Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Viv Richards on Sachins Achivements
Sachin Tendulkar's career longevity and his remarkable achievements make him a class apart, according to the legendary Sir Vivian Richards who reckons that the Indian maestro has set benchmarks that no other contemporary cricketer can come anywhere close to.
Richards said Tendulkar has survived for so long in international cricket because of his "amazing dedication" and it was only a matter of time when he scripts history by becoming the first cricketer to score 50 Test centuries.
"He can certainly achieve that (scoring 50 Test centuries). I think the way the games are going at present, it would be very difficult for anyone to break that record. He is way ahead of others," Richards said.
Richards, one of the most destructive batsman of his era, said only Australian captain Ricky Ponting had a slim chance of coming anywhere near Tendulkar's records among contemporary cricketers.
"I can't see any individual, the closest guy who would come to that may be Ricky (Ponting). But the way things are going on in Australia, they are calling for his head, so I don't know really know how long he will be around. He is the only individual I think who could be close to Sachin's record. But I think it would be hard to surpass," he said.
The West Indian batting great attributed Tendulkar's longevity to the way he has conducted himself right through his career and his discipline among other things.
"Tendulkar is 37, still going great. It's all about how you have conducted yourself. I guess there were times when it looked pretty doubtful with injuries, starting with the back, would have most certainly affected his career but it's due to persistence, dedication, discipline and confidence that you survive for so long," he explained.
Richards spoke on a variety of subjects ranging from India's prospects in the upcoming World Cup, best captains in the modern era and the reasons for the sharp decline of West Indies cricket during the interview.
The former captain had rated Virender Sehwag as the most destructive batsman in modern era but did he see any similarity in the Indian swashbuckler and his own batting?
"I think he has his own way of playing. Any comparison that could be is that he has no fear. I had no fear about fast bowlers. He trusts his instincts and I admire him 100 per cent for that attitude. He is a stylish player and has got the trust in himself which is very much required," he said.
Richards said Tendulkar has survived for so long in international cricket because of his "amazing dedication" and it was only a matter of time when he scripts history by becoming the first cricketer to score 50 Test centuries.
"He can certainly achieve that (scoring 50 Test centuries). I think the way the games are going at present, it would be very difficult for anyone to break that record. He is way ahead of others," Richards said.
Richards, one of the most destructive batsman of his era, said only Australian captain Ricky Ponting had a slim chance of coming anywhere near Tendulkar's records among contemporary cricketers.
"I can't see any individual, the closest guy who would come to that may be Ricky (Ponting). But the way things are going on in Australia, they are calling for his head, so I don't know really know how long he will be around. He is the only individual I think who could be close to Sachin's record. But I think it would be hard to surpass," he said.
The West Indian batting great attributed Tendulkar's longevity to the way he has conducted himself right through his career and his discipline among other things.
"Tendulkar is 37, still going great. It's all about how you have conducted yourself. I guess there were times when it looked pretty doubtful with injuries, starting with the back, would have most certainly affected his career but it's due to persistence, dedication, discipline and confidence that you survive for so long," he explained.
Richards spoke on a variety of subjects ranging from India's prospects in the upcoming World Cup, best captains in the modern era and the reasons for the sharp decline of West Indies cricket during the interview.
The former captain had rated Virender Sehwag as the most destructive batsman in modern era but did he see any similarity in the Indian swashbuckler and his own batting?
"I think he has his own way of playing. Any comparison that could be is that he has no fear. I had no fear about fast bowlers. He trusts his instincts and I admire him 100 per cent for that attitude. He is a stylish player and has got the trust in himself which is very much required," he said.
Sachin After His 50 th Test Hundred
Sachin Tendulkar has always stressed that he never plays for records and it was no different when the media asked him to describe his feelings after completing the historic milestone of 50 Test centuries.
"I never think about records. I love to focus on preparation and trying to give more than 100 percent on the field. I love to play. Try and keep improving. If I would have been chasing records, I would not have opted out of few ODIs. I believe in producing quality cricket whenever I step on the cricket field.
