"We have plans for SL bowlers" : Sachin

Sachin Tendulkar spoke to espnstar.com in an exclusive chat after the Indian team wrapped up its camp in Bangalore.

By Mukul Sachdeva

Q: So, how was the break and what all you did all this while?

ST: A lot of different things. It’s not a great feeling being away from the team or the game but then I get to spend time with my kids, help them with their small things, be with my close friends. I was in the UK for a while, watched some movies, relaxed at home. It was good fun.

Q: Now, you are all set for the triangular.

ST: Oh yes. The camp has ended on a positive note and the team looks pretty solid and hungry. Sri Lanka is one place which is not very free scoring. In that regard, it will be a challenge for some of the strokeplayers in our team. As boundaries can be difficult to come by, there will be a lot of running between the wickets involved.

Q: Going by that you feel that Sri Lanka and New Zealand have an edge over India since they are a fitter side or rather better fielding side?

ST: No, you cannot say that. We are an extremely good fielding unit and we turned around games with our fielding. It is a misconception to assume that New Zealand and Sri Lanka have an edge over us. We run well between the wickets, our run out conversion is good, our catching ability is amongst the best, our bowlers are much more disciplined as they don’t bowl wides and no balls. I think we are three evenly matched teams.

Q: On the last tour we handled Ajantha Mendis really well. Do you think we have decoded the Mendis mystery?

ST: These are the contests created by the media. Ajantha Mendis, Muthiah Muralitharan or Chaminda Vaas are all good bowlers and we as a team respect them. At the same time we have a plan for each one of them. On the last trip batsmen like Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir handled Mendis and Murali really well. I think we can build on that. These youngsters bring a fresh approach and mindset which then rubs off on others which helps the team produce good results.

Q: What do you think of Rahul Dravid’s inclusion in the team?

A: Oh, it should be help the team. He brings in a lot of experience on the table and also a lot of skill. I think his will be good value addition to the team.

Dravid adds value to the team: Tendulkar

New Delhi, Aug 31 (PTI) Senior Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar feels Rahul Dravid's inclusion after close to two years has added "value" to the ODI team and his experience would come in handy during the tri-series in Sri Lanka and the subsequent Champions Trophy in South Africa.

"It should help the team. He brings in a lot of experience on the table and also a lot of skill. I think his will be good value addition to the team," Tendulkar said.

Tendulkar said the team is fitter and hungrier after wrapping up a four-day training camp in Bangalore to prepare for the tri-series in Sri Lanka, where New Zealand is the third team.

"The camp has ended on a positive note and the team looks pretty solid and hungry. Sri Lanka is one place which is not very free scoring," he said.

Maestro and Hughes to interact in mumbai today

Bangalore: Sachin Tendulkar has, over the years, proved to be a nightmare for Australian bowlers. Now, a batsman from Down Under, Phillip Hughes, wants to resume living a dream with the maestro’s help.

After three days of playing mentor to fellow Team India batsmen, at the conditioning camp here which concluded on Sunday afternoon, senior-most pro Sachin will now be offering tips to the 20-year-old Hughes.

The left-handed Hughes had an excellent debut Test series, in South Africa this year, but got dumped after one failure (Lord’s Test) in the recent Ashes. Now, the opener wants Sachin’s guidance.

“I’ll chew his ear off... I’ve got questions about a lot of things that I want to ask... I like getting around and talking to the guys who have been around for a long time...

“I’ve been watching Sachin since I was a youngster... He always seems to be scoring runs and not just on one or two parks, he gets them everywhere... His consistency is so great and I still love watching him,” is what Hughes has said.

There have been instances when touring England spinners, for example, have got tips from former India captain Bishan Singh Bedi. The Sachin-Hughes interaction, though, will be precedent-setting.

Hughes’s move only confirms just how highly the Australians regard Sachin. The late Sir Don Bradman, it may be recalled, had paid the ultimate compliment by saying Sachin’s batting came the closest to his own.

