best. With 27 wickets in six matches, he is among the top wicket-takers in domestic cricket.
Bhuvneshwar showed his batting prowess when he single-handedly bailed Central Zone out of a hopeless situation in a Duleep Trophy match against North Zone at the start of the season. Coming in at No. 8 with 233 still to get, Bhuvi added 127 runs with Rituraj Singh for the last wicket against an attack which boasted of Ishant Sharma, Parvinder Awana, Amit Mishra and Rahul Sharma. He got his maiden first class century (128) in the process and gained hugely in confidence.
His India 'A' coach Lalchand Rajput, who worked on his batting on the tours of West Indies and New Zealand, had praised his batting effort for Central Zone. Rajput had told TOI in Nagpur then: "It's great to see him play such a knock in such a tight situation.
"It's still early days but he has the potential to become a genuine allrounder. Bhuvi is a very good bowler. He is very hardworking and disciplined and I hope he keeps performing well both with bat and ball."
IPL auction in 2014 likely to be held in rupees
Come 2014, the IPL auction could be conducted in Indian rupees due to fluctuating exchange rates. According to sources in the Indian cricket board (BCCI), the IPL governing council is mulling the move to help the franchises get a clear idea of what a player's actual salary will be.
"The auction is likely to be held in rupees rather than dollars. The IPL think tank wants to bring in this change," a top BCCI official told TOI on Tuesday.
In its inaugural auction in 2008, IPL had a standard rate of Rs 40 per dollar irrespective of the market value of the currencies. To this day, Indian cricketers are paid at the same rate. But as the rupee's value fell drastically, team owners had to shell out more for foreign cricketers.
Sources said some team owners had discussed this issue with the IPL bosses back then but nothing happened. Sources said next year's auction would be held in dollars. From the following year, when the contracts of all cricketers come to an end, players will be paid in Indian rupees.
It is also learned that most IPL teams want all the players in the auction pool at the 2014 auction and the BCCI is mulling over this issue, sources told TOI. Another demand from the teams is that the Indian domestic cricketers should be put in the auction like foreign domestic players who land up making more money.
"This is an Indian league and our domestic cricketers should be treated at par with the domestic cricketers from foreign countries," said an official.
It was learnt that one team wants the IPL's governing council to consider minimum sponsorship rates for every team. The reason given is that some of the weaker teams at times struggle to get the right price and if there is a minimum rate, it will help those teams maintain sound financial health.
"The auction is likely to be held in rupees rather than dollars. The IPL think tank wants to bring in this change," a top BCCI official told TOI on Tuesday.
In its inaugural auction in 2008, IPL had a standard rate of Rs 40 per dollar irrespective of the market value of the currencies. To this day, Indian cricketers are paid at the same rate. But as the rupee's value fell drastically, team owners had to shell out more for foreign cricketers.
Sources said some team owners had discussed this issue with the IPL bosses back then but nothing happened. Sources said next year's auction would be held in dollars. From the following year, when the contracts of all cricketers come to an end, players will be paid in Indian rupees.
It is also learned that most IPL teams want all the players in the auction pool at the 2014 auction and the BCCI is mulling over this issue, sources told TOI. Another demand from the teams is that the Indian domestic cricketers should be put in the auction like foreign domestic players who land up making more money.
"This is an Indian league and our domestic cricketers should be treated at par with the domestic cricketers from foreign countries," said an official.
It was learnt that one team wants the IPL's governing council to consider minimum sponsorship rates for every team. The reason given is that some of the weaker teams at times struggle to get the right price and if there is a minimum rate, it will help those teams maintain sound financial health.
Arch rivals India and Pakistan resume cricket rivalry with T20 slogfest
When Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Mohd Hafeez walk out for the toss on Tuesday evening, it will mark a new beginning for India-Pakistan cricket. With bilateral relations having been snapped post 26/11/2008, this short series, which kicks off with the T20 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Christmas Day, will be the first between the sides since 2007, when Pakistan came visiting.
A near full house will greet the two teams as they finally get down to cricket after months of diplomacy managed to bring them together in a non-ICC event. When it comes to on-field stuff between the two sides, whose players have normally tended to get along quite well, it is usually how the Indian batting fares against Pakistan's bowling that settles the contest.
