As storm clouds of war gather in the Gulf, Saddam Hussein sends an extraordinary message to the world by "hiding behind Western women and children." In New York, the verdict in a brutal gangrape of a white woman by black youths polarizes American society. And in India, there's a new star on the horizon – Sachin Tendulkar, the youngest player in 25 years to score a Test century.
© NDTV
Sachin Tendulkar may have announced his retirement from Indian Premier League but the veteran cricketer is likely to don the Mumbai Indians jersey during the upcoming edition of Champions League T20 which will be held in India from September 17 to October 6.
"The prospects of Sachin playing for IPL champions Mumbai Indians in the Champions League T20 is bright," a senior IPL official told PTI today.
"Since the tournament will be held in India this time, the MI management has requested Tendulkar to atleast consider playing this tournament. MI has a huge fan base all over India and Tendulkar's presence definitely becomes a big factor," the official added.
Tendulkar announced his retirement from IPL at the end of the final match but what might prompt him to take part in the Champions League is the timing of the tournament.
"Since Sachin has already retired from ODIs, he won't get a lot of match practice before the Ranji Trophy. The format may be T20 but some serious 'match-time' out there in the middle will help him get into the groove as he prepares for the tough South Africa tour," the official added.
However it is not clear whether Mumbai Indians skipper Ricky Ponting will be summoned by the franchise for the CLT20 tournament considering he didn't set the stage on fire while playing in the six matches of the IPL.
According to sources in the BCCI, there is a plan to take the tournament to smaller centres which can evoke better response than the top cities where the tournament hasn't really got the level of acceptance that one would have expected.
"Dharamshala, Ranchi are some of the centres which are being looked at possible choices for hosting CLT20 matches," sources said.
© PTI
Former captain Anil Kumble on Sunday said India will miss the services of Sachin Tendulkar when they enter the field for the first time without the batting great in a world-level tournament but insisted the team has enough young talent to do the job in the Champions Trophy.
"It is never easy but the Indian team has a good set-up. It will be the first time it will be in a world championship without the great man but I strongly believe the India team has a good record and a good team to go out there and do really well," Kumble was quoted as saying in an ICC release.
Describing Sachin Tendulkar's impact on the world cricket, Kumble said it won't be easy to replace someone like Tendulkar in the ODI format.
"It is never easy to replace someone like Sachin Tendulkar. Not just because of his on-field credentials but what he brings outside of it in terms of the respect that India gets.
"The atmosphere changes when he walks onto the field whether it is in India, Pakistan, Australia or England. Wherever he has toured, people have come to watch him play. This is something the people of the UK will probably miss during the ICC Champions Trophy," he added.
Kumble, one of the legends of the game, who played 132 Tests and 271 ODIs, said the Champions Trophy in England will be a challenging and closely fought tournament in which the momentum of the sides will be crucial.
"Momentum will be the key to success in this short and sharp tournament, and the teams will need to get the momentum right from the very start and carry it on throughout the tournament. You cannot afford a hiccup. It's a great format where every match counts and every match is like a final. That's the criticality of every game in the ICC Champions Trophy," said Kumble, who took 337 ODI wickets in his illustrious career.
"The event is in the early part of the English summer, so the other big challenge would be to adapt to the conditions, which could potentially change even during the course of a match. That's the beauty about playing in the United Kingdom," he added.
He said the fitness of match-winners will also play an important role during the June 6-23 tournament.
"As the ICC Champions Trophy will be at the back of the India Premier League as well as a few international series, the fitness of key players will be extremely important. I think advantage will be with the side that will have the most match-winners fit and available for selection," said Kumble, one of the most respected and influential voices in cricket.
The ICC Champions Trophy will be staged at Cardiff Wales Stadium, Edgbaston and The Oval.
Australia, which has been placed in Group A along with England, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, will be aiming to complete a hat-trick of titles having won the event in 2006 and 2009. Group B includes traditional rivals India and Pakistan, as well as South Africa and West Indies.
Kumble was a member of the India side that was declared joint-winner with Sri Lanka in the ICC Champions Trophy 2002, and also played in the 1998 and 2000 editions when the event was called ICC Knock-Out.
"It is a great event because the format is so tight and tough. You will have to be on top of your game from ball number one. There are other teams that are playing really well in the ODI format. So, everyone will be keen to win the tournament.
"The Champions Trophy is a great preamble to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. In 18 days of cricket, you will see in action all the best cricketers from the top eight countries in what will be a great spectacle," said Kumble.
India will take on South Africa in the tournament opener in Cardiff on June 6.
© PTI
Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar is still not sure the Decision Review System (DRS) is close to 100 percent fool-proof for him to accept it.
