eBay begins auctions; pvt coaching camp with Sachin in offing

New Delhi, Sep 30 (PTI) Here's some good news for all Sachin Tendulkar fans. If you wish to attend a private coaching camp and share lunch with the batting maestro it is now just a few clicks away.

Online marketplace eBay India has started a charity auction which offers the opportunity for interested people.

The original script of the film 'Jab We Met' autographed by its director Imtiaz Ali and original movie memorabilia from the scenes of 'Love Aaj Kal' with Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone, are also on auction.

The bidding for these auctions start at Rs 1,001.

As part of the private coaching camp, Tendulkar would train the highest bidder on batting technique and also provide inputs on fitness, among others, eBay said in a statement.

There would also be a lunch and a photo-opportunity with Tendulkar.

Sachin Tendulkar speaks on 'big gift of joy'

Sep 27, Times of India

Click Here for Photos

As I reflect upon the forthcoming Joy of Giving Week, I realise that the joy of giving, for me, lies
in the happiness one sees on the face of the person receiving the gift. I have personally experienced this joy both as a giver and receiver of gifts. I remember how incredulously happy I was on being gifted leg guards by Hemant Kenkre when I was still in my early days of cricket. This was followed by a bat gifted to me by Dilip Vengsarkar when I was first selected for the Ranji team. And the same joy resurfaced when Sunil Gavaskar gifted me pads when I was chosen to play for India. On each of these occasions, I felt sheer delight that these people thought of me, and gave something of themselves to me. And I could see the same joy reflected on their faces.

Today, I continue to experience this joy as a giver of gifts. One incident etched in my memory, is when I gifted my father and brother a car as a surprise. My brother had come to visit and even as he was admiring the car downstairs, I gave him the keys and told him it was his. To this day, I can recall the look on his face, surprise giving way to joy.

All of us like to receive gifts, no matter how privileged we are, but it is important for us to count our blessings and share willingly. My daughter Sara, has imbibed this valuable lesson. Last year on her 10th birthday, she decided to forgo gifts for herself and instead, decided to host a party for the underprivileged children with the money she was gifted. The memories of the party she organized are worthy of being cherished and I am very proud of what went through in little Sara’s head. This is what appeals to me in the Joy of Giving Week — that people from all walks of life can give. This year, in addition to giving money, which is the easier part, I am offering a one-day cricket coaching camp for auction. The proceeds will benefit underprivileged children at Apnalaya.

In our country, there are so many less privileged, less fortunate people, that any small thing that we feel is no good in our hands, is like gold for someone else. So it is important to give what we can — from a pen to a watch to money, Rs100 to Rs1 lakh, whatever you feel you can give. Eventually, added up across all of us in India, it becomes a substantial amount. And it doesn’t even have to be money — you can give your time, skills or resources. Spend a day with elderly people who are isolated or children who need attention and experience the joy yourself.

I strongly believe that it is also very important to think of what the other person would like when we make a gift. I experienced this on Aug 15, when I gave a young girl selling flags at the traffic lights, a lot more money than the Rs2 the flag was worth. The look on the girls face told me the money meant a lot to her. I don’t think a watch or a shirt would have meant much to her. True joy comes from giving someone something that they need, knowing that your giving will bring joy to that person’s life.

I appeal to the people of India to be a part of this Joy of Giving Week that we are all looking forward to. There are so many people in our country capable of giving on a large scale, if all of them step forward, we can make all changes we are dreaming of for our country, possible, maybe even in our own lifetimes. It is all about taking small steps, but keep taking those steps consistently. So let’s begin this Week!

Injury keeps Tendulkar away from bowling

Centurion: Ahead of the must-win match against Australia here on Monday, it is Sachin Tendulkar's injury that is worrying India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Dhoni revealed after their 54-run loss to Pakistan on Saturday evening that India missed a part-time bowler. He said he couldn't use Tendulkar since the batting maestro is suffering from a shoulder injury. The shoulder has troubled Tendulkar from a long time. Dhoni looked uncomfortable when asked about Tendulkar's injury. "Tendulkar has a shoulder injury and he can't consistently bowl. He is our main batsman and we don't want him injured," he said.

Tendulkar is my inspiration: Yuki Bhambri

Sep 26, ToI

KOLKATA: Fresh from his memorabale Davis Cup debut, India's new teen sensation Yuki Bhambri on Saturday said he draws inspiration from cricket
icon Sachin Tendulkar to deliver at the highest level.

"At this level, expectation will be there. There are hopes of a billion people on Tendulkar to hit a century every time he takes the bat. He is still the best player and continues to perform for the country," the 17-year-old Delhi lad said.