It doesn't look any different this time around even if Dhoni said at the pre-match conference on Monday that 'strength on paper' will not matter and it will be a simple case of which team plays better on the night. In an India-Pakistan match though, with all its attendant pressures, there can be a case of whichever team managing to play less worse, coming away with the right result.
Yes, pressure will be the name of the game and no matter how much Hafeez may have stressed on the important of 'good cricket' and how a win or loss is secondary, both teams know that neither country digests a loss against the other too well.
There are of course a host of talents in either team but talent can only take you so far. Still, with both sides being fairly young, past history may not have that of much of a bearing. For the hosts, however, recent form -- they were outclassed by England in home Tests and held to a draw in a T20 series -- may be a more worrisome factor.
Dhoni did say that close finishes in T20 cricket, such as the one in Mumbai last Saturday, don't normally leave a team shattered, given the extremely short nature of the format and the shorter turnaround time between games.
On the face of it, India's problems may seem to lie with the inexperienced bowling attack. In reality, though, it is the batsmen on whom the onus must be put.
Hafeez termed India as one of the most powerful line-ups in the world, if not the best. That the Indian batsmen have shown themselves to be fallible against pace and spin recently make matters worse.
Add the fact that they will be up against proven performers such as Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir, Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi and it may even be a relief that it is only a T20 match on Tuesday.
India's saving grace could be Pakistan's batting, which tends to disintegrate in unprecedented fashion.
A near full house will greet the two teams as they finally get down to cricket after months of diplomacy managed to bring them together in a non-ICC event. When it comes to on-field stuff between the two sides, whose players have normally tended to get along quite well, it is usually how the Indian batting fares against Pakistan's bowling that settles the contest.
It doesn't look any different this time around even if Dhoni said at the pre-match conference on Monday that 'strength on paper' will not matter and it will be a simple case of which team plays better on the night. In an India-Pakistan match though, with all its attendant pressures, there can be a case of whichever team managing to play less worse, coming away with the right result.
Yes, pressure will be the name of the game and no matter how much Hafeez may have stressed on the important of 'good cricket' and how a win or loss is secondary, both teams know that neither country digests a loss against the other too well.
There are of course a host of talents in either team but talent can only take you so far. Still, with both sides being fairly young, past history may not have that of much of a bearing. For the hosts, however, recent form -- they were outclassed by England in home Tests and held to a draw in a T20 series -- may be a more worrisome factor.
Dhoni did say that close finishes in T20 cricket, such as the one in Mumbai last Saturday, don't normally leave a team shattered, given the extremely short nature of the format and the shorter turnaround time between games.
On the face of it, India's problems may seem to lie with the inexperienced bowling attack. In reality, though, it is the batsmen on whom the onus must be put.
Hafeez termed India as one of the most powerful line-ups in the world, if not the best. That the Indian batsmen have shown themselves to be fallible against pace and spin recently make matters worse.
Add the fact that they will be up against proven performers such as Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir, Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi and it may even be a relief that it is only a T20 match on Tuesday.
India's saving grace could be Pakistan's batting, which tends to disintegrate in unprecedented fashion.
Sachin Tendulkar was never a great believer in team meetings: Ganguly
Sachin Tendulkar's decision to step away from ODI cricket took Sourav Ganguly by surprise. "In a way, it is the end of an era. It is his decision, and we all have to respect that but I feel he should have continued to play both formats of the game till the end of his career," Sourav told TOI.
Sachin's ODI record | Profile: Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar | In Pics: Sachin's one-day journey
"It would have helped him to rediscover his form. The six-week gap between the England and Australia series is too long and he will have to start all over again. He is almost 40, and believe me it is not going to be easy," he added.
Looking back on his association with Sachin, which dates back to their under-15 days, Sourav said, "It has been a privilege to play with a legend like him. Even during our U-15 days, we knew he was a special talent. He just loved to bat. Our coach had to literally drag him out of the nets so that others would get a chance. His love for the game has not diminished one bit."
Surprisingly, Sourav named Sachin as the best captain he had played under. "He played a critical role in the nascent stage of my career. Youngsters can lose heart if they get dropped early in their career after a couple of failures. As captain, Sachin showed great belief in me and Rahul Dravid when we were new to international cricket," Sourav said.
The former India captain also disclosed that he never had any problem in leading the 'master' after succeeding Sachin in the hot seat. "He was never a great believer in team meetings. He would always say 'let's go out there and do it'. And he generally did."