About this particular knock, Sachin said,"Scoring in situation like this gives one immense pleasure. All of us know that how the wicket behaved on the first day of the match. I don't want to give any excuse but wicket was different only on the 1st day.
However, the legend feels that his knock of 136 vs Pakistan in Chennai (1999) was the most difficult knock of his career.
"I think my knock of 136 against Pakistan at Chennai was toughest. Wicket was really deteriorating and quality of bowling attack was outstanding."
Sachin also attributed his good show to the bat he has been using for almost one year.
"God has been kind to me. Yes, this bat has given amazing service to me. Normally, a bat doesn't last that long. You may get one bad awkward ball which keeps low and bat gets broken in the toe.
"I have been lucky as far as this bat is concerned. I know that this bat is not in best of condition as I am using it for so long. I have few bats absolutely ready for match. But the moment, I pick up this bat, I feel that no one can get me out," Sachin said with broad smile on his face.
For the record, Sachin has scored 12 hundreds with this bat including first ever ODI double century.
About the state of the match, Sachin said, "I won't rule out possibility of us saving this Test match."
Mahendra singh Dhoni about Sachin Tendulkar
Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said that he doesn't like any comparisons between batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar and the legendary Don Bradman.
"I do not like comparisons between Sachin and Don as they played in different eras," Dhoni was quoted as saying by the Beeld Thursday.
There is no doubt that both are brilliant batsmen and...but Sachin has been around for two decades...the best in the world and had moreover throughout his career could adapt even with the demands of one-day cricket and more recently the Twenty20 version," he said.
Dhoni said Sachin's presence brings out the best in the team.
"He is the kind of guy who get the best out of with whoever he bats," said Dhoni.
"I was on the other side when he struck that 200 not out against South Africa in Gwalior," Dhoni said
"I do not like comparisons between Sachin and Don as they played in different eras," Dhoni was quoted as saying by the Beeld Thursday.
There is no doubt that both are brilliant batsmen and...but Sachin has been around for two decades...the best in the world and had moreover throughout his career could adapt even with the demands of one-day cricket and more recently the Twenty20 version," he said.
Dhoni said Sachin's presence brings out the best in the team.
"He is the kind of guy who get the best out of with whoever he bats," said Dhoni.
"I was on the other side when he struck that 200 not out against South Africa in Gwalior," Dhoni said
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
India Vs Australia, Second test, Bangalore
Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaloru
The stadium was given test status in 1974-75, India vs West Indies. That match was also the debut of two west indian greats, Vivian Richards and Gordon Greenidge.
Going in to this match fans are waiting for
Sachin to score 27 to reach 14000,
Sachin to score 45 to be the highest run getter in Bangalore,
Last 9 test Sachin has scored more than 50 everytime, two more test matches to take him on par with Vivian Richards
Australia won the toss and elected to bat first.
They put 478 on the board with the help of M North, Ricky Ponting and Shane watson.
India opened with Shewag and Murali Vijay in absence of Gautam Ghambir, started well but Shewag and Dravid fell in quick succession, then came Sachin Tendulkar. Then what happened is as if script was written by Sachin himself. He looked so confident and was never in trouble. He treated Hauritz with ease and the scoreboard kept ticking. Sachin got good company from Murali Vijay. Then the moment of the match came, when master was on 27 he reached the 14000 mark which no one ever attained, another feather on his cap. Its a privilage to watch him bat like this. I wonder weather he is 37 or 21. His hunger for runs always amazed me and continues to do so.
End of days play India were 128/2, Sachin on 44 and Murali 42
He reached 50 by hitting 2 fours, doing so he made in to another club of record of scoring 50 or more 10 consecutive test matches. He went on and on to make his 49th test hundred with two sixes. 5th times he scored a hundred by hitting a six. This innings started as if he is ready for a big one.
He also reached another record by scoring 6 hundreds this year. He became the only indian to do so.