It’s not surprising that the multiple record-holder himself didn’t wish to say much.

“I don’t know Hughes personally, but I got approached through somebody... I’ll be meeting the opener in Mumbai tomorrow (Monday), that’s it,” Sachin, in his 20th year of international cricket, told The Telegraph at the Lalit Ashok.

The venue of the Sachin-Hughes one-on-one hadn’t been decided till Sunday evening.

Khel Ratna Vijender, Praises Sachin

The first boxer to win the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Olympic bronze medallist Vijender Singh is aiming to add another first to his name by clinching India's maiden medal at the September 1-12 World Championships in Milan.

"We have achieved a lot of firsts in Indian boxing in the past couple of years and form and fitness permitting, I would get our first medal in World Championships this time," Vijender told PTI.

The Haryana boxer revealed even though he is not a cricket buff as such, he admires Sachin Tendulkar for the way the batting great has carried himself both on and off the field.

"I don't watch cricket much but I admire Sachin Tendulkar. I like the way he has conducted himself over the years. He has been such a huge star for so long but has not had a single controversy against his name," said Vijender.

"He is somebody you can look upto," he added.

Source: http://cricket.ndtv.com/cricket/ndtvcricket/storypage.aspx?id=SPOEN20090106978

Corporate Trophy unveiled in Bangalore

Bangalore, Aug 27 (PTI) The Indian cricket board today unveiled inaugural Sahara BCCI Corporate Trophy, with a number of cricketers including master batsman Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh in attendance here.

The 12-team tournament, aiming at reviving the waning corporate interest in the game, will be held in four venues across the country - Mohali, Vishakhapatnam, Dharamsala and Bangalore.

The trophy was unveiled by BCCI secretary N Srinivasan, joint secretary Sanjay Jagdale and corporate communications chief of Sahara Group Abhijit Sarkar.

Most of the Indian cricketer, including captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, will be seen in action during the one-day tournament to be held from September 1-8.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, which appeared to be a low-key event without much fanfare despite the presence of Tendulkar and Yuvraj, Srinivasan said over the years corporate interest in the game has declined.

Determined Hughes hoping to gain from Sachin

Date: 2009-08-28 Place: Sydney Australian opening batsman Philip Hughes is looking to "Little Master" Sachin Tendulkar to help him fight his way back into the Test side. The 20-year old left-hander was axed from the Australian Test team during the recent Ashes after managing only 57 runs in three innings because of a pronounced technical shortcoming against the short ball. Hughes is spending a week in India under the watchful eye of Neil D'Costa, his Nagpur-based, Indian-born high performance coach, in a determined bid to regain his place in the Test side for the first Test against the West Indies in Brisbane starting on November 26. The diminutive New South Wales opener is hoping to have an invaluable session with Tendulkar this weekend to overcome his technical deficiency against the rising delivery, which the England bowlers, particularly Andrew Flintoff exploited fully. "That's why I've been training hard for the past couple of months in England and now in India. "Shane Watson did a marvellous job (opening) and he was beautiful to watch. He's also made it tough for me now to get back in," Hughes told The Telegraph newspaper. Hughes burst on the Test scene with two centuries and an average of 69.17 against South Africa during the last series between the then two leading teams on the ICC table and was immediately hailed as a genius. On his return home on Wednesday, Ricky Ponting said: "I think we all saw his deficiency in a certain area and the English bowlers targeted that and did it exceptionally well. "He put himself under pressure and therefore put the team under pressure at certain times. He trained exceptionally hard that last half of the tour and there's no doubt in the future he's someone who will play a lot of Tests for Australia. He's got too much talent and ability not to do that."

Sachin to bless Belagavi Panthers in KPL

Bangalore, Aug 27 : While Sachin Tendulkar is a popular figure and an icon, not many would have heard of Belagavi Panthers. Well, this is the team from Belgaum (Belagavi is the original name of the city) in Karnataka and one of the major contenders for Karnataka Premier League (KPL) that is to kickstart next month in Bangalore.