The only time Sourav had to face the music from skipper Sachin was after India lost the Barbados Test in 1997. "Chasing 120 for victory, we were bowled out for 81 and lost by 38 runs. Sachin was really angry. He gave us an earful and threatened to send us home by the next flight if we didn't improve," Sourav recalled.
The southpaw admitted to benefitting from batting tips from the Little Master at various stages of his career. "He advised me to shuffle while facing up to fast bowlers. In New Zealand, he offered to handle Simon Doull, whom I was finding difficult to pick," Sourav said, "Sachin would never bowl leg-breaks in the nets, but would turn the ball a foot in a match. I don't know how he managed that without practice.
Sourav, however, wants Sachin to take his final bow in style. "Everyone has to call it a day some time. When that day arrives a player like him should go with his bat held high," he said.
Sachin's ODI record | Profile: Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar | In Pics: Sachin's one-day journey
"It would have helped him to rediscover his form. The six-week gap between the England and Australia series is too long and he will have to start all over again. He is almost 40, and believe me it is not going to be easy," he added.
Looking back on his association with Sachin, which dates back to their under-15 days, Sourav said, "It has been a privilege to play with a legend like him. Even during our U-15 days, we knew he was a special talent. He just loved to bat. Our coach had to literally drag him out of the nets so that others would get a chance. His love for the game has not diminished one bit."
Surprisingly, Sourav named Sachin as the best captain he had played under. "He played a critical role in the nascent stage of my career. Youngsters can lose heart if they get dropped early in their career after a couple of failures. As captain, Sachin showed great belief in me and Rahul Dravid when we were new to international cricket," Sourav said.
The former India captain also disclosed that he never had any problem in leading the 'master' after succeeding Sachin in the hot seat. "He was never a great believer in team meetings. He would always say 'let's go out there and do it'. And he generally did."
The only time Sourav had to face the music from skipper Sachin was after India lost the Barbados Test in 1997. "Chasing 120 for victory, we were bowled out for 81 and lost by 38 runs. Sachin was really angry. He gave us an earful and threatened to send us home by the next flight if we didn't improve," Sourav recalled.
The southpaw admitted to benefitting from batting tips from the Little Master at various stages of his career. "He advised me to shuffle while facing up to fast bowlers. In New Zealand, he offered to handle Simon Doull, whom I was finding difficult to pick," Sourav said, "Sachin would never bowl leg-breaks in the nets, but would turn the ball a foot in a match. I don't know how he managed that without practice.
Sourav, however, wants Sachin to take his final bow in style. "Everyone has to call it a day some time. When that day arrives a player like him should go with his bat held high," he said.
Test hopeful Rohit Sharma struggling to find T20 slot
Right now, Rohit Sharma represents the tragedy called Indian cricket. Even as the stalwarts of a team that once ruled the world are bidding good bye, or struggling in the twilight of their careers, one of the most talented batsman is yet to make his Test debut.
What's more, the 25-year-old had to face the ignominy of being dropped from the T20 side too, against England at Pune on Thursday. It must have come as a rude shock to his fans and well-wishers.
"I was returning from a coaching assignment when someone told me the score is 55 for two. I asked how much was Rohit batting on. I was stunned when told he had been excluded. He is in such wonderful form at the moment," Dinesh Lad, Rohit's coach from his formative years, told TOI on Friday.
In a season where batsmen have dominated, Rohit has stood tall, stroking 712 runs in six games @ 71.20, rustling up three hundreds and two fifties, even leading Mumbai for the first time in a couple of games. Hence, it was no surprise that the Mumbai team management was keen on Rohit playing the Ranji Trophy game against MP at Indore if he doesn't make the XI at Wankhede too.
At a time when he is harbouring ambitions of a Test debut, losing his place in the T20 side surely must have come as a setback for the youngster. Rohit, it seems, was kept out at the expense of including Ravindra Jadeja or Piyush Chawla. While Jadeja deserves a spot thanks to his superb form in the Ranji Trophy with both bat and ball, Chawla has bowled poorly and the logic of including him and dropping a match-winning batsman like Rohit, seems faulty.