When he reached 107 he completed 3000 runs against Aussie, 2nd highest to Jack Hobbs
When he reached 150 he went past Lara's record for most number of 150's in test cricket, another world record(20 times). Couple of wickets fell quickly before the days play. Sachin was on 191* when play stopped on 3rd day.
As expected he reached his 6th double hundred and 2nd against the Aussie very quickly. By doing so he joined Shewag for most number of double hundreds by an Indian. Sachin fell to the debutant George, When he was on 214. What an Innings!!!
After Sachin's wicket another four wickets fell for just 9 runs!, as always.
India All out for 495
Australia started their second innings confidently. Watson and Katich were middling the balls until spinner came in to the attack. Ojha was the pick of the bowlers. Three wickets fell in quick succession Watson, Katich and Clark. Ponting and Hussey steady the innings with a half centuary partnership. Then again Indian bowler came back strongly with tqo quick wickets. After Ponting went for 72 rest was just a formality. Australia finished their innings for 223.
Australia need a good start to win this match, they got Shewag out cheaply. But Murali Vijay and Pujara steady the Indian innings with a quick fire 72 run stand. After Murali Vijay went Sachin joined Pujara for another crucial stand. Sachin played another gem of an innings. It was important that he stays there till the end. And he has done exactly that. After Pujara departed Sachin and Dravid stayed till the end.
India 207/3 (45 Overs)
India opened with Shewag and Murali Vijay in absence of Gautam Ghambir, started well but Shewag and Dravid fell in quick succession, then came Sachin Tendulkar. Then what happened is as if script was written by Sachin himself. He looked so confident and was never in trouble. He treated Hauritz with ease and the scoreboard kept ticking. Sachin got good company from Murali Vijay. Then the moment of the match came, when master was on 27 he reached the 14000 mark which no one ever attained, another feather on his cap. Its a privilage to watch him bat like this. I wonder weather he is 37 or 21. His hunger for runs always amazed me and continues to do so.
End of days play India were 128/2, Sachin on 44 and Murali 42
He reached 50 by hitting 2 fours, doing so he made in to another club of record of scoring 50 or more 10 consecutive test matches. He went on and on to make his 49th test hundred with two sixes. 5th times he scored a hundred by hitting a six. This innings started as if he is ready for a big one.
He also reached another record by scoring 6 hundreds this year. He became the only indian to do so.
When he reached 107 he completed 3000 runs against Aussie, 2nd highest to Jack Hobbs
When he reached 150 he went past Lara's record for most number of 150's in test cricket, another world record(20 times). Couple of wickets fell quickly before the days play. Sachin was on 191* when play stopped on 3rd day.
As expected he reached his 6th double hundred and 2nd against the Aussie very quickly. By doing so he joined Shewag for most number of double hundreds by an Indian. Sachin fell to the debutant George, When he was on 214. What an Innings!!!
After Sachin's wicket another four wickets fell for just 9 runs!, as always.
India All out for 495
Australia started their second innings confidently. Watson and Katich were middling the balls until spinner came in to the attack. Ojha was the pick of the bowlers. Three wickets fell in quick succession Watson, Katich and Clark. Ponting and Hussey steady the innings with a half centuary partnership. Then again Indian bowler came back strongly with tqo quick wickets. After Ponting went for 72 rest was just a formality. Australia finished their innings for 223.
Australia need a good start to win this match, they got Shewag out cheaply. But Murali Vijay and Pujara steady the Indian innings with a quick fire 72 run stand. After Murali Vijay went Sachin joined Pujara for another crucial stand. Sachin played another gem of an innings. It was important that he stays there till the end. And he has done exactly that. After Pujara departed Sachin and Dravid stayed till the end.
India 207/3 (45 Overs)
Sachin Tendulker Won the Man of the Match and Man of the Series award
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Rahul Dravid about Sachin Tendulker
'Adaptability is his greatest talent no other batsman in world cricket can do it quite like him'' - Dravid
I first saw Sachin Tendulkar when I was 14, in an U-15 game between West Zone and South Zone at Cuttack in 1986. I was a substitute; Sachin was playing, and got 60-odd. I saw him again the next year in an U-17 game at Nagpur. A number of things struck me about Sachin: that he was obviously a special talent, that he used a very heavy bat for one so young, and also that his bat was a fine imported Slazenger, the envy of many of us! Within a couple of years, he was playing for India, and taking on Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis in Pakistan.