"Tendulkar is one of my idols whom I love to watch and draw inspiration from. In tennis, I like Rafael Nadal among the present crop of players and Pete Sampras from the past."

Replacing injured Leander Paes in the Davis Cup tie against South Africa, Yuki defeated Izak Van der Merwe in the dead fifth rubber to complete India's comprehensive 4-1 win.

Yuki said he dreams of bettering the record of Paes, who recently won the US Open doubles title with Lukas Dlouhy.

"You can never really replace a legend like Leander Paes, he is such a great player. But hopefully I will do even better than him (Paes). The goal is to play the Grand Slam in a couple of years and to be among the best in the world.

"But there is still time for that and there is a lot of improvements to be done," Yuki told.

I am living my dream: Sachin Tendulkar

It was the winter of 1989 when a 16-year old Sachin Tendulkar made his debut for India against Pakistan, their fiercest rival. He came armed with an already formidable opposition and began the journey that scaled a summit that a few would imagine was possible.

Twenty years later, Sachin Tendulkar is a legend among his peers and a colossal that history would place on a heady pedestal. He still plays the game with limitless enthusiasm and continues to enchant.

CNN-IBN brings you the man himself, his unmatched success and the hunger that continues to drive him on in Tendulkar@20 in his own words.

CNN-IBN: Are you still as excited as ever to begin a new season of cricket?

Sachin Tendulkar: I am always excited to play cricket. Twenty years ago, it was a similar kind of excitement and today also it's the same. When it's cricket, the heart starts beating faster and it's not just me, but everyone around us. They all are looking forward to the season and so am I.

CNN-IBN: As you said, as the season starts, the heart starts beating faster but now you must know how to deal with the positive nervous energy in a much better way than when you were 16.

Sachin Tendulkar: Initially, I didn't realise this but as time went by I came to know that this is how my body gears up before a big game. I am a little restless and that's how my body is preparing and my subconscious mind is getting ready for the event. Now I am used to it. So I like it when I am a little restless. I'm comfortable with it.

CNN-IBN: Have you redefined the word genius? In two months time, you will become the second cricketer to complete two decades in international cricket. How do you look back at this entire journey?

Sachin Tendulkar: It's been a fantastic journey. I thoroughly enjoyed it and every moment has been a special one. Playing for India means the world to me. I grew up dreaming about playing for India and I am living my dream. It's almost going to be 20 years now.

I am thankful to God that I have been given the opportunity to play for the country for such a long period. I have been fortunate because so many people dream of playing for the nation and I have been doing it for a couple of decades. So I am quite happy about it.

CNN-IBN: You have broken almost all records a batsman can. So now what motivates you personally, apart from the team goals like winning a World Cup for India? Do you aspire to get 15, 000 runs or hundred centuries?

Sachin Tendulkar: First of all, when you play for India, you do not need any external factor to motivate you. When you play for India, you are motivated from within. I don't think anybody plays for the records. Records are just mere reflection of what I have been able to do for the country. It's just my contribution.

While playing, if records are broken, it's great. But what we look to do is go step by step towards achieving the team's target. And while achieving that the various things that happen are always welcomed. The most important thing is the team's glory and that's what we all focus on.

CNN-IBN: But someone as Roger Federer aims to have this many grand slam titles. Do you see yourself achieving 15, 000 runs? Is it something you are looking to achieve?

Sachin Tendulkar: I have never said I want to score 15, 000 runs. When I achieved 10, 000 runs Sunil Gavaskar said to me that I should achieve 15, 000. And that was what I was asked and I answered that if my hero tells me to do something, I have to put a big effort to do that. And that is where it ended.

It was projected differently. I have never made such big statements. I would like to enjoy the game. And if it has to happen, it will happen.

The only target that I can say I was given was 35 Test hundreds because we grew up watching Sunil Gavaskar and every now and then his examples were used. And if you wanted to be regarded as one of the greatest players, then you have to get to 34 hundreds and go past that. That was the target. I am quite happy because Gavaskar played a role in motivating all of us and left such a legacy that the next generation got inspired by what he did. And in every step in our cricketing life, we have used his example.

My son doesn't like it when I leave home: Tendulkar

New Delhi, Sep 19 (PTI) In a two-decade long career, the only bouncer Sachin Tendulkar found tough to negotiate came from his own son, who would refuse to speak to him on phone during tours out of sheer annoyance over his absence from home.

Tendulkar, who will complete two decades in international cricket in November, disclosed that his son did not like him leaving home frequently and wouldn't come on phone until six years of age.

