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80 Responses to “#48 for Sachin and then a double!!!”
That is why he is rated by most cricket experts as the most destructive and best player of decade…. he plays cricket woth one logic: if ball is good for hit thn Hit …test, one day and t20 is same to him…
lord of the runs is back with yet another diarrhea of ton(48th)..keep going Sachin & sad to know that AMITABH BACHCHAN REJECTED THE LEAD ROLES IN QURBAANI & MR INDIA..big b’s loss was Vinod Khanna’s & Anil Kapoor’s gain..truth hurts!
I also read that Mr India was written with Big B in mind…after his no, or wat ever reasons of not dong it, they say Sridevi’s role was extended and most of scenes written for Him fell in her lap…
just imagine BIG B doing that scene with dimple and just imagine BIG B doing that KAATE NAHIN KATTE YE DIN HAI RAAT with sri…..;-) doesn’t fit from any angle……
Correction: Sehwag is not the 3rd player to be dismissed on 99 in tests, he is the third player to be STUMPED on 99 in tests. At least, that is what Cricinfo commentary said and it sounds more plausible — there must have been many batsmen dismissed on 99…
Sachin just plods along. Right now the gap between him and Ponting is widening if anything and the chances of him holding most runs records and most centuries in tests are increasing day by day.
Got to respect the man even at this age he just keeps chugging along. He pretty much carried India back into it in this match. As a die hard pakistani cricket lover and a pakistani, I love the way Sachin plays and even love the way he porttrays himself on the field and off.
that sachin is a living legend is a foregone conclusion -even 5-10 years ago….
NOt that interested in this barrage of congratulatory commentaries very time he crosses 50 and the barrage of next (changing) milestones…
What really interests me is to analyse how people like sachin or for that matter bachchan, roger federer, a r rahman (in slightly different contexts) keep going on–what are the inner motivations (not those procalimed for the public).
also, how do they keep themselves motivated—would be helpful to oneself whateva the field one operates in.
Feel that whateva sacin says to the public, he DOES have a v v keen eye on records, now. He also has an eye on his gap from ponting which has again started increasing—must add- i do NOT mean to say that this is something negative–staying ahead of competition is also a helathy motivation tool—unlike some others who try to bring the other competitor down than rising ones own “game”.
IN terms of bachchan, i suspect he is NOT that bothered about records and his legacy now—He does seem to have a v keen eye on abhisheks standing and legacy issues–Given the high flying lifestyle he has chosen for himself and his family, retiring gracefully and watching from the galleries is not an option—again there is nothing wrong with that…
Thrilled with the win! Very creditable indeed to tie in SL without zaheer, sreesanth, gambhir, and coming from behind to chase a reasonably tough 4th innings total to do so. The team’s 4th innings performance has definitely improved in the last 2-3 years as compared to the preceding 1-2 (there was a stretch there when they would lose every 4th innings chase: Bangalore ’05 (Pakistan); Mumbai ’06 (England); Karachi ’06, and others). and especially great to see VVS come through — seems like the poor man’s head is always on the chopping block, when really he is such a great performer when the chips are down.
Laxman has an uncanny knack of saving himself from the jaws of being dropped with a sensational innings. In this form he is just very difficult to control and get out.
VVS has 16 centuries, and very few of those are unimportant ones. By and large they have been crucial — and this one was very satisfying because Mendis had OWNED him until this innings…
No, not really. Sehwag scored a century in the first innings and took 3 wickets in SL’s 2nd. And was the Man of the Series as well. The old timers are contributing, but others have also become their ‘equals’.
Saket: Sehwag is 32, and “young” only in comparison to Sachin (37) and Dravid (36, I think). Yes he debuted a loooooong time (11-12 years) after Sachin, (so did Ponting; 9 years if I recall correctly) but that’s a fluke because sachin debuted so unusually young (Viru debuted at 22-23, which is quite ok; heck in England you have to be 25 lol). But for Viru too one would have to say that he is closer to the end of his career than the beginning. I do confess that I too have fallen into this trap, not with sehwag but with yuvraj (who also has been around for nearly a decade), possibly because he has promised so much and delivered so little…
Yes, but my point was that Sehwag debuted in the last decade whereas Sachin, Dravid and Laxman at least a decade before, which makes them the ‘old timers’ and Sehwag a newbie by comparison. The other newbies are Gambhir and Dhoni, as far as the batting is concerned. The #6 slot has not been a permanent fixture since Ganguly retired, so can’t take that into consideration.
Yes on Sachin, but Dravid debuted a mere 5 years before sehwag…not that it matters much, but by “newbie” I think of gambhir, dhoni etc.. Some of this is of course not about chronology, but about stature: I am sure I (unconsciously) don’t think of sehwag as a newbie because of his achievements (hence my point about yuvraj earlier)…
aside: that second innings average of viru’s needs to go up though. 28+ is too low for a batsman as good as him, and one who plays as fearlessly as him.
I think it’s more media made than anything else (re: Laxman’s head being on the chopping block). With 7500 runs and 16 centuries, even the most daft BCCI office bearer won’t doubt Laxman’s credentials.
It’s all the more sweet coming after Sangakarra and Jaywardane’s comments on India’s #1 status, after the loss in the first test. The minute I read Jayawardane’s comments that India isn’t playing like the #1 Test side, I knew it was going to come back and bite him where it hurts the most.
Having said that, India’s #1 Test status is dubious only and only IF one compares the present Indian side to the all conquering Australian side during Waugh’s era or the first half of Ponting’s reign (when both Mcgrath and Warne were still playing). The comparison will also show the Indian team in poor light compared to the West Indies squad of the 80s. Nothing surprising there either.
But the thing to remember is that India hasn’t made the rules. If the Indian team, despite being inconsistent is still clinging on to the top spot, it only means that the other teams are even MORE inconsistent. In that sense, India deserves the #1 spot. Although, I’d love for them to dominate the world scene like the great teams of yore.
I’ll paste below a few comments I left on cricinfo when he made those comments:
“While I generally agree with Sangakkara’s point that the number of tests teams play, and who they play them against, needs to be standardized to the extent possible, ANY ranking system will lead to less-than-convincing results during eras where there is a lot of team parity. During the 1980s, of 5-6 years ago, there would have been no doubt: under any system, the West Indies and Australia would, respectively, dominate the standings. It is a trickier question in 2010, because you don’t have one dominant team, you have 3-4 solid/good/consistent ones. Rather than say the rankings are a joke because India is on top, we need to appreciate that they would be pretty much just as unconvincing no matter which of the 3-4 teams were ranked one. In fact, had SL won in India on the last tour, they would have been ranked #1, and I doubt Sanga would have complained in that instance.”
“PS — Following up on my point about parity, we have certain teams that match up well against others, irrespective of the rankings. Take a historical example: Pakistan would always match up pretty well against the West Indies in the late 1970s and 1980s, but that didn’t necessarily mean they were #2, as they would lose to mediocre teams in England and Australia. Similarly, India matched up pretty decently against Australia this decade, but would be rather easily beaten in South Africa, and even in India against South Africa. No matter what the rankings, Pakistan matches up well against India/on Indian pitches, even if India seems to match up better against England than Pakistan does. These nuances cannot be reflected in any ranking system; we just have to accept the reality that for the moment, Australia, India, England, South Africa are the top teams; beyond that, SOMEONE has to be #1 at any point, but it doesn’t mean much at all.”
“PPS — of these top four teams, South Africa is the most likely to win test matches/series in India; Australia/SA the most likely to lose in England; India the least likely to win in South Africa but the most likely (apart from SA) to win in Australia; Australia the most likely to win in SA. Sri Lanka has an even poorer overseas record than India or Pakistan, but is probably the hardest to beat at home. In terms of match-ups, I think India matches up better against England than South Africa does; South Africa matches up better against India than even perhaps Australia; Pakistan matches up better against India than almost anyone does; and India/SA match up better IN england than Australia does; etc. etc. This is hardly an exhaustive list of permutations, I’m just trying to make the point that rankings create their own psychoses and fetishes; and test cricket is not a game that is easily reducible to rankings (except when you have dominant teams, an exceptional situation)…”
“BTW, I back the Indian team, and do not really think it’s the best test team in the world. But if by “best test team” we mean a team that is likely to win in the maximum number of places, that would be SA more than even Australia. Because England still need to show they can win a match in Australia, let alone a series. In India, they have won 1 and lost 3 of their last 5 matches. On the other hand, the Ashes also give one 5-6 matches to prove oneselves, whereas India, SL, and Pakistan are often (through no-one’s fault but their own) involved in 2 test series where it is hard to definitively conclude who is better). For that very reason, teams like SA doing 1-1 in a 2-test series in India is very creditable. Australia has lost the last 2 series in England, despite having 10 tests; and the matches against pak show their bats do struggle in these conditions. ANY #1 ranking would be “provisional” when cricketing strength is so diffuse as it is today — arguably like the late 1960s…”
Yes, I agree there’s a pool of teams that can claim to be the best. Out of the lot, SA seems to be the most “deserving” of the #1 honor. They lost points by drawing a home series against a lowly ranked England team and losing to Australia at home.
SL, frankly speaking, have at BEST drawn one or two series outside their home conditions. That’s just not good enough.
The rankings are based on a team’s last 4 years record. In those 4 years, India has lost 3 series, against Australia and SA (both 2-1; the former because of some really bad umpiring!) and have won in England, defeated Australia in India (2-0, which makes the overall tally 3-2), drawn against SA at home twice (1-1, which makes the score 3-4) and lost to SL in SL but won 2-0 at home (overall record 4-3). That’s a fair enough record to be #1 on a points based system.