When technology is seen as a panacea for all on-field questionable decisions by umpires, Tendulkar says he is all for technology provided it is foolproof.
"I endorse any technology that is close to being 100 percent. I have an issue with half-baked technologies. If it's close to foolproof I don't have a problem with it," Tendulkar told IANS in an interview.
"Technology is fast becoming an important factor in every sport but we have to be careful to see it is not overdone," he added.
India is the only country not to accept this technology in cricket. While every country uses DRS in bilateral Test series, India refuses to employ it for the matches it plays.
Football, too, after a lot of deliberation, has agreed to use goal-line technology to ascertain if the ball has crossed the line. Tennis is another sport which for sometime has been using hawk-eye technology for line calls.
Speaking about the NDTV Marks for Sports campaign, Tendulkar said: "Schools need to integrate sports as a proper curriculum. Marks for sports is a great initiative and a great idea. But it has to be properly implemented. And if that happens then youngsters will have the opportunity to seriously take sports as a career.
"Parents also need to get involved and make decision making easier for their children," he added.
The Mark for Sports initiative, started in March 2011, will push for the inclusion of sports in the school curriculum.
Sachin, who made his Test debut as a 16-year-old, said more emphasis needs to be placed on school- and college-level tournaments. He also pointed out that grassroots infrastructure needed to improve a lot for the country to nurture young talent.
"I have always taken a keen interest in other sports and if opportunities to promote other games come my way I will always take up the offer," he said.
"It has to be a structured programme and will take years of proper nurturing. There has to be a proper diet and physical fitness sessions in gyms. We should look at other countries where collegiate games are so big. We need to do solid groundwork," Tendulkar added.
Tendulkar, who is an avid sports fan and has often been seen at Wimbledon and other Grand Slam tournaments, besides waving the chequered flag at the inaugural Formula One Indian Grand Prix, said the corporates needed to play a bigger role in promoting sports.
"Corporates need to play a bigger role for sports to grow in the country. Ample money should be pumped in and proper infrastructure needs to be set up. Tournaments such as the Coca-Cola Cup are a great platform for youngsters to showcase their skills," he said.
© IANS/NDTV
Breaking his silence on the raging IPL spot-fixing scandal, Sachin Tendulkar today said that the developments of the last two weeks were "shocking and disappointing" and the faith reposed by the millions of fans in the game should be justified.
Tendulkar said the authorities must take sincere steps to get to the root of the issue and ensure that credibility of the game is restored.
The champion batsman, who retired from IPL after his side Mumbai Indians won the title recently, said as a cricketer he has always learnt to play in the true spirit of the game.
"It has always hurt me when the game of cricket is in the news for the wrong reasons. The developments in the last two weeks have been shocking and disappointing. As cricketers we are always taught to go out, fight hard, give our very best and play in the true spirit of the game," Tendulkar said in a statement.
"During this difficult phase, I join every cricketer, from the boys in the maidans across the country to those who represent clubs, states and the country, who trust the authorities to take sincere steps to get to the root of the issue.
"The faith reposed by the millions of fans should be justified and we owe it to them to ensure that Indian cricket is all about pride and joy," the statement added.
© NDTV
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
Two of India's greatest sporting icons Sachin Tendulkar and Abhinav Bindra want the media to focus on the positive aspects of the games instead of dishing out incorrect things to the viewers and readers.
"From a sportsman's point of view, as much positive information as possible needs to be given by the media to help them prepare better," Tendulkar said here on Tuesday.
He was speaking after releasing, along with Bindra, 'Sporting Times', a compilation of 175 years of sports writing.
"But sometimes there are things which actually have not happened. Sometimes there are speculations that there were fights in the team and seniors were not allowing juniors to settle. These are all rumours and that is why you sometimes feel (bad). If any incorrect information goes out in the public, there must be a line," the batting maestro said.
Bindra, who created history in 2008 at Beijing by shooting down India's first and thus far only individual Olympic gold medal, endorsed his views.
"When I started playing the game I wanted to be like Mr (Sunil) Gavaskar and Vivian Richards, and set examples for others.
"Today morning, I went to the All India Under-16 football tournament final between Meghalaya and Odisha. (Indian football captain) Sunil Chhetri was there and it was wonderful to interact with him," said Tendulkar.
"These kinds of tournaments are important and the press has a big role to play by covering these sports and encouraging the youngsters."
"I have a love-hate relationship with the media. It's important for the media to be sensitive to the sportsmen's needs. I would not like to be hounded by the media.