In the early nineties satellite television had just come in, and we all watched Sachin's progress with a great deal of interest and took inspiration from him. Here you were, struggling to score runs in a Ranji Trophy game, and there he was, taking on the best attacks in the world, a teenager with the maturity and understanding of a veteran.
I believe his success was also beneficial to us in another way. After him a lot more young cricketers started getting fast-tracked into Ranji sides. Previously you would have to wait till you were 19 or 20 at least before you were considered. I got into my state side at 17; Sourav Ganguly did so at much the same age; Vinod Kambli got an early opportunity to play Test cricket ... more opportunities were available to young players than before.
Sachin has been a great influence on my career. I made my debut for India in 1996 and after a while settled into the No. 3 slot in both forms of the game, and since he opened in one-day cricket and batted at four in Tests, we've spent a lot of time batting together, during which I've always regarded myself fortunate to have the best seat in the house.
In Test cricket, three and four are key positions in the batting order, and it is important that the two men there have games that complement each other. Just his entry would create a stir in the opposition, who would then focus almost entirely on getting him out. This allowed me to go about quietly doing my job at the other end.
Like most other great batsmen, Sachin possesses the ability to control where the bowlers bowl to him: sometimes by taking chances and going on the attack against them, like he did against Shane Warne at Chennai in 1998, or even with a more defensive strategy, like leaving balls outside off stump alone and forcing bowlers to bowl straighter at him.
Sachin's greatest attribute is his ability to adapt to different situations. It doesn't matter if the wicket is low and slow, or fast and bouncy - he just works out what shots he has to play and goes about it. I remember how once in the West Indies in 1997 we played a one-dayer at Trinidad in which we had to bat first against Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh, Ian Bishop and Franklyn Rose on a pitch on which the ball was doing all sorts of things. Sachin sized up the situation quickly and unleashed a flurry of strokes to disconcert the bowlers. He was out for 44, by which time he had already hit 10 fours.The hallmark of a great player is how you perform in different situations, and also how you perform when you're not playing at your best - like Sachin's double-hundred in Australia when he was going through a lean trot. He just decided to eschew certain shots and piled up a big score. That is why I have little patience with those who say that Sachin these days doesn't often bat with the dash and flair of old. I've never seen any batsman play in one way right through his career - your responsibilities change, your body changes, the way you think changes.
Finally the most important measure of an innings is its value to the side. Many of Sachin's knocks, like that double-hundred at Sydney, even if more restrained and not as pleasing to spectators as some of the blazing innings of old, have been contributions as crucial and significant as any he has made before.
In fact, it is interesting to watch the way Sachin still scores at a very high rate in the one-day game, but in a slightly different way from before - without hitting over the top as much as he used to - because he has learned how to work the ball around at will: he achieves the same results with a different method. In particular, the emergence of Virender Sehwag as his opening partner in the one-day game has led to Sachin adjusting his game slightly. I think he sees a young Tendulkar in Sehwag, and wants him to have the license to play freely; besides, he knows that you don't have to go bang-bang at both ends to keep the scoreboard rattling along.
Even now, his technique and in particular his balance are impeccable. That flick he plays behind square leg to the fast bowlers, often taking the ball right off his stumps, is all about perfection of balance. No other batsman in world cricket can do it quite like him.
I first saw Sachin Tendulkar when I was 14, in an U-15 game between West Zone and South Zone at Cuttack in 1986. I was a substitute; Sachin was playing, and got 60-odd. I saw him again the next year in an U-17 game at Nagpur. A number of things struck me about Sachin: that he was obviously a special talent, that he used a very heavy bat for one so young, and also that his bat was a fine imported Slazenger, the envy of many of us! Within a couple of years, he was playing for India, and taking on Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis in Pakistan.