India’s record against England in the last 4 years is overall 2-0 (1-0 each in England and India). Against Pakistan it’s 1-0; Against Windies, it’s 2-0 and the same against Bangladesh.
PS — against Pakistan it’s 1-1 (they lost the away series in 2006 0-1). BTW, England have become the new India in terms of poor away record: apart from India, they lost 0-2 in Pakistan on their last tour, and I think they lost in SL too. They were very lucky to escape with a tie in SA, but the fact is they aren’t very adaptable: they do better in pace-friendly conditions but have struggled in the sub-continent…
I think the other interesting thing is that India tend to be “close” winners: whether in WI or England, if they win it’s 1-0. Whereas an england or SA would molest the Windies (but might well lose convincingly to the other). I guess it’s difficult to rack up that sort of victory run without pace attacks (in tests, for the most part, batsmen can save matches, but you need bowling to win it)…
You pretty much have England, SA, SL, India and Australia all tussling for top 5 positions. Hard to pick a definitive #1 and it will chop around my guess.
The next Ashes series is a monumentally important one. Could decide which “direction” the Aussie team is headed and probably Ponting’s biggest series.
On paper though I think England are shaping up as the best test side at the moment. Eoin Morgan’s emergence, a consistent spinner who ALWAYS seems to perform in Swann, good pace attack…think they are prospering but even for them winning the Ashes in Australia is not an easy thing whatever the state of Australia’s side.
Re: “Could decide which “direction” the Aussie team is headed…”
Jay: Australia has developed a poor away record: lost in India; lost in England; tied in England against Pakistan. They won in SA, but the SA/Australian pitches are pretty similar. This Aussie team has talent and loads of fighting spirit, but they are not the most adaptable, and they struggle against the swinging ball (with better fielding, Pakistan might have done more damage to them in the series in Australia too; against India too, it was an Indian seamer who was man of the series). The two test series in India coming up should be interesting (although I do dislike 2-test series in general)…
yeah. Both the Ind/SA and Ind/Aus 2-test series were created out of thin air by the BCCI, presumably after India’s #1 ranking led to greater audience interest. No harm in one sense: test cricket needs all the ratings it can get!
“No harm in one sense: test cricket needs all the ratings it can get!”
Absolutely, Q. Sanjay Manjrekar, the one man whose batting style most suited test cricket, even though he wasn’t much of a success, recently advocated T20s and IPL over Test cricket! It’s as if all former test cricketers take out their frustrations by giving asinine comments like these…
T20 will go through its dry spell. It’s not that popular now in county cricket as it was when it arrived. Other countries are behind on the curve and probably going thru the peak – but it will definitely suffer from overkill. This kind of format is best suited to “less is more”.
On a different note, I will say that the quality of pitches (i.e. the fact that there was something in them for the bowlers) in the last two T20 world cups made them more enjoyable in my mind than the recent ODI world cups (the fact that india went out with a whimper in each of those T20 world cups was the one bad thing, of course)…
I just had a cursory look at Statsguru and the results are pretty much in line with our discussion here.
In the last 4 years (which decides the ranking), Australia has won 25 tests and lost 7 (the best record!); SA (23-10; India (17-9); England (19-10) and SL (15-8) follow in terms of wins and losses.
What makes India #1, and that’s purely based on stats is the team’s overall record against the top 2 sides — Australia and SA. And what works against SA and Australia is their record against much weaker sides, e.g. England and SL. So statistically, there’s no reason to doubt India’s premier position.
India has a losing record against ONLY SA during the last 4 years and a winning record against every other team. That’s good enough for them to be #1, although SA should have a reason to feel cheated out of the #1 ranking (and they are the #2 team, so it isn’t as if it’s that unfair to them either).
SA lost out on #1 because of their inconsistency: they have only themselves to blame if they won in australia but lost at home against Australia; and if they failed to beat England at home despite a FOUR test series (admittedly, with a little bit of luck it could have been 3-1 in SA’s favor).
Agreed. And India’s loss against Pakistan in Pakistan is currently out of the 4 year result cycle.
One can argue that the ranking system itself is unfair. But India did not invent the system. That they are not the undisputed champions, despite the top billing is a fair statement. But then no other team is in a position to subvert the system, so the result should stand.
RE: “India’s loss against Pakistan in Pakistan is currently out of the 4 year result cycle”
Oh ok, didn’t realize that, thanks. And since the most recent series is taken into account, I guess India’s 1-2 loss in SL is “replaced” by this 1-1 result right?
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A ‘scientific’ analysis of batting achievements in Test cricket has found what most people already know – that Don Bradman was the greatest batsman in the game. A paper, written by two economists, analysed factors such as consistency of scoring, value of a batsman’s runs to the team and home-away record, and found the Australian great leagues ahead of the rest on all counts.
That’s hardly a surprise. But the paper has some far more interesting conclusions.
While just five Indians qualify in the top 50 on the basis of career averages, in none of the parameters does Sachin Tendulkar, the highest run scorer in Tests, emerge on top even among Indian batsmen.
For instance, in terms of value of runs scored to the team, Virender Sehwag is India’s top batsman (overall rank 6), followed by Rahul Dravid and Tendulkar.
On consistency of scoring, Dravid (rank 4) pips Sachin (5), followed by Sunil Gavaskar (11), Sehwag (12) and Vinod Kambli (13).
In another ranking based on career contribution to the team score, Dravid and Gavaskar (both ranked 5) emerge as India’s top batsmen. Then come Tendulkar and Sehwag (both 6) and Kambli (8).
The paper – The ‘Bradman Class’: An Exploration of Some Issues in the Evaluation of Batsmen for Test Matches, 1877-2006 – ranks 50 batsmen from all eras. Written by economists Vani K Borooah, University of Ulster and John E Mangan of University of Queensland, it was published in the Journal of Quantitative Analysis in Sports.
Some rankings, however, may be misleading as the paper uses batting averages only up to 2006. For instance, in 2006, Dravid was No. 4 in the all-time list with an average of 58. At present, his average is down to around 53.
A ‘scientific’ study in Australia of Test batsmen down the years has put Don Bradman ahead of all others in every parameter it uses to define batting class.
The paper works on the premise that the method of calculating batting averages glosses over many aspects of good batsmanship. “It does not take into account consistency of scores across innings: a batsman might have a high career average but with low scores interspersed with high ones; another might have a lower average but with much less variation in his scores,” it notes. Secondly, the paper argues, batting averages do not reflect the value of the player’s runs to the team.
The authors use several equations from economics to suggest new ways of computing batting that could complement the existing method and “present a more complete picture of batsmens’ performance.” Based on these “new” averages, the paper offers several revised rankings of the world’s top 50 batsmen.
For measuring consistency, the authors use the Gini coefficient, a popular method for computing inequality in the distribution of outcomes. After applying the coefficient to the top 50, while Bradman remains No.1, South Africa’s RG Pollock (ranked 2 on averages) falls three places to rank 5 and West Indian George Headley falls to 7 from No.2. Among Indians, Dravid and Gavaskar hold their ranks but Sehwag falls four places and Tendulkar two places.
Re: “Some rankings, however, may be misleading as the paper uses batting averages only up to 2006. For instance, in 2006, Dravid was No. 4 in the all-time list with an average of 58. At present, his average is down to around 53.”
with all current players, some distortion creeps in as their careers aren’t yet done — and they are being compared to people whose careers are completed (even if they played fewer tests). But nevertheless, an interesting study here…
Sachin Tendulkar’s always been fond of the movies, but it was Aamir Khan who remembered when they first met – even though Sachin was a novice being tried out for the team, and Aamir was an established actor.
On a visit to Delhi, the cricketer, already a legend at 37, recounted, “I remember meeting Aamir in 1990 when I’d come back from Pakistan, when that movie came out, where all four of them have acted… ” Andaz Apna Apna”, that’s right. Before that, I met Aamir when he was shooting at CCI, Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai. I was 14, and invited by Dilip Vengsarkar, the then captain of the Indian team, to bat at the India nets. The Test squad was practicing and he made Kapil Dev bowl at me. I just wanted to make sure I gave a first-class performance, and Aamir was shooting. I was a bit caught up, but Aamir reminds me. He’s a big cricket fan, he also plays sometimes.”
(That’s exactly what Aamir had told TOI two years ago, when he recounted being very impressed by the kid he saw at the nets as he was talking to seniors in the team.) Today, of course, that ‘young kid’ is perhaps the most famous cricketer in history.
First ever press con
Sachin was in the capital to talk about a photo exhibition of the 21 most memorable moments of his career, as he completes 21 years in cricket, put together by the Royal Bank of Scotland. Pointing to a rare picture of his 1990 England tour, Sachin reminisces about his first press conference. “The funniest part was the press conference, because that was the first press conference of my life. It was at Old Trafford and I was man of the match. I didn’t know what to expect and I didn’t know how to respond, so I was very tense and kept asking players in the dressing room what was going to happen. My manager and coach at the time, BS Bedi, as confident as ever, said, “Just go ahead! What you’ve done on the field, you need to go and do the same thing here.”