On Saturday, while another local boy, Ajinkya Rahane, will enjoy being part of the first-ever T20 international at the Wankhede Stadium, Rohit will feel disheartened if he sits in the dug out again in front of his 'home crowd'. The youngster has played plenty of cricket at the Wankhede, for the Mumbai Ranji team and the Mumbai Indians in the IPL. In fact, back in April 2007, Rohit became the first Indian batsman to score a ton in T20 cricket, when he smashed an unbeaten 101 off 45 balls against Gujarat at the Brabourne Stadium in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
To some extent, though, Rohit is himself to blame for courting misfortune. The middle-order batsman, despite playing 85 ODIs has scored just two hundreds. He has five fifties in 32 T20Is. Inconsistency has been his middle name. In Sri Lanka, earlier this year, just as a busy home season beckoned, promising a Test debut for Rohit, he blew it all up. He managed just 13 runs in five ODIs and out went his chances of breaking into the Test squad. He was included in the World T20 side, but apart from cracking a match-wining, unbeaten 55 against England, he did little else to justify his inclusion.
Other factors too have had their effect in stalling Rohit's progress. Earlier this year, skipper MS Dhoni had put unnecessary pressure on Rohit during the tri-series in Australia by saying that the much-criticised 'rotation policy' which resulted in excluding the seniors, had been implemented to keep someone like him in the team. A couple of years back, on the morning of what would have been his first Test against South Africa at Nagpur, Rohit broke his ankle while playing 'rocketball' with his teammates. What's more, he suffered a broken finger in the first ODI in England last year that sent him home.
Be that as it may, there is a growing opinion that Rohit is now ready for Tests. "It is high time that he is blooded in Tests before it's too late," opines former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar. Ex-India opener Lalchand Rajput isn't much concerned with Rohit's ouster from the T20 side. "I hope he maintains the consistency he is showing in domestic cricket this season and books a Test berth for himself," he says. "He has already proved his mettle in the shorter version of the game. He now must keep his focus on scoring big in domestic cricket.
If Parvinder Awana and Ravindra Jadeja can make it to the Indian team on the basis of their Ranji performances, Rohit too can break into the Test side by doing well for Mumbai," says Amre. "I have a feeling that he would play his first Test very soon," says Lad.
For now, Rohit somehow needs to come back into the T20 side. He is too good a batsman to be left cheering the team from the sidelines!
What's more, the 25-year-old had to face the ignominy of being dropped from the T20 side too, against England at Pune on Thursday. It must have come as a rude shock to his fans and well-wishers.
"I was returning from a coaching assignment when someone told me the score is 55 for two. I asked how much was Rohit batting on. I was stunned when told he had been excluded. He is in such wonderful form at the moment," Dinesh Lad, Rohit's coach from his formative years, told TOI on Friday.
In a season where batsmen have dominated, Rohit has stood tall, stroking 712 runs in six games @ 71.20, rustling up three hundreds and two fifties, even leading Mumbai for the first time in a couple of games. Hence, it was no surprise that the Mumbai team management was keen on Rohit playing the Ranji Trophy game against MP at Indore if he doesn't make the XI at Wankhede too.
At a time when he is harbouring ambitions of a Test debut, losing his place in the T20 side surely must have come as a setback for the youngster. Rohit, it seems, was kept out at the expense of including Ravindra Jadeja or Piyush Chawla. While Jadeja deserves a spot thanks to his superb form in the Ranji Trophy with both bat and ball, Chawla has bowled poorly and the logic of including him and dropping a match-winning batsman like Rohit, seems faulty.
On Saturday, while another local boy, Ajinkya Rahane, will enjoy being part of the first-ever T20 international at the Wankhede Stadium, Rohit will feel disheartened if he sits in the dug out again in front of his 'home crowd'. The youngster has played plenty of cricket at the Wankhede, for the Mumbai Ranji team and the Mumbai Indians in the IPL. In fact, back in April 2007, Rohit became the first Indian batsman to score a ton in T20 cricket, when he smashed an unbeaten 101 off 45 balls against Gujarat at the Brabourne Stadium in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
To some extent, though, Rohit is himself to blame for courting misfortune. The middle-order batsman, despite playing 85 ODIs has scored just two hundreds. He has five fifties in 32 T20Is. Inconsistency has been his middle name. In Sri Lanka, earlier this year, just as a busy home season beckoned, promising a Test debut for Rohit, he blew it all up. He managed just 13 runs in five ODIs and out went his chances of breaking into the Test squad. He was included in the World T20 side, but apart from cracking a match-wining, unbeaten 55 against England, he did little else to justify his inclusion.