"It was tough initially because my son did not like it when I left home. For the first five-six years of his life, he did not speak to me on phone. That was difficult for me," Tendulkar said.

"Now he (Arjun) knows what I do and he appreciates that; so that's nice. I am a family man and they now know that I play cricket for India," he added.

PTI

Tendulkar is only improving with age: Akram

New Delhi : Impressed with Sachin Tendulkar's match-winning 44th century against Sri Lanka at the Compaq Cup final, former Pakistan captain and pace legend Wasim Akram said the Indian batting maestro is like a vintage wine who is only getting better with age.
"He is improving with age. He is becoming greater with time. I don't know when he will stop playing cricket. He is just amazing. At the end of his career, Sachin would set all the possible batting records," Akram said.

Tendulkar scored a classy 138 against Sri Lanka at the sultry Colombo conditions to help India register a convincing 46-run win and lift the title.

The 36-year-old mesmerised the ground with his classy strokeplay as he smashed 10 fours and a six in his 133-ball innings to set the platform for the win.

"It was Sachin's knock that won the game for India. Sachin was superb in his strokeplay and even though there were useful contributions from (Rahul) Dravid, (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni and Yuvraj (Singh), it was a total Sachin show," Akram said.

Incidentally, suffering from cramps at the fag end of his innings, it was for the first time in his One-day career that Tendulkar called for a runner (Dravid).

"He must be super-duper fit, that's for sure. To come with such a marathon knock in humid condition is a job well done. It shows how well he has prepared his body even at this age. The youngsters must learn from him," the fast bowling great said.

SOURCE : Cricket Nirvana

Tendulkar's 'shell house' designs a net hoax

India Today
September 16, 2009

A Bengali topline daily in Kolkata flashed on its frontpage on Monday that global brand Mexican architect, Javier Senosian, was designing an organic weird shell house for Sachin Tendulkar bang in the middle of Mumbai and even carried photographs as "first images" of what was purportedly the master blaster's TV room.

It was too good to be true and seemed outlandish though brilliant. The paper also said that the house, worth Rs 30 crores spread over 9000 sq feet, was being built on Carter Road in Mumbai and gave a host of reasons as to why Tendulkar was shifting.

The photographs kindled interest and a search on the net revealed hundreds of matches saying the same thing but what jarred was the look of the house, shaped like a snail with its snout out of the shell, which looked hopelessly out of place in Mumbai. It looked more weird and bizarre than imaginative. The Bengali newspaper also praised Tendulkar's "great sense of imagination." Incidentally, the report was written by a topline sports journalist who, it has always been thought, was close to Tendulkar and other international cricketers. Obviously, no one doubted the story.

This correspondent, however, rang up the Mexican designer in Mexico City after a look at his homepage showed photographs which had appeared on the net and thence in the Bengali newspaper but clearly said that the Nautilus House as it is called in Mexico City had no plans of replication anywhere else. The internet stories could be a fake.

It was early morning in Mexico and Senosian himself picked up the phone. First, he hardly knew English. Second, he was rudely jolted early in the morning by a name as unfamiliar as Tendulkar and this correspondent had to spell it out for him. "No, no…what is cricket? I have never been to India and this is nothing concerning me, "he spluttered."

Who is Senor Tendulkar?" he asked incredulously.

Later he sent India Today an email which reads simply: "Your query about the Shell House is accepted. That's not true, this house is not in Mumbai, India, and Sachin Tendulkar is not the owner of this house. The house is in Mexico City and Javier Senosian, Mexican architect, has designed and built it here in Mexico. He has never been to India. I have a house like a shell but we call it Nautilus House, and I don't have any work in India."

Sachin Tendulkar masterclass has Phillip Hughes on high

IF ANYONE knows what it's like to be a small man with a bat facing up to the world's fiercest fast bowlers, it's India's Little Master Sachin Tendulkar.

So it came as no surprise that Tendulkar immediately hit it off with Australia's own little man, Phillip Hughes, when the pair met over a casual lunch in India earlier this month.

But what was discussed will forever remain a mystery, except to the pair and a handful of security guards at a plush hotel in Mumbai.

Hughes, 20, who joined his NSW teammates for the first time yesterday since his sudden Ashes axing, gave nothing away to The Daily Telegraph about his two-hour chat with the world's most prolific Test run-scorer.

Hughes wasn't commenting about pointers, batting tips or training advice.

According to Hughes, with a straight face, the short ball the English bowlers successfully adopted during the Ashes did not come up. Batting slumps also failed to rate.

"I don't think Sachin has ever had one,'' Hughes quipped.