Sachin has agreed to launch Belagavi Panthers at a function here on Saturday. The team has Karnataka skipper and former India `A' player J Arjun Kumar, Manish Pandey and speedster David Johnson.

Sachin will be in Bangalore to attend the Indian camp for four days.

Belgaum is a hotbed of local cricket and the city has special Sunday one day matches in almost every locality.

Belgaum, for those who do not know the city, is famous for its Army presence and a special sweet called Kunda. This is probably the only place which has a `military Shiva' - the Military Mahadev Temple.

Source: India Syndicate

I’ve not called Sachin a liar, says Gilchrist

Bangalore, 25 Aug: Former Australian wicket keeper Adam Gilchrist on Saturday sought to douse the controversy he flamed by categorically denying that he had ever called Sachin a liar or a bad sport in his autobiography.

I’ve not called Sachin a liar, says Gilchrist.

In an article published in leading dailies across Australia and in India, Gilchrist, who leads the Deccan Chargers in the IPL, said “neither of these accusations are true and I felt strongly enough on this to immediately ring Sachin once it was brought to my attention, to explain to him,” The Australian stumper, who was often referred to as the honest Australian for his penchant to walk without waiting for the umpire’s finger, said that after his chat with Sachin, to clarify matters, there exists no ill-feeling between the duo.

“I am pleased to say that at the conclusion of our chat, the same respect Sachin and I have always had for each other continues to exist.” He says that the reference to Sachin and Harbhajan not being available for a hand-shake after a match was mentioned more in the context of a cultural difference than of describing it as an example of bad sportsmanship. “It’s simply my thoughts and from my experiences it seemed that this routine (of shaking the opponent’s hand) wasn’t as important to some oppositions as it was in Australia, where it is drilled into us from an early stage,” he said.

He said his comments that Sachin and Bhajji were sometimes not around to shake hands were based on the cultural differences that he wanted to highlight as a reason that resulted in several of the disputes or flare-ups between the two proud nations of India and Australia in the past. On the question of Harbhajan’s hearing, he said the only reference in the book was to recall the way in which the events unfolded from the initial hearing through to the final judicial hearing a few weeks later. “All I stated are the facts that everyone knows, that initially Sachin mentioned he wasn't sure what Harbhajan had said, then later confirmed his support when Harbhajan said he'd used a Hindi word in the heated exchange with Symonds.

Nowhere do I accuse Sachin of lying,” he said. He said it was a great relief to have spoken to Sachin and clarified the matter with him. “I have always admired his amazing cricketing ability and spoken regularly about how I believe he has set the finest example of how to handle fame and the extraordinary public profile that comes with being an Indian cricketing superstar.” he said. He also went on to say that those who knew him well and have read the book in its entirety would understand the sincere affection he has for India as a country.

“I have always enjoyed touring here, and most importantly have many strong friendships in India. For those reasons and for my personal friendship with Sachin, I was most concerned that a few off-the-mark headlines and interpretations of my book could possibly sour those friendships,” he concluded. On his part, Sachin Tendulkar too clarified that the former Australian ace had spoken to him and clarified that his remarks were taken out of context and presented in a sensational way by the media. Source: India Syndicate

Sachin's auctioning his time, penny-pinchers not welcome

Mumbai: Cricket icon will coach highest bidders -- only because the money's going to charity

Do you want Sachin Tendulkar to teach you batting? Well, it'll cost you. For the one thing India's top willow-wielder promises is that he will not do it for "kanjoos people...".

Before you ask what Sachin needs more money for, here's the answer: it's about giving, the joy of it.

As brand ambassador for the Joy of Giving Week (September 27-October 3), a nation-wide initiative that hopes to build a 'giving culture' in India, the batting legend has decided to auction a one-day coaching camp during that week as one of his other contributions to the cause.