But has dealing with celebdom gotten any easier? Sachin admits that he’s now more relaxed with the media, where he was usually “very serious” earlier. He also says that he’s never felt that media attention has invaded his privacy. He does say, however, that his shyness was once a liability. “I’m a little shy, I take time to open up,” says he, “Earlier, a lot of people misunderstood me because I never spoke much. They thought that I was snobbish and didn’t care, but it was just that I was too shy, I was too embarrassed to appreciate what was happening around me. Most of the time, I would look down. That’s something that happens even today – when I’m shy or embarrassed, I just cannot look at people, I look down, and that’s my way of saying, ‘thank you very much for everything.’ But I’ve been brought up in a family that’s appreciated whatever has happened around my cricket, and not taken anything for granted, and that’s what I was taught by my father – that whatever profession I choose, I should give it my hundred per cent and not take anything for granted. The moment you do, he said, that’s the beginning of your downfall. But the adulation, support and love I’ve received over the years has been something special, and I find it hard to express what I feel.”
Great and grounded
So the stardom never went to his head? “It happened when I was 16 years old,” says Sachin candidly, in a surprising confession by a player seen as among the most grounded ones in the game. “At 16, you think differently. But very early in my career, I realised that God’s been kind to me, that there are guys who work equally hard and I’ve been fortunate enough to play for India. I scored well, but you need God’s blessings to be where I am. From the beginning, the unwritten law at home was, you think about the next match and let other people talk about whatever has happened today. Right from my school days, my brother would make sure that I think about the next match – if I had scored 125, how would I go out and score 150 in the next match? It was all about getting better, and I’ve honestly just looked at that and nothing else. I mean, I know it’s easy to lose your head because you’ve achieved something that’s been your dream for so long. At that age, it’s natural to feel special. But it’s also equally important to realise that this is just the beginning. To get there is tough, but to stay there requires more effort. So it’s important that the individual realises that as early in life as possible.”
He does admit, though, that there was a point when he was not complacent. “Yes, there were times when I became aggressive. That’s natural, sometimes. But I’ve never been a complacent player in my life – I’ve always had sleepless nights before Test matches and ODIs, and especially Test matches. It doesn’t matter if I had 120 Test caps, I’d still have sleepless nights. But that’s the only way my body gears up for a big game. And now I know that that is the way I prepare, and I’ve learnt to deal with it. Earlier, I’d be restless, but now if I can’t sleep, it’s okay, I know that’s how my body prepares before a big event,” says he.
In that case, what is he likely to be doing the evening before a match? “I keep things as normal, as natural, as possible. If I feel like watching a movie, I’ll do it, or sit alone in the room, or if I feel like going down to the restaurant, I’ll get something to eat. But the point is mainly to do something which is going to help me perform better the next day. I don’t have a set formula as such, that at 8pm I have to eat and at 8.30pm I have to be in bed,” he replies.
Aggression should be inside, not out
Sachin mentions that with the advent of T20, the game has become more “attacking”. Does he mean that players are more aggressive now, and is that an improvement? “I think aggression should be inside rather than outside,” he replies quickly, “If you look someone in the eye, you should be able to convey the message without actually speaking too much. Aggression always works well when it’s controlled, but if, in trying to be aggressive, you lose control over yourself, you cannot bring the best out in you. It’s not about being vocal – without being vocal.”
Speaking of younger players, does he share the concern that some people have control over the players’ lifestyles? What about Dhoni’s infamous ‘partying’ remark? “There were parties during the IPL, but then it was up to an individual whether to go to that party or not. I didn’t go to any. If an individual takes that responsibility and makes sure that whatever he’s doing only helps to make him play better, doesn’t distract him from cricket, then it’s okay – if he thinks, I want to be in top condition to go out and play whenever I’m expected to, and I have to be prepared to the best of my ability so that I can deliver. No one can guarantee performance, but the preparation before that, or giving your 100 per cent on the field, can always be guaranteed, and that’s what matters to me. But each individual is going to be different. My lifestyle was always simple – I was never someone who liked partying – I was happy going to restaurants, enjoying good food and getting back to the room. But it depends on every individual – what they want from life and how they want to play.”
But there are no changes in his routine, now that he’s been playing for so many years? “There are changes. Earlier, I’d prefer to stay in the room, and I do even now, but now I go to restaurants more often and enjoy good food. I like all kinds of cuisines – right from Indian to Thai, Japanese, Malaysian and Chinese. I do go out sometimes, probably more than earlier,” he says. He clearly goes out more often – he seems much more comfortable being seen with friends from the film industry, people like Aamir, whose films’ screenings he’s attended. Is he fond of movies? “I’ve always been fond of films,” says Sachin. “Whenever I get free time, I go and watch a movie, but it’s a rarity. A couple of films I’ve seen recently include “Peepli Live”, and Aamir, who’s a good friend, invited me for that screening. Then there was a Marathi movie that I watched – “Natrang”, Atul Kulkarni, the lead actor, invited me there.” And what did he think of “Peepli Live”? “I thought it was very nice, a different film,” he says.
My God
Another little thing about Sachin that’s widely known is that he’s a regular visitor to the Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai. What are his plans for Ganesh Chaturthi? “It’s going to be a little difficult, but I do go, and not just because it’s Ganesh Chaturthi. I go whenever I feel like visiting,” he says. While on the subject, whatever happened to the film on Siddhivinayak that he was to feature in? “They wanted me to say a few lines on Siddhivinayak, and I’ve already recorded my parts – it’s about how I feel at the temple,” he says, “I don’t know when it’ll be out; it’s more of a documentary than a proper film, but they just wanted my reaction.” And does he have any plans of being on the big screen? “I don’t know,” he laughs. “Right now, the big screen for me is only cricket.”
Aamir Khan
I saw him doing net practice at Brabourne stadium, he hadn’t been selected then. I was talking to Kapil Dev and Dilip Vengsarkar, and I said, “Who’s that kid? Yeh toh kamaal ka khel raha hai, he should be in the team! I didn’t know then that he’d actually be selected soon
– As told to DT in Dec 2008
The Worst Sachin Arguments(OPEN)
Remembering the most foolish things ever said about Tendulkar.
Many men nurse a hatred for Sachin. It could be the complicated nature of male love, which has a bit of malice in it.
The male analysis of Sachin Tendulkar is a two-decade long confession of Indian men. When they speak of him, usually through pilfered opinions, they reveal fragments of their own fears and private grouses. So when a guy says that Rahul Dravid is a more useful Test player than Sachin, he means to say, ‘I am an ordinary person and I want the efficient to triumph over the flamboyant, I want hard work to be accorded the same respect as unattainable genius, otherwise what is the whole point of my existence.’ When he says Laxman is more beautiful to watch than Sachin, he is saying, ‘I want you to believe that I am classy, an opera among rock concerts.’ And when he says that Ganguly was a better one-day opener than Sachin, he is saying, ‘I am a Bengali.’
As Tendulkar now absurdly escalates his game in what should have been his commentary years, as he stands alone as the rightful owner of One-Day’s most prized batting record, as all his old rivals have fallen whispering in their final moments that this man is the best of their times or even the best ever, it is easy to forget the many moronic things that were said about him. There is a huge quantity of third-rate literature, now deservedly serving as cones for peanuts, that once berated him in the masquerade of cricket analysis. Views that were, and still are, reproduced as the opinions of millions. Till recently, the most stupid Indian arguments were usually about Sachin. How many times have you heard someone say, ‘he does not win matches’. Increasingly, people who do not have mental problems are abandoning this line of thought, even refusing to admit that they ever held such an opinion. But not very long ago, it was a popular view.
Also, his centuries, apparently, did not result in Indian victories. Considering that he did not waste balls when he was in the middle, could it be that there were other reasons for our defeat apart from his centuries? Also, it is alleged, he never lasted till the end. As if it was his wish to go have a shower before the match ended. Could it be that the mathematical probability of an opener lasting till the end is very small?
In the past two decades, several batsmen have been regarded as Tendulkar’s equals. In columns, essays and drunken conversations, some batsmen were even considered better than him if the game were split into narrow genres. At some point or the other players like Inzamam, Ponting, Lara, Bevan, Sehwag, the brothers Mark and Steve (Waugh) have been placed by his side to see if his light dimmed. Sachin is like the digit in a stopwatch that remains unchanged even as the numbers in the units place go through a furious shuffle. But in the end, the contenders have diminished or vanished. Except Lara, who is the only batsman whose right it is to deny Tendulkar the honour of being considered the greatest of his time (though Lara himself has no doubts in this matter).
There were periods in Lara’s astonishing career when Indian men gleefully pointed at him and said, ‘this guy is better than Sachin’. The glee is the whole story. Many men, for different reasons, nurse a hatred for Sachin. It could be the complicated nature of male love, which has a bit of malice in it. Or it could be that Sachin reminds some men of their own worthlessness. Or it could be that people with low self-esteem, of whom there are many, rate everything that belongs to them, like Tendulkar, as inferior to what is foreign.
It is not surprising that the way Indian men talk about Sachin is exactly the way Caribbean men discuss Lara. “Lara has done nothing for us, nothing,” a man from Trinidad told me about three years ago. “Great batsman but a selfish fellow.” Haven’t we heard that many times in India—about Tendulkar? The same gloomy force that makes Indian men rate Lara higher, inspires Caribbean men to rate Tendulkar higher than Lara. A few years ago, when cricket fans in Guyana were asked to decide who was better, 85 per cent voted for Tendulkar. As we can see, the male analysis of Tendulkar and Lara says little about the batsmen but a lot about men in general.
After Fiat gifted him a Ferrari and he applied for a duty waiver of Rs 1.6 crore on it, there was a huge uproar. That was the first time he was slammed in the media. ‘How can he be so greedy’ was the cry of Indian men, all of whom spend a lot of effort evading taxes themselves. Rs 1.6 crore is a considerable sum even for Tendulkar. What was so morally bereft in trying to save that money? Are we morally compromised when we try to save a few thousand every year in tax exemption?