The NSW opener was polite, but insistent on keeping the crux of his pow-wow with Tendulkar extremely hush-hush.

"The first thing I did say to him was, 'I think I've got you covered height-wise', and that hasn't happened too often,'' said Hughes, who stands at 170cm compared with 165cm Tendulkar.

"Sachin had just finished a gym session and we basically had a casual conversation over lunch and coffee.

"We did speak about a couple of things, but I won't let on too much.

"I had questions for him, and he had a few questions for me, mainly about my family. I do know I felt refreshed after meeting him. I grew up watching him on TV and it will be one meeting I never forget.''

Hughes was shown the door by selectors after the second Test at Lord's, despite starring on debut in South Africa a few months earlier.

The left-hander is determined to force his way back into Australia's starting XI as early as this summer.

He said the one thing the meeting with Tendulkar - the 159-Test veteran who has amassed nearly 12,800 runs - did do was help ease the disappointment of his Ashes exit.

Hughes is keen to perform well for NSW, including at next month's Twenty20 Champions League in India, where he will join forces at the top of the order with big-hitting youngster David Warner.

Hughes' Blues coach Matt Mott praised the youngster for seeking out Tendulkar. "Any time you can pick the brains of a great player, especially if they're a Test player, it's got to be a great opportunity,'' Mott said.

"We were fortunate enough to have Steve Waugh come in and speak to the [NSW] players last week and you could tell by their questions they were genuinely excited to pick the brains of a great.

"I thought it was a great initiative to go and see Tendulkar, and the fact he gave up his time is great for Phil and I'm sure he'll take a lot out of that.''

Mott said he had spoken to national selectors and Hughes was still in their short-term sights.

"Phil is only 20 years old, most blokes haven't debuted until 24 or 25, and he has showed he can do it at that level, so I'm sure he will be frustrated if he's not back in there sooner rather than later,'' Mott said.

Sachin Tendulkar returns to top 10 of ICC Rankings

Dubai, Sep 15 (PTI) Riding on his fantastic performance in the tri-series in Sri Lanka, veteran Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar today returned to the top-10 of ICC one-day rankings, rising five places to seventh.

For the first time in 10 months, Tendulkar is among the world's top 10 after scoring his 44th one-day century for India, earning his team a 46-run victory over Sri Lanka in the final of the tri-series in Colombo yesterday.

Tendulkar scored 138 to lay the foundation of India's winning total of 320.

Tendulkar, also the leading run-scorer in the series with 211 runs, had slipped out of the top-10 after the home series against England in November 2008 and had rested for the first three ODIs of the five-match series which India won 5-0.

Tendulkar dedicates match-winning ton to Dungarpur; recalls how Rajbhai made the difference

Senior Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar, on Tuesday, dedicated his match-winning hundred against Sri Lanka in the tri-series final to former BCCI chief Raj Singh Dungarpur, who died on Saturday.

"(I) would like to dedicate this hundred to Mr Raj Singh," Tendulkar said in a short message on Tuesday.

Tendulkar described Dungarpur's death as a terrible loss. "It's a terrible loss for us to recover from," said the 36-year-old champion batsman who was pitch forked into the international arena at the tender age of 16 by the Dungarpur-led national selection panel in 1989-90.

During his stint as the Cricket Club of India President, Dungarpur bent its rules to allow Tendulkar to use its dressing room as a 14-year-old.

The 73-year-old died following protracted illness on Saturday and was cremated in his home town the next day.

Mumbai: Raj Singh Dungarpur's largesse had touched the heart of a 14-year-old Sachin Tendulkar in 1987 and on Tuesday, at a remembrance meeting at the Cricket Club of India (CCI), the maestro paid unbridled tribute to one of the finest statesman and cricket romantic.

Tendulkar dedicated his century against Sri Lanka, one which he termed as one of his best, to Dungarpur and said the former BCCI president would have been pleased with the way the team bounced back in the tri-series final after a 139-run loss in the previous game.

"The Star Cricket Club was to play in England, but as I came from a middle-class family I couldn't afford to be on that tour. This is when he helped me get a sponsorship. I was in England for a month and came back wiser for the experience," Tendulkar recalled.

When Tendulkar made 70-odd against a CCI side led by Madhav Apte, the knock caught Dungarpur's eye. Dungarpur invited Tendulkar to use the facilities at the club. At a school match final at the CCI, Tendulkar once again impressed Dungarpur and then skipper Dilip Vengsarkar.

"I was invited to bat at the Indian team's practice nets and Rajbhai watched me closely. At the end of the session he told me to play my natural game and encouraged me. He was always approachable and always said something positive. When the doors of opportunity closed on any cricketer, who was talented and skillful, he would ensure that another door opened," Tendulkar added.