After 20 years of representing the country in cricket across the world, Tendulkar is now batting for another Team India -- an India that wants to give back to its people, selflessly and sensitively.

"I will spend time with the guy who auctions generously, I don't want kanjoos people...," a smiling Tendulkar told DNA in an exclusive interview on Friday. "Whoever bids generously, I will generously spend time with them because all the money is going to a good cause."

Tendulkar's long-standing ambition has been to uplift the lives of underprivileged children. Not only will the bid amount be funnelled to them, he himself is doubling his personal contribution towards the charity. He will now be supporting the education and care of 400 children. "When I was young, I was on the receiving end," he said. "Now I am on the other side, and I would like to give."

Giving was a lesson he learnt early, both from his father, "my biggest influence, who gave more than he had", and his coach Ramakant Achrekar, "whose entire life was about helping others achieve their dreams".

At 36, Tendulkar is still learning about the joy of giving. His latest teacher? His little daughter Sara, who chose to celebrate her 10th birthday last year by organising a fun fair for underprivileged children. "There is an atmosphere of giving at home," he said, "and it's important for me to set the ball rolling in creating the momentum across the country."

Evidently, there are no half measures with Tendulkar. Be it in cricket, or life -- passion is his measure for success. As he says: "I wouldn't measure contribution in the amount of money generated. I would measure it by sheer passion. One might contribute Rs1,000, but if one is passionate about it, and it is the best he can give, it is equivalent to Rs1 lakh."

Tendulkar's coaching camp will not make you an instant champion, but the real payoff is what the joy of giving does for you as a person.

Excerpts from the interview with Sachin Tendulkar

What is the auction about?

Nowadays, time is the most important factor for anyone. I would spend time with the guy who auctions (for the one-day coaching) generously. I don't want kanjoos people. Bid generously and I will generously spend time with you, because all the money is going to a good cause. It's about helping the underprivileged, a genuine cause. We all have to join the force, and once you set the ball rolling, it can gather momentum. But to push the ball, you need collective effort. Not just from three to four people, but from the whole country.

How did the idea of 'giving' originate?
Last year, when we were thinking about how to celebrate our daughter's birthday, we were wondering what would she like, where we'd have the party and what we'd gift her... And then she said that 'this year I've decided not accept any gifts. I'm going to tell my friends that if you're thinking of spending Rs200 or Rs300 on buying me a gift, instead give me that cash and I'm going to organise something for unprivileged children'.

We had a wonderful outing one afternoon on her birthday. She organised a fun fair kind of activity, games and food, in Govandi (a downbeat Mumbai suburb). They have this ground right on the highway. She felt good and I was extremely proud of her. What goes on in-between those ears in that small head is whatmatters, and I know she's on the right track.

What do you get out of giving?
The satisfaction of giving something and watching people react. When I was young, I was on the receiving end. Now I am on the other side, and I would like to give. Everyone, at any level, feels good about receiving gifts. It may be an ice cream, but you feel nice that somebody's thought of you. I felt that to support this cause (of giving) was important to create that awareness.

Which early influences shaped this perspective?
The biggest influence of my life, without any doubt, has been my father. He was so generous, never once did he mention what he was doing. Whatever he gave, he did it quietly... Somebody who doesn't have much in life, and a family to take care of, he was still sharing with others. He used to always encourage the newspaperwala and milkman to study. He even helped them with college fees. That had a huge influence on me.

Does your sport have any heroes who gave selflessly?
There are so many unsung heroes. A great example is my coach, Ramakant Achrekar. He himself wasn't an international cricketer but his entire life was about giving his students the best possible infrastructure and helping them achieve their dreams. For example, my club fees were just Rs11 per month but after practice, when I was tired, sir (Achrekar) would take me out for vada pav, a soft drink... all these things are about giving and being selfless.