"In Beijing, one of the TV channels wanted to interview me after I qualified for the finals (scheduled later in the day) in the 20-25 minutes break and I gave them a dirty look," said the ace shooter.
Bindra said most of the things written about him in the media after his historic moment five years ago were incorrect.
"I was described as a very calm person in the articles but I am a hyperactive person and very nervous. I used to hate all kinds of sport till the age of 10 or 11 when I was in a boarding school. After I shifted to Chandigarh I was forced to take up a sport and since I was a fat kid and did not want to move much, took to shooting," said Bindra.
"But once I took to the sport I worked very hard."
Tendulkar revealed how after the Indian squad's 2007 triumph in the T20 World Cup in South Africa, a win he was not a part of, some of the team members called him during the motorcade from the Mumbai airport to the Wankhede Stadium and asked to join them in the open-topped bus, but he declined.
"It is your day, I told them," Tendulkar recalled and added that when the phone call came he was inside his car and the bus was being driven over a flyover above him in suburban Bandra.
Talks turned to how he had negotiated Australian leg spin great Shane Warne in the 1997-98 series.
"I faced him in the match at Mumbai, when we beat them in two and a half days, and hit a century. In that match he did not bowl to me even once from around the wicket. But I knew at a crunch time in the Test match he would do so and I was prepared for it."
Asked which batsmen he admired the most, he named Brian Lara, Jacques Kallis and Ricky Ponting - from overseas -and Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and Mahendra Singh Dhoni from India.
Asked about Bindra's achievement, Tendulkar said when the historic moment in Indian sports happened he was in Sri Lanka with the cricket team.
"I was in Sri Lanka and we were playing a match. When we came to know about it, the first time a gold medal has been won in 88 years or so, we were very excited. To win a medal in Olympic Games that come once in four years you have to be focused and disciplined," the champion cricketer.
"Tendulkar has been a hero and a huge inspiration for me," said Bindra.
© PTI
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
Sachin Tendulkar on Tuesday expressed hope that India's football team will qualify for the FIFA World Cup in 2022 to be held in Qatar.
"I know in 2022 there is something really big happening for Indian football. I hope India qualifies for that World Cup. That is something that should be your target and your senior players will guide you. Just follow their steps and chase your dreams," Tendulkar said at the Father Agnel School ground in Navi Mumbai.
Tendulkar spoke these encouraging words at the presentation function of the Coca-Cola Cup (National under-15 sub junior football tournament) final between Meghalaya and Orissa which the former won 1-0.
The Indian cricket great also advised youngsters to be passionate about football.
"A simple advice I can give you is be passionate about the sport. Fall madly in love with the sport and that will allow you to work harder. Have dream and chase them. Dreams will come true," were maestro's words of wisdom for the kids.
"Passion, yes I was able to achieve all these things. I was madly in love with cricket. Still am madly in love with cricket. Also the support and love I have received from all the people that has been my strength. It has allowed me to move out and give my best.
"The right platform was set for me to go out and perform. A big thank you to all the people who have supported me for the last 23 years I have played," he added.
Ronald Kydon Lyngdoh of Meghalaya scored the winning goal for his side in the first half and was named the player of the match.
Over 41,000 players from 2,610 schools across 86 cities competed at district, state and zonal levels to qualify for the national finals.
The AIFF will be shortlisting 40 players from the tournament for the National under-16 football squad camp.
In a statement, Tendulkar said, "I keenly look forward to many of the youngsters seizing this opportunity and showcasing their talent and skills. Emerging sports persons in the country require similar grassroot initiatives and competitive platforms to unlock and realise their true potential."
National football captain Sunil Chhetri said, "With the right training and infrastructure, we too can produce world class footballers and it is initiatives like this that re-instate my belief that India could make it's mark on the global football map."
© PTI
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
Bringing the curtains down on yet another phase of his glorious career, cricketing great Sachin Tendulkar Sunday bid adieu to the Indian Premier League at the iconic Eden Gardens, moments after his side Mumbai Indians lifted their maiden title.
"This is my last IPL. I had taken the decision before the start of the tournament," the 40-year-old Tendulkar said in a matter of fact way, two days after his illustrious former India teammate Rahul Dravid called it quits from the cash-rich league.
Tendulkar, who retired from ODIs in December last year, missed Sunday's final against two-time champions Chennai Super Kings due to a left wrist injury he picked up May 13 while batting against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
"I have waited 21 years to win the first World Cup and six years for the IPL. It has been a great and memorable journey with the team," said Tendulkar, who got a grand send-off as he was lifted by his team mates before the customary victory lap.
There was a clamour among the Mumbai Indian players to pose for a photo with him. During the team's group photo session with the trophy, the players ensured that Tendulkar was at the centre. His wife Anjali too joined in the celebrations a little later.