Other factors too have had their effect in stalling Rohit's progress. Earlier this year, skipper MS Dhoni had put unnecessary pressure on Rohit during the tri-series in Australia by saying that the much-criticised 'rotation policy' which resulted in excluding the seniors, had been implemented to keep someone like him in the team. A couple of years back, on the morning of what would have been his first Test against South Africa at Nagpur, Rohit broke his ankle while playing 'rocketball' with his teammates. What's more, he suffered a broken finger in the first ODI in England last year that sent him home.
Be that as it may, there is a growing opinion that Rohit is now ready for Tests. "It is high time that he is blooded in Tests before it's too late," opines former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar. Ex-India opener Lalchand Rajput isn't much concerned with Rohit's ouster from the T20 side. "I hope he maintains the consistency he is showing in domestic cricket this season and books a Test berth for himself," he says. "He has already proved his mettle in the shorter version of the game. He now must keep his focus on scoring big in domestic cricket.
If Parvinder Awana and Ravindra Jadeja can make it to the Indian team on the basis of their Ranji performances, Rohit too can break into the Test side by doing well for Mumbai," says Amre. "I have a feeling that he would play his first Test very soon," says Lad.
For now, Rohit somehow needs to come back into the T20 side. He is too good a batsman to be left cheering the team from the sidelines!
Sri Lanka-West Indies series put off to free players for IPL 6
The Indian cricket board (BCCI), the richest body in the sport, has prevailed upon the Sri Lanka and West Indies boards to postpone a series scheduled for May since it would have clashed with next year's Indian Premier League.
The West Indies are the reigning World T20 champions while the Lankans had finished runners-up in this year's tournament. The postponement ensures that a host of stars, including the likes of Chris Gayle, will become available for the entire IPL 6 season.
The Lankans were originally scheduled to tour West Indies for two Tests, three ODIs and two T20 internationals in May. The series will now be accommodated into the ICC's Future Tours Programme (FTP) at a later date. Incidentally, the IPL 6 schedule was also released on Friday.
"The Sri Lankan tour of the West Indies was rescheduled to allow players from both teams to participate in the IPL," Imran Khan, corporate communications officer of the West Indies Cricket Board, said in a press release.
The matter was first brought to the notice of the IPL franchises by the Lankan players themselves, who told their team owners to settle the matter with the Indian board as they wouldn't be available for the entire IPL season.
According to sources, BCCI then got in touch with the two boards (SLC and WICB) and discussed the matter.
The board has also promised a tri-series in exchange for allowing the Lankan and West Indies players to take part in the IPL. The WICB announced that the tri-series - involving India, Lanka and the hosts - would be held from June 28 to July 11, right after the final edition of the Champions Trophy in June in England next year.
"It was a mutual decision to host a tri-series," a source said. When TOI spoke to BCCI officials, they denied that pressure tactics were used to reschedule the series.
"As part of the ICC FTP, Sri Lanka was originally scheduled to tour the Caribbean for two Tests, three ODIs and two Twenty20 internationals in 2013. The two Tests have been deferred and will be played at a later date in the FTP cycle," the release said, adding: The bumper season of international cricket in the Caribbean will reach a crescendo when the three biggest teams in limited-overs cricket clash in the Caribbean in June and July next year in a seven-match ODI tri-nation series."
The West Indies are the reigning World T20 champions while the Lankans had finished runners-up in this year's tournament. The postponement ensures that a host of stars, including the likes of Chris Gayle, will become available for the entire IPL 6 season.
The Lankans were originally scheduled to tour West Indies for two Tests, three ODIs and two T20 internationals in May. The series will now be accommodated into the ICC's Future Tours Programme (FTP) at a later date. Incidentally, the IPL 6 schedule was also released on Friday.
"The Sri Lankan tour of the West Indies was rescheduled to allow players from both teams to participate in the IPL," Imran Khan, corporate communications officer of the West Indies Cricket Board, said in a press release.
The matter was first brought to the notice of the IPL franchises by the Lankan players themselves, who told their team owners to settle the matter with the Indian board as they wouldn't be available for the entire IPL season.
According to sources, BCCI then got in touch with the two boards (SLC and WICB) and discussed the matter.
