indian test

Michael Vaughan: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

"I reckon you might [have had to] bat No.8 in this Indian team."

Michael Vaughan is convinced that Phil Tufnell could bat as high as No.8 in the current Indian Test team. Tufnell has a Test average of 5.10 and a highest score of 22.

What he really meant:

“It doesn’t matter what order the Indian tailenders turn up in, the end result would be the same.It might be a better idea to reverse the batting line-up. The bottom five might just last 20 overs with the new ball.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“I wonder why Dhoni doesn’t do a Bedi and declare after the fall of the sixth wicket.”

Surprises in Indian Test team for WI tour in notable absentees, not selections

The Indian Test team for the West Indies tour has been announced.

In a surprise move, Indian selectors rested Sachin Tendulkar. The master batsman  will not feature on the entire West Indies tour. West Indian cricket fans are denied an opportunity to catch one last glimpse of Tendulkar before he bids farewell to the game.

The controversial shoulder injury to Gautam Gambhir and the sudden illness of Yuvraj Singh mean that this is one of the weakest batting sides to tour abroad in recent times.

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Cricket World Cup 2011:Has Yuvraj Singh turned the corner, at last?

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When I think of Yuvraj Singh, I recall his unbeaten 84 in just his second one-dayer against the mighty Australians facing quality fast-bowling in the form of Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee.

His knock powered India to an unlikely win. A star was born.

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Indian cricket: Of multi-crore deals, consistency and Ranji Kings Mumbai

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Dhoni may be the Indian cricketer with the most endorsements but Tendulkar makes more money per deal than the Indian captain. Dhoni boasts of a Rs. 180 crore deal and has over 20 brands in his portfolio.

Tendulkar has fourteen endorsements and charges around Rs. 6 – Rs. 7 crores per client. Tendulkar has always been selective about his clientele — the number of brands endorsed hovers around twelve to fifteen at a time.

Contrast this to Saina Nehwal’s recent hike in her price from Rs. 50 lakhs to a high of a crore and you can see the yawning difference in how other sports stars are treated in this country.

Keep in mind that cricket has just ten Test playing nations. It’s not quite cricket, is it?

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