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from Left field:
Domination in ODIs a thing of the past
Recent results in one-day cricket have not only made a mockery of the rankings but it has also injected some much-needed excitement in the format.
First, it was current No. 1 India, who lost to Pakistan (No. 6) at home, followed by third-ranked Australia, who fought hard to just level a series with visitors Sri Lanka. Then it was the turn of hosts South Africa to lose a three-match series to lower-ranked New Zealand.
Not surprisingly, India, South Africa and Australia were labelled easy “favourites” in those encounters but the results, which also took the pundits by surprise, are proof of the growing competition in ODI cricket.
There were several factors which worked in unison to produce those turnarounds.
Numerous changes in the rules, governing the ODIs, have made it difficult for captains to stick to a consistent plan. The changes have instead put the onus on teams to experiment, which has often rewarded the lesser sides.
from India Masala:
Ferrari Ki Sawaari: Would you please hurry up?
Towards the end of Rajesh Mapuskar's "Ferrari Ki Sawaari", as the protagonist and his son are re-united and embrace each other, cry and wipe the tears off each other's cheeks, an onlooker hesitantly asks "aap jaldi karenge zara?" (would you please hurry up?). It might sound like an insensitive thing to say, but perhaps that is what someone should have said to Mapuskar as he went about making this film.
Perhaps he might have restrained himself from writing a convoluted and at times contrived script that seems to stretch on for longer than its 2 hour 15 minute duration.
from India Insight:
Sachin Tendulkar: from Wankhede to parliament
So it's just a matter of time, according to media reports, before Sachin Tendulkar swaps his India jersey for starched white and walks into the Rajya Sabha.
While the clamour was growing to honour him with the Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian award, few expected him to be nominated to the upper house.
from The Great Debate (India):
Congratulate Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar is the first cricketer to score 100 international centuries, reaching the long-awaited milestone during the Asia Cup one-dayer against Bangladesh.
Since his 1989 Karachi debut, what the 38-year-old has accumulated is much more than scoring almost 34,000 international runs from 188 test matches, 462 one-dayers and one T20 international.
from India Insight:
“Controversially Yours”: More marketing than malice
Never far from controversy in his playing days, Shoaib Akhtar has kicked up quite a storm in India with his autobiography "Controversially Yours", questioning the integrity of most players he came across.
And one of them happens to be India’s favourite son Sachin Tendulkar, owner of virtually all batting records worth owning but still not a match-winner in Shoaib's book.
from India Insight:
Of Tendulkar, Bharat Ratna and populism
It's rare for politicians to be of one mind in the world's biggest and arguably the noisiest democracy.
The government is about to tweak guidelines to make sportspersons (read Sachin Tendulkar) eligible for India's highest civilian award -- the Bharat Ratna.
from The Great Debate (India):
Congratulate Team India
Mahendra Singh Dhoni struck a dramatic six to bring the World Cup to India on Saturday after Sri Lanka had threatened to ruin their party.
India is only the third side to win batting second, a feat that seemed beyond them when Lasith Malinga dismissed both openers in his first four overs. India also became the first country to win the World Cup as host.
from The Great Debate (India):
Congratulate Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar is the first player to score 50 test centuries, reaching 107 not out on the fourth day of India's first cricket test against South Africa on Sunday. Here's your chance to congratulate Sachin, share your views and comments.
(Click here to view slideshow)
from Photographers Blog:
Sachin Tendulkar in all his cricket glory
I have always followed 'cricket' and 'news' but 'cricket news' has fascinated me like nothing else.
I was in school when news broke that a young boy was going to be part of the Indian cricket team to tour Pakistan under a new captain -- Krishnamachari Srikkant. No one in the world had any doubts about the talented young boy from Mumbai but to throw him in the deep end to face the pace battery of Pakistan, led by Wasim Akram and the spin wizardry of Abdul Qadir, who had earned himself a sobriquet of "Googly" for foxing the batsmen world over, had many questioning the wisdom of his selection.
from Left field:
The Sachin Tendulkar jinx
In getting out to debutant Peter George of Australia in the second cricket test at Bangalore, India's Sachin Tendulkar has established another test record.
Of the 251 times he has gotten out in a test match, the little master has been the debut wicket of at least ten bowlers - Hansie Cronje, Mark Ealham, Neil Johnson, Ruwan Kalpage, Jacob Oram, Monty Panesar, Ujesh Ranchod, Peter Siddle, Cameron White and Peter George.