Dungarpur's passion for the game was infectious. "We had the opportunity to spend 45 days with him during India's tour of Pakistan in 2006. Seeing his enthusiasm for the game one would have thought he was a teenager and not a 70-year-old man. He watched every ball closely and applauded whenever he felt good cricket was being played."

Tendulkar also suggested that the main gate at the CCI be named after its former president who was in charge of the club's affair for nearly 14 years. BCCI chief administrative officer Prof Ratnakar Shetty read out condolence messages from former Cricket South Africa chief Ali Bacher, Waqar Nissar, the son of Mohammad Nissar, the fast bowler who took six wickets at Lord's in 1932 and ICC umpire of the year Simon Taufel.

Shetty suggested that the CCI revive their cricket academy in the memory of Dungarpur. Shetty highlighted Dungarpur's initiatives, including instituting the CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement award, starting the welfare scheme for former cricketers, establishing the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore and appointment of a consultant coach Bob Simpson, physiotherapist and trainer for the Indian team in 1997.

Among others present were--Bapu Nadkarni, Dilip Vengsarkar, Sandeep Patil, Karsan Ghavri, Balwinder Singh Sandhu, Milind Rege and Ajit Agarkar.

'One of my best innings' - Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar has rated his risk-free 138 against Sri Lanka in the final of the Compaq Cup as one of his best innings. His 44th one-day hundred propelled India to 319, which proved 46 runs too many for Sri Lanka.

"This is one of my best innings. I will rate this up considering the conditions and the ground, the humidity," Tendulkar said. His superbly paced innings fetched him his 59th Man-of-the-Match award besides helping him to yet another Man-of-the-Series award. It capped a successful return for Tendulkar, who had to miss the one-day series against West Indies earlier this year due to a finger injury.

Tendulkar said India's success was due to the current team having more match-winners than before. "I think in this lot we have got match-winners and more big hitters as such and you know the guys have delivered at the crunch moment. It could be with bat or ball. But they have been delivering pretty consistently and you know they are all talented guys. You need match-winners to win consistently. That is what this team is about."

Tendulkar said this team was among the top ones he had played for since debuting in 1989. "There have been so many great names. I would not want to run anyone down by making comparisons about teams. I would like to respect the fact that I was fortunate to be part of various generations. This is definitely one of the top teams I have been part of. We have always tried to win but we have been able to produce results in the last couple of years or so. We have been able to perform pretty consistently. There are going to be upsets in between but if you look at the larger picture, we have had better days."

India's victory was only their fourth in ODI finals in 21 attempts since 2000, and their first trophy in Sri Lanka since 1998. MS Dhoni played his part in setting up the win with a brisk 56 after promoting himself to No. 3. "The victory is special," Dhoni said, "It feels great to win a trophy in Sri Lanka after such a long time. Being the second-placed team in world rankings we have to keep performing well to sustain the quality."

Despite the big total, India had to endure some anxious moments as Sri Lanka's batsmen battled hard till the end (Tendulkar said he had "no nails left" after the match see-sawed its way to the finish). The home side were helped by some tardy Indian fielding; two catches were grassed and several run-out chances were missed. The fast bowlers were also off the boil early on, wilting in the face of an onslaught from the Sri Lankan openers. "We have got to learn from our mistakes," Dhoni said. "We did lack a bit in the fielding and bowling departments and both are very crucial. Thankfully, we ended on the winning side today."

Dhoni dedicated the win to the former BCCI president, Raj Singh Dungarpur, who died on Saturday. "He was the manager during our tour to Pakistan [in 2005-06]. He was a great man. We dedicate the victory to him."

India's next assignment is the Champions Trophy, which kicks off on September 22 in South Africa.

Sachin Tendulkar Scores his 44th ODI 100 in Compaq Cup Finals

For pictures of Sachin @ Compaq Cup / Tri Series Finals Click Here

For Stats Guru Updates Click Here

Sachin Speaks out on his 44th century - Click Here

Videos to be uploaded shortly

Why This innings of master is so special ??

First, see how master Played against all bowlers! (images below)

Just look at the wagon..

84 runs on off side. That shows his dominance on off side 2day. The day before he played many shots on leg side when wicket was very slow!!

And of course the 52 singles at the age of 36.

With this 100, Sachin Tendulkar is back to top 10 in the ICC Reliance ODI Rankings (No. 7)

Stats Guru : Compaq Cup Finals - How it affected Sachin's stats!!