Not everyone can give equally...
But if you have a heart, you will be part of it (giving)... It could be a contribution of Rs10. And I wouldn't measure contribution in the amount of money generated. I would measure it by sheer passion. One might contribute Rs1,000, but if one is passionate about it, and it is the best one can give, it is equivalent to Rs1 lakh.

Chief guest Sachin Tendulkar with The Express Group

An evening with some of Indian cricket’s most well-known and erudite figures is bound to be an interesting one. The launch of Out of the Box: Watching the Game We Love, a compilation of Harsha Bhogle’s columns in The Indian Express, was held at the Taj Lands End, Bandra, on August 18. In attendance were eminent faces, cricketers and fans of the game. Sachin Tendulkar was presented with the first copy of the book. Also present were former national hockey captains Dhanraj Pillay and Viren Rasquinha, former world billiards champion Michael Ferreira, seasoned sports writer and editor Ayaz Memon, Academy Award winner Resul Pookutty, actors Atul Kulkarni, Rahul Bose and Ashmit Patel, TV personalities Cyrus Broacha and Shenaz Treasuryvala, educationist Nandini Sardesai, ad filmmakers Aarti and Kailash Surendranath, musician Nandoo Bhende, and veteran painter Prabhakar Kolte, to name a few. The book was launched in the presence of The Express Group Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta and Chairman of SAIL SK Roongta. Gupta opened the evening by paying tribute to Bhogle’s immense knowledge and passion for cricket as well as his undeniable talent in writing about it. The launch was followed by an animated discussion about the game. The panellists included the eloquent Lalit Modi, chairman and commissioner of the Indian Premier League, Rajdeep Sardesai, editor-in-chief of the IBN 18 Network, Sanjay Manjrekar, former cricketer and commentator, and Bhogle. It was moderated by Gaurav Kalra, sports editor of CNN-IBN. The panellists discussed the merits of the T20 format and talked about bringing fans back to Test cricket, with Bhogle saying, “For years, we’ve abused the Test fan, by making him sit on bare concrete with no shade or other facilities. We need better infrastructure to woo fans back.” Hear, hear.

Sachin wants Mussoorie house, ministry refuses nod

Sachin Tendulkar is keen to own a bungalow in Mussoorie but the Defence Ministry has refused to give him permission. The ministry said clearance cannot be given for security reasons.

Tendulkar wanted to own a bungalow named "Dahelia Bank". He saw it on a visit to Mussoorie with his family.

The house is located near the Institute of Technology Management, which is a part of the defence ministry. So the ministry is not ready to give permission.

"We received a letter from the defence ministry, saying that 50 metres around the institute was a restricted area and construction was not permitted," said Jharna Kamthan, SDM of Mussoorie.

The house lies in an area designated as "sensitive". The ministry has identified five bungalows that cannot be sold at any cost. It includes "Dahelia Bank".

Officials also feared that Tendulkar's celebrity status could draw huge crowds to the area and terrorists could use that opportunity to attack the institute.

Sachin at Harsha Bhogle's book launch

Mumbai: Sachin Tendulkar has suggested a unique way to retain fan interest in Test cricket: involve school children for free.

Speaking at the launch of Harsha Bhogle's new book Out of the Box - Watching the Game We Love, Tendulkar, the highest run-scorer in Test as well as one-day cricket, cited his own example as a cricket fan which enabled him to realise his dream.

Bhogle's book launch was followed by a high-powered panel discussion on the changing face of the gentleman's game.

Source : Cricketnext

Tendulkar can continue as long as he wants: Ganguly

Kolkata, Aug 14 (PTI) Age might be catching up with Sachin Tendulkar but former India captain Sourav Ganguly feels the Mumbai veteran is the best cricketer in the world right now and can continue as long as he wants.

The iconic left-hander said his 36-year-old former opening partner is a better batsman than him and can pick the time to call it quits.