The board has also promised a tri-series in exchange for allowing the Lankan and West Indies players to take part in the IPL. The WICB announced that the tri-series - involving India, Lanka and the hosts - would be held from June 28 to July 11, right after the final edition of the Champions Trophy in June in England next year.
"It was a mutual decision to host a tri-series," a source said. When TOI spoke to BCCI officials, they denied that pressure tactics were used to reschedule the series.
"As part of the ICC FTP, Sri Lanka was originally scheduled to tour the Caribbean for two Tests, three ODIs and two Twenty20 internationals in 2013. The two Tests have been deferred and will be played at a later date in the FTP cycle," the release said, adding: The bumper season of international cricket in the Caribbean will reach a crescendo when the three biggest teams in limited-overs cricket clash in the Caribbean in June and July next year in a seven-match ODI tri-nation series."
Yuvraj Singh stars in India's win over England
PUNE: The 'pie chucker' has got the better of England once again. Yuvraj Singh, battling fitness and form, worked his magic with both bat and ball as India beat England by five wickets in the first Twenty20 international on Thursday.
The 2011 World Cup hero first hoodwinked the England batsmen with his brand of left-arm spin to claim 3/19 as the visitors were restricted to 157/6. He then returned to slam a pivotal 38 from 21 balls to lay the platform for a morale-boosting win for India. Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (24 not out) and Suresh Raina (26) ensured there were no slip-ups after Yuvraj's dismissal and India coasted home with 13 balls to spare.
The result ensures India won't be the losers in this two-match rubber. The second T20 will be played in Mumbai on Saturday. Yuvraj's performance couldn't have come at a better time for himself and the team. The 31-year-old's selection had been questioned ever since his return from a year-long lay-off to treat a form of cancer. After ordinary performances with the bat in the World T20 championships and the Test series, the all-round show at the Subrata Roy Sahara stadium should boost his confidence.
The start didn't seem to go India's way, though. Dhoni's decision to field was perhaps prompted by the dew factor but his slow bowlers struggled. Ashwin began with a maiden but conceded 33 runs in his remaining three overs. He had the wicket of Michael Lumb in exchange for 18 runs in three overs with the new ball, but his final over cost 15. Bowling with an action entirely different from the one he used in the Tests, the 26-year-old offie failed to draw the line between versatility and inconsistency.
Piyush Chawla (0-24) failed to make an impact, as did Ravindra Jadeja (0-22). With debutant Parvinder Awana clearly suffering from big-stage nerves, it was left to the wily Yuvraj to keep India in the hunt. Yuvraj got Luke Wright to top edge to long-off in the 11th over before consuming Hale and Eoin Morgan in the next.
Alex Hale hit a cracking 56 (35b; 7x4, 2x6) to take the attack to the hosts. The 23-year-old right-hander began with back-to-back boundaries off Dinda and then dished out a similar treatment to Awana. He then turned his attention to Jadeja, smacking him over midwicket for the first six of the innings.
Ashwin wasn't spared either, a full toss was hoisted over long on and a full length one sent screaming through the cover. But Hale perished playing across the line to Yuvraj after adding 68 runs for the second wicket with Wright (34; 21b, 3x4, 1x6). Dinda returned to remove Samit Patel (24) and Bresnan in the penultimate over. Jos Buttler (33 no) ensured the team went past 150 with successive sixes of Awana in the final over
The 2011 World Cup hero first hoodwinked the England batsmen with his brand of left-arm spin to claim 3/19 as the visitors were restricted to 157/6. He then returned to slam a pivotal 38 from 21 balls to lay the platform for a morale-boosting win for India. Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (24 not out) and Suresh Raina (26) ensured there were no slip-ups after Yuvraj's dismissal and India coasted home with 13 balls to spare.
The result ensures India won't be the losers in this two-match rubber. The second T20 will be played in Mumbai on Saturday. Yuvraj's performance couldn't have come at a better time for himself and the team. The 31-year-old's selection had been questioned ever since his return from a year-long lay-off to treat a form of cancer. After ordinary performances with the bat in the World T20 championships and the Test series, the all-round show at the Subrata Roy Sahara stadium should boost his confidence.
The start didn't seem to go India's way, though. Dhoni's decision to field was perhaps prompted by the dew factor but his slow bowlers struggled. Ashwin began with a maiden but conceded 33 runs in his remaining three overs. He had the wicket of Michael Lumb in exchange for 18 runs in three overs with the new ball, but his final over cost 15. Bowling with an action entirely different from the one he used in the Tests, the 26-year-old offie failed to draw the line between versatility and inconsistency.