# Sachin Tendulkar's 138 was his sixth hundred in 38 innings in finals, and it pushed his overall average in such matches up to an impressive 55.54. In his last three finals, he has notched up scores of 117 not out, 91 and 138, and India have won each of those matches.

# In all, Tendulkar has scored 1833 runs in finals, which is easily the highest - Sanath Jayasuriya is next with 1613. Tendulkar also ranks very high in terms of all-time averages in finals: among those who've scored at least 500 runs in finals, only three have a higher average. One of them is India's current coach, Gary Kirsten - in 20 innings, he scored 1019 runs at an excellent average of 69.73. Tendulkar's stats are very similar to those of Viv Richards, who averaged 55.73 at a strike rate of 84.78 in 17 finals. Brian Lara, on the other hand, has struggled in finals, averaging only 28.16, more than 12 runs below his career average. His one century and two fifties all came in his first four innings; in his last 14 finals, his highest score was 35.

# The Man-of-the-Match award was Tendulkar's 59th in ODIs, and his eighth in finals. It was also his 14th Player-of-the-Series award. Tendulkar leads the all-time list in both categories - he is 11 clear of the second-placed Jayasuriya in the match awards and three ahead in the series awards.

TO BE UPDATED

Dungarpur, the man who introduced Tendulkar to the world

MUMBAI: Former BCCI president Raj Singh Dungarpur, who died on Saturday at the age of 73 after protracted illness, will be remembered in the history of Indian cricket as the chief selector who introduced Sachin Tendulkar at the international stage.

Affectionately called as 'Rajbhai' in cricket fraternity, Dungarpur headed the selection panel that chose Tendulkar in the team captained by Krish Srikkanth for the tour to Pakistan in 1989-90.

Dungarpur, who died as a bachelor, was also instrumental in amending the rules of the Cricket Club of India to allow Tendulkar to use its dressing room as a 14-year-old in an effort to smoothen things for the champion batsman very early in his glittering career.

It was also a selection panel with Dungarpur at its helm that elevated Mohammed Azharuddin as the captain of the Indian team and paved the way for what he later termed as the "Team of the Nineties" which included Tendulkar and Anil Kumble, among others.

"Mian, captaan banoage," were the famous words he uttered to Azharuddin before making the Hyderabad stylist the captain as replacement for out-of-form Srikkanth in 1989-90 when India toured New Zealand.

ICC open to limited-overs changes

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has agreed to conduct an experiment to split one-day matches into two innings of 25 overs for each team.

Indian great Sachin Tendulkar recently suggested 50-over matches be played over two innings to provide similar overhead conditions for both teams.

ICC cricket manager Dave Richardson said a trial could be introduced soon.

"I quite like that idea, I believe South Africa may trial something along those lines," he told BBC Sport.

"This might work in day/night cricket where one team has to bat in day and the other at night.

"It provides something different and reduces the effects on the team who loses the toss and has to bat first on a damp wicket, for example."

Richardson revealed the concept of two 25-over innings had been proposed a number of times and resurfaced once again at the ICC's cricket committee annual meeting at Lord's in May.

The proposal could breathe new life into the limited overs format, which has been increasingly threatened by the meteoric rise in popularity of Twenty20 cricket.

The England and Wales Cricket Board recently agreed to scrap the Friends Provident trophy, the only 50-over domestic cricket tournament, in favour of an expanded Twenty20 competition along with a 40-over format.

The ECB's decision was made despite the fact the Cricket World Cup and Champions Trophy, which begins on 22 September in South Africa, are played in a 50-overs format.

Tendulkar, the highest Test and one-day international run scorer in history, said 50-overs cricket is becoming too formulaic because results of "close to 75% of matches" could be predicted after the toss.

But two innings of 25 overs would create new strategies and drastically reduce the influence of winning the toss in favourable conditions.

Although Richardson is eager to prevent results becoming predictable, he is concerned that splitting the innings could take away scoring opportunities for the batsmen.

He added: "I don't necessarily like the idea of playing two matches of 25 overs each with the openers batting again. The charm of one-day cricket is seeing someone batting at four and scoring a good hundred.

"If you bat in the middle order of a Twenty20 or a new 25-over innings, you're not to get much of an opportunity to hit three figures, one downside of the Twenty20 game."

South Africa looks set to trial the changes during one of the rounds its domestic season, although a Cricket South Africa spokesman said the matter was still in discussion and no firm dates have been set.

However, Richardson said the experiment would have to be trialled successfully at domestic level before implementing any changes to the international game.

"The bottom line is if we can come up with a product that is better than the existing one, then everyone would like to look at it," he added.

"If it has been trialled successfully at domestic level, it may give the trial to give it the go-ahead at international level.