"To be honest, he is a bigger player than I am. He deserves to go whenever he wants to. He is probably the best in the world with (the retired) Brian Lara. He can play until anytime he wants and I am sure his performance will remain consistent," Ganguly told PTI in an interview here today.

Ganguly said he enjoyed partnering Tendulkar at the top and doesn't regret quitting earlier than him.

Sachin Tendulkar Spotted at Mumbai airport

Reader Sumeeth Pai sent us this photograph from Bangalore.

'I am from Bangalore and I met Sachin Tendulkar at the Mumbai airport. Never knew that we were in the same flight,' writes Sumeeth.

'Whoever said that God cannot be seen !!!'

Thank you, Sumeeth, for sharing this picture!

Image: Sachin Tendulkar at Mumbai airport

Tendulkar to attend fitness camp in a few days: Kirsten

Mumbai, Aug 11 (PTI) Sachin Tendulkar will attend the pre-season fitness camp in a few days' time as he was unavailable today due to prior commitments as eight players were put through their paces here.

Coach Gary Kirsten, who oversaw the fitness camp at the Mumbai Cricket Association's Indoor Academy in Bandra-Kurla Complex today, said it was not possible to get all the players available for the camp at a short notice.

"Sachin was unavailable today. It was not possible to get everyone available at such a short notice. Sachin would do the test in the next few days," Kirsten said.

The eight players who took part in the fitness camp conducted by Indian team physiotherapist Nitin Patel and trainer Ramji Srinivasan, who is tipped to soon join the national squad, were Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Yusuf Pathan, Dinesh Karthick, Pragyan Ojha, Abhishek Nayar, Ravindra Jadeja and S Badrinath.

Sachin, other Test cricketers back Wadekar for gymkhana post

Mumbai , Aug 11 Sachin Tendulkar and a number of former players have come in support of former India captain Ajit Wadekar in his quest to retain his seat as the President of the famous Shivaji Park Gymkhana in Dadar here.
Supporting Wadekar, who led India to historic back-to- back series wins over the West Indies and England overseas in 1971, Tendulkar, in a letter to the former Test batsman, said the gymkhana, where he learnt his ropes as a young boy, needed Wadekar&aposs leadership qualities it its centenary year.

"I am glad to learn that the Shivaji Park Gymkhana (SPG), which has produced so many cricketers for the state and the country, will be completing 100 years soon,"the champion batsman has said in his letter to Wadekar.

"It is also heartening to see the tremendous progress made by SPG not only in cricket but in other sports like tennis, billiards and lots of indoor games too, especially in the last six years.

"It requires sporting leadership and I hope that you continue to lead SPG as President in the centenary year too", Tendulkar has said in his letter to Wadekar.

Wadekar&aposs former Mumbai and India colleague Bapu Nadkarni, ex- India skipper and selection panel chief Dilip Vengsarkar and flamboyant ex- India batsman Sandeep Patil have also written letters to Wadekar extending their support

Asnodkar misses a good chat with Tendulkar

Coming from the land of beaches - Goa, this small-in-size-yet-dynamic batsman has been the leading run-getter for his Ranji side. And as the inaugural Indian Premier League changed the lives of many young cricketers, his story is no different.

"IPL was a dream come true," says Swapnil Asnodkar, who proudly chose cricket over professional singing as his career and has no regrets whatsoever.

Once considered underdogs, the Rajasthan Royals picked him up for their squad. Hence, he has been lucky enough to get a coach-cum-captain like Shane Warne, who showed immense confidence in his young players. It was a gamble using an inexperienced player like Asnodkar high up in the order alongside South African batsman Graeme Smith, but the youngster proved his mettle and eventually became Warne's blue-eyed boy.

In an exclusive chat with CricketNDTV.com, Asnodkar talks about his dreams, his IPL experience, and like any other emerging Indian batsman, says his idol is none other than Sachin Tendulkar. Excerpts...