But the worst argument against Tendulkar will always be the myth that he was a bad captain. The truth is: his presence in the dressing room is such that as long as he plays he will be the only captain, whether he is called that or not. All men who tried to defeat his presence hurt themselves. Ganguly was a tortured soul. When he arrived at an airport or at a press conference, if there was Tendulkar, Ganguly was never granted the dignity of being captain. It was Tendulkar people wanted to see, hear. Dhoni’s great fortune is that his mind is clear, he knows his place—Captain and No. 2.
Tendulkar is a victim of not just mediocre analysis but also meaningless compliments. He is often described through a sentence that appears to be a unique Indian expression. No other nation is as fond of this line: ‘What strikes you about him is his humility’. It is a compliment usually given to a celebrity with good manners, who has made a journalist feel comfortable, who has offered him a glass of water to drink. How many times have we seen Tendulkar being described as humble, and readily accepted that view. But, are we confusing his endearing decency for humility? And his self-centered caution that ensures he does not always speak his mind, are we misinterpreting that disappointing aspect of his personality for humility? He might be humble, as somehow required by all his devotees, but my point is we don’t know.
Then there is the other annoying epithet—Little Master. You think he likes being called Little?
i found the article as if sachins the god. and fact is thats highly debatable.
Simple thing he hasnt acheived pinnacle of ODI’s not even once, great players perform on big occasions, and we all know what happened in all the world cups.
theres only one god in indian cricket especially if u talk odi, a man who conquered the great west indian side, luck no luck bluff what ever.. at a time when they didnt have sponsors and training like Mr tendulkar got.
KAPIL DEV. the one and only, WORLD CUP WINNING CAPTIAN, INDIA. 1983.
The Innings Sachin Won’t Play
He will do anything for cricket, but he won’t stand up for the game.
RAHUL BHATIA
After everything that happened last week, the finest batsman to have ever represented India had this to say: “In my 21 years of international cricket, I have never heard of an Indian player being approached by bookies.” Sure, a wit on Twitter went, you didn’t hear, you only saw.
The current turmoil involving Pakistan’s cricket team is not Tendulkar’s business. He is right in not offering a comment on the matter and exciting the press. But his statement that he is unaware of Indian players being involved with bookies is not only hard to believe but also a reminder of the sad fact that he does not stand up when it really matters. Tendulkar was captain of India during that wonderful time when few people knew what the heck was going on. It turned out that a quarter of his team was not playing to win. A player who was part of the squad that went to South Africa under his captaincy said in an interview a few years ago that Tendulkar was so frustrated that one night he went to a senior player’s hotel room and fired him for consistently throwing his wicket.
Now, hearing him say what he did the other day required a suspension of disbelief. And when he said, “ICC should make a thorough probe into the spot-fixing scandal and take appropriate action if the players are found guilty,” it only sounded familiar because it was along the lines of the inactive calls for action made by lawmakers. As if by simply saying it, he was standing up for something greater.
While Tendulkar’s silence is no different from the silence of cricketers who came before him, it makes a louder sound. It tells you that there are places he won’t go. The expectation surrounding him is greater only because he seems greater than everyone else. And yet what made this more disappointing was that he’s in a position of strength right now. His game is greater than it has ever been, and his legend is stronger than it has ever been. He is that rare thing: an idol we’d take very seriously if he gave us the word. But he won’t. And that’s why, when the history of these times is written, there will be a lot we won’t know. We won’t know why cruelty was inflicted on people who love the game, and when it first began.
It’s also why, when he says he never heard of the crime, one can’t help but feel robbed.
Reminds me of Kapil Dev’s equally incredible statement from the early 1990s that he didn’t even know HOW a ball could be tampered with.
Aside: It didn’t take long for my suspicions about the spot-fixing opportunities offered by the IPL to be borne out (at least at the level of allegations):
July 28, 2010 at 7:48 AM
He got out on 84 earlier. Could have had two here! Still unbeaten and India unfortunately need a lot more runs.
July 28, 2010 at 7:56 AM
Lone Man standing, when so called young talent is seen no where…Take a Bow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 28, 2010 at 8:25 AM
An important century too: India were in big trouble by the time Laxman departed.
Sehwag could easily have gotten a couple more centuries this tour…
July 28, 2010 at 8:30 AM
Sehwag is making centuries @ 100 strike rate like its so easy. This past year he has been in ridiculously good form.
July 28, 2010 at 8:57 AM
That is why he is rated by most cricket experts as the most destructive and best player of decade…. he plays cricket woth one logic: if ball is good for hit thn Hit …test, one day and t20 is same to him…
July 28, 2010 at 8:48 AM
lord of the runs is back with yet another diarrhea of ton(48th)..keep going Sachin & sad to know that AMITABH BACHCHAN REJECTED THE LEAD ROLES IN QURBAANI & MR INDIA..big b’s loss was Vinod Khanna’s & Anil Kapoor’s gain..truth hurts!
July 28, 2010 at 10:02 AM
what? Can’t imagine BIG B in QURBAANI and MR. INDIA!!!! I don’t think BIG B himself repented not doing those films – did he?
July 28, 2010 at 10:03 AM
have heard Mr India was originally intended for him but yeah I’m glad he wasn’t in it. I’ve never heard the Qurbani story though.
July 28, 2010 at 10:22 AM
I also read that Mr India was written with Big B in mind…after his no, or wat ever reasons of not dong it, they say Sridevi’s role was extended and most of scenes written for Him fell in her lap…
July 28, 2010 at 11:00 AM
check the wiki for qurbaani..it says that Big b had rejected that role and firoz khan aproached Vinod khanna.
July 28, 2010 at 9:56 PM
just imagine BIG B doing that scene with dimple
and just imagine BIG B doing that KAATE NAHIN KATTE YE DIN HAI RAAT with sri…..;-) doesn’t fit from any angle……
July 29, 2010 at 12:55 AM
well u r talkin about Jaanbaaz but it is Qurbaani that big b was offered..b4 Vkhanna..
July 28, 2010 at 9:41 AM
he was dropped on 29 thnx to Jayawardene
July 28, 2010 at 11:42 AM
Records don’t keep track of dropped catches!
July 28, 2010 at 1:57 PM
…if they did, we’d be talking about the chap who dropped Lara at 18, and watched him go on to make 501…
July 28, 2010 at 12:14 PM
Sachin… take a bow master…
He is my IDOL beside Amitabh Sir..
Love you both..
started playing cricket professionally just because of sachin
July 28, 2010 at 2:17 PM
Stats: Tendulkar continues golden run in 2010
July 28, 2010 at 2:22 PM
Correction: Sehwag is not the 3rd player to be dismissed on 99 in tests, he is the third player to be STUMPED on 99 in tests. At least, that is what Cricinfo commentary said and it sounds more plausible — there must have been many batsmen dismissed on 99…
July 28, 2010 at 4:38 PM
Many – Sachin himself must have been out in late 90′s about 7 times in 2007 if I remember correctly…or maybe 2008.
July 28, 2010 at 4:40 PM
Sachin just plods along. Right now the gap between him and Ponting is widening if anything and the chances of him holding most runs records and most centuries in tests are increasing day by day.
July 29, 2010 at 4:50 AM
Got to respect the man even at this age he just keeps chugging along. He pretty much carried India back into it in this match. As a die hard pakistani cricket lover and a pakistani, I love the way Sachin plays and even love the way he porttrays himself on the field and off.
July 29, 2010 at 6:25 AM
congratulations fore the master for the “200″!!!
hope he never retires…….
July 29, 2010 at 8:04 AM
I second you, Jay
July 29, 2010 at 8:30 AM
TAKE A BOW MASTER
July 29, 2010 at 8:31 AM
http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report_sachin-is-as-hungry-as-a-debutant-virender-sehwag_1416094
July 29, 2010 at 10:32 AM
that sachin is a living legend is a foregone conclusion -even 5-10 years ago….
NOt that interested in this barrage of congratulatory commentaries very time he crosses 50 and the barrage of next (changing) milestones…
What really interests me is to analyse how people like sachin or for that matter bachchan, roger federer, a r rahman (in slightly different contexts) keep going on–what are the inner motivations (not those procalimed for the public).
also, how do they keep themselves motivated—would be helpful to oneself whateva the field one operates in.
Feel that whateva sacin says to the public, he DOES have a v v keen eye on records, now. He also has an eye on his gap from ponting which has again started increasing—must add- i do NOT mean to say that this is something negative–staying ahead of competition is also a helathy motivation tool—unlike some others who try to bring the other competitor down than rising ones own “game”.
IN terms of bachchan, i suspect he is NOT that bothered about records and his legacy now—He does seem to have a v keen eye on abhisheks standing and legacy issues–Given the high flying lifestyle he has chosen for himself and his family, retiring gracefully and watching from the galleries is not an option—again there is nothing wrong with that…
July 29, 2010 at 5:16 PM
Tendulkar braves demanding conditions and delivers
July 29, 2010 at 5:18 PM
July 30, 2010 at 12:39 AM
http://www.economist.com/node/16636359
August 2, 2010 at 8:31 AM
another record for Sachin:
http://cricket.rediff.com/slide-show/2010/aug/02/slide-show-1-sachin-tendulkar-world-record-most-test-appearances-harish-kotian.htm
August 7, 2010 at 6:54 AM
Thrilled with the win! Very creditable indeed to tie in SL without zaheer, sreesanth, gambhir, and coming from behind to chase a reasonably tough 4th innings total to do so. The team’s 4th innings performance has definitely improved in the last 2-3 years as compared to the preceding 1-2 (there was a stretch there when they would lose every 4th innings chase: Bangalore ’05 (Pakistan); Mumbai ’06 (England); Karachi ’06, and others). and especially great to see VVS come through — seems like the poor man’s head is always on the chopping block, when really he is such a great performer when the chips are down.