"The ICC has been proactive with ideas and innovations, like the powerplays. The idea of the 'super-sub' (scrapped in March 2006) wasn't as successful and got rid of quite quickly.

"One of the criticisms was that we trialled things at international as opposed to domestic level.

"Our tactics going forward are member countries trial changes first domestically and if they are successful, then we can take them on board at the international level."

The ICC's cricket committee is set to meet again in 2010 when the results of the experiment will be discussed.

The Sachin Tendulakars New House - Shell house at Bandra, Mumbai

Sachin’s long dream of getting a new house for him is been finally accomplished by the little master.Sachin got his new house in sub urban Mumbai in Carter Road, Bandra West.Dorab Villa was purchased by Sachin for Rs 35 crores. Dorba Villa was orginally built in 1920 square feet of 10,000 and the house was occupied by a Parsi family.Sachin is very hapy man since his long dream has come true.

Pictures of Sachin Tendulkar with his new Adidas Bat

 

 

Latest Pics (Pictures) of Sachin with his new Adidas Bat

Joy of Giving: Tendulkar, Premji, Sachin Pilot to join forces

Bangalore: Sachin Tendulkar, Azim Premji, K. V. Kamath, Sachin Pilot, Nandita Das and Rahul Bose all have pledged their support to the Joy of Giving Week, to be celebrated all over India from 27 September to 3 October.

They, along with several others from different walks of life, have not only promised to endorse the Week but also agreed to make specific contributions of time, skills, money and resources.

Conceptualised by GiveIndia, the initiative aims to get people from all walks of life together to engage in acts of giving—money, time, skills or simple acts of kindness—its Director Venkat Krishnan told a press conference, which was also attended by cricketer Rahul Dravid and former badminton ace Prakash Padukone.

Dravid would deliver a talk (for which tickets would be sold) to business leaders offering his thoughts on the pursuit of excellence, during the Week. “All proceeds from this talk will be donated to Dream A Dream, the NGO that I am supporting”, the former India captain said.

Padukone, the former All England Badminton Champion, said Tata Academy, which he runs, would provide free orientation to badminton to 200-300 underprivileged children during the week.

“India needs a movement like this,” Padukone said. “I call upon companies, government, schools, colleges, celebrities and the general public to join in the Joy of Giving Week in whatever way they would like to”.

Krishnan said GiveIndia is a ‘philanthropy exchange´ that connects individual donors to more than 200 NGOs that have undergone rigorous due deligence.

He said volunteer groups in Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore, besides Ahmedabad, have planned various initiatives in these cities. The week would include various events nationally.

Personalities such as Surya, Madhavan and Shriya Saran in Tamil Nadu, Venkatesh, Nagarjuna and P. Gopichand in Hyderabad, Geet Sethi and Mallika Sarabhai in Ahmedabad will endorse the week.

The Joy of Giving Week aims to have two crore Indians engage in “acts of giving”, Krishnan said.

The Week would be held annually in the week of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary.

Hard to imagine life without cricket: Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar is on the verge of history. Not many cricketers can dream of playing two decades in international cricket. Graham Gooch was the last to do so. Now the Mumbai batsman will join that elite list when he completes 20 years of international cricket in November.

Who can forget the baby-faced Tendulkar starting his career as a 16-year-old against the Pakistani pace battery -- comprising the legendary Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis -- and coming out with flying colours.

The ace batsman, who is currently the highest run-getter in Tests (12,773 runs -- 42 hundreds -- in 159 matches) and One-Day Internationals (16,684 runs -- 43 hundreds -- in 425 matches) still vividly remembers what spurred him to such a long career.

"I remember during my first international tour, to Pakistan, Kapil Dev had challenged me to play at least 10 years for the country and I am glad that I have doubled that. I am quite pleased with what I have achieved so far.

"It is a great feeling to complete 20 years in international cricket. It was always a dream to play for the country; didn't think when I started that I would play for so long," said Tendulkar at a function to launch adidas's range of cricketing equipment in India.

Despite giving his all to the sport in the last 20 years, it is hard to see the 36-year-old hanging his gloves anytime soon.

"Cricket is an integral part of my life and it is hard to imagine life without cricket," he asserted.

Tendulkar also admitted that he is very fussy when it comes to the cricketing gear he uses.

"I am very particular about bats, about pads, about gloves and about shoes. I can get fussy to a certain extent because I want to get everything right. Cricket is so important for me that I cannot compromise on anything and this has been my habit right from my early days."

Asked how he decides on which is the best bat for him by just knocking the middle of the blade, he replied: "The bat speaks to me and that is how I can make out whether it is a good bat or not."