Congratulations on your team's recent win in the one-off British Asian Cup T20 match against Middlesex Panthers at Lord's. You played a crucial 41-run innings for the Royals. How was the experience?

It's a great feeling to be part of the Rajasthan Royals. Obviously, it was one of the best moments since the match was played at Lord's. Every cricketer dreams of playing there, and there are many who have played almost on every ground in the world but not at this elite venue. It means a lot to play there. It was fantastic!

On your IPL debut, you blasted 60 runs off 34 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders and the whole world noticed. How important was IPL for you?

It was a stepping-stone for me. I had been playing for so long and there were not many people who knew about me in spite of the fact that I was doing well in domestic cricket. IPL gave me the platform to get noticed and my batting skills got highlighted. Rajasthan Royals made it possible for me.

Shane Warne took a big gamble by sending you to open. What difference did it make to you as a cricketer?

It is his approach towards the game that makes a difference. He's the most dedicated player I have seen on the field. He always motivates every player before the match so that we give our best. I have been fortunate enough to play under him. It's a great feeling. I have grown watching Shane Warne, Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara play. I had never even thought in my dreams that I would get an opportunity like this. It was one of my happiest moments to know that the legendary Shane Warne will be leading Rajasthan Royals.

In the first edition of the IPL, you scored 311 runs in 9 matches that included two fifties while in the 2009 edition, your batting stats were comparatively modest with just 98 runs from 8 matches as RR exited early from the League. What went wrong?

We didn't play good cricket and there's no point giving excuses. We didn't play according to the roles given to us. We won IPL's first edition and in this one we failed as a team, to end up way low in the points table. Speaking of my batting, there are certain aspects of it I am working on and I will make sure I improve and come out as a better batsman.

Which form of cricket is more important to you, Tests or ODIs? What about T20?

I don't discriminate any form of cricket and at the moment I'm enjoying the game in every way. Otherwise, in India particularly, every youngster dreams of becoming a successful Test cricketer and of course, wants to play for India. T20 matches and ODIs are also very important but Test cricket is the ultimate.

One bowler you would never want to face or if I may say so, the toughest bowler you have ever faced?

Umar Gul was hard to play in Indian Premier League first edition. I have played with most of the top-class international bowlers in IPL and I enjoyed a lot. And due to its short format, a bowler is given only 2-3 overs - making it difficult for a batsman to judge a bowler in that particular time period. I try to give my best efforts against every bowler.

Tell us something about yourself that your fans and the media don't know?

(Smiles) I think the media knows quite a lot about me by now, thanks to IPL. I don't think there's anything left to be told.

Talking about cheerleaders, did they distract you?

(Smiles again) No, not at all. They are there to distract the crowd, not the players. Their moves surely entertain people.

If Swapnil Asnodkar were not a cricketer, he would have been...

Either an engineer or a professional singer (smiles).

Your idol?

Sachin Tendulkar. I have not been lucky enough to spend much time with that great man. But I'm really looking forward to an opportunity to spend some wonderful time with him and I know a good conversation with the legendary batsman will inspire me more.

Your most memorable moment?

When I scored 254 (not out) against Railways in first-class cricket and also when I got a call to join the Rajasthan Royals.

Tendulkar targets 15,000 Test runs

Sachin Tendulkar has said he is not satisfied with his achievements and hopes to accumulate 15,000 runs and win the World Cup in 2011.

"I am not pleased yet with what I have done," Tendulkar, who has scored a record 12773 Test runs at an average of 54.58 from 159 matches, said in an interview with the Wisden Cricketer. "Sunil Gavaskar has told me that I have to get to 15,000 runs. He said he would be angry with me and would come and catch me if I didn't. I admire him so much and to score that many would be a terrific achievement, but that is not the only aim." His other big cricketing ambition is to "win the World Cup in 2011".