August 7, 2010 at 7:32 AM
Laxman has an uncanny knack of saving himself from the jaws of being dropped with a sensational innings. In this form he is just very difficult to control and get out.
August 7, 2010 at 7:42 AM
As sachin himself confessed that Laxam never got the due he deserved…..
August 7, 2010 at 8:55 AM
agreed! And this was easily one of his most important career innings..
August 7, 2010 at 9:58 AM
VVS has 16 centuries, and very few of those are unimportant ones. By and large they have been crucial — and this one was very satisfying because Mendis had OWNED him until this innings…
August 7, 2010 at 8:55 AM
this was truly huge! and it still takes one of the old-timers to get it done for India!
August 7, 2010 at 9:12 AM
No, not really. Sehwag scored a century in the first innings and took 3 wickets in SL’s 2nd. And was the Man of the Series as well. The old timers are contributing, but others have also become their ‘equals’.
August 7, 2010 at 9:20 AM
I was including Sehwag among the old-timers.. Of course no one can compete with Sachin on this score but I meant the sore of a somewhat older team.
August 7, 2010 at 9:57 AM
Saket: Sehwag is 32, and “young” only in comparison to Sachin (37) and Dravid (36, I think). Yes he debuted a loooooong time (11-12 years) after Sachin, (so did Ponting; 9 years if I recall correctly) but that’s a fluke because sachin debuted so unusually young (Viru debuted at 22-23, which is quite ok; heck in England you have to be 25 lol). But for Viru too one would have to say that he is closer to the end of his career than the beginning. I do confess that I too have fallen into this trap, not with sehwag but with yuvraj (who also has been around for nearly a decade), possibly because he has promised so much and delivered so little…
August 7, 2010 at 10:14 AM
Yes, but my point was that Sehwag debuted in the last decade whereas Sachin, Dravid and Laxman at least a decade before, which makes them the ‘old timers’ and Sehwag a newbie by comparison. The other newbies are Gambhir and Dhoni, as far as the batting is concerned. The #6 slot has not been a permanent fixture since Ganguly retired, so can’t take that into consideration.
August 7, 2010 at 10:28 AM
Yes on Sachin, but Dravid debuted a mere 5 years before sehwag…not that it matters much, but by “newbie” I think of gambhir, dhoni etc.. Some of this is of course not about chronology, but about stature: I am sure I (unconsciously) don’t think of sehwag as a newbie because of his achievements (hence my point about yuvraj earlier)…
aside: that second innings average of viru’s needs to go up though. 28+ is too low for a batsman as good as him, and one who plays as fearlessly as him.
August 7, 2010 at 9:14 AM
I think it’s more media made than anything else (re: Laxman’s head being on the chopping block). With 7500 runs and 16 centuries, even the most daft BCCI office bearer won’t doubt Laxman’s credentials.
August 7, 2010 at 9:21 AM
It’s all the more sweet coming after Sangakarra and Jaywardane’s comments on India’s #1 status, after the loss in the first test. The minute I read Jayawardane’s comments that India isn’t playing like the #1 Test side, I knew it was going to come back and bite him where it hurts the most.
Having said that, India’s #1 Test status is dubious only and only IF one compares the present Indian side to the all conquering Australian side during Waugh’s era or the first half of Ponting’s reign (when both Mcgrath and Warne were still playing). The comparison will also show the Indian team in poor light compared to the West Indies squad of the 80s. Nothing surprising there either.
But the thing to remember is that India hasn’t made the rules. If the Indian team, despite being inconsistent is still clinging on to the top spot, it only means that the other teams are even MORE inconsistent. In that sense, India deserves the #1 spot. Although, I’d love for them to dominate the world scene like the great teams of yore.
August 7, 2010 at 9:54 AM
I’ll paste below a few comments I left on cricinfo when he made those comments:
“While I generally agree with Sangakkara’s point that the number of tests teams play, and who they play them against, needs to be standardized to the extent possible, ANY ranking system will lead to less-than-convincing results during eras where there is a lot of team parity. During the 1980s, of 5-6 years ago, there would have been no doubt: under any system, the West Indies and Australia would, respectively, dominate the standings. It is a trickier question in 2010, because you don’t have one dominant team, you have 3-4 solid/good/consistent ones. Rather than say the rankings are a joke because India is on top, we need to appreciate that they would be pretty much just as unconvincing no matter which of the 3-4 teams were ranked one. In fact, had SL won in India on the last tour, they would have been ranked #1, and I doubt Sanga would have complained in that instance.”
“PS — Following up on my point about parity, we have certain teams that match up well against others, irrespective of the rankings. Take a historical example: Pakistan would always match up pretty well against the West Indies in the late 1970s and 1980s, but that didn’t necessarily mean they were #2, as they would lose to mediocre teams in England and Australia. Similarly, India matched up pretty decently against Australia this decade, but would be rather easily beaten in South Africa, and even in India against South Africa. No matter what the rankings, Pakistan matches up well against India/on Indian pitches, even if India seems to match up better against England than Pakistan does. These nuances cannot be reflected in any ranking system; we just have to accept the reality that for the moment, Australia, India, England, South Africa are the top teams; beyond that, SOMEONE has to be #1 at any point, but it doesn’t mean much at all.”
“PPS — of these top four teams, South Africa is the most likely to win test matches/series in India; Australia/SA the most likely to lose in England; India the least likely to win in South Africa but the most likely (apart from SA) to win in Australia; Australia the most likely to win in SA. Sri Lanka has an even poorer overseas record than India or Pakistan, but is probably the hardest to beat at home. In terms of match-ups, I think India matches up better against England than South Africa does; South Africa matches up better against India than even perhaps Australia; Pakistan matches up better against India than almost anyone does; and India/SA match up better IN england than Australia does; etc. etc. This is hardly an exhaustive list of permutations, I’m just trying to make the point that rankings create their own psychoses and fetishes; and test cricket is not a game that is easily reducible to rankings (except when you have dominant teams, an exceptional situation)…”
“BTW, I back the Indian team, and do not really think it’s the best test team in the world. But if by “best test team” we mean a team that is likely to win in the maximum number of places, that would be SA more than even Australia. Because England still need to show they can win a match in Australia, let alone a series. In India, they have won 1 and lost 3 of their last 5 matches. On the other hand, the Ashes also give one 5-6 matches to prove oneselves, whereas India, SL, and Pakistan are often (through no-one’s fault but their own) involved in 2 test series where it is hard to definitively conclude who is better). For that very reason, teams like SA doing 1-1 in a 2-test series in India is very creditable. Australia has lost the last 2 series in England, despite having 10 tests; and the matches against pak show their bats do struggle in these conditions. ANY #1 ranking would be “provisional” when cricketing strength is so diffuse as it is today — arguably like the late 1960s…”
August 7, 2010 at 10:07 AM
Yes, I agree there’s a pool of teams that can claim to be the best. Out of the lot, SA seems to be the most “deserving” of the #1 honor. They lost points by drawing a home series against a lowly ranked England team and losing to Australia at home.
SL, frankly speaking, have at BEST drawn one or two series outside their home conditions. That’s just not good enough.
The rankings are based on a team’s last 4 years record. In those 4 years, India has lost 3 series, against Australia and SA (both 2-1; the former because of some really bad umpiring!) and have won in England, defeated Australia in India (2-0, which makes the overall tally 3-2), drawn against SA at home twice (1-1, which makes the score 3-4) and lost to SL in SL but won 2-0 at home (overall record 4-3). That’s a fair enough record to be #1 on a points based system.
August 7, 2010 at 10:09 AM
India’s record against England in the last 4 years is overall 2-0 (1-0 each in England and India). Against Pakistan it’s 1-0; Against Windies, it’s 2-0 and the same against Bangladesh.
August 7, 2010 at 10:25 AM
PS — against Pakistan it’s 1-1 (they lost the away series in 2006 0-1). BTW, England have become the new India in terms of poor away record: apart from India, they lost 0-2 in Pakistan on their last tour, and I think they lost in SL too. They were very lucky to escape with a tie in SA, but the fact is they aren’t very adaptable: they do better in pace-friendly conditions but have struggled in the sub-continent…
August 7, 2010 at 10:29 AM
I think the other interesting thing is that India tend to be “close” winners: whether in WI or England, if they win it’s 1-0. Whereas an england or SA would molest the Windies (but might well lose convincingly to the other). I guess it’s difficult to rack up that sort of victory run without pace attacks (in tests, for the most part, batsmen can save matches, but you need bowling to win it)…
August 7, 2010 at 10:13 AM
You pretty much have England, SA, SL, India and Australia all tussling for top 5 positions. Hard to pick a definitive #1 and it will chop around my guess.
The next Ashes series is a monumentally important one. Could decide which “direction” the Aussie team is headed and probably Ponting’s biggest series.
On paper though I think England are shaping up as the best test side at the moment. Eoin Morgan’s emergence, a consistent spinner who ALWAYS seems to perform in Swann, good pace attack…think they are prospering but even for them winning the Ashes in Australia is not an easy thing whatever the state of Australia’s side.