Over the years, Tendulkar was laid low many a time with injuries, which some expert believe was due to the weight of the heavy bat he uses. But the batting ace differs, and with good reason at that.

"I have spoken to specialists who believe that if I use a lighter bat it will have more impact on my elbow. I have tried using lighter bats but it didn't work, maybe because it didn't have a similar bat swing," he said.

Adidas has introduced cricket bats, balls, protective gear, including gloves, pads, helmets and other accessories which will be priced between Rs 549 and Rs 13,999. The hardware products have undergone high-performance evaluations with the England and Wales Cricket Board at the Loughborough University's Performance Training Centre.

Sachin Tendulkar to Sport Adidas Logo on Bat

 

 

Latest Pics (Pictures) of Sachin with his new Adidas Bat

Sachin Tendulkar has come a long way from that fresh-faced boy who debuted at the age of 16 in Karachi, against the Pakistanis.Now, he is a living legend to whom all of Indian cricket is looking up to.

Twenty years ago, when Sachin Tendulkar entered the imagination of the cricketing world, "Power" the sports goods brand was visible prominently on his bat.

A few years later he went on to attain legendary status and also drove the "MRF" brand along with him to attain cult status amongst his Fan Followers,thanks to its visibility on his broad bat.The "MRF Bat" has been the one he has been using since ages now and it has featured in almost everywhere he has been and done that,from being depicted as a GOD to His Madame Tussauds wax statue and through many Centuries

But as the 36-year-old takes fresh guard this season, the red initials of the tyre company will be replaced by global sports goods firm "Adidas".

Click Here for Latest pics of Sachin with his Adidas Bat

Indian opening batsman Gautam Gambhir is MRF’s new brand ambassador. K.M. Mammen, Chairman and Managing Director, MRF Limited, made this announcement here on Friday.

Rahane drawing inspiration from Tendulkar

Ajinkya Rahane has achieved the primary goal of sharing dressing room with idol Sachin Tendulkar and the Mumbai top order batsman now wants to see his other dream -- of making India debut -- come true.

Playing for Mumbai Indians in the second Indian Premier League in South Africa , Rahane fulfilled his long-cherished dream of sharing the dressing room with his idol.

"It was a dream-come-true for me to share the dressing room with Sachin bhai. I was on top of the world. I not only shared the dressing room with him but also batted with him, sharing a 70-plus partnership in a match," an awe-struck Rahane, in Dharamshala to represent Indian Oil in the BCCI Corporate Cup, told PTI.

"Sachin bhai is my role model, right from childhood, not just on the field but off the field also. He inspired me to start playing cricket and now I am drawing inspiration from him to make it to the Indian team some day," he said.

The right-hander said interaction with Tendulkar helped him to brush off the cobwebs and he learnt a lot from the master batsman.

"He helped me a lot in correcting my flaws in batting and gave me tips. I have learnt a lot from him," he said.

Rahane became only the 11th Indian player to have scored 1000 runs in a single Ranji season last year but the Mumbaikar believes it was his performance in the IPL II which caught the selectors' eye and earned him a place in the Champions Trophy list of probables.

"It was great to perform with the bat in IPL in South Africa. It was a very challenging task and I am happy that I grabbed that opportunity in bowler-friendly conditions there," he said.

"IPL also gave me the chance to play alongside some star international cricketers," he added.

Rahane, however, could not make it when the Champions Trophy long list was pruned.

"It was great to be in the probables' list but at the end it is disappointing to not have made the final team. But this has made me even more determined to raise my performance this season," Rahane, who played a crucial factor in Mumbai's 38th Ranji title win, said.

With the likes of Yuvraj Singh , Rohit Sharma , Suresh Raina and captain MS Dhoni in the middle-oder, Rahane knows his entry would be far from a cakewalk, but the Mumbai lad said he would not shy away from competition.

"Actually, competition is something I love. It drives me to work harder and for any team, competition is a positive sign," Rahane signed off.

Hughes meets Sachin

Mumbai: Promising Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes had his dream come true when he met Sachin Tendulkar over dinner here on Monday.

There was no official confirmation, but sources said the 20-year-old opening batsman kept the Indian legend busy with his questions on batting and the game in general.

The New South Wales player hit the headlines with a century in each innings in the second Test against South Africa earlier this year, but his form suddenly deserted him during the Ashes series and was benched after the second Test.

In an attempt to sort out his batting woes, Hughes decided to take batting lessons from Neil D’Costa, who coaches at a private academy in Nagpur.

Source : The Telegraph (Calcutta)