cricket

Damien Wright: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“I used to love watching him as a kid because he had the same last name as me.”

Damien Wright kids you not. If you have the same last name as him, he will be your fan for life. Lucky for him, that’s a whole lot of Wrights. D is New Zealand’s bowling coach while J is the head coach.

What he really meant:

“John Wright was a classy bat and it helped no little bit that he had the very same surname.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“I was offered the job because I had the same last name as John.”

Saurav Ganguly: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“You’ll not get another Sachin Tendulkar in a short time, or it could be you never get a Sachin Tendulkar.”

Saurav Ganguly is an unabashed Sachin Tendulkar fan.

What he really meant:

“A genius like Tendulkar comes along once in a generation or two.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“We’re cloning Tendulkars at Eden Gardens and Wankhede.”

Elizabeth Hurley: What she said, really meant and definitely did not

What she said:

"SW does not wear eye makeup or have an ‘eye liner tattoo’ – his eyes were born that way!"

Elizabeth Hurley rushes to the defence of  her boyfriend, Shane Warne, categorically denying that the blonde leg-spinner has been using her make-up to appear attractive.

What she really meant:

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and not in eyeliners!”

What she definitely didn’t:

“Beauty is skin-deep.Hence, I’m returning my Estee Lauder products.”

Saurav Ganguly: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“They are offering me honorary membership, and rightly so.”

Saurav Ganguly is insouciant about being offered honorary membership by the Marleybone Cricket Club (MCC) despite the disapproving eyebrows raised by his fellow commentator Nasser Hussain and traditionalists for his shirt-ripping stunt a few years ago at Lords.

What he really meant:

“It’s not the old stuffy Lords anymore. These guys recognise South Asian cricketers nowadays. Ask Sunny Gavaskar, ask Kumara Sangakkara.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“I’ll accept the honour bare-chested.”

Kevin Pietersen: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“But we don’t hate the Indians, we are friends with them.”

Kevin Pietersen—in his column—emphasises that his team enjoys a friendly rivalry with the Indian cricket team.

What he really meant:

“Of course, we’re pals. RCB, IPL, Vijay Mallya, cheerleaders—our common interests.And cricket, of course.”

 

What he definitely didn’t:

“Bamboozle me, Yuvi.”

Shane Warne: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“It will be a shoot-out between both bowling attacks."

Shane Warne believes that the better bowling side will take the honours in the India versus England Test series, beginning on the 21st of July, 2011.

What he really meant:

“The faster and the more furious, the better.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“It’s the Wild West all over again. Hey, wait a second, was cricket played out there—then?”

Andrew Strauss: What he said, what he really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

"We don’t want that fairytale to come true though."

Andrew Strauss is certain that his team has no intention of gifting Indian maestro, Sachin Tendulkar, his 100th century on the occasion of the 2000th Test —also the 100th five-day match between the two sides.

What he really meant:

“Fairy tales are bedtime reading. Tons are hard won. The only magic is hard work and grit.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“We’ll have Kevin Pietersen, our Prince Charming, bowl to Sachin.”

Andrew Strauss: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

"No-one has a God-given right to play in the XI.”

Andrew Strauss is faced with a problem of plenty for the first Test against India at Lords.

What he really meant:

“The starting XI is to be the best form players of the moment.  A place in the XI has to be earned, it’s no gift.”

What he definitely didn’t add:

“Not even me.”

Rahul Dravid: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“We are still getting used to his sense of humour. But he has got one — a very good one when you get to know him.”

Rahul Dravid and the rest of his buddies in the Indian squad are getting to know the Indian coach, Duncan Fletcher, better, beginning with his sense of humour.

What he really meant:

“Fletcher’s sense of humour is growing on us. It’s like sushi—an acquired taste.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Fletcher’s a stand-up comedian.”

Farooq Abdullah: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“Politicians have keys to open doors which others do not have.”

Dr. Farooq Abdullah is sanguine about the role of politicians in sports administration.Abdullah has headed the Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) over 30 years. He was quoted responding to media queries following Dilip Vengsarkar’s loss in the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) elections.

What he really meant:

“Yeh hai India, meri jaan, where politicians feel it’s their birthright to have their fingers in every pie.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Dilip would make a wonderful chief minister.”