August 7, 2010 at 10:34 AM
Re: “Could decide which “direction” the Aussie team is headed…”
Jay: Australia has developed a poor away record: lost in India; lost in England; tied in England against Pakistan. They won in SA, but the SA/Australian pitches are pretty similar. This Aussie team has talent and loads of fighting spirit, but they are not the most adaptable, and they struggle against the swinging ball (with better fielding, Pakistan might have done more damage to them in the series in Australia too; against India too, it was an Indian seamer who was man of the series). The two test series in India coming up should be interesting (although I do dislike 2-test series in general)…
August 7, 2010 at 10:49 AM
India should be beating Australia at home. And 2 test series are a cop out. Should be minimum 3, ideally 4 or 5.
August 7, 2010 at 10:57 AM
yeah. Both the Ind/SA and Ind/Aus 2-test series were created out of thin air by the BCCI, presumably after India’s #1 ranking led to greater audience interest. No harm in one sense: test cricket needs all the ratings it can get!
August 7, 2010 at 11:06 AM
“No harm in one sense: test cricket needs all the ratings it can get!”
Absolutely, Q. Sanjay Manjrekar, the one man whose batting style most suited test cricket, even though he wasn’t much of a success, recently advocated T20s and IPL over Test cricket! It’s as if all former test cricketers take out their frustrations by giving asinine comments like these…
August 7, 2010 at 11:10 AM
T20 will go through its dry spell. It’s not that popular now in county cricket as it was when it arrived. Other countries are behind on the curve and probably going thru the peak – but it will definitely suffer from overkill. This kind of format is best suited to “less is more”.
August 7, 2010 at 11:26 AM
On a different note, I will say that the quality of pitches (i.e. the fact that there was something in them for the bowlers) in the last two T20 world cups made them more enjoyable in my mind than the recent ODI world cups (the fact that india went out with a whimper in each of those T20 world cups was the one bad thing, of course)…
August 7, 2010 at 11:15 AM
yeah, saw that on NDTV, was shocked to hear such a “correct” batsman say that…
August 7, 2010 at 10:29 AM
I just had a cursory look at Statsguru and the results are pretty much in line with our discussion here.
In the last 4 years (which decides the ranking), Australia has won 25 tests and lost 7 (the best record!); SA (23-10; India (17-9); England (19-10) and SL (15-8) follow in terms of wins and losses.
What makes India #1, and that’s purely based on stats is the team’s overall record against the top 2 sides — Australia and SA. And what works against SA and Australia is their record against much weaker sides, e.g. England and SL. So statistically, there’s no reason to doubt India’s premier position.
India has a losing record against ONLY SA during the last 4 years and a winning record against every other team. That’s good enough for them to be #1, although SA should have a reason to feel cheated out of the #1 ranking (and they are the #2 team, so it isn’t as if it’s that unfair to them either).
August 7, 2010 at 10:31 AM
SA lost out on #1 because of their inconsistency: they have only themselves to blame if they won in australia but lost at home against Australia; and if they failed to beat England at home despite a FOUR test series (admittedly, with a little bit of luck it could have been 3-1 in SA’s favor).
August 7, 2010 at 10:38 AM
Agreed. And India’s loss against Pakistan in Pakistan is currently out of the 4 year result cycle.
One can argue that the ranking system itself is unfair. But India did not invent the system. That they are not the undisputed champions, despite the top billing is a fair statement. But then no other team is in a position to subvert the system, so the result should stand.
August 7, 2010 at 10:58 AM
RE: “India’s loss against Pakistan in Pakistan is currently out of the 4 year result cycle”
Oh ok, didn’t realize that, thanks. And since the most recent series is taken into account, I guess India’s 1-2 loss in SL is “replaced” by this 1-1 result right?
August 7, 2010 at 11:02 AM
Yes, the 9 losses (cumulative) are as follows: 4 against SA, 2 against Australia and 3 against SL.
August 7, 2010 at 11:39 AM
congrats to team india.
August 7, 2010 at 12:02 PM
Sachin Tendulkar set to become IAF officer
August 9, 2010 at 4:50 AM
Not another Sachin story (Open)
Attacking, Aggressive, Acceleration, Ambidexterous, Accumulator, Ace, Aesthetic, Ambition, Anticipation, Apnalaya, Aura, Audemars Piguet, April 24, Azad Maidan, Auckland, “Achrekar Used To Place One-Rupee Coins On Top Of The Stumps” , Ajit, Anjali, Arjun, Adidas, Brilliant, Bully In School, Backbone Of The Batting Line-Up, Brand Ambassador, “Boost Is The Secret Of My Energy”, Bandra, Bombay Duck, Bonzer, Bowlers’ Nightmare, Balance At The Crease, Bottom Hand Grip, Belt Fixation, Cricketophile, Colossus, Cars, Canny, Carnivore, Curly Haired, Celebrity, Champion, Charisma, Character, Classical, Compassionate, Concentration, Cross Maidan, CB Series 2008, Chennai Tears 1999, “Definately”, Dashing, Darling Of The Nation, Determination, Dignity, Diminutive, Dire Straits, Distinguished, Dominates Bowlers, Double Hundred At 37, Dynamo, Driving On The Up, Explosive, Electrifying, Elegance, Excellence, Elixir, Emperor, Entertainer, Enthusiasm For Cricket, Entrepreneur, Epic, Epitome, Exquisite, Fame And Fortune, Fantastic, Fabulous, Ferrari, Footwork, Father Figure, Falsetto, Fireworks, Full Face Of The Bat, Formula One, Fiftieth Test Century In Sight, Flick Off The Hips, God, The Greatest, Genius, Gentleman, Global Icon, Glutton For Runs, Gourmand, Graceful, Humility, His Highness, Heavy Bat, Halo, Hand Eye Coordination, Headphones, Heroic, History-Making, Horizontal Bat, Humanitarian, Hops To Work It Away For A Single, Icon, Idol, India Flag On The Helmet, Inimitable, Indefatigable, Institution Of Batting, Integrity, Jeans, John McEnroe, Joy To Millions, Jamaican Lamb Curry, Karachi, Kambli, King Of Cricket, KBC With Amitabh, Little Champion, Little Master, Legacy, Line And Length, Lethal Weapon, Limelight, Lobster Spaghetti, Lodestar, Luminous, Lyrical, Lonavala, Maestro, Mumbai Indians, Multan, Marathi Asmita, Michael Schumacher, Magical, Mike Denness, Marathon Man, Marauder, Man Of The Match, Mig Club, Maverick, MRF Sticker, Multi Millionaire, Manchester, Mixed Bhajia Bowling, Nineteen Eighty Nine, Non-Controversial, Newsmaker, Normal Guy, One And Only, Omniscient, Opener, Operatic, Original, Outrageous, Opus, Paaji, Perth, Punch Through Cover, Paddle Sweep, Peerless, Panacea, Pandemonium, Passion, Patriotic, Pedestal, Pensive, Percipient, People’s Champion, Perfection, Phenomenon, Phoenix, Physiotherapy, Precocious, Private, Prodigy, Professional, Qadir Sixers, Quick Singles, Role Model, Rich, Red Hot, Roja (The Movie He Saw In Disguise In a Theatre), Run Rate, Reflexes, Records, Redoubtable, Reputation, Reverse Sweep, Revered, Resilient, Respect, Rock Star, Rooted, Running Between Wickets, Shoaib Sixer, Sharjah ‘98, Sachchu, Sahitya Sahawas, Shardashram, Shivaji Park, Sungrace Mafatlal, Sara, Sleepwalking At MRF Academy, Still Head, Straight Drive, Sachincredible, Sydney, Sultans Of Swing, Superbat, Saint Sachin, Scintillating, Sensational, Sach A Wonder, Senior Statesman, The Special One, Standard Bearer, Sublime, Superhuman, Superlative, Superstitious, Twitter Following, Tennis Elbow, Tondulkar, Talismanic, No 10 Jersey, Typhoon Tendulkar, Tactician, Team Man, Tenacious, Terrific, Terrorises Bowlers, Thoroughbred, Targets, The Ultimate, Unbending, Unconditional Love, Uniting The Nation, Unflappable, Unforgettable, Universal, Unique, Unparalleled, Vada Pav, VIP, Variation, Versatile, Vintage, Visionary, Virtuoso, Visor, Virender’s Inspiration, Volume Of Runs, Worldtel, Wankhede, Wanderers Heartbreak 2003, Wonder, Watershed, Whizkid, Whereabouts Clause, Wily, Wholesome, Willow, Winner, X-Factor, Yorkshire Stint, Yorkers, Young At Heart, Zeal, Zen Master
August 16, 2010 at 9:06 AM
Bradman best, Sehwag greater than Sachin: Study
A ‘scientific’ analysis of batting achievements in Test cricket has found what most people already know – that Don Bradman was the greatest batsman in the game. A paper, written by two economists, analysed factors such as consistency of scoring, value of a batsman’s runs to the team and home-away record, and found the Australian great leagues ahead of the rest on all counts.
That’s hardly a surprise. But the paper has some far more interesting conclusions.
While just five Indians qualify in the top 50 on the basis of career averages, in none of the parameters does Sachin Tendulkar, the highest run scorer in Tests, emerge on top even among Indian batsmen.
For instance, in terms of value of runs scored to the team, Virender Sehwag is India’s top batsman (overall rank 6), followed by Rahul Dravid and Tendulkar.