"It was disappointing not to have Sachin in the last few games. Nonetheless, we are happy that we could give him the perfect farewell by winning the trophy," Sharma said.
Tendulkar was all smiles, but also a trifle nostalgic. He did not forget his countless admirers.
"This is the perfect time to say thank you to my supporters and well-wishers," said Tendulkar.
"We have to be realistic about it. I've played six seasons with the Mumbai Indians and I have completely enjoyed it. This was the best season for Mumbai Indians. Before this, 2010 was the best season," he said.
Tendulkar scored 2,334 runs averaging 34.83 in 78 IPL matches. He has a strike rate of 119.81 and struck one century and 13 fifties.
"I think this is the right time to stop playing the IPL. I am 40. Got to accept it," Tendulkar added.
© PTI
Describing Sachin Tendulkar as the backbone of Mumbai Indians, batsman Ambati Rayudu dedicated the team's maiden IPL triumph to the senior batsman who announced his retirement from the cash-rich Twenty20 league.
"I think he is the one who is the backbone of the team," Rayudu said of the Master Blaster, who played just 14 matches this season after being laid low by a hand injury.
The 40-year-old Tendulkar announced his retirement on Sunday night after Mumbai beat Chennai Super Kings by 23 runs at the Eden Gardens to capture their maiden IPL trophy.
Rayudu said the triumph was a result of four seasons of hard work. "This is extraordinary! Four years of hard work. We have come so close before and were really very hungry for it. This is beyond words," Rayudu told IPLT20.com.
The MI batsman was also left amazed by the enthusiastic crowd that turned up at the Eden.
"It is unbelievable how a packed Eden Gardens witnessed us. It is a dream. There is nothing better than this," he said.
© PTI
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
Dale Steyn, the world's most feared pacer, on Tuesday backed his country South Africa to come out trumps in the three-Test series against India to be held at the end of this year, but was also wary of the quality of the opposing batting line-up.
"We have got a pretty good Test side at the moment, to be fair, and we play quite well at home. I would like to say that we would win it. Coming to South Africa, it is a difficult place to play cricket," said the world's highest rated bowler.
"Wickets here are lot flatter than what it is in South Africa. It does make it a little bit difficult for the Indian batsmen. However, cricket is a funny game and India has got some fantastic players. Shikhar Dhawan is batting nicely and they have got some great players. We will wait for the next couple of months and see what happens," said Steyn at a gaming centre "Smaash" in Mumbai.
India drew the Test series 1-1 during their previous tour of South Africa in 2010-11.
"There was a time in Nagpur (2009-10 Test series) and I was bowling to Sachin, it felt like when I was bowling to all the other batters, I was going past the bat and finding the edge, I was bamboozling them with in-swing and away-swing.
"But Sachin knew exactly what I was going to bowl before I even started running. He had me covered. He did his homework on me and he knew exactly what was coming. There is no worse feeling in knowing that whatever I threw at him, he had the arsenal to combat. That was quite difficult," Steyn said.
He was referring to the opening Test of the two-match series in February, 2010 that was won by the Proteas by an innings despite Tendulkar's superb century in the second innings after India had followed on.
© PTI
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
 |
| ©PTI |
Former Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya today said senior India cricketer Sachin Tendulkar should be allowed the freedom to take a call on his retirement from the Test format.
"It's an individual decision. Sachin should decide on that. Nobody can decide. In India a lot of opinions are there.
I think we should give him the chance. It is all up to him. It depends on his body and mind," Jayasuriya told PTI here.
The former opener, who is now Sri Lanka's chief national selector, added that Tendulkar was experienced enough and called him a strong character.
"He must be going through a lot of pressure. He is experienced and is a strong character. He will decide," the Lankan said.
Tendulkar retired from the ODI format last December.
Jayasuriya was in the city to promote his country as the brand ambassador of Sri Lanka tourism.
© PTI
Emphasising the importance of hard work, former captain Javed Miandad told the Pakistan players to look up to Sachin Tendulkar, who he says is an embodiment of commitment to the game of cricket.
Miandad while talking to Pakistan players, preparing for the Champions Trophy in Abbotabad, said there was no replacement for hard work.
"It has been a good experience working with these players and I have told them that no matter how much coaching or advice you are given nothing can replace the individual hard work you put into your game everyday. I gave them the example of Sachin Tendulkar who is still playing Test cricket only because of his commitment and the individual hard work he puts into his game," Miandad said.
"I think he is an ideal role model for the present generation because of his achievements and if they want to be successful batsmen and players," Miandad added.