Piyush Chawla (0-24) failed to make an impact, as did Ravindra Jadeja (0-22). With debutant Parvinder Awana clearly suffering from big-stage nerves, it was left to the wily Yuvraj to keep India in the hunt. Yuvraj got Luke Wright to top edge to long-off in the 11th over before consuming Hale and Eoin Morgan in the next.
Alex Hale hit a cracking 56 (35b; 7x4, 2x6) to take the attack to the hosts. The 23-year-old right-hander began with back-to-back boundaries off Dinda and then dished out a similar treatment to Awana. He then turned his attention to Jadeja, smacking him over midwicket for the first six of the innings.
Ashwin wasn't spared either, a full toss was hoisted over long on and a full length one sent screaming through the cover. But Hale perished playing across the line to Yuvraj after adding 68 runs for the second wicket with Wright (34; 21b, 3x4, 1x6). Dinda returned to remove Samit Patel (24) and Bresnan in the penultimate over. Jos Buttler (33 no) ensured the team went past 150 with successive sixes of Awana in the final over
Italian Open leader is solid as a Rock
TURIN: Britain's Robert Rock is well placed to record his first European Tour win at the Italian Open, the week before he is due to make his US Open debut.
The 34-year-old, in his 10th year on tour, fired a four-under 68 in the second round on Friday to lead by a stroke at Royal Park on 12-under 132.
Rock led playing partner and fellow Englishman Chris Wood (69) and Dutchman Joost Luiten (67) by one shot.
Italians Matteo Manassero (68), Francesco Molinari (68) and Lorenzo Gagli (66) were a further stroke back on 134 along with Frenchman Gregory Bourdy (68) and Britons Gary Boyd (65) and Rhys Davies (68).
Frenchman Victor Dubuisson carded a best-of-the-week 62 to finish in a group of players on 135.
Rock is looking to better three second places. One of those was a losing playoff in the 2009 Irish Open to Shane Lowry.
"It would be nice to get the monkey off my back next week," Rock told Reuters, "but being realistic to finally win a title this week would be great.
"It's been a long time on the European Tour only getting a very few opportunities to win."
A dramatic recent improvement in his putting has helped Rock qualify for the US Open and his performance on the greens was again good at Royal Park.
"I just want it to stay with me this week and next," he added. "I know my long game can stand up to it but I've been worried about the putter."
While Rock was delighted to be in pole position, Italian teenager Manassero was as gloomy as the thunderstorm which held up play for 80 minutes in the afternoon after missing a series of makeable putts on the drenched greens.
"It's really annoying being two behind. I left so many shots out there, at least six," said Manassero.
Rock and Wood had an exciting three-ball with Australian Marcus Fraser who produced a hole in one at the fourth.
The 34-year-old, in his 10th year on tour, fired a four-under 68 in the second round on Friday to lead by a stroke at Royal Park on 12-under 132.
Rock led playing partner and fellow Englishman Chris Wood (69) and Dutchman Joost Luiten (67) by one shot.
Italians Matteo Manassero (68), Francesco Molinari (68) and Lorenzo Gagli (66) were a further stroke back on 134 along with Frenchman Gregory Bourdy (68) and Britons Gary Boyd (65) and Rhys Davies (68).
Frenchman Victor Dubuisson carded a best-of-the-week 62 to finish in a group of players on 135.
Rock is looking to better three second places. One of those was a losing playoff in the 2009 Irish Open to Shane Lowry.
"It would be nice to get the monkey off my back next week," Rock told Reuters, "but being realistic to finally win a title this week would be great.
"It's been a long time on the European Tour only getting a very few opportunities to win."
A dramatic recent improvement in his putting has helped Rock qualify for the US Open and his performance on the greens was again good at Royal Park.
"I just want it to stay with me this week and next," he added. "I know my long game can stand up to it but I've been worried about the putter."
While Rock was delighted to be in pole position, Italian teenager Manassero was as gloomy as the thunderstorm which held up play for 80 minutes in the afternoon after missing a series of makeable putts on the drenched greens.
"It's really annoying being two behind. I left so many shots out there, at least six," said Manassero.
Rock and Wood had an exciting three-ball with Australian Marcus Fraser who produced a hole in one at the fourth.