On consistency of scoring, Dravid (rank 4) pips Sachin (5), followed by Sunil Gavaskar (11), Sehwag (12) and Vinod Kambli (13).
In another ranking based on career contribution to the team score, Dravid and Gavaskar (both ranked 5) emerge as India’s top batsmen. Then come Tendulkar and Sehwag (both 6) and Kambli (8).
The paper – The ‘Bradman Class’: An Exploration of Some Issues in the Evaluation of Batsmen for Test Matches, 1877-2006 – ranks 50 batsmen from all eras. Written by economists Vani K Borooah, University of Ulster and John E Mangan of University of Queensland, it was published in the Journal of Quantitative Analysis in Sports.
Some rankings, however, may be misleading as the paper uses batting averages only up to 2006. For instance, in 2006, Dravid was No. 4 in the all-time list with an average of 58. At present, his average is down to around 53.
A ‘scientific’ study in Australia of Test batsmen down the years has put Don Bradman ahead of all others in every parameter it uses to define batting class.
The paper works on the premise that the method of calculating batting averages glosses over many aspects of good batsmanship. “It does not take into account consistency of scores across innings: a batsman might have a high career average but with low scores interspersed with high ones; another might have a lower average but with much less variation in his scores,” it notes. Secondly, the paper argues, batting averages do not reflect the value of the player’s runs to the team.
The authors use several equations from economics to suggest new ways of computing batting that could complement the existing method and “present a more complete picture of batsmens’ performance.” Based on these “new” averages, the paper offers several revised rankings of the world’s top 50 batsmen.
For measuring consistency, the authors use the Gini coefficient, a popular method for computing inequality in the distribution of outcomes. After applying the coefficient to the top 50, while Bradman remains No.1, South Africa’s RG Pollock (ranked 2 on averages) falls three places to rank 5 and West Indian George Headley falls to 7 from No.2. Among Indians, Dravid and Gavaskar hold their ranks but Sehwag falls four places and Tendulkar two places.
August 16, 2010 at 9:11 AM
yes Munna put this up yesterday..
August 16, 2010 at 9:21 AM
ok…u can delete it.. inconvenience is regretted
August 16, 2010 at 9:55 AM
that’s fine..
August 16, 2010 at 9:26 AM
Re: “Some rankings, however, may be misleading as the paper uses batting averages only up to 2006. For instance, in 2006, Dravid was No. 4 in the all-time list with an average of 58. At present, his average is down to around 53.”
with all current players, some distortion creeps in as their careers aren’t yet done — and they are being compared to people whose careers are completed (even if they played fewer tests). But nevertheless, an interesting study here…
August 16, 2010 at 9:27 AM
although one wonders about any study that has kambli in #8 all-time…
August 21, 2010 at 2:51 AM
Eleven talents that kept me very busy
August 21, 2010 at 3:46 AM
Very interesting read, thanks for posting
September 7, 2010 at 3:42 AM
Aamir’s a cricket fan: Sachin(TOI)
Sachin Tendulkar’s always been fond of the movies, but it was Aamir Khan who remembered when they first met – even though Sachin was a novice being tried out for the team, and Aamir was an established actor.
On a visit to Delhi, the cricketer, already a legend at 37, recounted, “I remember meeting Aamir in 1990 when I’d come back from Pakistan, when that movie came out, where all four of them have acted… ” Andaz Apna Apna”, that’s right. Before that, I met Aamir when he was shooting at CCI, Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai. I was 14, and invited by Dilip Vengsarkar, the then captain of the Indian team, to bat at the India nets. The Test squad was practicing and he made Kapil Dev bowl at me. I just wanted to make sure I gave a first-class performance, and Aamir was shooting. I was a bit caught up, but Aamir reminds me. He’s a big cricket fan, he also plays sometimes.”
(That’s exactly what Aamir had told TOI two years ago, when he recounted being very impressed by the kid he saw at the nets as he was talking to seniors in the team.) Today, of course, that ‘young kid’ is perhaps the most famous cricketer in history.
First ever press con
Sachin was in the capital to talk about a photo exhibition of the 21 most memorable moments of his career, as he completes 21 years in cricket, put together by the Royal Bank of Scotland. Pointing to a rare picture of his 1990 England tour, Sachin reminisces about his first press conference. “The funniest part was the press conference, because that was the first press conference of my life. It was at Old Trafford and I was man of the match. I didn’t know what to expect and I didn’t know how to respond, so I was very tense and kept asking players in the dressing room what was going to happen. My manager and coach at the time, BS Bedi, as confident as ever, said, “Just go ahead! What you’ve done on the field, you need to go and do the same thing here.”
But has dealing with celebdom gotten any easier? Sachin admits that he’s now more relaxed with the media, where he was usually “very serious” earlier. He also says that he’s never felt that media attention has invaded his privacy. He does say, however, that his shyness was once a liability. “I’m a little shy, I take time to open up,” says he, “Earlier, a lot of people misunderstood me because I never spoke much. They thought that I was snobbish and didn’t care, but it was just that I was too shy, I was too embarrassed to appreciate what was happening around me. Most of the time, I would look down. That’s something that happens even today – when I’m shy or embarrassed, I just cannot look at people, I look down, and that’s my way of saying, ‘thank you very much for everything.’ But I’ve been brought up in a family that’s appreciated whatever has happened around my cricket, and not taken anything for granted, and that’s what I was taught by my father – that whatever profession I choose, I should give it my hundred per cent and not take anything for granted. The moment you do, he said, that’s the beginning of your downfall. But the adulation, support and love I’ve received over the years has been something special, and I find it hard to express what I feel.”
Great and grounded
So the stardom never went to his head? “It happened when I was 16 years old,” says Sachin candidly, in a surprising confession by a player seen as among the most grounded ones in the game. “At 16, you think differently. But very early in my career, I realised that God’s been kind to me, that there are guys who work equally hard and I’ve been fortunate enough to play for India. I scored well, but you need God’s blessings to be where I am. From the beginning, the unwritten law at home was, you think about the next match and let other people talk about whatever has happened today. Right from my school days, my brother would make sure that I think about the next match – if I had scored 125, how would I go out and score 150 in the next match? It was all about getting better, and I’ve honestly just looked at that and nothing else. I mean, I know it’s easy to lose your head because you’ve achieved something that’s been your dream for so long. At that age, it’s natural to feel special. But it’s also equally important to realise that this is just the beginning. To get there is tough, but to stay there requires more effort. So it’s important that the individual realises that as early in life as possible.”
He does admit, though, that there was a point when he was not complacent. “Yes, there were times when I became aggressive. That’s natural, sometimes. But I’ve never been a complacent player in my life – I’ve always had sleepless nights before Test matches and ODIs, and especially Test matches. It doesn’t matter if I had 120 Test caps, I’d still have sleepless nights. But that’s the only way my body gears up for a big game. And now I know that that is the way I prepare, and I’ve learnt to deal with it. Earlier, I’d be restless, but now if I can’t sleep, it’s okay, I know that’s how my body prepares before a big event,” says he.
In that case, what is he likely to be doing the evening before a match? “I keep things as normal, as natural, as possible. If I feel like watching a movie, I’ll do it, or sit alone in the room, or if I feel like going down to the restaurant, I’ll get something to eat. But the point is mainly to do something which is going to help me perform better the next day. I don’t have a set formula as such, that at 8pm I have to eat and at 8.30pm I have to be in bed,” he replies.
Aggression should be inside, not out
Sachin mentions that with the advent of T20, the game has become more “attacking”. Does he mean that players are more aggressive now, and is that an improvement? “I think aggression should be inside rather than outside,” he replies quickly, “If you look someone in the eye, you should be able to convey the message without actually speaking too much. Aggression always works well when it’s controlled, but if, in trying to be aggressive, you lose control over yourself, you cannot bring the best out in you. It’s not about being vocal – without being vocal.”
Speaking of younger players, does he share the concern that some people have control over the players’ lifestyles? What about Dhoni’s infamous ‘partying’ remark? “There were parties during the IPL, but then it was up to an individual whether to go to that party or not. I didn’t go to any. If an individual takes that responsibility and makes sure that whatever he’s doing only helps to make him play better, doesn’t distract him from cricket, then it’s okay – if he thinks, I want to be in top condition to go out and play whenever I’m expected to, and I have to be prepared to the best of my ability so that I can deliver. No one can guarantee performance, but the preparation before that, or giving your 100 per cent on the field, can always be guaranteed, and that’s what matters to me. But each individual is going to be different. My lifestyle was always simple – I was never someone who liked partying – I was happy going to restaurants, enjoying good food and getting back to the room. But it depends on every individual – what they want from life and how they want to play.”
But there are no changes in his routine, now that he’s been playing for so many years? “There are changes. Earlier, I’d prefer to stay in the room, and I do even now, but now I go to restaurants more often and enjoy good food. I like all kinds of cuisines – right from Indian to Thai, Japanese, Malaysian and Chinese. I do go out sometimes, probably more than earlier,” he says. He clearly goes out more often – he seems much more comfortable being seen with friends from the film industry, people like Aamir, whose films’ screenings he’s attended. Is he fond of movies? “I’ve always been fond of films,” says Sachin. “Whenever I get free time, I go and watch a movie, but it’s a rarity. A couple of films I’ve seen recently include “Peepli Live”, and Aamir, who’s a good friend, invited me for that screening. Then there was a Marathi movie that I watched – “Natrang”, Atul Kulkarni, the lead actor, invited me there.” And what did he think of “Peepli Live”? “I thought it was very nice, a different film,” he says.
