TENDULKAR @ 20

Sachin Tendulkar will join a list of 15 players whose international careers have spanned more than 20 years when he plays in the first test against Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad on Monday.

Tendulkar has been the face of Indian cricket since his test debut as a chubby, curly-haired 16-year-old against Pakistan in Karachi in November 1989.
He now holds the record for most test runs (12,773), test centuries (42), ODI runs (17,178) and ODI centuries (45).

The 36-year-old cricketer’s passion for cricket has not diminished during his long career and he still has a child-like enthusiasm for the game, said the record-breaking India batsman.

"Cricket lives in my heart and whenever I'm on a cricket field I enjoy it ... somewhere it's still a 16-year-old hidden inside who wants to go out and express himself," Tendulkar told a news conference on Friday.
"I do that and it comes naturally and I don't make any special effort to show enthusiasm. It's been my life and I enjoy every moment.
"I enjoy challenges, it's a package deal, ups and downs, wonderful moments and there are disappointments so all that also makes you a stronger person and you learn to deal with various things in life," said the batting great.

"I think I'm very fortunate to be living that dream and 20 years is a long time so there have been many special moments in my career," Tendulkar said.
"To actually start counting them would be tough but I'd definitely say the first day, walking with the playing XI, playing a test in Pakistan was probably the greatest feeling.
"The journey began there and whatever I did after that was a mere reflection of my contribution towards the nation's cause," he added. 

"I cannot fail to thank the people of India for all the affection and love, the support," he said.
"Whatever I do, whatever level I perform, you need people around you to share your happiness with them and I've got more than a billion people to share that with so that means a lot to me.
"Because of all these things you are inspired to go out and do something special for all the people."
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni recently said Tendulkar had the fitness and form to play until 2015.
"It would be nice if I can go on that long but I don't want to think that far," said Tendulkar.
"My focus is on the near future. I feel there is cricket left in me and everything is going really well."

INDIA-SRI LANKA SERIES 2009 SCHEDULE

November 16-20: India v Sri Lanka 1st Test Match, Ahmedabad
November 24-28: India v Sri Lanka 2^nd Test Match, Kanpur
December 2-6: India v Sri Lanka 3^rd Test Match, Mumbai
December 9: India v Sri Lanka 1^st T20, Nagpur (D/N)
December 12: India v Sri Lanka 2^nd T20, Mohali (D/N)
December 15: India v Sri Lanka 1^st ODI, Rajkot
December 18: India v Sri Lanka 2^nd ODI, Vizag (D/N)
December 21: India v Sri Lanka 3^rd ODI, Cuttack (D/N)
December 24: India v Sri Lanka 4^th ODI, Kolkata (D/N)
December 27: India v Sri Lanka 5^th ODI, Delhi (D/N)

Ganguly returns as KKR captain

 

 

 

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly returned as the Kolkata Knight Riders' skipper for next year's Indian Premier League, replacing New Zealand's Brendon McCullum.
The controversy-ridden IPL outfit, which finished at the bottom of the table this year, also named Dav Whatmore as its new coach with Delhi Ranji coach Vijay Dahiya as his deputy.
Pakistani pace legend Wasim Akram was appointed the mentor of the side.

Aussies clinched series

 

Doug Bollinger claimed a five-wicket haul and Shane Watson chipped in with a breezy innings as Australia defeated India by six wickets in the sixth one-day international in Guwahati to take an unbeatable 4-2 lead in the seven-match series.

Bollinger (five for 25) and Mitchell Johnson (three for 39) left India at 27 for five  but the home side recovered through half-centuries from Ravindra Jadeja (57) and Praveen Kumar (54 not out) to reach 170 all out.

The target hardly troubled Australia as Watson smashed a run-a-ball 49 and Michael Hussey made a steady unbeaten 35 as they overhauled the target with 8.1 overs to spare.

It marks India's first defeat in a bilateral series since their 4-2 loss to Australia in 2007-08.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and decided to bat first.

Johnson bowled opening batsman Virender Sehwag and removed one-drop batsman Gautam Gambhir with the last ball of his first over.

Bollinger began with a maiden from the other end and he then got in on the act, claiming the prized wicket of Sachin Tendulkar by holding a sharp return catch.

 

Bollinger rapped Yuvraj on the pad, but the ball looped up over the batsman's right shoulder and Yuvraj knocked it back onto his stumps while attempting to regain the crease.

Johnson then took the wicket of  Suresh Raina, as the batsman chipped straight to Nathan Hauritz at short mid-on, as India lost their top five batsmen inside the first nine overs.

Dhoni (24) and Jadeja revived the innings with a tedious 48-run stand for the sixth wicket, but Bollinger returned and took the wicket of Dhoni, winning a doubtful lbw decision.

India faltered again as Harbhajan Singh fell in the same over, but Praveen joined Jadeja and the two held India together with a 74-run stand for the eight wicket.

Bollinge claimed Jadeja for his fifth victim in the final over of the batting powerplay.

Praveen, who had hit Clint McKay for a six and a four in an over that yielded 14, eased India past the 150 mark and continued to bat with aggression as he reached his maiden half-century in just 48 deliveries.

Australia too suffered an early trouble, losing Shaun Marsh early, but Watson who had begun in a blaze of boundaries, then put Australia on course with a 61-run stand for the second wicket with Ricky Ponting (25).

Harbhajan,  provided another twist by taking wickets of Watson and Ponting in quick succession, but Hussey and Cameron White (25) rebuilt the innings with a 53-run stand for the fourth wicket.

White was trapped in front by Raina, but Australia needed only 28 at that stage and Hussey and Voges (23 not out) easily secured victory.