In the early nineties satellite television had just come in, and we all watched Sachin's progress with a great deal of interest and took inspiration from him. Here you were, struggling to score runs in a Ranji Trophy game, and there he was, taking on the best attacks in the world, a teenager with the maturity and understanding of a veteran.
I believe his success was also beneficial to us in another way. After him a lot more young cricketers started getting fast-tracked into Ranji sides. Previously you would have to wait till you were 19 or 20 at least before you were considered. I got into my state side at 17; Sourav Ganguly did so at much the same age; Vinod Kambli got an early opportunity to play Test cricket ... more opportunities were available to young players than before.
Sachin has been a great influence on my career. I made my debut for India in 1996 and after a while settled into the No. 3 slot in both forms of the game, and since he opened in one-day cricket and batted at four in Tests, we've spent a lot of time batting together, during which I've always regarded myself fortunate to have the best seat in the house.
In Test cricket, three and four are key positions in the batting order, and it is important that the two men there have games that complement each other. Just his entry would create a stir in the opposition, who would then focus almost entirely on getting him out. This allowed me to go about quietly doing my job at the other end.
Like most other great batsmen, Sachin possesses the ability to control where the bowlers bowl to him: sometimes by taking chances and going on the attack against them, like he did against Shane Warne at Chennai in 1998, or even with a more defensive strategy, like leaving balls outside off stump alone and forcing bowlers to bowl straighter at him.
Sachin's greatest attribute is his ability to adapt to different situations. It doesn't matter if the wicket is low and slow, or fast and bouncy - he just works out what shots he has to play and goes about it. I remember how once in the West Indies in 1997 we played a one-dayer at Trinidad in which we had to bat first against Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh, Ian Bishop and Franklyn Rose on a pitch on which the ball was doing all sorts of things. Sachin sized up the situation quickly and unleashed a flurry of strokes to disconcert the bowlers. He was out for 44, by which time he had already hit 10 fours.The hallmark of a great player is how you perform in different situations, and also how you perform when you're not playing at your best - like Sachin's double-hundred in Australia when he was going through a lean trot. He just decided to eschew certain shots and piled up a big score. That is why I have little patience with those who say that Sachin these days doesn't often bat with the dash and flair of old. I've never seen any batsman play in one way right through his career - your responsibilities change, your body changes, the way you think changes.
Finally the most important measure of an innings is its value to the side. Many of Sachin's knocks, like that double-hundred at Sydney, even if more restrained and not as pleasing to spectators as some of the blazing innings of old, have been contributions as crucial and significant as any he has made before.
In fact, it is interesting to watch the way Sachin still scores at a very high rate in the one-day game, but in a slightly different way from before - without hitting over the top as much as he used to - because he has learned how to work the ball around at will: he achieves the same results with a different method. In particular, the emergence of Virender Sehwag as his opening partner in the one-day game has led to Sachin adjusting his game slightly. I think he sees a young Tendulkar in Sehwag, and wants him to have the license to play freely; besides, he knows that you don't have to go bang-bang at both ends to keep the scoreboard rattling along.
Even now, his technique and in particular his balance are impeccable. That flick he plays behind square leg to the fast bowlers, often taking the ball right off his stumps, is all about perfection of balance. No other batsman in world cricket can do it quite like him.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Individual Honours
- Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian award, 2008.
- ICC World ODI XI: 2004, 2007
- Rajiv Gandhi Awards – Sports: 2005
- Player of the tournament in 2003 Cricket World Cup
- Maharashtra Bhushan Award, Maharashtra State's highest Civilian Award in 2001
- Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award, 1999
- Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, India's highest honour given for achievement in sports, 1997–98.
- Wisden Cricketer of the Year: 1997
- Arjuna Award, by the Government of India in recognition of his outstanding achievement in Cricket, 1994
In January 2008, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown suggested that Sachin should be conferred with an honorary knighthood for his contribution to international cricket.He was mentioned in the TIME magazine as "The greatest living exponent of his craft."
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