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Sachin Tendulkar
Mahendra Singh Dhoni: What he said, really meant and definitely didn’t
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Kapil Dev: What he said, really meant and definitely didn’t
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Ravi Rampaul: What he said, really meant and definitely did not
Ravi Rampaul Plays Villain To Sachin Tendulkar’s Devils
What he said:
“I got the feeling that I was the villain as soon as Sachin went.”
Ravi Rampaul is anointed villain of the piece when the Indian first innings story in the third Test did not go per script.
Sachin Tendulkar missed his 100th international hundred (once again) caught behind for 94 off Rampaul.
The pacer’s moment of joy was short-lived as the Wankhede crowd made their displeasure known.
Rampaul said:
I got the feeling that I was the villain as soon as Sachin went. When I was back to the boundary I got ‘abused’ in a way but that’s how cricket goes. I know I have let a lot of Sachin fans down and heart broken. But we can’t just let him go out there and play freely. We had our jobs to do such as he had his job to do.
What he really meant:
“If my job makes me enemy to the crowd, so be it. I play for my side.”
What he definitely didn’t:
“Sachin’s my hero. I’d never plan him out.”
India Cricket: Vinod Kambli breaks down on national TV shattering fans’ illusions—again
Is Messr Vinod Kambli a liar?
Sachin Tendulkar’s schoolmate did a Kapil Dev on national television venting his angst at the perceived injustices done him by Indian selectors and pointing the finger of suspicion against his teammates for the 1996 World Cup semifinal debacle.
Sanjay Manjrekar: What he said, really meant and definitely did not
Sanjay Manjrekar Finds Test Centuries Easier To Get Than a No. 11
What he said:
“Courtney found it a little more difficult than me, but trust me Test centuries are not easy to get.”
Former India batsman, Sanjay Manjrekar, taking a playful dig at fellow commentator, Courtney Walsh, points out that Test tons are not facile.
Sachin Tendulkar missed out on his 100th international hundred once more in the first Test against West Indies at the Ferozeshah Kotla.
Tendulkar has not scored a ton in his last five Tests; he averages one in three.
What Manjrekar really meant:
“Courtney made it a lot more difficult—for most.”
What Manjrekar definitely didn’t:
“Courtney was the best night-watchman you could wish for.”
India Cricket: Of Young Legs, Heller Pacers and Non-Finicky Squads
The English came, saw and were conquered.
The freshly crowned No.1 Test team were all at sea when it came to negotiating the sub-continent’s slow turners.
A 5-0 trashing might satisfy MS Dhoni and his young brigade ;the true test is to come when Team India tour Australia at the end of the year.
The Indians looked sharp in the field owing to young legs in the side.
A consolation T20 win for Graeme Swann, no little thanks to a belligerent knock by the man he termed not captaincy material in his autobiography, “The Breaks Are Off”—Kevin Pietersen.
The hoi polloi were not impressed; the stands were less than full for the games.
A surfeit of cricket coupled with the dismal surrender in England implies that fans cannot be taken for a ride—surely not all the time.
The squad picked for the first Test in the return series against West Indies at home has three express bowlers, each capable of bowling at 140+ kmph.
Does this mark the dawn of a new era?
Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron are chomping at the bit to have a go and make their mark on the selectors before the crucial tour Down Under.
Harbhajan Singh,however, has been sternly castigated by Krishnamachari Srikkanth and his merry men; he remains out of favour.
Rahul Sharma, Ravindra Ashwin and Praghyan Ojha are the twirlers chosen by the wise men of Indian cricket.
Virender Sehwag returns, Ajinkya Rahane is rewarded for his fine displays and Yuvraj Singh makes it back to the Test side and ‘Grade A’.
Virat Kohli has yet another chance to prove his credentials in the longer format of the game—should he play.
Kohli and Ishant Sharma have moved up in the Indian cricketing world—rewarded with Grade A contracts.
Ashish Nehra is the surprising omission from the list of contracted players. Why is he being punished?
The first Test match is scheduled for November 6, 2011 in Delhi at the Ferozeshah Kotla.
Two spinners and two pace bowlers are par for the course on sub-continent wickets.
Will Dhoni risk a Sehwag without adequate match practice? A similar move did not quite work wonders in English conditions. But then this is home advantage and the Kotla is the Nawab’s home ground.
Can Dhoni leave him out?
The second pace bowler’s spot is a toss-up between Yadav and Aaron—Dhoni’s call.
Rahul Sharma is the least experienced amongst the trundlers. Safe to say, he will not play.
The squad picks itself:
M S Dhoni (capt & wk), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag (Ajinkya Rahane), Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, R Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav (or Varun Aaron).
—John Dryden
Vinod Kambli Gets All Soapy Over The IPL
What he said:
“It’s like ‘Saas Bahu aur Saazish’ serial.”
Former India player and Sachin Tendulkar’s childhood partner, Vinod Kambli, compares the IPL to a gossipy TV program that covers the latest happenings in various soaps.
The southpaw slammed youngsters’ proclivity to choose popcorn cricket over the longer form of the game.
Today, the youngsters are looking to play in the IPL. Reason being fast money. One Ranji Trophy match and they are picked up for the Twenty20 tournament. From day one, their aim is to play in the IPL but one should understand that real cricket is Test cricket.
IPL is fun, entertainment and offer a short career with a lot of money.
Kambli recently retired from first class cricket.
Kambli said:
It’s for the youngsters to decide their priorities. We all know that IPL results in quick money, all the attention and facilities. But youngsters should give preference to the domestic cricket, which is the ideal platform to develop skill and temperament.
When me and (Sachin) Tendulkar started our careers, there was no IPL. We gave preference to the domestic cricket because our aim was to play in Tests. Now, with IPL, so many matches are being played in two months’ time and it’s becoming like a serial. One day people would like to see a change.
The dashing left-hander, however, did not beg off from partaking of the IPL’s riches:
“Of course, why not! I would like to get associated with any of the IPL franchise as a coach or an expert if provided with the opportunity. Coaching is the first thing on my mind now.”
What Kambli really meant:
“IPL is like watching highlights—you only catch the big hits and fall of wickets.”
“I wish the IPL had happened earlier. Then I wouldn’t have to make all those ridiculous television appearances in chat, dance and news shows.”
What Kambli definitely didn’t:
“How about a soap opera on cricket—for a change? I’ll catch it on ‘Saas Bahu Aur Saazish’.”
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Make Time For Sports. 