My God
Another little thing about Sachin that’s widely known is that he’s a regular visitor to the Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai. What are his plans for Ganesh Chaturthi? “It’s going to be a little difficult, but I do go, and not just because it’s Ganesh Chaturthi. I go whenever I feel like visiting,” he says. While on the subject, whatever happened to the film on Siddhivinayak that he was to feature in? “They wanted me to say a few lines on Siddhivinayak, and I’ve already recorded my parts – it’s about how I feel at the temple,” he says, “I don’t know when it’ll be out; it’s more of a documentary than a proper film, but they just wanted my reaction.” And does he have any plans of being on the big screen? “I don’t know,” he laughs. “Right now, the big screen for me is only cricket.”
Aamir Khan
I saw him doing net practice at Brabourne stadium, he hadn’t been selected then. I was talking to Kapil Dev and Dilip Vengsarkar, and I said, “Who’s that kid? Yeh toh kamaal ka khel raha hai, he should be in the team! I didn’t know then that he’d actually be selected soon
– As told to DT in Dec 2008
Read more: Aamir’s a cricket fan: Sachin – News & Interviews – Bollywood – Entertainment – The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Aamirs-a-cricket-fan-Sachin/articleshow/6505680.cms#ixzz0ypMKB6Um
September 10, 2010 at 6:18 AM
The Worst Sachin Arguments(OPEN)
Remembering the most foolish things ever said about Tendulkar.
Many men nurse a hatred for Sachin. It could be the complicated nature of male love, which has a bit of malice in it.
The male analysis of Sachin Tendulkar is a two-decade long confession of Indian men. When they speak of him, usually through pilfered opinions, they reveal fragments of their own fears and private grouses. So when a guy says that Rahul Dravid is a more useful Test player than Sachin, he means to say, ‘I am an ordinary person and I want the efficient to triumph over the flamboyant, I want hard work to be accorded the same respect as unattainable genius, otherwise what is the whole point of my existence.’ When he says Laxman is more beautiful to watch than Sachin, he is saying, ‘I want you to believe that I am classy, an opera among rock concerts.’ And when he says that Ganguly was a better one-day opener than Sachin, he is saying, ‘I am a Bengali.’
As Tendulkar now absurdly escalates his game in what should have been his commentary years, as he stands alone as the rightful owner of One-Day’s most prized batting record, as all his old rivals have fallen whispering in their final moments that this man is the best of their times or even the best ever, it is easy to forget the many moronic things that were said about him. There is a huge quantity of third-rate literature, now deservedly serving as cones for peanuts, that once berated him in the masquerade of cricket analysis. Views that were, and still are, reproduced as the opinions of millions. Till recently, the most stupid Indian arguments were usually about Sachin. How many times have you heard someone say, ‘he does not win matches’. Increasingly, people who do not have mental problems are abandoning this line of thought, even refusing to admit that they ever held such an opinion. But not very long ago, it was a popular view.
Also, his centuries, apparently, did not result in Indian victories. Considering that he did not waste balls when he was in the middle, could it be that there were other reasons for our defeat apart from his centuries? Also, it is alleged, he never lasted till the end. As if it was his wish to go have a shower before the match ended. Could it be that the mathematical probability of an opener lasting till the end is very small?
In the past two decades, several batsmen have been regarded as Tendulkar’s equals. In columns, essays and drunken conversations, some batsmen were even considered better than him if the game were split into narrow genres. At some point or the other players like Inzamam, Ponting, Lara, Bevan, Sehwag, the brothers Mark and Steve (Waugh) have been placed by his side to see if his light dimmed. Sachin is like the digit in a stopwatch that remains unchanged even as the numbers in the units place go through a furious shuffle. But in the end, the contenders have diminished or vanished. Except Lara, who is the only batsman whose right it is to deny Tendulkar the honour of being considered the greatest of his time (though Lara himself has no doubts in this matter).
There were periods in Lara’s astonishing career when Indian men gleefully pointed at him and said, ‘this guy is better than Sachin’. The glee is the whole story. Many men, for different reasons, nurse a hatred for Sachin. It could be the complicated nature of male love, which has a bit of malice in it. Or it could be that Sachin reminds some men of their own worthlessness. Or it could be that people with low self-esteem, of whom there are many, rate everything that belongs to them, like Tendulkar, as inferior to what is foreign.
It is not surprising that the way Indian men talk about Sachin is exactly the way Caribbean men discuss Lara. “Lara has done nothing for us, nothing,” a man from Trinidad told me about three years ago. “Great batsman but a selfish fellow.” Haven’t we heard that many times in India—about Tendulkar? The same gloomy force that makes Indian men rate Lara higher, inspires Caribbean men to rate Tendulkar higher than Lara. A few years ago, when cricket fans in Guyana were asked to decide who was better, 85 per cent voted for Tendulkar. As we can see, the male analysis of Tendulkar and Lara says little about the batsmen but a lot about men in general.
September 10, 2010 at 6:21 AM
continue
After Fiat gifted him a Ferrari and he applied for a duty waiver of Rs 1.6 crore on it, there was a huge uproar. That was the first time he was slammed in the media. ‘How can he be so greedy’ was the cry of Indian men, all of whom spend a lot of effort evading taxes themselves. Rs 1.6 crore is a considerable sum even for Tendulkar. What was so morally bereft in trying to save that money? Are we morally compromised when we try to save a few thousand every year in tax exemption?
But the worst argument against Tendulkar will always be the myth that he was a bad captain. The truth is: his presence in the dressing room is such that as long as he plays he will be the only captain, whether he is called that or not. All men who tried to defeat his presence hurt themselves. Ganguly was a tortured soul. When he arrived at an airport or at a press conference, if there was Tendulkar, Ganguly was never granted the dignity of being captain. It was Tendulkar people wanted to see, hear. Dhoni’s great fortune is that his mind is clear, he knows his place—Captain and No. 2.
Tendulkar is a victim of not just mediocre analysis but also meaningless compliments. He is often described through a sentence that appears to be a unique Indian expression. No other nation is as fond of this line: ‘What strikes you about him is his humility’. It is a compliment usually given to a celebrity with good manners, who has made a journalist feel comfortable, who has offered him a glass of water to drink. How many times have we seen Tendulkar being described as humble, and readily accepted that view. But, are we confusing his endearing decency for humility? And his self-centered caution that ensures he does not always speak his mind, are we misinterpreting that disappointing aspect of his personality for humility? He might be humble, as somehow required by all his devotees, but my point is we don’t know.
Then there is the other annoying epithet—Little Master. You think he likes being called Little?
September 10, 2010 at 8:31 AM
iamthat..
i found the article as if sachins the god. and fact is thats highly debatable.
Simple thing he hasnt acheived pinnacle of ODI’s not even once, great players perform on big occasions, and we all know what happened in all the world cups.
theres only one god in indian cricket especially if u talk odi, a man who conquered the great west indian side, luck no luck bluff what ever.. at a time when they didnt have sponsors and training like Mr tendulkar got.
KAPIL DEV. the one and only, WORLD CUP WINNING CAPTIAN, INDIA. 1983.
September 10, 2010 at 4:34 PM
Spot on…
September 10, 2010 at 6:23 AM
The Innings Sachin Won’t Play
He will do anything for cricket, but he won’t stand up for the game.
RAHUL BHATIA
After everything that happened last week, the finest batsman to have ever represented India had this to say: “In my 21 years of international cricket, I have never heard of an Indian player being approached by bookies.” Sure, a wit on Twitter went, you didn’t hear, you only saw.
The current turmoil involving Pakistan’s cricket team is not Tendulkar’s business. He is right in not offering a comment on the matter and exciting the press. But his statement that he is unaware of Indian players being involved with bookies is not only hard to believe but also a reminder of the sad fact that he does not stand up when it really matters. Tendulkar was captain of India during that wonderful time when few people knew what the heck was going on. It turned out that a quarter of his team was not playing to win. A player who was part of the squad that went to South Africa under his captaincy said in an interview a few years ago that Tendulkar was so frustrated that one night he went to a senior player’s hotel room and fired him for consistently throwing his wicket.
Now, hearing him say what he did the other day required a suspension of disbelief. And when he said, “ICC should make a thorough probe into the spot-fixing scandal and take appropriate action if the players are found guilty,” it only sounded familiar because it was along the lines of the inactive calls for action made by lawmakers. As if by simply saying it, he was standing up for something greater.
While Tendulkar’s silence is no different from the silence of cricketers who came before him, it makes a louder sound. It tells you that there are places he won’t go. The expectation surrounding him is greater only because he seems greater than everyone else. And yet what made this more disappointing was that he’s in a position of strength right now. His game is greater than it has ever been, and his legend is stronger than it has ever been. He is that rare thing: an idol we’d take very seriously if he gave us the word. But he won’t. And that’s why, when the history of these times is written, there will be a lot we won’t know. We won’t know why cruelty was inflicted on people who love the game, and when it first began.
It’s also why, when he says he never heard of the crime, one can’t help but feel robbed.
September 12, 2010 at 11:40 PM
Reminds me of Kapil Dev’s equally incredible statement from the early 1990s that he didn’t even know HOW a ball could be tampered with.
Aside: It didn’t take long for my suspicions about the spot-fixing opportunities offered by the IPL to be borne out (at least at the level of allegations):
http://cricket.ndtv.com/storypage.aspx?id=SPOEN20100152947&nid=51475
September 10, 2010 at 8:30 AM
Sachin is god of cricket: Harbhajan