He pointed out that cricket was a sport in which everything depends on the individual.
"Batting is something you learn about everyday and it is absolutely necessary to keep on practicing and working hard everyday. No matter how talent you are everyday and every match is a new challenge," Miandad, who is a Director-General in the PCB, said.
He asserted that one could never say he had achieved perfection in batting because in every new match there was a different pitch and conditions.
"Tendulkar has been successful because he has followed this policy and worked hard to maintain his game and fitness," he said.
© PTI
Sachin Tendulkar is the only Indian to make it to the Test dream team drawn up by former England captain Alec Stewart from among players against whom he had played in his career.
"The 'Little Master' is a no-brainer for his extraordinary run-scoring over such a long period of time and the way he has dealt with the pressure of being India's number one sporting icon," Stewart told BBC Sport.
"I remember a brilliant 165 in his hometown of Mumbai in 1993 and 193 at Headingley almost a decade later. When he got in, his bat just seemed to get wider and wider," added the channel's Test Match Special summariser as part of a special feature.
Two other Indians -- Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble -- made it to Stewart's broader squad but missed out in the final Test XI.
Stewart, whose Test XI would be captained by Australian Steve Waugh, said West Indian Brian Lara was the best batsman he has played against. His team does not include former Australian captain Ricky Ponting nor the legendary batsman Vivian Richards while the latter's West Indian contemporaries Gordon Greenidge and Malcolm Marshall find places.
Richards and Marshall played their last Test together in 1991 while Greenidge quit the same year but a few months before them.
"During my 14-year career as an international cricketer, I came up against some of the finest players in the history of the game, so to select an XI has not been an easy task.
"I have tried to stick to those who made the greatest impression on matches in which I played," added the English wicketkeeper-batsman who played 133 Tests between 1990 and 2003.
Stewart chose West Indies' Gordon Greenidge and Australia's Matthew Hayden as his openers, followed by Brian Lara, who he describes as the "best batsman I played against bar none".
"He won games single-handedly and his appetite for scoring huge runs I was on the receiving end of his incredible 375 in Antigua was insatiable. He looked as though he had come from another planet to teach us all how to bat," Stewart said about Lara.
The only other representative from the Indian sub-continent is Pakistani pacer Wasim Akram for his "genius with the new and old ball".
"There have not been many quicker bowlers than Wasim Akram. He had a dangerous bouncer, was a great competitor and could score handy runs down the order," says Stewart.
The rest of the Dream XI is made up of Jacques Kallis from South Africa, Australians Steve Waugh - who would captain the imaginary side, Adam Gilchrist (as wicketkeeper) and Shane Warne with West Indians Malcolm Marshall and Curtly Ambrose completing the bowling attack.
"A genuine world-class XI in my opinion but one that was extremely tricky to put together. Like all good selectors, I started out by naming a squad before whittling it down to a starting XI," said Stewart, who named two other Indian cricketing greats -- Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble -- among the long list that "pained me to have to leave out".
© PTI
Sachin Tendulkar cracked a quick 48 off 28 deliveries to help Mumbai Indians set up a 65-run mauling of Kolkata Knight Riders at Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday. The veteran batsman said that it was a conscious decision to bat aggressively and that he had been doing so in every match of the Indian Premier League.
If you look at the whole season., I've not been able to spend much time in the middle. But whatever I've batted, it's been pretty aggressive. There has been a bit of help for the seamers. I was striking the ball well today, and I thought therefore I should be more aggressive. It's about give and take - giving advice. It shouldn't be one way traffic about just me talking, it's about discussing cricket and sharing our thoughts. The passion for the game is very much there, whatever time I get on the field I try to make the most of it.
Tendulkar was adjudged man-of-the-match for his effort - his first this season. At the post-match ceremony, he said that he continued to be in love with the game!
© NDTV
Sachin Tendulkar cracked a quick 48 off 28 deliveries to help Mumbai Indians set up a 65-run mauling of Kolkata Knight Riders at Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday. The veteran batsman said that it was a conscious decision to bat aggressively and that he had been doing so in every match of the Indian Premier League.
If you look at the whole season., I've not been able to spend much time in the middle. But whatever I've batted, it's been pretty aggressive. There has been a bit of help for the seamers. I was striking the ball well today, and I thought therefore I should be more aggressive. It's about give and take - giving advice. It shouldn't be one way traffic about just me talking, it's about discussing cricket and sharing our thoughts. The passion for the game is very much there, whatever time I get on the field I try to make the most of it.
Tendulkar was adjudged man-of-the-match for his effort - his first this season. At the post-match ceremony, he said that he continued to be in love with the game! (NDTV)