Tendulkar, 36, also spoke about how he has been consistently playing with pain. "I always play in pain, all the time. I played with a broken finger for the last three months, but you know when pain is manageable or not, and most of the time I can do it," he said. "I can still do what I did when I was 25 but the body is changing, so your thought process has to change too. I have had to change how I think, which is about taking less risk."

Tendulkar also disagreed with John Buchanan, former Australia coach, who felt Tendulkar had become susceptible to the short ball early in his innings because of a lack of footwork. "It is only his opinion; John Buchanan doesn't have to be right all the time. If I couldn't handle short deliveries, then I wouldn't still be scoring runs," he said. "Maybe he needs to change his opinion. There must be something very wrong with all the bowlers around the world that they have allowed me to score so many runs."

	"I would say Virender Sehwag comes closest to my style."

Don Bradman had said Tendulkar reminded him of himself and the Indian batsman was the only modern player in Bradman's all-time XI. Does Tendulkar think the same way about anyone? "I would say Virender Sehwag comes closest to my style."

Tendulkar said he was not thinking about retirement yet but he would know when to quit cricket. "I will know when it is the right time, I won't have to be dragged away. I am the person who will make the decision and I will know whether I still belong."

He admitted life after cricket wouldn't be easy. "It's a scary thought. It has been there for my whole adult life, it will be difficult, I have been around for a long time, I can imagine when I finish I will long to face just 10 more balls but you have to move."

Cricket with Pak? Sachin recalls, Tharoor hopes

A measure of the tension that exists during Indo-Pak cricketing encounters comes through in a remark made by master blaster Sachin Tendulkar during the launch of Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor’s book on Friday.

At the event that marked the launch of Shadow Across the Playing Field, Tendulkar recalled the reaction the Indian team got after it returned having lost a one-day series to Pakistan.

“When we went to Pakistan to play one-dayers’ and we lost. When we came back home - as we lost with Pakistan - everyone was looking at us as if we were criminals. People only talk about highs and lows on the field. These experiences teach you a lot. They help you to lead a balance life,” he said.

He also brought out the other side of reactions. Referring to the 1997 ODI series in Canada, Tendulkar said, "We beat Pakistan 4-1 and the reception we got in Delhi was incredible. About 5000-7000 fans were there to receive us at the airport at two in the morning. They threw garlands and roses at us. We were treated like kings," he recalled.

Tharoor meanwhile hoped the two countries would be seen facing off on field again provided Pakistan agrees to take action against anti-India forces and clamp down on terror and related activities.

“We will be playing once again provided certain things happen in bilateral relationship, some more progress in action is needed from Pakistan. The issue is to create right environment and it needs to be done . The PM has signaled very clearly that India is ready to do everything , What happened on 26/11 in India is not dealt effectively in Pakistan,” he said.

I can never match Sachin: Sehwag

NEW DELHI: He has been compared to the great Sachin Tendulkar time and again, but swashbuckling opener Virender Sehwag is not sure that he can ever match upto his childhood idol.

Sehwag was compared to Tendulkar when he first broke into the Indian side and his explosive batting style coupled with a remarkable physical similiarity with the little master means the duo are indisguishable when they are out in the middle.

Sehwag, however, was keen to assert that he has a long way to go before he can come anywhere near Tendulkar's stature.

''I wanted to become a Tendulkar, but that's not possible because he is a God of cricket. When I was watching him on television, I tried to copy every single shot,'' Sehwag said.

The right-hander is currently battling to be fit for the ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa this September after a shoulder surgery ruled him out of the ICC World Twenty20.

But although he is regarded as a dasher, well suited to the shorter forms of the game, the 'Nawab of Najafgarh' revealed that he is motivated to keep proving critics of his aggressive style wrong by continuing to score heavily in Test cricket as well.

''In Test matches I'm very cautious,'' Sehwag told a private news channel.
''I want to score more runs and I want to score big runs and I want to prove everyone wrong because when I came to the Indian team everybody was saying 'he's only a one day player, he cannot bat in Test cricket,'' he added.